Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 1
Stillmore.WhenIwasthree,andfour,andfiveyearsofage,IwasnotyetI.Iwasamerebecoming,afluxofspiritnotyetcooledsolidinthemouldofmyparticularfleshandtimeandplace.InthatperiodallthatIhadeverbeenintenthousandlivesbeforestroveinme,andtroubledthefluxofme,intheefforttoincorporateitselfinmeandbecomeme.
Silly,isn’tit?Butremember,myreader,whomIhopetohavetravelfarwithmethroughtimeandspace—remember,please,myreader,thatIhavethoughtmuchonthesematters,thatthroughbloodynightsandsweatsofdarkthatlastedyears-long,Ihavebeenalonewithmymanyselvestoconsultandcontemplatemymanyselves.Ihavegonethroughthehellsofallexistencestobringyounewswhichyouwillsharewithmeinacasualcomfortablehourovermyprintedpage.
So,toreturn,Isay,duringtheagesofthreeandfourandfive,IwasnotyetI.IwasmerelybecomingasItookforminthemouldofmybody,andallthemighty,indestructiblepastwroughtinthemixtureofmetodeterminewhattheformofthatbecomingwouldbe.Itwasnotmyvoicethatcriedoutinthenightinfearofthingsknown,whichI,forsooth,didnotandcouldnotknow.Thesamewithmychildishangers,myloves,andmylaughters.Othervoicesscreamedthroughmyvoice,thevoicesofmenandwomenaforetime,ofallshadowyhostsofprogenitors.
