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Zakryvai͡u glaza, vizhu, kak ot odnogo iz kamneĭ otryvaetsi͡a nechto rasplyvchatoe. Otkryvai͡u, net nichego. Zakryvai͡u, nechto bystro nesetsi͡a pri͡amo na meni͡a. Vskidyvai͡u karabin, streli͡ai͡u s zakrytymi glazami, ne t͡seli͡asʹ. Okazyvaetsi͡a, umei͡u neplokho streli͡atʹ, meni͡a i͡avno kogda-to uchili, i uchiteli͡a byli khoroshimi, esli vdolbili takie veshchi na urovne refleksov. Nechto kuvyrknulosʹ v vozdukhe i s shumom upalo k moim nogam. Otkryvai͡u glaza, vizhu pered soboĭ pi͡atna krovi, kontury neznakomoĭ tvari postepenno prostupai͡ut i stanovi͡atsi͡a vidimymi dli͡a obychnogo zrenii͡a. Chernai͡a cheshui͡a, pereponchatye krylʹi͡a, ogromnye klyki i rogatai͡a golova. Udachnyĭ vystrel, mister Rem. Kazhetsi͡a, sedai͡a s kosoĭ opi͡atʹ proshla segodni͡a sovsem blizko.

I close my eyes and see something blurry come off one of the rocks. I open it, there's nothing. I close my eyes, and something is rushing toward me fast. I raise the carbine, shoot with my eyes closed, not aiming. It turns out that I know how to shoot well, I was clearly taught once, and the teachers were good if they drilled such things at the level of reflexes. Something somersaulted in the air and fell noisily at my feet. I open my eyes and see bloodstains in front of me, the contours of the strange creature gradually emerging and becoming visible to normal vision. Black scales, webbed wings, huge fangs, and a horned head. Good shot, Mr. Rem. It seems that the gray-haired one with the scythe again passed very close today.