Я захлопнул книгу и воодушевленно вздохнул. Всё-таки, сюжету...

I slammed the book and sighed enthusiastically. Still, the plot of this book is amazing. No wonder people admire her for centuries. Throughout the whole story, the hero’s moral formation is felt, his inner change under the yoke of circumstances and such an emotional climax. And what a deep idea! It seemed that the whole philosophy of life was reflected in the pages of this fanatic ...

I put the book on the shelf. Today it was the last. Everything was thought out so that it was not even necessary to get up. It was enough to put on the scanning glasses of the tomograph and press the button. The device habitually buzzed unusually. Sounds funny. Another 2 minutes and ...

- So, what is next? Came a cold voice from a far corner room.
- In terms of? I asked, trying to make out the source of the voice.
- What will happen next? - leisurely steps mixed with a booming wooden knock came nearer to me.
- Who you are? - I tried to make out the face of the dark silhouette with a bevel.
“As I understand it, soon you still won’t remember it anyway, so I think there’s no need to explain right now so as not to repeat twice later.
- You're right. In less than 2 minutes, my memory will be erased in the last couple of days. Together with her, the memories of the books that I just read will also be erased.
- And then what?
“And then I can read them again.” As for the first time. Again relive the passions, again admire the twisted plot and the author’s revised idea.
- But why?
- I’m tired of looking among the tons of literary slag that I really admire. I have read many books, but only a few of them were true masterpieces. When I re-read them, I really regretted that I could not experience the enthusiasm that I experienced when I read them for the first time. And then it dawned on me. I assembled a device with which I selectively erased memories of these books. Now I could again admire these masterpieces. The sensations were inexpressible. Now every week I read only genuine works of art!
“Have you only read three books all your life?” - asked Death.
- Yes. But then again every time. Each time I am entertained by the plot, I relive the emotional tragedy of each hero and tire of wondering at the creative finds of the author. And you can’t imagine what it is like ...

Suddenly I understood everything. The sweat of my palms glistening in the moonlight made my palms sweat.

- What are you doing here?
- You see, if you use your disintegrator too often, then ...

A bright flash blinded me. Hell, couldn’t I have come up with something less painful? For a couple of minutes I did not see anything and only white spots flickered before my eyes. Extraordinary lightness was felt. Interestingly, always like that? Finally, the outlines of the room began to appear. Here is the closet. Bedside table. Shelf ... Who is this ?! In a kind of hoodie, with a scythe ... Am I really dedicated someone to my brilliant plan? I wanted to get up, but I did not feel my legs. Nothing, now pass. Must pass. I looked down. My legs didn’t move, my hands went limp as non-living, and my head was down ... Stop? Can I see my head? Only now I realized that it was as if floating above a chair, on which I am sitting! What's happening?

“You died, Dr. Chase.” - like the rattle of a cold metal from under a hoodie, the sounds of a voice came. “In a minute your soul will gain peace.” You have had a lifetime to read as many books as possible. Now you will have an eternity to rethink.

I looked at the shelf. On it were books that were genuine works of art. Books in which all the deep thought of world literature was laid. Books, having read which, it could be considered that you have read enough in your life. The books that I didn’t have time to read ...