Spider Legs by Piers Anthony & Clifford A. Pickover

Author:Piers Anthony & Clifford A. Pickover [Anthony, Piers & Pickover, Clifford A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Oh, I'm interested,” she protested. “I just don't want to get in your way. I wouldn't be any help at all in a crisis, I know it. And I wouldn't know any of the people.”

Was fate tempting him to overreach himself, and lose everything? He had to play it out and see. “You would know me, Lisa. And perhaps others we hope to have along, like Nathan Smallwood—” But she looked blank. “And Natalie Sheppard.”

She brightened. “The policewoman! Yes. She's nice. But if anything happened, I'd probably just scream and grab on to the nearest person. I'm not very brave.”

“I assure you that I would not mind having you grab on to me, Lisa. Not that you would want to.” He held up his splayed fingers again, reminding her of his ugliness.

She looked at the fingers, visibly set back. “Do you also—the teeth—?”

“Yes,” he said, not showing them. “But in other respects Martha and I are not at all alike. I don't have anything against ordinary people.”

“That's nice,” she said uncertainly. It was clear that she was somewhat in awe of him, and not in a wholly complimentary sense. Then she decided. “But I think I would like to go. My brother—” She clouded up again.

“I understand.” It was time to leave, before he messed up this phenomenal chance. “I think I will leave my message for Martha. It is that our mother has died, and we must approve her cremation so the hospital can release the body.”

“Oh. Yes. I'll tell her. She should be in soon.” She looked up, meeting his gaze for a moment. “I'm sorry. For your mother.”

“Thank you. I'm sorry for your brother and his wife. But I think he'll make it.”

“Thank you.” She tried to smile again, but didn't succeed. Her effort was touching, however.

Elmo turned resolutely and left the store. He did not want Lisa to suspect how interested he was in her, lest he turn her completely off. Probably it could come to nothing, but he would spin out the dream as long as he could. The death of his mother, the discovery of Lisa—they did offset each other, in their peculiar fashion, and that helped stabilize him.

It was a dark cloud, he thought, that lacked a silver lining. This cloud was exceedingly dark, but the lining was very pretty.

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