Lost in Cyberspace

Lost in Cyberspace Read Free Page B

Book: Lost in Cyberspace Read Free
Author: Richard Peck
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that spider is permanent.”
    Then Fenella dozed off in the elevator, slumped against the wall with her hat tipped down to her nose rings. She snored.
    She slept for nineteen hours. By then it was Saturday evening. Mom was getting nervous. For one thing, she was going out that night. Behind a door, I heard her and Heather.
    â€œIt’s not a date,” Mom was saying. “Stop calling it a date. It’s dinner and the theater with Mr. Ogleby, Jr. It’s business. He’s head of the accounting department, and he’s welcoming me into the firm. He’s just showing me professional courtesy. Should I wear my drop earrings, or are they too much?”
    â€œIt’s a date,” Heather said when she caught me listening outside the door. “Mom’s dating again. We better get Fenella on her feet or Mom won’t leave. She’ll cancel Mr. Ogleby, Jr., and stay home with us. She’ll want to pop popcorn and rerun Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
    We cracked the door of Dad’s den. The sofa folds out into a bed. There was a large lump in the middle of it. Fenella’s hat was on Dad’s desk, covering most of it.
    â€œHey, Fenella,” Heather said. The lump moved. “It’s like a whole different day. In fact, it’s night again. Get up.”
    Fenella seemed to be on her hands and knees now, shaking her head. “Crikey,” she said, or something like that.
    Mom was dressed in her best and beginning to pace when Fenella came into the living room. She filled up the whole door. She’d taken off some of her black layers and left on the rest. We hadn’t caught a good look at her with her hat off before. Hair sprang up like a stiff mop all around her head, and it was between maroon and purple. On her right cheekbone was a small human skull with a dagger through its eye socket. So the spider wasn’t permanent.
    â€œOh,” Mom said. “Feeling rested?”
    â€œFeelin’ like I just been jumped by a bunch of skin-heads,” Fenella said. “Feelin’ like I was just kicked in the—”
    The buzzer rang, and it was Mr. Ogleby, Jr. Mom had to go. “Maybe I should call when we get to the theater,” she said at the door. She didn’t feel any too good about leaving us.
    â€œIt’s cool, Mom,” Heather said. “We’ll 0 Pear Fenella. She’ll be fine.” Then Heather gave me a look which she usually doesn’t do.
    After that we showed Fenella the kitchen. She stood in front of the refrigerator, making a few selections.
    â€œDo you want to do some gourmet cooking?” Heather inquired, testing her.
    â€œSome wot?” Fenella said. “You got Big Macs in this country yet?”
    It wouldn’t have surprised me if Fenella had wanted to call it a day and go back to bed. She didn’t move fast even in her thinking. And I’ll tell you this. She never did figure out what our names were. We followed as she roamed around the apartment, ending up at the living room windows. “Oy,” she said or something like that. “It’s night.”
    â€œI tried to tell you,” Heather said.
    â€œSo let’s go,” Fenella said, beginning to stir.
    Heather blinked. We’re talking New York here, so we don’t go out at night a lot. On the other hand, Heather began to see some possibilities. Anyway, maybe Fenella would be protection enough.
    â€œLike where?” Heather said carefully.
    â€œLike outta here is flippin’ where,” Fenella said. “Clubs and such.”
    â€œClubs?” Heather had heard of them, but didn’t know where they were.
    â€œClubs, raves, venues,” Fenella said. She was waking up now. “I got some addresses. Downtown.”
    To us, downtown is anywhere south of Saks, and we don’t go there. A strange, eager look came over Heather’s face. “I don’t think Josh can get in,” she said, still carefully.

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