Mazes and Monsters Read Free Page A

action was—because you weren’t strong enough. Something had to develop, like a muscle, and she thought what that was, was maturity.
    That was one of the reasons she had fallen into the game so easily, embracing the fantasy of the mazes and her own character of Glacia the Fighter with such enthusiasm. It was like really being in a story. And you weren’t on trial, because you didn’t have to write it down to get a good mark. You had to be cautious every minute to save your life, to advance in the unknown places, to risk and seize and fight—and it made her feel exuberant.
    She looked at her watch. It was three hours earlier home in San Francisco, so her mother would just be getting back from law school. She’d made Kate promise to call as soon as she arrived safely at her dorm. Kate didn’t know any other mother who would let her daughter drive across country all by herself, and in truth she had been terrified the entire way, which was why she had done it. Kate always did things that frightened her, so she would get over them. Windows up, doors locked, radio on, eyes boring straight ahead, remembering that she was very good in karate in case she needed to defend herself; teeth clenched so tightly her jaws cramped, and not even aware of it until she saw the sign that said WELCOME TO PEQUOD . KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN and she realized she could hardly open her mouth.
    The phone she’d ordered had been installed. She hoped nobody had been there before her and run up a bill; you never knew what people would do. She dialed home.
    “Hi, Mom! I’m here.”
    “Hi!” Her mother was sounding really happy these days, ever since she’d gotten her head together and gone to law school to make her own life. “How was the trip?”
    “Fine,” Kate said casually.
    “You did have enough money for the motels?”
    “Oh, sure.”
    “I knew you would. I don’t want you to be so cheap with yourself, Kate. I ought to be glad; I’m lucky. Most kids your age are spendthrifts. But I worry if you don’t eat decently and I want you to have a good time. Your father is not going to cut off the alimony until I get a job.”
    “That’s what he says. ”
    Her mother chuckled. “Don’t you worry. By then I’ll be a lawyer and I’ll take him to court. Listen, did you know you forgot your skis?”
    “Yeah. I left them on purpose.”
    “Why?”
    “I didn’t have much time to ski last year. This year will be worse. Tell Belinda she can use them.”
    “Kate, are you saving me money again?”
    “No, I just don’t feel like skiing this year.” How could she explain to her mother about the game, how it took so much time? It was just too complicated. Her mother would start to worry that she was neglecting her studies.
    “When I think how much you wanted those skis, and how much they meant to you …”
    “Mom, just be glad I didn’t have my heart set on a horse.”
    “I’d kill you,” her mother said, laughing.
    “Listen, I’ve got to go now, this is long-distance. I’ll call you soon. Love you. Good-bye.”
    She hung up, and after carefully locking her room went down the hall to find out if Daniel had arrived yet.
    His door was open and she poked her head around the sill. He looked up and smiled, happy to see her. Kate thought how much Daniel looked like John Travolta—he was probably the best-looking guy in the dorm and he wasn’t even conceited. Six feet tall, a great body, bright blue eyes, dark hair, an incredibly sexy mouth, and besides that he was a computer genius who would probably make a million dollars when he graduated, working for one of the companies that would be competing for him. She had never been able to figure out why Daniel had decided to come to a school like Grant when he could have gone to Stanford or M.I.T. Maybe he wanted to be a big fish in a small pond. He got all A’s without any seeming effort, as if he was just treading water here. Women were crazy about him, but that didn’t make him conceited