Omegasphere Read Free Page A

enhanced humans and seductive robots, he did so with the intent of revealing the truth about those characters, and with the hope that his fictional stories reflected a truth about real life. To him, the idea that one genre was less truthful than another was absurd.
    When the waitress returned with more drinks for them, Kurt said to her, “You’re pregnant.”
    Taken aback, the waitress said, “How did you know that? I only found out myself a few days ago.” Somewhat unnerved, she quickly walked away.
    Kurt was smiling stupidly, feeling pleased with himself. It felt like he had solved a puzzle.
    “How did you know that, Kurt?” Ursula asked.
    “You couldn’t tell?”
     
     
    Kurt and Ursula were walking down Fourth Avenue when they got to the stoop of a brownstone.
    “This is me, here,” Ursula said.
    This is much too refined a home for this eccentric girl, Kurt thought.
    “Well, it’s not exactly me,” she said.
    “. . . Sorry?”
    “I don’t exactly live here .”
    “Oh. Then where exactly do you live?”
    “Just around the corner.”
    Was she ashamed of where she lived? Kurt wondered. Or afraid to tell someone she feared was a creep?
    An awkward silence lingered until she finally said, “I usually don’t tell people where I live.”
    Her paranoia was more serious than he had originally suspected.
    “The government doesn’t even know where I live. How could they? I don’t pay taxes. Don’t have income. Haven’t in years. I live off of an inheritance.”
    Kurt was too astounded to say anything.
    “If you knew what I knew, you would act the same way,” she said. “I’m not crazy. I promise.”
    “I believe you,” he lied.
    “Fine. But since I need your help with my book, I guess that means you should know where I live.”
    “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. It might be better if we just parted ways right here.”
    “I need your help, Kurt.”
    “What can I do? I’m unemployed. Cut off. I can’t help you.”
    “You have connections. You can help me find the right people. You can show me how to get their attention.”
    She conned him into following her to her apartment with a sad-eyed expression, despite the protesting of his better judgment. When they got there, she took out her keys from her purse. She turned to him and said, “Do you have a cell phone on you?”
    “Yes.”
    “Would you mind turning it off and putting it in here?” She went to the mailboxes recessed in the wall and opened one. It was lined with tinfoil.
    “I know this is weird, Kurt, but please. I’m not crazy. I have a good reason for my paranoia.”
    Kurt turned off his cell phone and put it in the mailbox. He noticed the other mailboxes weren’t labeled.
    “I own the building,” she said, “and I don’t need tenants.”
    There were several locks on her apartment door. When they were inside, she relocked them and fastened a metal bar to the door.
    “I know this is New York, but I think you might be overdoing it a bit,” Kurt said.
    “Says you. Wait until you read my book.” As she made her way to an adjoining room she said, “Wait there.”
    Kurt stood in the foyer as if an invisible field kept him from going any further. Who knew how she’d act should he penetrate her personal space? He did notice, however, that the apartment was surprisingly quite nice. A leather couch and club chair were arranged atop a Persian rug. Wall sconces provided a soft glow. It was a place of wealth and taste, which seemed the opposite of Ursula.
    She returned quickly, holding a cardboard box.
    “Here it is,” she said.
    He took the manuscript from her. “I’ll take a look at the book when I have time. I have a crisis of my own right now.”
    “I realize that. I really hope your work situation clears up.”
    “Yeah, me too. I’m sure it’s just a mistake. I’ll probably be back to work in a few days.”
    She escorted him out of the building and retrieved his cell phone from the mailbox.
    While walking home, Kurt