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"Of course." She had mentioned his new teaching job, but had she specified college? Or English? It didn't matter. Her headache was making her feel faint, and all she wanted was to get this over with so she could lie down. The woman was weird and unpleasant. |
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She led the way to Matty's room. "I must caution you, he's entered his Ooga-Booga phase." |
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"Technical jargon," she said opening the door. |
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The walls were plastered with posters for horror movies. Between those for Pet Sematary and Child's Play was a large picture of Freddy Krueger with his flame-rutted face and five-blade slasher claw. (It covered the hole Matty had punched in the wall.) On the opposite wall were some of Matty's own drawingswerewolves, full hairy faces with bloody mouths and bright green eyes. And with Matty's likeness. Of all the pictures in the room, these bothered Terry the mostthe ones Matty had apparently projected of himself. |
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"We're hoping his next stage is Monet," Terry said, "but it'll probably be Hieronymous Bosch." |
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The woman was not amused. She checked her watch, her jaw was set to go. The visit had been a waste of time. The house was not for her. |
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Before leaving, Terry's eye caught the aquarium bubbling on the bureau. One of the fish was missing. Yesterday when she was vacuuming, there were two golden fantails, now there was one. The female was gone. Matty would have mentioned it if it had died. The big male was fixed at the bottom by himself. Poor guy, Terry thought, lost your woman. Maybe Daisy had pawed her out. But cats didn't really do that, did they? Besides, she hasn't been out of the cellar for a week. |
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Terry took a pinch of flaked shrimp from the can. Condolences, she thought, and flicked her fingers above the surface. |
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Suddenly the fish shot up from the bottom right out of the water and sunk its teeth into the tip of her finger. Terry let out a yelp, more out of shock than pain. The fish was fixed on her finger, flapping in the air. |
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"God," Terry cried. She plunged her hand back into the tank, hoping it would swim away. But it didn't. She pulled her hand out again but it held fast, flapping in the air. Though she couldn't feel |
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