If He Dies, He Dies

He lay curled on the bed, coughing, a metallic taste

d, holding it out

ed. "Mr. Vance said you'd t

" After a brief, whispered conversation, she hung up. "Sh

in her hands. "Mr. Vance thought you might like s

and lifted the lid. A brown spid

ng on her lips. "Julian's very fond of them." She

get up quickly. The spider moved with un

lf up, but the pain in his abdomen was a

nnecting with something smal

, fever, and delirium. His leg throbbed,

Brenda peered in. "St

floor. Her eyes widened, not wit

lian's pet! He

again, presumably to re

walked to the AC thermostat and cranked it down to

he said, and left, locking

lready struggling. He shivered violently,

cking sound.

ot Brenda. A young man i

looking around the opulent but freezin

peak, but only

e's state, the discolored leg, t

mer, Mrs. Sterling, said to leave the food and ignore... u

pa

alling 911.