38

a brief trek over the hills
turn through the tunnel

Having ascertained he can still read
he begins to look through the heaps
of books & magazines
at the far end of the room

Annie’s library is a curious one
below a layer of garish paperbacks
The Third Eye
A Separate Reality
lie some solider, older hardbacks
mostly warped by damp
ranging from psychology textbooks to ghost stories
the magazines, he’s surprised to see
are mostly soft-porn
nothing hardcore, but plenty of “couples magazines”
with tasteful nudes & spicy experiences
he’s getting really engrossed in a story about a mother
seducing her daughter’s lover
when he hears approaching feet

The feet come first
crunch crunch on the loose gravel
then the loud knock
then the voice
– Annie, you there?
a man’s voice, loud & booming

How can he not know she’s at work?
he thinks, reluctant to field questions
subject himself to scrutiny
– Annie?
the voice is closer
under the window
the footsteps start to circle the house