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Show Acting Alone Page 359 In the slightly embarrassing pause that followed, he realized that, if he got no Pagette beeps soon, the old man might just assume that his little lone commando had been apprehended. After a certain amount of dead time, Mr. Cicerone might be expected to remotely detonate the wad of Kleenex with no signal. Axelrad fought the urge to scream, "All right, fuck you then, go ahead and fry," and flee down into the tunnels. He hung on long enough for what he hoped would be the coup de grace. Axelrad stood on tiptoe, flopped his meager genitalia over the edge of the pew, and tried to look perverted. She suddenly aimed her hideous old face up at him. She gave him such a look. Her eyes alone made him feel like he was about to piss sharp rocks. He threw .down his beeper and ran. He left behind the Pagette and his responsibility to Mr. Cicerone, and he slipped into the tiny hole behind the batik and got his little ass underground. He didn't run as he'd been taught, like a mercenary or a commando. No need to be taught how to run. Axelrad just ran down into the lightless-ness like a little kid playing Army after nightfall, all alone because the big boys always shun you and mock you, with your own dad's blessing they mock you; your dad buys them rootbeer and stands with them at the backyard gate, mocking you as you try to concentrate on your Army play - because you run all squinty-stepped like a fatherless shrimp. First Axelrad thought he heard Uzi fire echoing up from the inky air |