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Show 58 stroking back and forth along the inside of Steve's leg. Karen took her fingers off the indicator and wiped them on the front of her skirt. Her face was white. "It can't even spell," Nadine said. Someone laughed. "I don't think I want to play this any more," Karen said. "It's just a game," Nadine said. Karen stood up and the message indicator slid into Dave's lap. She put the board back in the box that lay on top of the desk and closed the lid. Dave handed her the indicator, looking a little surprised. She took it and opened a corner of the lid and slipped it inside and pushed the lid down again. It didn't fit, and presently one of the plastic legs broke through the cardboard. "I'm pretty tired of this," she said. "Besides, we haven't eaten any cake yet, have we." Her freckles stood out like cinders against her face as she moved from the desk, pushing a chair out of the way, and hurried past Virginia and Bill and went out the door. "It's just a game, Karen," Nadine said, following her. "I'm pretty tired now. Come on, everybody." Lorin heard her talking all the way to the living room. Linda stepped past him, holding Chet by the hand, and went out. Lorin waited until the study had emptied before leaving himself. He took the punctured lid off the box and lifted the edge of the board. It rested on a cardboard false bottom which contained a square enclosure in the center for the indicator. He dropped the indicator into it, noticing that the leg that had pierced the lid was cracked, replaced the board and closed the lid down tightly. He didn't feel especially well, he reflected, and thought he might go home a little early. He was glad they had stopped. There was no point in being priggish about it, but |
