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immicks。 Food？ Cafeteria in the lobby； and grocery and liquor deliveries twice a day from Lake George。 All this for ten dollars single and sixteen double。 No wonder that； with around two hundred thousand dollars' capital outlay and a season lasting only from July the first to the beginning of October； or； so far as the NO VACANCY sign was concerned； from July fourteenth to Labor Day； the owners were finding the going hard。 Or so those dreadful Phanceys had told me when they'd taken me on as receptionist for only thirty dollars a week plus keep。 Thank heavens they were out of my hair！ Song in my heart？ There had been the whole heavenly choir at six o'clock that morning when their shiny station…wagon had disappeared down the road on their way to Glens Falls and then to Troy where the monsters came from。 Mr。 Phancey had made a last grab at me； and I hadn't been quick enough。 His free hand had run like a fast lizard over my body before I had crunched my heel into his instep。 He had let go then。 When his contorted face had cleared； he said softly； 〃All right； sex…box。 Just see that you mind camp good until the boss es to take over the keys tomorrow noon。 Happy dreams tonight。〃 Then he had grinned a grin I hadn't understood； and had gone over to the station…wagon； where his wife had been watching from the driver's seat。 〃e on； Jed；〃 she had said sharply。 〃You can work off those urges on West Street tonight。〃 She put the car in gear and called over to me sweetly； 〃 'By now； cutie…pie。 Write us every day。〃 Then she had wiped the crooked smile off her face and I caught a last glimpse of her withered hatchet profile as the car turned out onto the road。 Phew！ What a couple！ Right out of a book…and what a book！ Dear Diary！ Well； people couldn't e much Worse； and now they'd gone。 From now on； on my travels； the human race must improve！
I had been standing there； looking down the way the Phanceys had gone； remembering them。 Now I turned and looked to the north to see after the weather。 It had been a beautiful day； Swiss clear and hot for the middle of October； but now high fretful clouds； black with jagged pink hair from the setting sun； were piling down the sky。 Fast little winds were zigzagging among the forest tops and every now and then they hit the single yellow light above the deserted gas station down the road at the tail of the lake and set it swaying。 When a longer gust reached me； cold and buffeting； it brought with it the whisper of a metallic squeak from the dancing light； and the first time this happened I shivered deliciously at the little ghostly noise。 On the lake shore； beyond the last of the cabins； small waves were lapping fast against the stones； and the gunmetal surface of the lake was fretted with sudden cat's…paws that sometimes showed a fleck of white。 But； in between the angry gusts； the air was still； and the sentinel trees across the road and behind the motel seemed to be pressing silently closer to huddle round the campfire of the brightly lit building at my back。
I suddenly wanted to go to the john； and I smiled to myself。 It was the piercing tickle that es to children during hide…and…seek…in…the…dark and Sardines； when； in your cupboard under the stairs； you heard the soft creak of a floorboard； the approaching whisper of the searchers。 Then you clutched yourself in thrilling anguish and squeezed your legs together and waited for the ecstasy of discovery； the crack of light from the opening door and then…the supreme moment…your urgent 〃Ssh！ e in with me！〃 the softly closing door and the giggling warm body pressed tight against your own。
Standing there； a 〃big girl〃 now； I remembered it all and recognized the sensual itch brought on by a fleeting apprehension…the shiver down the spine； the intuitive gooseflesh that e from the primitive fear…signals of animal ancestors。 1 was amused and I hugged the moment to me。 Soon the thunderheads would burst and I would step back from the howl and chaos of the storm into my well…lighted fortable cave； make myself a drink； listen to the radio； and feel safe and cosseted。
It was getting dark。 Tonight there would be no evening chorus from the birds。 They had long ago read the signs and disappeared into their own shelters in the forest； as had the animals…the squirrels and the chipmunks and the deer。 In all this huge wild area there was now only me out in the open。 I took a last few deep breaths of the soft； moist air。 The humidity had strengthened the scent of pine and moss； and now there was also a strong underlying armpit smell of earth。 It was almost as if the forest was sweating with the same pleasurable excitement I was feeling。 Somewhere； from quite close； a nervous owl asked loudly 〃Who？〃 and then was silent。 I took a few steps away from the lighted doorway and stood in the middle of the dusty road； looking north。 A strong gust of wind hit me and blew back my hair。 Lightning threw a quick blue…white hand across the horizon。 Seconds later thunder growled softly like a wakening guard dog； and then the big wind came and the tops of the trees began to dance and thrash and the yellow light over the gas station jigged and blinked down the road as if to warn me。 It was warning me。 Suddenly the dancing light was blurred with rain； its luminosity fogged by an advancing gray sheet of water。 The first heavy drops hit me； and 1 turned and ran。
I banged the door behind me； locked it； and put up the chain。 I was only just in time。 Then the avalanche crashed down and settled into a steady roar of water whose patterns of sound varied from a heavy drumming on the slanting timbers of the roof to a higher； more precise slashing at the windows。 In a moment these sounds were joined by the busy violence of the overflow drainpipes。 And the noisy background pattern of the storm was set。
I was still standing there； cozily listening； when the thunder that had been creeping quietly up behind my back sprang its ambush。 Suddenly lightning blazed in the room； and at the same instant there came a blockbusting crash that shook the building and made the air twang like piano wire。 It was just one single colossal explosion that might have been a huge bomb falling only yards away。 There was a sharp tinkle as a piece of glass fell out of one of the windows onto the floor； and then the noise of water pattering in onto the linoleum。
I didn't move。 I couldn't。 I stood and cringed； my hands over my ears。 I hadn't meant it to be like this！ The silence； that had been deafening； resolved itself back into the roar of the rain； the roar that had been so forting but that now said； 〃You hadn't thought it could be so bad。 You had never seen a storm in these mountains。 Pretty flimsy this little shelter of yours； really。 How'd you like to have the lights put out as a start？ Then the crash of a thunderbolt through that matchwood ceiling of yours？ Then； just to finish you off； lightning to set fire to the place…perhaps electrocute you？ Or shall we just frighten you so much that you dash out in the rain and try and make those ten miles to Lake George。 Like to be alone； do you？ Well； just try this for size！〃 Again the room turned blue…white； again； just overhead； there came the ear…splitting crack of the exp