Read The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality for Free Online Page B

luxury and happiness and Jenna. It was one of those moments in life that almost make up for the rest of it.
    "Yes?" My voice sounded very far away.
    "Do you love me?"
    "Yes, Jenna, I love you very much," I said, and I meant it. I also felt a little fear, for when you love, you have something to lose. But as long as dawn never came, everything would be all right, and dawn would never come.
    "Darling?"
    "Yes, Jenna?"
    "It's dawn."
    "No, dear," I said, "there will never be any more dawns. It was simply a mistake in the original creation, and the mistake, at my request, has been corrected. Stupid mundane day with all its pointless cares has been cancelled and replaced by endless luscious candlelit night."
    "How poetic! But, darling, it really is dawn, and the servants will be up and about soon."
    "So?"
    "Well, I don't think it would be a good idea for them to see you leaving my boudoir."
    "Don't be crazy. I left them a note on the mantlepiece saying that you and I are in bed together. If they see Albert coming, they're to ring the silver dinner bell three times."
    "The silver dinner bell already went to auction. And this bed is going today. Things are going to get busy very soon around here."
    "This bed?"
    "Yes, dear, isn't that awful? So you see . . ."
    I held my head tightly in my hands. Reality was like the sudden onset of a migraine. What kind of a world was this? You have a few hours of joy, and then they come and auction the bed right out from under you! And what about Jenna? Did she really care for me? "I don't know when I've ever had such a magical night," I said, reaching out to her.
    "Yes, it was wonderful," she said, covering my neck with little kisses. "You're a very gentle lover, Jack."
    Was that a compliment? Did she really mean wimpy? Unimaginative? I was feeling very desperate all of a sudden. Jenna got out of bed, found my shirt, and began to help me on with it. I wanted to cling to her, but I knew that wasn't the thing to do. I was supposed to get dressed and make a cheerful exit.
Until next time, Cherie!
When would that be? For competition I had her zillionaire boyfriend who might be arriving at any moment. It was his house. It was his bed. And I was his guest.
    "Listen," Jenna said. "It's Albert."
    A jolt of adrenaline hit me like a blow. Where was he? What had she heard? I expected him to come bursting into the room, and all I had on was a shirt. "How do you know?" I whispered.
    "Can't you hear it? The helicopter?"
    Sure enough, I could hear the whop, whop, whop of the rotor off in the distance. I had a little time then. My clothes were all over the floor where I'd dropped them, the landmarks on a treasure map leading to a canopy bed. I watched Jenna as I dressed. She looked a little hurt, a little puzzled. Her words came back to me:
I have to do things like that. I can't help it.
    My shoes were in my hand now, my silk scarf draped around my neck. When I went to kiss her she gave me a frightened look, but grabbed me around the neck and kissed me wildly.
    "Goodbye, Jack," she panted. "Thank you so much. Oh, here, don't forget your sock."
    So with shoes in hand, I sneaked guiltily across the mansion as day was breaking and Albert's chopper was coming in. Cracking the curtains in my room a tiny bit, I watched it land. I was expecting something gay and racy, with chrome trim and a bright stripe or two. But what landed on the lawn was dark, squat, and armor-plated, and carried two machine guns that I could see. I couldn't see any numbers nor any insignia. It looked like a flying pirate ship.
    Two men in jumpsuits ran low under the swirling rotor and then walked toward the house. The one who was carrying the attaché case and gesturing with his free hand was Albert. He was still on the portly side, and had grown a little beard.
    So fascinated was I with this new image of Albert that I opened the door and tiptoed out on the landing. I heard them come in the front door, heard footsteps below, a sliding sound, a thump,