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diff --git a/66379-0.txt b/66379-0.txt index b087f6d..bd2d081 100644 --- a/66379-0.txt +++ b/66379-0.txt @@ -1,573 +1,202 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Birthday Present, by Arnold Marmor
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you
-will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before
-using this eBook.
-
-Title: Birthday Present
-
-Author: Arnold Marmor
-
-Release Date: September 25, 2021 [eBook #66379]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed
- Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
-
-*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT ***
-
-
-
-
- BIRTHDAY PRESENT
-
- By Arnold Marmor
-
- Diane's husband spent most of his time on
- Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It
- was a nice arrangement--much too nice to last!
-
- [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
- Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
- July 1954
- Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
- the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
-
-
-"It's tonight or never," Diane said.
-
-"Yes," I said.
-
-I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor.
-She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts
-and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said.
-"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing.
-"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today."
-
-And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I
-didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her.
-
-"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?"
-
-"I know your age. Why bring it up?"
-
-"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. _If_ we ever do
-marry."
-
-"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do
-and I'll do it."
-
-"Do you love me?" she looked up at me.
-
-"You know I do."
-
-"Say it."
-
-"I love you."
-
-"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A
-long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just
-crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with
-the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the
-apartment and drop him out the window."
-
-I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole
-thing.
-
-"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide.
-He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was
-so sick and worried he jumped to his death."
-
-She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?"
-
-"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim
-white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass."
-
-I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more.
-
-"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She
-watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk
-about."
-
-"I won't like not seeing you."
-
-She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in
-mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing
-under the delicate skin.
-
-I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed.
-"Diane, baby."
-
-"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time."
-
-"All right, sweet." I kissed her again.
-
-"Come on. We can't afford to get there late."
-
- * * * * *
-
-I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises,
-the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet
-drivers.
-
-It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped
-tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man
-I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting
-up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I
-thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white
-body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going
-to go through with it.
-
-The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened
-and she got out.
-
-This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream.
-
-The seconds went by. Then the minutes.
-
-They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter
-blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer
-woke up to new life and it shot away.
-
-"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking.
-
-"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard
-bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight,
-are you?"
-
-"Why?" she asked.
-
-"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home."
-
-"Just as you say, Roger."
-
-"You don't care?"
-
-"Of course not."
-
-She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane.
-
-"You won't regret it," Roger promised.
-
-"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight."
-
-That was for my benefit. It was my cue.
-
-I sat up silently.
-
-He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to
-turn.
-
-My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry
-spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest.
-
-"Hit him again," Diane urged.
-
-"But--"
-
-"Do as I say."
-
-I hit him again, hard.
-
-It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked
-at it, then let it fall.
-
-"Are you all right?" Diane asked.
-
-"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?"
-
-"You're not going to be sick, are you?"
-
-"No! You think I'm a kid?"
-
-"You did it for an old woman."
-
-"Stop it."
-
-"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty."
-
-"Shut up."
-
-"I wonder what he got for my birthday."
-
-"Please."
-
-"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd
-scream."
-
-So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was
-crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment.
-
-Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the
-back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him."
-
-It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through
-the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone.
-Two flights up. Diane helped me with him.
-
-I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the
-apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him
-inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch.
-
-"Happy birthday," they shouted.
-
-Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home.
-
-We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us.
-
-Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. I thought they would never
-stop staring.
-
-*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT ***
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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66379 *** + + BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + By Arnold Marmor + + Diane's husband spent most of his time on + Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It + was a nice arrangement--much too nice to last! + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy + July 1954 + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +"It's tonight or never," Diane said. + +"Yes," I said. + +I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor. +She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts +and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said. +"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing. +"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today." + +And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I +didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her. + +"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?" + +"I know your age. Why bring it up?" + +"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. _If_ we ever do +marry." + +"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do +and I'll do it." + +"Do you love me?" she looked up at me. + +"You know I do." + +"Say it." + +"I love you." + +"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A +long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just +crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with +the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the +apartment and drop him out the window." + +I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole +thing. + +"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide. +He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was +so sick and worried he jumped to his death." + +She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?" + +"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim +white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass." + +I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more. + +"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She +watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk +about." + +"I won't like not seeing you." + +She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in +mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing +under the delicate skin. + +I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed. +"Diane, baby." + +"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time." + +"All right, sweet." I kissed her again. + +"Come on. We can't afford to get there late." + + * * * * * + +I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises, +the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet +drivers. + +It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped +tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man +I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting +up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I +thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white +body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going +to go through with it. + +The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened +and she got out. + +This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream. + +The seconds went by. Then the minutes. + +They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter +blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer +woke up to new life and it shot away. + +"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking. + +"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard +bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight, +are you?" + +"Why?" she asked. + +"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home." + +"Just as you say, Roger." + +"You don't care?" + +"Of course not." + +She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane. + +"You won't regret it," Roger promised. + +"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight." + +That was for my benefit. It was my cue. + +I sat up silently. + +He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to +turn. + +My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry +spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest. + +"Hit him again," Diane urged. + +"But--" + +"Do as I say." + +I hit him again, hard. + +It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked +at it, then let it fall. + +"Are you all right?" Diane asked. + +"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?" + +"You're not going to be sick, are you?" + +"No! You think I'm a kid?" + +"You did it for an old woman." + +"Stop it." + +"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty." + +"Shut up." + +"I wonder what he got for my birthday." + +"Please." + +"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd +scream." + +So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was +crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment. + +Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the +back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him." + +It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through +the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone. +Two flights up. Diane helped me with him. + +I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the +apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him +inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch. + +"Happy birthday," they shouted. + +Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home. + +We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us. + +Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. I thought they would never +stop staring. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66379 *** diff --git a/66379-h/66379-h.htm b/66379-h/66379-h.htm index f4d526d..1e68f15 100644 --- a/66379-h/66379-h.htm +++ b/66379-h/66379-h.htm @@ -1,745 +1,278 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
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-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
-most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
-of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
-at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you
-are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the
-country where you are located before using this eBook.
-</div>
-
-<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Birthday Present</p>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Arnold Marmor</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September 25, 2021 [eBook #66379]</div>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div>
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-<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div>
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-<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div>
-
-<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT ***</div>
-
-<div class="titlepage">
-
-<h1>BIRTHDAY PRESENT</h1>
-
-<h2>By Arnold Marmor</h2>
-
-<p>Diane's husband spent most of his time on<br />
-Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It<br />
-was a nice arrangement—much too nice to last!</p>
-
-<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br />
-Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br />
-July 1954<br />
-Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br />
-the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p>
-
-</div>
-
-<hr class="chap" />
-
-<p>"It's tonight or never," Diane said.</p>
-
-<p>"Yes," I said.</p>
-
-<p>I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor.
-She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts
-and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said.
-"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing.
-"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today."</p>
-
-<p>And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I
-didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her.</p>
-
-<p>"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?"</p>
-
-<p>"I know your age. Why bring it up?"</p>
-
-<p>"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. <i>If</i> we ever do
-marry."</p>
-
-<p>"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do
-and I'll do it."</p>
-
-<p>"Do you love me?" she looked up at me.</p>
-
-<p>"You know I do."</p>
-
-<p>"Say it."</p>
-
-<p>"I love you."</p>
-
-<p>"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A
-long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just
-crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with
-the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the
-apartment and drop him out the window."</p>
-
-<p>I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole
-thing.</p>
-
-<p>"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide.
-He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was
-so sick and worried he jumped to his death."</p>
-
-<p>She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?"</p>
-
-<p>"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim
-white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass."</p>
-
-<p>I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more.</p>
-
-<p>"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She
-watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk
-about."</p>
-
-<p>"I won't like not seeing you."</p>
-
-<p>She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in
-mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing
-under the delicate skin.</p>
-
-<p>I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed.
-"Diane, baby."</p>
-
-<p>"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time."</p>
-
-<p>"All right, sweet." I kissed her again.</p>
-
-<p>"Come on. We can't afford to get there late."</p>
-
-<hr class="tb" />
-
-<p>I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises,
-the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet
-drivers.</p>
-
-<p>It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped
-tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man
-I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting
-up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I
-thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white
-body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going
-to go through with it.</p>
-
-<p>The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened
-and she got out.</p>
-
-<p>This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream.</p>
-
-<p>The seconds went by. Then the minutes.</p>
-
-<p>They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter
-blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer
-woke up to new life and it shot away.</p>
-
-<p>"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking.</p>
-
-<p>"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard
-bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight,
-are you?"</p>
-
-<p>"Why?" she asked.</p>
-
-<p>"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home."</p>
-
-<p>"Just as you say, Roger."</p>
-
-<p>"You don't care?"</p>
-
-<p>"Of course not."</p>
-
-<p>She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane.</p>
-
-<p>"You won't regret it," Roger promised.</p>
-
-<p>"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight."</p>
-
-<p>That was for my benefit. It was my cue.</p>
-
-<p>I sat up silently.</p>
-
-<p>He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to
-turn.</p>
-
-<p>My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry
-spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest.</p>
-
-<p>"Hit him again," Diane urged.</p>
-
-<p>"But—"</p>
-
-<p>"Do as I say."</p>
-
-<p>I hit him again, hard.</p>
-
-<p>It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked
-at it, then let it fall.</p>
-
-<p>"Are you all right?" Diane asked.</p>
-
-<p>"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?"</p>
-
-<p>"You're not going to be sick, are you?"</p>
-
-<p>"No! You think I'm a kid?"</p>
-
-<p>"You did it for an old woman."</p>
-
-<p>"Stop it."</p>
-
-<p>"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty."</p>
-
-<p>"Shut up."</p>
-
-<p>"I wonder what he got for my birthday."</p>
-
-<p>"Please."</p>
-
-<p>"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd
-scream."</p>
-
-<p>So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was
-crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment.</p>
-
-<p>Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the
-back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him."</p>
-
-<p>It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through
-the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone.
-Two flights up. Diane helped me with him.</p>
-
-<p>I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the
-apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him
-inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch.</p>
-
-<p>"Happy birthday," they shouted.</p>
-
-<p>Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home.</p>
-
-<p>We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us.</p>
-
-<p>Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. I thought they would never
-stop staring.</p>
-
-<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT ***</div>
-<div style='text-align:left'>
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+<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Birthday Present, by Arnold Marmor. + </title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> + + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +div.titlepage { + text-align: center; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; +} + +div.titlepage p { + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; + margin-top: 3em; +} + + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66379 ***</div> + +<div class="titlepage"> + +<h1>BIRTHDAY PRESENT</h1> + +<h2>By Arnold Marmor</h2> + +<p>Diane's husband spent most of his time on<br /> +Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It<br /> +was a nice arrangement—much too nice to last!</p> + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> +Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> +July 1954<br /> +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p>"It's tonight or never," Diane said.</p> + +<p>"Yes," I said.</p> + +<p>I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor. +She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts +and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said. +"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing. +"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today."</p> + +<p>And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I +didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her.</p> + +<p>"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?"</p> + +<p>"I know your age. Why bring it up?"</p> + +<p>"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. <i>If</i> we ever do +marry."</p> + +<p>"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do +and I'll do it."</p> + +<p>"Do you love me?" she looked up at me.</p> + +<p>"You know I do."</p> + +<p>"Say it."</p> + +<p>"I love you."</p> + +<p>"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A +long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just +crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with +the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the +apartment and drop him out the window."</p> + +<p>I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole +thing.</p> + +<p>"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide. +He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was +so sick and worried he jumped to his death."</p> + +<p>She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim +white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass."</p> + +<p>I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more.</p> + +<p>"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She +watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk +about."</p> + +<p>"I won't like not seeing you."</p> + +<p>She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in +mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing +under the delicate skin.</p> + +<p>I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed. +"Diane, baby."</p> + +<p>"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time."</p> + +<p>"All right, sweet." I kissed her again.</p> + +<p>"Come on. We can't afford to get there late."</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises, +the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet +drivers.</p> + +<p>It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped +tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man +I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting +up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I +thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white +body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going +to go through with it.</p> + +<p>The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened +and she got out.</p> + +<p>This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream.</p> + +<p>The seconds went by. Then the minutes.</p> + +<p>They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter +blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer +woke up to new life and it shot away.</p> + +<p>"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking.</p> + +<p>"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard +bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight, +are you?"</p> + +<p>"Why?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home."</p> + +<p>"Just as you say, Roger."</p> + +<p>"You don't care?"</p> + +<p>"Of course not."</p> + +<p>She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane.</p> + +<p>"You won't regret it," Roger promised.</p> + +<p>"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight."</p> + +<p>That was for my benefit. It was my cue.</p> + +<p>I sat up silently.</p> + +<p>He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to +turn.</p> + +<p>My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry +spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest.</p> + +<p>"Hit him again," Diane urged.</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"Do as I say."</p> + +<p>I hit him again, hard.</p> + +<p>It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked +at it, then let it fall.</p> + +<p>"Are you all right?" Diane asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?"</p> + +<p>"You're not going to be sick, are you?"</p> + +<p>"No! You think I'm a kid?"</p> + +<p>"You did it for an old woman."</p> + +<p>"Stop it."</p> + +<p>"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty."</p> + +<p>"Shut up."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what he got for my birthday."</p> + +<p>"Please."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd +scream."</p> + +<p>So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was +crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment.</p> + +<p>Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the +back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him."</p> + +<p>It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through +the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone. +Two flights up. Diane helped me with him.</p> + +<p>I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the +apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him +inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch.</p> + +<p>"Happy birthday," they shouted.</p> + +<p>Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home.</p> + +<p>We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us.</p> + +<p>Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. I thought they would never +stop staring.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 66379 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/old/66379-0.txt b/old/66379-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..75bd8b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/66379-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,573 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Birthday Present, by Arnold Marmor + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Birthday Present + +Author: Arnold Marmor + +Release Date: September 25, 2021 [eBook #66379] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed + Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT *** + + + + + BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + By Arnold Marmor + + Diane's husband spent most of his time on + Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It + was a nice arrangement--much too nice to last! + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy + July 1954 + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +"It's tonight or never," Diane said. + +"Yes," I said. + +I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor. +She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts +and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said. +"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing. +"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today." + +And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I +didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her. + +"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?" + +"I know your age. Why bring it up?" + +"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. _If_ we ever do +marry." + +"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do +and I'll do it." + +"Do you love me?" she looked up at me. + +"You know I do." + +"Say it." + +"I love you." + +"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A +long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just +crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with +the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the +apartment and drop him out the window." + +I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole +thing. + +"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide. +He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was +so sick and worried he jumped to his death." + +She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?" + +"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim +white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass." + +I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more. + +"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She +watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk +about." + +"I won't like not seeing you." + +She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in +mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing +under the delicate skin. + +I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed. +"Diane, baby." + +"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time." + +"All right, sweet." I kissed her again. + +"Come on. We can't afford to get there late." + + * * * * * + +I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises, +the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet +drivers. + +It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped +tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man +I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting +up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I +thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white +body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going +to go through with it. + +The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened +and she got out. + +This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream. + +The seconds went by. Then the minutes. + +They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter +blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer +woke up to new life and it shot away. + +"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking. + +"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard +bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight, +are you?" + +"Why?" she asked. + +"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home." + +"Just as you say, Roger." + +"You don't care?" + +"Of course not." + +She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane. + +"You won't regret it," Roger promised. + +"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight." + +That was for my benefit. It was my cue. + +I sat up silently. + +He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to +turn. + +My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry +spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest. + +"Hit him again," Diane urged. + +"But--" + +"Do as I say." + +I hit him again, hard. + +It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked +at it, then let it fall. + +"Are you all right?" Diane asked. + +"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?" + +"You're not going to be sick, are you?" + +"No! You think I'm a kid?" + +"You did it for an old woman." + +"Stop it." + +"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty." + +"Shut up." + +"I wonder what he got for my birthday." + +"Please." + +"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd +scream." + +So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was +crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment. + +Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the +back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him." + +It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through +the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone. +Two flights up. Diane helped me with him. + +I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the +apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him +inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch. + +"Happy birthday," they shouted. + +Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home. + +We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us. + +Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. I thought they would never +stop staring. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> + +<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Birthday Present</p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Arnold Marmor</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: September 25, 2021 [eBook #66379]</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</div> + +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BIRTHDAY PRESENT ***</div> + +<div class="titlepage"> + +<h1>BIRTHDAY PRESENT</h1> + +<h2>By Arnold Marmor</h2> + +<p>Diane's husband spent most of his time on<br /> +Mars, and I spent most of mine with Diane. It<br /> +was a nice arrangement—much too nice to last!</p> + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> +Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy<br /> +July 1954<br /> +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p>"It's tonight or never," Diane said.</p> + +<p>"Yes," I said.</p> + +<p>I watched her as she walked back and forth across my bedroom floor. +She had on a sheer plasto dress that clung to her round white breasts +and full milky thighs. "I'm picking him up at the spaceway," she said. +"We're supposed to go dining and dancing tonight." She stopped pacing. +"It's my birthday. I'm thirty today."</p> + +<p>And I was twenty-four and in love. Six years between us. So what? I +didn't give a damn. I wanted to marry her, to live with her.</p> + +<p>"I'm thirty," she said again. "Do you mind?"</p> + +<p>"I know your age. Why bring it up?"</p> + +<p>"Someday you'll find out you married an old woman. <i>If</i> we ever do +marry."</p> + +<p>"Stop it." I got off the bed, went to her. "Just tell me what to do +and I'll do it."</p> + +<p>"Do you love me?" she looked up at me.</p> + +<p>"You know I do."</p> + +<p>"Say it."</p> + +<p>"I love you."</p> + +<p>"Never stop saying that." She put up her face and I kissed her. A +long hard kiss. She broke away. "You'll be in back in the racer. Just +crouch low. As soon as we're away from the spaceway you hit him with +the wrench. It has to be quick and sure. Then we carry him up to the +apartment and drop him out the window."</p> + +<p>I shuddered a little as she talked. She was so calm about the whole +thing.</p> + +<p>"You'll have plenty of time to get out. It'll be listed as a suicide. +He's been sick for a long time. His doctor will testify to that. He was +so sick and worried he jumped to his death."</p> + +<p>She stared at me hard. "Is it all clear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes." I looked at her. Her long blond hair, her oval face, the slim +white column that was her throat. "It's all clear. Like glass."</p> + +<p>I poured myself a drink. I needed it. I was going to need a lot more.</p> + +<p>"We won't be able to see each other for a long time," she said. She +watched me drink. "We don't want to give our friends something to talk +about."</p> + +<p>"I won't like not seeing you."</p> + +<p>She patted my face. I put down my drink, caged her slender hand in +mine, and kissed her wrist. I saw the light blue veins criss-crossing +under the delicate skin.</p> + +<p>I brought her close to me. I kissed her warm lips. "Baby," I breathed. +"Diane, baby."</p> + +<p>"Paul, listen to me. We haven't much time."</p> + +<p>"All right, sweet." I kissed her again.</p> + +<p>"Come on. We can't afford to get there late."</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>I crouched low in the back of the racer. I heard the street noises, +the gab of the night crowds, the not-so-mild cursings of the taxi-jet +drivers.</p> + +<p>It all seemed so unreal. Back there, on my haunches, a wrench gripped +tight in my sweaty hand. I was going to kill a man. A man I knew, a man +I respected. And for a woman. All for a woman. I thought about getting +up and telling Diane to go to hell and to get herself another stooge. I +thought about a lot of things. Then I thought of Diane. Her sweet white +body. The way she sighed when I kissed her hard. And I knew I was going +to go through with it.</p> + +<p>The racer stopped, its jets cut off. I heard the hum as the door opened +and she got out.</p> + +<p>This was it. I sweated. It dripped down in an endless stream.</p> + +<p>The seconds went by. Then the minutes.</p> + +<p>They got in and the door hummed shut and I heard their laughter +blending together. They settled back and the jets roared. The racer +woke up to new life and it shot away.</p> + +<p>"How was the trip?" I heard Diane asking.</p> + +<p>"Cold. And I'm not sure it was worth it. Those Martians drive a hard +bargain." He coughed. "Diane, you're not too set on going out tonight, +are you?"</p> + +<p>"Why?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I thought how nice it would be if we spent the evening at home."</p> + +<p>"Just as you say, Roger."</p> + +<p>"You don't care?"</p> + +<p>"Of course not."</p> + +<p>She was so calm, so damn calm. There would never be another like Diane.</p> + +<p>"You won't regret it," Roger promised.</p> + +<p>"My, but this boulevard is deserted," she said. "Not a soul in sight."</p> + +<p>That was for my benefit. It was my cue.</p> + +<p>I sat up silently.</p> + +<p>He saw me then in the rear-view mirror. "What the hell?" He started to +turn.</p> + +<p>My arm sprang alive. The wrench thudded against his skull. A half cry +spilled from his lips. Then his head fell forward on his chest.</p> + +<p>"Hit him again," Diane urged.</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"Do as I say."</p> + +<p>I hit him again, hard.</p> + +<p>It was done. I settled back. The wrench was still in my hand. I looked +at it, then let it fall.</p> + +<p>"Are you all right?" Diane asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," I said. "Why shouldn't I be?"</p> + +<p>"You're not going to be sick, are you?"</p> + +<p>"No! You think I'm a kid?"</p> + +<p>"You did it for an old woman."</p> + +<p>"Stop it."</p> + +<p>"Today is my birthday, don't you know? I'm thirty."</p> + +<p>"Shut up."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what he got for my birthday."</p> + +<p>"Please."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry. Really I am. I feel like talking. If I don't I think I'd +scream."</p> + +<p>So I let her talk. I didn't answer her. She babbled away like she was +crazy. She kept it up till we got to their apartment.</p> + +<p>Diane got out first and made sure the way was clear. "We'll use the +back stairs," she said when she got back. "We both can manage him."</p> + +<p>It was dark and it was late and we didn't see anybody. We went through +the service entrance. It was too heavy a load for me to do it alone. +Two flights up. Diane helped me with him.</p> + +<p>I breathed easier when we were in the marble hall outside the +apartment. She quickly unlocked the heavy plastic door and we got him +inside. She fumbled for the inner-lighting switch.</p> + +<p>"Happy birthday," they shouted.</p> + +<p>Now I knew why Roger had wanted to spend the evening at home.</p> + +<p>We stood there, Diane and myself, with Roger between us.</p> + +<p>Then they stopped shouting and stared at us. 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