Steel by Richard Matheson Read Free Book Online Page A

gaunt hands over his ears. He hurled himself on, driven.
    Now, as he ran, there started in his ears a murmuring. A chorusing.
    â€œA Stitch In Time Saves Nine. Time And Tide Wait For No Man.” They chanted. “Early To Bed, Early To Rise. Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth.”
    Iverson Lord cried out. “Gods of moulded symbol! Pity! ”
    The chorus hallelujahed. “Oh Boy!” they sang. “Wow! Gee Whiz! Hot Stuff!” Their voices swelled into a mighty “Land O’ Goshen!”
    â€œAaaaah!” howled the poet. He flung himself against a gray wall and clung there while the voices surrounded like melodic fog.
    â€œOh, my God,” he rasped. “This is complete, this is unmitigated hell!”
    â€œYOU SAID IT!” paeaned the chorus of thousands. “AIN’T IT THE TRUTH! OH WELL, YOU CAN’T LIVE FOREVER! THAT’S THE WAY IT GOES! HERE TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW! THAT’S LIFE!”
    In four part harmony.

THE WEDDING
    Then he told her they couldn’t be married on Thursday because that was the day the Devil married his own mother.
    They were at a cocktail party and she wasn’t sure what he’d said because the room was noisy and she was a little high.
    â€œWhat, darlin’?” she asked, leaning over to hear.
    He told her again in his serious straightforward manner. She straightened up and smiled.
    â€œHonest, you’re a card,” she said, and took a healthy sip from her Manhattan.
    Later, while he was driving her home, she started talking about the day they were going to get married.
    He said they’d have to change it: any day was all right except Thursday.
    â€œI don’t get you, darlin’.” She put her head on his unbroad and sloping shoulder.
    â€œAny day is all right except Thursday,” he repeated.
    She looked up, half the amusement dying hard. “All right hon,” she said. “A joke’s a joke.”
    â€œWho’s joking?” he inquired.
    She stared at him. “Darlin’, are you crazy?”
    He said, “No.”
    â€œBut—you mean you want to change the date because…?” She looked flabbergasted. Then she burst into a giggle and punched him on the arm. “You’re a card, Frank,” she said. “You had me goin’ for a minute.”
    His small mouth pushed together into an irked bow.
    â€œDearest, I will not marry you on Thursday.”
    Her mouth fell open. She blinked. “My God, you’re serious.”
    â€œPerfectly,” he answered.
    â€œYeah, but…” she began. She chewed her lower lip. “You’re crazy,” she said, “because…”
    â€œLook, is it so important?” he asked. “Why can’t it be another day?”
    â€œBut you didn’t say anythin’ when we made the date,” she argued.
    â€œI didn’t realize it was to be a Thursday.”
    She tried hard to understand. She thought he must have a secret reason. B.O. Bad breath. Something important. “But we made the date already,” she offered weakly.
    â€œI’m sorry.” He was adamant. “Thursday is out. ”
    She looked at him carefully. “Let’s get this straight, Frank. You won’t marry me on that Thursday?”
    â€œNot on any Thursday.”
    â€œWell, I’m trying to understand, darlin’. But I’m damned if I can.”
    He didn’t say anything.
    Her voice rose. “You’re bein’ childish!”
    â€œNo, I’m not.”
    She slid away from him on the seat and glared out the window. “I’d like to know what you call it then.”
    She lowered the pitch of her voice to imitate his.
    â€œI won’t marry on Thursday because … because the Devil married his—grandmother or something.”
    â€œHis mother,” he corrected.
    She snapped an irritated glance at him and clenched her fists.
    â€œMake it another day and