Free Jumper Cable by Piers Anthony Page B

I’ll do it,” she agreed. “But I don’t bl**ping like it.”
    “Nuh-uh,” Olive said. “You don’t sweetly like it.”
    “Lovely,” Haughty snapped, the word sounding like its opposite. They walked back to where the boy, Ian, still sat disconsolately, alone. Haughty visibly nerved herself and approached him. “Hello, Ian,” she said nicely.
    “The harpy!” he exclaimed gladly.
    “I have been thinking about your talent. I think it is better than you think. It could be really useful, when properly applied.”
    “You really believe that?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “You’re lying. You’re a true harpy. I love that.”
    That seemed to set her back half a moment, but she rallied. “Actually we were discussing it, and figured out a way it might be used. Do you want to try it?”
    “Try what?” he asked, looking at her front. Jumper realized that Wenda was right about what boys noticed.
    “Bl**p!” she exclaimed impatiently. “I mean, very good. Let’s see what your wonderful talent can do.” She forced a smile.
    “Was that a cuss word?” he asked eagerly.
    “No! The bl**ping Adult Conspiracy says I can’t cuss in your presence.”
    “That’s why you have those stars in it,” he said, catching on. “So I won’t know you really said bleep.”
    “That’s why,” she agreed, kissing him on the cheek. He looked pleasantly faint. “Can children freak out?” he asked. “Because I think I almost did.”
    “No, they can’t freak out, because they don’t know the real words.”
    “When you kissed me.”
    “You still can’t freak out. I’ll prove it.” She kissed him directly on the mouth.
    He freaked out.
    “Oh, to h**l and d**nation!” she swore. “I blew it!”
    Ian burst out laughing, unfreaked. “No, you didn’t. I just pretended. But I bet if I were older, I would freak out.”
    “Let’s test your talent,” Haughty said, discomfited. She obviously wasn’t used to dealing with boys.
    She went to the moat, and the boy followed, sneaking more peeks at her front. The other members of the party remained in the background, letting her handle it.
    “See if you can step in the water,” Haughty said.
    “But the piranha fish will bite me.”
    Haughty put her face down near the surface. “If you fish mess with us, I’ll make a face like this,” she said. Then she made a harpy face that curdled the nearest water. The fish fled.
    “Say, you’re good,” Ian said.
    “Harpies are mean birds,” Haughty said with satisfaction. Ian put his left foot to the water. It recoiled. He stepped on the sand below the water, and a depression formed around his foot. “See? I drive it away. I can’t even drink unless I capture some in a cup so it can’t escape. What use is that?”
    “I’m not sure. But let’s see how far you can take this. Wade out into the moat.”
    “I don’t know. I never tried that before.”
    “I’ll make a face like this,” she said, repeating the one that had scared away the fish.
    “Great!” he said, charmed. He waded into the water. The water withdrew from him, leaving a dry trench behind.
    “Great!” Olive echoed quietly.
    Haughty followed in that trench. “Can you continue?” she asked.
    “This is so wonderful!”
    “I guess,” Ian agreed, flattered. He walked farther into the moat. The water continued to avoid him, making a deeper trench.
    “This is amazing!” Haughty said. “There seems to be no limit to your power.”
    Ian paused, glancing back at her. “You’re just saying that.”
    “Well, maybe I’m exaggerating slightly. But it is a great talent. Can you go deeper?”
    Ian walked deeper. The sides of the trench rose up until they were over his head. Then they curved inward until he was walking in a tunnel.
    “My friends will never believe this,” Haughty said. “May I bring them in so they know I’m not lying?”
    “Sure.” Her constant flattery was evidently shoring up his confidence.
    “Hey, you characters!” Haughty called.