The Web

thank God.

My heart was hurtling. Sweat burst out of me and leaked down in cold, itchy trails.

Robin's fingers bit into my back.

'Oh God, Alex! Oh God!'

I managed to say, 'It's okay, they can't get out.'

'Oh, God…' She gasped for breath. 'I walked in and something touched- my foot.'

She looked down at her toes and trembled.

I sat her down. She held on to my fingers, shaking.

'Easy,' I said, remembering the insect's face- stoic, intense.

'Get rid of them, honey. Please!'

'I will.'

'The light was off. I felt it before I saw it- how many were there?'

'I counted four.'

'It seemed like more.'

'I think four is all.'

'Oh, God.'

I held her tight. 'It's all right, they're confined.'

'Yucch,' she said. 'Yucch!'

Spike was barking. When had he started?

'Maybe I should sic him on them.'

'No, no, I don't want him near them- they're disgusting. Just get them out of here, Alex! Call Moreland. I can take them in their cages, but please get them out.'

***

Gladys arrived first.

'Bugs?' she said.

'Huge ones,' said Robin. 'Where's Dr. Bill?'

'Must be from the bug zoo. It never happened before.'

'Where is he, Gladys?'

'On his way. You poor thing. Where are they?'

I pointed to the bathroom.

She grimaced. 'Personally, I hate bugs. Nasty little things.'

'Little wouldn't be bad,' said Robin.

'Working here doesn't bother you?' I said.

'What, the zoo? I never go in there. No one goes in there but Dr. Bill and Ben.'

'Well, something obviously comes out.'

'It never happened before,' she repeated.

Hissing from behind the door. I pictured the damn things chewing through the wood. Or escaping down the toilet and hiding in the pipes. Where the hell was Moreland?

'Did you see what they were?' said Gladys.

'They looked like giant cockroaches,' said Robin.

'Madagascar hissing cockroaches,' I said, suddenly remembering.

'Them I really hate,' said Gladys. 'Cockroaches in general. One of the things I like about Aruk is the dryness, we don't get roaches. Lots of bugs, period.'

'So we import them,' I mumbled.

'I keep my kitchen clean. Some of the other islands you've got bugs all over the place, got to spray all the time. Bugs bring disease- not Dr. Bill's bugs, he keeps them real clean.'

'That's a comfort,' I said.

A knock sounded on the suite door and Moreland loped in carrying a large mahogany box with a brass handle and looking around.

'I don't see how… did you happen to notice what kind-'

'Madagascar hissing roaches,' I said.

'Oh… good. They can't seriously harm you.'

'They're in there.'

He advanced to the bathroom door.

'Careful,' said Robin. 'Don't let them out.'

'No problem, dear.' He turned the knob slowly and took something out of his pocket- a piece of chocolate cake that he compressed into a gummy ball. Spreading the door a crack, he tossed the bait, closed, waited.

A few seconds later, he opened the door again, peered through. Nodded, opened wider, slipped in.

'My new fudge loaf,' said Gladys.

Sounds came from inside the bathroom.

Moreland talking.

Soothingly.

He emerged moments later holding the mahogany box and giving the OK sign. Chocolate smears on his fingers. Crumbs on the floor.

Thumps from within the box.

Hiss.

'You're sure you got all of them?' said Robin.

'Yes, dear.'

'They didn't lay eggs or anything.'

He smiled at her. 'No, dear, everything's fine.'

It sounded patronizing and it got to me.

'Not really, Bill,' I said. 'How the hell did they get here in the first place?'

'I- don't know- I'm sorry. Dreadfully sorry. My apologies to both of you.'

'They're definitely from the insectarium?'

'Certainly, Aruk has no indig-'

'So how'd they get out?'

'I- suppose someone must have left the lid loose.'

'It's never happened before,' said Gladys.

'That's us,' I said. 'Trailblazers.'

Moreland tugged at his lower lip, rubbed his fleshy nose. Blinked. 'I suppose I must have left the lid off-'

'It's okay,' Robin said, squeezing my hand. 'It's over.'

'I'm so sorry, dear. Perhaps the scent of your dog food-'

'If it was food they were after,' I said, 'why didn't they head for the kitchen?'

'I keep my kitchen clean and shut up tight,' said Gladys. 'No flies, not even grain weevils.'

'Our door was locked,' I said, 'and the dog food's sealed in plastic bags. How did they get in, Bill?'

He went over to the door, opened and closed it a couple of times, kneeled and ran his hand over the threshold.

'There's some give to the carpet,' he said. 'They're very good at compressing themselves. I've seen them manage-'

'Spare the details,' I said. 'You probably knocked a year off our lives.'

'I'm terribly, terribly sorry.' He hung his head. The cockroaches bumped inside the box. Then the hissing began again. Louder…

'You did handle it perfectly,' he said. 'Locking them in. Thank you for not damaging them.'

'You're welcome,' I said. I'd turned phone solicitors down with a kinder tone.

Robin squeezed my hand again.

'It's okay, Bill,' she said. 'We're fine.'