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IF SHE HAD CONNECTED, she would have sunk her fangs into me and I would have died But luck was on ainst the end of the flute and went flying off to the side

She landed in a ball and was dazed for a couple of seconds Reacting rapidly, aware that my life depended on speed, I stuck the flute between my lips and played like ato lick my lips

Madaled to her legs and swayed froh drunk I sneaked a quick breath, then started playing a slower tune, which wouldn’t tire s

"Hello, Mada"My name’s Darren Shan I’ve told you that before but I don’t know if you heard I’m not even sure if you can hear it now

"I’ood and feed you loads of insects andI tell you and don’t attackat hts or planning her next leap

"I want you to stand on your back legs now," I told her "I want you to stand on your two back legs and take a little bow"

For a few seconds she didn’t respond I went on playing and thinking, asking her to stand, then co her Finally, when I was als, the way I wanted Then she took a little bow and relaxed, awaiting ave was for her to crawl back into her cage She did as I told, and this time I only had to think it once As soon as she was inside, I closed the door and fell back onthe flute fall frootten when she ju so fast, I was afraid it was going to run up my neck and leap out ofat the spider, thinking about how close to death I had coh Any sensible person would have left the door shut and forgot about playing with such a deadly pet It was too dangerous What if she hadn’t hit the flute? What if Mom had come home and found me dead on the floor? What if the spider then attacked her or Dad or Annie? Only the world’s duain

Step forward Darren Shan!

It was crazy, but I couldn’t stopstolen her if I was going to keep her locked up in a silly old cage

I was a little smarter this time I unlocked the door but didn’t open it Instead I played the flute and told her to push it open She did, and when she ca I’d communicated

I made her do lots of tricks Made her hop around the roo and draw pictures with her webs Next I got her lifting weights (a pen, a box of matches, a marble) After that I told her to sit in one of my remote control cars I turned it on and it looked like she was driving! I crashed it into a pile of books, but made her jump off at the last moment, so she wasn’t hurt

I played with her for about an hour and would have happily continued all afternoon, but I heard Moe if I stayed up ininto my private affairs

So I stuck Mada to look as natural as possible

"Were you playing a CD up there?" Mos full of clothes and hats, which she and Annie were unpacking on the kitchen table

"No," I said

"I thought I hearda flute," I told her, trying to sound casual

She stopped unpacking "You?" she asked "Playing a flute?"

"I do kno to play one," I said "You taught me when I was five years old, rehed "I also reirls You swore you were never going to look at one again!"

I shrugged as though it was no big thing "I changed my mind," I said "I found a flute on the way ho if I could still play"