Unless you have had the experience, you can't imagine what it is like to live with a telepath. It is disquieting in the extreme. One of the concomitants of consciousness is that it is private consciousness. And when this isn't true, when someone, even a loved one, can creep into your mind and know what you think, your insides writhe. Caterpillars course around under your skin. And you resent. Sooner or later you will hate. I ran away from home because I couldn't stand Mother in my mind, and couldn't bear the thought of hating her.
But now I had to know what I should do to her. I let her into my thoughts. Give me some sign, I thought, as I waved a hand at Fred for quiet. Mother, tell me what to do!
Poor Joe, she thought. He loves me in spite of it all. He can't bear to do what he has to do. Joe! her mind shrieked at me. You read my mind!
I snapped upright in my chair and grabbed its arms until I could hear my knuckles crack. My mind snapped shut with an almost audible crack. I was a damned snake!
I could dimly hear Fred yammering at me. With a sick fear I slowly opened my mind again. His thoughts surged into it. Well, Anita had been right. And Anita!
Yes, Mother thought. She does love you, Joe. A lovely girl. You lucky man.
Fred had me by the shoulder, yelling at me, shaking me, trying to get me to speak. He was almost slavering in his greed. I paid him no heed. All right, I thought. What's to be done, Mother?
Throw the book at me, Mother thought.
"Shut up, Fred. And sit down." He kept his tight grip on my shoulder. "Sit down!" I yelled at him. "Three strikes and out, Fred. This is the third order you've resisted today!"