Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 82: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION “Five A.M. or five P.M.?” asked Lewis. ‘*Five P.M.,” said the intern. “Was I a tough job?” asked Lewis. “It was a clean wound,” said the intern. “You take it easy now. It’s almost chow time. Ill see that you’re served in the first round and then I'll have the nurse bring you a sedative. You need your rest.” ““How long am I going to be chained to this bed?’”’ asked Lewis. ““We’ll discuss that later,”’ said the intern. “You really shouldn’t be talking.”’ He turned away, went out the door. Lewis turned his head away, saw that someone had left a stack of magazines on his bed stand. The top magazine had slipped down, exposing the cover. It was done in garish colors—a bug-eyed monster chasing a scantily clad female. Lewis was reminded of his nightmare. A mere human . . . A mere human . . . A mere human. The words kept turning over in his mind. What was it about Johnson that brought up the idea of a freak? he wondered. A student nurse brought in his tray, cranked up his bed and helped him eat. Presently, a nurse came in with a hypo, shot him in the arm, He drifted off to sleep with the mind full of questions still unanswered. ““He’s awake now,” said a female voice. Lewis heard a door open, looked up to see Czernak followed by Joe Welch. It was daylight outside, raining. The two men wore damp raincoats which they took off and draped over chairs. Lewis smiled at Welch. ““Thanks for having good ears, Joe,” he said. Welch grinned. ‘‘I opened the window when I saw you come out the back door,” he said. “I thought maybe you was going to holler something up to me. Then when you went right back inside, I thought that was funny; so I left the window partly open or I'd never’ve heard a thing.” Czernak pulled a chair up beside Lewis’ bed, sat down. Welch took a chair at the foot. Lewis turned his head toward the sheriff. “Is the D.A. screaming yet?” “No,” said Czernak. “He got caught out in that rainstorm the other day and he’s home with the flu. Besides, I’m still sheriff of this county.’ He patted the bed. “‘How you feeling, boy?” “Tm afraid I’m gonna live,” said Lewis. “You better,” said Welch. “We got a new relief radio gal who saw your picture in the files an’ says she wants to meet you. She’s a wow.” ‘Tell her to wait for me,’’ said Lewis. He looked at the sheriff. ‘““What’d you find?” | “I don’t get it, Welby,” said Czernak. “Right behind where them tanks was there was this brick wall covered with plaster. We took away the plaster -and there’s all these wires, see.” **What kind of wires?’ ) ““That’s just it. Keeler’s old man is a jeweler and Keeler says this wire is silver. It’s kind of a screen like, crisscrossed every which way.” ‘““What were they hooked up to?” . “To nothing we could find,” said Czernak. He looked at Welch. “‘Ain’t that right?” j Ccommicoooks.conn