Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 140: what you’re looking at

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

ABDICT “Naw. Scooted down a fire escape tube. We got the whole area cut off.” George Three was conscious of the light on the other side of his eyelids long before any other sense operated. It was red, incredibly bright and hot. It wavered and went out on him many times, but he found that with concentration he could control its intensity somewhat. If he thought very hard it would brighten and become almost white. But when he relaxed it quickly. deepened in hue and disap- peared into a swirling mass of very dark red and black. Each time it disappeared it became harder to bring it back. He tried hard to keep it bright. “T tole you not to call me on these Bugs.”’ ‘But chief, this one ain’t...” *“That,”’ said the gruff voice, “is a bug. Looka them rags. Looka that face.” **... but he had a gun.” ““What ?” “Yeah, chief,”’ said another voice, joining in. ‘Service gun—like yours.” **And look under his coat. Overalls!” *““Let’s see. Well, get some water and bring him to,” ordered the chief. The world erupted in bright flame. Pain returned. George Three vomited. “Clean him up good. I don’t like them—that way.” When his nausea and cough- ing had subsided momentarily, George Three attempted to rise to his elbows. Instantly he was kicked down to the hard surface. “Wait a minute, wait a minute. You got plenty of time for that. I want to talk to him.” George Three tried to open his eyes. All was blurred. “What you doin’ on top that building?’ a fat, purple- faced man demanded, bending over him. George Three opened his mouth to speak. Dried blood pulled at the skin. The sound that came out startled him. **Say, chief,” said one of the | figures. ““The Feds knocked over a place somewheres down here. Addicts...” ‘Yeah,’ said the other. “Maybe this guy...” “Tl do the maybe stuff around here,” snapped the 139 Cconmnicloooks.conrn