Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION The limpid gaze derided him. ““Why should I?’ “One of these days “Youre going to miss me, Honey,” she carolled, recall- ing a popular tune of the days before radio activity had wiped a lethal hand round the globe. ““Remember Sophie Tucker ?”’ He stared. “Who?” “Your memory, Jud! It’s dreadful!” “It’s all so long ago.” She laughed. “‘I remember.” “Well, I don’t,” he sulked. *‘And it’s not so funny either!”’ “Old Worry-guts!” she mocked, then pointed below, “Look down there. D’you remember that?” He grabbed her hand before he looked. The cliff curved round, horseshoe fashion, en- closing a green valley far below. Jud wondered what he was expected to remember. Noth- ing but shimmering green was visible. There as elsewhere, Nature would have erased man’s puny architecture, level- ling it with wind and rain, heat and cold, and wrapping it in a verdant shroud. He shook his head—al- though one feature, perhaps, 9° had some remote significance. At the narrow entrance, where once there had been a water- fall, there was a ledge of rock which seemed vaguely familiar. But it meant nothing to him now. Or—and a wisp of fear licked his spine—did 1 a pe “Darling!” Mab re- proached. “Remember the little Greek Temple? The marble bath?” “Temple?” He screwed up his face. “Bath?” # “Old Misery!” she chided. She pulled him close and kissed him. “You’re not very flattering. We spent our honey- moon down there!” They set off towards the val- ley hand in hand; but even the last man in the world cannot hold the last woman’s hand for ever. Presently they swung separately downhill. Mab led the way; and Jud, following reluctantly, was apprehensive of some indefinable evil. They halted at the five-feet high stone ridge. Jud ex- perienced a nebulous stirring of memory. Nothing more. Three hundred years was a long, long time ago... conmcloooks.com