Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, Issue 45 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION **But the air can’t be wholly dead,” snapped Jeff, irritably. “There'd be army units, ground forces, Civil Defence. They all use radio and they couldn’t all have been bombed. Why can’t we hear those?” “Different wave-lengths?” George shrugged and rolled from the bunk. “Let’s play some more bridge. Fetch the cards, Lorna; we can’t just sit here glaring at each other.” Jeff swallowed, half- annoyed with himself for revealing his emotions, but a whole week cooped up with a man he despised and a woman he had married for her beauty and not her brains was telling on him. Coupled with that was a gnawing fear that maybe things weren’t going to work out as he had planned. Impatiently he watched his wife drag up a crate and fetch the cards. He cut, tried to shuffle, spilled most of the pastboards to the dirty floor, and swore as he picked them up. “Damn!” “Let me help.” Lorna stooped and collected the scattered cards. “Here.” She put them down on the im- 78 provised table. “Should I put the dinner on now?” ‘A good idea,”’ said George before Jeff could answer. “Let me see now.” He stared thoughtfully at the dim bulb. “How about some nice hot soup, some chicken, peaches and cream, cheese and bis- cuits and perhaps a bottle of something to wash it down?” He grinned at Jeff. “That suit you?” “Like heli it does! Where do you think you are—the Savoy ?” Jeff glared at Lorna. “We'll have cold soup and some of those army biscuits. We’ve got to make this stuff last.” ““Why ?” George stared at his brother-in-law. ““We may as well eat it up while we’ve the chance, and I know that you’ve stocked: this place pretty well. What’s wrong in having a decent meal for once?” ““T’ll decide when we eat and what we eat,” Jeff said, coldly. **Please, Jeff,” said Lorna. “Can’t we have something nice for a change? I’m getting tired of cold food and my stomach hurts,” conmmcloooks.conm