Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 47 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

" ~- "2 i 7 a ie ; 7 : <* i, LQ a 2 A AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION He hadn’t deserved—this. Damn that dream. It was quite enough to stomach—black iron bridge, eerie sunshine, swift tumble towards turbid waters—even if it was only a dream. Unvarying, horrific, it spread terror bowel-deep; but it had no meaning. None, at least, that would yield to Freudian interpretation—un- less it was censor-distortion which had baffled him; and there was, truly, nothing else it could be. So tonight he would put his thinking-cap on. Have another crack at the conundrum. A magpie, hedge-hopping, brought Mr. Trinter back to earth. He had been steadily climbing. He was well into unknown territory. The view was panoramic. A wild plateau. Coarse grass clumps, boulders, hillocks. Ragged copses. Scattered sheep grazing. A stream para- lelling the road—a_ liquid- silver snake, leaping and sparkling. Lightning flickered over distant mountains, black- capped by thunder cloud. _Mr. Trinter’s spine chilled. Primitive grandeur was not his cup of tea. Patchwork fields, symmetrical copses and spinneys—the easeful south- ern contours were for him. He puckered his lips. “Still... Shouldn’t grumble. Getting out of the rut... Once in a while, it does you good.” The engine coughed. Spat. Died. He swore, eyeing the gauge. The needle pointed to “empty.” He said: “You're a liar !”’ Disbelieving, he swore again. A dry tank was in- conceivable. Only once, years ago, had it happened. Since then, he had never forgotten. Get in car, switch on, check petrol. It was routine. Auto- matic. Instinctive. He checked again. The needle insisted. He switched off. On. The needle merely twitched. “Empty,” it said. He had to believe it then. Scowling, he remembered. Getting the car after breakfast. Checking. Petrol low. De- ciding to stop and fill up at the first garage. But he hadn’t stopped. *“‘What the devil!” he puz- zled. Heat-shimmer rose from 120 comicloooks.conrn *