Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 47 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

TO SHAKE THE STARS ness of space? It was really very funny. When you thought about it. | And Orfie did. All the time. He was pulling the cool, ascetic sheets around his neck in the shadows of the dor- mitory, when Marshal glided to his bed and sat on his chest. “Wake up, Orfie! You’re not asleep yet!” He snored. Marshal dug a cruel, sharp thumb into his bicep. His eyes flew open. He gasped with the pain. Tears scalded his _ eyes. *““Listen, Orfie. Remember what I told you?” “T remember,” he said, reluctantly, hating himself. Why couldn’t he be big and tough and push this bully in the face and laugh as the brute fell over ? “Well, don’t forget to- morrow. Tomorrow’s the big day. The Space Fleet only take a few boys from each college. Maybeonlyone. Andthatone’s going to be me. Understand?” “T understand.” | **You’re too smart for your own good, Orfie. I know what the Head wanted you for today.” 73 “Yes, I know. He had a message from your mummy and your daddy—that’s it, isn’t it?’ Hateful, jeering laughter. Quiet and subdued in the long room. In case a master was walking in the dimly lit corridor outside. But altogether horrible. Orfie fought back the tears. He wanted to stretch out and take the stars in his hand and throw them in-the face of this big, burly, torturing boy. Watch them burn in a shower of sparks along the red, flushed face. Watch them turn the mocking sneers into screams of pain and fright. The stars. The stars were clean and cold. They were impersonal; they didn’t care who took the sleek, shining ships from Earth out to them through the vasty wastes of nothingness. “So don’t forget, Orfie.” The low, menacing voice. “You just flunk the exams. | tomorrow. Otherwise .. .” A hand found his throat and pressed and he gasped in the red pain-flecked darkness that closed over his staring eyes. The stars—dwindling and dis- conmicoooks.cOmn)