Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 51 — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION times he muttered things in a low voice to Mummy, incom- prehensible things he— Michael—wasn’t supposed to hear, like epidemic spreading, madness and public morale. Mummy had changed too. She cried a lot lately and the other day, when daddy had tried to comfort her, she ran away from him, saying she had done an awful thing starting the baby now—when human life was finished. Michael didn’t understand what it all meant, but he did realise that a new baby was coming. Pausing, he kicked a root several times with his left foot and wondered if the baby would have a “‘peggy”’ leg, too. As the dull ache high up in his groin eased, he stopped kicking the root and moved on steadily into the wood. He passed through another glade and then entered a winding cavern, where trees interlocked and greenery pressed in upon the narrow path like a living wall. Occa- sionally he would pause and kick something as the pain in his leg increased ominously from its prolonged exercise. It was when he swung a sharp, goaded kick at a young sapling that the frightening thing happened. As the impact shivered its twig-like branches, there came a _ nerve-jarring screech. Michael had one terrifying glimpse of a cream- coloured monster with glaring eyes and a cruel, curved beak. Then the thing hurtled out at him, stinging his face with a fury of beating wings. Michael ran screaming. The leg caught some protrusion, he fell, clawed himself upright and ran on. The white owl settled high up in an adjoining tree, fluffed its feathers angrily, and went to sleep again. Stabs of sheer agony knifing into his groin brought Michael to a halt. He sank down on the little mossy bank beside the path, buried his face in his arms and began to cry bitterly. After a while he quietened, the great wrenching sobs came less frequently, then stopped altogether. He raised a _ tear-stained face and looked around. The white monster was nowhere in sight, yet something was mov- 110 comiclbooks.corn