Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 51 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

THE ENVIED ceed. never allowed to succeed.” “You mean there have been others? The same sort of thing has happened before?” “Frequently. We are pre- pared for such mistakes.” “ I don’t know how I could have been so foolish. It was madness. I don’t know what I’m going to do.” “You would care to visit the Panacea, possibly?” “No,” snapped Judith. “ That hideous pretence—it’s degrading.” “The pretence is all we can offer. If you long for the life of the senses, the physical existence of your human frame, there is no other sub- stitute.” ““T must turn my back on all that.” There was one of those pauses fraught-with meaning. Then the Instructor said: “What do you want to do?” “There’s no such thing as ‘I want’ any longer,” said Judith. “I just want forget- fulness—or to be told what Such attempts are to do. 57 There doesn’t seem any way out. Nothing that I think or recall from that other life applies any more. If only there could be darkness . . .” She hesitated, then went on: “Why do the Greys go on? If existence is misery for all of us, why don’t we give up? We could let ourselves die— turn off the power, let our robot bodies run down. Then human beings wouldn’t feel resentful any longer, and we would know peace.” “Tt is a question we all come to.” “And the answer?” “There are_ different | answers. Let me tell you what you have not so far been told : if you wish to end your life now, you may do so. There is no restriction. We do not forbid suicide, though we deplore it.” Judith felt a surge of relief. It would be so easy. The idea of that beautiful, endless sleep, waiting for her as soon as she choose to accept it, was a warm promise. She said: “And a good commicloooks.com