Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

a . 6 ecomeee ao oe . rolling over and over madly, a cat clawing savagely at its throat. Dunlay picked up a heavy stick and cautiously advanced. The stick rose and fell twice. The necks were neatly broken. . He stirred the body of the dog. “There,” he said, “‘that’s what hap- pened to the blue from the rose petal.’ Carter bent forward. The dog was quite visibly blue. ‘‘The flesh is prob- ably the same under the hair,” com- reented Dunlay. “Look ac the cat!” said Carter. The belly o1 the cat was plainly the same blue: and around both animals was forming a distinct bluish haze. “I want those bodies taken to my laboratory.”’ said Dunlay. ““And onno account must they be touched by hand.” it was the following evening. Dunlay stood with his back to the rose. Carter leaned against a gardening fork. “What we know, then, is this: An ordinary rose has been entered by some—er—substance. This blue sub- stance has never been experienced before, and my guess is that it drifted in from outer space. “All we know about it is that it readily makes its home in living organisms—which includes plant life, It does not invade inanimate objects like the tweezers I used. Judging by the effect on the dog, part of it can be cut off from the main body and act independently. “The effect of its presence in living Organisms is insanity. This blue substance is also able to expand amazingly; the small amount of it on the petal completely covered the dog and cat.” Dunlay stared at the rose and sighed. “*T examined the dog and cat. Nothing was wrong except their brains. You might almost say they were eaten away = Curiae stared. ‘The brains ?” “Yes. Charred in places as if an electric current had shriveled them up. Carter, I have a theory: This blue substance is living matter and it feeds on the mind—nerve impulses.” “But if it comes from outer space, how could it exist out there?” “I can only suppose it thrives on other things, too. Unless it set off from wherever it originates in a tremendous body which gradually diminished through lack of food. That would fit in. After a feed it grows—that accounts for the haze; just an increase in size. That’s why it faded on the dog and cat—it can’t exist because they are dead—no nerve impulses—no food. There’s one thing certain. It is a danger to man. If that blue substance reached a human a wave of madness could sweep the country.” “‘Would the insanity be infectious?” “More than likely. The dog caught ° it from the rose. The cat caught it from the dog. No telling where it could end.” “What about the bird that was first affected?” said Carter. “If that reached humans .. .” “I’ve been worried about that,” said Dunlay. “I don’t think it could exist conmichGece conn