Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 65 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION the audience began to applaud and two comedians came bouncing off the stage. “Okay, Val, remember it’s big, but the mikes are more sen- sitive than those you’ve been used to. Keep it gentle and you'll knock them cold!”’ Henodded, pressed Valerie’s hand quickly and walked out into the circle of white light which floated up to him and whisked him out to the centre of the stage. Music welled up from the darkness beyond the triple row of footlights and he sang. He sang in a strong vibrant voice with the coloured mists whirling about him to blend in subtle harmony with the melody of the song. The audience sat and _ listened, ecstatically, and when he had finished they rose to their feet and cried for more again and again, until the compere rushed on, regretfully to an- nounce the next act. Mark tried to speak when he reached them but failed, and stood gripping his arm helplessly. Valerie’s eyes were wet, but her face was radiant, and he found himself thinking that this meant much more than the roar of the audience. 86 People were talking all about him now, yet he heard no one. Suddenly, with the realisation of her importance, he dis- covered a feeling which was completely new to him, yet somehow reminiscent of the underlying emotion with which he sang. Mark began to speak and the moment had gone. *“You’ve done it, Val. Ill see you tomorrow morning, first thing, and if I haven’t got a bundle of contracts under my arm, my name isn’t Mark Denford.” After Mark had gone he looked down at the girl and smiled. She smiled back, and the strange new feeling crys- tallised inside him as he saw the answer in the deep brown of her eyes. Wordlessly, they left the theatre hand in hand. The sky was glowing with blue stars and the burning lights of the city. It was a wonderful night. “T heard him,” Robert Henshaw said gruffly, fore- stalling Mark as he opened his mouth to speak. ““We’re in business!”’ They were in a small office comiclbooks.cormn