Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

hy ee dee A tn ee UR eT i Pe ath ARAVA PRT MRA SLO OR a WA BA ad = ee i ee ———— ~ _——— a - a “ - — 2 AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION on have to do something, out 1 don’t know what.” “Confusion of semantic terms.” Henderly nodded. “Are you a religious man, Mr. Renold ?” “Religious? Pm not sure that I know what you mean.” ~ “Do you have faith? It needn’t be in an orthodox religion, but do you believe in a dogma which forbids self- destruction?’ Henderly deli- = berately used Mark’s own ASR Le Mar PUN CY bey) aE Adis taek Ch Aira bbarte de we Re! »\! NW eckes ah, 19 Uy tly terminology. “I mustn’t destroy myself.” The statement was flat, un- emotional, and, recognising the barrier, Henderly _ yielded the point. He sat back and stared at the young man before him with professional interest. Not a hypochondriac, obviously. He had mentioned no imagin- ary ills and, Henderly knew, no one is, or can ever be, depressed without reason. He looked fit and didn’t appear to _ be suffering from any psycho- somatic disorders. He de- _ cided to make certain of that. “Do you have ary physical discomfort, Mr. Renold? Any odd pains, shortness of breath, erratic heart beat or any skin irritations such as itching, boils, scabs or festers? Is your | digestion good? Do you ever get any aches or throbbing in the joints?” “T don’t think so.’”’ Mark frowned as he tried to remem- ber. ““No, nothing like that.” “I see. Do you sleep well?” *“[ don’t sleep at all.” “You mean that you'don’t get a good night’s sleep? That — you doze and wake, only to doze again?” “TI mean that I don’t sleep at all,” insisted Mark. “I never have done.” ““Never? Not even as a child ?” “J don’t remember ever being a child.” “IT see.” Henderly didn’t, but he needed time to think. Amnesia? Possibly, but if it was, then it had taken an odd form. Paranoia? So far there had been no indications of it aside from the confessed fear. - Schizophrenia? To a limited extent, certainly, but most ‘dit Cconmiclsoolkssconn