Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

THE GIVE-AWAY WORLDS lights went out and ultra- sonics caused bones to ache. A smell of antiseptics wafted through the theatre and the groans of the audience showed that they had followed the illusion through past the crash and into the operating ward. Murbash blinked as the lights came on. He was pale and his hands trembled a little. “That was real,’’ he said. “Too damn real.’ He shud- dered. ““How did they do it?’ “Fixed a camera into a car and actually crashed it by remotecontrol.”’ Mark grinned at Susan. ““This was weak to some I’ve seen. Maybe the next one will be better.” The next item was the suicide jump from the top of the Empire State. The illusion was first instilled and then, after a few moments, the camera dived towards the ground. There was no trickery about it. To the audience it was exactly as if they had jumped from the building. Below them the city grew as they neared the ground and Mark felt theterriblerevulsion, the regret at having jumped, 31 the fear of the final crash. He felt his stomach churn as the street expanded before him, the speakers carried the sound of droning wind, and he fell, faster and faster, to the concrete which waited to smash him to a pulp. Faster, nearer, so close that he could see the white faces of people as they stared at him, the thin lines between the paving stones, a scrap of paper, a wad of discarded gum. When the lights went out he was pressed hard against the back of his seat, his hands extended before him, his every cell cringing away from the impact. “Tt need a drink.”” Murbash was sweating. “I need a drink bad.” ‘““And me.” Susan tried to smile as they rose from their seats. ““One thing is certain. I'll never commit suicide that way. Never!’’ “You already have,” pointed out Mark. “‘In every way but the actual death, of course.’’ He rubbed his moist palms on his handkerchief. ‘“‘That’s what makes the thrill comicloooks.cormn