Avon Fantasy Reader No. 8 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

56 FRANK BELKNAP LONG, JR. to harm you. Before God, I didn’t intend that they should attack you. But I can’t control ’em now. They're too. much for.me. It’s too ‘much for me. Pity mé!” For a moment I was too dazed to think. | stared stupidly at the smoking revolver in my hand and then my eyes sought the cataclysmic ocean, The rormous waves calmed me. Slowly I brought my eyes to bear on the thing before me. i - But even as J stared at it my brain reeled again, and a deadly nausea came upon me, “And then the youth drew away his robe and-the Sultan perceived that he was a man only to his waist . . .” ‘Several feet from where I stood, a monstrous jelly spread itself loathsomely over the dripping rocks, and from its veined central mass a thousand tentacles depended and writhed like the serpents on the head of Medusa. And growing from the middle of this obscenity was the torso and head of a naked young man. His hair was matted and covered with sea-weed; and there were blood- stains upon his high, white forehead. His nose was so sharp that it reminded me of a sword and I momentarily expected to see it glitter in the dim, mys- terious light. His teeth chattered so loudly that I could hear them from where I stood; and as I stared and stared at him he coughed violently and foamed at the lips. | | “Whisky!” he muttered..“I’m all done up! I ran into a ship!” | I‘was unable to speak, but I believe I made some strange noises in my throat. The young man nodded hysterically. “I knew you’d understand,” he muttered. “I’m up against it, but I knew you'd help me pull through. A glass of whisky Re ae “How did that thing get you?” I shrieked. I had found my voice at last, and was determined to fight my way back to sanity. “How did that thing get its loathsome coils on you?” 5 IY @ “It didn’t get me,” groaned the young man. “I’m Jz! “You're what?” : “A part of It,” replied the young man, ‘ “Isn’t that thing swallowing you?” I screamed at him. “Aren’t you going _ down into its belly at this moment?” The young man sadly shook his head. “It’s part of me,” he said again, and then, more wildly, “I must have something to brace me up! I’m all in. I was swimming on the surface, and a ship came and cut off six of my legs. I’m weak from loss of blood, and I can’t stand.” A lean hand went up and brushed the water from battered eyes. “A few of ‘em are still lively,” he said, “and I can’t control ‘em. They nearly got you~ —but the others: are all in. I can’t walk on ’em.” — \ Comicbooks-com (9)