Sinister Tales #126

In "Murdock's Brain!", a man named Murdock makes a desperate gamble to outlive the coming atomic war by preserving his mind in a serum, only to find himself trapped in a coffin—still thinking, still aware, as the world moves on without him. Years pass, and the very advances he hoped would save humanity now leave him frozen in a state between life and death, his consciousness locked in a body that seems long gone.

In a quiet corner of 1973’s science fiction anthology, Emily—a young woman overlooked and mistreated by those around her—finds unexpected kindness in an unlikely visitor. When an alien offers her a ring and a promise of protection, she’s thrust into a fragile bond that may be her only shield when the stars themselves turn against her.

Dr Hartwick's desperate attempt to extend life backfires in horrifying fashion—his experimental process has accelerated his own aging and left his newborn son dead from old age. Now, trapped in a body that’s rapidly decaying, he must confront the consequences of playing god with time.