DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | The Thing, whole no. 2, Summer 1946

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The Thing, whole no. 2, Summer 1946

Page 15

Scraped off and given a touch of rouge, she was the most thrillingly beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin was a living olive, with a warm blush beneath it. Her nose was patrician, faintly arched, and her eyes were deep and liquid, almost black. Her mouth looked like crushed roses, with that slackness about the corners that you generally find in women too passionate for normal living.
"Men," she said, and I could understand her easily, "are bigger and stronger then they were in my day. That is good."
We sent out for some food and got down to business. While she ate, we questioned her, making complete notes. She remembered the exact formula of the drug which had suspended animation. It's here in my papers somewhere......No, I can't find it. Later, if you're still interested, I'll try to dig it up.
"We experimented first on slaves," she said. "We used a device such that" --she indicated the syringe--"and put them to sleep for varying periods, starting with a week and gradually rising to ten years. We discovered that the length of sleep was in direct proportion to the size of the dose."
"How did you happen to submit yourself to it?" I asked.
She smiled. "I was married to my brother, the third Tutmosis, which was not very satisfactory. I had just killed my three lovers because they no longer amused me. I believed that some future age might produce more entertaining times--and men." She looked me square in the eyes. "I see that I was right."
As she talked, I found myself better and better able to follow her. I had always been good at Coptic and had been in the habit of using it off and on for conversations with Joan. Soon, almost without thinking, I found myself asking questions, not depending on translation. Makara told us much that we did not know about the politics of that period,cleared up one or two doubtful points about the succession of the Egyptian Throne--and did it all as if she were talking about the events of yesterday. For her, it was yesterday. She had awakened as if from an overnight sleep.
Makara yawned. It was midnight.
"Time to call a halt for tonight,"said Marsden. "Makara had better go back with me to my apartment. I can put her up easily." He tried to say it casually.
Joan was just as casual in her reply. "Oh,no, dear! Your place is muchtoo far and Makara isn't dressed for our American winter. I'll go home with you and Makara can go with Billy. His apartment is only just across the street. And besides, Billy understands her language much better than you do."
There it was. Joan had thrown down the challenge. Marsden was hers and she wasn't giving him up. Marsden hesitated for a long moment. His eyes on Makara were greedy. I know that I should have stepped in at that moment with the suggestion that Joan and Makara take my apartment,while I went home with Marsden, but damn it, what would you have done in my place?Makara had thrown herself down on the couch with her

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Scraped off and given a touch of rouge, she was the most thrillingly beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin was a living olive, with a warm blush beneath it. Her nose was patrician, faintly arched, and her eyes were deep and liquid, almost black. Her mouth looked like crushed roses, with that slackness about the corners that you generally find in women too passionate for normal living. "Men," she said, and I could understand her easily, "are bigger and stronger then they were in my day. That is good." We sent out for some food and got down to business. While she ate, we questioned her, making complete notes. She remembered the exact formula of the drug which had suspended animation. It's here in my papers somewhere......No, I can't find it. Later, if you're still interested, I'll try to dig it up. "We experimented first on slaves," she said. "We used a device such that" --she indicated the syringe--"and put them to sleep for varying periods, starting with a week and gradually rising to ten years. We discovered that the length of sleep was in direct proportion to the size of the dose." "How did you happen to submit yourself to it?" I asked. She smiled. "I was married to my brother, the third Tutmosis, which was not very satisfactory. I had just killed my three lovers because they no longer amused me. I believed that some future age might produce more entertaining times--and men." She looked me square in the eyes. "I see that I was right." As she talked, I found myself better and better able to follow her. I had always been good at Coptic and had been in the habit of using it off and on for conversations with Joan. Soon, almost without thinking, I found myself asking questions, not depending on translation. Makara told us much that we did not know about the politics of that period,cleared up one or two doubtful points about the succession of the Egyptian Throne--and did it all as if she were talking about the events of yesterday. For her, it was yesterday. She had awakened as if from an overnight sleep. Makara yawned. It was midnight. "Time to call a halt for tonight,"said Marsden. "Makara had better go back with me to my apartment. I can put her up easily." He tried to say it casually. Joan was just as casual in her reply. "Oh,no, dear! Your place is muchtoo far and Makara isn't dressed for our American winter. I'll go home with you and Makara can go with Billy. His apartment is only just across the street. And besides, Billy understands her language much better than you do." There it was. Joan had thrown down the challenge. Marsden was hers and she wasn't giving him up. Marsden hesitated for a long moment. His eyes on Makara were greedy. I know that I should have stepped in at that moment with the suggestion that Joan and Makara take my apartment,while I went home with Marsden, but damn it, what would you have done in my place?Makara had thrown herself down on the couch with her