DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Planeteer Magazine, v. 2, isssue 1, March 1939

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Planeteer Magazine, v. 2, isssue 1, March 1939

Page 13

furnished room.  Crossing this they reached a small door.  Laya stretched forth her hand, then withdrew it.
  Voral brushed past her, and threw open the portal.  Before him a lone man sat at a metal desk.  He raised his head and gazed at Voral and the girl.
  He spoke, or hissed, the words quitly, yet with a menace unmistakable.  His gaze again flickered to Voral.
  "Who is this man, Laya?  Why have you brought him here?"
  Voral trust himself forward, and stated harshly, "You know who I am well enough, Oroc"
  "Oroc?  Oroc?  Oh yes, that's my name now, isn't it?  Am I supposed to know you?"
  The Space Policeman stepped back in bewilderment.  This man actually didn't seem to know him.  Then, he stared into the fellows eyes and knew why Laya had trembled so.  The eyes were black, dreadfully so; and little pin-pricks of fire crawled lazily about in them, like snakes slithering about the bottom of a well.  They fascinated Voral, but they paid no heed to him.  Rather, they glared at Laya, who cringed back into a corner.
  "I'm hungry tonight, Laya, extremely hungry.  Your blood will taste good I imagine".
  The Venusian girl shrieked and turned to flee, but the creature merely raised his hand, and the girl froze motionless.  Voral's numbed brain began to comprehend the man's meaning.  And as his stomach sickened, he remembered an old legend he had once heard on Earth.
  "A vampire!" he breathed aloud.  With a hiss the monster swung about.
  "Not quite, my friend.  We of the race of Xandi are not dead alive creatures.  This man Oroc of whom you spoke., he who formerally owned this body, wandered by mistake into our city back in Astion Swamps."  He laughed mirthlessly.
  "How surprised he was when we stole his body.  You see, in our natural state we are rather formless, much like jelly you would say.  So, to venture into the human cities, we need the bodies of humans.  In the cities we eat much better then in the swamps."
  With these last words he smirked across at Laya.  Slowly Voral's hand crept toward his ray-gun.  The creatures eyes swung, bored into those of the Martian.
  "Stop that", he commanded.
  Voral's will fought.  Sweat broke out upon his face, ran down his back.  Then, slowly, ever so slowly, he felt his hand creeping downard.  Down, down until his palm touched the cool butt of hiss gun.  With a last burst of strength he dragged it from it's holster, leveled it, and fired.
  The monster's head shriveled under the purple beam, melted into a formless mass, and then vanished completely.
  Laya lay upon the floor in a dead faint.  Gathering her into his arms, Voral staggered out, across the brilliantly lighted room, and into the street...into the muddy, murky night of Venus
-- THE END __

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furnished room. Crossing this they reached a small door. Laya stretched forth her hand, then withdrew it. Voral brushed past her, and threw open the portal. Before him a lone man sat at a metal desk. He raised his head and gazed at Voral and the girl. He spoke, or hissed, the words quitly, yet with a menace unmistakable. His gaze again flickered to Voral. "Who is this man, Laya? Why have you brought him here?" Voral trust himself forward, and stated harshly, "You know who I am well enough, Oroc" "Oroc? Oroc? Oh yes, that's my name now, isn't it? Am I supposed to know you?" The Space Policeman stepped back in bewilderment. This man actually didn't seem to know him. Then, he stared into the fellows eyes and knew why Laya had trembled so. The eyes were black, dreadfully so; and little pin-pricks of fire crawled lazily about in them, like snakes slithering about the bottom of a well. They fascinated Voral, but they paid no heed to him. Rather, they glared at Laya, who cringed back into a corner. "I'm hungry tonight, Laya, extremely hungry. Your blood will taste good I imagine". The Venusian girl shrieked and turned to flee, but the creature merely raised his hand, and the girl froze motionless. Voral's numbed brain began to comprehend the man's meaning. And as his stomach sickened, he remembered an old legend he had once heard on Earth. "A vampire!" he breathed aloud. With a hiss the monster swung about. "Not quite, my friend. We of the race of Xandi are not dead alive creatures. This man Oroc of whom you spoke., he who formerally owned this body, wandered by mistake into our city back in Astion Swamps." He laughed mirthlessly. "How surprised he was when we stole his body. You see, in our natural state we are rather formless, much like jelly you would say. So, to venture into the human cities, we need the bodies of humans. In the cities we eat much better then in the swamps." With these last words he smirked across at Laya. Slowly Voral's hand crept toward his ray-gun. The creatures eyes swung, bored into those of the Martian. "Stop that", he commanded. Voral's will fought. Sweat broke out upon his face, ran down his back. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, he felt his hand creeping downard. Down, down until his palm touched the cool butt of hiss gun. With a last burst of strength he dragged it from it's holster, leveled it, and fired. The monster's head shriveled under the purple beam, melted into a formless mass, and then vanished completely. Laya lay upon the floor in a dead faint. Gathering her into his arms, Voral staggered out, across the brilliantly lighted room, and into the street...into the muddy, murky night of Venus -- THE END __ READ FANTASY NEWS