DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Black Flames, whole no. 1, January 1946

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Black Flames, whole no. 1, January 1946

Page 18

"The 'proper' use. I recalled her appearance--how she somehow reminded me of a wtich, and of the clock striking midnight as I rubbed the 'vanishing' cream into my skin. These factors, plus my intense desire to escape from the confines of home, were probably instrumental in my wish being granted in some mysterious way.

"'How romantic,' I thought, 'just like witches' ointment! And since it is vanishing cream, what should be more natural than that it should render me invisible? Maybe this is all a dream.'

"Well, if it were, I would enter into the spirit of things and derive the utmost enjoyment from it. Perhaps I should have felt alarmed, but I didn't. There was some subtle magic in the air, and I felt as if new adventures awaited me. Hastily, I divested myself of my clothing and rubbed my entire person, even my hair, with the soft soothing unguent. When I again glanced into the mirror, I was not disappointed. I was totally invisible!

"I put my hand in front of my face--I couldn't see it. I looked down at the rest of me. I was completely invisible--even to myself! Then the thought came to me--I was free! Free to roam where I willed, unseen.

"But then, I looked at things from a more practical view. Even if I were invisible, I did not wish to roam the world sans clothing. There were times when the weather wouldn't permit it, even in Southern California. And there was no way of telling just how to long the effect of this mysterious cream would last. And besides, defiant as I was, I didn't wish to start on my new adventures at midnight. After my childish emotional outburst, I was very tired and craved a good night's rest. Obviously, I could not go to bed covered with the greasy cream. I decided to take a shower and cleanse off the cream. I could always put more on later when I wished to become invisible again.

"I stepped from the shower feeling somewhat refreshed, but very drowsy. I reached for a towel. Suddenly I noticed that I still couldn't see my own hand! But I had scrubbed and scrubbed until not a vestige of the vanishing cream remained. Was this invisibility, then, to be permanent? I learned later that it was.

"And that wasn't all I learned. When donning my nightgown preparitory to going to bed (I was still sufficiently tried, despite my horrendous discovery, to want to sleep) I again glanced at myself, or rather, where my 'self' should have appeared -- in the mirror. I expected to see the somewhat ludicrous appearance of a seemingly unoccupied nightgown standing up apparently of its own volition. No such sight greetied my eyes. Everything was as before--no reflection whatever."

Saving...

"The 'proper' use. I recalled her appearance--how she somehow reminded me of a wtich, and of the clock striking midnight as I rubbed the 'vanishing' cream into my skin. These factors, plus my intense desire to escape from the confines of home, were probably instrumental in my wish being granted in some mysterious way. "'How romantic,' I thought, 'just like witches' ointment! And since it is vanishing cream, what should be more natural than that it should render me invisible? Maybe this is all a dream.' "Well, if it were, I would enter into the spirit of things and derive the utmost enjoyment from it. Perhaps I should have felt alarmed, but I didn't. There was some subtle magic in the air, and I felt as if new adventures awaited me. Hastily, I divested myself of my clothing and rubbed my entire person, even my hair, with the soft soothing unguent. When I again glanced into the mirror, I was not disappointed. I was totally invisible! "I put my hand in front of my face--I couldn't see it. I looked down at the rest of me. I was completely invisible--even to myself! Then the thought came to me--I was free! Free to roam where I willed, unseen. "But then, I looked at things from a more practical view. Even if I were invisible, I did not wish to roam the world sans clothing. There were times when the weather wouldn't permit it, even in Southern California. And there was no way of telling just how to long the effect of this mysterious cream would last. And besides, defiant as I was, I didn't wish to start on my new adventures at midnight. After my childish emotional outburst, I was very tired and craved a good night's rest. Obviously, I could not go to bed covered with the greasy cream. I decided to take a shower and cleanse off the cream. I could always put more on later when I wished to become invisible again. "I stepped from the shower feeling somewhat refreshed, but very drowsy. I reached for a towel. Suddenly I noticed that I still couldn't see my own hand! But I had scrubbed and scrubbed until not a vestige of the vanishing cream remained. Was this invisibility, then, to be permanent? I learned later that it was. "And that wasn't all I learned. When donning my nightgown preparitory to going to bed (I was still sufficiently tried, despite my horrendous discovery, to want to sleep) I again glanced at myself, or rather, where my 'self' should have appeared -- in the mirror. I expected to see the somewhat ludicrous appearance of a seemingly unoccupied nightgown standing up apparently of its own volition. No such sight greetied my eyes. Everything was as before--no reflection whatever."