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STF-Ette, issue 1, September 1940
Page 3
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FLAME GIRLS By Gertrude Kuslan He sat quietly in the deep, comfortable armchair, gazing thoughtfully into the fireplace. The long low room was shrouded in grey shadows, the dying embers in the hearth before him giving forth the only illumination. The flickering light seemed to fascinate him, and so he had been sitting-hour after hour, staring into the flames. The book he had been reading had long since slipped to the floor, the air in the room was growing chilly, and still he sat gazing at the glowing embers. Darkness was slowly creeping upon him from the remote corners of the room as the glow from the fireplace faded. The revolver which lay upon a small table at his right, glinted dully in the soft light. But he did not move..... And then, almost imperceptibly, the dying light brightened. Its brilliance increased until the entire room was almost as light as day. The flames, dyed a deep scarlet, leaped higher and higher, growing ever more beautiful. The man in the chair stirred, his eyes widened...... Then a beautiful woman took shape and the flames were wings springing from her shoulders. She was swathed from head to foot in the deep crimson of the fire, even her hair being composed of it. And suddenly she smiled. But the smile was evil, and her face, while exquisitely formed, was the face of a fiend. He started. "W-who are you?" She smiled again, and said, "I am your Past." "My Past!" he cried, "What--" "Say no more!" she commanded. "I am here to enlighten you. Do you know why this flame is red? It signifies your lust for blood; it stands for all the people you have murdered, cheated, and robbed; it reveals you evil, treacherous mind in its true color! For every evil deed you have done, a red scar has been carved into my body, just as one has been carved into--your soul. When you were a child, I was enveloped in pure white flame, my skin was smooth and beautiful; my eyes were filled with goodness and hope. But gradually, thru the years, I have changed even as you have, until now I have come to be the symbol of all wickedness. Look into my eyes! Look!" He cringed away in terror. "No! No!" he cried, but as tho drawn by an invisible force, he found gazing deeply into her crimson eyes. And as he looked, her beautiful body changed into something foul, crawling with horror and loathsomeness. A voice screamed, "That is your mind, that is your soul, that is the inner you!" He shrank back with sickened senses, and suddenly realized that the screaming voice had been his own..... And slowly, as the woman of the crimson flame vanished, the room darkened again and only the glowing embers remained. Once more he sat sunk in thought, gazing fearfully at the hearth. And once more the shadows crept triumphantly forth from their corners, intent on swallowing the room and its lone occupant.... Slowly the time ticked away, and still he sat staring at the dying embers. Then a second time the fading light brightened, and the hungry shadows were thrust mercilessly back into their corners. Golden flames leaped high in the huge fireplace with radiance that was almost blinding. Slowly an infinitely beautiful woman appeared wearing great wings of the brilliant flame. Her entire body was immersed in it, and her hair and eyes were composed of it. Even her skin had a golden cast. She spoke to the frightened man in a soft, liquid voice. "Do not be afraid," she whispered. "I am your Present. Your life is not characterized by a lust for blood, but a great and deeper lust for money--gold. That accounts for the color of the flames since I signify that lust. To you, money has a beauty which is unequalled and I also have acquired it..but only outwardly. Look into my eyes and you will learn the real appearance of your mind! Look!!"
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FLAME GIRLS By Gertrude Kuslan He sat quietly in the deep, comfortable armchair, gazing thoughtfully into the fireplace. The long low room was shrouded in grey shadows, the dying embers in the hearth before him giving forth the only illumination. The flickering light seemed to fascinate him, and so he had been sitting-hour after hour, staring into the flames. The book he had been reading had long since slipped to the floor, the air in the room was growing chilly, and still he sat gazing at the glowing embers. Darkness was slowly creeping upon him from the remote corners of the room as the glow from the fireplace faded. The revolver which lay upon a small table at his right, glinted dully in the soft light. But he did not move..... And then, almost imperceptibly, the dying light brightened. Its brilliance increased until the entire room was almost as light as day. The flames, dyed a deep scarlet, leaped higher and higher, growing ever more beautiful. The man in the chair stirred, his eyes widened...... Then a beautiful woman took shape and the flames were wings springing from her shoulders. She was swathed from head to foot in the deep crimson of the fire, even her hair being composed of it. And suddenly she smiled. But the smile was evil, and her face, while exquisitely formed, was the face of a fiend. He started. "W-who are you?" She smiled again, and said, "I am your Past." "My Past!" he cried, "What--" "Say no more!" she commanded. "I am here to enlighten you. Do you know why this flame is red? It signifies your lust for blood; it stands for all the people you have murdered, cheated, and robbed; it reveals you evil, treacherous mind in its true color! For every evil deed you have done, a red scar has been carved into my body, just as one has been carved into--your soul. When you were a child, I was enveloped in pure white flame, my skin was smooth and beautiful; my eyes were filled with goodness and hope. But gradually, thru the years, I have changed even as you have, until now I have come to be the symbol of all wickedness. Look into my eyes! Look!" He cringed away in terror. "No! No!" he cried, but as tho drawn by an invisible force, he found gazing deeply into her crimson eyes. And as he looked, her beautiful body changed into something foul, crawling with horror and loathsomeness. A voice screamed, "That is your mind, that is your soul, that is the inner you!" He shrank back with sickened senses, and suddenly realized that the screaming voice had been his own..... And slowly, as the woman of the crimson flame vanished, the room darkened again and only the glowing embers remained. Once more he sat sunk in thought, gazing fearfully at the hearth. And once more the shadows crept triumphantly forth from their corners, intent on swallowing the room and its lone occupant.... Slowly the time ticked away, and still he sat staring at the dying embers. Then a second time the fading light brightened, and the hungry shadows were thrust mercilessly back into their corners. Golden flames leaped high in the huge fireplace with radiance that was almost blinding. Slowly an infinitely beautiful woman appeared wearing great wings of the brilliant flame. Her entire body was immersed in it, and her hair and eyes were composed of it. Even her skin had a golden cast. She spoke to the frightened man in a soft, liquid voice. "Do not be afraid," she whispered. "I am your Present. Your life is not characterized by a lust for blood, but a great and deeper lust for money--gold. That accounts for the color of the flames since I signify that lust. To you, money has a beauty which is unequalled and I also have acquired it..but only outwardly. Look into my eyes and you will learn the real appearance of your mind! Look!!"
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