Inventors -- Fiction; Motion picture industry -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
Don't Shoot
By ROBERT ZACKS
Illustrated by ASHMAN
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Science Fiction April 1955.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
A man has to have a place to confess a horrible
sin ... and this is as good as any other!
I can no longer keep my terrible secret, although the thought of what
will happen to me, when I tell my story, gives me a trembling from
head to toe. Without doubt, word will flash to the proper authorities
and stern-faced men with sympathetic eyes will bring straitjacket and
sedatives, and hunt me down to tear me from Mary's clinging arms. A
padded cell will be made ready for another unfortunate.
Nevertheless what we have just read in the newspapers has made us
fearfully agree that I must tell all, regardless of my own fate. So let
me say this:
If it is true that an expedition is being organized in London to go
to the cold and rocky wastes of the Himalayas for the purpose of
investigating that astonishing primeval creature called 'The Abominable
Snowman,' then I am forced to tell you immediately ... _the Abominable
Snowman is none other than Mr. Eammer, the famous movie magnate_.
And I am the one responsible for this amazing situation. I and my
invention which Mr. Eammer had hired me to develop, an invention which
would put 3-D and Cinemascope and the new Largoscope process so far
behind in the fierce Hollywood battle for supremacy that Mr. Eammer
would at last have complete control of the industry, and, for that
matter, television also.
You will say this is impossible because one or two glimpses of the
Abominable Snowman have shown it to be an apelike creature?
And the animal's body is covered with thick, coarse hair?
Well, did you ever see Mr. Eammer lounging beside his elaborate Beverly
Hills swimming pool? He looks as if he's just climbed down from a
tree. The last young movie lovely an agent had brought around to talk
contracts took one look, screamed and fainted. It is said she was
hysterical for two days.
* * * * *
But let me tell how it all started. Remember those awful days when
television, like a monster with a wild pituitary gland, grew until it
took the word 'colossal' away from filmdom? What a battle! Like two
giant bears rearing up face to face, roaring, screaming, swapping
terrible blows of mighty paws, the two industries fought, with the
film industry reeling bloodily, at first, then rallying with 3-D, then
Cinemascope, and television pressing home the fierce attack with color
TV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account