The hotel lobby was as they last had seen it when they descended. The
bellboys still nodded on their benches. A travelling salesman was
hunched over a week-old Times as if he would awake in a few minutes,
glance about guiltily and resume his reading. The child they had
rescued still lay on the divan. Her golden hair framed her cheeks like
a halo. One arm was thrown above her head. She seemed ready to awake,
though she had not breathed for days.
"It all makes me feel so lonely," whispered June, clinging to the
engineer's arm. "I want to cry--or whistle to keep up my courage."
"Don't worry," Jack replied softly, patting her hand and speaking with
more assurance than he felt. "We'll find a way out."
She squeezed his arm and smiled at him with new courage. For months,
in fact ever since his first visit to the Manthis apartment, Baron had
admired the doctor's charming daughter. Although nothing had been
said of love between them they often had gone to a dance or the
theater together, while a firm friendship had been cemented. Now their
closer association and the unflinching bravery which she showed was
ripening this into a stronger bond.
* * * * *
They went out into the crisp morning, stepped across the body of a
street sweeper who lay in the gutter, and entered the doctor's
automobile. Through the silent city they drove, Baron watching
carefully to avoid striking stalled cars or grotesquely sprawling
bodies.
There was a tangle of wrecked automobiles in the center of the
Queensboro Bridge and they were forced to push them apart to get
through. While they were engaged in this arduous work, a drifting
ferry bumped into a pier, shaking the dreaming captain into a
semblance of life at the wheel.
"I used to like fairy tales," moaned June. "They're dreadful, really."
She clung to him like a frightened child. He drew her close and kissed
her.
"I love you, June," he whispered, as though fearful that the sleeping
drivers of the tangled cars might overhear. "Don't be afraid."
"I'm not--now," she smiled through eyes filled with tears. "I've loved
you for months, Jack. Whatever happens, we have each other."
He helped her back into the car and drove on in silence. At last the
Rothafel plant gloomed before them, forbidding as an Egyptian tomb.
With a feeling that he was entering some forbidden precinct, Jack led
the way to his office. Somehow, without its usual bustle and bright
lights, it seemed alien.
Once inside he forgot his hesitation and set about collecting
equipment--queerly shaped neon tubes, reflectors, coils, electrodes.
Soon there was a pile of material glinting on top of his desk.
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