Now You See It... Part 2

"Brian!" a protesting cry now.

He would not back off. "I guarantee you'll love it!" he shouted.

Reluctant submission from Ca.s.sandra. "Oh, all right."

I heard the clicking of a woman's shoe heels on the wooden floorboards of the entry hall-

-and Ca.s.sandra entered The Magic Room, tall, blonde, alluring. Long-sleeved pink blouse, light brown skirt, brown, high-heeled shoes.

I would have frowned if my facial muscles had been up toil

How did Ca.s.sandra get here first when she was upstairs and Brian down?

I tried to see more clearly as she crossed to the bar and, stooping, opened me door of the ice maker. I heard her start to ladle ice cubes into the silver bucket.

I would have frowned again-in spades-if I'd been able to.

For, down the staircase and across the floorboards of the entry hall, I heard me clicking of a woman's shoe heels-

-and Ca.s.sandra entered TMR, tall, blonde, alluring.

Long-sleeved pink blouse, light brown skirt, you know the rest.

"What me h.e.l.l?" I would have said if my voice had been attainable. I certainly thought it. What the h.e.l.l is going on?

Now You See It- 21

Was I hallucinating now, a new (and lower) stage of stroke- dom?

The moment the second Ca.s.sandra had entered the room, the first Ca.s.sandra had stopped putting ice cubes into me silver bucket.

I watched the second Ca.s.sandra as she looked around, her gaze pa.s.sing me, as usual, with non-reception- Does one take notice of a plant?

Then the first Ca.s.sandra rose from behind the bar and thrumped down the bucket on the counter.

The two Ca.s.sandras eyed each other, doppelgangers to the detail. I closed my eyes; mat I could manage. When I open them, I thought, I'll see only one of them.

1 did. I didn't. There they were, the Ca.s.sandra twins. Did I begin to get the message at that point?

If I did, it wasn't because I was helped by either of mem.

The first Ca.s.sandra smiled.

The second Ca.s.sandra smiled-then shook her head with a chuckle.

As did the first.

The sounds they uttered were identical as the second Ca.s.sandra indicated amus.e.m.e.nt, then me first.

There was no way, let me a.s.sure you, mat I could tell them apart. It could have been double vision. My mind's eye knew otherwise but my skull's eyes didn't.

Now the second Ca.s.sandra approached the bar and stopped, peering closely at the first. The first peered like- wise.

The second made a sound of appreciative recognition.

The first made me identical sound.

The second gave the first a chiding look. Received it back, identically. The game was getting on my nerves; patience was not one of my virtues at that time, though obviously no one knew it.

22 Richard Matheson

Irritatingly, these two were clones in manner as well as appearance.

The second gnawed at the edge of her right index finger, smiling/ making noises of amus.e.m.e.nt. So, too, did the first.

Then the second spoke.

"All right," she said.

"All right," echoed the first.

Their voices were identical.

d.a.m.n it, will one of you crack? 1 thought.

The two Ca.s.sandras eyed each other saudly, smiling the same smile, affecting the same expression; an uncanny sight, I'm forced to admit.

The second ran fingers through her long blonde hair. So did the first, laughing throatily-as did the second. When will this d.a.m.ned burlesque conclude? I wondered.

. It had a few more stages to go.

The second Ca.s.sandra raised her right hand. The first one raised hers, the movement a duplicate.

With a repressed smile, the second suddenly produced a scarlet handkerchief from me air-a minor "appearance";

sleeve concealment.

The first Ca.s.sandra stared at her. The second chuckled, on the verge of triumph.

At which the first, with a duplicate chuckle, produced the same scarlet handkerchief.

The second threw her head back with a startled laugh. So did the first.

Impa.s.se, me twins regarding one another.

Until the second Ca.s.sandra tossed her handkerchief into the air.

As did the first.

The second, though, grabbed at hers abruptly as it fell, causing it to vanish.