Now You See It... Part 60

It had to be.

Max swallowed dryly. Leaned in doser. Time stood still.

"If she isn't dead yet," he muttered.

He grimaced in fury.

"That idiot, Brian! If he's bungled this!"

Outside, the storm was increasing now, the sound of rainfall like that of heavy wind. The room was sunless, filled with shadows. Turn on the light, said a voice in my mind. A voice I hadn't heard for almost seventy years, that

of a frightened boy.

Max was leaning in close. He had to know; I saw that,

Closer and closer. He was very near the corpse's face now.

A strangled gasp tore from his'throat as Ca.s.sandra's right hand, like a bloodless spider, jumped up, clutching at his

jacket lapel.

I felt paralyzed by more than stroke effects now. I felt par- alyzed with horror.

Max was slowly being drawn toward the corpse's face.

Closer.

Closer.

Hitchingly, Ca.s.sandra's head raised up. No/ a voice

screamed in my mind.

Eyes staring, a gagging rattle in his throat. Max gaped at

her.

The gray hand pulled him closer. Closer. Now his face

was only inches from hers.

196 Richard Matheson

His breath choked off (with mine) as Ca.s.sandra's blood- shot eyes sprang open.

For an instant, they were staring at each other (as I felt death by shock approaching).

Then, with a demented cry. Max yanked back, tearing free of the leprous hand- He lost balance and staggered backward, cras.h.i.+ng down with a cry of pain as his elbows struck the hardwood floor.

A frozen observer, I watched in terror.

Ca.s.sandra had begun to twitch, her mouth working like that of a fish out of water.

Max tried to stand, but couldn't.

He pushed backward, staring at her.

Ca.s.sandra began to thrash against the rope like a frenzied animal.

Max watched, openmouthed, moans of impending mad- ness pulsing in his throat.

The storm was increasing, thunder exploding in the sky, the darkened room sporadically illuminated as though blazing floodlights were being turned on, then off, lighting the hideous sight of Ca.s.sandra, eyes mad, pitching back . and forth against {he ropes.

Max tried again to stand. His legs would not support him.

Suddenly, he cried out, horrorstruck, as the rope pulled loose from one of the hooks and Ca.s.sandra's body flung forward, toppling from the freezer area onto the floor in front of Max. He jerked back with a hollow cry.

He had to stand or lose his mind. Straining every muscle, he pushed up to his knees, then wavered to his feet.

He had barely made it when Ca.s.sandra, her face a stiff- ened, frost-caked mask, lurched clumsily to her feet and came at him.

Crying out again. Max twisted around and staggered to- ward the entry hall, barely able to move, his balance failing-

Now You See *&.. 197

He reached the door and fell against it, turning the k.n.o.b witih a shaking hand.

The door was locked.

With a sob of mindless dread, he jerked around to face her.

She was walking toward him like a poorly controlled marionette, her movements )erky, her head flopping from side to side.

The storm was at its peak now, thunder cras.h.i.+ng deafen- ingly, lightning bleaching the frozen whiteness of Ca.s.san- dra's face, her staring and unblinking eyes.

Shrieking with dread. Max lurched to his right to avoid her dutch, barely capable of movement

He could go no more than several yards.

There, he collapsed to me floor/ crying out in pain and horror.

He tried to stand, but couldn't.

Gla.s.sy-eyed, he lay on his back as Ca.s.sandra moved at him, expressionless and staring.

Max had trouble breathing. He made choking noises in his throat as he gaped up at the hideous figure looming over him.

With the last of his strength, he summoned forth a shriek of maddened fright, then lay there mutely, staring up at Ca.s.sandra, beyond response.

She stopped and looked down at him.

Thunder detonated. The room was blanched by light- ning- Then the hall door was unlocked, and Ca.s.sandra entered.