Astounding! by Kim Fielding Read Free Book Online Page A

bottom notes embroidered by fanciful yet plaintive tones.
    “They’re good,” Carter whispered into John’s ear as they waited at the counter for their coffees.
    “I know.”
    Almost all the tables were occupied, but Carter and John snagged an empty one in the corner farthest from the stage. They sipped at their drinks and watched the performers, who played several more songs. Neither of the musicians sang, but words weren’t necessary. Their guitar notes were enough.
    Carter was disappointed when the set ended.
    The musicians stood and leaned their guitars against the wall. One of them, a beautiful young man with flowing white-blond hair, drank a tall glass of water very quickly, then smiled at a cute guy with technicolor hair who sat in the front. At the same time, the other musician sat down and bumped his head gently against that of a man wearing an eye patch. From the looks of adoration exchanged by each of these pairs, it was pretty clear they were couples—each deeply in love.
    At Carter’s table, John watched them and sighed softly. Carter remembered that he wasn’t the only person who suffered from loneliness.
    “You liked their music and it wasn’t even from the fifties,” Carter teased gently.
    “Sometimes they play old tunes,” John replied with a smile. “Besides, their music is timeless, don’t you think?”
    Carter nodded his agreement. He wondered if John came often to hear them play, and whether he usually sat alone. Carter didn’t mind being solo in coffeehouses—he spent plenty of time that way—but it was kind of nice to have another person sitting across from him.
    After a few minutes, the musicians put their instruments into cases and, with their partners, said good-bye to the café employees before heading for the door. The guy with the long blond hair gave John a sunny smile as he passed by.
    “I’m fairly sure he’s not human,” John murmured as he watched him leave.
    “Pardon me?”
    John gave Carter a long, almost anguished look before turning away. “Nothing.”
    Pursuing that line of conversation intrigued him, but despite the large amount of caffeine he was ingesting, Carter was tired. “Why do you need to be in my magazine?” he asked quietly.
    John looked at him again. This time John was expressionless. “I’m not human either.”
    “Oh?”
    Maybe John had expected Carter to scoff right away. But Carter had pretty much been gearing himself up for a trip through Loonyville, and now he just waited for further details.
    “You’d be surprised, Carter, how many strange creatures walk these streets. And nobody realizes. We look human and everyone assumes we are. A few weeks ago, a werewolf came here to see these musicians play. I think he’s friends with them. He’s very handsome.” He looked slightly wistful when he said the last bit.
    “But you can see the truth,” Carter said levelly. “What does that make you? Let’s see…. Mimir was supposed to be very wise, but he was just a severed head and you have a body. Hmm. Do you have a third eye hidden somewhere, maybe?” Those long-ago courses on world mythology were coming in handy after all.
    “I am an alien.”
    Well, that response was less shocking than it might have been. “I take it you don’t mean you’re an undocumented Canadian immigrant.”
    “I’m from… far away.” John let out a long breath. “Another planet.”
    “Of course.”
    “You don’t believe me,” John said, frowning.
    “Of course not. But it’s a good story, and like I said, I’ll publish you no matter what. So go ahead.” Carter made a move-on gesture with his hand.
    John sighed. “If I were any good at making stories up, I wouldn’t have to beg you to print my work. But I am an alien. This isn’t my natural form.” He waved his hand to indicate his face and body. “It’s a disguise. Camouflage.”
    “It’s a really good disguise. Fooled me.”
    “It’s fooled everyone, Carter. It had to. I had to. I came here a