James Chase - Miss Shumway Waves a Wand

“You’re right, sugar,” I said in disgust. “I’m a sap and a dope!”

“They’ll kill you if they find you here,” Myra said anxiously. “Don’t talk that way,” I said hastily. “Someone might hear you and get ideas. Now listen, you’re in a jam and I’m in a jam, but it’s a lot worse for you than for me.”

“What do you mean?”

So I told her in a few words about Doc Ansell and the cops and how they were looking for her.

“So you see,” I said, “you’ve got to hide some place. Don’t wait for me. Get going. Take Whisky with you and tell him where you’re going. He’ll tell me later.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” she said, “I’ll get a file or something and break that chain.”

“You’re wasting time. Find me a rat to talk to and I’ll pretend I’m in jail. Go on. They won’t do anything to me.”

“I’m not leaving you,” she said, and then she gave a sudden sharp cry.

“What’s the matter? Why are you looking like that?” I asked as her expression changed. She put out her hands towards me and I saw she was shivering.

“You’re not going to faint, are you?” I asked in alarm. “Here, hold up, kid,” and I tried to reach her.

“Something’s happening to me,” she said wildly.

The look in her eyes scared me and then I saw something that made me start back. You won’t believe this. I didn’t believe It myself. It was like something had gone wrong with my eyes.

Myra was becoming blurred. Her figure was smudgy, like a blurred photograph and even her features seemed to be dissolving.

“What’s happening to you?” I exclaimed, feeling my heart pounding.

She didn’t say anything, but just stood swaying before me. I could see something filmy in front of her. Something that moved. Then a shadowy figure stepped from her.

You’ve seen those trick films where people become transparent? Well, that’s exactly how this figure looked. It sent my blood pressure up and gave me the scare of my life.

As I watched, the figure became more distinct and then there she was—Myra the second, the spitting image of Myra except she was dressed only in white satin panties and brassiere.

I knew it must be Arym. But, even seeing the two together, it didn’t make it possible.

Myra backed away. She was as startled as I. Then she clutched at her frock and gasped.

“You—you’ve got on my underwear!” she said.

Arym admired her figure. “Well, I had to have something,” she returned airily. “After all we aren’t alone.” She looked at me archly. “Aren’t you staring a little too much?” she asked.

I hastily averted my eyes. “You’re not a sight for anyone to pass up,” I said feebly.

“But… you’re me!” Myra exclaimed, looking stunned. “Of course, I am,” Arym said. “At least, we share the same body.”

Myra put her hands to her face. “This is awful,” she said, “what am I going to do?”

“It’s all right once you get used to it,” Arym returned with a giggle. “Every one has two sides to their natures.”

“I know,” I put in, “but they don’t have two bodies. This is driving me batty.”

“Oh, that’s Quintl,” Arym went on, “he had a swell sense of humour. In a way, it’s been a good thing. I’ve got tired of sharing a body with someone else It’s nice to have one of my own.”

Myra came over and clutched at me. I put my arm around her. “Take it easy,” I said. “We’ll wake up in a minute and find this is just another nightmare.”

“Oh no, you won’t,” Arym said. “Why don’t you get wise? I’m just part of you and I’ve decided to leave you.”

Myra looked at her fixedly. “You’re bad,” she said quietly. “I can see you’re bad.”

“What of it?” Arym said, shrugging. “We can’t all be good, besides no one would be interesting if they didn’t have a little bad in them. Think how prissy you’re going to be now that I’ve left you.”

“So you’re the one who’s been making a mess of my life,” Myra said, stepping away from me and confronting Arym.

“It’s been mighty hard work. I tell you, it’s quite a relief to get away from you for a while.”

“You’ll never get back again,” Myra said. “So don’t you think you will.”

“If I want to, I shall,” Arym returned, wandering over to the bed and sitting down. “You can’t get along without me.”

“Yes, I can… and I’m going to.”

“How do you think you’ll live?” Arym scoffed. “I made all your money by stealing it. Remember Joe Krum? What a time I bad to get you to break the ice!”

Myra flushed scarlet. “Oh, I wish I’d never listened to you.”

“You’ve got quite a strong character really,” Arym admitted reluctantly.

“You won’t need to worry about my character now,” Myra said grimly. “I’ve got you out of my system, and this time I’m keeping you out.”

Arym shrugged, “I don’t want to come back,” she said. “You don’t have to get so worked up. I don’t think it would be safe any more. In fact, I’m certain it wouldn’t be,” and she laughed.

Myra stared at her. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded.

“If it wasn’t for that silly little man, I suppose I wouldn’t have left you for good. I think I was getting the upper hand of you although it was a tough struggle. But be had to interfere and so I had to kill him. You see Peppi says they’ll put me in the chair if they catch me. He’s going to hide me until they find you. They think you killed him, so when they’ve dealt with you, I’ll be able to start all over again.”

Myra suddenly saw what a jam she was in and looked desperately at me.

“If I could only get this handcuff off,” I said, jerking furiously at the chain, “I’d know what to do.”

“There’s nothing you can do,” Arym said, curling up her long bare legs under her. “This is the proverbial struggle between good and bad. I’ve tried to get along with Myra, but it’s been too uphill. Why should a girl with such a nice body and looks lead such a dreary life as she makes me lead? I’m sick of it. Since she met you, she hasn’t stolen a thing. How does she expect us to live? Why, had to leave her to get alter that reward. She wouldn’t have bothered about it. Now, I’ve salted it away where no one can find it,” and her eyes lit up at the thought. She put her arms behind her and leaned back. I don’t want to stress the point, but that dame would certainly have made Petty a swell model. “Are you still going to marry me like you said, when all this is over?” she went on looking at me with an arch smile.

“I’ll have you understand he loves me, you horrid little hooker!” Myra broke in before I could say anything.

“That’s what you think,” Arym said, waving her away. “But he’s actually proposed to me. Haven’t you, darling?”

I didn’t know what to say.

“That settles it,” Myra said grimly. “I won’t let you get your claws into him. You’ve talked too much already. I’m going to take you to the police. They can choose between us.”

Arym looked alarmed, “Oh no, you’re not,” she said, sliding off the bed. “That wouldn’t do at all,” and she made for the door.

“Don’t let her get away,” I shouted, trying to reach her.

Myra made a dash towards her, but Arym was too quick. As she opened the door, Lew came bounding in.

Then things happened. I kicked over the table in front of Lew. Aryrn disappeared out of the room, slamming the door behind her and Myra suddenly swooped up to the ceiling.

As the table went over, the man-trap apparatus crashed on the floor. The fall set the mechanism working; there was a whirr of wheels and the handcuff clicked open. I just managed to get it off my wrist as Lew came at me.