The Metal Monster
iety which until now he had hidden so well; and hot shame burned me
ce more master of myself.
. I'll look after Ruth -
ntnor's eyes at this faded a
y some - some exhibits from the
exhibits?" I a
a they're far more curious than our armored men - and of f
them back with the pony. Then we'll make a start. A few mi
him I followed Ruth and Drake down the ruined stairway. At
Mart. He doesn't like them, either, these little things you're going to see. He l
What's to fear about
rtress. "They lay in a little heap at the mouth of the cleft where we heard the noise
re the tiniest tippy-tip of the claw of some incredibly large cat just stealing aro
up in a ruined and choked stone basin; close to the ancient well was their pony, contentedly brow
m," she said,
n that we had just left; and it was in better preservation, the ceiling unbroken,
he floor and dropping down into black depths. Beyond wa
s dragon shapes, cut in low relief. Their gigantic wings, their monstrous coils, covered the nearly
nameless fear, a half
looking at the
idth, it shone wanly with a pale, metallic bluish luster, as though, I thought, it had been recently polished. Compared with the wall's tremend
roken circle was made of sharply edged cubes about an inch in height, separated from each oth
their sides with tips pointing starlike to six spheres clustered like a conventionalized five petaled primrose in the exact center. Five of
sign nicely done by some clever child that I hesitated to distu
ering globes, was a miniature replica o
same die cut sharpness, the same METALLIC suggestion - and pointing t
rock; it was with effort that I wrenched it away. It gave to the touch a sli
mid was metallic, but of finest, almost silken texture - and I could not place it among any of the known metals. It certainly was none I had evef these points was an eye, peering up at me, scr
at the
g was i
uare bases; the six rolling spheres touched them, joined the spinning, and with sleight-of-hand suddenness the rin
grotesque; a weirdly humorous, a vaguely terrifying foot-high shape, squared and angled and pointed and ANIMATE-
kindergarten! A k
iangle and spheres changed places. Their shiftings were like the transformations one sees within a kaleidoscope. And in each vanishing form
oblems give
owed with co
balanced itself upon the top; the five spheres followed it, clustered like a ring just below it. The other cubes raced up, clicked two
al of cubes surmounted by a ring of glob
e of the crowning globe; the arms became a disc upon which tiny brillian
of panic touched me. I sprang aside, and swift as
" It was
the little figure touched me and a paralyzing shock ran through me. My
nd again I had the sense of innumerable eyes peering at me. It did not seem menacing - its attitude was inquisitive, waiting; almost as though it had as
ard the bullet ricochet without the slightest effect upon it. Dick leaped beside me, raised a foot and kicked at the thing. There
sibilant rustling all about her. I saw her le
were marching there - pyramids and cubes and spheres like those forming the shape that stood before me
a bridge, half spanning it, a weird and fairy arch made up of alternate cube and angle. The s
as had the others. Before me now was a bridge complete except
striving to escape. I dropped it. The tiny shape swe
- hanging in one flyin
ey dropped to the farther side the end of the bridge nearest me raised itself in air, curved itsel
ng - and cubes and pyrami
ute bewilderment, my gaze sought Drake. He was sitt
ispered. "What -
only word to which my whirlinese things metal? Metal
a page on which, visibly, dread
and at him, I knew that my own was a
"Such little things - bits of metal - little glo
abes!" It was
they worked with each other - THINKINGLY, CONSCIOUSLY- they were deliberate, purpoands over his eyes. "Don't
oed. "I'M not afraid
fly - and stum
Well - so was I. Bit
outside all experience, beyond all knowledge or dream of science. Not thy had moved consciously,tal things w
dible, the terrifying thi
- and thinking. The lightnings incarngiven volition, movemen
a brain!
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance
Romance