The Feminine Future: Early Science Fiction by Women Writers (Dover Thrift Editions) Read online

  The morning I had received Dad’s letter I had just come off duty. I had been on a six-day shift and now I had before me three days of rest. That was the regular schedule.

  After reading the letter I went immediately to the laboratory. There the large Hewitt Ray machine attracted my attention. After examining it closely, I found the controls and with a little trepidation turned them on. A soft, almost invisible amber ray shone from the funnel-shaped aperture. Emboldened a little I took off my glove and placed it experimentally on the platform immediately in the glow of the ray. At first nothing happened, but then the glove began to glow with the same soft radiance of the ray and almost imperceptibly it disappeared, becoming a part of the surrounding light.

  I next turned my attention to the light-wave receiver, tuning in and setting the dial at twenty. At once the visascreen burst into radiance. A succession of beautiful colors floated across. I reached out and pulled a switch marked “Spectroletope,” and then a change took place on the screen. The beautiful colors were broken and separated, mingling and intermingling in a bewildering manner, tiny lines forming regularly through the whole. I watched it fascinated for a while, and then turned off the switch, humming a parody on a popular song:

  “ It might mean something to someone

  But it don’t mean nothing to me.”

  Well, Dad was gone and here I was with the laboratory full of marvelous equipment that I only faintly understood. I read his letter over again and tried to reassure myself that he was all right. But how could I convince myself he was safe? What kind of a world had he gone into? How was he going to return? The more I thought about it the more alarmed I became. Why hadn’t he allowed me to go exploring this new world so he could stay here in his laboratory among his beloved scientific instruments, where he belonged? He was a marvelous scientist, but outside of his laboratory he was lost; he would always be a child to the world.

  After two days of restless and troubled thoughts I determined to get someone to operate the machine and follow him through to that strange world. Acting on this decision I radiophoned my former classmate, Marion Wells, who was already successful in a scientific career. I had not been in personal touch with her for several years but had followed with interest her steady rise to fame. The whole world had her to thank for their clean, easy, and never-failing atomic household heaters.

  Marion

  After looking up her private wavelength I tuned in and in a few seconds her serious, spectacled face appeared on my television as her clear voice said “Marion Wells on the air.” Then as she recognized me on her screen she smiled in friendly greeting. I did not go into detail but explained that I needed desperately the aid of her scientific knowledge and asked her to come to my house.

  “Be with you in ten minutes,” she promised and signed off.

  And in ten minutes as I watched out the window, her auto-plane landed in a vertical drop below our driveway, its wings automatically collapsing as it touched the ground. I admired her skilful driving as she came through the gate and taxied under the trees up to the front verandah.

  With our greetings over, she asked what the trouble was and after my halting and doubtless inadequate explanation of what had taken place, she said crisply, “Let’s go up to your father’s laboratory and examine the equipment. Perhaps I can get a better idea of what you are trying to tell me.”

  In the laboratory Marion showed the greatest interest in the Hewitt Ray; the light-wave receiver in fact seemed to be familiar to her. Then she turned it on and watched the visascreen awhile. Curiously, I asked her if she knew what the colors and lines meant.

  “Yes, they are the international wave code system,” she nodded. “Slowly but surely this manner of communication is taking the place of the old-fashioned method. The light-wave stations are more simple to construct and much cheaper to operate and the regular service provided is vastly superior to the old telegraph method.”

  When the wonders of the laboratory had been examined and tried out we sat down and tried to figure out some way of getting Dad back safely. Marion advocated waiting for a definite message from Dad, but I was too worried to consider that. I wanted Marion to stay here and intercept messages, while I went through to get Dad.

  “But listen to reason, foolish child,” Marion pleaded. “This plane of existence to which your father has gone is without a doubt as big as the world in which you are now living. Perhaps he has gone or been carried thousands of miles away and how do you expect to find him?”

  “Well,” I answered stubbornly. “If he is over there, perhaps he needs me and if he needs me I am going to him. I’ll find him somehow.”

  “Very well. Tell me how you propose to get back once you find him.”

  I must have looked crestfallen for Marion reached over and patted my hand. “Don’t worry, Lou. I have a plan. We will have to get busy, though, if you expect to go through in the near future.”

  “Oh! Marion, I knew I could depend on you!”

  Briskly she asked me for the manuscript Dad had written, and from it got a detailed description of how to build and operate the new Hewitt Ray machine.

  “You see,” she explained finally, “we will construct another ray machine and send it on through with you. That is your only chance to get back.”

  At once I became enthusiastic. So for the next few weeks we worked furiously. I had radioed my company for an extension of leave which was granted. One afternoon it was finished. Five o’clock came and we set the light-wave receiver according to Dad’s instructions. Marion watched intently the message shown on the visascreen, then frowned and consulted Dad’s notes again.

  “I am afraid, Lou, there is something wrong. That certainly isn’t your father’s private code. Nor is it the international code which I know.”

  “Perhaps it is the same message that Dad has been receiving,” I said.

  “Yes, that must be it. For some reason your father is unable to send his message and these beings are trying to get in touch with you.”

  “Oh! I knew something had happened to him,” I wailed. “Let me go through now, Marion. You can finish the other ray machine and send it on later. I’ll find it. It will have to arrive at the same place I do, won’t it?”

  “Hardly,” she replied thoughtfully. “But it won’t be long now and a few hours cannot make such a difference. You had better play safe and wait for the other machine.”

  But it was morning before the machine was completed and I was able to start. I had dressed myself in my flying togs and strapped a 45 Colt and cartridges around me. A few clean handkerchiefs and a couple of packages of cigarettes completed my personal luggage.

  Worried as I was, I was yet all athrill as I mounted the platform and gave Marion the signal to turn on the ray.

  A faint glow surrounded me. I began to tingle from head to toe. Glancing at my hands I noticed that they glowed faintly. I was passing through! “Dear God, please help me find Dad!” I became numb. . . . A sudden gap appeared in my consciousness—then the tingling sensation returned . . . . ceased . . . . and I had passed through.

  The New World

  For a few seconds I was bewildered. Where was I, and what was I doing here? Then my head cleared, I remembered and began to look about me. I was in an inclosure of some kind. The walls, ceiling and floor were snow white. I stooped and touched the floor. It felt like earth. I touched the walls—they were rock! I was in a cave, a snow white cave!

  A cave must have an entrance of some kind, I reasoned, so after packing the Hewitt Ray machine back into a corner, I began to walk along the side of one of the walls. After walking about 500 feet, I came to a turn which I followed. Three times the tunnel through which I was moving turned before I saw an opening. The brightness reflected from the white walls gradually gave place to a pale pink flush which became deeper as I advanced until I came to an opening which was bathed in a rosy glow.

  I stepped out cautiously and stood rooted to the spot in amazement. A softly glowing red sun r
ode high in a pale pink sky. I was on a low hill whose path ran down into a forest of scarlet trees. Hurriedly I ran down the path, the earth of which was as white as the interior of the cave, to get a better look at the scarlet trees. Were they really scarlet or was it just a reflection of the rosy sky?

  In a few moments I was among the trees and saw indeed that it was no reflection which colored them. The leaves were bright scarlet, the trunks and branches snow-white like the ground. All around grew scarlet bushes, bursting into bloom with tiny silver-grey and pale amber-colored blossoms. A little farther on, a narrow brook rippled merrily and I decided to follow and see where it would lead me. All about lay peace and quiet. The air was soft and balmy, a direct contrast to the sharp winter winds I had left at home. It was a veritable fairyland, and made me wonder if Dad had come through near here and if so what he thought of the weird scenery.

  At first I was a little fearful of meeting some strange animal or person but presently I became bolder and left the shadow of the trees, under which I had been traveling, and walked along the exposed bank of the brook.

  Without the least warning, there broke upon the air the most frightful noise imaginable. Grasping my revolver, I fled to the shelter of the trees and from behind a broad, white trunk, I waited breathlessly as the dreadful noise drew near.

  Nearer and nearer, and louder and louder came the noise until there burst through the bushes to my right the most astonishing sight.

  Two enormous creatures, whether men or animals, I could not at first determine, for they seemed to resemble both, came tumbling into the road before me. That they were engaged in a fight to the death, I did not for a moment doubt. Screeching and yelling, they grappled and fought, broke apart only to rush together again and tear and bite until, in disgust, I turned away. When I looked towards them again, one was on the ground evidently in death agony but the victorious one still kept up the frightful noise, at the same time, tearing his still living opponent apart. The sight so disgusted and infuriated me that I forgot my own precarious position and, lifting my automatic which I still clutched in my hand, I fired at the hideous monster.

  At the bark of the gun, the creature stopped his howling and started stupidly about. At last, apparently locating the direction of the strange noise, he started in my direction. Thoroughly frightened now, I lifted the gun again, but before I could bring my trembling fingers to pull the trigger, he suddenly stopped, staggered, and fell with a crash and a long unearthly howl to the ground, where he lay thrashing about. When he finally lay quiet, I drew near, trembling and fearful at every step; yet my curiosity to see these strange creatures was stronger than any fear.

  Upon the ground not very far apart lay the two great bodies. The one who had fallen in the battle was so mangled that I turned away to the one I had shot. The body, fully eight feet in length and weighing, I judged, around four hundred pounds, was covered completely by a short bristly hair. The feet and hands of the creatures were like great huge claws that looked cruel and powerful. But the face! How shall I describe it? If the body, except for the claw-like hands and feet and the short hairs covering it, was human there was nothing human about the face. The monstrous head, looking too heavy even for the enormous and powerful body and neck supporting it, was flat on top and back, coming in front to a blunt point with two open nostrils. The eyes, now fixed with a glassy stare, were small and green, and the mouth, a thick-lipped enormous slit, was drawn back in a snarl, showing a double row of sharp cruel teeth. There was no chin, the lower jaw sloping abruptly to the neck. All in all, he was the most loathsome and fearful object it had ever been my misfortune to encounter.

  CHAPTER III

  Captured!

  With an uncontrollable shudder, I turned away. If this were a specimen of the inhabitants of the fourth dimension I must find my father immediately and take him back to our own world.

  I walked on, wondering where my father was. Was he held captive by these creatures? Perhaps I could find their village or city and after dark scout around and see if there was any sign of Dad.

  Suddenly a twig cracked sharply in the bushes beside me. I looked about in swift alarm. Was I being stalked? With flying feet I made for the low trees ahead. A long howl came from behind me and the thud-thud-thud of a heavy fast-moving body sounded. Faster and faster I ran but ever behind and dangerously nearer every few seconds came that ominous thud.

  Twang! Something flew by my head and to my horror a strange but wicked-looking arrow-like missile buried itself in the soft white earth before me. I ran on until the path abruptly ended at a wide chasm over which it was impossible for me to jump. I came to a halt. What should I do? Drop to certain death or stay and submit to a captivity fraught with untold horrors? “Never! Never!” I fiercely whispered to myself, as my hand quickly flew to the temporarily forgotten automatic at my side. Too late!—My pursuer was right beside me and before I could draw my gun I felt clawlike hands clutching me and saw piggish eyes close to my own.

  He picked me up and throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of flour, let out a howl of triumph and started swiftly through the trees. My sensations, then, were brief for with that howl coming so close beside me I sank into a merciful faint.

  When I came to, I found myself lying on the ground completely surrounded by these repulsive creatures. No one touched me but all looked at me curiously, gibbering in excited guttural tones. Evidently I was a novel sight to them.

  I sat up and there was a startled movement in the crowd. H’m! I thought, they are not quite sure of just how dangerous I might be. No one molested me and I sat there for some time surrounded by my curious audience. I was hungry but no one seemed to think of offering me food. Finally I lit a cigarette. If they were startled when I sat up they were panic-stricken at the sight of the tiny flame and smoke. They fled in all directions and gazed at me from a distance.

  “The fools,” I said. “Do they think this is some kind of an infernal machine?” I was hungry and cross and their foolish fear did not amuse me as it ordinarily would have. Finally a line of the creatures approached me armed with bows and arrows. The leader courageously came forward and motioned for me to put down my fearful weapon. I ignored the obvious command and calmly blew a cloud of smoke towards him. Immediately a shower of arrows embedded themselves in the ground around me. I do not think they intended to wound me, they were merely wanting me to obey, which I now prudently did. After that I was let alone and I began to stroll about, a group of the creatures following at a safe distance.

  It was a curious contrast between the beautiful and fairy-like scenery and these hideous creatures who were oblivious of its beauty.

  I walked all around but look as I might I could see no sign of Dad. Deciding to try to get some information from these people, I beckoned to one who seemed to be the leader and by various signs tried to ask him if there were another creature like myself in their midst.

  At first he stared at me stupidly, then the little piggy eyes lit up and he turned and motioned me to follow. I did so with a beating heart. Perhaps they had Dad hidden away somewhere in the wilderness! If so, he and I together might find some way of escaping from these beastly people. Surely they were not the ones who had been sending messages to Dad: they were rank savages.

  Flight

  My guide led me into a thicket and we followed a narrow path through the scarlet growth until we came to a clearing. There before us stood an aircraft of peculiar design and on the ground near it lay a woman. But what a woman! Tall almost as the creature beside me, she was magnificently proportioned. Short, crisp black hair covered her head. Her face was beautiful but the features were set in grim lines. An arrow had pierced her left breast and her clothing, a single blue tunic, was saturated with blood. She was dead, but my heart lightened considerably at the sight of her and her aircraft. These savage beast men were not the only inhabitants of this plane. Another and more intelligent group of people were here also and, no doubt, they were the ones who had been communicatin
g with our world by way of the light-wave machine. Even now, Dad might be with them!

  I turned from the figure of the dead woman and scrutinized closely the vehicle beside her. It was an aircraft of the enclosed cabin type. I had never seen one just like it before and I itched to get in and try out the various strange-looking controls I could see through the glass of the cabin door.

  By pantomime, I asked permission to enter and investigate the machine. But my guide, hastily placing himself between me and the car, motioned me away.

  Waves of fury mounted to my brain. Was I to let a stupid savage keep me prisoner when here was a chance to get away? My hand slid along my belt and I cautiously grasped the butt of my gun, which my captors, not knowing what it was, had not bothered to take away from me.

  Not by a flicker of an eye did my guide show that he thought he was in danger, but he kept motioning me to go back the way we had come. Go back and miss this wonderful chance to escape?—Not much!

  Quickly I drew and fired pointblank at the creature’s leg. What a howl he let out! Between the noise of the shot and his terrible howling, the whole pack would be here soon. I pulled open the door and hastily climbed into the plane.

  “Oh God! please let it work!” I grasped a handle and pulled. With a suddenness that took my breath away, I shot vertically upward. Recovering, I pushed the handle back to the first notch and the car ceased its upward flight and shot forward. Well, I didn’t know where I was going but I was on my way!

  A few manipulations of the dials and switches and the strange-looking knobs on the control board, and I soon learned what they were for. I flew in a straight line, hoping for a sight of civilization, but for mile after mile I could see nothing but the red sun above and the scarlet forests below.