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Cosmic Tales, v. 2, issue 1, Summer 1939

Page 12

12      COSMIC TALES

As I did this, a shadow fell across me, and lifting my eyes I saw HER. Tall and slim, with skin as white as moonlight sleeping upon the sands of Naskia; hair, blue-black, with a play of lights that interweaved into a million fantastic patterns; eyes softly gray, yet bright with a wisdom long dead, pregnant with promise.
"You have waited long?" she whispered, kneeling beside me. I was so struck by her beauty that I could only stare at her in silence. Again a question:
"You will follow me from this valley?"
I nodded dreamily, getting to my feet, not asking, not caring where we were bound, although a subtle glow of pleasure cloaked me at the thought of so fair a companion.
"Like me," an inner voice droned, and for the first time I smiled. We had not gone far, however, when the ground softened, and gave one the feeling of walking upon living, yielding flesh. I looked, and where boulders, trees, and square mountains stood the land was dimpled as if these objects were not imbedded securely, but instead sat upon the surface like children's toys upon a carpet.
At last we came to a great plain and stopped. Shading her eyes, the girl--she had the appearance of a girl--pointed into the distance and, following her gaze, I saw the dim outline of a city; it seemed incredibly far away.
"We go there?" I asked.
"No. It comes," she said, and perhaps I was mistaken, but she seemed to say this sadly. Her shapely arms arose in suppliance. From the plain came a great roll of thunder and a blinding light. When I could again see, a city stood before us, its towers rising against the sky like arrow tips in the quiver of a giant.
My companion had already started for the wall gate and I followed, looking about for signs of life. But the streets were dead, and not even bones marked the passing of life's caravan.
"Here is the place," the girl's voice was low, "Misti, the temple of the gods who ruled the dream worlds which preceded the era of solidity." Her eyes turned full upon me, and I was suddenly afraid. For there was a command within their depths which has been forever alien to mortals.
The period which followed is more like a dream. There were great fountains, soft, seductive music struck from the strings of unseen harps, the vision of her eyes, the wine of her lips, some emotion a million times more intense than earthly love pulsed thru my being. I drifted like a sweepless galley before the currents of the Donslavo. And then the rain.
It fell for the second time from the heavens, shut from my view at first by the high domed ceiling of the temple; but as the dome dissolved and the blue, bright flood descended upon us, I knew what was to follow; how I cannot tell.
But when I turned back to see a blob of grayish white substance floating upon the floor pools, crowned in a swirl of blue black hair, I knew it was she, and fled blindly from the place.
And at last there came a calmness, and I saw that now there was only one sun gracing the sky, and that tit was the color of new blood.
Six times the land grew dark with the passing of light before I reached the end of the plain; six days, as paced by those insane suns, before I stood upon the shores of a great orange sea. And there was no wind, and the sea lay like glass beneath the suns---now twelve---and a long winged bird, engaged in seeking fish, or at least food, hung unmovingly above the waters.
I picked up a diamond which lay at my feet and threw it at

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12 COSMIC TALES As I did this, a shadow fell across me, and lifting my eyes I saw HER. Tall and slim, with skin as white as moonlight sleeping upon the sands of Naskia; hair, blue-black, with a play of lights that interweaved into a million fantastic patterns; eyes softly gray, yet bright with a wisdom long dead, pregnant with promise. "You have waited long?" she whispered, kneeling beside me. I was so struck by her beauty that I could only stare at her in silence. Again a question: "You will follow me from this valley?" I nodded dreamily, getting to my feet, not asking, not caring where we were bound, although a subtle glow of pleasure cloaked me at the thought of so fair a companion. "Like me," an inner voice droned, and for the first time I smiled. We had not gone far, however, when the ground softened, and gave one the feeling of walking upon living, yielding flesh. I looked, and where boulders, trees, and square mountains stood the land was dimpled as if these objects were not imbedded securely, but instead sat upon the surface like children's toys upon a carpet. At last we came to a great plain and stopped. Shading her eyes, the girl--she had the appearance of a girl--pointed into the distance and, following her gaze, I saw the dim outline of a city; it seemed incredibly far away. "We go there?" I asked. "No. It comes," she said, and perhaps I was mistaken, but she seemed to say this sadly. Her shapely arms arose in suppliance. From the plain came a great roll of thunder and a blinding light. When I could again see, a city stood before us, its towers rising against the sky like arrow tips in the quiver of a giant. My companion had already started for the wall gate and I followed, looking about for signs of life. But the streets were dead, and not even bones marked the passing of life's caravan. "Here is the place," the girl's voice was low, "Misti, the temple of the gods who ruled the dream worlds which preceded the era of solidity." Her eyes turned full upon me, and I was suddenly afraid. For there was a command within their depths which has been forever alien to mortals. The period which followed is more like a dream. There were great fountains, soft, seductive music struck from the strings of unseen harps, the vision of her eyes, the wine of her lips, some emotion a million times more intense than earthly love pulsed thru my being. I drifted like a sweepless galley before the currents of the Donslavo. And then the rain. It fell for the second time from the heavens, shut from my view at first by the high domed ceiling of the temple; but as the dome dissolved and the blue, bright flood descended upon us, I knew what was to follow; how I cannot tell. But when I turned back to see a blob of grayish white substance floating upon the floor pools, crowned in a swirl of blue black hair, I knew it was she, and fled blindly from the place. And at last there came a calmness, and I saw that now there was only one sun gracing the sky, and that tit was the color of new blood. Six times the land grew dark with the passing of light before I reached the end of the plain; six days, as paced by those insane suns, before I stood upon the shores of a great orange sea. And there was no wind, and the sea lay like glass beneath the suns---now twelve---and a long winged bird, engaged in seeking fish, or at least food, hung unmovingly above the waters. I picked up a diamond which lay at my feet and threw it at