Astounding Science Fiction (UK Edition) — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

PARADOX LOST of abnormal ones. The abnormal ones sort of get together.” ' “TI don’t quite understand. You mean that you have a secret society of ...uh... lunatics, who ...uh... live in a different world, as it were?” “Not as it were,” corrected the little man emphatically, ‘but as it weren’t. And it isn’t a secret society, or anything organized that way. It just is. We project into two uni- verses, in a manner of speaking. One is normal; our bodies are born there, and, of course, they stay there. And if we're crazy. enough to attract attention, we get put into asylums there. But we have another exist- ence, in our minds. That’s where I am, and that’s where you are at the moment, in my mind. I’m not really here, either.” “Whew!” said Shorty. But how could I be in your—” “T told you; the machine slipped. But the logic hasn’t much place in my world. A paradox more or less doesn’t matter, and a time machine is a mere bagatelle. Lots of us have them. Lots of us have come back here hunting with them. That’s how we killed off the dinosaurs and that’s why—” “Wait,” said Shorty. “Is this world we’re sitting in, the Jurassic, part of your... uh . . concept, or is it real? It looks real, and it looks authentic.” “This is real, but it never really existed. That’s obvious. If matter is a concept of mind, and the saurians hadn’t any minds, then how could they have had a world to live in, except that we thought it up for them afterward?” “Oh,” said Shorty weakly. His mind was going in buzzing circles. “You! mean that the dinosaurs never really—” ““Here comes one,” said the little man. Shorty jumped. He looked around wildly and couldn’t see anything that looked like a dinosaur. “Down there,” said the little man, “com- ing through those bushes. Watch this shot.” b Shorty looked down as his companion raised the sling shot. A small lizard-like creature, but hopping erect as no lizard hops, was coming around one of the stunted bushes. It stood about a foot and‘a half high. There was a sharp pinging sound as the rubber snapped, and a thud as the stone hit the creature between the eyes. It dropped, and the little man went over and picked it up. 55 “You can shoot the next one,” he said. Shorty gawked at the dead saurian. “A struthiomimus!” he said. “Golly. But what if a big one comes along? A brontosaurus, say, or a Tyrannosaurus Rex?” “They’re all gone. We killed them off. There’s only the little ones left, but it’s better than hunting rabbits, isn’t it? Well, one’s enough for me this time. I’m getting bored, but I'll wait for you to shoot one if you want to.” Shorty shook his head. “Afraid I couldn’t aim straight enough with that sling shot. I'll skip it. Where’s the time machine?” “Right here. Take two steps ahead of you.” Shorty did, and the lights went out again. “Just a minute,” said the little man’s voice, “Ill set the levers. And you want off where you got on?” “Uh .. . it might be a good idea. I might find myself in a mess otherwise. Where are we now?” “Back in 1948. That guy is still telling his class what he thinks happened to the dino- saurs. And that red-headed girl— Say, she really is a honey. Want to pull her hair again?” “No,” said Shorty. “But I want off in 1943. How’s this going to get me there?” “You got on here, from 1943, didn’t you. It’s the warp. I think this will put you just right.” : “You think?” Shorty was startled. “Listen, what if I get off the day before and sit down on my own lap in that classroom?” : The voice laughed. “You couldn’t do that; you’re not crazy. But I did, once. Well, get going. I want to get back to—” ““Thanks for the ride,”’ said Shorty. “But— wait—I still got one question to ask. About those dinosaurs.” “Yes? Well, hurry; the warp might not hold.” “The big ones, the really big ones. How the devil did you kill them with sling shots? Or did you?” | The little man chuckled. “Of course, we did. We just used bigger sling shots, that’s all. Good-by.” Shorty felt a push, and light blinded him again. He was standing in the aisle of the classroom. “Mr. McCabe,” said the sarcastic voice of Professor Dolohan, “class is not dis- missed for five minutes yet. Will you be so kind as to resume your seat? And were you, may, I ask, somnambulating?” | comiclooks (©