Forbidden Worlds #62

Young Dave Warren cherishes stories of adventure from his explorer Uncle Ben—especially the tale of the golden Luck of the Zanubis, a shield steeped in African legend that saved his uncle's life. Years later, after losing the shield in childhood, Dave carries the conviction that his luck has abandoned him, a belief that haunts him into adulthood and his marriage to Hildy, until a return to his boyhood haunt forces him to confront what he's lost.

In "null," a young boy with uncanny foresight warns his mother just in time to save his father, who’s moments from crashing his car into a lake—before the crash even happens. The story unfolds with quiet intensity, exploring the weight of a gift that feels more like a burden than a blessing.

A journalist tracks the legendary Anton Drobny across the globe—a mysterious animal trainer who vanished at the height of his fame twenty years ago—only to discover he's made his hidden domain deep in the African wilderness, where wild beasts obey his every command. When the reporter finally finds Drobny and his strange sanctuary, he learns that the reclusive master's gift for communicating with animals runs far deeper than anyone imagined. What secrets has Drobny been guarding all these years, and why has he chosen to live isolated from the human world?