Secrets of the Unknown #39

In "Look Behind You!", a young man named Louis discovers a machine that lets him peer into the past and tweak small moments in the life of Vincent Di Varni and his descendants—until he realizes his own existence is tied to the changes he’s made. Now living as a grocer instead of an inventor, Louis must confront the ripple effects of his meddling before the past fully unravels.

In "Target... Earth!", an alien scout arrives on our planet to assess humanity’s worth as a military threat—his report will decide whether an invasion proceeds. Finding humans weak and easily overpowered, he laughs at the thought of resistance, only to discover his ship has vanished into a hidden bog, leaving him stranded and out of options.

In "The Escape of Johnny York," a prisoner held under mysterious circumstances finds an unexpected connection to his wife through a strange, dream-inducing tea. With the help of a quiet guide named Tai-San, Johnny reaches Lillian in a vision, offering her comfort across the distance.

In a future where Dryden’s inventions have turned 2056 into a fully mechanized society, the criminal detection unit becomes a tool for exploitation—until the entire crisis unfolds as a televised spectacle. A Man Destroyed! dives into the blurred line between reality and performance, where control, surveillance, and spectacle collide.

In "Inside the Room of Shadows," Bascombe stumbles upon a forgotten chamber where a shadowed figure offers him a choice: step through a door and discover true happiness, or turn away and keep his uncertainty. Though he doubts the promise and flees in disbelief, the weight of his decision lingers, leaving him haunted by what might have been.

In "The Smiling Gods!", a group of Asian farmers, desperate to survive under the tyranny of a cruel overlord, turn to their ancient deities in prayer for a bountiful harvest. When their crops grow with unnatural speed and ferocity, the fields begin to twist and surge—ensnaring the very man they sought to please.

In "The Face in the Glass!", a desperate thief seeks refuge in the shop of Johan the Mirror Maker after a robbery. When the police question Johan, the thief hides, unaware that the old mirror maker holds a power far beyond mere reflection. As Boris experiments with the mirror’s magic, transforming his face into that of a younger man, then later an old one, he begins to lose himself—until the mirror’s enchantment turns deadly.

In "The Man in the Box!", a tiny green box holds a surprisingly kind-hearted man who emerges each night to quietly help others. When a burglar steals the box and demands to know the secret of his size, the little man, true to his nature, shows him the way—without realizing the consequences.