ADOLESCENTS ONLY
By Irving Cox, Jr.
[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories ofScience and Fantasy January 1953. Extensive research did not uncover anyevidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
He tried to convince himself he had no right to gripe. It was a pleasantplace to live; he had privacy and a bath of his own. And theSchermerhorns were reasonably broadminded people. They never objected tohis smoking or an occasional glass of beer. Last year at theNeuhavens'—Gary Elvin cringed inwardly at the recollection.
Just the same, this was going too far. It was enough to endure theirkids all day long, five days of the week, without the addition of thesejuvenile parties. This one had started an hour after dinner and it wasstill going strong when Elvin returned from the late show at the Fox.
Naturally the Schermerhorn twins were popular tenth graders—husky,blond Greek Gods who had everything, including a red Convertible and aswimming pool Pop Schermerhorn had built for them at the ranch. GaryElvin had expected a certain number of parties when he decided to boardand room with the Schermerhorns, but hardly one every weekend.
He fled through the cluttered hall where a buxom lass was organizingsomething called a bubble gum contest and took refuge on the damp anddeserted patio. He flung himself on a wet, canvas lounge, and looked upat the bright night sky.
Bitterly he counted off the weeks. It was still early in November. Hehad eight more months to endure before June came with its temporaryillusion of escape. As he always did, Elvin resolved to find a betterjob next year. He had been teaching for five years now. He knew all thetricks of classroom control and smooth community relations. Surely if hestarted looking early enough, he ought to be able to get something at asmall college....
Suddenly he was jerked back to reality by a curious spot of red thatappeared in the sky. It moved closer and he saw that it was a fallingobject followed by a long plume of red flame. It flashed momentarilyoverhead and Elvin heard a dull thud as it fell into a field beyond theranch house.
He sprang up from the couch and moved off in the darkness. It had been ameteorite, of course; if it had survived the friction of the atmosphereit would make an interesting exhibit for the science classroom. MissGerken would be glassy-eyed with pleasure.
There was no moon. As soon as he crossed the driveway, Elvin stumbledover the damp furrows of a newly ploughed field. He was sweating when hereached the row of palms that lined the irrigation ditch. He paused towipe his face.
And he heard a weird, shrill, rhythmic sound. It might have been calledmusic, but there was no definable melody or beat. It was faint at first,but as he moved to the right, paralleling the ditch, the sound camelouder.
As he cautiously approached the alien object, it seemedas if a soft melody were being wafted on the night breeze. The soundmade him nervous and instilled fear....
Then, beyond the trees, in a glow of blue light emanating from the thingitself, he saw the rocket. It was not quite five feet long, a slimprojectile of glowing metal nosed deeply into the soft earth. The four