The world was on the brink of atomic war and
nothing, it seemed, could prevent it. But
Toffee had a plan—and a little magic to boot!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
February 1951
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The bombs ticked—in remote places—behind locked and guarded doors.The bombs ticked, and the terrible sound was distinct in the farthestcorners of the world—wherever a man picked up a newspaper, turned on aradio—or paused to listen to the beating of his own heart. A Bomb ...H Bomb ... X Bomb—the bombs ticked louder and louder with the growinghours—and each man dwelt alone now with the dark spectre of his owntrembling fear.
"Yesterday we perfected a new kind of totalitarian death...." (Itwas difficult to remember the pleasant, relaxed voice which had oncegiven the announcer his popularity, for now it seemed that his breathpassed over taut nerves rather than vocal cords. But no one noticed; itwas only what he said that mattered now, not how he said it. Fear fedon fear with an avid, indiscriminate appetite—and flourished from thediet.)
"Today we can only be certain that the foreign powers will have caughtup with us within the next few hours.
"Can you remember the Atomic Age, ladies and gentlemen? How long agothat was! And yet how swiftly we have progressed from that to the Ageof Human Terror.
"The X Bomb—the incomprehensible unit of power and destruction whichdwarfs the human soul and reduces it to a negligible fraction ofquivering fright—just one small fraction contributing to the monstrousorganism of terror which has lately become our modern civilization.How wretched we are to be living in a civilization in which the word'city' has been rendered obsolete by the word 'target.' The New YorkTarget ... the Chicago Target ... the Salt Lake and San FranciscoTargets. How wretched we are.
"And is it strange that these targets which were once cities are beingdeserted? Is it strange that men have begun to run from the bombs evenbefore they have begun to fall? That is the nature of terror.
"For the first time in its history the nation looks upon anomadic society—largely that group of the working people who haveceased working to wander aimlessly, seeking safety within our ownborders—living by thievery and lawlessness. Crime has increased sorapidly of late that a comparative estimate is impossible. That, too,is the nature of terror.
"Today the government would force these erstwhile workers back tothe hearts of the targets—force them by law back to the factories toengage again in the production of death and destruction.
"'Necessary,' the statesmen say. 'Necessary to national safety.' Butwith the statesmen's words comes the obvious question: Is there stillany national safety left for any nation? Does it exist anywhere, to bepreserved? Haven't the fleeing nomads asked themselves this questionalready, turning their frightened eyes to the unprotecting skies?
"But the statesman must speak—and he must speak logic, even nowwhen logic has deserted us, and words can no longer save us. Everyman—statesman or otherwise—knows that it is no longer a question ofwhether the bombs will drop—but when they will drop—and who will dropthem—we or they?
"It is true that no nation has declared war, but terror declares itsown war. Can we wait another day to take the initiative? Can they? Theundeclared enemy may destroy us tomorrow—or tonight—even within thenext few minutes. I may not li BU KİTABI OKUMAK İÇİN ÜYE OLUN VEYA GİRİŞ YAPIN!
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