by Anthology
A steel building thirty stories high with a pink cloud near the top. And, separated by a hedge, a brown tent with a barbeque pit before it, smoke rising in a rigid ribbon from the chimney.
Mr. Chitterwick blinked and squinted his eyes. "What do you see?"
Distant and near, houses of stone and brick and wood, painted all colors, small, large; and further, golden fields of wheat, each blown by a different breeze in a different direction.
"I don't believe it," said Captain Webber. "It's a park--millions of miles away from where a park could possibly be."
"Strange but familiar," said Lieutenant Peterson, picking up a rock.
Captain Webber looked in all directions. "We were lost. Then we see a city where no city should be, on an asteroid not shown on any chart, and we manage to land. And now we're in the middle of a place that belongs in history-records. We may be crazy; we may all be wandering around in space and dreaming."
The little man with the thin hair who had just stepped briskly from a treeclump said, "Well, well," and the men jumped.
The little man smiled. "Aren't you a trifle late or early or something?"
Captain Webber turned and his mouth dropped open.
"I hadn't been expecting you, gentlemen, to be perfectly honest," the little man clucked, then: "Oh dear, see what you've done to Mr. Bellefont's park. I do hope you haven't hurt him--no, I see that he is all right."
Captain Webber followed the direction of the man's eyes and perceived an old man with red hair seated at the base of a tree, apparently reading a book.
"We are from Earth," said Captain Webber.
"Yes, yes."
"Let me explain: my name is Webber, these are my men."
"Of course," said the little man.
Mr. Chitterwick came closer, blinking. "Who is this that knows our language?" he asked.
"Who--Greypoole, Mr. Greypoole. Didn't they tell you?"
"Then you are also from Earth?"
"Heavens yes! But now, let us go where we can chat more comfortably." Mr. Greypoole struck out down a small path past scorched trees and underbrush. "You know, Captain, right after the last consignment something happened to my calendar. Now, I'm competent at my job, but I'm no technician, no indeed: besides, no doubt you or one of your men can set the doodad right, eh? Here we are."
They walked onto a wooden porch and through a door with a wire screen; Lieutenant Peterson first, then Captain Webber, Mr. Friden and the rest of the crew. Mr. Greypoole followed.
"You must forgive me--it's been a while. Take chairs, there, there. Now, what news of--home, shall I say?" The little man stared.
Captain Webber shifted uncomfortably. He glanced around the room at the lace curtains, the needle-point tapestries and the lavender wallpaper.
"Mr. Greypoole, I'd like to ask some questions."
"Certainly, certainly. But first, this being an occasion--" the little man stared at each man carefully, then shook his head "--ah, do you all like wine? Good wine?"
He ducked through a small door.
Captain Webber exhaled and rose.
"Now, don't start talking all at once," he whispered. "Anyone have any ideas? No? Then quick, scout around--Friden, you stay here; you others, see what you can find. I'm not sure I like the looks of this."
The men left the room.
* * * * *
Mr. Chitterwick made his way along a hedgerow, feeling cautiously and maintaining a delicate balance. When he came to a doorway he stopped, squinted and entered.
The room was dark and quiet and odorous. Mr. Chitterwick groped a few steps, put out his hand and encountered what seemed to be raw flesh; he swiftly withdrew his hand. "Excuse," he said, then, "Oh!" as his face came against a slab of moist red meat. "Oh my!"
Mr. Chitterwick began to tremble and he blinked furiously, reaching out and finding flesh, cold and hard, unidentifiable.
When he stepped upon the toe of a large man with a walrus mustache, he wheeled, located the sunlight and ran from the butcher shop....
* * * * *
The door of the temple opened with difficulty, which caused Mr. Milton to breathe unnaturally. Then, once inside, he gasped.
Row upon row of people, their fingers outstretched, lips open but immobile and silent, their bodies prostrate on the floor. And upon a strange black altar, a tiny woman with silver hair and a long thyrsus in her right hand.
Nothing stirred but the mosaic squares in the walls. The colors danced here; otherwise, everything was frozen, everything was solid.
Even the air hung suspended, stationary.
Mr. Milton left the temple....
* * * * *
There was a table and a woman on the table and people all around the woman on the table. Mr. Goeblin did not go a great distance from the doorway: he rubbed his eyes and stared.
It was an operating room. There were all the instruments, some old, most old, and the masked men and women with shining scissors and glistening saws in their hands. And up above, the students' aperture: filled seats, filled aisles.
Mr. Goeblin put his other hand about the doorknob.
A large man stood over the recumbent figure, his lusterless eyes regarding the crimson-puce incision, but he did not move. The nurses did not move, or the students. No one moved, especially the smiling middle-aged woman on the table.
Mr. Goeblin moved....
* * * * *
"Hello!" said Lieutenant Peterson, after he had searched through eight long aisles of books, "Hello!"
He pointed his gun menacingly.
There were many books with many titles and they all had a fine grey dust about them. Lieutenant Peterson paused to examine a bulky volume, when he happened to look above him.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The mottled, angular man perched atop the ladder did not respond. He clutched a book and looked at the book and not at Lieutenant Peterson.
"Come down--I want to talk with you!"
The man on the ladder did nothing unusual: he remained precisely as he had been.
Lieutenant Peterson climbed up the ladder, scowling; he reached the man and jabbed with a finger.
Lieutenant Peterson looked into the eyes of the reading man and descended hastily and did not say goodbye....
* * * * *
Mr. Greypoole reentered the living room with a tray of glasses. "This is apricot wine," he announced, distributing the glasses, "But--where are the others? Out for a walk? Ah well, they can drink theirs later. Incidentally, Captain, how many Guests did you bring? Last time it was only twelve. Not an extraordinary shipment, either: they all preferred the ordinary things. All but Mrs. Dominguez--dear me, she was worth the carload herself. Wanted a zoo, can you imagine--a regular zoo, with her put right in the bird-house. Oh, they had a time putting that one up!"
Mr. Greypoole chuckled and sipped at his drink.
"It's people like Mrs. Dominguez who put the--the life?--into Happy Glades. Or do you find that disrespectful?"
Captain Webber shook his head and tossed down his drink.
Mr. Greypoole leaned back in his chair and crossed a leg. "Ah," he continued, "you have no idea how good this is. Once in a while it does get lonely for me here--no man is an island, or how does it go? Why, I can remember when Mr. Waldmeyer first told me of this idea. 'A grave responsibility,' he said, 'a grave responsibility.' Mr. Waldmeyer has a keen sense of humor, needless to say."
Captain Webber looked out the window. A small child on roller skates stood still on the sidewalk. Mr. Greypoole laughed.
"Finished your wine? Good. Explanations are in order, though first perhaps you'd care to join me in a brief turn about the premises?"
"Fine. Friden, you stay here and wait for the men." Captain Webber winked a number of times and frowned briefly, then he and Mr. Greypoole walked out onto the porch and down the steps.
Mr. Friden drummed his fingers upon the arm of a chair, surveyed his empty glass and hiccoughed softly.
* * * * *
"I do
wish you'd landed your ship elsewhere, Captain. Mr. Bellefont was quite particular and, as you can see, his park is hopelessly disfigured."
"We were given no choice, I'm afraid. The fuel was running out."
"Indeed? Well then, that explains everything. A beautiful day, don't you find, sir? Fortunately, with the exception of Professor Carling, all the Guests preferred good weather. Plenty of sunshine, they said, or crisp evening. It helps."
They walked toward a house of colored rocks.
"Miss Daphne Trilling's," said Mr. Greypoole, gesturing. "They threw it up in a day, though it's solid enough."
When they had passed an elderly woman on a bicycle, Captain Webber stopped walking.
"Mr. Greypoole, we've got to have a talk."
Mr. Greypoole shrugged and pointed and they went into an office building which was crowded with motionless men, women and children.
"Since I'm so mixed up myself," the captain said, "maybe I'd better ask--just who do you think we are?"
"I'd thought you to be the men from the Glades of course."
"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about. We're from the planet Earth. They were going to have another war, the 'Last War' they said, and we escaped in that rocket and started off for Mars. But something went wrong--fellow named Appleton pulled a gun, others just didn't like the Martians--we needn't go into it; they wouldn't have us so Mars didn't work out. Something else went wrong then, soon we were lost with only a little store of fuel and supplies. Then Mr. Friden noticed this city or whatever it is and we had enough fuel to land so we landed."
Mr. Greypoole nodded his head slowly, somehow, sadder than before.
"I see.... You say there was a war on Earth?"
"They were going to set off X-Bomb; when they do, everything will go to pieces. Or everything has already."
"What dreadful news! May I inquire, Captain, when you have learned where you are--what do you intend to do?"
"Why, live here, of course!"
"No, no--try to understand. You could not conceivably fit in here with us."
Captain Webber glanced at the motionless people. "Why not?" Then he shouted, "What is this place? Where am I?"
Mr. Greypoole smiled.
"Captain, you are in a cemetery."
* * * * *
"Good work, Peterson!"
"Thanks, sir. When we all got back and Friden didn't know where you'd gone, well, we got worried. Then we heard you shouting."
"Hold his arms--there. You heard this, Friden?"
Mr. Friden was trembling slightly. He brushed past a man with a van Dyke beard and sat down on a leather stool. "Yes sir, I did. That is, I think I did. What shall we do with him?"
"I don't know, yet. Take him away, Lieutenant, for now. I want to think a bit. We'll talk to Mr. Greypoole later on."
Lieutenant Peterson pulled the smiling little man out into the street and pointed a gun at him.
Mr. Chitterwick blinked into the face of a small child.
"Man's insane, I guess," said Mr. Milton, pacing.
"Yes, but what about all this?" Mr. Goeblin looked horrified at the stationary people.
"I think I can tell you," Mr. Friden said. "Take a look, Captain."
The men crowded about a pamphlet which Mr. Friden had placed on the stool.
Toward the top of the pamphlet and in the center of the first page was a photograph, untinted and solemn; it depicted a white cherub delicately poised on a granite slab. Beneath the photograph, were the words: HAPPY GLADES.
Captain Webber turned the pages and mumbled, glancing over his shoulder every once in a while.
"What is it, sir?" asked Mr. Chitterwick of a frozen man in a blue suit with copper buttons.
"It's one of those old level cemeteries!" cried Mr. Milton. "I remember seeing pictures like it, sir."
Captain Webber read aloud from the pamphlet.
"For fifty years," he began, "an outstanding cultural and spiritual asset to this community, HAPPY GLADES is proud to announce yet another innovation in its program of post-benefits. NOW YOU CAN ENJOY THE AFTER-LIFE IN SURROUNDINGS WHICH SUGGEST THE HERE-AND-NOW. Never before in history has scientific advancement allowed such a plan."
Captain Webber turned the page.
"For those who prefer that their late departed have really permanent, eternal happiness, for those who are dismayed by the fragility of all things mortal, we of HAPPY GLADES are proud to offer:
"1. The permanent duplication of physical conditions identical to those enjoyed by the departed on Earth. Park, playground, lodge, office building, hotel or house, etc., may be secured at varying prices. All workmanship and materials specially attuned to conditions on ASTEROID K{7} and guaranteed for PERMANENCE.
"2. PERMANENT conditioning of late beloved so that, in the midst of surroundings he favored, a genuine Eternity may be assured.
"3. Full details on HAPPY GLADES' newest property, Asteroid K{7}, may be found on page 4."
The captain tossed the pamphlet to the floor and lit a cigarette. "Did anyone happen to notice the date?"
Mr. Milton said, "It doesn't make any sense! There haven't been cemeteries for ages. And even if this were true, why should anyone want to go all the way through space to a little asteroid? They might just as well have built these things on Earth."
"Who would want all this when they're dead, anyway?"
"You mean all these people are dead?"
For a few moments there was complete and utter silence in the lobby of the building.
* * * * *
"Are those things true, that we read in your booklet?" asked Captain Webber after Lieutenant Peterson had brought in the prisoner.
"Every word," said the little man bowing slightly, "is monumentally correct."
"Then we want you to begin explaining."
Mr. Greypoole tushed and proceeded to straighten the coat of a middle-aged man with a cigar.
Mr. Goeblin shuddered.
"No, no," laughed Mr. Greypoole, "these are only imitations. Mr. Conklin upstairs was head of a large firm; absolutely in love with his work, you know--that kind of thing. So we had to duplicate not only the office, but the building and even replicas of all the people in the building. Mr. Conklin himself is in an easy chair on the twentieth story."
"And?"
"Well, gentlemen, as you know, Happy Glades is the outstanding mortuary on Earth. And, to put it briefly, with the constant explorations of planets and moons and whatnot, our Mr. Waldmeyer hit upon this scheme: Seeking to extend the ideal hereafter to our Guests, we bought out this little asteroid. With the vast volume and the tremendous turnover, as it were, we got our staff of scientists together and they offered this plan--to duplicate the exact surroundings which the Guest most enjoyed in Life, assure him privacy, permanence (a very big point, as you can see), and all the small things not possible on Earth."
"Why here, why cart off a million miles or more when the same thing could have been done on Earth?"
"My communication system went bad, I fear, so I haven't heard from the offices in some while--but, I am to understand there is a war beginning? That is the idea, Captain; one could never really be sure of one's self down there, what with all the new bombs and things being discovered."
"Hmm," said Captain Webber.
"Then too, Mr. Waldmeyer worried about those new societies with their dreadful ideas about cremation--you can see what that sort of thing could do to the undertaking business? His plan caught on, however, and soon we were having to turn away Guests."
"And where do you fit in, Mr. Greypoole?"
The little man seemed to blush; he lowered his eyes. "I was head caretaker, you see. But I wasn't well--gastric complaints, liver, heart palpitations, this and that; so, I decided to allow them to ... change me. They turned all manner of machines on my body and pumped me full of fluids and by the time I got here, why, I was almost, you might say, a machine myself! Fortunately, though, they left a good deal of Greypoole. All I know is tha
t whenever the film is punctured, I wake and become a machine, do my prescribed duties in a complex way and--"
"The film?"
"The covering that seals in the conditioning. Nothing can get out, nothing get in--except things like rockets. Then, it's self-sealing, needless to say. But to get on, Captain. With all the technical advancements, it soon got to where there was no real work to be done here; they threw up the film and coated us with their preservative or, as they put it, Eternifier, and--well, with the exception of my calendar and the communications system, everything's worked perfectly, including myself."
* * * * *
No one said anything for a while. Then Captain Webber said, with great slowness, "You're lying. This is all a crazy, hideous plot." The little man chuckled at the word plot.
"In the first place, no cemetery or form of cemetery has existed on Earth for--how long, Friden?"
Mr. Friden stared at his fingers. "Years and years."
"Exactly. There are communal furnaces now."
Mr. Greypoole winced.
"And furthermore," continued the captain, "this whole concept is ridiculous."
Mr. Chitterwick threw down the pamphlet and began to tremble. "We should have stayed home," he remarked to a young woman who did not answer.
"Mr. Greypoole," Webber said, "I think that you know more than you're saying. You didn't seem very surprised when you learned we weren't the men you expected; you don't seem very surprised now that I tell you that your 'Happy Glades' and all the people connected with it have been dead for ages. So, why the display of interest in our explanations, why--"
The faint murmur, "A good machine checks and double checks," could be heard from Mr. Greypoole, who otherwise said nothing.
"I speak for my men: we're confused, terribly confused. But whatever this is, we're stuck, can't you see? All we want is a place to begin again--" Captain Webber paused, looked at the others and went on in a softer tone. "We're tired men, Mr. Greypoole; we're poorly equipped, but we do have weapons and if this is some hypnotic kind of trap...."
The little man waved his hand, offendedly.
"There are lakes and farms and all we need to make a new start--more than we'd hoped for, much more."
"What had you hoped for, Captain?"