A Land of Romance | Fantasy Story | Podcast - Nightshade Diary

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Do you feel a shiver up your spine from fear. Yes,
it's another story from the Night's Shade Diary. You know
what that means. Check under the bed and make sure
no one or nothing is there. Is the closet door
securely shut. Then leave your disbelief behind, amp up your
imagination and hang on tight for another ride into terror

(00:22):
and mystery. And like all good horror stories, just imagine
it's a dark and stormy night, and remember screaming like
a little girl is permitted. A Land of Romance by
David Drake. The marketing bullpen as Strange Go headquarters, held

(00:45):
seventy five desks. Howard Jones was the only person in
the huge room when the phone began ringing. He ignored
the sound and went on with what he was doing.
It was a wrong number. It had to be nobody
be calling seriously on a Sunday morning, Dynamic twenty five
year old executive. Howard sucked in his gut as he typed,
not that there was much gut to worry about, Ready

(01:07):
to take on adventurous new challenges, the phone continued to ring.
It could be the manager of one of the Middle
Eastern outlets where they kept a Friday Saturday weekend with
a problem that only a bold, a swashbuckling marketing professional
like Howard Jones could take on. It's strange to have
a branch in the kasbov Algiers. The company slogan circled

(01:27):
the ceiling and shimmering neon letters. It's not a sandwich,
It's a strange witch. Slices of kangaroo, cassewary and elk
and a secret dressing strange Witch the healthy alternative. The
phone still rang. Howard's image, staring from the resume on
the screen, had a stern look. Was he missing his

(01:48):
big chance? The collar could be a head hunter who
needed the hard charging determination of a man willing to
work all the hours on the clock. Howard grabbed the
phone and punch line. One strange coat, he said, in
what he hoped was a stalwart tone, Howard Jones assistant
marketing associates speaking. How may I help you? Oh, said
the male voice on the other end of the line. Oh,

(02:09):
I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to disturb anybody important.
Sure a wrong number. Well, Howard had known that there
really wouldn't be a summons to a life of dizzy
adventure Whennie, I'm at mister Strange house, the voice continued,
and I was hoping somebody could come over to help
me word an advertisement. I'm sorry to have wait, Howard said.

(02:31):
He neither called. Couldn't be what it sounded like, but
it was sure the most interesting thing going on this
Sunday morning. It sounded like the most interesting thing of
a lifetime for Howard albing Jones. Ah, sir, He continued,
hoping that the fellow wasn't offended that Howard had bellowed
at him a moment ago. You say you're calling from

(02:52):
mister Stranger's house. That would be a whitch house. Oh dear,
he probably does have a lot of them, doesn't he,
The boy said, I mean the one right next door. Though.
Do you think that you could send somebody not too
important or to help me, Sir, Howard cleared his throat. Well,
as a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind visiting the

(03:14):
Strange mansion myself, but a strange ghostaff isn't ordinarily allowed
across the skyway, you know. Oh that's all right, the
voice said, in obvious relief. Mister Strain said, I could
call on any of his people for whatever I wished,
but I really don't like to disturb you, mister Jones,
quite all right, Uh, mister Howard said, Uh, I'm afraid

(03:37):
I didn't catch your name. Oh I'm Wally Popple. The
voice said, just come over whenever you're ready to, mister Jones,
I'll tell the guards to send you down. He hung up.
Howard replaced his handset and stared at the resume photograph
that Howard Jones looked very professional in blue suit, blue

(03:58):
shirt and a tie with it and slash of red,
whereas today Sunday, our assistant marketing associate Jones wore jeans
and a Fuqua School of Business sweatshirt. Howard rose to
his feet, daring, swashbuckling, Howard Jones was going to risk
entering the Strange Mansion in casual clothes. A transparent tube
arched between the third floors of the Strange Mansion and

(04:19):
strangec headquarters to connect the two sprawling buildings. When Strange
occasionally called an executive to the mansion, the rest of
the staff lined the windows to watch the chosen persons
shuffle through open air and fear what waited on the
other side. Shortly thereafter, sometimes only minutes later, the some
men's parties returned. A few of them moved at once

(04:40):
to larger offices. Most began to clean out their desks.
Only executives were known to use the skyway, though rumor
had it that sometimes Robert Strange himself crossed over at
midnight to pace the halls of his headquarters silently as
a bat. Now it was Howard Jones who looked at
over cornfields and woodland and one direction and the vast

(05:01):
staff parking lot in the other. The skyway was hot
and musty. That made sense when Howard thought about it.
A clear plastic tube was going to heat up in
the bright sun, and the arch meant the hottest air
would hang in the middle, like the bubble in a level.
Howard had never before considered physics when he daydreamed of
receiving Robert's Stranger's summon. The wrought iron grille at the

(05:22):
Foreign was delicate, but still a real barrier, even without
the two guards on the other side watching as Howard approached.
They were alert, very big, and not in the least friendly.
Muscle bound, Howard told himself, I could slice them into
lunch meat with my rape ear. He knew he was lying,
and it didn't even make him feel better. Quite apart

(05:44):
from big men not necessarily being slow, this pear held shotguns.
Good morning, Howard said, tryingpher brightly and hitting Bertle instead.
I've an urgent summons from mister Popple christ Don a crutch. Well,
if this was some kid's practical joke, let's see if
we can scam some sucker into busting into the strange mansion.

(06:04):
Maybe they'll shoot em right where we can watch. Howard
glanced down, which probably wasn't the smartest thing to do,
now that he wasn't protected by the excitement of the thing.
At least he didn't see kids with a cell phone
and gleeful expressions peering up expectantly. While the guards said
were you His tongue could have been a little too
grim for a judge passing a death sentence. Howard's mind

(06:26):
went blank. All I could think of was the accusing
glare of his resume picture. But wait, beside the picture
was a name, Howard albing Jones, he said, triumphantly. Nothing
here about owlbeings, said the other guard. The first guard shrug, Look,
it's Sunday, he said to his partner. Fixing Howard with
a glare that could have set rivets. He said, we're

(06:47):
letting you in, buddy. But it's Howard Jones, that's all.
That's how you signed the book, all right, said Howard.
I'm only to be flexible. One guard unlocked the grating.
The other nodded Howard to what a folio bound in
some unfamiliar form of leather, waiting open on a stand
in the doorway. The last name above Howard's was that
of a regional manager who'd been sobbing as he trudged

(07:09):
into the parking lot for the last time. The first
guard pinned a blank metal badge on Howard's sweatshirt, right
in the center of fuqua. Keep it on, he said,
see the yellow strip. He gestured with his shotgun, then
returned the muzzle to point just under where the badge rested.
An amber track lighted up in the center of the hallway.

(07:30):
Beyond The glow was so faint that illuminated only itself.
Focusing his eyes on it meant that Howard didn't have
to stare at the shotgun, right, he said, right, you
follow it, said the guard. It'll take you where you're
supposed to go, and you don't step off it. You understand, right,
said Howard, afraid that he sounded brittle again. I certainly

(07:50):
don't want you gentlemen coming after me. The other guard laughed, Oh,
we wouldn't do that, he said, Pete and me watch.
He nodded to the bank of TV monitors blanked during
Howard's presence. But Wayne cleared to go wandering around the mansion.
Believe me, buddy, we're not ready to die. Howard walked
down the hall with a fixed smile until the amber

(08:12):
strip led him around a corner. He risked a glance
backwards then, and saw that the light was fading behind him.
He supposed it reappear when it was time for him
to leave. He supposed so. Howard hadn't had any idea
of what the inside of the Strange mansion would be like.
There were a thousand rumors about the Wizard of Fast Food,
but almost no facts. Howard himself had envisioned cathedral vaulted

(08:35):
ceilings and swaying chandeliers from which a bold man could
swing one handed well. The blade of his rapier parried
the thrust of a score of minions. There might be chandeliers,
stone ledges, and high balconies on the other side of
the blank gray walls, but that no longer seemed likely.
The corridor surfaces were extruded from some dense plastic, and

(08:56):
the doors fitted like air locks with no external latches.
The amber strip led through branching quarters, occasionally going downward
by ramps. The building sighed and murmured like a sleeping beast.
Howard tried to imagine the thief of Bagdad dancing away
from foes and his featuress worn, but he quickly gave
it up as a bad job. He was trying to imagine,

(09:17):
like King Kong on the set of two thousand one.
The strip of light stopped at a closed door. Howard
eyed the blank panel, then tried knocking. It was like
wrapping his knuckles on a bank vault, soundless and rather painful. Hullo,
he said, diffidently, hullo. The quarter stretched to right and
left empty and silent. The amber glow had melted into

(09:39):
the surrounding gray, leaving only a vague memory of itself.
What would Robin Hood have done? Hullo, Howard shouted. Mister Popple, Hello,
said the pleasant voice of the girl who had come
up behind him. Howard executed a leap and pirouette that
would have done Robin for that matter, a Bolshoy prima ballerina.
Proud what he said. The girl was of middle height,

(10:02):
with short black hair and a perky expression that implied
her pale skin was hereditary rather than a look. I'm
afraid Wally gets distracted, she said, with a smile. Come
around through my rooms and I'll let you in from
the side. The laboratory started out as a garage. You know.
I was told not to leave, Howard said, tilting forward

(10:23):
slightly without actually moving his feet from the point at
which the guide strip had deposited him. After the guard's
casual threat, he no longer believed that the worst thing
that could happen to him in the Strange mansion was
that he'd lose his job. Oh give me that, the
girl said. She'd definitely unpinned the badge from Howard's sweatshirt
and pressed her thumb in the middle of its blankness,

(10:44):
then handed it back to him. There, I've turned it off.
She walked toward the door she'd come out of, bringing
Howard with her by her breezy nonchalance. He said, Uh,
you work here, miss Actually, the only people who work
here are Wally and the cleaning crews, the girl said,
and my father. Of course, I'm Genie Strange. She led
Howard into a room with low Japanese stout furniture and

(11:07):
translucent walls of pasta blue. It was like walking along
the bottom of a shallow sea. Have you known wallylong,
Jeanie said, apparently unaware that she numbed Howard by telling
him she was Robert Stranger's daughter. He's such a sweetheart,
don't you think. Of course, I don't get to meet
many people. Robert says, that's for my safety. But I've

(11:27):
enjoyed my contact with mister Poppole so far. Howard said
he didn't see any reason to amplify the truthful comment. Well,
the more or less truthful comment. Jeannie opened another door
at the end of the short hallway at the back
of the suite Wally, She called, I brought you visitor.
The laboratory buzz like a metal full of bees. The

(11:49):
lighting was that of an ordinary office. Howard's eyes had
adapted to the quarter's muted illumination, so he sneezed. The
room had been a garage, then it was intended for
people who drove semis. Black silk hangings concealed the walls,
though benchess fullow equipment filled much of the conterior. The
floor was uncongruously covered in Turkish rugs runners a meter

(12:10):
wide and four meters long, except for a patch of
bare concrete around the floor drain in an outside corner.
Oh my goodness, mister Jones, said the wispy little man,
who had been bent over a circuit board when they injured.
He bustled toward them, raising his glasses to his forehead.
I'd meant to leave the door open, but I forgot completely.
Oh if, Eugenia, you must think I'm the greatest fool

(12:33):
on earth. What I think is that you're the sweetest
person I know. Wally, the girl said, patting his bald head.
He blushed. Crimson, but just a little absent minded. Perhaps
mister Jones was going to help me advertise for a
volunteer while he said to the girl, I don't see
how we can get anybody, and we really must have

(12:53):
some one, you know. Please to meet you, mister Jones,
Genie said, offering her hand with mock formality. Ah, Howard, please,
Howard said, I have a position with strange coat, a
very lowly one at present. That's what my father likes
in employees. Genie said, in a half joking tone, loneliness
my stepfather, I should say. Mother buried two husbands, but

(13:15):
Robert buried her. Howard shook her hand, aware that he
was learning things about the wizard of fast Food that
the tabloids would pay good money for. Remembering the uneasiness
he'd felt while walking through the mansion, he also realized
that the money he'd get for invading Stranger's privacy couldn't
possibly be good enough. An area twenty feet square in

(13:36):
the center of the lab was empty of equipment. Across
it beyond Wally, as Howard faced him, was what looked
like an irregular razor thin sheet of glass on which
bright images flickered. If that was really the flat plate
computer display, looked like it was more advanced than anything
Howard had heard from on the market. Well, mister Popple,

(13:56):
Howard said, If the conversation continued in the direction was
taking it, Howard would learn things he didn't think he'd
be safe knowing. If you could tell me just what
you need from me, Oh please call me Wally, little
man said, taking Howard's hand and leading him towards the
thin display. You see, this piece of mica is a well,

(14:18):
a window, you could call it. Wally glanced over his shoulder,
then averted his eyes with another bright blush, as he'd
obviously hoped Genie was following them. I noticed that shadows
seemed to move in it, Wally said, peering intently at
what indeed was a piece of mica rather than a
high tech construction. Hair fine wires from a bus at
the back touched the sheets, ragged circumference at perhaps one

(14:41):
hundred places. That was six years ago. By modulating the
current to each sheet separately, it's not one crystal, you know,
it's a series of sheets, like a stack of paper,
and there's a dielectric between each pair, I was able
to sharpen the images to well what you see now, Howard.
I did this. A group of brightly dressed people walked

(15:02):
through a formal garden. The women wore dresses whose long
trains were held by page boys, and the men were
in tights and tunics with puff sleeves. They carried swords
as well as long bladed rapiers with jeweled hilts. How
do you generate the images, Wally, Howard said, this isn't
fed from a broadcast signal, is it? They aren't generated

(15:23):
at all? Genie said, they're real. Show Howard how you
can move the point of view. Wally obediently. The little
Man stepped to the computer, triming on the bench. Beside
the slap of mica. On the monitor was a graft
with about thirty bars in each of two superimposed rows.
Wally touched keys watching the mica. A bar shrank or

(15:44):
increased at each stroke, and the picture shifted with the
jerking clarity of a rotated kaleidoscope. Hey, said, Howard at
what he thought was a lion, turned and raised its
feathered head, its hooked beak open, and the long, forked
tongue vibrated a cry, which the mica didn't transmit. That's
a chimera. I thought so at first, said Genie. But

(16:06):
they're supposed to be part goat two. I don't think
it's anything that has a name in our world, while
he said, making further small adjustments. Of course, the people
seem to be well normal. That normal will I come from,
Howard said, except maim and his dreams? And what do
you mean about our world. Where's that? He pointed. The

(16:30):
image tumbled into a scene of vividly dressed gallance fencing
while a semicircle of women and other men watched. The
duelists were good, damn good, and they didn't have buttons
on their swords. Robert thinks it's fairyland, Genie said, how
tone was neutral, but Howard heard emotion just beneath the
surface of the words. He thinks while he's a wizard,

(16:52):
Robert also thinks he's a wizard himself. Your father has
been very generous in supporting my research. If a genie,
the little man said, glancing toward but not quite a genie,
I wish I could convince him that these effects are
ordinary science. He paused, and added, self consciously ordinary physics.
At any rate, I'm afraid my researches have been too

(17:15):
empirical to qualify as proper science. But the ironderlying laws
are physical, not magic. The mica showed the demiterior a
great hall, the sort of place that Howard had imagined
the Strange Mansion might be a troop of acrobats capered
on the rush strewn flagstones, executing remarkable jumps while juggling

(17:35):
lighted torches. Splendid men and gorgeous women watched from tables
around the margins of the hall, and over the balcony
railings peered children and soberly dressed servants. At the center
of the high table was a grave bearded man wearing
a crown. He held a crystal staff in which a
violet spark stanced beside the king, occasionally rubbing its scaly head.

(17:57):
On the back of his carved throne was a dragon
the size of a right no noceros. It didn't look
exactly unfriendly, but its eyes had the trick of constantly
scanning in every direction. I said, Howard Wally, this is wonderful,
just completely amazing. But I don't understand what you want
me for. You've already succeeded. The image shifted again. Instead

(18:19):
of answering, Wally gazed with rapt attention at the new scene.
A spring shot from a wooded hillside to splash over
rocks into a pool twenty feet below. Butterflies hovered in
the flower glade, and the surrounding forest were vine colored bowers.
Wally built the window on his own. Genie said, in
a low voice, what Robert is interested in is opening

(18:41):
a door into that. She nodded toward the micah. A
couple hand in hand walked toward the pool. The man knelt,
dialed a silver goblet into the limpid water and offered
it to the lovely woman at his side. She sipped,
then returned the cup for him to drink and turn.
Wally shuddered, as though he'd been dropped into the pool.

(19:03):
He tapped his keyboard several times at random, blurring the
image into a curtain of electronic snow. He turned to
Howard and said, speaking very quickly, to focus his mind
somewhere other than where it wanted to go. Mister Strange
felt that if we could see the other place, we
could enter it, A person could enter it. He's correct.

(19:25):
I sent a rabbit through the portal last week, but
I don't think anyone will be willing to go when
they realize how dangerous it is. That's why I need
you to help me write the advertisement for the volunteer,
mister Jones, This was going to work better if the
little guy was relaxed, which probably wouldn't happen as long
as Genie Strange was in the same room. That was

(19:46):
obvious but Howard at least had to try to calm
him down. Howard Wally, Howard said, Patty Wally on the shoulder,
Please call me Howard. Now, what's dangerous about the trip?
Do you wind up wearing a fly's head if things
go wrong? No, it wasn't that, mister Howard, Wally said,

(20:06):
pursing his lips. The problem occurred later. He adjusted the
valleys on his display, again, bringing the image of the
Royal Entertainment back into the micah. A young girl danced
on the back of a horse which curvetted slowly, its hosts,
striking occasional sparks from the flagstones. It was pretty ordinary looking,
except for the straight horn and the center of its forehead.

(20:28):
Seeing that Wally wasn't going to say more, Howard raised
an eyebrow to Jeanie. She shrugged and said, I didn't
see it myself. Robert won't let me in here while
the tests are going on. But all that really happened
is that the rabbit hopped out perfectly all right, and
a lizard ate it. The same thing could have happened anywhere.

(20:49):
The lizard stared at the poor rabbit and drew it
straight into his jaws step by step, Wally said, without
looking at the others, it knew was doomed, but it
went anyway. I never in my life seen anything so horrible.
Then you don't watch the TV news a lot, Howard thought,
a lot. He said, it was a basilisk. You mean,
not just a lizard. It was a lizard, Wally insisted stubbornly.

(21:13):
But it wasn't a lizard from well, this world. It
was horrible, and there are any number of other horrible
things over there. It's really too dangerous to send somebody
into that world. But that's the only way we can
get things well. An assault rifle ought to take care
of any basilisks that come by, Howard said, reasonably, or

(21:33):
dragons either, which is more to the point. Basilists aren't
supposed to be big enough to eat people, he sighed.
I hate to say this whilely, but science always seems
to win out over romance. I really hate to say it,
but that's just what I mean, Howard, Wally said, despairingly.
I had a leash on the bunny so I could

(21:54):
pull it back, but it didn't pass through the portal.
The leash was still lying on the floor when the
bunny disappeared. The volunteer won't be able to take a
gun or even clothes, and I really don't believe he'll
be able to bring the scepter back from mister Strange.
Robert thinks that purple scepter gives a fairy king his power,

(22:15):
Genie said, her hands clasped behind her back, as if
to underscore the restraint in her voice. Robert wants someone
to go through Wally's portal and steal the scepter, with
absolutely no feeling, shouted, Robert sacrificed a black hen the
night Wally sent the rabbit through. He did it over
the drain there. She nodded toward the bare concrete. But

(22:38):
you can still smell the blood caught in the pipe,
can't you now, if Eugenia, while he said, blushing again,
your father has his ways, but he's been very generous
with me. Howard snowse wrinkled. He noticed a faint, musty odor,
but the room was so ripe with the smells of electronics, working,
oz own hot, insulation, and flux that he hadn't given

(22:59):
any thought to it. He still wasn't sure that what
he smelt was rotting blood rather than mild or wet wool.
But now the genie spoken, he wouldn't be able to
get the other notion out of his mind. Wally, you're
a genius, the girl said, so forcefully as to sound hostile.
You could go anywhere and find somebody to fund your work.

(23:19):
I only wish you had. Wally turned and looked at
in the face for the first time. Thank you for
saying that. If Eugenia, he said, But it isn't true.
I want many places after I first saw what the
Micah could do, and they all sent me away. Your
father thinks I'm a magician, and he's wrong, but he
doesn't call me crazy or charlatan. A door, the door

(23:43):
that the light had led Howard to opened. Robert Strange,
identifiable from the rare photos that appeared in news features,
but much craggier and harsher in person, stepped through. He
wore a long sleeved black robe embroidered with cymbals Howard
didn't recognize and thought the slash at his waist he
thrust a carved dagger of Arab style Hilton scabbard. Both

(24:04):
were silver, but decorated with rooms filled with black nelo,
who are you Strange? Demanded, his eyes fixed on Howard.
His voice was like scales scraping on stone, and his
black pupils had a reptilian glitter. The news photographs hadn't
shown the long scar down Stranger's left cheek bone. There
were many ways he could have been cut, but only

(24:27):
one reason. Howard could imagine that a man with Strange
his money wouldn't have had the scar removed by plastic
surgery pride. It was a Schlager scar, a vestige of
the stylized duels with heavy sabers that still went on
secretly at the old German universities. The purpose of a
Schlager bout wasn't to defeat one's foes, but rather to

(24:47):
get the scar's proof of courage and disregard for the
luss which banned the practice. Mind you, Howard was pretty
sure that Stranger's opponent had left his share of blood
on the hall's floor as well. He's ah, said Genie,
before either Howard or Wally could speak. If Eugenia go
to your quarters at once, Strange said, in the same
rustling tone as before. He didn't speak loudly, but his

(25:10):
voice cut through the buzz of electronics as surely as
a mower with the flowery meadow that Howard thought of
when entering the room. He disturbed, Master Popple, I've warned
you about this, but there's nobody else to talk to,
Jeannie said, though she complained, she walked quickly toward the
door of her sweet Strange returned his attention to Howard,

(25:31):
I said, He repeated, who are you, mister Strange? I asked,
that is Howard to help me, Wally said, I'm the volunteer.
Request for your experiments, Sir Howard said, without the least
suggestion of a quaver in his voice. Wally here. Mister
Popple noted that the agent won't be able to carry

(25:52):
a gun into the other realm, so my skill with
a rapier is crucial. You know how to use a sword?
Strange snapped, yes, Sir Howard said, standing very straight and
keeping his eye on the tycoons, hoping that would make
him look open and honest. Even though Howard was telling
the truth about the fencing, Stranger's whole tone and manner

(26:15):
made it seem that everything he was being told was
a lie. Besides considering that Strange might have him shot
as a spy, there was a possibility that the Wizard
of Fast Food would demand Howard tool him to prove
his skill. Being Strange would be dangerous. Rich men were
self willed and explosive if they didn't get what they wanted.
Losing to Strange might be even worse, especially since Howard

(26:38):
didn't imagine he had buttons on his swords any more
than the folks on the other side of the mica
window did. Since I'm an employee of Strange Co, Howard
continued visualizing the thief of Bagdad dancing over palace walls.
A monster snarled, beneath my devotion to you is already assured.
You work for me, Strange said. Then, as if if

(27:00):
he could remember each of the thirty thousand Strange Co.
Employees worldwide, he said, what's your name? The doors swung
almost shut behind Jeannie Howard. I'lbing Jones, Sir Howard said,
assistant marketing associated in the home office. Straine said, my god,
maybe he did know all thirty thousand devoted Are you
pull the other leg? Boy? But that doesn't matter if

(27:22):
you've got the guts for the job, Yes, Sir, I do,
Howard said. He cleared his throat, and went on, I
think I could honestly say I've been training all my
life for this opportunity. You practice the art also, Jones.
Strange demanded the hectoring doubt back in his voice. The
black arts, I mean, that's what they call it. The
pygmies who a depths like me crushed under our heels. Ah,

(27:48):
I can't claim to be in a depth, sir, Howard said,
he could not esly claim to be anything but a
guy who occasionally watched horror movies. As far as that went,
he knew more about being a vampire than being a magician. No,
said Strang. Well, I am Jones. That's how I built
Strange Coo from a corner hot dog stand into what
it is now, by his infernal majesty. That's how I'll

(28:09):
rule the world when I have the staff of power
for myself. Nothing will stop me Jones, nothing, mister Strange.
I am your man. Howard said. He spoke enthusiastically despite
his concern that Strange might reply something along the lines
of fine, I'll take your kidneys now to feed my
pet ferrets. If you serve me well, you won't regret it,

(28:31):
Strange said, unspoken, but much louder than Howard's mind was
the colery. But if you fail, I won't leave enough
of you to bury, Master Popple. Can you be ready
to proceed in two hours? Strange asked. When he talked
to Wally, there was a respect in his tone that
certainly hadn't been present when he spoke to Howard or Genie. Well,

(28:53):
I suppose, while he said, he fell in concentration and
shrugged and said, I don't see why not if Howard
is willing, I suppose we could start right now, mister Strange.
It'll take me the two hours to make my own preparations,
Strange said, with a curt shake of his head. I
respect your art, Master Popple, but I won't depend on

(29:14):
it alone. As he strode toward the door, Strange added,
without turning his head, I'll have a black ool sent over,
and if that's not enough, we'll see. Now, hold your
arms out from his shoulders, please, Howard, Wally said, as
he changed values on his display. Howard obeyed the way
he would if a barber told him to tilt his head.

(29:36):
Waiting as the little man made adjustments gave Howard enough
time to look over the room. Much of The racked
equipment meant nothing to him, but his eyes kept coming
back to a black cabinet that looked like a refrigerator
sized tube mating with a round sofa. Wally, he said,
his arm still out. What's that in the northeast corner.
Is it an air conditioner? Oh, that's a computer that

(29:59):
does the modulation, while he said, you can put your
arms down now if you like. I use a sun
work station to control the window, but the portal requires
greatly more capacity. I thought we'd just couple a network
of calculation servers to the workstation, but mister Howard provided
a crane set to simplify the set up for the corrections. Oh,

(30:20):
said Howard, wondering what a supercomputer cost. Pocket changed to
the Wizard of Fast Food. He supposed, Now, if you'll
turn calnter clockwise please, while he said about fifteen degrees.
Howard wore a cotton caftan that came from Genie's Sweet.
She brought it in when Howard protested at standing bucknakee
in the middle of the floor with security cameras watching.

(30:42):
Howard was willing to accept that the clothes wouldn't go
through the portal with him but waiting while Pete and
his partner chuckled about his masculine endowments was a different matter.
Not there was anything wrong with his musculine endowments. Geenie
didn't stay, but Howard knew she was keeping abreast of
what went on through the part open door. He wasn't
sure whether he was glad of that or not. The

(31:03):
mica window looked on to the glade, where Howard would
into the other world if everything went right. Occasionally, a
small animal appeared. Briefly. Once, Howard saw what looked like
very much like a pink bass swimming through the air.
But Willie had chosen the sight because it was isolated.
There was only so much good get from leaves quivering,

(31:24):
even if they seemed to be solid gold. The carpets,
layered like roof shingles over the concrete weren't the neutrally
exotic designs you normally saw on oriental rugs. Some of
these had stylized camels and birds, sure, but one had tanks,
jets and bright explosions, while peacock winged devils capered as
a tortured people against the black background of the newer

(31:46):
looking rugs. Around where Howard stood was a six pointed
star drawn in lime, like the markings of a football field.
Howard would have expected a pentacle, but he didn't doubt
Strange knew what he was doing. All Howard himself was
sure was that he was taking a chance at adventure
when it appeared. If that was a bad idea, then
he hoped he wouldn't have long to regret his decision.

(32:09):
It might be a very bad idea there, said Wally.
There's nothing more I can do until we actually begin
building the charge. Then I may have to Robert Strange
entered through a pedestrian door set in one of the
six vehicle doors along the outside wall the black sheep.
He looked puzzled, a feeling which Howard himself echoed. You

(32:31):
are ready, mister popple, he asked, said the sheep. Strange
jerked the leash viciously. The cord looked like silver, but
it was functional enough to choke the sheep to silence.
When Strange lifted his arm, Yes, mister Strange wall, he said.
I'm a little worried about Howard's mass, though eighty seven
keels maybe too much. Too much, snapped Strange. If you

(32:54):
need more transformers. You should have said so. Too much
for the fabric of the universe, mister Strange said Wally,
as mild as ever, but completely undaunted at the anger
of a man who scared the living crap out of
Howard Jones. I really don't want to go more than
thirty kilowatts. Strange sniff the subject's ready, he said, you Jones,

(33:15):
you're ready, eh, the sheep repeated, rolling its eyes. Her
eyes Howard assumed since Strange said he was fetching an you,
The titan's dagger twinkled in the bright laboratory lighting. Yes, sir,
Howard said. Strange grimaced, then bent and tied the leash
around a ring set in the drain. He turned his

(33:35):
head to Howard and said, you know what you're going
to do, sir. I'm going to enter the other land.
Howard said, I'll take the scepter from the king of
that land and return here to you with it. As
a statement of intid it was concise and accurate as
a plan of action, at lacked detail, but there wasn't
enough information on this side of the portal to form
a real plan. Howard was uneasily aware that his foray,

(33:59):
even if he will up in a dragon's gullet. We'll
provide information so that the next agent could do better.
All right, Strange said, give me a moment, and then proceed.
There were drapes bunched along the wall hangings. As Strange spoke,
he drew them along a track in the ceiling to
separate his corner of the room from Howard and Wally.
The ewe bleeded again. You may begin, master Poppole's, Strange called,

(34:21):
his voice, muffled by the black fabric, he broke into
a musical chant. The sounds from his throat weren't words,
or at least words in English. You're ready, Howard, Wally said.
Howard nodded. His throat was drying. He didn't want to
embarrass himself by having his voice crack in the middle
of a simple word like yes. While he rotated a switch,
cutting the ceiling lights to red beads among the diming

(34:43):
ghosts of the fluorescent fixtures, the sheet of Micah, bright
with the daylight of another world, shone like a lantern
beside the little man. As he typed commands. There was
a reptilian viciousness to Strange his voice, and the sheep
was managing to whimper like a frightened baby. The hare
and howard arms and the back of his neck began
to rise. For a moment, he thought that this was

(35:05):
his reaction to the sounds coming from beyond the drapes.
But as a fluorescence cooled to absolute blank, Howard saw
a faint violet are clinging to three racks of equipment.
Wally was generating very high frequency current at a considerable voltage.
Howard decided he didn't want to think about how high
the voltage was. Molly muttered as he worked, though Howard

(35:27):
could see his lips move. The words or inaudible over
the hum of five transformers along the outside wall. The
opening between Jeanie's door and the gem was faintly visible.
The air sputtered. Howard felt a directionless pull, unpleasant without
being really painful. Violet light flickered through the mica, a
momentary pulse from the world across the barrier. Strange shouted

(35:51):
a final word. The sheep bleeded on a rising note,
ending in so awful a gurgle that Howard pressed his
hands to his ears. Before he remembered that moving might
have effect Wailly's calculations. The Ewe's house rattled on the concrete.
The curtain billowed as the animal thrashed. Howard could have
covered his ears even if he had thought about Wally.

(36:11):
The sound was horrible. Wally typed his eyes on the
computer display. He'd sucked his lower lip between his teeth
to chew as he concentrated. The transformers hummed loud but
didn't change tone. Howard felt the indescribable pull again. In
the other world. The violet haze formed again, this time
in the shape of a human being. A blue flash

(36:33):
and a bang like a cannon shot engulfed the lab,
stunning Howard into a wordless shout. He clapped his hands
a reflex to prove that he was still alive. The
air stank of burning tar. Dirty red flames licked from
one of the transformers on the outside wall. Howard drew
in a deep breath of relief. He immediately regretted it
when acrid smoke brought on a fit of coughing. Strange

(36:56):
snatched open the curtains, his face a mask of cold fury.
They over the drain. Her legs played like those of
a squashed insect. Her eyes still had a puzzled look.
But they were already beginning to glaze. Wally changed values
at his keyboard with a resigned expression. Howard looked for
a fire extinguisher. He didn't see one, but he walked
past Wally and turned the main lights back on. The

(37:19):
transformer was smolding itself out, though an occasional sizzle made
Howard thankful that the floor was covered with non conductive wool.
What went wrong, Strange said, I know that the transformer failed.
Why did it fail? The load was too great? Wally said, simply,
we very nearly succeeded. If we replace a transformer, we'll

(37:40):
double the capacity. Strange said, we'll make another attempt tonight
at midnight this time. I never thought you were careful
enough with your timing, Master Poppell, Sir, I don't think
it would be safe to increase output beyond Wally said,
we'll double it. Strange said, his tone a rasp like
steel grating on rib bones. And we don't need the
extra wattage. Then we won't use it, but we'll use

(38:03):
it as much as it requires. He looked disgustedly at
the dagger in his hand, then wiped the blade on
the curtain and sheathed the weapon. He strode past Howard
and Wally to the hall door. Howard watched him with
a fixed smile, uncomfortably aware that instinct tensed him to
run in case Strange leaped for his throat. The Thief
of Baghdad might have had a better idea. On the

(38:24):
other hand, Award didn't remember the Thief of Baghdad facing
anything quite like Robert Strange. Strange thumped the hall door closed.
It was too heavy to bang at the sound. Janie's
door opened a little wider, and the slim girl returned.
She grimaced when she saw the eu. It's avoided its
bowels when it died, so that the odor mingled with

(38:45):
a fresh blood and burnt insulation. Are you all right, Wally,
she asked, And you Howard. I'm not used to there
being anybody but Wally here. I'm sorry he had to
see that ephigenia while he said with perturbulence towards a you.
You really shouldn't have come in until the crew has
cleaned things up. Wally. I've lived with Robert for fifteen years,

(39:06):
Jeannie said bluntly. There have been worse things than the
occasional dead animal. I was worried about you and Howard,
It just tickled a little. Howard said, as if he
let himself think about events in the right way, he
was pretty sure he could make the last ten minutes
or so sound more heroic than they seemed while they
were happening. There wasn't any risk if Genia, while, he said,

(39:29):
at first, he didn't look directly at her, but then
he raised his eyes with an effort of will I.
I really appreciate your concern, but right now I've something
important to discuss with mister or with Howard, that is.
Can you, I mean, would you all right? Wally? The
girl said, sounding puzzled and a little hurt. She nodded
to Howard and walked her room with swift, clean strides.

(39:52):
This time the door shut firmly. One of the vacular
doors in the outside wall started up with a rumble
of heavy years. A team of swarthy men, bearless but
heavily mustache stood beside a flatbed truck. They injured, paying
no attention to Howard and Wally. One lifted the sheep
over his shoulder and walked back to the truck with it.

(40:14):
His three fellows started disconnecting the wrect transformer. They talked
among themselves and guttural scene songs. Will you come here please, Howard,
Wally said, showing no more interest in the workmen than
they did in him. He adjusted the Micah screen to
show the spring again. I have a favor to ask you.
A couple, not the same ones as before, sat on

(40:35):
the pool's mossy coping, interlacing the finger of one hand
as they passed a cup back and forth with the other.
Wally tightened the focus so that their mutually loving expressions
were unmistakable. Yes, Wally, Howard prodded. The water of this
spring appeared of a certain properties, Wally said. He looked
fixedly at Howard to avoid watching the couple, who began

(40:58):
to follow one another. The statuesque blonde lay back on
the sword and tugged your partner over without bothering to
walk to the privacy of the nearby bowers. You'll have
noticed that, I sure notice something, Howard said. He wasn't
sure how he felt about the show. It was real people,
not actors. Well, actors were real people too, but they

(41:18):
knew they were going to be watched. The workmen hoisted
the transform by hand instead of bringing in a derreck
for the job. It must wait close to half a ton.
They walked out and slid it onto the truck bed,
forcing a squeal from the springs. Walie grimacedon blurred the
image to bright sparkles within the mica sheet. If I
succeed in opening the portal to the other world, Howard,

(41:40):
he said, you'll have a very difficult job to gain
the king's skeptor. I don't believe in magic, not here
or there either one. But the animal guarding the king
appears formidable, the dragon, Howard said, yes, it does. If
Howard let himself consider the details of how he was
going to get the scepter, it's gart a spit out

(42:03):
of him. By limiting his thoughts to vague swoops across
the hall on a handy rope, fall by a mighty
leap from a balcony level window, he was managing to
keep his applom And of course, we're not sure it'll
be possible to bring inanimate objects through the portal in
this direction, since we can't do it while going the
other way, Wally continued with a solemn nod. He started

(42:27):
to refocus on the spring, then snatched his hand back
from the keyboard with a blush. I understand all the
difficulties and dangers, old face, Howard Wally said. He stared
in the direction of Jeannie's closed door. He looked as
if he was about to cry. Regardless, I'd like you
to do me a favor, if you can. I'd like
to bring me a file of water from the spring.

(42:49):
We just looked at I. I'd be very grateful, you
poor little guy, Howard thought. Alotti said, Ah, Wally, I'll
do what I can, which might not be a heck
of a lot. If Howard arrived, he'd be bearrass, snaked
and in the middle of a bunch of guys with
swords they knew how to use. Not to mention the
occasional dragon. But you know, it isn't that hard to

(43:13):
meet girls, He paused to choose the next words carefully.
Lots of times just being around one for a while
is enough to you know, bring the tub together if
you play your cards right. The truck drove off with
a snort of diesel exhaust as the garage door began
to rumble down. The corpses of the sheep and the
transformer lay together in the bed of the vehicle. I've

(43:35):
never played cards at all, Howard, the little man said,
with a sad smile. I guess this is hard for
a handsome young man like you to understand. But he
turned his head away and wiped his eyes fiercely. Hey,
that's all right, Wally, Howard said, patting him on the back. Sure,
I'll take care of that if there's any way to
do it, no problem compared to the rest of the assignment.

(43:57):
That was the gospel truth. Thank you, Howard, while he
said through a racking snuffle, I'm well, I'm lucky to
have met a real hero like you in my time
of need. Only faintly audible through the heavy doors. Another
big truck was pulling up outside. Or relay clicked and
the machinery began to rumble again. I feel sure we're

(44:18):
going to succeed, while he added, if we have to
double the field strength, well that's just what we're going
to do, no matter what. While he sounded a lot
more cheerful when he made that promise that Howard was
to hear it. With a new transformers in place, the
line almost filled the outside wall on that side. Only
the curtained off corner they were already drawn didn't have

(44:38):
machinery squatting on it, Howard could still smell burned insulation.
He never thought he'd be thankful for a stink like that,
but it covered other possible reminders of the afternoon's experiment.
While he looked at Howard and tried to force a grin,
his expression would have been more appropriate for somebody being
raped by a Christmas tree. Hey bucka buddy, Howard said,

(44:59):
we're want to be fine fighting, but telling the line
made Howard feel that the words might possibly be true. Logically,
he knew a lot better. The door hidden behind the
curtain opened. Howard heard a clink over the hum of
machinery as something hard brushed against the raised lintel. He
wondered what strange animal was being brought in to be

(45:20):
sacrificed this time. Howard expected to have for or maybe
an elephant, but stranger would have had to raise the
vaci their door to bring in animals. That big strange
stuck his head out between two curtain panels. Are you
ready to proceed, master Popple? He said. He held the
curtains together so that all Howard could see was the
throat of his garment. He seemed to be wearing the

(45:41):
same silver marked black satin as in the afternoon, I believe.
While he said, he caught Howard's terse nod and nod. Yes,
we're ready, mister Strange. It'll take ninety seconds from whenever
we start to build a field. Start now, then, Strange
said curtly. He drew the curtains type behind him and
began to chat. His words had considerable musical power, despite

(46:03):
being complete gibberish. That was also trovopera, of course, so
far as Howard was concerned. While he tried to smile again,
then busied himself with his keyboard. The mica window looked
into the glade, empty safer trees and the flitting passage
of a bird whose plumage was as purely blue as
the summer sky. Howard watched the scientists, and he watched
images on the mica, but more compelling than those. He

(46:26):
listened through the curtains at his back to the sound
of Robber's strange voice chanting. Howard felt the hairs slid
from his body where those of his chest touched the
loose calf down. They tickled, like the feeling at the
back of a dry throat that you can't seemed to
swallow away. Violet haze blurred the air beyond the Micah.
Jeanie Strange screamed. Howard turned the door to Genie's room

(46:50):
was closed, closed and latched. The drapes around Strange and
his activities bulged outward. Jeannie hopped through the fell, dragging
a section of the velvet down. The scarfus to Gager
had slipped out of her mouth. It was the only
garment she was wearing. Her wrist and ankles were tied
together behind her back, but she managed to undo the
cord that bound her to the drain. Robert Strange, his

(47:13):
face as hardened contorted as that of a marble demon,
stepped out behind her. He grabbed a handful of Jeanie's
black hair with his free hand. Hey Howard said there
was a bank of equipment between him and the strangers.
As gracefully as feet been practicing all his life, Howard
took two running steps, planted his ripe palm on the rack,
and leaped over with his legs swung off to his

(47:34):
left side. Even the thief of Bagdad would be impressed
until the caftain's billowing hem caught the chassis full of
plug in circuits on top of the rack. As Howard's
legs straightened, the tightening cloths spilled him like a lassoed steer.
Strange looked at him without expression. Howard sprang up the
torn klftan bunched now round his ankles, tripped him again.

(47:56):
Strange lifted GE's head, avoiding all attempts to bite him.
He poised the curved dagger in his right hand over
her throat. Howard grabbed the sides of the rug on
which he'd fallen and jerked with all his strength, snatching
Stranger's feet out from under him. You shouted Strange as
he toppled backwards. Jeannie tossed her short hair free of
his grip, but he didn't lose the dagger in his

(48:16):
other hand. It was underneath when the Wizard of Fast
Food hit the concrete. The chassis that Howard's dragged to
the floor with him was popping and spluttering, but he
was unprepared for the flash of violet light that filled
the interior of the lab. It was so intense that
Howard's only vaguely renoticed the accompanying thunderclap. He heard Wally

(48:37):
cry out and turned Wally wasn't there. His clothing, from
brown shoes to the pair of reading glasses he wore
tilted up on his forehead, lay in the middle of
the hexagram. The hundred and twenty three pounds of Wally
Popple had vanished, except for an image in the mica window.
Howard lifted Jeannie before remembered that her stepfather and the

(48:57):
dagger might be of more immediate concern. He looked back.
He'd been right. The first time Stranger's face was turned
toward Howard, he looked absolutely furious. He managed to thrash
into a prone position while dying, but the silver hilt
projecting from the middle of his back showed that dying
was certainly what he'd done. The transformer on the far

(49:18):
left of the line chorted out. The one next to
it went a heartbeat later, and when the third fielders
showered the room with blobs of flaming tar, one of
them slapped the mica window and shattered it like a bomb.
Can you please on timey, Howard asked the girl in
his arms. Though the way things are starting to happen
and here, maybe that could wait till we're outside, right,
said Howard? Right? He paused to shut off what was

(49:41):
left of the kaftan and started to burn as well. Somehow,
he couldn't get concerned about what the guards out of
him now, because he and Geenie were going to be
gone for at least three weeks and a fourth Besides,
if the Chinese authorities agreed to open to bed to
strange co, which they would, Howard Jones wasn't called a
swashbugler past food for nothing. Howard stopped by the mansion's

(50:03):
former garage for a moment. He'd liked to well keep
an eye on how things were going. He'd had the
big room cleaned and nearly emptied immediately after the wedding,
but he still smelled the bitterness of burned insulation. He
supposed it was mostly in his mind by now. Jeanie'd
want to tear the garage down completely, since it held
nothing but bad memories for her, but she'd agreed to

(50:25):
let Howard keep the room so long as he had
the door into her old sweet welded shut. She wasn't
the sort of girl to object to the whim of
the man who saved your life. Beside, she loved her husband.
Howard went to the skeletal apparatus. On the one rack
remaining in the room, Three hair fine filaments were still
attached to the top edge of a piece of mica

(50:47):
no bigger than a quarter. Howard bent to peer into it.
If you look carefully at the right times, you could
see images in the micah. The focus wandered. Howard hadn't
tried to adjust the apparatus himself, or let anybody else
take a look at it. Elsoly, all there was to
see was snow. But this time he was in luck.
The people looked out at the spring where couples used

(51:08):
to Cavard. Wally was there with his entourage, checking the
generating turbine he'd built to power the first electric lights
in his new home. If Howard understood the preparations he'd
been going on in the Royal Palace last week, telephones
were about to follow when Wally turned with a satisfied expression.
Howard Wade. He knew the little fellow couldn't see him,

(51:29):
but it made Howard feel he was sort of keeping
in touch. Wally walked out of the image area, surrounded
by courtiers. Howard checked his watch inside. He needed to
get moving, he promised the company fencing team that he
and Jeanie would at least drop in on their match
with Princeton. After Howard instituted morning unity building fencing exercises

(51:50):
throughout Strange Co, a number of the employees had become
fencing enthusiasts. Howard took a last look at the pool
in the other world he'd never seeing while he take
a sip of the water, and it didn't seem likely
that he ever would. After all, powerful wizard like Master
Popple had to beat off beautiful woman with a stick

All Episodes

A Land of Romance | Fantasy Story | Podcast

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

Ruthie's Table 4

The Joe Rogan Experience

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}A Land of Romance | Fantasy Story | Podcast