Read Online The Cosmic Puppets by Philip K. Dick - Free Book Online

spun it thoughtfully, then pushed it abruptly aside. “No, you won't find Pine Street,” he said. “Or Central. At least, not anymore.”
    The words penetrated. Barton sat up, his brain suddenly ice cold, even through his alcoholic mist. “What do you mean, not anymore?”
    “It's been gone a long time. Years and years.” The old man rubbed his wrinkled forehead wearily. “I haven't heard that street talked about for a long time.” His baby-blue eyes were fixed intently on Barton; he was trying to concentrate through the haze of whisky and time. “Funny, to hear that old name again. I had almost forgotten. You know, Barton, there must be something wrong.”
    “Yes,” Barton agreed tensely. “There's something wrong. What is it?”
    Christopher rubbed his lined forehead, trying to bring his thoughts together. “I don't know. Something big.” He glanced around fearfully. “Maybe I'm out of my mind. Pine Street was a nice place. A lot nicer than Fairmount. That's what they have there now. Fairmount. Not the same houses at all. Not the same street. And nobody remembers.” Tears filled his blue eyes and he wiped them miserably away. “Nobody remembers except you and me. Nobody in the whole world. What the hell are we going to do?”

Seven
    Barton was breathing quickly. “Listen to me. Stop whimpering and listen!”
    Christopher shuddered. “Yes. Sorry, Barton. This whole thing has—”
    Barton grabbed him by the arm. “Then it really was the way I remember. Pine Street. Central. The old park. My memories aren't false!”
    Christopher mopped his eyes with a filthy handkerchief. “Yes, the old park. You remember that? Good God, what's happened around here?” All the color had drained from his face, leaving it a sickly yellow. “What's wrong with them? Why don't they remember?” Terror shuddered through him. “And they're not the same people. The old ones are gone. Like the places. All but you and me.”
    “I left,” Barton said. “When I was nine.” Abruptly he got to his feet. “Let's get out of here. Where can we talk?”
    Christopher assembled himself. “My place. We can talk there.” He jumped off the stool and moved quickly toward the door. Barton followed close behind.
    The street was cool and dark. Occasional streetlights spluttered at irregular intervals. A few people were strolling along, mostly men between bars.
    Christopher hurried down a side street. Barton had trouble keeping up with him. “I've waited eighteen years for this,” Christopher gasped. “I thought I was crazy. I didn't tell anybody. I was afraid. All these years—and it was true.”
    “When did the Change come?”
    “Eighteen years ago.”
    “Slowly?”
    “Suddenly. Overnight. I woke up and it was all different. I couldn't find my way around. I stayed inside and hid. I thought I was crazy.”
    “Nobody else remembered?”
    “Everyone was gone!”
    Barton was stunned. “You mean—”
    “How could they remember? They were gone, too. Everything was changed, even the people. A whole new town.”
    “Did you know about the barrier?”
    “I knew nobody could get out or in. There's something across the road. But they don't care. There's something wrong with them.”
    “Who are the Wanderers?” Barton demanded.
    “I don't know.”
    “When did they appear? Before the Change?”
    “No. After the Change. I never saw them before that. Everyone seems to think they're perfectly natural.”
    “Who are the two giants?”
    Christopher shook his head. “I don't know. Once I thought I saw something. I had gone up the road, looking for a way out. I had to stop; there was a stalled lumber truck.”
    “That's the barrier.”
    Christopher swore. “Good God! That was years ago! And it's still there
    ”
    They had gone several blocks. Darkness was all around them. Vague shapes of houses. Occasional lights. The houses were run-down and shabby. Barton noticed with increasing surprise how rickety they were; he didn't remember this