Unearthly Stranger Page #3

with her eyes wide open.

I've never been so scared in

my life. I felt for her pulse...

there was nothing. Nothing at her

wrist, or at her temple. Nothing.

What are you telling me?

A few moments later she woke

up; sat up and kissed me.

I suppose you think I imagined it all.

No, how could I possibly say?

I do know that there are people

who can sleep with their eyes open.

What about the pulse?

Well, if you were in that

state, thinking she was dead,

it's not surprising

you couldn't find it.

I'm telling you, she has no pulse.

And I'll tell you another thing:

she doesn't blink her eyes at all.

Not at all.

Now, look, now

you are imagining things.

It's quite impossible for that to happen

without the eyes becoming ulcerated.

I'm not interested whether

you think it's impossible.

I watched her, and after last night's

little episode I watched her even more,

and at no time either then or this

morning did she blink her eyes at all!

My dear boy, come and sit down.

Oh, go to hell!

John!

- Is the Director still here?

- Yes, he's on the phone.

But I don't expect he'll

want to be interrupted.

Garth and I will

get you that, Major...

Do you mind waiting outside a

moment, Mark? There's a good chap.

What I have to say can't wait. Tell him

you'll ring him back. Come in the other office.

Look, do you mind if I

ring you back? All right?

I think I'm entitled to an apology.

Uh...?

- For this morning...

- Oh, for heaven's sake, don't let's be ridiculous.

This morning you told me to go to hell.

That's just exactly where I've been for

the whole of this afternoon and evening.

In my own nasty, private little hell.

What are you talking about?

How long do you think it'll take

before we really find the answer?

- To the project?

- Mm.

Oh, I don't know. I suppose

it could be years yet.

Generations.

Especially now that our work's been

put back by Munroe's notes being burnt.

Yes, that was an accident we

could well have done without.

It was no accident.

It was done deliberately,

to stop us getting there.

Sabotage? By whom?

We're trying to find a way of projecting ourselves

into another world through the power of thought;

to land, without having to use the conventional

means of travel, on the surface of another planet.

What if they've already done it?

Mark. I've known you a long time,

and in all those years I've

never doubted anything you said

because I knew that you were the last

person to have extravagant theories.

You think this is, do you?

I suppose you're going to tell me that I'm

tired, that I've been working too hard...

That's exactly what

I'm going to suggest.

If ever a man needed a rest,

believe me, you're that man.

You drag me away from an important

telephone conversation this evening,

just to tell me about this wild theory.

This morning you moon around my office

telling me about your wife not blinking.

You wait till I see her.

Are you doing anything tonight?

Well... I was going to

work late, that's all.

I have had one or two interruptions.

Come home with me and meet Julie.

- Won't she mind?

- I doubt it. Will you come?

Yes. And I'll make sure

she keeps an eye on you.

An ever-open eye, at that.

How did you meet Julie?

It sounds as if it was a pick-up.

In a way, I suppose, it was.

At the end of what must've been

my fourth day in Switzerland,

I was about five or six

miles from the hotel...

when I heard what I thought was the

sound of the wind in the mountains...

a sort of humming sound... you

know, like the noise that...

telephone wires make when the wind whistles

through them...

...it was very much like that,

only it was a hundred times louder

and it was getting louder all the time.

Then, suddenly, the car stopped.

It wouldn't start.

Then the headlamps began to dim.

Then suddenly the door

opened, and there she was.

Can you give me a lift? Can you?

Then what?

I said "Yes, of course" -

and you'll see why when you meet her.

She jumped in, and when I pressed

the starter it worked first time.

What about that humming

sound, by the way?

Did you ever discover what that was?

No, I didn't.

I asked Julie if she'd heard it, you know, just

for something to talk about, but she hadn't.

Must've been something to do

with the car, or something...

Frankly, I forgot about it.

So would you, if you'd found yourself

sitting next to such a beautiful creature.

- There we are.

- Ah, thanks.

Just bung it down there.

Julie! Got a surprise for you.

Julie?

- Darling...

- Hello, my lovely.

You're Dr Lancaster. I'm

so pleased to meet you.

You're our very first

guest and I bid you welcome.

And I'm very glad to be here.

Your husband spoke in such glowing terms about

you, and I'm happy to say he wasn't exaggerating.

Well, who wants a drink?

Not for me, I'm still busy in

the kitchen. Yours are here.

Oh, don't bother about laying the table.

The firm of Lancaster and Davidson will

oblige as soon as they are fortified.

Thank you.

- Cheers.

- Mm. This is very nice.

- It's quiet.

- Not too quiet? Julie doesn't get too lonely?

- No, she likes it.

- Hm...

What are you two up to?

If you feel strong enough

yet, I'd be glad of some help.

Ah, allow me.

I've been hearing about how you two met.

Yes, it was very romantic.

This "thing" was staying in the same

hotel. So we had breakfast next morning,

spent the day together, and the next...

...and the next, until it became obvious

that the only thing to do was to get married.

Which we did.

I'm very glad to say.

Mm, something smells good.

It's been in the oven for the last

three hours. I hope it hasn't dried up.

Ah, thank you.

Oh, don't burn yourself.

Please be careful.

Where do you keep the corkscrew, Mark?

Er, in the sideboard drawer. No

- it's in the kitchen drawer.

Alright.

Are you feeling all right, John?

Well, who's hungry?

How about you, John?

Ahh...

Why are you staring at me?

Oh, um... I'm sorry.

I was just thinking what

very beautiful eyes you have.

"Why, thank you, kind sir", she said...

"As she waved her wooden leg. "

Good morning, Major.

I'm going to see Professor Lancaster...

I'll see if... just one moment...!

- Major Clarke.

- Thank you.

I believe that the interest of security may

best be served if Dr Davidson is removed,

for the moment, from his position

as head of the department.

And what possible grounds have you for

suggesting something as outrageous as that?

I can't tell you.

Well, I'm very much

afraid you'll have to tell me.

That will not be possible.

Then I cannot do as you ask.

And, in any case,

have you any idea what it would mean to his

career if it got out that he'd been removed?

There's no reason why

anyone should know.

He can continue to occupy

Professor Munroe's office...

while being engaged on

some less dangerous work.

I want a reason from you.

I demand a reason from you.

- I'll give you half the answer.

- I want the whole answer.

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