The Cottage
By Frank Belknap Long
There was a savage cruelty in
Durkin's hatred of his children.
Little did he know that on other
worlds—cruelty boomeranged.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Fantastic Universe September 1954.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Frank Belknap Long's stories have appeared in twenty-seven cloth-bound anthologies bearing the imprint of leading publishers. They run the gamut from supernatural horror—in Dashiell Hammett's CREEPS BY NIGHT and August Derleth's equally famed SLEEP NO MORE—to straight science fiction—in the widely popular Conklin, Wollheim, Derleth, Bleiler and Dikty volumes. We think you'll agree that this story is of anthology caliber too.
To Will Durkin it seemed to be the realization of a long-cherished dream—this return from town over a rutted dirt road, equipped and ready for a cruel duel with another man's offspring. He raised his left hand as he drove, staring at his bony knuckles, and then slashing at the empty air with a whiplash ferocity of purpose.
Perhaps there had been a hard core of cruelty in Durkin at birth. Perhaps he had knotted up his fists, and cried out in resentment on first seeing the sunlight, eager to hurt and punish.
It was difficult to say, difficult to be sure. But certainly the stony soil which had nourished his childhood had helped to make him what he was—a gaunt, restless-eyed man so consumed by animosity he could find no pleasure in merriment of any kind.