After Ixmal

by Jeff Sutton

AFTER IXMAL

By JEFF SUTTON

Illustrated by FINLAY

Man was gone.

For seven hundred million years Ixmal brooded
over the silent earth. Then he made a discovery:
He was not alone!

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Amazing Stories October 1962.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

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Ixmal lazily scanned the world from atop the rugged batholith. He felt it move several times; but because the movements were slight and thousands of years apart they caused no worry. He knew the batholith had been formed before time began by raging extrusions hurled through crustal fractures from the earth deeps. Having long since analyzed its structure, he was satisfied; it would last until time ended.

"It's spring," Psychband observed from deep within him.

"Yes, spring." Ixmal echoed the thought without enthusiasm. For what was spring but a second in time and ten thousand springs but a moment.