the shrine
By WALT SHELDON
Naito smiled. "You are still in the grip
of time, Mr. Blair. Spend some with us and
you will slip a little from its tyranny."
We have said on a number of occasions that there are a number of things and forces which dwell in the shadows of this Fantastic Universe of ours. And in the mountains.... Walt Sheldon tells the story of Edward Blair, reporter on the English-language TOKYO TRIBUNE, who, much, to his disgust, is sent to interview the monks at the Hataka shrine. After all, why waste time on these magic tricks? This is of course not Science Fiction. And is it Fantasy? Who of us can really say?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Fantastic Universe December 1956.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The American stopped to rest, to daub his brow, and he withdrew for a moment into the mottled shade beside the trail. Ahead the mountain rose and became blue with distance. A figure in a saffron robe moved down the trail, and toward him.
"A woman," said his lips without sound. His eyes clocked surprise.
He was Edward Blair. He worked for the English-language Tokyo Tribune. It was as good a paper as any to work for when your career had been interrupted twice by war. You could coast on the Tokyo Trib. You could let things not matter.