I repressed an urge to aim a kick at his well-stuffed belly. Abel Harwood was a crackpot, a crazy amateur scientist who had been riding this other-dimension kick for years. Now, he'd let loose Lord knew what upon the world--the things were still funnelling through the gateway--and he was determined to see it continue. "Harwood, you're playing with something too big for you! You're foolish and blind, and you--" "_You're_ a trespasser," he interrupted. "I've ordered you out of my home twice, already. Will you go now--or do I have to get my gun?" "I'll go," I said. I broke loose from Laura and, with an uneasy look at the gateway outside, headed for the door. "Wait, Dad--you can't make him go outside in _that_!" "Quiet, Laura." She started to say something else, but I put my hand on her arm. "Never mind, Laura." I opened the front door and stepped outside. * * * * * It was hellish out there. The things had formed a circle around the vortex in the air and hung there, humming and crackling. The air was dry and strange-smelling. I paused on the porch of the Harwood house for just a moment, tucked my head under my arm and ran--ran as fast as my legs would go. I charged through the garden, carefully averting the vortex that had opened right in front of me, circled the nest of things buzzing in the air, and dashed down the street. One of the creatures followed me a short distance, hovering a foot or two above my head. I watched it uneasily, dodged and ducked as it took swipes at me. It caught me once, a grazing blow on the side of my scalp. I smelled burned hair, and felt as if I'd stuck my head up an electric socket. It drove low for another swipe. And just then it began to rain. The heavens opened and the water came pouring down and the sky was bright with lightning. And the globes went up to meet it. The one that had been tormenting me forgot me in an instant and went to join its fellows. I stood there and watched them. They rose in a straight line--there must have been a hundred of them by now--climbing upwards, toward the black clouds overhead. The sky was split by a giant bolt of lightning, and I saw all hundred of them limned grotesquely against it, enlarged and given color by the lightning, _drinking_ it. Then I started running again. I kept on running until I was home, in my two-room flat near the University. I dove in, locked and bolted the door, threw off my soaking clothing. I grabbed for the phone and dialed the Harwood number. "Hello?" It was Laura's voice. I sighed in relief. It could have been old Abel, after all. "Laura? This is Chuck." Her voice dropped. "Daddy's right here. I can't talk very much." "Tell me--what the devil has he done? You should have seen those things drinking up the lightning!" "I did," she said. "I know what you mean." "Is the gateway still open?" "Yes. They're still coming through. Chuck, I--I don't know what's going to happen. I--_no_, Daddy!"