Regeneration by Charles Dye Edition 1, (November 29, 2006) This etext was produced from "Future combined with Science Fiction stories" September 1951. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. REGENERATION *So long as there are men and women alive, in a livable environment, then a new beginning is possible.* by Charles Dye *It has been truly stated that those who fail to learn and understand history, are condemned to repeat history!* [Illustration: For those in the cities, it was the end....] For those in the cities, it was the end.... _It was bound to happen sooner or later._ _Not because man failed to understand his fellow man, but because he failed to understand himself._ _There wasn’t much left afterwards--after the golden showers of deadly dust and the blinding flashes that blotted out the light from the sun._ _And all because man continued to confuse emotion with reason._ _But somehow, as before, man survived...._ "_Don’t touch!_" Sinzor’s command shot through the chill morning air like an arrow. The ragged little group of men stopped dead in their tracks and looked questioningly at their leader. He was pointing down to an object lying half-buried in the soil at his feet. "Another _death-thing_, maybe," Sinzor said. "Another _’thing_ our ancestors made with which to destroy themselves." He peered around the semi-circle of men until he spotted the aged one with a leg missing. "Morge! See that this place is marked forbidden." The hunting party moved on and Morge stayed behind. He hobbled about, collecting sticks and stones, arranging them in the "forbidden-symbol" way to form a barrier around the _’thing_. It was because of such a _’thing_ that he’d lost a leg in his youth. He both hated and feared the _death-things_ his ancestors had so carelessly left lying about before they vanished. But that wasn’t right. Morge scratched his grizzly old head and thought hard. According to Builder, wisest of their tribe, their ancestors hadn’t all vanished; some of them had become the tribe--Sinzor, Builder, and even old Morge. Very puzzling. But it was all because of the _death-things_!