"The Earth is dead, but are there people still alive?" "Caverns miles deep could shelter life from the terrible blast." "This is Wilder's hope as he races to his brother's rescue, but what will survival mean now on Earth or on Mars?" "Recreation break for those on the midnight shift begins in one half hour." "Note--number three gymnasium remains closed indefinitely for all racquet sports." "Switch to arm." "Arm light on." "Switching command to internal." "Minus 1:30." "Minus 1:25." "Minus 1:20." " Status check." "Come in on intel." " Affirmative." " Telemetry in launch condition?" " Affirmative." " Missile and internal D.C.?" " Affirmative." " Pressurization complete?" " Affirmative." "T minus 60 seconds and counting." "Switch to arm." "Status check." "Green safety arm light on?" "Affirmative." " Greens ready?" " Ready." " Water system ready?" " Affirmative." "I have a complete light." "Box tanking secured?" "T minus 20..." "Damn it!" "There's a whole fleet of 'em!" "Where the hell are the ABMs?" "They're our last defense." "God!" "Damn them!" "And just as there is stillness in what was once this nerve center on Earth... so there is a small and silent town on the far side of Mars." "Lonely lights burn in the stores all day, and shop doors are unlocked, as if people have run off without using their keys." "Debris and memories decay in the still streets." "The town is dead except for Ben Driscoll." "Oh, my God!" "Hello." "Could've come from any one of these." "It wasn't anybody calling though." "A pole blew down somewhere... activated the circuit... and you rang all by yourself, didn't you?" "She won't call back." "Why should she call the same number twice?" "Nobody answers." "She's probably calling other houses, other cities." "I had my chance." "Why do I say "she"?" "Wait a minute." "Settle down." "It was over here." "Directory." "All right." "Let's start with the A's." ""Amelia Arnold."" ""Sally Ames."" ""Julie Appleby."" ""Livingstone, Fred."" ""Livingstone, Gladys."" "Hello." "This is Gladys Livingstone." "Hi, Gladys." "This is Benjamin." "I am not at home right now." "If you would care to leave a message, wait for the tone before speaking." "I would be glad to leave a message, Gladys." "Go to hell!" "If I was a woman... and I was the only one left on Mars... where would I be?" "A beauty salon!" "All right." "Beauty salon." "Okay, let's see here." "Hello?" "is this a recording?" "There is somebody left on Mars!" "There is!" "My God!" "Your name...what's your name?" "Genevieve Selsor." "What's your name?" "Driscoll." "Benjamin Driscoll." "Benjamin." "Hello!" " Hello." "Where are you?" "New Texas City." "So far away." "is it?" "You stay right there." "Don't move." "All right." "You hear me?" "Don't move." "I'll be right there." "All right." "But Driscoll and Genevieve are not the only people left on Mars with the sudden exodus." "A few isolated colonists remain, scattered over the planet, waiting and watching, hoping and praying-- wondering what is left of Earth and what is to become of them in the now-deserted Martian colonies." "Would there be a final rescue effort?" "Tonight, Peter Hathaway searches the Martian sky hoping and praying and wondering." "Alice!" "Marguerite!" "Come out!" "Come out quickly!" "They've come!" "They're here!" "Look!" "We're saved!" "We're saved!" "Look!" "Look!" "It's them, all right." "We're saved." "You remember the drill?" " Marguerite?" " l know, Father." " l'll check the circuits." " Good." "And then?" " The deck chairs." " The deck...chairs?" "!" "It's all right, Peter. I'll show her what to do if necessary." "You shouldn't expect so much of her." "I'll try radio contact." "You inspect the big board." "Circuits." "Mayday, Mayday." "This is 6295." "They don't seem to be answering." "I didn't ask you." "You and Marguerite have checked everything?" " Checked and rechecked." " Thank God." " This is our last chance." " Our last chance." " Everything ready?" " Yes, everything's ready." "Good." "Oh, my!" "Hi." "I'm sorry." "My nails are wet." "You wouldn't happen to be free, would you, tonight?" "You wouldn't be trying to pick me up now, would you?" "Oh, no." "Just a date." "I promise." "That's all." "Just a date." "Well, I'll just have to think about that now, won't I?" " Right here." " Let's sit over there." "Of course." "Over there." "Excuse me." "There." "You look marvelous-- just marvelous." "Thank you." "Can we have a cocktail?" "Cocktail?" "Of course." "Here we go." "Could we sit at that table over there?" "Of course." " You really are gorgeous." " Thank you." "This is my good side." "Both sides look good to me." "To us." "Does my hair look all right in the back?" "Yes." "I hope so." "I had such a terrible time trying to give myself a permanent, and then, trying to style it." "You know, it's funny how you always think how nice it would be to be alone." "What?" "I said, it's funny how you always think how nice it would be" "Oh, it's sour!" "I'm sorry. I made it wrong?" "I like it sweet." "And what about some food?" "Sweet." "Of course." "Too sweet." "Champagne." "Genevieve." "Don't you like it?" "I just can't eat that much." "I have to watch my figure." "You got a perfect figure." "Oh, no." "If I don't go to the club at least twice a day and work out and use the steam room and the pool, I just grow pounds on. lt's terrible." "I just wish there was still a masseuse at the club." "I could really use a good massage to stimulate my blood cells." "I could stimulate your blood cells." "Oh, no." "You have to have experience." "Massaging is an art." "Oh, dear!" "This dress is cut all wrong." "I know it." "That's the trouble with living on Mars-- the latest fashions just don't get here soon enough." "You know there was a war on Earth?" "Yes, I know. lsn't it terrible?" "Yeah." "You want another cocktail, or how about some champagne?" "Oh, no." "One is my limit." "There's terrible calories in a cocktail." "Yeah." " Why didn't you leave Mars?" " What?" "Why didn't you leave Mars?" "Well..." "They wouldn't let me take all my clothes." "I didn't leave because I was in the mountains." "I didn't know everybody was going." "What?" "Nothing." "Don't you ever get lonely?" "Yes!" "That's why I was so glad to hear from you." "You were?" "Oh, yes. lt's hard being alone." "I know." "I mean, you have to make all your own meals, for one thing." "This is the first decent food I've had in months." "Then, too, if something breaks down in the beauty shop or at home, I can't fix it." "I have so many things for you to fix, you just wouldn't believe it." "You have?" "Oh, yes." " lt's getting late." " Oh, is it?" "I didn't get much sleep last night." "I flew 1 ,500 miles just to see you." "That far?" "And..." "I'd like to go to bed now." "All right." " My fur." " Oh, your fur, yes." "I love having all the stores to go to and not paying for anything." "I have every makeup known to woman in my house." "I moved to a better house, of course." "Of course." "I think I've cleared out every shop in town, too." "My closets just won't hold another outfit." " l must have 100 pairs of shoes." " What about the bed?" "And jewelry--earrings, brooches, rings and necklaces." "I just love fine stones-- diamonds, rubies, emeralds." "I have such a collection, you wouldn't believe it." "Well, good night." "Thank you for dinner." "Why don't you stay in one of those houses across the street?" "Why don't I..." "Come over tomorrow about noon, and we can have some brunch." "I'm so glad you can cook." "Then I'll show you all the things I have that need repairing." "It's going to be so good to have a man around." "I wonder if you can fix the sauna at the club." "If you can do that..." "oh, how I need it!" "So do I!" "Wait a minute, buster." "Just because we're the last two people on Mars doesn't give you the right to come on with me." "Well, I'll forgive you just this one time." "Now, don't forget--noon." "Why don't you go to the hardware store before you go to bed tonight and pick up some tools." "I have a few, but they're not good enough for the work I have that needs to be done." "And try to pick up something good for breakfast-- maybe you could make some waffles." "I can only eat half, but I do love them and coffee." "I could use a new coffeemaker." "I just love black coffee in the morning." "Good night." "Driscoll, thoroughly disenchanted, flies away into the Martian wilderness, vowing never to return." "He flies all night." "He flies for a week and a day." "He flies until he's put 10,000 miles between himself and Genevieve Selsor and has swept her from his mind." "Still, he can find no peace." "I suppose there's not much left on Earth anyway." "Don't worry, Peter." "Haven't you got everything you'd ever want right here?" "Oh, yes, of course." "I do." "Still, if only..." "they'd seen us last week." "Still, mustn't give up hope." " You must never give up hope." " That's true." "I have gin." "I'm gonna take a little walk." "Be back in a few minutes." "I'll pick up some more firewood." "The rocket!" "It's the rocket." "They've come back!" "They've come back to take us home!" "They'll be here by morning." "You see?" "Never give up hope." "Lazarus, come forth." "Wine!" "We'll have a delicious meal ready for them when they land." "I've kept all this for just this occasion." "I knew it'd come someday." "Meanwhile..." "Meanwhile, let us celebrate." "You remember the day the war began?" "How could we forget?" "All the rockets were called home, and we were up in the mountains." "We were the only ones left." "Oh, Lord, how the years go by." "You know, I couldn't have stood it without you." "Both of you." "I think I would've killed myself without you." "But with you, it was worth waiting." " l know it's been hard sometimes" " Peter, please." "You know we wouldn't have wanted to have it otherwise." "I feel the same way." "Well, then..." "Here's to us... all three of us, and... to our long wait together." "Hello!" "Over here!" "There." "Father?" "I know that man." " You do?" " Yes." " Colonel!" "Colonel Wilder!" " Peter!" " Peter Hathaway." " Hathaway, yes." "I thought you'd left for Earth." " Peter, this is Father Stone." " Hello, Father." " lt's so good to see you." " You're looking fine." " l'm getting a little old." " l'm not any younger myself." "I'm a lot older since I've been back to Earth." "Now look, what are our chances of getting back there?" "We've been waiting years to go home." "We missed the ships, and my family... I'm sorry, Peter." "We'll be here for quite a while, I'm afraid." "You're welcome to stay with us." "Oh, that'd be... all of us?" " Yes." "How's your wife?" " She's fine." " And you had a child." " Yes, a daughter." "Yes, I remember." "They're fine?" "They're waiting for us down at the hut." "We've got a great meal waiting for you." " Come along." " Thank you." "Colonel, do you remember Spender?" "I'll never forget him." "About once a year, I walk past his grave." "I suppose he finally got what he wanted, because he never wanted us to come up here." "I suppose he's happy now that almost all of us have left." "I'm sorry." "It's just the excitement." " Are you all right?" " Yes. I'll be all right." "It's just the waiting, the excitement." "It's as if I'd stayed alive all these years just for this day." "It's so good to see you again, to hear your voices." "I feel better now." "Come on." "Alice." "Come see who's here." "Alice, you remember Colonel Wilder?" "Of course, Colonel Wilder." "Mrs. Hathaway, yes." "I remember." "And this is Father Stone." " Father Stone." " How do you do?" "Colonel Wilder, my daughter Marguerite." "With pleasure." "How old are you, Marguerite?" "Fourteen." "I see." "Come along." "Make yourselves at home." "Colonel, Father." "Right over here." "Please sit down." "You have no idea what a delight it is-- l beg your pardon." "I forgot...drinks." "Excuse me." "Father..." " This can't be right." " What can't be right?" "I knew Hathaway years ago." "I was at their wedding." "Their daughter has to be 20, 22 years old." "And Alice...she hasn't changed at all--not one wrinkle." "Do you suppose..." "Here, what are you talking about so seriously?" "We're all together, the trip is over, and it's like home." " Thank you." " You're right, Mrs. Hathaway." "And may I say, you're looking as pretty as ever." "Mars must agree with you." "Isn't that just like a man?" "Keep the conversation going." "I'll be right back." "Where are you going?" "Just out to check our bearings, make my report." "Well, now...wine." "Our studies were fascinating-- so fascinating indeed that we missed our ride back to Earth." "Alice, do you remember that fossil we unearthed?" " l remember." " So do I." "Come along, Father." "This fossil must've been at least 100,000 years old." "Colonel, sit down, please." "100,000 years old, and yet, it was so perfectly preserved-- well, I'll show you." "I've been out back behind the tower." " What for?" " Two crosses were there." "Alice and Marguerite" "Dead from an unknown virus, July 2000 A.D." " That's seven years ago." " Yes." " Then who are they?" " Who else would they be?" "There now!" "Father, I know." " Why don't you take it?" " Oh, I couldn't." " No, please." " l couldn't." "For the church." "And now, a toast." "My dears." "A toast." "To all of you." "It's good to be among friends again." "And especially to my dear wife and daughter, without whom I could never have survived." "It's only because of your loving companionship that I have been able to be here for your arrival." "Careful." "No, no." "Careful." "Easy." "Colonel... I'm sorry I spoiled the party." "Please, don't." "Don't call them." "They wouldn't understand, and I wouldn't want them to understand." "Do you know what just happened?" "Something about my husband?" "Yes." "He's dead." "His heart." "I see." "How do you feel?" "He didn't want us to feel badly." "He told us this would happen one day." "He didn't want us to cry." "He didn't teach us how." "You know." "He didn't want us to know." "He said it was the worst thing that could happen to a man-- to know how to be lonely and know how to be sad and then to cry." "So we're not to know what crying is." "Or sadness." "He was so proud of us." "At times, he almost forgot that he had made us." "He took us and loved us as his real wife and child." "In a way, we are." "You must've been a great comfort to him." "For years, we sat and talked." "He so much loved to talk." "He liked this hut and the open fire." "We could've lived in a regular house in town, but he preferred it here where he could be primitive when he liked." "He told me all about his lab and the things he did there." "He wired the entire dead town below with speakers." "When he pressed a button, the town lit up and made noise as if 10,000 people lived there." "Every Sunday evening, we'd sit in the deck chairs and watch his light show." "He programmed Marguerite to enjoy it the most." "And he would sit and light a cigar and talk to us." "Every once in a while, the phone would ring and a recorded voice would ask Mr. Hathaway scientific and surgical questions, and he would answer them." "With the phone ringin' and us here and the sounds of the town and his cigar he was quite happy." "There was only one thing he couldn't make us do." "Grow old." "He grew older and weaker every day, but we stayed the same." "I guess he didn't mind." "I guess he wanted us this way." "We'll bury him with his family." "I think he would've liked it that way." "I guess we'll take them with us." "No." "You can't just leave them here." " l really think we should." " Alone?" "How would they survive?" "I really don't think that is our concern." "That was the decision of their creator." "What do you mean?" "They have a right to live, just as much as you and I... but their own life... the life that they were created to live." "Their souls... belong to Hathaway." "I don't think they'd understand anything else." "They'll eventually die without our help." "I'll say good-bye." "Mother, when will my father come back?" "I don't know, darling." "Perhaps never." "What will we do?" " We'll continue waiting." " For what?" "I don't know." "He never told me." "Good morning, ladies." "I'm Ben Driscoll." "I don't mean to impose." "It's just that it's been a long time since I've seen another human being." "Make yourself at home, Mr. Driscoll." "Thank you." "Don't put yourself out none." "I mean, I don't need a lot of entertaining or even much conversation." "I just want a place to stay-- a nice, family feeling." "Then you have come to the right place, Mr. Driscoll." "Precisely." "Hello, Sam." "You back from Earth?" "Yeah." "Well..." "Thank you, Sam." "How's Elma?" "Well, she's not well." "She took to her bed the night the war started, and she hasn't been up since." "Whatever happened to your brother's family down in the States?" "They're dead." "Ah, hell." "What about the rest of 'em?" "It's over, Sam." "Earth is done with." "Mars is all we have now." "Tell me, what's half of nothin'?" "What?" "That's what I got-- half of nothin'." "That's what they give me-- half of nothin'." "What is that?" "That's a land grant from the Martians." " You saw Martians?" " Oh, yeah." "When?" "Well, let's see..." "it was the day you left." "They showed up here in their sand ships and they just give me that." " Did they speak to you?" " Oh, yeah." "What did they say?" "They didn't say much." "They just handed me that scroll there and said, "This land is yours."" ""This land is yours."" "As much good as it does me." "Then there are Martians still alive." "We will get a chance to talk to them." "No, I don't think so." "Why do you say that?" "They're weird." "They didn't look real to me." "So when I fired on" "What?" "!" "What did you say?" "I thought they was gonna attack me, so I fired just on one of 'em." "All this time... all I wanted was to come in contact with a living Martian-- speak with him, learn from him." "Why did they come to you?" "I don't know." "Unless it was to warn me about the war." " Did they?" " No, not exactly." "He just said, "Tonight is the night."" "It was that night that the war began." "Yes." "They must be the Martians." "Only they would know." "Look, this is real, isn't it?" "Yeah, it's real." "It's worthless, but it's real." "Martians have to be real." "And this isn't worthless." "Yeah?" "They knew what was going to happen on Earth." "Maybe they're allowing us to start over here." "But they killed our first two expeditions, remember?" "We destroyed them with chickenpox." "Maybe they decided there's enough here for what remains of both worlds." "What's the point of destroying two civilizations?" "You know you're beginning to talk like Spender." "I understand Spender." "I want you to tell me everything you remember about the Martians-- every last detail." "The answer's all here." "Hello." "What did you say?" "I don't understand you." "There." "That's better." "You do speak English." "I do now." "That must be the way they spoke to Sam." "He's a friend." "This is a wondrous moment." " ls it?" " Yes." "My God, you're a ghost!" "What?" "You're a ghost." " Me?" " You." "No." "Where are you from?" " Earth." " What's that?" "It's a planet." "Up there." "Planet of ghosts." "I'm not a ghost. I'm alive." "You're dead." "Your people were destroyed by a plague." "You must be mad." "Don't you see this city?" "I see the ruins of the city-- dead over 1 ,000 years." "1 ,000 years?" "I live here." " Your city's dead." " lt's alive." "Don't you see the carnival lights, the boats, the women?" " Can't you see them?" " No." "You don't see the city, the ocean beyond?" "There hasn't been an ocean there for over 40 centuries." "This can mean only one thing." "It has to do with time." "You're a figment of the past." "You are from the past." " What year is it?" " 2007." "That means nothing to me." "To me, it is the year 4462853 SEC, and you are long dead." "But I can feel my heartbeat." "Feel." "No, never mind." "I can feel my own flesh." "So do I." "And I was hoping finally..." "Finally what?" "That I could speak to a Martian-- ask him questions." "Here I am." "Speak to me." "Ask." "I'll tell you anything you want to know about my world." "Your world is dead." "It is your world that is dead." "Perhaps you're right." "How can you prove you're from the future?" "How do you know these ruins that you see are not the ruins of your own civilization," "100 centuries from now?" "You cannot know." "You're right. I cannot." "What does it matter anyway?" "Of what importance is it who is past and who is future?" "What follows will follow, now or in 10,000 years." "All that matters is... you see your world and I see mine." "is that not enough, no matter what we each believe?" "Of course." "You look despondent." " l guess I am." " Why?" " Because I'd hoped" " For what?" "For this meeting..." "such a long time." "To learn." "To learn?" "Yes, about your people." "Your beliefs." "The secret of your life on Mars." "On Tir." "This is the planet Tir." "Yes." "Tir." "Secret?" "There is no secret." "Anyone with eyes can see the way to live." " How?" " By watching life... observing nature and cooperating with it." "Making common cause with the process of existence." "How?" "By living life for itself, don't you see?" "Deriving pleasure from the gift of pure being." "The gift of pure being." "Life is its own answer." "Accept it and enjoy it day by day." "Live as well as possible." "Expect no more." "Destroy nothing, humble nothing, look for fault in nothing." "Leave unsullied and untouched all that is beautiful." "Hold that which lives in all reverence." "For life is given by the sovereign of our universe-- given to be savored, to be luxuriated in, to be respected." "But that's no secret." "You're intelligent." "You know as well as I what has to be done." "Now I must go." "My people are waiting for me." "I have people waiting, too." "Good." "Perhaps we'll meet again some other night." "And I would like to see that carnival of yours." "And I would like to see the things you see." "Good night...my friend." "Good-bye." "Wilder leaves the Martian, and leaves his dream as well-- his dream of sharing this new world with a few survivors of the race which had existed here for eons." "The night is dark, the moons have descended, starlight twinkles on the empty landscape where there is no sound but the roar of his own engine shattering the darkness." "No living thing." "Nothing." "Hey, what's the matter with you two?" "There's nothing to do around here." "Well, why don't you watch one of your movies on the wall monitor?" " One of your old Westerns." " No." "We've played them all a million times." "Yeah. I know." "Come on, cheer up." "I'll think of something." "Hey, you okay?" "What's the matter?" "Something's wrong." "What is it?" "Please tell me." "Last night, I was wondering if we would be able to carry on here." "There are so few of us left, and each of us not wanting to leave his little piece of Mars." "Parkhill waiting for customers that will never come," "Father Stone saying Mass every day to nobody but himself." "I was wondering if we had made a mistake." "Now I know we didn't." "Not if you can enjoy life... and take pleasure from the gift of pure being." "That's a lovely thought." "I want you to pack everything of value-- everything you think we might need." "Tell the children to do the same." "We'll load it in the boat." "I'll be back in a little while." " Why?" " We're leaving this place." "Where are we going?" "Where it all started." "Still bored?" "Your daddy's got a surprise for you." " A surprise?" " What is it, Mom?" "How would you like to go camping?" "Just the four of us, like we used to?" " You mean it?" " When?" "As soon as you get off your backside and start packing!" "Come on!" "Here we go." "All right?" "Let's go." "You know what you're going to see today?" " What?" " Martians." " When?" " You'll see." " What do they look like, Dad?" " You'll know when you see them." "How far are we going, Dad?" "Four million years." "In fact, if things get any worse, I may put in for a transfer myself." "What are you thinking about, Dad?" "Memories." "Of what?" "The things that took us to this moment." "All right." "A race creates itself for a million years, then it dies--part in its own time, with dignity, but what about the other part?" "When are we stopping, Dad?" " Pick a spot." " What do you mean?" " Tell me where you wanna stop." " Right here." "You're just saying that 'cause you're tired of ridin' in the boat." " That's right." " l want a place with Martians in it." "You'll have that." " Are they here?" " Yes." " Where?" " You'll see." "Let's stop here then." "Marie, Robert, is this place all right with you?" "No!" " Aren't you and Mom gonna vote?" " We'll let you kids decide." "This is fine, Dad." "All right." "This is it then." "Here we go." "That's it." "Come on, honey." "Doesn't it bother you-- the idea of them watching us make fools of ourselves?" " Who?" " The Martians." "Will you do whatever you can to keep them from tearing this planet apart?" " Are there Martians here?" " You'll see them soon." "You know, you kids made a good choice." "This is going to be our new home." "What do you mean?" "Aren't we all goin' back?" "No, we're gonna stay right here." "What?" "We're going to learn the Martian way of life, we're going to learn their language, and learn how they lived so well." " Dad!" " l think it may be a bit too soon." "All right." "We won't move here right away." "We'll go back to our old house until we've all decided that we want to move here forever." "But this is going to be our new home." " And our new school." " School?" "!" "Come on, let's set up camp." "I'm saying it may have been a Martian." "There's one in First Town right now." "Life is its own answer." "Accept it and enjoy it day by day." "Why you burnin' those papers, Dad?" "Why?" "I'm burning what's behind us." "Burning a way of life." "Same way of life burned on Earth." "You know, life there never did really amount to much." "People got greedier and greedier." "Wars got bigger and bigger until finally..." "Tell me what happened." "So we're going to strike out in a whole new direction." "Find a new way of life here on Mars." "And learn to live." "That's what has to be done." "I'll show you those Martians now." "Wow!" " They're here?" " They're here." "Under the duck?" " No." " Where then?" "There." "Those are the Martians."