SWEET TOOTH
By ROBERT F. YOUNG
Illustrated by Nodel
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Magazine October 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The aliens were quite impressed by Earth's technical
marvels—they found them just delicious!
Sugardale three miles, the state highway sign said. Dexter Foote turnedinto the side road that the arrow indicated.
He had no way of knowing it at the time, but by his action he condemnedhis new convertible to a fate worse than death.
The side road meandered down a long slope into a wooded hollow where abreeze born of cool bowers and shaded brooks made the July afternoonheat less oppressive. A quantity of the pique that had been with himever since setting forth from the city departed. There were worseassignments, after all, than writing up a fallen star.
Abruptly he applied the brakes and brought the convertible to ascreeching halt. His blue eyes started from his boyish face.
Well they might. The two Humpty Dumptyish creatures squatting in themiddle of the road were as big as heavy tanks and, judging from their"skin tone," were constructed of similar material. They had arms likejointed cranes and legs like articulated girders. Their scissors-likemouths were slightly open, exposing maws the hue of an open hearth attapping time. Either they were all body and no head, or all head and nobody. Whichever was the case, they had both eyes and ears. The formerhad something of the aspect of peek holes in a furnace door, while thelatter brought to mind lopsided Tv antennae.
As Dexter watched, the foremost of the two metallic monsters advancedupon the convertible and began licking the chrome off the grill with along, tong-like tongue. Meanwhile, its companion circled to the rearand took a big bite out of the trunk. There was an awesome CRUNCH! andthe convertible gave a convulsive shudder.
At this point, Dexter got out and ran. More accurately, he jumpedout and ran. A hundred feet down the road, he stopped and turned. Hewas just in time to see monster No. 1 bite off the right headlight.CRUNCH! Not to be outdone, monster No. 2 bit off the right taillight.CRUNCH-CRUNCH! An acrid odor affronted Dexter's nostrils, and hediscerned a faint yellow haze hovering about the convertible. Therear wheels went in two bites. The 250 H.P. motor required three.CRUNCH-CRUNCH-CRUNCH! The upholstery caught fire and began to burn. Agout of flame shot up as the gas tank exploded. Far from discouragingthe two monsters, the resultant inferno merely served to whet theirappetites. CRUNCH-CRUNCH-CRUNCH-CRUNCH!
Dexter's shoulders sagged, and the spot next to his heart that theconvertible had shared with his best girl gave a spasmodic twinge.Removing his suitcoat and slinging it over his shoulder, he turned hisback on the grisly repast and set out sadly for Sugardale.
He had not gone far before his stalled thought-processes got into gearagain.
The falling star he had been assigned by his editor to write up hadbeen an unusually brilliant one according to the report the paperhad received. Maybe its unusualness did not stop there. Maybe it wassomething more than a mere meteorite. Certainly the two monsters couldnot be