 Adventures in time and space, told in future. Tense. Dimension. Can you predict the future? Can you tell what will happen in a hundred years? Or in ten? Or in the next minute? Can you look beyond the known dimensions of time and space? Into the unknown dimension X. We have a strange story to tell. A sweet blood-curdling little story that is really only two sentences long. The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door. Think it over. Suppose you were the last man alive on earth in the universe for that matter. The last man sitting alone in a room and suddenly there was a knock on the door. What knocked on the door? You wonder, don't you? Your mind faced with the unknown supplies something vaguely horrible. But it isn't horrible, really. You'll see. The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door. What's that? Good morning, man. What? Who are you? You have regained consciousness. Who are you? I am Azan. Maybe if I close my eyes it'll go away. I will not go away, man. Oh, no, I guess I am awake. Who? What are you? I am Azan. What's that? Azan is intelligent life. What happened? Where are you from? From Planet Seven in the third galaxy in the fourth quadrant. Where? It is not necessary to repeat information which is correct in the original statement. Planet Seven? You mean I'm not on earth? You are still on your planet. Then what are you doing here? The Zans have annexed your world. You mean you've conquered earth? Yes, that is correct. We will now prepare your planet for habitation by the Zan. How about the people? There is no longer any use for large numbers of lower life forms. Therefore, we have dispensed with them. Dispensed with? You mean you've... When did all this happen? Two days ago. You have been unconscious until now. You really mean I'm the last man on earth? That is correct. Identify yourself now. What? Kindly provide data as to your position in the elementary social order of your planet. Oh, oh, uh... I'm Walter Fallon, associate professor of anthropology at Nathan University. How is it you speak English? We have deciphered your written and recorded records. It is not difficult to reconstruct your language. Very type of auditory communication. Oh. Is there anything you want to complete your natural habitat? You mean I'm a prisoner? That is correct. What will you want further in your room? Well, do I have to stay here? Yes. The rest of my life? Forever. Then you better bring in my books. I got to call you something. Do you mind if I call you George? It is immaterial. All right then, George. You know, I can't really believe this. That is a characteristic of low life form. I'm trying to take this in without going off balance completely. I will be back, associate professor of anthropology. It's all right, George. Just call me Walter. Very well, Walter. I will be back with your books. All right, George. I'll be seeing you around. You will not be around, Walter. You will be here. That's the last man on earth sat alone in a room. Or rather, peculiar room. He just noticed how peculiar it was. And he'd been studying out the reason for its peculiarity. His conclusion didn't horrify him, but it annoyed him. There was a knock on the door. Come in. Oh, hello, George. Hello, Walter. What can I do for you? Point one, you will please henceforth sit with your chair pointed the other way. I thought so. That plain wall is different from the other side's, isn't it? That is correct. It is transparent. That's what I thought. I'm in a zoo. Right? That is correct. I knew it. And if I persist in sitting with my back to it, what then? You'll kill me, I ask, hopefully? No. We will not kill you. That's too bad. George! I'll face the bars and perform for the people I... I mean for the zons. How many other animals do you have here in the zoo, George? 216. A male and female each of 108 kinds. Male and female of... of all the animals? There is a female of your species among the collection. Anyone I know, never mind. It doesn't matter anyway. Well, George, you started out with point one. I suppose there's a point two kicking around somewhere. What is it? Something we do not understand. Two of the other animals sleep and do not wake. They are cold. What is wrong with them, Walter? Well, they must be dead. Dead? That means stopped. But nothing stopped them. Each was alone. Sure, they... they... they just died. But I have told you they were alone. Nothing stopped them. George, do you mean to tell me that you don't know what natural death is? Death is when a being is killed, stopped from living. Maybe these animals just died of old age. Old age. I do not understand. George, how old are you? Your planet went around the sun about 7,000 times since I was born. 7,000 years? Yes, I'm still young. Look, George, you've got something to learn about this planet you've hijacked. Here on earth, we've got somebody that's a stranger where you come from. Down here, our people and animals live until the Grim Reaper stops them. This Grim Reaper stopped the two animals? That's right. He will stop more? Oh, he gets us all, George. This is a new factor we have not considered. But you can consider it. Because when the Grim Reaper gets through, they won't be very much left of your zoo. You mean he will stop more animals soon? Your lifespan, it won't seem like a minute, and we'll all be gone. Now, it looks like you made a mistake, George. I don't think there's very much you can do about it. That is not correct. The sun is a logical being. We will take action. Where are you taking me, George? We will be there shortly. You mean it's moving day? That is correct. We are here now. We will live here now, Walter. It is a larger room. Well, be it ever so humble. Be careful with those books, George. Don't lose... Excuse me. Who are you? What are you doing here? Well, I guess George didn't explain. George tries to be polite, but he hasn't quite caught on yet. I'm Walter Fallon. My name is Grace Evans, Mr. Fallon. What is all this about? Why did they bring me here? I think I know why. Why? You see, I've been talking to George. George? Well, that's what I call them, all of them this. No way to tell them apart anyway. There aren't many of them here yet. They come from outside the solar system, sort of an advanced scouting part. Yes, I saw their spaceship. It's as big as a mountain. Moving in on us, they cleaned off the earth with some kind of vibration that destroys all sorts of animal life. They killed everybody. I was afraid. The cheerful notice that you and I and 200 odd other animals were picked up beforehand as specimens for the zoo. You know that this is a zoo, don't you? Yes. I suspected it. But I don't remember anything about being captured. I just woke up here. Well, they solved a lot of problems for us, housing shortages, wars. I don't suppose the human race, you and I, that is, have to worry about anything now. It's awful. Only they made one mistake. They overestimated us. I don't understand. They thought we were immortal. That we were what? Immortal, like they are. Oh, they can be killed. The Zons don't know what natural death is. They didn't know anyway until they lost two of us yesterday. You mean there are more than two others? No, no, no more of our species. These were merely brother animals, a rabbit and a canary. They're figuring time. The rest of us are only good for a few minutes of peace anyway. That's a joke on them. They figured they had permanent specimens here in their zoo. But didn't they know that we'd all die eventually? No, I don't think so. See, George told me he was 7,000 years old, and he's supposed to be young. When they learned how quickly we die, they were probably shocked to the core, if they have cores. How can you talk that way about it? In my attachment, I learned it at faculty T's. At any rate, they've decided to reorganize their zoo, two by two. Oh. Sure, they figure will last longer collectively, if not individually. But if they think, that is if you think, for one minute. No, no, no, don't worry. I don't. But are they going to keep us locked up together in this one little room? I'm afraid so. It's horrible. I agree with you perfectly, my dear. But all personal considerations aside, the least favour we can do the human race is to let it end with us. I don't see much point in continuing it just for an exhibition in a zoo. How can you just sit here and... and lecture? Habit, habit. But we've got to do something. Why? I don't know. It just seems we owe it to the human race to do something. You've got a suggestion? There must be some way. They can be killed, you said. They think that anything that would kill one of us would kill one of them. You see, I figured it out, I think. George cut his... I suppose you'd call it his hand when he brought in my books. It started to bleed, red blood. But I could see the cut closing just as he stood there. And by the time he left, it was healed. You don't understand. Don't you see? Whatever factor there is in man that makes him grow old is missing in the zone. They just go on and on and on until... Until they're stopped. Yes. But suppose we killed one. There must be some way. But what would be the use? They wouldn't even punish us. They just give us our food through a trap door and put a sign out saying, Beware of the man, dangerous. I don't think they'd have to bother in your case. I don't see anything funny. I'm sorry. This reminds me of Martha. Martha? My wife, she died two years ago. I'm sorry. Oh, hello. Oh, it'll be George with my books. Come in. Hello, George. Hello, Walter. Point one, I have brought your books. Point one? Or what else is on your mind? Point two, another creature sleeps and will not wake. A small feathered one called a duck. It happens, George. I warned you, old man death, the grim reaper told you all about him. Walter, the council of Zahn has myth. It has been decided logically that the only intelligent life to escape the vibration is you. Therefore, the logical conclusion is you are stopping these animals by some means unknown to us. George, you're off your trolley. You will tell me now how this is done. You boys afraid you're going to lose the whole zoo? It is necessary to save the remaining specimens as long as possible. If we do not get information, we may be forced to dispense with your species entirely. Now, wait a minute. This means you, Walter, and the female. Now, wait a minute, George. Don't go off half-cocked. Let me take a look at these animals. It won't wake up. I will take you there now. Go first, Walter. After you, my dear George. This is the weasel. It should have got them in the winter, George. The first worth more then. Then it's a nerman. This is the reptile cage. Here are the ducks. This is the male. The female has been stopped. Lucky girl. Watch the male fellow. You're lonely down there. Walter, you will tell me how you stopped the female duck. You got me, George. I didn't do it. Maybe she died of the Dutch Elm Blight. Walter, you are not being logical. We have concluded you are stopping these animals. Tell us how it is done. I told you, George, I haven't the foggiest notion. Very well. We will have to take further action. What are you going to do, George? We have methods of action you will know soon. We will go back now to your room. You can call me Walter. After all George does, and we have more in common. Oh, please, what happened? Just a dark, dead, dark George thinks I killed her by remote control. He thinks I'm holding out on him. Good. What? Well, at least we can get back at them. At least we can do something to them. Why? After all George isn't a bad fellow. If you like an ant mentality. How can you say that? They've wiped out the whole human race. They've murdered everybody. I suppose they have, but we can't change that now. So why think about it? Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing. I failed to see how we can do anything else. Oh, of all the men in the world they had to pick. Don't you want to fight back? Don't you want to keep on fighting until the end? It hadn't occurred to me. But we've got to, Walter. Why? Well, I can't really explain, but Walter, if there was any good in man at all, it was that he kept on struggling against nature and in the end even against himself. But at least he kept on fighting for what he thought was right and we're all that's left. Walter, we just can't, can't end it by giving up. We've got to keep on fighting. You do remind me of Martha. Oh, look, there isn't much left for us, but we could beat them in this one small thing. We can pretend that there's a secret about death and we could refuse to tell them anything. But there isn't anything to tell them. They don't know that. Promise me you won't give in. I suppose the worst they can do is to kill us. Oh, Walter. All right, Miss Evans. Hello, George. Hello, Walter. Now you will tell us how these animals are stopped. George, this may come as a great shock to you, but I've decided not to tell you. Why? Oh, call it a romantic attachment to lost causes. My grandfather was a Confederate officer. Walter, you are not being logical, but that is expected in lower life forms. You will come with me now, Walter. Where are you taking him? To the second level. Come now, Walter. You won't tell them. I can't guarantee anything, but as of now, I don't intend to. We've got to fight. Remember that, Walter. We've got to go out fighting. I think you're right. Come now, Walter. Goodbye. It's been a pleasure, Miss Evans. I am waiting. Come now, Walter. After you, my dear George. You will tell us now, Walter. That was the first level of vibration. There are many more. However, we have calculated that none of them exceed your threshold of unconsciousness. Oh, very clever, George. Of course. You will tell us now how do you stop these animals. You will tell us now? As of now, no. However, I'm not very brave if that encourages you, George. You are not being logical, Walter. You're telling me. We will now use vibration level two. You will tell us now? You know, George, I can't figure it out myself, but I'm stubborn. Maybe it has something to do about the dignity of man, the civilization such as it was that you wiped out. I do not understand. I didn't think you would. So go ahead. Vibrate. Vibration level two. It will be very painful, Walter. Walter? Walter, you are still conscious. Let me alone, George. You will tell us now? You will tell us how you stop the animals? Let me alone. We have had vibration levels one through ten. There are still fifteen more before your threshold of unconsciousness. No, no, no. Let me alone. Walter, listen to me. Another creature sleeps and will not wake. We must know now. That's tough. You better start vibrating again, George. No. What? It would not be logical. We have calculated that no further level of vibration will overcome your irrational psychological block. We conclude you will not tell. You mean you're going to let me go? That is correct. That's real nice of you, George. I appreciate it. We have calculated that the resistance of the female of your species will be lower. We will now place her under the vibrations. No, no, George, you can't do that. Why not, Walter? It is the logical plan. No, no, no. She couldn't take it. Yes, that is what we expect. Therefore, we will go and bring the woman here. No, now listen to me, George. There is no secret to understand that there's no secret. Those animals died from natural causes. And I'm telling you the truth. That is not a logical answer. We will get the woman. Well, I've told you the truth can't you understand? We must know now. The female animal cage next to the duck has been stopped. We must preserve the survivor. The animal next to the duck? We will bring the woman here. She will tell us after the vibration. No, listen, George. George, do you want the truth? Do you want to know how to save the mates of the animals that have been stopped? You will tell us now? Yes, yes, I'll tell you. Take me to that stopped animal. And I'll tell you how to save its mate. Very well, Walter. You are being logical now. We will go. You all right? Just let me catch my breath a minute. What happened? After a while, I told them what they wanted to know. You didn't? Of course. George pointed out it seemed to be the logical thing at the time. You gave up? I suppose you can call it that. Look, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm buried. Yes. Something might turn up, Martha. But they've beaten us completely then. There isn't anything we can do. Not to be human race. And we give up. We don't even die fighting. You call me? Mr. said Martha. I'm sorry. The council of the Zon has met. Something wrong? She, she was my wife. She died two years ago. What were you saying? Nothing. Nothing. It doesn't matter. It's too late. Too late. The whole... What now, George? Zon has been stopped. What? A Zon is dead? That is correct. You didn't believe me, George. But you can die. You can really die. You'll have to get used to that if you're going to stay here. The council has decided. A, you have in some way stopped this Zon. B, you and the woman must be eliminated. You got it wrong, George. I didn't stop that Zon. It's just death. It gets all of us here. You will be eliminated now. But George, it won't do any good to kill us. It won't save you. Everything that lives on earth must die. That is not logical. But it's true. The council has decided. This time, you will have the full vibration. This time? Walter, what did they do to you? They have a rather effective third degree. They tortured you, Walter? Yes, yes. And I... Walter, it was all my fault. I wouldn't even have tried without you. I suppose we have a last chance now to end with some dignity. I think you're a very brave man. There isn't much else to do. Do we go now, George? Now, Walter, wait one second. I have been told another Zon has died. Now? Now will you believe me? The council of the Zon meets now. Two gone already and you were with me, George. You know I didn't kill this one. What stopped him then? I told you it's old man death. You came to the wrong planet, George. Your immortality doesn't go down here. He can stop you, but you can't stop him. And you'll all die if you stick around. And now what? The council has decided this is a place of death. We will leave your planet. Leave? You mean you're giving up? It is not safe for the Zon. Walter, they're leaving. They're really going. Go on then, George, and don't hurry back. It would not be logical to do so. We are leaving the earth now. Goodbye, Walter. Goodbye, George. It's so wonderful to feel the wind and the sun again. There goes the hatches. Walter, is it safe for us to be out here? Sure, they're not interested in us any longer. They only want to get away. And I want to see this grace, the Zon leaving earth forever. Now they're blasting off. There they go. Yes, it's over now. Well, I suppose we might as well go back in. I still don't understand, Walter. What made them go? Oh, I just told them the fact of life. Of death, you mean? No, of life. After all, I thought George was old enough to know at 7,000 years he was getting pretty big boy. I wish you'd stop joking and tell me what happened. Look out for a step. Well, do you remember when the first animals died? Yes, the rabbit and the canary. And their mates just started to pine and waste away? Yes. Well, let worry this on. They wanted to keep the last specimens alive if they could, so finally I broke down and told them about affection. Affection? And then I introduced Donald. Donald, who's that? Here we are. Grace, I want you to meet Donald. Walter, please, what does affection have to do with it? Well, that's what the son wanted to know. I told him it was love that made the world go round, that having lost his mate, Donald would die immediately unless he had affection and constant petting. Petting? I even showed him how. Come here, fella, come here, come here. Yes, I held Donald in my arms and petted him a while and then I let the son take over with the animal in the next cave. What animal? Take a look. Hey, watch out, don't go too close. Walter, it's a rattlesnake. Yes, it's a rattlesnake. The son's metabolism made it impossible for them to die of old age, but I had a hunch they could be poisoned. And it was the snake that killed the two son. They never even knew what bit them. Then you outwitted them, Walter. I suppose. And I thought you'd just given up. Oh, Walter, I'm so proud of you. You don't have to be, I had given up. I probably wouldn't afford it all if you hadn't pushed me. Oh, well... The world to plan a whole new world, Grace. I know. We'll have to decide which animals to let out a zoo and which ones to be safer to keep in, but first... there's a much bigger problem. What's that? The human race. Oh. Yeah, we're gonna make a decision about that. It's a pretty important one. Yes. But... It hasn't been a bad race. Of course, it may go backward for a while until it gets its breath, but while we can save the books and all the most important things get it started ahead once more. Please, Walter. It's the Garden of Eden. Don't be ridiculous. All over again. Don't be ridiculous, Walter. Funny. Even blush like Martha. Only you're stronger than she was. And prettier too. I wish you'd forget about Martha. I think I will, my dear, if you'll only give me a little time. Now, Walter, fairly new, listen to me. If you think for one minute that we... I thought it would never happen to me again. But it is love that makes the world go round. And so, Grace, if you could only... I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man on earth. But that's exactly what I am. I don't care. I don't even want to talk about it. I'm going out. All right, my dear, but think it over and please come back. You see, I told you, it wasn't really so horrible, our story. Remember how it goes. The last man on earth sat alone in the room. And then, there was a knock on the door. Come in. My dear, you see, it wasn't horrible at all. You have just heard the Frederick Brown story entitled Knock, an adventure in time, space, and the unknown world of the future. The world of Dimension X. Now, about next week. Next week, we tell the story of a robot. But a robot that was almost human. Tonight's adventure in Dimension X was adapted for radio by Ernest Connoi. Arnold Moss was heard as Walter Phelan, Louis van Rooten as Dazan, and Joan Alexander as Grace Evans. Your narrator was Norman Rose, music by Albert Berman, engineer Bill Chambers. Dimension X is produced by Van Woodward and directed by Edward King. Tomorrow, here, Sam Spade. Now, it's truth or consequences on NBC.