Astounding Stories #15

When an idealistic young scientist named Elston Morrell returns to his hometown determined to prove his practical genius after years of rejection, he decides to demonstrate his remote-control flying motorcycle to the townspeople—but sabotage turns the demonstration into a public humiliation that drives him into complete isolation. Now withdrawn in his laboratory, Morrell pursues a mysterious scientific breakthrough that could change everything, even as the wider world remains unaware of his work. What happens when his discovery finally draws attention from forces far more dangerous than small-town mockery?

Terry Marlowe—born Clarence Tubbs in a small Midwestern town—abandoned his teaching career and his sweetheart Amy to chase his dream of becoming a jazz musician in New York, only to spend five grueling years struggling through one failed band after another. When a chance to play trumpet at a night club finally arrives, he pawns his most prized possession—a gold coin his father gave him—just to get an instrument, and delivers a stunning performance that launches him to stardom. Now successful beyond his wildest imagination, Terry seeks out Amy to share his triumph, only to discover the life he sacrificed for his big break has exacted a price he never anticipated.

Dr. Orin Blakely, curator of the Institute of Psychic Research, explores the origins and persistence of one of humanity's most enduring superstitions: the lucky horseshoe. Through a series of historical tales—from a lost battle decided by a missing shoe, to a prospector's accidental discovery of gold, to a horseshoe pitching champion's narrow escape from a rattlesnake—the doctor traces how this humble object came to be treasured as a charm. He rounds out his investigation with a modern case that puts the superstition to an unexpected test.

Linda has spent her entire life haunted by a mysterious man named Mr. Jones, who keeps appearing at crucial moments—always rescuing her, always watching, and impossibly never aging—while fragmented dreams of an alien civilization plague her nights. Now, on the eve of her 25th birthday, he's promised to finally reveal the truth about her mysterious origins and his strange connection to her, and Linda is about to discover answers that will overturn everything she thought she knew about herself.

When a mysterious stranger settles in an old mansion on the hill, the small Southern town becomes gripped by fear and wild rumors—especially after a panther is killed and peculiar cargo arrives under cover of darkness. Sheriff Murdoch's skepticism crumbles when curious teenagers witness something extraordinary through the house windows, forcing him to confront the truth about the reclusive newcomer. What the sheriff discovers is the remarkable—and desperate—story of Alexander Morrison, a brilliant scientist who risked everything to transform his frail body into something powerful enough to survive.

Hugh Jenson, a trader with a reputation for quick deals, spots a golden idol called Nedru in Chief Paloki's hut and makes a plan to steal it despite the Chief's solemn warnings that the island depends on the idol's presence. When Jenson swipes the treasure and buries it for safekeeping, something strange happens—a jungle springs up overnight where there had been only bare ground, and his greed drives him into a desperate search that slowly unravels his mind and body as he realizes the price of his theft.

In "The Throwbacks," a centuries-old time capsule—sealed for 835 years—unlocks a trio of criminals thrust into a peaceful, nonviolent society. When one man finally stands up to their chaos, the balance shifts, and the past is sealed away once more.

Inventor Irwin Harwell believes he's discovered the perpetual motion machine that will change the world, but every banker, manufacturer, and businessman he approaches dismisses his invention as impossible—until gravity itself mysteriously vanishes, sending everything skyward. Racing against time through the weightless chaos he's somehow unleashed, Harwell must reach the one place where his machine can be stopped before the world is lost to eternal stillness.

Test pilot Ted Foster, recovering from a devastating crash and a nervous breakdown, rents a quiet farmhouse in rural Vermont—only to encounter a mysteriously beautiful young woman named Cynthia Eulalie Parriser who seems to materialize from nowhere and vanishes just as quickly, bound by secrets she refuses to share. Drawn to her despite her cryptic warnings and strange behavior, Ted becomes obsessed with uncovering who she is and why she's hidden away near the abandoned house next door. What connects Cynthia to the desolate property, and why does she insist their acquaintance remain unknown?

A young boy named Tommy awakens from a vivid nightmare about his father's office engulfed in flames, crying out for help—but when his mother calls to check on daddy, the dream turns terrifyingly real. This one-page tale explores the mysterious power of extrasensory perception through a child's inexplicable premonition, leaving readers to wonder whether Tommy's vision was pure coincidence or evidence of a sixth sense we don't yet understand.