Time [Cummings] 2

The Shadow Girl

by Ray Cummings

Release: 22 June to 13 July 1929
Format: Short Story
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

In the year 7012 A.D., scientist Poul and his beautiful (shadowy) granddaughter Lea construct a tall tower that can travel throughout time in the area that is presently Central Park in New York City, but an evil mimic creates his own tower from which he conducts time raids (most often involving Lea), and counter-raids ensue.

Lea is but one of the prolific Cummings’s many girls! You can also have the Girl in the Golden Atom, the Sea Girl, the Snow Girl, the Gadget Girl, the Thought Girl, the Girl from Infinite Smallness, and the Onslaught of the Druid Girls.

No vision this! Reality! Empty space, two moments ago. Then a phantom, a moment ago. But a real tower, now! Solid. As real, as existent—now—as these rocks, these trees!

DEBUT

“The Shadow Girl,” in Argosy, 22 June to 13 July 1929.

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Groupings

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY: We haven’t yet mapped out the time travel itinerary.