Конец вечности
Trapped!
Thesecondtimesomeonehadlaughedinthenextroomandhe,Harlan,haddroppedaknapsackofbook-films.Thefirsttimehe,Harlan,hadturnedandcaughtsightofadoorclosing.Thesecondtimehe,Harlan,closedadoorasastrangerturned.
Hehadmethimself!
InthesameTimeandnearlyinthesameplaceheandhisearlierselfbyseveralphysiodayshadnearlystoodfacetoface.Hehadmisadjustedthecontrols,setifforaninstantinTimewhichhehadalreadyusedandhe,Harlan,hadseenhim,Harlan.
Hehadgoneabouthisworkwiththeshadowofhorroruponhimfordaysthereafter.Hecursedhimselfforacoward,butthatdidnothelp.
Indeedfromthatmomentmatterstookadownwardtrend.HecouldputhisfingerontheGreatDivide.Thekeymomentwastheinstantinwhichhehadadjustedthedoorcontrolsforhisentryintothe482ndforonelasttimeandsomehowhadadjusteditwrongly.Sincethenthingswentbadly,badly.
TheRealityChangeinthe482ndwentthroughduringthatperiodofdespondencyandaccentuatedit.InthepasttwoweekshehadpickedupthreeproposedRealityChangeswhichcontainedminorflaws,andnowhechoseamongthem,yetcoulddonothingtomovehimselftoaction.
HechoseRealityChange2456-2781,V-5foranumberofreasons.Ofthethree,itwasfarthestupwhen,themostdistant.Theerrorwasminute,butwassignificantintermsofhumanlife.
