Flatterland: Like Flatland. Only More So by Ian Stewart

Author:Ian Stewart [Ian Stewart]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Perceus Books Group
Published: 2012-03-03T07:00:00+00:00

*

When Vikki’s senses returned, everything seemed perfectly normal. Just as in Flatland, the Space Hopper had reverted to being a mere two-dimensional section of its Spaceland glory. At the moment it was roughly circular, though it shrank and expanded in an extremely disturbing, though rhythmic way. She realized that must be the Space Hopper’s breathing.

Actually, things weren’t quite normal. She felt ... well, more curvy than usual, as if her endpoints had been sucked in. But she didn’t feel any unusual compression of her internal organs. It was almost as if her central region had bent.

Platterland no longer looked like a plate. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see the edge any more. Everything just faded out into a distant haze.

They were standing on a footpath, not far from a level crossing. From out of the hazy distance came the mournful hooting of an approaching train.

They hurried over to the crossing. As they neared it, the barrier slid across to bar the way. Fortunately it was semitransparent, otherwise it would have blocked their view. The rails were semi-transparent too - and the barrier was actually a section of rail, which could be swung aside to let travellers pass when there were no trains coming.

With a sound like thunder the train surged past. When the train was far enough away for it to be safe to cross, the barrier opened. The Space Hopper led Vikki out into the middle of the track, and they stared at the departing train. The smoke had cleared, and she could see it perfectly well, even though the rails had appeared to curve when she had seen them from outside Platterland.

The Space Hopper ‘rose’ to a level where his eyes could see the train too. ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘Look, the train’s shrinking!’

Vikki laughed. ‘Don’t be silly. It’s all perfectly normal. That’s just perspective! The further away the train gets, the smaller it looks. It hasn’t changed size in the least.’

‘Oh?’ said the Space Hopper. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course I am!’

‘That’s not what you said just now when we were privileged observers.’

‘But then I could see - oh.’ This was going to be embarrassing, she could tell.

‘Exactly. And you can still see, but now you don’t take what you see literally. So why did you take it literally before?’

Vikki blushed pale grey. ‘Force of habit. But you do have to admit that it all seems perfectly normal now that we’ve entered Platterland.’

The Space Hopper gave her a mischievous look. ’Me? Have to admit? Vikki, I am the Space Hopper - I don’t have to admit anything? He paused. ‘But maybe you’re right. Let’s carry on along this path and see if we can find anything to change your mind. Or mine.’

The path led through a wood, with what looked like perfectly normal flatbushes and jomma trees. An edgehog scurried across the trail just ahead of them, and squarrels ran round the bases of the trees looking for nuts. At least, they looked like squarrels. Except there was something funny about them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.