THE MEN IN THE WALLS
By WILLIAM TENN
Illustrated by FINLAY
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Science Fiction October 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The world was divided between the Men and the
Monsters—but which were Monsters and which were Men?
I
Mankind consisted of 128 people.
The sheer population pressure of so vast a horde had long ago filledover a dozen burrows. Bands of the Male Society occupied the outermostfour of these interconnected corridors and patrolled it with theirfull strength, twenty-three young adult males in the prime of courageand alertness. They were stationed there to take the first shock ofany danger to Mankind, they and their band captains and the youthfulinitiates who served them.
Eric the Only was an initiate in this powerful force. Today, he was astudent warrior, a fetcher and a carrier for proven, seasoned men. Buttomorrow, tomorrow....
This was his birthday. Tomorrow, he would be sent forth to Steal forMankind. When he returned—and have no fear: Eric was swift, Eric wasclever, he would return—off might go the loose loin cloths of boyhoodto be replaced by the tight loin straps of a proud Male Society warrior.
He would be free to raise his voice and express his opinions in theCouncils of Mankind. He could stare at the women whenever he liked,for as long as he liked, to approach them even—
He found himself wandering to the end of his band's burrow, stillcarrying the spear he was sharpening for his uncle. There, where awomen's burrow began, several members of the Female Society werepreparing food stolen from the Monster larder that very day. Each spellhad to be performed properly, each incantation said just right, orit would not be fit to eat. It might even be dangerous. Mankind wasindeed fortunate: plenty of food, readily available, and women who wellunderstood the magical work of preparing it for human consumption.
And such women—such splendid creatures!
Sarah the Sickness-Healer, for example, with her incredible knowledgeof what food was fit and what was unfit, her only garment a cloud ofhair that alternately screened and revealed her hips and breasts, thelargest in all Mankind. There was a woman for you! Over five littersshe had had, two of them of maximum size.
Eric watched as she turned a yellow chunk of food around and aroundunder the glow lamp hanging from the ceiling of the burrow, looking forshe only knew what and recognizing it when she found it she only knewhow. A man could really strut with such a mate.
But she was the wife of a band leader and far, far beyond him. Herdaughter, though, Selma the Soft-Skinned, would probably be flatteredby his attentions. She still wore her hair in a heavy bun: it wouldbe at least a year before the Female Society would consider her aninitiate and allow her to drape it about her nakedness. No, far tooyoung and unimportant for a man on the very verge of warrior status.
Another girl caught his eye. She had been observing him for some timeand smiling behind her lashes, behind her demurely set mouth. Harrietthe History-Teller, the oldest daughter of Rita the Record-Keeper,who would one day succeed to her mother's office. N