
A curious nine‑year‑old has cobbled together a “disappearer” from a cut‑up beer can, red cardboard and a pair of peepholes. He convinces his mother to try it on a neighbor’s cat, and the feline vanishes with a blink. The simple trick sparks wonder and a few nervous laughs, as the family ponders whether anything can be brought back.
Soon the device’s reach expands beyond pets. A fire plug on a flooded street disappears, leaving the local water crews and police baffled amid rising water and a chaotic neighborhood scene. Children scramble to explain the mystery, while officers try to pin the act on one of the many mischievous siblings. The story blends playful invention with the absurd consequences of a small town’s sudden, baffling losses, inviting listeners to wonder how far a child’s imagination—and a makeshift gadget—can really go.
Language
en
Duration
~13 minutes (12K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2020-01-07
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1914–2002
A late-blooming original, this Oklahoma writer brought tall-tale energy, Catholic imagination, and a wonderfully offbeat voice to science fiction and fantasy. His stories can feel funny, mythic, and startling all at once.
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