The Toy

audiobook

The Toy

by Kris Neville

EN·~42 minutes·1 chapter

Chapters

1 total
1

42:07

Description

In a stark, sun‑scarred world where alien “God‑men” dominate with relentless metal demons, a small tribe clings to the fading reverence of their ancient deities. A young child, desperate to be remembered, begs a mother to leave behind a simple toy for the invaders—a fragile gesture of humanity amid brutal conquest. Their prayers mingle with the cold night air, setting the tone for a tense clash of cultures.

Under a star‑pierced sky, five tribal hunters crawl through whispering grasses toward the towering wooden stockade, each step a careful battle against fatigue and fear. As the alien sentries patrol above, a lone scout risks a precarious rope climb, his heart racing with every slip and every distant footfall. The silence is broken only by the occasional crack of a pipe and the soft rustle of rope against bark.

The story weaves a haunting portrait of survival, sacrifice, and the yearning to leave something behind when everything else is taken. It invites listeners to feel the weight of each breath and the fragile hope that a single, humble gift might bridge worlds.

Collections

Browse all

Details

Language

en

Duration

~42 minutes (40K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Release date

2021-07-28

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Kris Neville

Kris Neville

1925–1980

A sharp, underappreciated voice from mid-century science fiction, this writer earned lasting admiration for stories that were witty, inventive, and a little offbeat. Best known for the novella Bettyann, he built an early reputation in the magazines before largely stepping away from fiction.

View all books

You may also like

Special Delivery

Special Delivery

by Kris Neville

New Apples in the Garden

New Apples in the Garden

by Kris Neville

Voyage to Far N'jurd

Voyage to Far N'jurd

by Kris Neville

She Knew He Was Coming

She Knew He Was Coming

by Kris Neville

Hold Back Tomorrow

Hold Back Tomorrow

by Kris Neville

Peril of the Starmen

Peril of the Starmen

by Kris Neville

Earth Alert!

Earth Alert!

by Kris Neville

Too Many Eggs

Too Many Eggs

by Kris Neville