The River of Dancing Gods Read Online Free PDF
Author: Jack L. Chalker
Ruddygore mused. "No, this is no dream, but think of it that way if you like. For, in a sense, we're all just dreams. The Creator's dreams. And where we travel to is out there." He gestured with a cane, gold-tipped and with a dragon's head for a handle. "Out across the Sea of Dreams and beyond to the far shore. So take it as a dream, the both of you, if you wish. As a dream, you have even less to lose..
The pistol finally went down and was replaced in Joe's pocket. He looked back at the truck. "Maybe we should get our things..
"You won't need them," Ruddygore told him. "All will be provided to you as you need it. That's part of the bargain..
The whistle sounded a third time, very close now, and Ruddygore turned to face the dark direction of its cry. "Come. Just follow me..
Joe looked back at his truck again. "I should at least kill the motor and the lights," he said wistfully. "That truck's the only thing I got, the only thing I ever had in my whole life that was real. This ferry—I don't suppose...?.
Ruddygore shook his head sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. Your truck wouldn't work over there. The captain would never allow it, anyway, because we couldn't get it off the boat and it would take up too much room. But don't worry about it, Joe. It's not really here, you see. It's somewhere back there, on your Interstate 10..
With that the truck faded and was gone, lights, engine noise, and all, and they were in total darkness.
The whistle sounded once more, and it seemed almost on top of them.
CHAPTER 2 Page 17 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods ACROSS THE SEA OF DREAMS Travel between universes shall be difficult and highly restricted.
—XXI, 55, 44(b) THE FERRY CAME OUT OF THE DARKNESS, FLOATING ON A SEA of black. It surprised them that it looked very much like the old ferryboats—an oval-shaped, double-ended affair with a lower platform for cars, and stairways up both sides to the upper deck, where the twin pilothouses, one at each end of the boat, flanked a passenger lounge of some sort with a large single stack rising right up the middle. The sides of the car deck weren't solid, but were punctuated by five large openings •on each side, openings without windows or other obstructions, yet the car deck could not be seen through them.
Each one of the huge, round holes had a gigantic oar sticking out of it. The oars were in a raised position, seemingly locked in place. It was clear from the engine sounds and the wisps of white from the stack that the captain was using his engine.
"I never saw a ferry except in pictures," the woman remarked, "but I bet nobody ever saw one with oars before..
Ruddygore nodded. "The engine's in good shape for settling in on this side, but, once out on the sea and to the other shore, that kind of mechanical power just isn't possible to use." He paused a moment. "Ah! It's docked! Shall we go aboard?.
Joe stood there and stared for a minute. "Funny," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I swear I've seen this thing before someplace. Way, way back and long ago. When I was a kid..
He scratched his head a moment, then snapped his fingers.
"Yeah! Sure! The old Chester ferry. Long, long ago." He peered into the gloom, but the illumination from the passenger deck allowed him to see what he was looking for. "Yeah. There on the side. Kinda faded and peeling, but you can still make out the words 'Chester—Bridgeport.' I'll be damned!.
Ruddygore nodded. "It takes many shapes and many forms, for it's shaped from history and from memories, the backwash 21 22 THE RIVER OF DANCING GODS of the world flowing backward into the sea whence it came.
It is as it is because of your memories, Joe. But—come! I don't want to keep it waiting; as I said, it has a schedule to keep." He paused briefly. "You're not having second thoughts now, are you? Either of you?.
Joe looked at the woman, and she shrugged and gestured ahead with
The pistol finally went down and was replaced in Joe's pocket. He looked back at the truck. "Maybe we should get our things..
"You won't need them," Ruddygore told him. "All will be provided to you as you need it. That's part of the bargain..
The whistle sounded a third time, very close now, and Ruddygore turned to face the dark direction of its cry. "Come. Just follow me..
Joe looked back at his truck again. "I should at least kill the motor and the lights," he said wistfully. "That truck's the only thing I got, the only thing I ever had in my whole life that was real. This ferry—I don't suppose...?.
Ruddygore shook his head sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. Your truck wouldn't work over there. The captain would never allow it, anyway, because we couldn't get it off the boat and it would take up too much room. But don't worry about it, Joe. It's not really here, you see. It's somewhere back there, on your Interstate 10..
With that the truck faded and was gone, lights, engine noise, and all, and they were in total darkness.
The whistle sounded once more, and it seemed almost on top of them.
CHAPTER 2 Page 17 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods ACROSS THE SEA OF DREAMS Travel between universes shall be difficult and highly restricted.
—XXI, 55, 44(b) THE FERRY CAME OUT OF THE DARKNESS, FLOATING ON A SEA of black. It surprised them that it looked very much like the old ferryboats—an oval-shaped, double-ended affair with a lower platform for cars, and stairways up both sides to the upper deck, where the twin pilothouses, one at each end of the boat, flanked a passenger lounge of some sort with a large single stack rising right up the middle. The sides of the car deck weren't solid, but were punctuated by five large openings •on each side, openings without windows or other obstructions, yet the car deck could not be seen through them.
Each one of the huge, round holes had a gigantic oar sticking out of it. The oars were in a raised position, seemingly locked in place. It was clear from the engine sounds and the wisps of white from the stack that the captain was using his engine.
"I never saw a ferry except in pictures," the woman remarked, "but I bet nobody ever saw one with oars before..
Ruddygore nodded. "The engine's in good shape for settling in on this side, but, once out on the sea and to the other shore, that kind of mechanical power just isn't possible to use." He paused a moment. "Ah! It's docked! Shall we go aboard?.
Joe stood there and stared for a minute. "Funny," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I swear I've seen this thing before someplace. Way, way back and long ago. When I was a kid..
He scratched his head a moment, then snapped his fingers.
"Yeah! Sure! The old Chester ferry. Long, long ago." He peered into the gloom, but the illumination from the passenger deck allowed him to see what he was looking for. "Yeah. There on the side. Kinda faded and peeling, but you can still make out the words 'Chester—Bridgeport.' I'll be damned!.
Ruddygore nodded. "It takes many shapes and many forms, for it's shaped from history and from memories, the backwash 21 22 THE RIVER OF DANCING GODS of the world flowing backward into the sea whence it came.
It is as it is because of your memories, Joe. But—come! I don't want to keep it waiting; as I said, it has a schedule to keep." He paused briefly. "You're not having second thoughts now, are you? Either of you?.
Joe looked at the woman, and she shrugged and gestured ahead with
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