Tomy and the Planet of Lies Read Online Free PDF

I said, and added, “We know of no planets outside of our own solar system.”
    â€œThen it’s about time you learnt something new. Time for exo-biology 101!” the stranger laughed as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “And I’ll show you my home sun when it gets dark again.”
    It was only then that I realized that a glowing red sun had climbed over the horizon and the car, as well as the dunes all around us, was throwing long shadows across the sand. Unconcerned about my dubious expression the stranger explained.
    â€œI was brought here by the impulse, and that must have come from you,” he pointed at me, “otherwise I wouldn’t have ended up a younger version of you…”
    Marc interrupted excitedly: “This is all bull! He’s making up some crap and we’re listening like school kids!”
    The stranger’s face took on a serious expression. I had used to look like that when I was trying to explain something important. He looked Marc and me both in the eyes, one after the other and said:
    â€œI cannot lie!”
    A moment later, after a pause in which it seemed we could have heard even the lightest breeze if there had been one, he asked again: “Give me a name, please.”
    Seeing as I didn’t answer because I was still busy trying to sort out my crazy thoughts, the stranger continued:
    â€œYou have two forenames. You are called Erich Anton von Däniken. You could give me your second forename.”
    â€œ What ?” Marc broke in, “You’re called Erich Anton? Toni?”
    â€œI never use my second name,” I replied. “As far as I’m concerned,” I pointed at the stranger, “he can have it. He can be Toni.”
    â€œRubbish!” cried Marc, “Toni sounds like some kind of stolid, upright, Alpine farmer’s name. Tomy is much better.”
    â€œWhatever. Tomy is fine by me.” Then, I meant it mockingly, I shrugged my shoulders and nodded my head towards the stranger in the blanket: “I hereby name you Tomy! Happy?”
    â€œAccepted!” Tomy replied and smiled an expansive smile, displaying ‘my’ broad incisors, which I no longer had, at least as sweetly as I had done thirty years earlier.
    Then there was a moment’s silence and we all stared at each other goofily. Until Marc asked:
    â€œSo, when are you gonna disappear back into thin air?” Marc was getting more brazen.
    â€œThat might take a while,” grumbled Tomy coolly. “I am a human being, like you. And this body,” he pointed with both his hands at his chest, grimacing as if the body was repugnant to him, “will die some day.”
    â€œCan you do magic, or fly, or something like that? Like Superman?” asked Marc, somewhat contemptuously.
    â€œNo,” answered Tomy with a smile and a hint of superciliousness. “But I can take over being like you. I had to do it to Erich for a short time—or do you think we speak Swiss German on my planet? Everything that Erich knew up until the age of … um … 22 years, four months and 24 days, I know too. The rest is somewhat patchy. And, of course, I know some things from where I come from.”
    He still stood by the car door, the yellow-brown blanket hanging over his left shoulder like a tunic. The sun was now casting a mixture of crimson light and black shadows over the fantastic scene. Tomy repeatedly looked over to me as if he wanted to say: do you finally understand? Idiot! But he said nothing. Then I had the idea of giving him something to eat. Not out of pity, but simply to check if his body really was human. I was still holding the pistol, a ten-round SIG with the safety off, in my right hand, even if it was only pointed at the ground now. I asked Marc to fetch me a can of tuna from our provisions. I threw it over to Tomy and told him to eat.
    â€œAnd how am I supposed to open the can?”
    Marc dug the can