said Vera.

"We just have to stick it out," said Brunei. "Just remember: _They
can't kill us. They aren't real._"

"Yes," the crew whispered in a tiny, frail voice, "they aren't
real...."

* * * * *

_Seven months out_:

The garden was covered with a gloomy gray cloud layer. Even the
"weather" was getting harder and harder to control.

The crew of starship Number Thirteen huddled around the fountain,
staring into the water, trying desperately to ignore the snufflings,
flappings, wheezes and growls coming from outside the walls. But
occasionally, a scaly head would raise itself above the wall, or a
pterodactyl or bat would flap overhead, and there would be violent
shudders.

"I still think we should stop taking the Omnidrene," said Vera
Galindez.

"If we stopped taking it," asked Brunei, "which would disappear first,
_them_ ... _or the garden?_"

Vera grimaced. "But we've got to do something," she said. "We can't
even make them disappear at all, any more. And it's becoming a full
time job just to keep them outside the walls."

"And sooner or later," interjected Lazar, "we're _not_ going to be
strong enough to keep them out...."

"_Brr!_"

[Illustration]

"The snake! The snake!" screamed Marsha. "It's coming in again!"

The huge black head was already through a portal.

"Stop the snake, everyone!" yelled Brunei. Eyes were riveted on the
ugly serpent, in intense concentration.

After five minutes, it was obviously a stalemate. The snake had not
been able to advance, nor could the humans force it to retreat.

Then smoke began to rise behind the far wall.

"The dragon's burning down the wall!" shrieked Lazar. "Stop him!"

They concentrated on the dragon. The smoke disappeared.

But the snake began to advance again.

"They're too strong!" moaned Brunei. "We can't hold them back."

They stopped the snake for a few moments, but the smoke began to
billow again.

"They're gonna break through!" screamed Donner. "We can't stop 'em!"

"What are we gonna do?"

"Help!"

Creakings, cracklings, groanings, as the walls began to crack and
blister and shake.

Suddenly Bram Daker stood up, his dark eyes aflame.

"Only one thing's strong enough!" he bellowed. "Earth! _Earth!_ EARTH!
Think of Earth! All of you! We're back on Earth. Visualize it, make it
real, and the monsters'll have to disappear."

"But _where_ on Earth?" said Vera, bewildered.

"The Spaceport!" shouted