Original subtitles

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.

It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.

It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and

superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his

knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination.

It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.

The time is the day after tomorrow.

The place, a far corner of the universe.

The cast of characters, three men lost amongst the stars.

Three men sharing the common urgency of all men lost.

They're looking for home.

And in a moment, they'll find home.

Not a home that is a place to be seen, but a strange, unexplainable experience

to be felt.

We're getting atmosphere.

At the biggest cost, Pete.

This may be it. It better be. We're about out of fuel.

20.95 parts oxygen, 78.09 nitrogen.

I don't get it.

That's air.

Gravity.

Unit one.

It's incredible.

Addition's identical to Earth, and yet we're 655 million miles away from Earth.

Wait a minute, Pete.

These instruments could be wrong.

What's the difference we're not going anywhere now, yeah, I guess you're right

How

far

did you say we were from Earth

655 million miles.

We're back on Earth.

No.

No? Well, what do you call that, a Martian? Here, boy, come on.

Look at those trees.

It's got to be Earth.

Well, what do you call that?

It's called a tractor.

They were in use on Earth during the 20th century before the total war.

You mean we're on Earth 200 years ago?

It's an interesting theory, Pete, and as possible as any other, except that to my

knowledge, Earth has never had more than one sun.

All right, you explain it.

The only thing I'm certain of is that we're not on Earth.

We're not alone.

Excuse me, sir.

My name is Weber.

We hate to bother you.

What's the matter with him?

Seems to be in some sort of a trance, or... Let's get out of here.

Look, there's somebody.

Hey, mister!

Mister!

How they biting?

Mister?

Hey, wake up.

You hear that?

The music, a band.

Do you hear it?

There's somebody here.

It seems to be coming from over there.

The music's coming from that loudspeaker.

Being piped in from somewhere.

Look!

Concert's over.

Well, any ideas, Professor?

Well, I suppose it could be some sort of illusion.

Yes.

Maybe we're being made to see and hear what we hope to find.

The sights and sounds of home.

No.

No, that's all wrong.

This is more than 200 years ahead of our time.

Or it could be that time itself is suspended here.

Well, time may have, in a sense, have speeded up for us or slowed down for

them.

You mean they might actually be moving?

It's possible.

Then why can't we see it?

Well, you don't see the movements of a clock's hands. Nevertheless, they do

move.

Well, this clock has no hands.

Carl, do you really believe what you're saying?

No, of course not.

But they're not just statues.

They're flesh and blood.

Or something that feels like flesh and blood.

There's something real that's got to be here.

Now, I say...

Separate and meet back here in one hour.

Well, it's better than huddling together like frightened children.

Remember, we meet back here in one hour.

Hello?

Anybody there?

Oh, I'm terribly sorry.

Your Majesty, I don't blame the judges.

You're the prettiest of them all.

But tell me something, Your Majesty.

What's wrong with you?

What's wrong with everybody in this crazy place?

Answer me.

Can't you talk?

Can't you move?

Answer me!

This is the way it was on Earth not so very long ago.

My great-grandfather showed me pictures of it.

Quiet and peaceful.

You mean you like it here?

I would if it were real.

If I could be sure it wasn't all going to vanish in a puff of pink smoke.

Well, as for me, it's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here.

Like it or not, this is home from now on.

Charming.

Lovely, isn't it?

If you want it, it's yours.

Yes, that's true, isn't it?

You don't mind if we have a little look around, do you, sir?

Not at all.

You're most welcome.

My name's Wickwire.

Jeremy Wickwire.

Oh, come, gentlemen, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Truly, there isn't.

But you're real.

Well, of course I am.

Isn't everybody?

I used to think so.

Oh, you mean... Do come inside.

Come on.

Won't you?

Come on, come inside.

There's nothing to be afraid of, I assure you.

Do you like it?

We built it for a Mr... Mr.

Jenkinson. But at the last moment he decided that the one thing he wanted to

be was a knight in armor.

So he's out there in the medieval section, slaying a dragon.

You mean there are other sections?

Oh, yes, of course.

We have many sections.

There's the Roman, the Egyptian, the Wild Western.

But this is the most popular because it represents a period in American culture

when creature comforts were most abundant and before peace on Earth

became impossible.

Now, look, Mr., uh... Wickwire.

Wickwire.

We're from Earth.

Oh? We were on a routine geological mission.

We ran into a meteorite storm.

Some of our equipment was knocked out.

We got lost.

Now, that was six months ago.

We saw this asteroid and we landed.

Our fuel is gone. We've got to stay here.

I see.

I see. Then you're not from the Glades.

The what?

But you are from the Earth.

Tell me, did they ever have that atomic war?

Yes, in 1985.

Most of the Earth's surface was destroyed, and it's taken us 200 years

to pick up the pieces.

Oh, how sad.

Mr. Wickwire, now you've got to explain some things to us before we go out of

our minds.

Certainly, but you look hungry. Let me fix you a little lunch first, then we'll

talk. Wait a second.

Now, you tell us one thing right now.

Where are we?

Why, you're in a cemetery.

Didn't you know?

Please make yourselves comfortable.

I'll be back in a few moments.

Cemetery?

Coffee will be served in a few minutes, gentlemen.

May I propose a toast?

To peace, my friends.

To everlasting, eternal peace.

Excellent.

Lipra milk, isn't it? Yes.

Mr.

Wickwire. We're very confused.

We need help.

Well... Sit down, my boy. Sit down.

Come, sit down.

What is it?

Now, you said that we were in a cemetery.

What did you mean?

Just exactly that.

But before I explain, you must give me some information.

If you were granted your dearest wish, what would your wish be?

I'm not sure I know what you mean.

I mean, where would you rather be right now?

I'd like to be on the ship headed for home.

And you, Captain?

I'll go along with that.

Splendid. And just one thing more.

When you left Earth, what was the date?

September. No, no. The year.

2185.

2185?

Now I understand.

Well, that's nice.

We don't. You see, when you arrived here, I thought you were the men from

Happy Glades. But by your behavior, of course, I could see you couldn't be.

We're still not following you. What's Happy Glades? The world's greatest

mortuary. At least, that's what it used to be.

You see, the management hit upon this scheme as a service to those who could

afford it.

The scheme being?

This little asteroid.

where we would recreate the exact conditions under which the dear departed

could be most happy.

For an example, if the deceased always wanted to be elected mayor, he would

achieve his ambition here, for all eternity.

You mean those people are all dead?

No, no.

Not all of them. Just a select few. The others are imitations.

In other words, this is the place where your dreams come true.

After you've stopped dreaming.

Yes, that might be one way of putting it. Yes, that's very good.

You expect us to believe that explanation?

I hadn't thought of that.

Don't you?

It's true, you know.

Well, I'll admit we haven't come up with anything better.

But a cemetery out in space.

Millions of miles from Earth.

Why? Why?

Yes, why?

Now, your boss could have bought a piece of desert.

Oh, no, no, you don't understand at all.

Happy Glades promises eternal peace.

Everlasting peace.

You couldn't have that on Earth. Now, could you?

He has a point.

Uh, what about you? Me?

Yes, you.

How do you figure in all of this?

Why, I'm the caretaker.

It's my job to make sure that our guests are not disturbed.

Well, when did this mortuary, or whatever it is, begin?

1973, I believe.

Yes, yes.

That would make you a bit on the elderly side, wouldn't it, Mr.

Wire Wick?

Wick Wire.

Now I'm afraid you're forcing me into a rather embarrassing admission.

You see, I'm not actually human.

Oh, I am now, but when you've gone, I shall go back to sleep again until I'm

needed.

You see, I'm merely a scientific...

I go on and off again, like a machine.

You understand?

Yes. It's not very complicated, is it, really?

He goes on and off.

Yes.

I think I must have been off for about 200 years.

Now, look, mister, you think... All right, all right, Pete.

Mr.

Wickwire, we're staying here.

Yes, I know.

Yes, but you said something about our being gone.

Oh, that's a figure of speech, Captain. I meant departed.

Gone on, as it were.

Well, you know what he's saying, don't you?

I told you not to trust him! I told you!

We meant you no harm.

I realize that.

And I'm sorry.

Truly, I am.

The antidote.

Give us the antidote.

There is no antidote, Captain.

Even now, the eternifying fluid is coursing through your veins.

But it won't be painful.

I assure you.

But why?

Why us?

Because you are here and you are men.

And while there are men, there can be no peace.

Kirby, Webber, and Myers.

Three men lost.

They shared a common wish. A simple one, really.

They wanted to be aboard their ship headed for home.

And fate, a laughing fate.

A practical jokester with a smile that stretched across the stars.

Saw to it that they got their wish.

With just one reservation.

The wish came true.

But only in The Twilight Zone.

Rod Serling, the creator of Twilight Zone, will tell you about next week's

story after this word from our alternate sponsor.

And now, Mr. Serling.

Next week, I try to settle an argument to the effect that I'm not at my best

when writing scripts for women.

Miss Vera Miles takes my side in a most unusual and unique story we call Mirror

Image.

I hope to see you next week, you in your living room, and Miss Vera Miles and the

rest of us in the Twilight Zone.

Can we have dynamic growth, low unemployment and reasonably stable

prices? Write for this free booklet to American Assembly, Columbia University,

New York City.