Its surface was foam rubber, Kramer was certain of that. As he walked, the ground gave slightly with each step but looking back he could see no impression, no sign that he had ever been there. One small step for man that no one would ever know about and even Kramer would not remember.
His sleep was deeper now. Peaceful.
Peace in our time.
Peace on Earth.
Kramer walked on. The landscape that stretched before him was vaguely familiar. Scenes that at first looked alien now turned to half remembered places from his past only never long enough for him to put a name to. A bridged river was ahead. The Amazon in full flood or the little beck at the back of his first house, he wasn't sure. Then it was behind him and had no memory of crossing. The sky above was redder than on earth, that much he was sure of. Or was it? Kramer had only glanced down for a second or two but now the sky was yellow, or purple, that much he was sure of.
Great alien forests appeared and disappeared, mountains were pushed up by some continental force, only to crumble before his eyes. Volcanoes belched nothing but hot air before excusing themselves to anyone who would listen.
Kramer walked on, now under orange skies, the heat, rising from the desert making constantly moving mirages dance before him. The Taj Mahal came and went. Was that the Chrysler Building or are you just pleased to see me? The Lincoln Memorial, now polka-dotted and made out of a cheap plastic resin drifted by and Abe waved a polite hello.
Two giraffes burned in the distance like the Dali picture and Big Ben chimed fifteen.
The closer he got to the range of mountains ahead the further away they seemed to get. Curiouser and curiouser thought Alice and who was Kramer to disagree.
The sun was now setting in the cerise sky but it didn't appear to be getting any darker. No tree or rock or hill cast any shadow. Time had no meaning.
Time was relative thought Kramer and so was his uncle.
We had nothing to fear but fear itself and bleeding big snakes. The landscape changed yet again. Red planet Mars. Big Eyed Beans from Venus.
Oh my, Oh my.
Kramer walked quicker now, afraid to stop as the ground was softer than before and he was sure he would sink if he paused. Trees, hundreds of feet tall lined the pathway that led to the Emerald City that was sure to be just around the next bend, or within the hour, whichever came first. The trees petrified and fell. Great logs like fallen Greek columns barred his way. Kramer had no choice and stopped. The ground held firm and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Now the trees were gone too, and the hills. The view now was of a vast plain, barren and dry, Texas on a bad day. The Lone Star State lost in a multitude of stars.
The sky was black now but the triple moon system made vision easy. Kramer walked on. Shooting stars bombarded the upper atmosphere, criss-crossing each other, creating an interstellar game of noughts and crosses which Kramer lost.
Then lights. Small at first and indistinguishable. He stood and stared at them and was transfixed.
