The Philip K. Dick Short Story Collection - 5 Lost Sci-Fi Short Stories from the 1940s, 50s and 60s written by Philip K. Dick

The Hanging Stranger - Ed had always been a practical man, when he saw something was wrong he tried to correct it. Then one day he saw it hanging in the town square. From the lamppost something was hanging. A shapeless dark bundle, swinging a little with the wind. Like a dummy of some sort. Loyce rolled down his window and peered out. What the hell was it? A display of some kind? Sometimes the Chamber of Commerce put up displays in the square.

The Gun - Nothing moved or stirred. Everything was silent, dead. Only the gun showed signs of life ... and the trespassers had wrecked that for all time. The return journey to pick up the treasure would be a cinch ... they smiled.

Beyond The Door - Larry Thomas bought a cuckoo clock for his wife—without knowing the price he would have to pay. That night at the dinner table he brought it out and set it down beside her plate. Doris stared at it, her hand to her mouth. "My God, what is it?" She looked up at him, bright-eyed.

Beyond Lies The Wub - The slovenly wub might well have said: Many men talk like philosophers and live like fools. They had almost finished with the loading. Outside stood the Optus, his arms folded, his face sunk in gloom. Captain Franco walked leisurely down the gangplank, grinning.

The Eyes Have It - A little whimsy, now and then, makes for good balance. Theoretically, you could find this type of humor anywhere. But only a topflight science-fictionist, we thought, could have written this story, in just this way…