02360cam a22003733u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000330011324500130014626400510015930000470021033600260025733700260028333800360030949000380034550000310038350800960041452011750051053400720168565300200175765300180177765300230179565300380181865300300185670000190188683000380190585600430194371867UtSlPG20260610134648.0mcr n260607r20231957utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aYoung, Robert F.,d1915-198614aThe leaf 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2023  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Infinity March 1958  aRelease date is 2023-10-13  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"The Leaf" by Robert F. Young is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores themes of survival and fear in a post-apocalyptic setting, likely influenced by the anxieties of the Cold War era. The story contrasts the tranquility of nature with the impending threat of alien hunters as the protagonist grapples with memories of simpler, carefree days spent hunting in the woods.  In the story, a young boy reminisces about a past autumn day spent hunting squirrels, reliving the pleasure of the hunt and the beauty of the natural world. However, this peaceful memory is disrupted by a catastrophic event that obliterates the cities of the world, leaving him in a state of panic. As he flees into the woods to escape terrifying alien hunters that threaten humanity, he strives to find safety within the trees. The juxtaposition of his joyful memories and the grim reality he faces underscores the story's exploration of human vulnerability in the face of external threats. Ultimately, the boy's instinct for survival shines through as he seeks refuge in the familiar embrace of nature. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cNew York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1957  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aHunting -- Fiction  aHuman-alien encounters -- Fiction  aEarth (Planet) -- Fiction1 aKluga, Richard 0aProduced from Infinity March 195840uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71867