Helix the Cat

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"Helix the Cat" is a science fiction-fantasy short story by Theodore Sturgeon. The story was written in 1939 or 1940 and submitted to John W Campbell. The editor rejected it, as he felt it didn't fit into either fantasy or science fiction categories.

The manuscript was placed in storage, thought lost by the author, and returned to him about thirty years later. It was published, without any alterations, in Astounding: The John W Campbell Memorial Anthology, in 1973.

Plot introduction

The story is narrated by Pete Tronti, a struggling inventor.

Plot summary

Whilst experimenting with a new form of glass he is trying to perfect, Pete is astonished to hear a disembodied voice from within the bottle he is working with. The voice announces itself to be the soul of Wallace Gregory, who has just died in a road accident. He is hiding from Them, who search out and eat souls.

Gregory persuades Tronti to create a body for him and eventually he takes possession of the body of Helix, Tronti's pet cat. Between them, they then create a modified body for Helix. But when Helix/Gregory start to take over Tronti's life, he decides he has no option but to kill the cat. Helix escapes and goes into business as a cat burglar.

v t e Theodore Sturgeon

Novels	The Dreaming Jewels More Than Human The Cosmic Rape Venus Plus X Some of Your Blood Godbody

Novelizations	The King and Four Queens Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea The Rare Breed

Pseudonymous novels	I, Libertine The Player on The Other Side

Short story collections	Without Sorcery E Pluribus Unicorn A Way Home Caviar A Touch of Strange Aliens 4 Beyond Sturgeon In Orbit Starshine Sturgeon Is Alive and Well... The Worlds of Theodore Sturgeon Sturgeon's West Case and the Dreamer Visions and Venturers The Stars Are The Styx The Golden Helix

Short stories	"Baby Is Three" "Helix the Cat" "If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?" "It!" "Killdozer!" "Microcosmic God" "A Saucer of Loneliness" "Shottle Bop" "Slow Sculpture" "The World Well Lost"

Screenplays	Shore Leave Amok Time

Other subjects	Theodore Sturgeon Award Sturgeon's Law Pon farr Kilgore Trout

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