The narrative follows a man who encounters a mysterious couple, Summer and Wyn Storm, during a thunderstorm in a park. They appear disoriented and claim to have lost their memories. As the protagonist helps them settle into his home, he becomes enamored with Summer, who exhibits strange behavior and seems to age backward. Wyn, who suffers from amnesia, eventually leaves to seek answers about their past. As time progresses, Summer's condition worsens, leading to her physical regression into childhood. Wyn returns after years of research, revealing that Summer experiences time in reverse, recalling the future while forgetting the past. He theorizes that she is living backward in time, and their son, Mark, is a manifestation of this phenomenon. Wyn's experiments to reverse Summer's condition culminate in a catastrophic explosion, leading to the belief that both Summer and Mark have vanished. Wyn concludes that he is both the father and son of Summer, having been born from her in a paradoxical cycle of existence. The story explores themes of identity, time, and the complexities of love, ultimately questioning the nature of creation and existence itself.
By Charles L. Fontenay · First published 1958 · Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Adventure