A woman named Lisabeth, who believes she is Catherine the Great, is taken aboard a spaceship by her brother John and two sisters, Helen and Alice, to Asteroid Thirty-Six, which they claim is a place where she will be happier. The journey is fraught with tension as Lisabeth's delusions clash with her family's perception of her insanity. They argue about the ethics of taking her away without her consent, revealing their own frustrations and desires for their lives back on Earth. As the ship travels through space, Lisabeth's mental state deteriorates, leading her to lash out and attempt to escape. In a moment of chaos, she damages the ship's controls, causing it to crash on a desolate planetoid. The crew struggles to regain control, and amidst the turmoil, Lisabeth finds herself drawn to the idea of the "killing land" outside, believing it to be a place where she could find her true identity and purpose. Upon crashing, they encounter inhabitants who are not the killers Lisabeth expected but rather individuals who wish to die, revealing a twisted societal norm where death is sought after. John realizes that the inhabitants' culture is designed to accommodate those who are considered insane on Earth, allowing them to live out their delusions in a way that brings them happiness. The group eventually escapes the planetoid and is rescued, but Lisabeth is locked away again, her delusions intact. As they prepare to land on Asteroid Thirty-Six, John reflects on the nature of insanity and culture, suggesting that the asteroids provide a refuge for those who cannot fit into societal norms on Earth. Lisabeth, now fully embracing her identity as Catherine, is welcomed with open arms by the inhabitants of the asteroid, who celebrate her return as their ruler. In the end, she dismisses her former companions as strange and insane, fully absorbed in her new identity and the adoration of her subjects, leaving behind the reality of her previous life and the people who once cared for her. The narrative explores themes of identity, sanity, and the societal constructs that define both, ultimately questioning what it means to be truly happy.
By Ray Bradbury · First published 1951 · Genre: Science Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Fantasy