What if an unassuming object in a dusty London shop window was actually a window to another world?

In The Crystal Egg, H.G. Wells delivers a chilling, contemplative tale of obsession and cosmic mystery. When Mr. Cave, a reclusive and mistreated shopkeeper, discovers that a strange crystal egg in his possession reveals visions of an alien world, he becomes consumed by the silent vistas of Mars—and the winged beings who may be watching us in return.

As the boundary between Earth and the stars blurs, Cave's hidden observations take on an unsettling clarity. Are we truly alone, or merely unaware of the watchers above?

This mesmerizing short story from the father of science fiction explores themes of discovery, alien contact, and the lonely fragility of human life—made all the more haunting by Richard Stibbard's atmospheric narration.