Get Out of My Body!

"Get Out of My Body!" by Tom W. Harris is a science fiction novella written during the late 1950s. The story centers around an alien entity known as a Ravian, who can inhabit human hosts, creating a sense of paranoia and urgency as the narrative unfolds. The central theme revolves around the infiltration of human bodies by alien beings, highlighting fears of identity loss and the nature of consciousness. The plot follows Chester Forge, a tour chief at Port Knoxville, who is tasked with finding a fugitive Ravian named Minnn that has escaped into the human population. As Chester navigates the challenges of his duty, the story interweaves the perspectives of a young girl, Sally, who unknowingly becomes a host for Minnn, and a professor who later becomes his next target. Throughout the narrative, Minnn experiences the complexities of human emotions and behaviors, which are starkly different from his own kind. As the search intensifies and Minnn's control over his hosts deepens, Chester devises a risky plan to capture him, leading to a startling confrontation that tests both human and alien logic. Ultimately, the story blends humor, existential dread, and an exploration of the boundaries between alien and human mindsets.