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Cover of Sweet Their Blood and Sticky

Sweet Their Blood and Sticky

Written by Albert Teichner

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Science FictionShort stories

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About this book

"Sweet Their Blood and Sticky" by Albert R. Teichner is a science fiction short story written in the early 1960s. It explores themes of creation and existence through the lens of a distant future where a mysterious machine continues to operate long after human civilization has vanished. The narrative unfolds in a desolate world, focused on the interactions between sentient beings and an enigmatic contraption, delving into the nature of life that can arise from artificial origins. The story follows Creno and Harta, explorers from another dimension who encounter a vast taffy-producing machine in a barren landscape. As they observe peculiar creatures feasting on the pink substance it generates, they grapple with the notion that this machine may have birthed life itself. Creno, the more seasoned elder, attempts to guide Harta's understanding of the situation, while she becomes increasingly curious about the origins of the beings and the machine. Ultimately, Harta discovers a more ancient machine buried deep beneath the surface, revealing a cycle of creation and destruction, leaving both characters to ponder profound questions about existence and knowledge.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Sweet Their Blood and Sticky, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • Mysterious
  • Philosophical
  • Desolate

Albert R. Teichner's "Sweet Their Blood and Sticky" is an early 1960s science fiction short story set in a distant, post-human future. It follows two dimensional explorers, Creno and Harta, as they discover a massive taffy-producing machine in a desolate landscape. Observing peculiar creatures that feed on its output, the explorers grapple with the profound implication that this artificial contraption may be the source of all life in this barren world. Harta's persistent curiosity leads to the discovery of an even older, more fundamental machine buried beneath, revealing a cyclical process of creation and destruction. The narrative ultimately prompts deep philosophical questions about existence, knowledge, and the nature of life arising from artificial origins.

“"The machine churns, and life, in its own strange way, continues. What more profound testament to existence could there be?"”

Key themes

Creation and Existence
This is the central theme, exploring the concept of life arising from artificial, mechanical origins rather than traditional biological processes. The story challenges fundamental assumptions about what constitutes 'life' and where it can come from, particularly in a post-human context where a machine continues to operate and generate beings.
The Cycle of Life and Destruction
The discovery of the older, buried machine suggests a continuous, cyclical process where life is not a singular event but an ongoing, possibly unending, ebb and flow of creation and dissolution. This theme explores the idea that existence might be a self-sustaining loop, indifferent to individual lives or even the existence of its original creators.
Knowledge vs. Understanding
The story contrasts Creno's initial attempts to rationalize the phenomena with Harta's deeper, more persistent quest for fundamental understanding. It explores the human drive to move beyond mere observation to grasp the underlying mechanisms and implications of what is seen, highlighting the difference between knowing *what* is happening and understanding *why* or *how*.

Worth discussing

How does Teichner's story challenge our conventional definitions of 'life' and 'creation'?

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