The Smiler

"The Smiler" by Albert Hernhuter is a science fiction story is a gripping tale of alien invasion where disguised Martians scheme to control Earth. The story revolves around Martin Cole, a literary agent claiming he murdered a writer, Sanford Smith, to guard a Martian scheme for global takeover. Cole exposes during an inquest that Martians see science fiction writers as threats because their creative stories could expose them. The story continues to showcase Cole's calm behavior only hides the horrifying depth of the Martian infiltration, leaving a haunting feeling of pervasive influence, concluding with Cole’s deadly act using a disguised weapon.