Where the World is Quiet

"Where the World is Quiet" by Henry Kuttner is a science fiction story that unfolds in the Peruvian Andes, exploring the eerie intersection of ancient myths and alien encounters. An anthropologist named Señor White investigates the vanishing of young girls near Huascan, leading him into a fog-shrouded valley harboring bizarre plants and traces of a forgotten, non-human civilization. He discovers a sinister alien presence draining the life from the girls, turning them into animated shells. A dying alien intelligence, Lhar, helps White understand the need to fight the malevolent force behind it all. White is faced with difficult decisions about the fate of these girls, resulting in an intense battle with potentially far-reaching impacts.