The Slizzers

"The Slizzers" by Jerome Bixby is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative revolves around an insidious species known as the "slizzers," who can disguise themselves as humans and feed off the positive emotions of their hosts. The story explores themes of identity, perception, and hidden danger in everyday social interactions. The protagonist, Jerry, becomes unwittingly aware of the slizzers during a poker night with friends, where he starts to notice peculiar changes in his friend Joe. As the night unfolds, Jerry experiences an unsettling sensation of déjà vu, suggesting a deeper connection to the slizzers' true nature. Through a blend of casual conversation and unexpected revelations, it's revealed that the slizzers need human energy to survive, raising questions about the nature of existence and the hidden threats among us. The story leaves readers pondering whom they can trust and the unseen forces that may manipulate their lives and emotions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Drexel Jerome Lewis Bixby was an American short story writer and scriptwriter. He wrote the 1953 story "It's a Good Life", which was included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame. It formed the basis of a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone and was remade in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983). He wrote four episodes for the Star Trek series: "Mirror, Mirror", "Day of the Dove", "Requiem for Methuselah", and "By Any Other Name". With Otto Klement, he co-wrote the story upon which the science fiction movie Fantastic Voyage (1966), the related television series, and the related Isaac Asimov novel were based. Bixby's final produced or published work so far was the screenplay for the 2007 science fiction film The Man from Earth.