# ID this sci-fi/horror short-story/book (Alien with wheels)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 16, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528 "2008-04-16T01:18:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/1 "2008-04-16T01:18:51Z")
My friend has recruited me to find the title of a short story or book he read back in the mid-80s.
An alien was chasing a guy and he never ran but he never stopped, either. The guy was getting tired of staying one step ahead. The alien had wheels (? maybe?) and a syringe in one of his arms. Along the way he fought a bear and the bear put up a good fight but lost.
Ringing any bells?
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### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/2 "2008-04-16T01:25:32Z")
That sounds like “The Ruum,” by Arthur Porges.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/3 "2008-04-16T02:41:40Z")
I’m impressed and so is my friend. Thank you very much. Any idea where we can find it?
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/4 "2008-04-16T02:54:08Z")
[Alibris.](http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=9412029018&qauth=porges&qtit=ruum&browse=2&qsort=&page=1) Other than that, I suggest you consult your local librarian, and see if s/he can rustle up a copy of one of the F/SF anthologies that included it.
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### Author:  [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/5 "2008-04-16T03:22:22Z")
There are reasonably-priced paperback anthologies that contain the story. Try [this](http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=772102189&searchurl=an%3Dcrispin%26sts%3Dt%26tn%3Dbest%2Bsf%253A%2Bscience%2Bfiction%2Bstories%26x%3D0%26y%3D0) or [this](http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=772102188&searchurl=an%3Dcrispin%26sts%3Dt%26tn%3Dbest%2Bsf%253A%2Bscience%2Bfiction%2Bstories%26x%3D0%26y%3D0).
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-sci-fi-horror-short-story-book-alien-with-wheels/445528/6 "2008-04-16T16:37:10Z")
Always loved the denouement - where he’d (IIRC) lost enough weight in the chase that he was out of sample range