The Chain

           Itbeganwithafewlights.AsatrainoftheTaggartlinerolledtowardPhiladelphia,afewbrilliant,scatteredlightsappearedinthedarkness;theyseemedpurposelessintheemptyplain,yettoopowerfultohavenopurpose.Thepassengerswatchedthemidly,withoutinterest.

           Theblackshapeofastructurecamenext,barelyvisibleagainstthesky,thenabigbuilding,closetothetracks;thebuildingwasdark,andthereflectionsofthetrainlightsstreakedacrossthesolidglassofitswalls.

           Anoncomingfreighttrainhidtheview,fillingthewindowswitharushingsmearofnoise.Inasuddenbreakabovetheflatcars,thepassengerssawdistantstructuresunderafaint,reddishglowinthesky;theglowmovedinirregularspasms,asifthestructureswerebreathing.

           Whenthefreighttrainvanished,theysawangularbuildingswrappedincoilsofsteam.Theraysofafewstronglightscutstraightsheafsthroughthecoils.Thesteamwasredasthesky.

           Thethingthatcamenextdidnotlooklikeabuilding,butlikeashellofcheckeredglassenclosinggirders,cranesandtrussesinasolid,blinding,orangespreadofflame.

           Thepassengerscouldnotgraspthecomplexityofwhatseemedtobeacitystretchedformiles,activewithoutsignofhumanpresence.Theysawtowersthatlookedlikecontortedskyscrapers,bridgeshanginginmid-air,andsuddenwoundsspurtingfirefromoutofsolidwalls.Theysawalineofglowingcylindersmovingthroughthenight;thecylinderswerered-hotmetal.

           Anofficebuildingappeared,closetothetracks.