The Space-Being and the Iron Man

           Onedaytherecamestrangenews. Everybodywastalkingaboutit. Roundeyes,busymouths,frightenedvoices–everybodywastalkingaboutit. 

           Oneofthestarsofthenightskyhadbeguntochange. Thisstarhadalwaysbeenaverytinystar,ofnoimportanceatall.Ithadshoneupthereforbillions andtrillionsandsillionsofyearsintheConstellationofOrion, thatgreatshapeofthegianthunterthatstridesacrossspaceonautumnandwinternights. Inallitstimethistinystarhadneverchangedinanyway. 

           Now,suddenly,itbegantogetbigger. 

           Astronomers,peeringthroughtheirtelescopes,noticeditfirst. Theywatcheditwithworriedfrowns. 

           Thattinystarwasdefinitelygettingbigger. Andnotjustbigger.ButbiggerandBiggerandBIGger. EachnightitwasBIGGER. 

           BiggerthantheDog-star,thelarge,colouredtwinklerattheheeloftheHunterOrion. 

           BiggerthanJupiter,thegreatblazingplanet. 

           Everybodycouldseeitclearly,nightafternight,asitgrewandGrewandGREW. Theystaredupwithfrightenedfaces. 

           Tillatlastithungthereintheskyovertheworld,blazingdown,thesizeofthemoon,adeep,gloomyred. Andnowtherecouldbeonlyoneexplanation. Thatstarwasgettingbiggerbecauseitwasgettingnearer. AndnearerandNEARerandNEARER. 

           Itwasrushingtowardstheworld. 

           Fasterthanabullet. 

           Fasterthananyrocket. 

           Fastereventhanameteorite. 

           Andifithittheworldatthatspeed,why,thewholeworldwouldsimplybeblastedtobitsinthetwinklingofaneye. ItwouldbelikeanExpresstrainhittingabowlofgoldfish.