Марсианские хроники
November 2005: The Off Season
Helaughedandfiredagain,andonelasttower,onelastchesspiece,tookfire,ignited,andinblueflinderswentuptothestars.
"I’llshowthem!I’llshoweverybody!"
"Goahead,showus,Sam."Shelayintheshadows.
"Herecomesanothercity!"Samreloadedhisgun."Watchmefixit!"
Thebluephantomshipsloomedupbehindthem,drawingsteadilyapace.Hedidnotseethematfirst.Hewasonlyawareofawhistlingandahighwindyscreaming,asofsteelonsand,anditwasthesoundofthesharprazorprowsofthesandshipspreeningtheseabottoms,theirredpennants,bluepennantsunfurled.Inthebluelightshipswerebluedarkimages,maskedmen,menwithsilveryfaces,menwithbluestarsforeyes,menwithcarvedgoldenears,menwithtinfoilcheeksandruby-studdedlips,menwitharmsfolded,menfollowinghim,Martianmen.
One,two,three.Samcounted.TheMartianshipsclosedin.
"Elma,Elma,Ican’tholdthemalloff!"
Elmadidnotspeakorrisefromwhereshehadslumped.
Samfiredhisguneighttimes.Oneofthesandshipsfellapart,thesail,theemeraldbody,thebronzehullpoints,themoon-whitetiller,andalltheseparateimagesinit.Themaskedmen,allofthem,dugintothesandandseparatedoutintoorangeandthensmoke-flame.
Buttheothershipsclosedin.
"I’moutnumbered,Elma!"hecried."They’llkillme!"
Hethrewouttheanchor.Itwasnouse.Thesailfluttereddown,foldinguntoitself,sighing.Theshipstopped.Thewindstopped.Travelstopped.
