Марсианские хроники
August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains
Inthenurserythejungleburned.Bluelionsroared,purplegiraffesboundedoff.Thepanthersranincirdes,changingcolor,andtenmillionanimals,runningbeforethefire,vanishedofftowardadistantsteamingriver…
Tenmorevoicesdied.Inthelastinstantunderthefireavalanche,otherchoruses,oblivious,couldbeheardannouncingthetime,playingmusic,cuttingthelawnbyremote-controlmower,orsettinganumbrellafranticallyoutandintheslammingandopeningfrontdoor,athousandthingshappening,likeaclockshopwheneachclockstrikesthehourinsanelybeforeoraftertheother,asceneofmaniacconfusion,yetunity;singing,screaming,afewlastcleaningmicedartingbravelyouttocarrythehorridashesaway!Andonevoice,withsublimedisregardforthesituation,readpoetryaloudinthefierystudy,untilallthefilmspoolsburned,untilallthewireswitheredandthecircuitscracked.
Thefireburstthehouseandletitslamflatdown,puffingoutskirtsofsparkandsmoke.
Inthekitchen,aninstantbeforetherainoffireandtimber,thestovecouldbeseenmakingbreakfastsatapsychopathicrate,tendozeneggs,sixloavesoftoast,twentydozenbaconstrips,which,eatenbyfire,startedthestoveworkingagain,hystericallyhissing!
Thecrash.Theatticsmashingintokitchenandparlor.Theparlorintocellar,cellarintosub-cellar.Deepfreeze,armchair,filmtapes,circuits,beds,andalllikeskeletonsthrowninaclutteredmounddeepunder.
Smokeandsilence.Agreatquantityofsmoke.
Dawnshowedfaintlyintheeast
