Марсианские хроники
October 2026: The Million-Year Picnic
Daddidn’tsayanythingmoreabouttheexplosions;heseemedmuchmoreinterestedinhavingfunwithhissons,keepingthemhappy,thananythingelse.
Michaellikedthefirstcitytheypassed,butthiswasvetoedbecauseeveryonedoubtedquickfirstjudgments.Thesecondcitynobodyliked.ItwasanEarthMan’ssettlement,builtofwoodandalreadyrottingintosawdust.Timothylikedthethirdcitybecauseitwaslarge.Thefourthandfifthweretoosmallandthesixthbroughtacclaimfromeveryone,indudingMother,whojoinedintheGees,Goshes,andLook-at-thats!
Therewerefiftyorsixtyhugestructuresstillstanding,streetsweredustybutpaved,andyoucouldseeoneortwooldcentrifugalfountainsstillpulsingwetlyintheplazas.Thatwastheonlylife—waterleapinginthelatesunlight.
"Thisisthecity,"saideverybody.
Steeringtheboattoawharf,Dadjumpedout.
"Hereweare.Thisisours.Thisiswherewelivefromnowon!"
"Fromnowon?"Michaelwasincredulous.Hestoodup,looking,andthenturnedtoblinkbackatwheretherocketusedtobe."Whatabouttherocket?WhataboutMinnesota?"
"Here,"saidDad.
HetouchedthesmallradiotoMichael’sblondhead."Listen."
Michaellistened.
"Nothing,"hesaid.
"That’sright.Nothing.Nothingatallanymore.NomoreMinneapolis,nomorerockets,nomoreEarth."
Michaelconsideredthelethalrevelationandbegantosoblittledrysobs.
"Waitamoment,"saidDadthenextinstant.
