Марсианские хроники
October 2026: The Million-Year Picnic
"Wheredidyougettherocket?"whisperedTimothy,fortheotherboyswererunningahead.
"Isavedit.Isaveditfortwentyyears,Tim.Ihadithiddenaway,hopingI’dneverhavetouseit.IsupposeIshouldhavegivenittothegovernmentforthewar,butIkeptthinkingaboutMars…"
"Andapicnic!"
"Right.Thisisbetweenyouandme.WhenIsaweverythingwasfinishingonEarth,afterI’dwaiteduntilthelastmoment,Ipackedusup.BertEdwardshadashiphidden,too,butwedecideditwouldbesafertotakeoffseparately,incaseanyonetriedtoshootusdown."
"Why’dyoublowuptherocket,Dad?"
"Sowecan’tgoback,ever.AndsoifanyofthoseevilmenevercometoMarstheywon’tknowwe’rehere."
"Isthatwhyyoulookupallthetime?"
"Yes,it’ssilly.Theywon’tfollowus,ever.Theyhaven’tanythingtofollowwith.I’mbeingtoocareful,isall."
Michaelcamerunningback."Isthisreallyourcity,Dad?"
"Thewholedarnplanetbelongstous,kids.Thewholedarnplanet."
Theystoodthere,KingoftheHill,TopoftheHeap,RulerofAllTheySurveyed,UnimpeachableMonarchsandPresidents,tryingtounderstandwhatitmeanttoownaworldandhowbigaworldreallywas.
Nightcamequicklyinthethinatmosphere,andDadlefttheminthesquarebythepulsingfountain,wentdowntotheboat,andcamewalkingbackcarryingastackofpaperinhisbighands.
Helaidthepapersinaclutterinanoldcourtyardandsetthemafire.
