День триффидов
Rendezvous
Themanonthefarsideofthegatesaidsomethingthatwasinaudiblewherewestood.
"Howlong?"shoutedthemanonourside."HowinhellwouldIknowhowlongthefood’sgoingtolast?WhatIdoknowisthatifbastardslikeyoudon’tmuckinandhelp,thereain’tgoingtobemanyleftalivebythetimetheycometoclearthisbloodymessup."Hestoodglaringforamoment."Factofitis,you’rescared—searedtoshow‘emwherethefoodis.Andwhy?Becausethemorethesepoordevilsgettoeat,thelessthere’sgoingtobeforyourlot.That’sthewayofit,isn’tit?That’sthetruth—ifyouhadthegutstoadmitit."
Againwefailedtoheartheansweroftheotherman;but,whateveritwas,itdidnothingtomollifyhespeaker.Hestaredbackgrimlythroughthegatesforamoment.Thenhesaid:
"Allright—ifthat’sthewayyouwantit!"
Hemadealightningsnatchbetweenthebarsandcaughttheother’sarm.Inoneswiftmovementhedraggeditthroughandtwistedit.Hegrabbedthehandofablindmanstandingbesidehimandclampeditonthearm.
"Hangonthere,mate,"hesaid,andjumpedtowardthemainfasteningofthegates.
Themaninsiderecoveredfromhisfirstsurprise.Hestruckwildlythroughthebarsbehindhimwithhisotherhand.Achanceswipetooktheblindmanintheface.Itmadehimgiveayellandtightenhisgrip.Theleaderofthecrowdwaswrenchingatthegatefastening.Atthatmomentariflecracked.Thebulletpingedagainsttherailingsandwhirredoffonaricochet.
