День триффидов

           Ijustwantenoughspaceinoneofthemforthesecases.Ifyouthinkwecantsparethat,I’llgooutandfindatrailer,oranothertruck."

           "No,leave‘emwheretheyare.Theydon’ttakealotofroom,"hedecided.

           Wewentintothebuildingandhadsometeaatanimprovisedcanteenwhichapleasant-faced,middle-agedwomanhadcompetentlysetupthere.

           "Hethinks."IsaidtoJosella,"thatI’vegotabeeinmybonnetovertriffids."

           "He’lllearn—I’mafraid,"shereplied."It’squeerthatnooneelseseemstohaveseenthemabout."

           "Thesepeoplehaveallbeenkeepingprettymuchtothecenter,soit’snotverysurprising.Afterall,we’veseennoneourselvestoday.’’

           ‘Doyouthinkthey’llcomerightdownhereamongthestreets?"

           "Icouldn’tsay.Maybelostoneswould."

           "Howdoyouthinktheygotloose?"sheasked.

           "Iftheyworry’atastakehardenoughandlongenough,it’llusuallycomeintheend,Thebreakoutsweusedtogetsometimesonthefarmswereusuallyduetotheirallcrowdingupagainstonesectionofthefenceuntilitgaveway.

           "Butcouldn’tyoumakethefencesstronger?"

           Wecouldhavedone,butwedidn’twantthemfixedquitepermanently.Itdidn’thappenveryoften,‘andwhenitdiditwasusuallysimplyfromonefieldtoanother,sowe’djustdrivethembackandputupthefenceagain.Idon’tthinkanyofthemwillintentionallymakethisway.