День триффидов
Evacuation
Occasionallytwoorthreetogetherwouldblocktheroadentirelysothatitwasnecessarytogodeadslowandnudgeoneofthemoutoftheway.Veryfewofthemwerewrecked.Theblindnessseemedtohavecomeuponthedriversswiftly,butnottoosuddenlyforthemtokeepcontrol.Usuallytheyhadbeenabletodrawintothesideoftheroadbeforetheystopped.Hadthecatastropheoccurredbyday,themainreadswouldhavebeenquiteimpassable,andtoworkourwayclearfromthecenterbysidestreetsmighthavetakendays—spentmostlyinreversingbeforeimpenetrablethicketsofvehiclesandtryingtofindanotherwayround.Asitwas,Ifoundthatourover-allprogresswaslessslowthanitseemedindetail,andwhen,afterafewmiles,InoticedanoverturnedcarbesidetheroadIrealizedthatwewerebythistimeonaroutewhichothershadtraveled,andpartiallycleared,aheadofus.
OnthefartheroutskirtsofStaineswecouldbegintofeelthatLondonwasbehindusatlast.Istopped,andwentbacktoCoker.Asheswitchedoff,thesilenceclosed,thickandunnatural,withonlytheclickofcoolingmetaltobreakit.IrealizedsuddenlythatIbadnotseenasinglelivingcreatureotherthanafewsparrowssincewehadstarted.Cokerclimbedoutofhiscab.Hestoodinthemiddleoftheroad,listeningandlookingaroundhim.
"Andyonderallbeforeuslie
Desertsofvasteternity,"hemurmured.
Ilookedbardathim.Hisgrave,reflectiveexpressionturnedsuddenlytoagrin.
"OrdoyoupreferShelley?"heasked.
