День триффидов
Dead End
Afterpracticingforhalfanhour,hetookthehelicopteroffandflewitbacktoCharcott.
Forfourdaysthemachinehoveredaroundinwideningcircles.OntwoofthemCokerobserved;ontheothertwoIreplacedhim.Inall,wediscoveredtenlittlegroupsofpeople.NoneofthemknewanythingoftheBeadleyparty,andnoneofthemcontainedJosella.Aswefoundeachlot,welanded.Usuallytheywereintwosandthrees.Thelargestwasseven.Theywouldgreetusinhopefulexcitement,butsoon,whentheyfoundthatwerepresentedonlyagroupsimilartotheirown,andwerenotthespearheadofarescuepartyonthegrandscale,theirInterestwouldlapse.Wecouldofferthemlittlethattheyhadnotgotalready.Someofthembecameirrationallyabusiveandthreateningintheirdisappointment,butmostsimplydroppedbackintodespondency.Asaruletheyshowedlittlewishtojoinupwithotherpartiesandwereinclinedrathertolayhandsonwhattheycould,buildingthemselvesintorefugesascomfortablyaspossiblewhiletheywaitedforthearrivaloftheAmericans,whowereboundtofindaway.Thereseemedtobeawidespreadandfixedideaaboutthis.OursuggestionsthatanysurvivingAmericanswouldbelikelytohavetheirhandsmorethanfullathomewasreceivedassomuchwet-blanketry.TheAmericans,theyassuredus,wouldneverhaveallowedsuchathingtohappenintheircountry.
