День триффидов
Journey in Hope
Luckilymyowntoughtrucksufferednomorethanscratches,buttwovehiclesmanagedtohitchthemselvestogetherwithdiabolicalingenuity,sothatitwasanawkwardbusinesssinglehanded,andinaconfinedspace,toseparatethem.Itwasaproblemwhichtookmeafullhourtosolve,anddidmegoodbyturningmymindtopracticalmatters.
AlterthatIkepttoamorecautiouspace,exceptforafewminutessoonafterIenteredtheNewForest.Thecauseofthatwasaglimpsethroughthetreesofahelicoptercruisingatnogreatheight.Itwassettocrossmycoursesomewayahead.Byillluckthetreestheregrewclosetothesideoftheroad,andmusthavehiddenitalmostcompletelyfromtheair.Iputonaspurt,butbythetimeIreachedmoreopengroundthemachinewasnomorethanaspeckfloatingawayinthedistancetothenorth.Nevertheless,eventhesightofitseemedtogivemesomesupport.
AfewmilesfartheronIranthroughasmallvillagewhichwasdisposedneatlyaboutatriangulargreen.Atfirstsightitwasascharminginitsmixtureofthatchedandred-tiledcottageswiththeirfloweringgardensassomethingoutofapicturebook.ButIdidnotlookcloselyintothegardensasIpassed;toomanyofthemshowedthealienshapeofatriffidtoweringincongruouslyamongtheflowers.Iwasalmostclearoftheplacewhenasmallfigureboundedoutofoneofthelastgardengatesandcamerunninguptheroadtowardme,wavingbotharms.Ipulledup,lookedaroundfortriffidsinawaythatwasbecominginstinctive,pickedupmygunandclimbeddown.
