День триффидов

           "Itwasquitesimple,thankheaven,"shesaid."PoorMarywashorriblyafraiditmightbeblindtoo,butofcourseit’snot.

           Nowshe’scryingquitedreadfullybecauseshecan’tseeit."Wedrank.

           "It’squeer,"Isaid,"thewaythingsgoon,Imean.Likeaseed—itlooksallshriveledandfinished,you’dthinkitwasdead,butitisn’t.Andnowanewlifestarting,comingintoallthis..."

           Josellaputherfaceinherhands.

           "OhGod!Bill.Doesithavetogoonbeinglikethis?On—andon—andon?"

           Andshe,too,collapsedintears.

           ThreeweekslaterIwentovertoTynshamtoseeCokerandmakearrangementsforourmove.Itookanordinarycar,inordertodothedoublejourneyinaday.WhenIgotbackJosellametmeinthehall.Shegaveonelookatmyface.

           "What’sthematter?"shesaid.

           "Justthatweshan’tbegoingthereafterall,"Itoldher."Tynshamisfinished."

           Shestaredbackatme.

           "Whathappened?"

           "I’mnotsure.Itlooksasiftheplaguegotthere."

           Idescribedthestateofaffairsbriefly.Ithadnotneededmuchinvestigation.ThegateswereopenwhenIarrived,andthesightoftriffidslooseintheparkhalfwarnedmewhattoexpect.ThesmellwhenIgotoutofthecarconfirmedit.Imademyselfgointothehouse.Bythelookofit,ithadbeendesertedtwoweeksormorebefore.Iputmyheadintotwooftherooms.Theywereenoughforme.Icalled,andmyvoiceranrightawaythroughthehollownessofthehouse.

           Iwentnofarther.