День триффидов
World Narrowing
Thefirstintimationofthatwasathunderouscrashbehindmesomewhereintheinnersuburbs.Istoppedthetruck,andlookedbacktoseethedustrisingfromaheapofrubblewhichlayacrosstheroad.Evidentlymyrumblingpassagebadgiventhelastshaketoatotteringhousefront.Ibroughtnomorebuildingsdownthatday,butIspentitinapprehensionofadescendingtorrentofbricksandmortar.ThereafterIIconfinedmyattentiontosmallertowns,andusuallywentaboutthemonfoot.
Brighton,whichshouldhavebeenourlargestconvenientsourceofsupplies,Iletalone.BythetimeIhadthoughtitfitforavisit,otherswereinchargethere.Whoorhowmanytherewere,Ididnotknow.Isimplyfoundaroughwallofstonespiledacrosstheroadandpaintedwiththeinstruction:
KEEPOUT!
Theadvicewasbackedupbythecrackofarifleandaspurtofdustjustinfrontofme.Therewasnooneinsighttoarguewith—besides,itarguingkindofgambit.
Iturnedthetruckroundanddroveawaythoughtfully.IwonderedifatimemightcomewhenthemanStephen’spreparationsfordefensemightturnouttobenotsomisplacedafterall.Justtobeonthesafeside,Ilaidinseveralmachinegunsandmortarsfromthesourcewhichhadalreadyprovideduswiththeflamethrowersweusedagainstthetriffids.
IntheNovemberofthatsecondyearJosella’sfirstbabywasborn.WecalledhimDavid.Mypleasureinhimwasattimesalloyedwithmisgivingsoverthestateofthingswehadcreatedhimtoface.ButthatwordedJosellamuchlessthanitdidme.
