День триффидов

           Allroundthewallswehadabeltofcharredstumpsbeforetheybegantogetshy.Therewereadevilofalotmoreofthemthanwehadexpected."

           "Thereusedtobeatleasthalfadozennurseriesbreedinghighqualitytriffidsontheisland—nottomentiontheprivateandparkones,"Isaid.

           "Thatdoesn’tsurpriseme.Theremighthavebeenahundrednurseriesbythelookofit.BeforeallthisbeganI’dhavesaidtherewereonlyafewthousandofthethingsinthewholecountry,ifanyonehadaskedme,buttheremusthavebeenhundredsofthousands."

           "Therewere,"Isaid."They’llgrowpracticallyanywhere,andtheywereprettyprofitable.Theredidn’tseemtobesomanywhentheywerepennedupinfarmsandnurseries.Allthesame,judgingfromtheamountroundhere,theremustbewholetractsofcountrypracticallyfreeofthemnow."

           "That’sso,"heagreed."Butgoandlivethere,andthey’llstartcollectinginafewdays.Youcanseethatfromtheair.I’dhaveknowntherewassomeoneherewithoutSusan’sfire.Theymakeadarkborderroundanyinhabitedplace.

           "Still,wemanagedtothindownthecrowdroundourwallsafterabit.Maybetheygottofinditunhealthy,ormaybetheydidn’tcarealotforwalkingaboutonthecharredremainsoftheirrelatives—and,ofcourse,therewerefewerofthem.Sothenwestartedgoingouttohunttheminsteadofjustlettingthemcometous.Itwasourmainjobformonths.Betweenuswecoveredeveryinchoftheisland—orthoughtwedid.