День триффидов
Shadows Before
Themen’snervesweren’tinanytoogoodastateeither;theyshoweditmostlyinshortcursesatbeingstartled.Foritwasanominoussound,oneofthekindsofthingtheyhadbeensubconsciouslyexpecting.Theywaitedforittocomeagain.
Itdid.Frightened,anddyingintoagasp.Butlessalarmingnowthatonewasreadyforit.ThistimeIwasabletoplaceit.Afewstepstookmetoanalleyentrance.AsIturnedthecorneracrythatwashalfagaspcameagain.
Thecauseofitwasafewyardsdownthealley.Agirlwascrouchedonthegroundwhileaburlymanlaidintoherwithathinbrassrod.Thebackofherdresswastorn,andthefleshbeneathshowedredweals.AsIcamecloserIsawwhyshedidnotrunaway—herhandsweretiedtogetherbehindherback,andacordtetheredthemtotheman’sleftwrist.
Ireachedthepairashisarmwasraisedforanotherstroke.Itwaseasytosnatchtherodfromhisunexpectinghandandbringitdownwithsomeforceuponhisshoulder.Hepromptlylashedaheavybootoutinmydirection,butIhaddodgedbackquickly,andhisradiusofactionwaslimitedbythecordonhiswrist.HemadeanotherswipingkickattheairwhileIwasfeelinginmypocketforaknife.Findingnothingthere,heturnedandkickedthegirlforgoodmeasure,instead.Thenhesworeatherandpulledonthecordtobringhertoherfeet.Islappedhimonthesideofhishead,justhardenoughtostophimandmakehisheadsingforabit—somehowIcouldnotbringmyselftolayoutablindman,eventhistype.
