День триффидов
Shadows Before
Thesenseofreleasewastemperedwithagrowingrealizationofthegrimnessthatmightlieaheadofus.Ithadbeenimpossibleatfirstnottofeelsomesuperiority,and,therefore,confidence.Ourchancesofsurvivingthecatastrophewereamilliontimesgreaterthanthoseoftherest.Wheretheymustfumble,grope,andguess,wehadsimplytowalkinandtake.Butthereweregoingtobealotofthingsbeyondthat.
Isaid:"Iwonderjusthowmanyofushaveescapedandcanstillsee?I’vecomeacrossoneotherman,achild,andababy;you’vemetnone.Itlookstomeasifwearegoingtofindoutthatsightisveryrareindeed.Someoftheothershaveevidentlygraspedalreadythattheironlychanceofsurvivalistogetholdofsomeonewhocansee.Whentheyallunderstandthat,theoutlooksgoingtohenonetoogood."
Thefutureseemedtomeatthattimeachoicebetweenalonelyexistence,alwaysinfearofcapture,orofgatheringtogetheraselectedgroupwhichwecouldrelyontoprotectusfromothergroups.We’dbefillingakindofleadercum-prisonerrole—andalongwithitwentanastypictureofstilluncomfortablyelaboratingthesepossibilitieswhenJosellabloodygangwarsbeingfoughtforpossessionofus.Iwasrecalledmetothepresentbygettingup.
Imustgo,"shesaid."PoorFather.It’safterfouro’clock."
BackinRegentStreetagain,athoughtsuddenlystruckme.
"Comeacross,"Isaid."IfancyIrememberashopsomewherehere
Theshopwasstillthere.
