День триффидов
Shadows Before
ThisonewasmangledthoroughlybeforeIstoodup.
Josellawasstandinginthesamespot,transfixed.
"Comehere,"Itoldher.There’sanotherinthebushesbehindyou."
Sheglancedfearfullyoverhershoulderandcame.
"Butithityout"shesaidincredulously.Whyaren’tyou
"Idon’tknow.Ioughttobe,"Isaid.
Ilookeddownatthefallentriffid.Suddenlyrememberingtheknivesthatwe’dacquiredwithquiteotherenemiesinmind,Iusedminetocutoffthestingatitsbase.Iexaminedit."Thatexplainsit,"Isaid,pointingtothepoisonsacs.
"See,they’recollapsed,exhausted.Ifthey’dbeenfull,orevenpartfullIturnedathumbdown.
Ihadthat,andmyacquiredresistancetothepoison,tothank.Nevertheless,therewerepaleredmarksacrossthebacksofmyhandsandmyneckthatwereitchinglikethedevil.IrubbedthemwhileIstoodlookingatthesting.
"It’squeer,"Imurmured,moretomyselfthantoher,butsheheardme.
"What’squeer?"
"I’veneverseenonewiththepoisonsacsquiteemptylikethisbefore.Itmusthavebeendoingahellofalotofstinging."
ButIdoubtifsheheardme.Herattentionhadrevertedtothemanwhowaslyinginthedrive,andshewaseyingthetriffidstandingby.
"Howcanwegethimaway?"sheasked.
"I’mafraidwecan’t—nottillthatthing’sbeendealtwith,"Itoldher.‘Besides—well,Idon’tthinkwecanhelphimnow.
"Youmeanhe’sdead?"
Inodded."Yes.There’snotadoubtofit—Eveseenotherswhohavebeenstung.
