День триффидов
Shadows Before
There’dbeanumberinprivategardenstoo;you’dexpectallthosetobesafelydocked—butyounevercantellwhatfoolcarelessnessmaygoon.Andthentherewereseveralnurseriesofthingsandexperimentalstationsalittlefartherout.
WhileIsatthereponderingIwasawareofsomethingnudgingatthebackofmymind,someassociationofideasthatdidn’tquitejoinup.Isoughtitforamomentortwo,then,suddenly,itcame.IcouldalmosthearWalter’svoicespeaking,saying:
Itellyou,atriffid’sinadamnsightbetterpositiontosurvivethanablindman."
Ofcoursehehadbeentalkingaboutamanwhohadbeenblindedbyatriffidsting.Allthesame,itwasajolt.Morethanajolt.Itscaredmeabit.
Ithoughtback.No,ithadjustarisenoutofgeneralspeculation—nevertheless,itseemedahituncannynow.
"Takeawayoursight,"hehadsaid,"andoursuperioritytothemisgone."
Ofcoursecoincidencesarehappeningaltthetime—butit’sjustnowandthenyouhappentonoticethem...
Acrunchonthegravelbroughtmebacktothepresent.Atriffidcameswayingdownthedrivetowardthegate.Ileanedacrossandscrewedupthewindow.
"Driveon!Driveon!"saidJosellahysterically.
"We’reallrighthere,"Itoldher."Iwanttoseewhatitdoes."
SimultaneouslyIrealizedthatoneofmyquestionswassolved.Beingaccustomedtotriffids,Ihadforgottenhowmostpeoplefeltaboutanundockedone.Isuddenlyunderstoodthattherewouldbenoquestionofcomingbackhere
