День триффидов
The End begins
"Oh,"Isaid.
"Butitmustbebetterstilloutside,though.Theysaythousandsofpeopleareoutintheparksandontheheathwatchingitall.Andonalltheflatroofsyoucanseepeoplestandingandlookingup."
"Howlongdotheyexpectittogoon?"Iaskedpatiently.
"Idon’tknow,buttheysayit’snotsobrightnowasitwasinotherplaces.Still,evenifyou’dhadyourbandagesofftoday,Idon’texpectthey’dhaveletyouwatchit.You’llhavetotakethingsgentlyatfirst,andsomeoftheflashesareverybright."They—Ooooh!"
"Why’oooh’?"Iinquired.
"Thatwassuchabrilliantonethen-itmadethewholeroomlookgreen.Whatapityyoucouldn’tseeit."
"Isn’tit?’Iagreed."Nowdogoaway,there’sagoodgirl."Itriedlisteningtotheradio,butitwasmakingthesame"ooohs"and"aaahs,"helpedoutbygentlemanlytoneswhichblatheredaboutthis"magnificentspectacle"and"uniquephenomenon"untilIbegantofeelthattherewasaparryforalltheworldgoingon,withmeastheonlypersonnotinvited.
Ididn’thaveanychoiceofentertainment,forthehospitalradiosystemgaveonlyoneprogram,takeitorleaveit.AfterabitIgatheredthattheshowhadbeguntowane.Theannounceradvisedeveryonewhohadnotyetseenittohurryupanddoso,orregretallhislifethathehadmissedit.
ThegeneralideaseemedtobetoconvincemethatIwaspassinguptheverythingIwasbornfor.IntheendIgotsickofitandswitchedoff.
