The Heat-Ray on Chobham Road

It is still a matter of wonder how the Martians are able to slay men so swiftly and so silently. Many think that in some way they are able to generate an intense heat in a chamber of practically absolute non-conductivity. This intense heat they project in a parallel beam against any object they choose, by means of a polished parabolic mirror of unknown composition, much as the parabolic mirror of a lighthouse projects a beam of light. But no one has absolutely proved these details. However it is done, it is certain that a beam of heat is the essence of the matter. Heat, and invisible, instead of visible, light. Whatever is combustible flashes into flame at its touch, lead runs like water, it softens iron, cracks and melts glass, and when it falls upon water, incontinently that explodes into steam.

It is still a mystery how the Martians can kill people so quickly and silently. Many think they somehow generate intense heat in a chamber that conducts almost no heat. They project this heat in a parallel beam at any object they choose. They do this with a polished parabolic mirror made of an unknown material, much as a lighthouse mirror projects a beam of light. But no one has proved these details beyond doubt. However it works, the essential thing is certainly a beam of heat. It is heat and invisible light, rather than visible light. Anything that can burn bursts into flame when the beam touches it. Lead flows like water, iron softens, and glass cracks and melts. When the beam strikes water, the water immediately explodes into steam.

That night nearly forty people lay under the starlight about the pit, charred and distorted beyond recognition, and all night long the common from Horsell to Maybury was deserted and brightly ablaze.

That night, nearly forty people lay around the pit under the stars, burned and disfigured beyond recognition. All night, the common from Horsell to Maybury was deserted and burning brightly.

The news of the massacre probably reached Chobham, Woking, and Ottershaw about the same time. In Woking the shops had closed when the tragedy happened, and a number of people, shop people and so forth, attracted by the stories they had heard, were walking over the Horsell Bridge and along the road between the hedges that runs out at last upon the common. You may imagine the young people brushed up after the labours of the day, and making this novelty, as they would make any novelty, the excuse for walking together and enjoying a trivial flirtation. You may figure to yourself the hum of voices along the road in the gloaming. . . .

News of the massacre probably reached Chobham, Woking, and Ottershaw at about the same time. In Woking, the shops had closed when the tragedy happened. Drawn by the stories they had heard, a number of people, including shop workers, were walking over Horsell Bridge. They followed the road between the hedges, which eventually leads out onto the common. You can imagine the young people, freshened up after their day's work, using this novelty as an excuse to walk together and enjoy a little flirtation. They would have done the same with any novelty. You can picture the hum of voices along the road in the twilight. . . .

As yet, of course, few people in Woking even knew that the cylinder had opened, though poor Henderson had sent a messenger on a bicycle to the post office with a special wire to an evening paper.

Of course, few people in Woking yet knew that the cylinder had opened. But poor Henderson had sent a messenger on a bicycle to the post office with a special telegram for an evening newspaper.

As these folks came out by twos and threes upon the open, they found little knots of people talking excitedly and peering at the spinning mirror over the sand-pits, and the newcomers were, no doubt, soon infected by the excitement of the occasion.

As these people came out into the open in twos and threes, they found small groups talking excitedly. The groups were peering at the spinning mirror over the sand pits. The newcomers were no doubt soon caught up in the excitement too.

By half past eight, when the Deputation was destroyed, there may have been a crowd of three hundred people or more at this place, besides those who had left the road to approach the Martians nearer. There were three policemen too, one of whom was mounted, doing their best, under instructions from Stent, to keep the people back and deter them from approaching the cylinder. There was some booing from those more thoughtless and excitable souls to whom a crowd is always an occasion for noise and horse-play.

By half past eight, when the Deputation was destroyed, a crowd of three hundred or more may have gathered there. Others had left the road to get closer to the Martians. There were also three policemen, one of them on horseback. Following Stent's instructions, they did their best to keep people back and discourage them from approaching the cylinder. Some of the more thoughtless and excitable people booed. For them, a crowd was always an occasion for noise and rough play.

Stent and Ogilvy, anticipating some possibilities of a collision, had telegraphed from Horsell to the barracks as soon as the Martians emerged, for the help of a company of soldiers to protect these strange creatures from violence. After that they returned to lead that ill-fated advance. The description of their death, as it was seen by the crowd, tallies very closely with my own impressions: the three puffs of green smoke, the deep humming note, and the flashes of flame.

Stent and Ogilvy feared there might be a clash. As soon as the Martians emerged, they telegraphed the barracks from Horsell. They asked for a company of soldiers to protect the strange creatures from violence. After that, they returned to lead the ill-fated advance. The crowd’s account of their deaths closely matches my own impressions: three puffs of green smoke, a deep humming sound, and flashes of flame.

But that crowd of people had a far narrower escape than mine. Only the fact that a hummock of heathery sand intercepted the lower part of the Heat-Ray saved them. Had the elevation of the parabolic mirror been a few yards higher, none could have lived to tell the tale. They saw the flashes and the men falling and an invisible hand, as it were, lit the bushes as it hurried towards them through the twilight. Then, with a whistling note that rose above the droning of the pit, the beam swung close over their heads, lighting the tops of the beech trees that line the road, and splitting the bricks, smashing the windows, firing the window frames, and bringing down in crumbling ruin a portion of the gable of the house nearest the corner.

But that crowd had a much narrower escape than I did. Only a mound of sandy ground covered in heather saved them by blocking the lower part of the Heat-Ray. If the parabolic mirror had been raised a few yards higher, none of them would have survived to tell the tale. They saw the flashes and the men falling. As the Heat-Ray rushed toward them through the twilight, it set the bushes alight, as if an invisible hand were lighting them. Then the beam swept close over their heads. Its whistling rose above the droning from the pit. It set fire to the tops of the beech trees lining the road. It split bricks, smashed windows, and set window frames on fire. It also brought part of the gable of the house nearest the corner crashing down in ruins.

In the sudden thud, hiss, and glare of the igniting trees, the panic-stricken crowd seems to have swayed hesitatingly for some moments. Sparks and burning twigs began to fall into the road, and single leaves like puffs of flame. Hats and dresses caught fire. Then came a crying from the common. There were shrieks and shouts, and suddenly a mounted policeman came galloping through the confusion with his hands clasped over his head, screaming.

The trees suddenly caught fire with a thud, a hiss, and a flash. For a few moments, the terrified crowd seemed to sway uncertainly. Sparks and burning twigs began to fall into the road, along with leaves that looked like puffs of flame. Hats and dresses caught fire. Then cries came from the common. There were shrieks and shouts. Suddenly, a policeman on horseback galloped through the confusion, screaming with his hands clasped over his head.

“They’re coming!” a woman shrieked, and incontinently everyone was turning and pushing at those behind, in order to clear their way to Woking again. They must have bolted as blindly as a flock of sheep. Where the road grows narrow and black between the high banks the crowd jammed, and a desperate struggle occurred. All that crowd did not escape; three persons at least, two women and a little boy, were crushed and trampled there, and left to die amid the terror and the darkness.

“They’re coming!” a woman shrieked. Immediately, everyone turned and pushed against the people behind them to clear a way back to Woking. They must have fled as blindly as a flock of sheep. Where the road narrowed and grew dark between the high banks, the crowd became jammed together. A desperate struggle followed. Not everyone in the crowd escaped. At least three people, two women and a little boy, were crushed and trampled there. They were left to die amid the terror and darkness.