In the Storm

Leatherhead is about twelve miles from Maybury Hill. The scent of hay was in the air through the lush meadows beyond Pyrford, and the hedges on either side were sweet and gay with multitudes of dog-roses. The heavy firing that had broken out while we were driving down Maybury Hill ceased as abruptly as it began, leaving the evening very peaceful and still. We got to Leatherhead without misadventure about nine o’clock, and the horse had an hour’s rest while I took supper with my cousins and commended my wife to their care.

Leatherhead is about twelve miles from Maybury Hill. The scent of hay filled the air over the lush meadows beyond Pyrford. The hedges on either side were fragrant and bright with countless dog-roses. Heavy firing had broken out as we drove down Maybury Hill. It stopped as suddenly as it had begun, leaving the evening peaceful and still. We reached Leatherhead safely at about nine o’clock. The horse rested for an hour while I had supper with my cousins and left my wife in their care.

My wife was curiously silent throughout the drive, and seemed oppressed with forebodings of evil. I talked to her reassuringly, pointing out that the Martians were tied to the pit by sheer heaviness, and at the utmost could but crawl a little out of it; but she answered only in monosyllables. Had it not been for my promise to the innkeeper, she would, I think, have urged me to stay in Leatherhead that night. Would that I had! Her face, I remember, was very white as we parted.

My wife was strangely quiet throughout the drive and seemed weighed down by fears of something terrible. I tried to reassure her. I pointed out that the Martians were trapped in the pit by their sheer weight. At most, they could only crawl a little way out of it. But she answered only in single words. If I had not promised the innkeeper, I think she would have urged me to stay in Leatherhead that night. I wish I had! I remember that her face was very pale as we parted.

For my own part, I had been feverishly excited all day. Something very like the war fever that occasionally runs through a civilised community had got into my blood, and in my heart I was not so very sorry that I had to return to Maybury that night. I was even afraid that that last fusillade I had heard might mean the extermination of our invaders from Mars. I can best express my state of mind by saying that I wanted to be in at the death.

I had been wildly excited all day. I felt something very much like the war fever that sometimes sweeps through a civilized community. Deep down, I was not so sorry that I had to return to Maybury that night. I was even afraid that the last burst of gunfire I had heard might mean our invaders from Mars had been wiped out. The best way to describe how I felt is that I wanted to be there when they died.

It was nearly eleven when I started to return. The night was unexpectedly dark; to me, walking out of the lighted passage of my cousins’ house, it seemed indeed black, and it was as hot and close as the day. Overhead the clouds were driving fast, albeit not a breath stirred the shrubs about us. My cousins’ man lit both lamps. Happily, I knew the road intimately. My wife stood in the light of the doorway, and watched me until I jumped up into the dog cart. Then abruptly she turned and went in, leaving my cousins side by side wishing me good hap.

It was nearly eleven when I started back. The night was unexpectedly dark. As I walked out of the lit passage of my cousins’ house, the darkness seemed pitch-black to me. The air was as hot and stuffy as it had been during the day. Clouds raced overhead, though not a breath of wind stirred the shrubs around us. My cousins’ servant lit both lamps. Luckily, I knew the road well. My wife stood in the light of the doorway and watched me until I climbed into the dog cart. Then she suddenly turned and went inside, leaving my cousins standing side by side, wishing me luck.

I was a little depressed at first with the contagion of my wife’s fears, but very soon my thoughts reverted to the Martians. At that time I was absolutely in the dark as to the course of the evening’s fighting. I did not know even the circumstances that had precipitated the conflict. As I came through Ockham (for that was the way I returned, and not through Send and Old Woking) I saw along the western horizon a blood-red glow, which as I drew nearer, crept slowly up the sky. The driving clouds of the gathering thunderstorm mingled there with masses of black and red smoke.

At first, my wife’s fears made me feel a little depressed too, but my thoughts soon returned to the Martians. I knew absolutely nothing about how the evening’s fighting had gone. I did not even know what had started the conflict. I returned through Ockham, not through Send and Old Woking. As I passed through Ockham, I saw a blood-red glow along the western horizon. As I drew nearer, the glow slowly climbed into the sky. The fast-moving clouds of the gathering thunderstorm mingled there with masses of black and red smoke.

Ripley Street was deserted, and except for a lighted window or so the village showed not a sign of life; but I narrowly escaped an accident at the corner of the road to Pyrford, where a knot of people stood with their backs to me. They said nothing to me as I passed. I do not know what they knew of the things happening beyond the hill, nor do I know if the silent houses I passed on my way were sleeping securely, or deserted and empty, or harassed and watching against the terror of the night.

Ripley Street was deserted. Apart from one or two lit windows, the village showed no sign of life. But I narrowly avoided an accident at the corner of the road to Pyrford. A small group of people stood there with their backs to me. They said nothing to me as I passed. I do not know what they knew about what was happening beyond the hill. Nor do I know whether the people in the silent houses I passed were sleeping safely. Perhaps the houses were deserted and empty, or perhaps the people inside were troubled and watching for the terror of the night.

From Ripley until I came through Pyrford I was in the valley of the Wey, and the red glare was hidden from me. As I ascended the little hill beyond Pyrford Church the glare came into view again, and the trees about me shivered with the first intimation of the storm that was upon me. Then I heard midnight pealing out from Pyrford Church behind me, and then came the silhouette of Maybury Hill, with its tree-tops and roofs black and sharp against the red.

From Ripley until I passed through Pyrford, I was in the Wey valley, and the red glow was hidden from view. As I climbed the small hill beyond Pyrford Church, the glow came into view again. The trees around me shivered with the first signs of the storm now upon me. Then I heard Pyrford Church striking midnight behind me. After that, I saw the silhouette of Maybury Hill, its treetops and roofs black and sharp against the red glow.

Even as I beheld this a lurid green glare lit the road about me and showed the distant woods towards Addlestone. I felt a tug at the reins. I saw that the driving clouds had been pierced as it were by a thread of green fire, suddenly lighting their confusion and falling into the field to my left. It was the third falling star!

As I watched, a fiery green glare lit the road around me and revealed the distant woods toward Addlestone. I felt a tug at the reins. I saw what looked like a thread of green fire pierce the rushing clouds. It suddenly lit up the swirling clouds and fell into the field to my left. It was the third falling star!

Close on its apparition, and blindingly violet by contrast, danced out the first lightning of the gathering storm, and the thunder burst like a rocket overhead. The horse took the bit between his teeth and bolted.

Soon after it appeared, the first lightning of the gathering storm danced across the sky, blindingly violet by contrast. Thunder burst overhead like a rocket. The horse seized the bit between its teeth and bolted.

A moderate incline runs towards the foot of Maybury Hill, and down this we clattered. Once the lightning had begun, it went on in as rapid a succession of flashes as I have ever seen. The thunderclaps, treading one on the heels of another and with a strange crackling accompaniment, sounded more like the working of a gigantic electric machine than the usual detonating reverberations. The flickering light was blinding and confusing, and a thin hail smote gustily at my face as I drove down the slope.

A gentle slope leads down to the foot of Maybury Hill, and we clattered down it. Once the lightning began, the flashes came as rapidly as any I have ever seen. Thunderclaps followed one another with a strange crackling sound. They sounded more like a gigantic electric machine at work than the usual booming echoes of thunder. The flickering light was blinding and confusing, and light hail blew against my face as I drove down the slope.

At first I regarded little but the road before me, and then abruptly my attention was arrested by something that was moving rapidly down the opposite slope of Maybury Hill. At first I took it for the wet roof of a house, but one flash following another showed it to be in swift rolling movement. It was an elusive vision—a moment of bewildering darkness, and then, in a flash like daylight, the red masses of the Orphanage near the crest of the hill, the green tops of the pine trees, and this problematical object came out clear and sharp and bright.

At first I paid little attention to anything but the road ahead. Then something caught my eye. It was moving rapidly down the opposite slope of Maybury Hill. At first I thought it was the wet roof of a house. But one flash after another showed that it was rolling swiftly. It was hard to make out. There was a moment of bewildering darkness. Then a flash lit the scene like daylight. The red masses of the Orphanage near the crest of the hill, the green tops of the pine trees, and this mysterious object stood out clear, sharp, and bright.

And this Thing I saw! How can I describe it? A monstrous tripod, higher than many houses, striding over the young pine trees, and smashing them aside in its career; a walking engine of glittering metal, striding now across the heather; articulate ropes of steel dangling from it, and the clattering tumult of its passage mingling with the riot of the thunder. A flash, and it came out vividly, heeling over one way with two feet in the air, to vanish and reappear almost instantly as it seemed, with the next flash, a hundred yards nearer. Can you imagine a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground? That was the impression those instant flashes gave. But instead of a milking stool imagine it a great body of machinery on a tripod stand.

And this Thing I saw! How can I describe it? It was a monstrous tripod, taller than many houses. It strode over the young pine trees, smashing them aside as it went. The walking machine was made of glittering metal, and now it strode across the heather. Jointed steel cables dangled from it. The clatter of its passage mingled with the roar of the thunder. A flash of lightning showed it clearly, tilting to one side with two feet in the air. It vanished, then seemed to reappear almost instantly in the next flash, a hundred yards closer. Can you imagine a milking stool tipped over and sent rolling violently along the ground? That was the impression those brief flashes gave. But instead of a milking stool, imagine a great mass of machinery on a three-legged stand.

Then suddenly the trees in the pine wood ahead of me were parted, as brittle reeds are parted by a man thrusting through them; they were snapped off and driven headlong, and a second huge tripod appeared, rushing, as it seemed, headlong towards me. And I was galloping hard to meet it! At the sight of the second monster my nerve went altogether. Not stopping to look again, I wrenched the horse’s head hard round to the right and in another moment the dog cart had heeled over upon the horse; the shafts smashed noisily, and I was flung sideways and fell heavily into a shallow pool of water.

Then, suddenly, the trees in the pine wood ahead of me were pushed apart. They broke like brittle reeds when a man forces his way through them. The trees snapped and fell forward, and a second huge tripod appeared. It seemed to be rushing straight toward me. And I was galloping hard to meet it! At the sight of the second monster, I completely lost my nerve. Without looking again, I pulled the horse’s head sharply to the right. A moment later, the dogcart tipped over onto the horse. The shafts broke with a loud crack, and I was thrown sideways. I landed heavily in a shallow pool of water.

I crawled out almost immediately, and crouched, my feet still in the water, under a clump of furze. The horse lay motionless (his neck was broken, poor brute!) and by the lightning flashes I saw the black bulk of the overturned dog cart and the silhouette of the wheel still spinning slowly. In another moment the colossal mechanism went striding by me, and passed uphill towards Pyrford.

I crawled out almost immediately and crouched under a clump of gorse, with my feet still in the water. The horse lay motionless. Its neck was broken, poor creature! In the flashes of lightning, I saw the dark bulk of the overturned dogcart. One wheel stood out against the light, still spinning slowly. A moment later, the enormous machine strode past me and went uphill toward Pyrford.

Seen nearer, the Thing was incredibly strange, for it was no mere insensate machine driving on its way. Machine it was, with a ringing metallic pace, and long, flexible, glittering tentacles (one of which gripped a young pine tree) swinging and rattling about its strange body. It picked its road as it went striding along, and the brazen hood that surmounted it moved to and fro with the inevitable suggestion of a head looking about. Behind the main body was a huge mass of white metal like a gigantic fisherman’s basket, and puffs of green smoke squirted out from the joints of the limbs as the monster swept by me. And in an instant it was gone.

Seen up close, the Thing was incredibly strange. It was no mere mindless machine moving along. It was a machine, with a ringing metallic stride. Long, flexible, glittering tentacles swung and rattled around its strange body. One tentacle gripped a young pine tree. The machine picked its path as it strode along. The brass hood on top moved back and forth, inevitably suggesting a head looking around. Behind the main body was a huge mass of white metal, like a gigantic fisherman’s basket. Puffs of green smoke shot out from the joints of its limbs as the monster swept past me. And in an instant, it was gone.

So much I saw then, all vaguely for the flickering of the lightning, in blinding highlights and dense black shadows.

That was all I saw then, and only vaguely because of the flickering lightning, with its blinding highlights and deep black shadows.

As it passed it set up an exultant deafening howl that drowned the thunder—“Aloo! Aloo!”—and in another minute it was with its companion, half a mile away, stooping over something in the field. I have no doubt this Thing in the field was the third of the ten cylinders they had fired at us from Mars.

As it passed, it let out a triumphant, deafening howl that drowned out the thunder: “Aloo! Aloo!” A minute later, it was with its companion half a mile away. It was bending over something in the field. I have no doubt that this Thing in the field was the third of the ten cylinders they had fired at us from Mars.

For some minutes I lay there in the rain and darkness watching, by the intermittent light, these monstrous beings of metal moving about in the distance over the hedge tops. A thin hail was now beginning, and as it came and went their figures grew misty and then flashed into clearness again. Now and then came a gap in the lightning, and the night swallowed them up.

For several minutes, I lay there in the rain and darkness, watching by the flashes of light. In the distance, monstrous metal beings moved above the hedge tops. A light hail was beginning to fall. As it came and went, their figures grew hazy, then flashed into view again. Now and then, the lightning stopped, and the night swallowed them up.

I was soaked with hail above and puddle water below. It was some time before my blank astonishment would let me struggle up the bank to a drier position, or think at all of my imminent peril.

I was soaked by hail from above and puddle water from below. I was so stunned that it took me some time to struggle up the bank to a drier spot. Only then could I even think about the danger I was in.

Not far from me was a little one-roomed squatter’s hut of wood, surrounded by a patch of potato garden. I struggled to my feet at last, and, crouching and making use of every chance of cover, I made a run for this. I hammered at the door, but I could not make the people hear (if there were any people inside), and after a time I desisted, and, availing myself of a ditch for the greater part of the way, succeeded in crawling, unobserved by these monstrous machines, into the pine woods towards Maybury.

Not far from me stood a small, one-room wooden squatter’s hut, surrounded by a patch of potatoes. At last, I struggled to my feet and ran toward the hut, crouching and using every bit of cover I could find. I pounded on the door, but I couldn’t make anyone hear me, if anyone was inside. After a while, I stopped and crawled toward the pine woods near Maybury. Using a ditch for most of the way, I reached the woods without being seen by the monstrous machines.

Under cover of this I pushed on, wet and shivering now, towards my own house. I walked among the trees trying to find the footpath. It was very dark indeed in the wood, for the lightning was now becoming infrequent, and the hail, which was pouring down in a torrent, fell in columns through the gaps in the heavy foliage.

Under cover of this, I pressed on toward my house, wet and shivering. I walked among the trees, trying to find the footpath. The woods were very dark because the lightning was becoming less frequent. Hail poured down in torrents, falling in columns through gaps in the dense foliage.

If I had fully realised the meaning of all the things I had seen I should have immediately worked my way round through Byfleet to Street Cobham, and so gone back to rejoin my wife at Leatherhead. But that night the strangeness of things about me, and my physical wretchedness, prevented me, for I was bruised, weary, wet to the skin, deafened and blinded by the storm.

If I had fully understood the meaning of all I had seen, I would have left immediately. I would have gone through Byfleet to Street Cobham, then returned to my wife at Leatherhead. But that night, the strange things around me and my physical misery stopped me. I was bruised, exhausted, soaked to the skin, and deafened and blinded by the storm.

I had a vague idea of going on to my own house, and that was as much motive as I had. I staggered through the trees, fell into a ditch and bruised my knees against a plank, and finally splashed out into the lane that ran down from the College Arms. I say splashed, for the storm water was sweeping the sand down the hill in a muddy torrent. There in the darkness a man blundered into me and sent me reeling back.

I had a vague idea of going on to my own house. That was all the reason I had. I staggered through the trees and fell into a ditch, bruising my knees against a plank. Finally, I splashed out into the lane that ran down from the College Arms. I say splashed because storm water was sweeping sand down the hill in a muddy torrent. There in the darkness, a man stumbled into me and sent me reeling backward.

He gave a cry of terror, sprang sideways, and rushed on before I could gather my wits sufficiently to speak to him. So heavy was the stress of the storm just at this place that I had the hardest task to win my way up the hill. I went close up to the fence on the left and worked my way along its palings.

He cried out in terror, jumped sideways, and rushed on before I could gather my wits enough to speak to him. The storm was so fierce at that spot that I could barely make my way up the hill. I moved close to the fence on the left and worked my way along its wooden slats.

Near the top I stumbled upon something soft, and, by a flash of lightning, saw between my feet a heap of black broadcloth and a pair of boots. Before I could distinguish clearly how the man lay, the flicker of light had passed. I stood over him waiting for the next flash. When it came, I saw that he was a sturdy man, cheaply but not shabbily dressed; his head was bent under his body, and he lay crumpled up close to the fence, as though he had been flung violently against it.

Near the top, I stumbled over something soft. A flash of lightning showed me a heap of black broadcloth and a pair of boots between my feet. Before I could clearly see how the man was lying, the light had faded. I stood over him, waiting for the next flash. When it came, I saw that he was a sturdy man, dressed in cheap but respectable clothes. His head was bent under his body. He lay crumpled close to the fence, as though he had been thrown violently against it.

Overcoming the repugnance natural to one who had never before touched a dead body, I stooped and turned him over to feel for his heart. He was quite dead. Apparently his neck had been broken. The lightning flashed for a third time, and his face leaped upon me. I sprang to my feet. It was the landlord of the Spotted Dog, whose conveyance I had taken.

I had never touched a dead body before, but I overcame my disgust. I bent down and turned him over to feel for his heartbeat. He was dead. Apparently, his neck had been broken. Lightning flashed a third time, and his face leaped out at me. I jumped to my feet. He was the landlord of the Spotted Dog, whose vehicle I had taken.

I stepped over him gingerly and pushed on up the hill. I made my way by the police station and the College Arms towards my own house. Nothing was burning on the hillside, though from the common there still came a red glare and a rolling tumult of ruddy smoke beating up against the drenching hail. So far as I could see by the flashes, the houses about me were mostly uninjured. By the College Arms a dark heap lay in the road.

I stepped carefully over him and continued up the hill. I passed the police station and the College Arms on my way home. Nothing was burning on the hillside. But a red glow still came from the common, and thick clouds of reddish smoke billowed up against the pouring hail. As far as I could see in the flashes of light, most of the houses around me were undamaged. A dark heap lay in the road by the College Arms.

Down the road towards Maybury Bridge there were voices and the sound of feet, but I had not the courage to shout or to go to them. I let myself in with my latchkey, closed, locked and bolted the door, staggered to the foot of the staircase, and sat down. My imagination was full of those striding metallic monsters, and of the dead body smashed against the fence.

Down the road toward Maybury Bridge, I heard voices and footsteps. But I did not have the courage to shout or go to them. I let myself in with my key, then closed, locked, and bolted the door. I staggered to the foot of the stairs and sat down. My mind was full of those striding metal monsters and the dead body smashed against the fence.

I crouched at the foot of the staircase with my back to the wall, shivering violently.

I crouched at the bottom of the stairs with my back against the wall, shaking violently.