"Bradbury, Ray - The Illustrated Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bradbury Ray)

The rocket ship.

It was lying where they had left it. Somehow they had circled back and were where they had started. In the ruin of the ship green fungus was growing up out of the mouths of the two dead men. As they watched, the fungus took flower, the petals broke away in the rain, and the fungus died.

УHow did we do it?Ф

УAn electrical storm must be nearby. Threw our compasses off. That explains it.Ф

УYouТre right.Ф

УWhatТll we do now?Ф

УStart out again.Ф

УGood lord, weТre not any closer to anywhere!Ф

УLetТs try to keep calm about it, Simmons.Ф

УCalm, calm! This rainТs driving me wild!Ф

УWeТve enough food for another two days if weТre careful.Ф

The rain danced on their skin, on their wet uniforms; the rain streamed from their noses and ears, from their fingers and knees. They looked like stone fountains frozen in the jungle, issuing forth water from every pore.

And, as they stood, from a distance they heard a roar.

And the monster came out of the rain.

The monster was supported upon a thousand electric blue legs. It walked swiftly and terribly. It struck down a leg with a driving blow. Everywhere a leg struck a tree fell and burned. Great whiffs of ozone filled the rainy air, and smoke blew away and was broken up by the rain. The monster was a half mile wide and a mile high and it felt of the ground like a great blind thing. Sometimes, for a moment, it had no legs at all. And then, in an instant, a thousand whips would fall out of its belly, white-blue whips, to sting the jungle.

УThereТs the electrical storm,Ф said one of the men. УThereТs the thing ruined our compasses. And itТs coming this way.Ф

УLie down, everyone,Ф said the lieutenant.

УRun!Ф cried Simmons.

УDonТt be a fool. Lie down. It hits the highest points. We may get through unhurt. Lie down about fifty feet from the rocket. It may very well spend its force there and leave us be. Get down!Ф

The men flopped.

УIs it coming?Ф they asked each other, after a moment.

УComing.Ф

УIs it nearer?Ф

УTwo hundred yards off.Ф

УNearer?Ф