Машина времени

           Therewasasenseofoppressioninmyhead,andInoticedthatIwasbreathingveryfast. Thesensationremindedmeofmyonlyexperienceofmountaineering,andfromthatIjudgedtheairtobemorerarefiedthanitisnow. 

           ‘FarawayupthedesolateslopeIheardaharshscream,andsawathinglikeahugewhitebutterflygoslantingandflitteringupintotheskyand,circling,disappearoversomelowhillocksbeyond. ThesoundofitsvoicewassodismalthatIshiveredandseatedmyselfmorefirmlyuponthemachine. Lookingroundmeagain,Isawthat,quitenear,whatIhadtakentobeareddishmassofrockwasmovingslowlytowardsme. ThenIsawthethingwasreallyamonstrouscrab-likecreature. Canyouimagineacrabaslargeasyondertable,withitsmanylegsmovingslowlyanduncertainly,itsbigclawsswaying,itslongantennae,likecarters’whips,wavingandfeeling,anditsstalkedeyesgleamingatyouoneithersideofitsmetallicfront? Itsbackwascorrugatedandornamentedwithungainlybosses,andagreenishincrustationblotchedithereandthere. Icouldseethemanypalpsofitscomplicatedmouthflickeringandfeelingasitmoved. 

           ‘AsIstaredatthissinisterapparitioncrawlingtowardsme,Ifeltaticklingonmycheekasthoughaflyhadlightedthere. Itriedtobrushitawaywithmyhand,butinamomentitreturned,andalmostimmediatelycameanotherbymyear. Istruckatthis,andcaughtsomethingthreadlike. Itwasdrawnswiftlyoutofmyhand. Withafrightfulqualm,Iturned,andIsawthatIhadgraspedtheantennaofanothermonstercrabthatstoodjustbehindme. Itsevileyeswerewrigglingontheirstalks,itsmouthwasallalivewithappetite,anditsvastungainlyclaws,smearedwithanalgalslime,weredescendinguponme.