How I Reached Home

           Formyownpart,Iremembernothingofmyflightexceptthestressofblunderingagainsttreesandstumblingthroughtheheather. AllaboutmegatheredtheinvisibleterrorsoftheMartians; thatpitilessswordofheatseemedwhirlingtoandfro,flourishingoverheadbeforeitdescendedandsmotemeoutoflife. IcameintotheroadbetweenthecrossroadsandHorsell,andranalongthistothecrossroads. 

           AtlastIcouldgonofurther; Iwasexhaustedwiththeviolenceofmyemotionandofmyflight,andIstaggeredandfellbythewayside. Thatwasnearthebridgethatcrossesthecanalbythegasworks. Ifellandlaystill. 

           Imusthaveremainedtheresometime. 

           Isatup,strangelyperplexed. Foramoment,perhaps,IcouldnotclearlyunderstandhowIcamethere. Myterrorhadfallenfrommelikeagarment. Myhathadgone,andmycollarhadburstawayfromitsfastener. Afewminutesbefore,therehadonlybeenthreerealthingsbeforeme—theimmensityofthenightandspaceandnature,myownfeeblenessandanguish,andthenearapproachofdeath. Nowitwasasifsomethingturnedover,andthepointofviewalteredabruptly. Therewasnosensibletransitionfromonestateofmindtotheother. Iwasimmediatelytheselfofeverydayagain—adecent,ordinarycitizen. Thesilentcommon,theimpulseofmyflight,thestartingflames,wereasiftheyhadbeeninadream. Iaskedmyselfhadtheselatterthingsindeedhappened? Icouldnotcreditit. 

           Iroseandwalkedunsteadilyupthesteepinclineofthebridge. Mymindwasblankwonder. Mymusclesandnervesseemeddrainedoftheirstrength. IdaresayIstaggereddrunkenly.