What I Saw of the Destruction of Weybridge and Shepperton

           AsthedawngrewbrighterwewithdrewfromthewindowfromwhichwehadwatchedtheMartians,andwentveryquietlydownstairs. 

           Theartillerymanagreedwithmethatthehousewasnoplacetostayin. Heproposed,hesaid,tomakehiswayLondonward,andthencerejoinhisbattery—No.12,oftheHorseArtillery. MyplanwastoreturnatoncetoLeatherhead; andsogreatlyhadthestrengthoftheMartiansimpressedmethatIhaddeterminedtotakemywifetoNewhaven,andgowithheroutofthecountryforthwith. ForIalreadyperceivedclearlythatthecountryaboutLondonmustinevitablybethesceneofadisastrousstrugglebeforesuchcreaturesasthesecouldbedestroyed. 

           BetweenusandLeatherhead,however,laythethirdcylinder,withitsguardinggiants. HadIbeenalone,IthinkIshouldhavetakenmychanceandstruckacrosscountry. Buttheartillerymandissuadedme: "It’snokindnesstotherightsortofwife,"hesaid,"tomakeherawidow"; andintheendIagreedtogowithhim,undercoverofthewoods,northwardasfarasStreetCobhambeforeIpartedwithhim. ThenceIwouldmakeabigdetourbyEpsomtoreachLeatherhead. 

           Ishouldhavestartedatonce,butmycompanionhadbeeninactiveserviceandheknewbetterthanthat. Hemademeransackthehouseforaflask,whichhefilledwithwhiskey; andwelinedeveryavailablepocketwithpacketsofbiscuitsandslicesofmeat. Thenwecreptoutofthehouse,andranasquicklyaswecoulddowntheill-maderoadbywhichIhadcomeovernight. Thehousesseemeddeserted. Intheroadlayagroupofthreecharredbodiesclosetogether,struckdeadbytheHeat-Ray; andhereandtherewerethingsthatpeoplehaddropped—aclock,aslipper,asilverspoon,andthelikepoorvaluables.