George Wells/narrator POV:
again, i was on my way into Newark, a city that seemed to be demolished, but reduced to blackened ruins, it was totally silent desolated and deserted. only the red weed lived, along with its blooming red martian forests, i felt a sense of dethronement, a realization that i was no longer a master, but a puppet under martian domination. humanity's empire had passed away, taken swiftly and without era by these creatures who were composed entirely of brain. unhampered by the complex systems which make up man, they made and used different bodies according to their needs. in the sexual world, they went without mating and without the emotions that arise between man and woman. they never tired . . . they never slept . . . and they never suffered, having long since eliminated from their planet, the bacteria which caused more fevers, cancers and other mobilities. but as i passed by a house, i was halted by a demanding voice "HALT! who goes there?" the voice said as i turned to see the source of it and saw was a man lurking in the shadow of a building but he was carrying a knife in his hand. i calmly informed him that I'm not going to harm him "relax i was just passing by . . . I'm a friend." i informed him as he slowly walks forward to me "be on your way, this is my country and my territory!" he yelled at me as stood there confused of what he meant "your territory? what do you mean your territory, who are you?" i asked him as he paused for a moment, then there was a silence between us "wait a minute . . . ?" he spoke as he lowered his knife and slowly walked into the light, then my eyes widened in amazement, as his face entered the light he spoke "its you . . . the journalist from rabbit hill rd." he said in relief and amazement. i was very surprised myself to see a familiar face of a man who i presumed to be dead "good heavens, Jeffery flint ... the artilleryman, your alive! i thought you were surly burned?" i said in relief as he started to speak "and i thought you surly drowned?" he said as patted my shoulder. i looked at the remains of the building he was hiding in "is this your place?" i asked, as he nodded his head "well it is now!" he said to me as i chuckled with amusement, but then i started to look at my surroundings and i looked to Jeffery face to face "did you see any martians?" i asked him as he nodded his head again "yep . . . everywhere, i saw a few martian tripods carrying something from the airport . . . i think their trying to learn how to fly?" he informed me as my eyes widened "wait! did you say. . . fly?!" i asked, until he nodded for the third time "yep . . . fly and we're done for alright!" he said to me, i stared at him concern "you mean the war is lost?" i asked with worry until he spoke "there never was a war, there's no war between men and maggots, and that's what we are now . . . maggots and this is an extermination!" he exclaimed to me as i felt worry build in me "we can't just give up!" i said, until he spoke up "of course we can't give up! but squealing and panicking don't help. i been in sight of death before and you know what comes though? . . . the man that keeps on thinking!" he said to me as i notice the look on his face, its as if he had a smart idea, but this is different from any form i seen. "what brought you to Newark?" i asked as he welcomed me inside and then he spoke "what brought me to this ruin city was thinking . . . everyone was rushing away, so i headed right for the martians, like a pigeon that goes for the bread and now people are starving in heaps out here, dreading and fighting amongst themselves. yet i have everything i need ... until the martians are ready?" he said to me as this got me very curious " ready? ready for what?" i asked as he stood up and spoke to me "the next stage my friend . . . bringing all the rest of their people and after that they won't be harvesting our dead bodies and catching us alive one at a time. they'll do it systematic, by laying traps for us, becoming stored in cages and things. but we'll have to fix up a new kind of life for ourselves because now its time we start fighting, not against them because we can't win, but now we got to fight for survival. i reckon we can make it and there will be none of your handy civilization stuff, that games over." he said to me in a brave tone, but for me it was very confusing for me to understand "but what is there to live for?" i asked me "THE BREED! man! we can't let ourselves be caught and fatten like cattle!" he said to me in a demanding voice, i felt this got me more confused and curious, but i had to know what he was thinking in his head. so i took a deep breath and spoke "then how can we prevent the martians from doing just that?" i asked him in a curious tone, that's when i notice a smile on his face "i got a plan." he said to me. then he stood up and spoken again "We're gonna build a whole new world for ourselves. Look, they clap eyes on us and we're dead, right?" he asked as i became silent as he continued telling his plan "So, we gotta make a new life where they'll never find us. You know where? Underground. You should see it down there, hundreds of miles of drains, sewers and subway tunnels. sweet and clean now after the rain, dark, quiet, safe. We can build houses and everything, start again from scratch. And what's so bad about living underground, eh? it's not been so great living up here, if you want my opinion." he informed me as i become very concerned of his plan for rebuilding a world.
Take a look around you at the world we've come to know
Does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show
Maybe from the madness, something beautiful will grow
In a brave new world, with just a handful of men,
We'll start... we'll start all over again!
All over again!
All over again!
All over again!
i just stood there listening to jefferys plan and he keep on going "We'll build shops and hospitals and barracks, right under their noses, right under their feet. Everything we need: banks, prisons and schools. We'll send scouting parties to collect books and stuff, and then like you we'll teach the kids. Not poems and rubbish; science, so we can get everything working! We'll build villages and towns, and... and we'll play each other at cricket! Listen, maybe one day we'll capture a fighting machine, eh, learn how to make 'em ourselves, and then: WALLOP! Our turn to do some wiping out! WHOOSH! With our heat ray! Whoosh! And them running and dying, beaten at their own game, man on top again!" he exclaimed as he raised an arm into the air, though it seems very amusing.
Now our domination of the earth is fading fast,
And out of the confusion a chance has come at last,
To build a better future from the ashes of the past,
In a brave new world, with just a handful of men,
We'll start all over again!
Look, man is born in freedom, but he soon becomes a slave,
In cages of convention from the cradle to the grave,
The weak fall by the wayside but the strong will be saved,
In a brave new world, with just a handful of men,
We'll start all over again!
I'm not trying to tell you what to be,
Oh no, oh no, not me...
But if mankind is to survive, the people life alive,
They're gonna have to build this world anew
And it's going to have to start with me and you... YES!
I'm not trying to tell you what to be,
Oh no, oh no, not me...
But if mankind is to survive, the people left alive,
They're gonna have to build this world anew
Yes and we will have to be the chosen few...
Just think of all the poverty, the hatred and the lies,
And imagine the destruction of all that you despise,
Slowly from the ashes the phoenix will arise,
In a brave new world, with just a handful of men
We'll start all over again!
Take a look around you at the world you've loved so well,
And bid the aging empire of man a last farewell
It may not sound like heaven but at least it isn't hell
It's a brave new world with just a handful of men,
We'll start, we'll start all over again!
All over again! All over again! All over again!
I'VE GOT A PLAN!
it was hard to think how long he thought this up, but it was hard to tell it was amusing, curious or even concerned but i was uncertain if his plan would work "Can't you just see it? Civilization starting all over again! A second chance! Heh- we'll even build a railway and tunnel to the coast, go there for our holidays! Nothing can stop men like us! I've made a start already. Come on down here and have a look." he asked me as i followed him into the remains of the room and in the room which seems to be a homemade cellar, and surrounding it was rocks and concrete rubble. when he opened the cellar, my eyes widened . . . he wasn't joking at all "this is it George my good man, its about a long way down there. come on my friend" he asked me as i followed in into the cellar. In the cellar there was a tunnel scarcely ten yards long It had taken him a long time to dig. "so what do you think my friend? you think i was bluffing?" he asked me as i just stared at the tunnel, but then i spoke "i . . . yes . . . i was at first but . . . how long have you been doing this?" i asked him "well it taken me about . . . how should i say this . . . for about a week i guess." i just stood there speechless. I could have dug that much in a day, and I suddenly had my first inkling of the gulf between his dreams and his powers. Jeffery then sat in a chair which has been in her for a day or so "It's doing the working and the thinking that wears a fellow out. I'm ready for a bit of a rest. How about a drink, eh? Nothing but champagne now I'm the boss, but since i know you don't drink any alcohol i guess your in luck, cause i was able to get some bottled water." he said as he offered me water, i kinda smiled and sat with drank, and then he insisted upon playing cards. With our species on the edge of extermination, with no prospect but a horrible death, we actually played games. Later he talked more of his plan, but I saw flames flashing in the deep blue night, red weed glowing, tripod figures moving distantly, and I put down my champagne glass. I felt a traitor to my kind, and I knew I must leave this strange dreamer. "hey . . . don't tell me your leaving as well?" he asked as i then suddenly stopped in my tracks, was there someone here meeting Jeffery before i even got here? i turned to face him and asked him "what do you mean by 'me leaving as well?' are you talking about yourself or . . . someone other?" i asked him as there was a moment of silence between us but Jeffery was the first to speak "someone other . . . why?" he answered me as i stood there surprised "was it a he or she?, did this person say where he's from or even tell his name? what was he doing here and just leave?" i asked him, as Jeffery tries to calm me "whoa my friend just relax, yes its a guy, he claims he's from Princeton, he says he's looking for people and i guess he left because he wasn't interested in my plan. do you know the guy?" he asked me as i took a moment to think "to be honest the only people i know in Princeton are my teacher Ogilvy and . . . Richard Pierson!" i said as my eyes widened with amazement . . . Pierson is still alive. Jeffery the artilleryman just stood there as he heard me say the name "did you say . . . Richard Pierson?" he asked me as i nodded, Jeffery grabbed me by the shoulders and shouted with hope "Richard Pierson is alive?! we still have a chance!" he said in excitement, i felt that he was happy to meet Pierson in person without even knowing it. i was even surprised myself to learn about Pierson being alive, but i knew that i had to find him, but then i feel that Jeffery has been all alone all his time here. then something came to me, the woman at the inn in new york already caring for the two siblings, but then another memory of the loss of both the parson and his wife in new york city. so i felt that as i friend i could make things worth it for him. i walked over to him and took a deep breath "Jeffery . . . there's something i have to tell you, i have a few friends in hiding at the wall street inn, that's in new york city. would you like to come with me to new york to meet them? who knows they might be able to understand you?" i asked him as he stood there silent, then i notice a smile on his face and he nodded in agreement. as we went outside in the open, he left a flag with an American symbol. then afterwards he then came along with me on the journey to new york city and hopefully we won't get separated this time, but i felt that if we do arrive at new york city, we would have to part so i would begin my search for Richard Pierson.
Take a look around you
at the world we've come... to know
Does it seem to be much more than a crazy circus show?
Maybe from the madness
something beautiful will grow...
as we traveled along the road, Jeffery was in awe of his surroundings, the red weed had spread across the city and every last piece of ground. but when we arrived at last to the George Washington bridge it was quiet but the red weed forests and jungle is still there and it has covered ever last drop of ground and the trees were as tall as the empire state building. as we were on our way into new york and there we a few burned bodies on the road and their blackened skeletons were being consumed by the red weed. along the way i told him of what i went through including the losses of the parson and his wife "gee . . . and Richard thinks I'm crazy, but after hearing what told me i guess there are some people in this crazy world had suffered so much and already lost their sanity in the process, but it wasn't your fault George." he said to me as he placed his hand on my shoulder. finally we arrived at wall street inn and i begged to myself if their safe and as i opened the door a gunshot fired. thankfully it missed and then i heard a familiar voice "hold it right there . . . wait . . . George wells . . . I'm so sorry i didn't know it was you." she exclaimed as Jeffery came in and pointed his shot gun at her but i got between them and calm them both as they lowered their weapons down and just stared in each-others eyes, as i noticed this i suddenly had a feeling that this might be the beginnings of love. then i heard footsteps coming down stairs and i saw was the siblings i saved "Mr. wells!" they both exclaimed as they ran towards me and started hugging me, then i notice that Jeffery was feeling left out, so took the opportunity to introduce him "its good to see you all again, but i would like to introduce a friend on the way to new-york, this is Jeffery flint, he's an artilleryman who i met after the attack on grovers mill." i said as i introduced him, the young woman shook his hand and smiles as she welcomes him. "pleased to meet you mr flint would you like to sit down?" she asked him as he nodded happily as he took a seat on the chair she brought to him and she even offered a glass of water. i knew that i had to go and find pierson but just as i was about to open the door, there was knocking, and i quickly opened and saw a few people come inside the inn carrying a man. the young woman and jeffery began helping them with the body, i walked over to see the commotion and noticed around the room were children a woman and few solders, i came over to see the body they were carrying. it appeared to be a man, but when got a closer look at his face, my eyes widened with shock as i immediately recognized him... it was the parson and was still alive, but then i notice his legs were torn from his knees and was still bleeding. jeffery notices the shocked look on my face and started asking "you know this man?" he asks me as i nodded my head "yes . . . its the parson i told you about." i said to him as his eyes suddenly widened "this man, you there do you have any bandages here in this inn?" jeffery asked the young woman as she nodded in response "yes, its upstairs . . . i'll get it." she anounced as she immediatly we upstair to get the first aid kit. then i went outside to begin my search for professor pierson.