Fire suddenly lit from house to house. The population
panicked and ran, and I was swept along with them, aimless and
lost without Carrier. Finally, I headed eastward for the ocean
and my only hope for survival, a boat out of England....A vast crowd buffered me towards the already packed steamer. I looked up enviously at those already on board, straight into the eyes of my beloved Carrier....
The steamer began to move slowly away. But on the landward horizon appeared the silhouette of a fighting machine, another came, and another. Striding over hills and trees, plunging far out to sea and blocking the exit of the steamer. Between them laid the silent, gray, ironclad, Thunderchild. Slowly, it moved towards shore, then with a deafening roar and whoosh of spray it swung about and drove at full speed towards the waiting Martins.
There were ships of shapes and sizes scattered out along the bay and I thought I heard her calling as the steamer pulled away. The invaders must have seen them as across the costs they filed. Standing close between them, hurry Thunderchild!
Moving swiftly through the waters, cannons blazing as she came, brought a mighty vessel warlord, crashing down in sheets of flame, sensing victory was nearing, thinking fortune must have smiled, people started cheering, come on Thunderchild, Come on Thunderchild!
The Martians released their black smoke, but the ship sped on, cutting down one of the tripod figures. Instantly, the others raised their heatrays and melted the Thunderchild's bearings hot.
Dashing ropes and smashing timbers, flashing heatrays pierced the deck. Dashing hope for our deliverance as we watched the sinking wreck. With the smoke of battle clearing, over grays and waves defiled, slowly disappearing, farewell Thunderchild...
When the smoke cleared, the little steamer had reached the misty horizon and Carier was safe. But the Thunderchild had vanished forever, taking with her man's last hope of victory. The London sky was lit by green flashes. Cylinder following cylinder and no one and nothing now was left to fight them. The Earth now, belonged to the Martians....
