Escape (With apologies to HG Wells)

ESCAPE

I held Susie's hand tight as she cried into my shoulder. She hid her face from the scene of carnage and mass hysteria that had taken over the docks. The gangplank onto our steamer continued to rise, but still people were jumping from the dockside and risking their lives to get aboard the only boat left in this part of London. Women were pleading for the lives of their children; men were bartering with naval officers on duty for safe passage. All of the gold and diamonds of the Western world could not save the people left behind. The crowd of people grew with the arrival of more and more desperate people, families trying to find a haven from death. Closer they were pushed to the waters edge. The desperate jumped for the steamer, while people of all religions knelt down and prayed for a miracle.

The smoke from the ship's funnel belched out large and black as the engines were pushed into full action quicker than they were designed for. Even though it blocked our view of the refugees left behind, it didn't obscure the noise of hundreds of people calling out in anger and fear. On the deck next to me the relief poured out of the lucky passengers. Grown men cried in the arms of their loved ones, Susie turned to look around her and I wiped a brown hair from her eyes. An old man lay on the wooden floor, the exhaustion too much for his heart, while all around him people crossed his prone body too caught up in their own newly mixed up minds.

"Herbert."

A young woman by the starboard railings looked out across the sea of bodies left behind directly into the eyes of her husband to be. Tears formed in her eyes as he started to drift away from her. She cried out with all her heart. Trying to fight off her father she mounted the railings in an attempt to go back to him, but her father held her tight and dragged her back on board.

"Carrie. He will be all right. He'll make his way out of the country. He'll escape the danger," he attempted to comfort her.

She continued to cry into her dress. Her face became streaked with tears as her sobbing became uncontrollable as she leant back on her father for strength. Susie watched her and held me tighter realising how lucky we are to be here together. I kiss her on the head in agreement. The farther out we steamed the more of the city we could see, fire and smoke rose into the sky from the burning buildings dotted around the capital. Where once stood proud buildings and homes lay nothing but bricks and rubble. The attack was swift and brutal and we had no answer.

Above the rooftops, giant metal tripods continue to dwarf the tallest buildings. Gleaming in the sunlight, the glass windows that gave the Martians their Gods eye view light up the tops of the silver machines. Never before in our lives have we seen anything that resembles the grotesque appearance of our foe. When I saw the first arrival on Horshell Common it shocked me. Their bodies were covered by wet leathery skin, enormous black eyes looking through us. With no ears to listen to our pleas of mercy and no mouths to talk of peace, they were all our nightmares rolled into one. Their roar of victory spread out through every area in the city. Even though they lacked mouths their machines emitted a battle roar that chilled the heart of every human and animal left in England.

"Look," Susie screamed.

One of the metal tripods started to wade its way down the Thames; it sliced through bridges like they didn't exist. In a matter of seconds it stood on the dockside. Rising up to its full height it sounded off a war cry loud enough to split the clouds above. Tugging at my arm Susie started to drag me towards the front of the boat, the shadow from the Martian tripod chasing us across the deck.

Susie stopped and almost fainted into my arms. Where people once scurried around on deck, naval officers herding them like sheep, life now appeared to stop. Time stood still until shattered by a woman's scream.

"Oh my God. Its another one," She screamed letting all hell loose.

Directly in front of us two Martian war machines stood, waiting for our steamer to enter the range of their heat ray. I could feel the steamer move beneath my feet as the Captain ordered a change in course. I held Susie in my arms again and looked around for inspiration from anywhere. My feet turned to clay and my legs went numb as the fear took hold. Men and women of all shapes and sizes threw themselves into spaces and doorways. People below decks ventured upstairs and scurried back down again when they saw what awaited them in the open air. Once couple jumped overboard holding their baby, taking it into the murky waters. Last night I held Susie in my arms as we made love. Now I hold her preparing for the end of the world.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the sleek grey shape of a naval Ironclad. Sounding its horn it powered up its engines. Smoke billowed from the funnels upon its proud deck. The sky turned black as smoke and clouds overshadowed the sun. Thunder erupted and the fighting machines stood side-by-side blocking our only way of escape. The heat-rays began to glow with power and the giant metal machines dwarfed our steamer.

"I love you," Susie screamed at me closing her eyes.

"I love you too," I replied.

Looking up at the glowing cylinders that held the dreaded heat-ray I closed my eyes and waited for the end.

With a deafening roar the Ironclad headed towards us. It cried out in anger driving intently towards the Martians. Showing no signs of fear the Iron saviour headed, guns blazing, towards the waiting metal giants. With every shot hitting the metal casing of the war machines the 'Thunder Child' cried out the determination that Britain would not be swept aside without a fight. Distracted, the fighting machines changed their attention towards the new threat. Releasing black smoke from funnels that formed part of their casing they attempted to disorientate the crew of 'Thunder Child.' The steamer continued on its course into the black smoke, we could see nothing but the person stood next to us. The anxiety gripped at my chest. Even though I couldn't see the Martians they were still there. It didn't make the danger any less real. They could still crush us at the drop of a hat.

Suddenly, surrounding us the sound of metal crashing against metal filled the air. People stopped their panic and looked skywards. The black clouds of smoke began to disperse as we carried on with our course. Out of the void the large metal shape of a Martian war machine headed down towards us. Once again the fear of death gripped at everyone on board, as the metal object fell people on deck jumped overboard fearing it would land on the steamer and drag it under. Susie tried to pull me towards the stairs that led to the bowels of the ship. I was deaf to her pleas as I watched the large metal disc continue on its decent downwards.

"No. Watch." I pointed.

Susie stopped struggling and looked along the line of my finger. The Martian tripod was falling; it wasn't the deliberate action of an attack, but a response. 'Thunder Child' had rammed the tripod legs causing them to buckle from the force. The mass of tangled metal fell into the water behind us, as it did so it created a tidal wave. The wave washed up against the back of the steamer and flung it forwards, sending everyone on board tumbling forward. I reached out for Susie's hand as water ran along the deck beneath us. She held on to me as I clung to the wooden railing by my side. We held on praying for one last miracle. Rich and poor, beggars and Lords they all held on to something, there was no class system, just a mass of people searching for survival.

After what felt like hours the steamer began to level off and I pulled Susie up next to me. Wiping the salty water from her face I kissed her on the forehead. Letting go of the railing I looked back towards the horizon. The strength of the wave had propelled us away from the Martians and closer towards our safety. For us, survival was now very real. For the 'Thunder Child' its brave crew paid for its valiant attempt to bring down the Martians. All aboard the steamer watched in horror as the cross of St. George burned in our hearts as the heat-ray burned through the Ironclad. As it sunk beneath the waves it took with it the last remaining hope for those we left behind. London belonged to the Martians.

The End.