The Third Occurrence

The most horrific event to date has happened!  The Martians have developed- but first, before I rush ahead like I have a constant habit of doing, I must take time to tell the story.  Where I left you last, I had just run from the scene of the Martian’s emergence.  That is where we are to pick up again.  Thus, as I was standing in the heather, I began to desire the thought of going back to the Martian pit, and as such, I found myself walking in a circle, trying to find a place where I could gaze upon the pit but still be kept safe in the forest.  While doing this, I encountered several people who obviously had the same idea as myself, and some exchanged hurried words of disgust and fear as we passed.  Eventually, my eyes fell upon a small hillock from which my vantage point unto the pits would be perfect.  As I climbed the mount, a party of people advanced on the sand-pits.  Noticing this, I gazed upon them as they, waving a white flag, approached the Martian’s hiding-spot.  Without warning, there were three rapid puffs of glowing green smoke, shot directly into the air, as if some machine were being cleaned.  Next came a distinctive shape – the Martian – out of the pit, and a ray of light accompanied it.  Instantaneously, blazes of fire leapt from man to man, as if some invisible torch had lit them.  In an instant, the flames had swallowed them as would some horrible beast, all at once.  The onlookers retreated, and that night, two women and a little boy were crushed to death in the onslaught of escapees.  Some say fear creeps upon oneself until it slowly grasps them – my fear came all at once, like a thousand knives through my heart.  At times, my moods overtake me, and I feel as if I were not a part of the world anymore, but merely an onlooker, staring from somewhere faraway and detached.  This was a time of that sort, and I could not gather myself until I had gone home and drank some wine to steady my nerves.  Then, and only then, could I account to my wife in full detail what had happened.  She instantly grew worried, and I tried to reassure her, to no avail.  Finally, I persuaded her to go to sleep.  This very morning, the streets are abuzz with news and gossip of “the men from Mars”.  I will tell more later; for now, I must rest.  Who knows what may happen in the coming days?  As always, I remain your faithful reporter, William Russell.

The Heat-Ray

I found this picture on http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/laser-projecting-microscope.jpg?w=470&h=400

It calls it a laser-projecting microscope, but I recognize it as an old picture of the device the Martians used.