The Thing from Another World Page #7

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- Hit that in, will you?

There. That ought to do it.

Doctor Chapman, you're sure

there's no other way out? No windows?

- Only the front and back doors.

- The walls solid?

- Corrugated iron.

- You don't think that...?

You found a dog in there, bled white

by our visitor. Why didn't you report it?

- It wasn't necessary.

- It was necessary to leave friends to die?

I posted them as guards...

I looked in. They're hanging upside down

like in a slaughterhouse. Wish you'd seen it.

- Can't we do something?

- They're dead.

Let's see nobody joins them. Doctor, you're

limited to your room, lab and the mess hall.

You have no authority of any kind.

No right to assume...

You better move along.

We've got the rear door blocked.

If he gets out...

...he'll have to dig through

oil drums and a couple tons of snow.

- Bob, next time raise the sights a little.

- I was too busy to think about that.

We're gonna have to set up

a guard here in the corridor.

- Two-hour shifts. We'll need volunteers.

- Count me in, captain.

You sent for us, doctor?

You said you had news for us, doctor.

Yes, yes. I...

Gentlemen, we find ourselves in a battle.

I'm not referring to the minor argument

with Capt. Hendry...

...but this creature from a new world.

Two of our colleagues have died,

a third is injured.

Those are our losses,

and there may be more.

This creature is more powerful

and intelligent than we are.

He regards us as important

only for his nourishment.

He has the same attitude toward us

as we have toward a field of cabbages.

That is our battle.

Only science can conquer him.

All other weapons will be powerless, only...

There must...

There must be a way. I've been trying to...

Sorry. I'm very tired. I haven't slept.

It's difficult...

Difficult to talk.

- Will you read my notes, Miss Nicholson?

- Doctor, you need some rest.

Yes, I know, but...

Please read my notes.

"At 9:
00 p.m., I placed the seeds taken from

the severed hand of X...

...in four inches of earth.

I saturated the earth...

I saturated the earth with two units

of plasma taken from our blood bank.

The condition of the dog found

in the greenhouse indicated blood...

...was a primal factor

in the cultivation of the seeds.

At 2:
00 a. M...

At 2:
00 a.m., the first sprouts

appeared through the soil."

- Five hours.

- Yes. I used another two units of plasma.

At 4:
00 a.m., the sprouts began

to take on definite form.

I came to the conclu...

I see by your faces you don't believe me.

Well, you may judge for yourselves.

Oh, no. It isn't possible.

- It reproduces itself.

- Amazing speed.

This would bear out

Capt. Hendry's impression.

When he saw the creature in the

greenhouse, it had grown a new arm.

- This pulsating, doctor?

- As though they were breathing.

- Yes. Human plants.

- Superhuman.

- All this because of the blood plasma?

- That's correct.

Notice these, closer to the source of

the plasma. While these, farther away.

- How many units have we?

- Enough, I hope.

Would you care to listen to them,

Professor Wilson?

Yes, thank you. I should.

Well?

Almost like the wail

of a newborn child that's hungry.

- That's the way I would have described it.

- Doctor?

- Yes, Miss Nicholson?

- Would you mind very much if l...?

- Will you be needing me anymore?

- No. Just finish typing my notes.

Return them to me.

Let no one see them.

Doctor, I think you should

get some sleep.

There's too much to do.

- Your mind can't work if you're exhausted.

- My mind's still clear.

No, it isn't, doctor. You aren't thinking

of what's happening in the greenhouse.

He's growing those seeds in there

using blood. Just as you are.

You've seen what one creature like that

can do. Just imagine a thousand.

- I have imagined it.

- Arthur...

...what if that aircraft came

not just to visit the Earth...

...but to conquer it? To start growing

some kind of horrible army?

- To turn the human race into food for it?

- Many things threaten our world...

...new stars, comets shooting...

- But those are theories.

- This is an enemy here.

- There are no enemies in science...

...only phenomena to study.

We are studying one.

Come in.

- Hello, Pat.

- Hi. Nikki, I want to ask you something.

Has anybody up here been hurt lately?

Anybody shot, stabbed or operated on?

No. That what-is-it in the greenhouse

has been our first diversion.

I brought up 35 units of blood plasma

two months ago. What's become of it?

- Why do you want to know?

- Why are they not giving it to Dr. Stern?

They're giving him blood transfusions

instead of plasma. Two live donors.

What's Carrington doing with

I guess...

I guess you'd better take a swing at

my chin and have a look at those notes.

I should be trying to stop you.

So that's what he's been doing.

Thanks. Thanks for not stopping me.

Pat, would you remember something?

He's tired.

He hasn't slept since you found

that thing. And he's not thinking right.

I know him. And he doesn't think

the way we do anyway.

But he's found something no one can

understand. Until he can solve it, he'Il...

- You know, like a kid with a new toy...

- Only this toy's liable to bite him.

Thanks again.

Where's Dr. Carrington?

I'm sorry. I have no authorization

to give you any...

- I'm very busy.

- I know you're busy, doctor.

I understand you've been gardening.

Where are they?

- Why?

- This way to the nursery, Pat.

I don't tolerate intrusions

into my laboratory. Don't touch.

This is what your colleagues

are doing in the greenhouse.

- This is an improvement.

- What happened was not my fault.

We've read your notes.

You should have consulted us.

I have the help I need.

Your opinion has not been asked.

It has by Capt. Hendry. And I've given

it to him. I'll repeat it for you.

We're facing something

unpredictably dangerous.

The creature in the greenhouse

is obviously multiplying itself.

We have no way of finding out

how much.

It will need more blood

and will try to obtain what it needs.

- It's imprisoned and harmless.

- How can you be sure of our safety?

Or the safety of the world?

Think of 1000 such creatures. 10,000. It

must be destroyed, this progeny with it.

- No.

- We can burn these.

- What about that thing in the greenhouse?

- You're like frightened boys.

- You're right. I am frightened.

- Any destruction would be an outrage...

...a betrayal of science.

- It may be.

- But I'll sleep better if we get rid of it.

- Captain, Barnes finally...

...got a message through.

Here's the answer.

- Go ahead.

- "Fogarty to Hendry:

Carrington informs me Martian alive.

Keep it alive and protect it against injury.

Under no circumstances take action

against it until my arrival."

You have your orders, Capt. Hendry.

I consider them sane and intelligent.

- But, Tex, what about me?

- Not a thing, Scotty.

- What do we do, Pat?

- Try changing the Army's mind.

Hey! Hey, it's me, Eddie!

- What are you doing here?

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