Village of the Damned Page #2

There's no need

for direct contact between us.

More security? Ever cautious.

It gets under the skin, you know.

- Anything else today, Mrs. Zellaby?

- No, that's all, thank you.

I'll have to get in a new supply of pickles

if you go on like this.

I do seem to be getting through a lot

these days, don't I?

That'll be 17.6.

- Shall I add it to the account?

- Yes, thank you.

How's the Professor?

He's very well. Very well indeed.

Good morning.

- Miss Ogle, dear.

- Yes?

I think there's going to be news

up at Kyle Manor.

News? What kind of news?

Hello.

I said, hello.

- How long have you been here?

- Ages.

Liar.

I have just discovered a fascinating thing.

Here are the plant samples from that day.

This one for example.

Perfectly ordinary pelargonium zonale.

What's happening is exactly

what you'd expect if I made a 50% graft...

Why did you kiss me like that?

Come on, what's the secret?

Something's afoot. Why are you so happy?

Now, Gordon, I want you to sit down.

Keep quite calm.

There's nothing to worry about.

Now.

We have apparently succeeded...

in crossing a Zellaby Gordonius

with a Zellaby Antheum.

Just what the results will be,

we shan't know for some time yet.

I think you should sit down.

- Can I get you some tea?

- No.

A drink? No, that wouldn't be right.

Feet up?

- Something to eat?

- Yes, please.

What?

Cheese, pickles,

and half a dozen anchovies.

Recently my favorite diet.

Hadn't you noticed?

Mrs. Plumpton at the shop has.

I have been too engrossed in my work,

but we'll change all that.

Thank you, darling.

You've made my happiness complete.

But all the more so

because I am old enough to appreciate it.

Now then, what was it you wanted?

Cheese, pickles...

and half a dozen anchovies.

I'm afraid there's no doubt about it.

Milly...

I wish there was something I could say

to comfort you...

'cause I know what

you'll have to put up with...

from some of the people

in the village over this.

But you can count on me to do anything

I can to help you and your child.

Do you think I'd...

Do you think I could...

Milly, I told you, there's no doubt about it.

Now if there's anyone

you want me to talk to about this.

But I've never...

It's impossible.

This is some present, Jim. Thanks a lot.

Where did you say you got it? Tokyo?

It's a real beauty.

You can take action pictures in this light.

Jan, look at me.

When I learn to use this properly,

I might go into the photo business.

Jan, turn this way. That's right.

I want to see how...

What's the matter with you?

Jim comes back after a whole year...

and you look as if

you were going to a funeral.

An attempted suicide.

Janet Pawle, whose husband

only came back from sea yesterday.

- It's dreadful.

- Three other women in the village...

half out of their minds.

Milly Hughes, Rose Shepherd,

Mary Burnett.

- Please don't go on.

- That's why we're asking you to tell us.

Please don't keep on.

Don't you see what you're asking me

is not right ethically?

For heaven's sake, Vicar.

How do you think I feel?

I married late in life.

When my wife told me

that she was going to have a baby...

it was the happiest moment

I've ever known.

Don't talk to me about ethics.

Don't you see that this is something

which concerns all of us...

that this is the one moment

when it is your duty to break confidence.

Very well.

Four of them have been to see me.

One of them is only 17.

- Evelyn Harrington?

- Yes.

She was terribly frightened,

and frankly, so am I.

I know these girls.

I watched them grow up.

When they tell me they've no way

of accounting for their condition...

I am compelled to believe them.

That means every woman in this village...

who is capable of childbirth

is going to have a baby.

I can't believe it.

This is not a matter of belief, Vicar.

It's a matter of fact.

And there's something else.

All this seems to date

from that day two months ago...

when Midwich was cut off

from the rest of the world.

Who's next?

This is Anthea Zellaby's, Doctor.

Let's have a look at it.

It's one of the most perfectly formed

embryos I've ever seen.

Yes, but is it normal?

It's more than normal.

It's a 7-month embryo after only 5 months.

It's all right. I've seen the x-rays,

and it's a fine specimen.

Dr. Willers says it's perfect,

absolutely normal.

That should make us very happy.

It's going to be all right.

Is it? Is that what you believe?

You're tired, darling.

That's right. I'm tired.

And do you know why?

Because every night I lie awake and worry.

Now you don't have to worry anymore.

You don't really believe that.

- Dr. Willers says...

- I don't care what Dr. Willers says.

All right, so it's not a monster.

It's a perfect specimen.

- But what does that tell me?

- You're going to have a baby.

Whose baby? Yours?

Does it tell me what kind of life

is growing inside me?

What sort of brain it has?

Where it comes from?

Does it tell me that?

Where does it come from?

Stop it!

You must stop it.

We've got to be rational about this.

We may not be any better off

than any of the others...

but there is absolutely nothing

we can do but wait.

Maybe it's ours, maybe it isn't.

If it's ours, we shall know it. If it isn't...

I'm afraid.

I'm so afraid.

I hope that none of them lives.

What a ridiculous way to behave.

We're still terribly busy,

but Doctor said to tell you...

that Mrs. Zellaby's fine.

- And the baby?

- Perfect.

- In every respect?

- Hello, Gordon.

- Got a cigarette?

- How about the baby?

Splendid. Unusually heavy, though.

Strange eyes.

All right. You can go in now.

- Got a cigarette?

- Yes, of course.

How many others have been delivered

so far tonight?

Anthea's my third.

What about their weight?

All slightly over 10 pounds.

All have got these strange eyes.

All that worrying. And now...

Gordon, have you seen him?

He's such a beautiful baby.

I do love you so.

He's probably jealous.

Now be quiet, Bruno.

Lie down and behave yourself.

Handsome, isn't he?

Take a look at this, Doctor.

It's a section of hair.

Yes, it's flat on one side,

on the other an arc.

Somewhat in the shape

of a narrow capital "D."

It belongs to my son, David.

Have you ever seen

such a hair type before?

- Have you noticed their nails?

- Yes, they're narrower than ours.

Covering less of the upper surface

of the digit, but as flat as normal nails.

- What did the blood test show?

- It's too early to tell.

The blood circulating at present

is still that of the mother's group.

So they're apparently normal children

with these exceptions:

Strange eyes, arresting, I would say...

an unknown hair group,

and unusual finger nails.

Whatever they are, their physical

development is absolutely startling.

In point of time, they're four months old...

but their development and capabilities

is that of 18 months.

No, please, stop it.

Won't stop.

She won't stop!

What happened?

I was giving David his bottle.

I must have forgotten to test it.

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