Village of the Damned Page #4

Like a colony of ants and bees.

These children all want to dress alike...

and what one learns, they all learn.

I've demonstrated this to Alan Bernard.

They are one mind to the 12th power.

Just think what it would mean

if we could guide it.

We could leap forward in science

a hundred years.

At the risk of being destroyed.

What cannot be understood

must be put away. Is that your view?

The age-old fear of the unknown?

On the other hand, Leighton has a point.

There is a potential danger here.

We're gathered here as advisors,

as scientists, as government experts.

Now take a look at our world.

Have we made a good job of it?

Who's to say that these children

are not the answer?

The answer to what?

To wars, to disease,

to human want and misery.

To all of the problems

we've been unable to cope with.

If they don't make an end of us

in the meantime.

We can't throw away this potential

because of a few incidents.

- What is your suggestion?

- I'll compromise with Leighton.

Let them live together, under one roof,

in our village, where they can observed.

My department couldn't accept

the responsibility.

I personally will assume full responsibility.

Just give me a year.

- Mr. Home Secretary, I can't agree to this.

- But all I ask is a year.

Surely that's not too much time

when so much is at stake.

Just give me one year.

Very well.

I will officially recommend

your compromise.

Thank you, gentlemen.

That's as far as we shall go today.

Our next lecture will deal with structure.

And by the way, don't forget

you'll be living here from tomorrow.

Now...

Why do you smile? David?

You don't know how to put your question.

There isn't much point

my trying to be subtle, is there?

The question I was going to put was...

By the way...

just how deep do you see into my mind?

Everything that's in the front of your mind.

The thought processes, the reasoning

that leads to my spoken words?

We still have to master that. It will come.

That's frank. Thank you, David.

At least I still have some privacy.

The question I want to ask is this:

Are you aware of life on another planet?

Then let me put it this way:

It is possible that life exists elsewhere,

isn't it?

We don't seem to be getting anywhere.

Why are you so nervous

when an aircraft flies above you?

You've very observant, Father.

That doesn't answer my question.

All right. Until recently,

we haven't been able to make...

- our control reach as far as a high aircraft.

- And now you have, is that it?

What are you going to do

with that power?

Father, we know

what you're trying to find out.

It would be better

if you didn't ask these questions.

We want to learn from you.

All right, that'll be all for today.

- David.

- Yes, Father?

I'll walk home with you.

What I meant was that you don't have

to go, David, if you don't want to.

I'd rather go.

Because the others

are moving into the school...

you feel you must, too. Is that the logic?

- Yes.

- Your mother is quite distressed about it.

I don't really know why I should be.

Lots of parents send their children

away to school...

and David will only be half a mile away.

I suppose there is nothing

that will make you change your mind?

No.

I think that's all.

Thank you.

I'm very sorry. It was all my fault.

You all right?

Mrs. Zellaby, I wish you'd be more specific

in your testimony.

I know these things are difficult...

but it is our obligation to determine

the responsibility for this man's death.

I find it very difficult to remember.

You told Constable Gobby

you heard the screech of his brakes.

Yes, that's right.

He got out of the car.

Then what did he do, Mrs. Zellaby?

Then he got back into the car...

and drove straight for the wall.

Thank you, Mrs. Zellaby.

I don't think we need go any further.

It seems to me quite apparent

what happened here.

Edward Pawle, the deceased,

his vision obscured...

came close to striking and injuring a child.

Then, obviously in nervous shock,

struck the wall.

I recommend that you bring in a verdict

of accidental death.

Mrs. Zellaby, you know they killed him.

Ask them!

Just ask them!

Who is that man?

James Pawle, sir, brother of the deceased.

Then I shall overlook this outburst.

Can't you see now that Midwich

is living on top of a volcano?

A force is building up.

Sooner or later, it's bound to explode.

We still haven't any proof.

How much more proof do you need?

The death of James Pawle...

I'm much more aware of the situation

than you think...

Why not? Look what they did

to my brother.

- This won't bring him back.

- Who's going to stop them?

You can't stop them with that, believe me.

They're not human.

They ought to be destroyed.

Go home, Jim. I said, go home!

Leave here now before they get any closer.

All right, Mr. Zellaby.

All right, I'm responsible.

I've never denied it.

It's quite possible that, but for me,

these two men would be alive.

I was over-optimistic.

There's a shindig in London.

They maybe after your blood.

Do you think I care a rap about that?

What beats me

is that I failed to reach the children.

They're shouting for action, now!

Things have gone too far.

The village is very near panicky.

If only I could got inside the children's

minds and read their thoughts...

since, quite obviously, they can read ours.

Doesn't that assume

they have thoughts in mind?

As we understand them?

Alan, it's for you. Gen. Leighton.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

Yes, sir?

I see. Yes, sir.

It's as though their minds

were surrounded by...

a brick wall.

If only I could break through it.

Yes, sir, certainly.

Have I your permission to pass this on?

Right, thank you, sir. Goodbye.

I'm afraid there have been

grave developments.

The Russian army group

in the Western Urals...

is equipped with a new type of gun.

It can project a shell up to 60 miles.

An atomic shell.

Apparently they tried it out yesterday...

on the village of Raminsk,

where their children live.

And the village of Raminsk

no longer exists.

- You mean everyone there?

- The entire place.

They gave no warning,

couldn't evacuate the villagers...

without the children learning

what was to happen.

They'd developed more quickly than ours.

They'd begun to take control.

An attempt to move them

with the soldiers...

proved disastrous

to the troops and the adults.

I see.

So now I suppose we're going to blow

Midwich off the face of the earth?

No.

But in view of recent events,

they feel your compromise has failed.

Leighton feels we ought to move,

immediately, before it's too late.

Destroy them?

Well, they're meeting tonight

to come to a decision.

They want me in town.

What I say is, it's got to stop!

Yeah!

First Ed, then Jim Pawle.

The authorities don't do nothing.

Are we going to wait

until we all get wiped out?

- No!

- All right then.

Those that are with me, follow me!

David, come here.

I want to speak to you.

A man is dead.

We must protect ourselves.

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