Tales of Space and TimeWells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science
Tales of Space and Time
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Science fiction, English
He knew what there was behind him. A broad stretch of grass, and then a
thicket, and in that Eudena could hide. That was clear in his mind,
though his thinking powers were too feeble to see what should happen
thereafter. Uya stood knee-deep, undecided and unarmed. His heavy mouth
hung open, showing his canine teeth, and he panted heavily. His side was
flushed and bruised under the hair. The other man beside him carried a
sharpened stick. The rest of the hunters came up one by one to the top
of the bank, hairy, long-armed men clutching flints and sticks. Two ran
off along the bank down stream, and then clambered to the water, where
Wau had come to the surface struggling weakly. Before they could reach
him he went under again. Two others threatened Ugh-lomi from the bank.
He answered back, shouts, vague insults, gestures. Then Uya, who had
been hesitating, roared with rage, and whirling his fists plunged into
the water. His followers splashed after him.
Ugh-lomi glanced over his shoulder and found Eudena already vanished
into the thicket. He would perhaps have waited for Uya, but Uya
preferred to spar in the water below him until the others were beside
him. Human tactics in those days, in all serious fighting, were the
tactics of the pack. Prey that turned at bay they gathered around and
rushed. Ugh-lomi felt the rush coming, and hurling the antler at Uya,
turned about and fled.
When he halted to look back from the shadow of the thicket, he found
only three of his pursuers had followed him across the river, and they
were going back again. Uya, with a bleeding mouth, was on the farther
side of the stream again, but lower down, and holding his hand to his
side. The others were in the river dragging something to shore. For a
time at least the chase was intermitted.
Ugh-lomi stood watching for a space, and snarled at the sight of Uya.
Then he turned and plunged into the thicket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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