Now I must tell the strangest part of my story. I remember everything clearly until I stood on the hill. I remember praying to God on Primrose Hill. But after that, I forget. I do not remember anything for the next three days.
Later, I learned many things about those three days. I was not the first person to find the dead Martians. Other people found them on the night before. One man went to a station. He sent a telegraph (a message sent by wires over a long distance) to Paris.
Soon, the whole world knew the good news. People were very happy in every city. They rang church bells in all of England. Men on bicycles rode through the country. They shouted the news to everyone. Other countries sent help. They sent ships with bread and meat to London.
I do not remember those happy days. I walked through the streets like a crazy man. Some kind people found me on the third day. I was wandering through the streets and crying. I was singing a silly song about being the last man alive.
These people were very kind. They took me into their house. They took care of me for many days. They protected me while I was sick and confused. I told them my story while I stayed with them.
When my mind was clear, they told me some sad news. They told me about the town of Leatherhead. The Martians destroyed that town two days after I was trapped. The Martians killed everyone in the town. I was very sad because my wife was there.
I stayed with those kind people for four more days. I felt very lonely and sad. I wanted to see my old home in Woking one last time. My friends told me not to go. But I had to see it. I said goodbye to them and left.
The streets were full of people again. Some shops were open. I saw a water fountain. People looked thin and their skin was yellow. They wore dirty clothes. Everyone looked very tired but also very happy.
I saw a placard (a large sign with news) for a newspaper. I bought a paper called the Daily Mail. The paper said that scientists were studying the Martian machines. They already knew the secret of how to fly. This was very important news.
I went to the train station. The trains were free for everyone. I sat alone in a compartment (a small room in a train). I looked out the window at the ruins. Some houses were black from the Martian smoke. I saw many men working to fix the railway.
The train passed the town of Wimbledon. I saw the sixth cylinder (the large metal tube from Mars). Many people stood around the big hole. Soldiers were working there too. A British flag moved in the wind. The ground was red with the red weed (a red plant from Mars).
The train stopped at Byfleet station. I got off and walked toward my home. I saw the broken dog cart (a small carriage pulled by a horse). I saw the white bones of the horse on the ground. I walked past the empty houses and through the woods.
I looked at my house. I had a little hope, but it went away quickly. The front door was open. I walked into the hall. The house felt very empty. I saw my old, muddy footsteps on the stairs.
I went into my study (a room for reading and writing). My papers were still on my writing table. I saw the last sentence I wrote four weeks ago. I was writing about the future of humans. I stopped writing when I heard the news of the Martians.
I went down to the dining room. I saw the meat and the bread on the table. The food was rotten now. I saw an old beer bottle on the floor. My house was empty and sad. I knew my wife was not there.
Then a strange thing happened. I heard a voice. "It is no use," the voice said. "The house is empty. No one is here." I was very surprised. I thought I was talking to myself.
I turned around and looked at the window. My cousin was there. And next to him was my wife! Her face was very white. She did not cry. She made a soft sound.
"I came back," my wife said. "I knew you were alive." She could not speak anymore. She began to fall. I moved forward quickly and caught her in my arms. My wife was alive. My story was over.