Dead London
Jeff Wayne/Liam Neeson Lyrics

There were a dozen dead bodies in the Euston road, their outlines softened by the black dust.
The scene was grim and depressing, with twelve lifeless human bodies lying on the street, covered in black dust.

All was still, houses locked and empty, shops closed, but looters had helped themselves to wine and food, and outside a jewelers some gold chains and a watch were scattered on the pavement.
The entire place was deserted with no sign of life, but some greedy individuals did manage to steal some food and wine. In front of a jewelry store, gold chains and watches were scattered on the ground.

Martian: Ulla!
The cry of the Martian could be heard, echoing through the empty city street.

I stopped, staring towards the sound. It seemed as if that mighty desert of houses had found a voice for its fear and solitude.
The sound stopped me in my tracks and it felt like even the houses and the surroundings were echoing the fear and loneliness that the city seemed to be experiencing.

The desolating cry worked upon my mind. The wailing took possession of me. I was intensely weary, footsore, hungry and thirsty.
The cry of the Martian had a powerful impact on my mind and the grieving and loneliness took over my senses. I felt extremely tired, my feet hurt, and I craved food and water.

Why was I wandering alone in this city of the dead? Why was I alive when London was lying in state in its black shroud?
I questioned why I was walking around the deserted city all by myself. It seemed as if London had come to a halt and was wrapped in a blanket of darkness.

I felt intolerably lonely, drifting from street to empty street, drawn inexorably towards that cry.
The loneliness was unbearable and I aimlessly wandered the empty streets, with my mind drawn towards the Martian's cry.

I saw, over the trees on Primrose Hill, the fighting machine from which the howling came. I crossed Regent's Canal. There stood a second machine, upright, but as still as the first.
The source of the squall was from a fighting machine that I spotted over the trees on Primrose Hill. I had to cross Regent's Canal to spot another machine, which was stationary like the first one.

Abruptly, the sound ceased. Suddenly the desolation, the solitude, became unendurable.
The Martian's cry stopped suddenly and the loneliness and emptiness became too much to bear.

While that voice sounded London still seemed alive. now suddenly there was a change, the passing of something, and all that remained was this gaunt quiet.
As long as the Martian's cry was heard, it felt like London was alive. The silence that followed made it seem like something had passed and all that remained was the eerie, haunting silence.

I looked up, and saw a third machine. It was erect and motionless, like the others. An insane resolve possessed me: I would give my life to the Martians, here and now.
I spotted a third machine that was standing still like the previous two. A sudden and seemingly mad thought came to my mind that I was willing to sacrifice my life to the Martians then and there.

I marched recklessly towards the titan and saw that a multitude of black birds were circling and clustering about the hood. I began running along the road. I felt no fear, only a wild, trembling exultation as I ran up the hill towards the monster. Out of the hood hung red shreds, at which the hungry birds now pecked and tore.
I marched thoughtlessly towards the machine and noticed that many black birds were flying around the hood. I broke into a run, with no fear, only excitement, running up the hill towards the machine. Some red shreds were hanging from the machine, which the hungry birds were attacking.

I scrambled up to the crest of Primrose hill, the Martian's camp was below me. A mighty space it was, and scattered about it, in their overturned machines, were the Martians, slain after all man's devices had failed by the humblest creatures on the earth: bacteria.
I climbed up to the top of Primrose Hill and spotted the Martian's base camp below. The space was huge, and dotted around were the Martian machines, which were overturned. The Martians were attacked and killed by the tiniest creatures on Earth - bacteria - after all of humanity's attempts to fight back had failed.

Minute, invisible, bacteria. Directly the invaders arrived and drank and fed, our microscopic allies attacked them. From that moment, they were doomed.
Invisible, minuscule bacteria were the true heroes in the fight against the Martians. As soon as the invaders fed and drank, the bacteria started to attack them. From that moment, the defeat of the Martians was sealed.

The torment was ended. The people scattered over the country, desperate, leaderless, starved, the thousands who had fled by sea including the one most dear to me; all could return, the pulse of life growing stronger and stronger would beat again.
The misery finally ended, and the people of the country who were spread far and wide, starving and without a leader, could now return to their homes. The heartbeat of life grew stronger every day.

As life returns to normal, the question of another attack from Mars causes universal concern. Is our planet safe, or is this time of peace merely a reprieve? It may be that across the immensity of space, they have learned their lessons , and even now await their opportunity. Perhaps the future belongs not to us, but to the Martians.
As life slowly goes back to normal, people start to worry about the possibility of another attack from the Martians. They wonder if this period of peace will continue or was just a temporary break. Perhaps the Martians have learned from their mistakes and are patiently waiting for their next opportunity. The fear is that the future might not belong to humanity, but to the Martians.