"Beware the autumn people. For some, autumn comes early,
stays late through life where October follows September &
November touches October & then istead of December & Christ's
birth, there is no Bethlehem Star, no rejoicing, but September
comes again & old October & so on down the years, with no
winter, spring, or revivifying summer. For these beings fall is ever
the normal season, the only weather, there be no choice beyond.
Where do they come from? The dust. Where do they go? the
grave. Does blood stir in their veins? No: the night wind. What
ticks in their head? The worm. What speaks from their mouth?
The toad. What sees from their eye? The snake. What hears
with their ear? The abyss betweeen the stars. They sift the
human storm for souls, eat flesh of reason, fill tombs with sinners.
The frenzy forth. In gust they beetle-scurry, creep, thread, filter,
motion, make all moons sullen, & surely cloud all clear-run waters.
The spider-web hears them, trembles - breaks. Such are the
autumn people. Beware of them."
- Ray Bradbury
