The War of the worlds by H. G. Wells

and his appear ance were so wildhis hat had fallen off in the pit that the man simply drove on. He was equally un successful with a man who was just unlocking the doors of the hotel by Horsell Bridge. The fellow thought he was a lunatic at large and made an unsuccessful attempt to seize him. That sobered him a little and when he saw Henderson the London journalist in his garden he called over the fence and made himself
understood. Henderson he called you saw that shooting
star last night? Well? said Henderson.
Its out on Horsell Common now. Henderson. Fallen meteorite!
Good Lord ! said Thats good.
But its something more than a meteorite. Its a cylinder an artificial cylinder man! And theres something inside.
Whats that? Henderson asked. He is deaf in one ear.
Ogilvy told him all that he had seen. Henderson was a minute or so taking it in. Then he came out into the road. The two men hurried back at once to the common and found the cylinder still lying in the same position. But now the sounds inside had ceased and a thin circle of bright metal showed between the top and the body of the cylinder.
They listened rapped on the outside of the cylinder with a stick and meeting with no response concluded that the man or men inside must be insensible or dead.
Of course the two were quite unable to do anything. They shouted consolation and promises and went off back to the town again to get help. One can imagine them covered with sand excited and disordered running up the little street in the bright sunlight just as the shopkeepers were taking down their shutters and people were opening their bedroom windows. Hender son went into the railway station in order to telegraph the news to London.
By eight oclock a number of boys and unemployed men had already started for the common to see the dead men from Mars. That was the form the story took. I heard of it first from my newspaper boy about a quarter to nine when I went out to get my Daily Chronicle. I was naturally startled and lost no time in going out to the sandpits.