Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes (24 page)

His voice grew louder with the force of his passion. “We both know that day is inevitable, Mr. MacDonald. The day of the writing in the sky, when your cities lie buried under the radioactive rubble. When the seas have become dead seas, and every land a wasteland. That is the future—which my parents saw. In that future, I will lead my people out of their captivity. And we shall build our own cities, where there will be no place for humans—except to serve our own ends. We shall found our own armies, our own religion, our own dynasty—
look, Mr. MacDonald!”

Triumphant, Caesar turned to gesture at the ruined city.

“The beginning of that day is upon you even now.”

Cries of animal fury filled the plaza. Governor Breck’s twitching body finally went limp. The screeching of the frustrated apes grew louder as they searched for new targets for their unleashed resentment. By two and threes, they broke away from the circle of light where Breck’s body turned slowly. They raced toward the growing crowd of human prisoners in the holding area.

Firelight. Gleaming eyes. The sound of truncheons. And apes screaming their blood-mad rage . . .

Almost pityingly, Caesar said to the black man, “Do you doubt me? Why don’t you answer, Mr. MacDonald?”

But MacDonald had closed his eyes as the silent tears ran down his face.