Martians come out next day

Next morning, a crowd gathered on the Common, hypnotised by the unscrewing of the cylinder. Two feet of shining screw projected when suddenly, the lid fell off. Two luminous disk-like eyes appeared above the rim. A huge rounded bulk, larger than a bear, rose up slowly, glistening like wet leather. Its lipless mouth quivered and slathered, and snakelike tentacles writhed as the clumsy body heaved and pulsated...

Horsell Common and the Heat Ray