At first, the comet was just a tiny speck in the sky -- people scarcely noticed it among the countless other specks. But swiftly, without a sound, the comet grew inevitably brighter ... brighter than the brightest star. As people continued their lives on Earth, the comet came closer, grew bigger, filled the sky. Until finally, one day, a curtain of green mist closed down upon the world, and the Earth ceased to be ... for a time! Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was an English author best known for his science fiction, including War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Invisible Man.