John Wyndham's science fiction thriller The Midwich Cuckoos tells the tale of a new form of life that arises spontaneously after a mysterious event. After large swathes of people are knocked out by an unknown force in the town of Midwich, it is discovered that all the women of the town were impregnated during the event, eventually giving birth to semi-alien, telepathic children. These Children grow into powerful teenagers, inspiring fear in the town, before they are eventually defeated and killed by the townspeople.

"Because that's my estimate—it's a pretty rough estimate, I admit—but I think you'll find it's about the number of women of childbearing age in the village," Willers told him.

After the "Dayout," the women of the town become unexpectedly pregnant. This quote illuminates the gravity of the situation. Inexplicably, every woman of childbearing age who was in the town of Midwich during the Dayout became pregnant, which is why it was a blessing that Richard and his wife Janet were out of town during the majority of it. This is the beginning of many strange events that eventually result in the arrival of the Children. Zellaby and Willers are discussing this strange event, but they do not know how shocking things will become in the coming years.

Whether the car actually came to a stop Zellaby could never be sure; if it did it was for the barest instant, then the engine roared. The car sprang forward. The driver changed up, and put his foot down again, keeping straight ahead. He made no attempt whatever to take the corner to the left. The car was still accelerating when it hit the churchyard wall. It smashed to smithereens, and hurled the driver headlong against the wall.

Nine years after the Dayout, the Children have grown, and they look very similar to sixteen- or seventeen-year-olds, in spite of only having been born nine years prior. Their telepathic prowess is growing, and they show their malevolence in this scene. After a man accidentally hits a Child with his car, the Child becomes enraged and turns violent. However, instead of attacking the man who hit him, the Child takes hold of the driver's mind. During this scene, he forces the man to drive his car headlong into a wall, killing him instantly. This sort of cruelty will become common for the unstoppable Children.

I picked it up. A letter in Zellaby's pointed handwriting. I did not need to read it. The whole thing had been clear the moment I saw the red-white glow in the direction of The Grange, and recalled in the same instant the heavy cases which I had supposed to contain his recording-machine, and other gear.

This quote appears after the finale of the book has occurred. Zellaby chose to smuggle a bomb into The Grange under the pretense of showing a film to the Children. He knew that there was no other way to save the town and that he was the only one who could get close enough to them to take action, since they trusted him. Gayford realizes this and is awash with sadness but is also proud of the other man's bravery. He knew, without having to read the letter, that Zellaby had done what was necessary to save the world.