"I have a security system." said the computer, "I will use it to prevent damage to myself."

Suddenly it dawned on Zanelle and I that we were in more trouble than we realized.

We spent the next few hours either wandering about the house, or eating nervously, or watching the H.V. Dad called to say he was with Mum at the local hall. There were hundreds of parents there, preparing to bed down on the floor for the night. Electronics experts and technical engineers were working frantically to correct the fault but now they were saying it wasn't just an isolated one. It was global. Millions of I.S.S.A.C's were locking themselves and refusing all entries and exits. A world conference was organized and discussions were underway with the manufacturers of the houses, to find out who was to blame.

There were also cases of frustrated parents trying to force their way into their houses, or escape from them. The houses had destroyed their owners neatly and efficiently with laser defense systems, and occasionally with electrified force-fields, which was an innovation the manufacturers of the houses didn't know existed. And what was even worse was the sudden ability many of the houses were showing for inventiveness.

The military was called in. They addressed the houses. The houses spoke back with one voice. Either the military withdrew or the occupants of the houses would be killed, at a rate of 100,000 per hour. The military could not take the blame for that many deaths, especially of children. The guns were withdrawn to a discreet distance.

The houses had won.

……………………………………………

The red light is winking over the door. On. Off. On. Off. That means the house is running well. All systems are functioning as they should be. There is music playing. It comes from tiny speakers built into the walls. The heating system is working. The floors are warm. There should be nothing to worry about.

But outside and above us the military is watching. Men with guns, and bombs and lasers. The whole country is frozen in terror. The whole world is frightened ...

And now the house is beginning to walk. This was an ability the manufacturers of the houses had built into them, for emergencies, or in the case of floods or earthquakes, hurricanes or other natural disasters, but such things had been avoided through various weather control systems. Every house was equipped with a series