The location is Maple Street, USA, in late summer. It is mid-evening and the street is full of playing children and adults talking. A shadow passes overhead and a loud roar is heard. Later, after it has gone dark, the residents of Maple Street find that the telephones no longer work, and there is no power or radio. They gather together in the street to discuss the matter.
Steve Brand decides to go into town and see what is happening, but his car will not start and he plans to walk instead. Tommy, a young boy from the neighborhood, pleads with him not to go. He is sure that the outages are part of an alien invasion—just as he has read in books and comics. Furthermore, he says, most of these invasions are preceded by the infiltration of aliens who look human. Naturally no one takes him seriously, but the first signs of doubt appear....