День триффидов
The End begins
Itcameatlasttothestraightquestion:wasImorescaredofendangeringmysightbytakingoffthebandagesorofstayinginthedarkwiththewilliesgrowingeveryminute?
Ifithadbeenadayortwoearlier,Idon’tknowwhatI’dhavedone-verylikelythesameintheend-butthisdayIcouldatleasttellmyself:
"Well,hangit,therecan’tbealotofharmifIusecommonsense.Afterall,thebandagesareduetocomeofftoday.I’llriskit."
There’sonethingIIputtomycredit.Iwasnotfarenoughgonetotearthemoffwildly.Ihadthesenseandtheself-controltogetoutofbedandpulltheshadedownbeforeIstartedonthesafetypins.
OnceIhadthecoveringsoff,andhadfoundoutthatIcouldseeinthedimness,IfeltareliefthatI’dneverknownbefore.Nevertheless,thefirstthingIdidafterassuringmyselfthattherewereindeednomaliciouspersonsorthingslurkingunderthebedorelsewherewastoslipachairbackunderthedoorhandle.Icouldanddidbegintogetabettergriponmyselfthen.Imademyselftakeafullhourgraduallygettingusedtofulldaylight.AttheendofitIknewthatthankstoswiftfirstaid,followedbygooddoctoring,myeyeswereasgoodasever.
Butstillnoonecame.
OnthelowershelfofthebedsidetableIdiscoveredapairofdarkglassesthoughtfullyputreadyagainstmyneedofthem.CautiouslyIputthemonbeforeIwentrightclosetothewindow.Thelowerpanofitwasnotmadetoopen,sothattheviewwasrestricted.Squintingdownandsideways,Icouldseeoneortwopeoplewhoappearedtobewanderinginanodd,kindofaimlesswayfartherupthestreet.
