День триффидов
Frustration
Ijusthadtowatchthemmakingitmoreandmoreimpossibleformetoplaytheskunkandwalkoutonthem.AdozentimesadayIcursedthemanCokerforcontrivingmeintothesituation—butthatdidn’thelptosolveit:itjustleftmewonderinghowitcouldend.
Ihadmyfirstinklingofthat,thoughIscarcelyrecognizeditassuch,onthefourthmorning—ormaybeitwasthefifth—justasweweresettingout.Awomancalleddownthestairsthatthereweretwosickupthere;prettybad,shethought.
Mytwowatchdogsdidnotlikeit.
"Listen,"Itoldthem."I’vehadaboutenoughofthischain-gangstuff.We’dbedoingalotbetterthanwearenowwithoutit,anyway."
"An’haveyouslinkin’offtojoinyouroldmob?"saidsomeone.
"Don’tfoolyourself,"Isaid."Icouldhavesluggedthispairofamateurgorillasanyhourofthedayornight.I’venotdoneitbecauseyou’vegotnothingagainstthemotherthantheirbeingapairofdim-wittednuisances
"‘Ere—"oneofmyattachmentsbegantoexpostulate."But,"Iwenton,"iftheydon’tletmeseewhat’swrongwiththesepeople,theycanbeginexpectingtobesluggedanyminutefromnow.
Thetwosawreason,butwhenwereachedtheroomtheytookgoodcaretostandasfarbackasthechainallowed.Thecasualtiesturnedouttobetwomen,oneyoung,onemiddle-aged.Bothhadhightemperaturesandcomplainedofagonizingpaininthebowels.Ididn’tknowmuchaboutsuchthingsthen,butIdidnotneedtoknowmuchtofeelworried.
