День триффидов

           Firsttheyhadtriedtotelephone;whentheyfoundthatimpossibletheywaitedhopefullyforthearrivalofthedailyhelp.She,too,failingthem,TedhadvolunteeredtotrytofindOutwhathadhappened.Denniswouldhaveaccompaniedhimbutforhiswife’salmosthystericalstate.Ted,therefore,hadsetoutalone.Hedidnotcomeback.Atsometimelateintheday,andwithoutsayingawordtoanyone,Joanhadslippedoff,presumablytotrytofindherhusband.She,too,disappearedcompletely.

           Dennishadkepttrackoftimebytouchingthehandsoftheclock.Bylateafternoonitwasimpossibletositanylongerdoingnothing.Hewantedtotrytogetdowntothevillage.Boththewomenbadobjectedtothat.BecauseofMary’sstatehehadyielded,andJoycedeterminedtotry.Shewenttothedoorandbegantofeelherwaywithastickoutstretchedbeforeher.Shewasbarelyoverthethresholdwhensomethingfellwithaswishacrossherlefthand,burninglikeahotwire.Shejumpedbackwithacryandcollapsedinthehall,whereDennishadfoundher.Luckilyshewasconscious,andabletomoanofthepaininherhand.Dennis,feelingtheraisedweal,hadguesseditforwhatitwas.Inspiteoftheirblindness,hoandMaryhadsomehowcontrivedtoapplyhotfomentations,sheheatingthekettlewhileheputonatourniquetanddidhisbesttosuckoutthepoison.Afterthattheyhadhadtocarryheruptobed,whereshestayedforseveraldayswhiletheeffectofthepoisonworeoff.