День триффидов
Shirning
Andthen,likeamiracle,Josellahadarrived.
Itwasclearatonce,then,thatthenotionofanimmediatemovetoTynshamwasout.Foronething,JoyceTaylorwasstillinanextremelyweakstate—whenIlookedatherIwassurprisedthatshewasaliveatall.Dennis’spromptnesshadsavedherlife,buttheirinabilitytogivehertheproperrestorativesorevensuitablefoodduringthefollowingweekhadsloweddownherrecovery.Itwouldbefollytotrytomoveheralongdistanceinatruckforaweekortwoyet.Andthen,too,Mary’sconfinementwascloseenoughtomakethejourneyinadvisableforher,sothattheonlycourseseemedtobeforusalltoremainwherewewereuntilthesecrisesshouldhavepassed.
Oncemoreitbecamemytasktoscroungeandforage.ThistimeIhadtoworkonamoreelaboratescale,toincludenotmerelyfood,butgasforthelightingsystem,hensthatwerelaying,tocowsthathadrecentlycalved(andstillsurvived,thoughtheirribswerestickingout),medicalnecessitiesforMary,andasurprisinglistofsundries.TheareawasmorebesetwithtriffidsthananyotherIhadyetseen.Almosteverymorningrevealedoneortwonewoneslurkingclosetothehouse,andthefirsttaskofthedaywastoshootthetopsoffthem,untilIhadconstructedanettingfencetokeepthemoutofthegarden.Eventhentheywouldcomerightupandloitersuggestivelyagainstituntilsomethingwasdoneaboutthem.
IopenedsomeofthecasesofgearandtaughtyoungSusanhowtouseatriffidgun.
