День триффидов

           Therehadbeenanoticeofsomekindpinnedtothefrontdoor,butonlyoneblankcornerremained.Ispentalongtimesearchingfortherestofthesheetthatmusthaveblownaway.Ididnotfindit.Theyardatthebackwasemptyoftrucks,andmostofthestoreshadgonewiththem,butwheretoIcouldnottell.

           Therewasnothingtobedonebutgetintomycaragainandcomeback.

           "Andso—what?"askedJosellawhenIhadfinished.

           "Andso,mydear,westayhere.Welearnhowtosupportourselves.Andwegoonsupportingourselves—unlesshelpcomes.Theremaybeanorganizationsomewhere..."

           Josellashookherhead.

           "Ithinkwe’dbetterforgetallabouthelp.Millionsandmillionsofpeoplehavebeenwaitingandhopingforhelpthathasn’tcome."

           "There’llbesomething,"Isaid.‘TheremustbethousandsoflittlegroupslikethisdottedalloverEurope—allovertheworld.Someofthemwillgettogether.They’llbegintorebuild."

           "Inhowlong?"saidJosella."Generations?Perhapsnotuntilafterourtime.No—theworld’sgone,andwe’releftWemustmakeourownlives.Wellhavetoplanthemasthoughhelpwillnevercome—"Shepaused.TherewasanoddblanklookonherfacethatIhadneverseenbefore,Itpuckered.

           "Darling..."Isaid.

           "Oh,Bill,Bill,Iwasn’tmeantforthiskindoflife,Ifyou

           weren’thereI’d—"

           "Hush,mysweet,"Isaidgently."Hush."Istrokedherhair.

           Afewmomentslatersherecoveredherself.

           "I’msorry,Bill.Self-pity...revolting.Neveragain."