День триффидов
World Narrowing
TwomoredayspassedbeforeSusanandIcouldbesurethatwehadsearchedeverycorneroftheenclosureandaccountedfortheverylastoftheintruders.Wefollowedthatupwithaninspectionofthewholelengthofthefenceandareinforcementofalldoubtfulsections.Fourmonthslatertheybrokeinagain.
Thistimeanumberofbrokentriffidslayinthegap.Ourimpressionwasthattheyhadbeencrushedinthepressurethathadbeenbuiltupagainstthefencebeforeitgaveway,andthat,fallingwithit,theyhadbeentrampledbytherest.
Itwasclearthatweshouldhavetotakenewdefensivemeasures.Nopartofourfencewasanystrongerthanthatwhichhadgivenway.Electrificationseemedthemostlikelymeansofkeepingthematadistance.Topowerit,Ifoundanarmygeneratormountedonatrailerandtowedithome.SusanandIsettoworkonthewiring.Beforewehadcompleteditthebruteswerethroughagaininanotherplace.
Ibelievethatsystemwouldhavebeencompletelyeffectiveifwecouldhavekeptitinactionallthetime—orevenmostofthetime.Butagainstthattherewasthefuelconsumption.Gaswasoneofthemostvaluableofourstores.Foodofsomekindwecouldalwayshopetogrow,butwhengasolineandDieseloilwerenolongeravailable,muchmorethanourmereconveniencewouldbegonewiththem.Therewouldbenomoreexpeditions,andconsequentlynomorereplenishment-sofsupplies.TheprimitivelifewouldstartinearnestSo,frommotivesofconservation,thebarrierwirewaschargedforonlyafewminutestwoorthreetimesaday.
