The Cost of Living: A Gut-Wrenching Survival Horror Story by David Moody

Author:David Moody [Moody, David]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Infected Books
Published: 2014-05-28T00:00:00+00:00

We sit in the dark for a while longer. I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I put my hand out to find her, she’s gone.

MONDAY 29 JUNE – 11:05am

STUART

Pissing rain has stopped us doing anything for almost a week. None of us have been outside, other than when I’ve gone out to collect the rainwater. We’ve got plenty now. I filled the bath. Sally’s paddling pool is full outside too, and loads of pots and pans and buckets. It’ll last us ages.

It’s a beautiful day today though. It’s warm and dry, not a cloud overhead. We have a slow start, then sit around the breakfast table, eating thin porridge that Gabby cooked on the camping stove. She made it with water. It’s not the best, but it’s warm and it’s enough. I tell the kids it’s important to make sure we have at least one hot meal each day. Sally has a paddy and throws her spoon on the floor, but I know how to deal with this.

‘If you don’t eat up, you won’t grow to be big and strong.’

‘Don’t want to be big and strong,’ she says, looking straight at me. ‘Don’t want to be anything.’

‘Now that’s just silly talk. Listen, how about this... if you eat all your breakfast, maybe Mummy and Daddy will take you for a walk.’

‘What... outside?’ Nathan says, his interest piqued.

‘Well we could just walk around the lounge if you’d rather.’

‘But isn’t that—?’

‘It’s fine,’ I tell him. ‘It’s been a couple of weeks since you and I were out there. I’ve been keeping an eye on the development and I’ve not seen any signs of trouble. I reckon if we stay close to the house and keep the noise down, we’ll be fine.’

‘I’ll stay inside,’ he says, surprising me.

‘Come on, Nath... it’ll do you good.’

‘No thanks,’ he says again. ‘I’ve seen what it’s like out there.’

‘Suit yourself. Mum, Sally, Hannah and me are going out.’

‘No.’

‘Where will we go?’ Sally asks.

‘Oh, not far... we can take a ball out and play, okay?’

‘Okay,’ she says as she starts shovelling down what’s left of her porridge.

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