The Scourge (Book 3): Grounded by Abrahams Tom

Author:Abrahams, Tom [Abrahams, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | Dystopian
Publisher: Piton Press LLC
Published: 2020-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

MARCH 29, 2033

SCOURGE +178 DAYS

COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA

Kandy Belman stood in front of the kitchen pantry. She had a hand on the door handle, which she absently flipped up and down. The pantry wasn’t empty, but it was getting close.

She sighed. “It’s like old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.”

Sally sat on the island behind her, a coloring book in her lap. “What does that mean?”

Kandy turned and smiled at the girl. She’d forgotten the child was there. As much as she’d taken stock of their remaining stores, she was lost in thought with a severe case of WWPD, What Would Phil Do?

“My mother used to say that,” said Kandy. “It was from an old poem.”

“What poem? Can you say it?”

Kandy closed the pantry door and leaned her back against it. She closed her eyes to recall the words. It was incredible to her that they returned. She couldn’t even remember what she’d eaten the night before. “Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone. When she got there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none. She went to the baker’s to buy him some bread. When she came back, the dog was dead. She went to the undertaker’s to buy him a coffin. When she came back, the dog was laughing.”

Sally’s face wrinkled with confusion. “The dog died?”

“No. He was only pretending to be dead.”

The child’s frown remained.

“The point of the poem,” said Kandy, “and the reason I said what I said is because our cupboard is bare. We’re running out of food.”

“What’s the dog’s name?”

Kandy joined Sally at the kitchen island. “I don’t know. I never thought to ask that. What should we name it?”

Sally put her hand on her chin and stroked it as if seriously considering the question. She lifted a finger as if she’d experienced an epiphany. “Hungry.”

Kandy laughed. It was a hearty laugh that came from her belly. She put a hand on Sally’s leg. “You’re so clever. I like that name.”

They giggled together until a voice from the stairs interrupted them.

“What’s funny?” Betsy asked. She was awake and sober, it appeared.

“Sally. I was telling her the pantry is close to empty. Then I recited a poem about Old Mother Hubbard. There’s a dog and—”

“I know the poem,” said Betsy. “The dog dies and then laughs?”

Betsy crossed the living room toward the kitchen. She stopped at the windows and looked outside. Although it was early in the day, the sun was above the horizon and shining in through the east-facing glass. Betsy shielded her eyes from the glare.

“Yes,” said Kandy. “Sally asked me what the dog was named. Then she suggested one.”

Betsy dropped her hand and finished her lope to the kitchen. She stood near the island opposite her daughter. “Yeah? What name?”

Kandy gestured to Sally. “You can tell her.”

“Hungry,” Sally said to her mother.

Betsy smiled. She reached out to her daughter and rubbed her back. “That is funny. You’re such a smart one, Sally. Just like your dad.

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