|
|
|
|
|
|
|
many of us there are. And we've got plenty of sharp cutlery if push comes to shove.' She twirled her serrated knife in front of her eyes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'A lot of good steak knives'll be against a horde of raving lunatics.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'What horde?' Lynn said. 'There's no point in blowing things out of proportion. One person's knocking on the door. For all we know, nobody else is out there.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Maybe half the town's out there,' Carol said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'We could open the door and see,' Steve suggested. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Oh, great. Why don't you just go and do that.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'As long as they're making no serious effort to break in,' John said, 'it really doesn't matter a whole lot. We're safe right now. I think we should go ahead and eat, and try not to worry about it.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Yeah, sure.' She gave him a sullen look, then lowered her head and began to cut her meat. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peggy showed up with the drinks. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'All quiet on the western front?' John asked her. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Some nut's still pounding on the front door. Other than that, not much is going on. A lot of folks are getting pretty polluted. And there's a bunch in the bar I think are getting ready to abandon ship.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Don't they know what'll happen to them?' Steve asked. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'They just want to go home.' Peggy shrugged, then carried her tray to the next booth and set a martini in front of Chester Benton's widow. Cassy, still sitting with her, met John's gaze and smiled slightly. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He returned the smile, then looked down at his |
|
|
|
|
|