“I know.
“Did you see the canned goods in that pantry? We could pull through a hard winter here.
“We might have to.
“I suppose. I wish we had a cow.
“What would you do with a cow?
“I used to milk four cows before I caught the school bus, every morning. I can butcher a hog, too.
“I’ll try to find one.
“You do and III manage to smoke it.” She yawned. “I’m suddenly terribly sleepy.
“So am 1. And small wonder.
“Let’s go to bed.
“Uh, yes. Meade?
“Yes, Potty?
“We may be here quite a while. You know that, don’t you?
“Yes, Potty.
“In fact it might be smart to stay put until those curves all start turning up again. They will, you know.
“Yes. I had figured that out.
He hesitated, then went on, “Meade…will you marry me?
“Yes.” She moved up to him
After a time he pushed her gently away and said, “My dear, my very dear, uh we could drive down and find a minister in some little town?
She looked at him steadily. “That wouldn’t be very bright, would it? I mean, nobody knows we’re here and that’s the way we want it. And besides, your car might not make it back up that road.
“No, it wouldn’t be very bright. But I want to do the right thing.
“It’s all right. Potty. It’s all right.
“Well, then…kneel down here with me. Well say them together.
“Yes, Potiphar.” She knelt and he took her hand. He closed his eyes and prayed wordlessly
When he opened them he said, “Whats the matter?
“Uh, the gravel hurts my knees.
“Well stand up, then.
“No. Look, Potty, why don’t we just go in the house and say them there?
“Hub? Hells bells, woman, we might forget to say them entirely. Now repeat after me: I, Potiphar, take thee, Meade —
“Yes, Potiphar. I, Meade, take thee, Potiphar —
III “OFFICIAL: STATIONS WITHIN RANGE BELAY TWICE. EXECUTIVE BULLETIN NUMBER NINEROAD LAWS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED HAVE BEEN IGNOBED IN MANY INSTANCES. PATBOLS ABE OB DEBED TO SHOOT WITHOUT WARNING AND PBOVOST MARSHALS ABE DIBECTED TO USE DEATH PENALTY FOB UNAUTHOMZED POSSESSION OF GASOLINE. B.W. AND BADIATION QUABANTINE BEGULATIONS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED WILL BE BIGIDLY ENFOBCED
LONG LIVE THE UNITED STATES! HABLEY J. NEAL, LIEUTENANT GENEBAL, ACTING CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT. ALL STATIONS RE LAY TWICE.
“THIS IS THE FREE RADIO AMERICA BELAY NETWOBK. PASS THIS ALONG, BOYS I GOVERNOR BBANDLEY WAS SWORN IN TODAY AS PRESIDENT BY ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE BOBEBTS UNDEB THE BULE-OF-SUCCESSION. THE PBESIDENT NAMED THOMAS DEWEY AS SECRETARY OF STATE AND PAUL DOUGLAS AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. HIS SECOND OFFICIAL ACT WAS TO STBIP THE BENE GADE NEAL OF BANK AND TO DIRECT HIS ABBEST BY ANY CITIZEN OR OFFICIAL. MORE LATEB. PASS THE WORD ALONG
“HELLO, CQ, CQ, CQ. THIS IS WgKMB, FBEEPOBT, QBB, QBRi ANYBODY READ ME? ANYBODY? WE’RE DYING LIKE FLIES DOWN HERE. WHAT’S HAPPENED? STARTS WITH FEVER AND A BUBNING THIRST BUT YOU CAN’T SWALLOW. WE NEED HELP
ANYBODY BEAD ME? HELLO, CQ 75, CQ 75 THIS IS “5 KILO METBO BOMEO CALLING QBB AND CQ 75 — BY FOR SOMEBODY
…ANYBODYIII
“THIS IS THE LORD’S TIME, SPONSOBED BY SWAN’S ELIXIB, THE TONIC THAT MAKES WAITING FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD WORTHWHILE. YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAB A MESSAGE OF CHEER FROM JUDGE BBOOMFIELD, ANOINTED VICAB OF THE KINGDOM ON EABTH. BUT FIKST A BULLETIN: SEND YOUR CONTRIBU TIONS TO ‘MESSIAH,’ CLINT, TEXAS. DON’T TRY TO MAIL THEM: SEND THEM BY A KINGDOM MESSENGER OR BY SOME PILGRIM JOURNEYING THIS WAY. AND NOW THE TABERNACLE CHOIR FOLLOWED BY THE VOICE OF THE VICAB ON EARTH
“THE FIRST SYMPTOM IS LITTLE RED SPOTS IN THE ARMPITS
THEY ITCH. PUT ‘EM TO BED AT ONCE AND KEEP ‘EM COVERED UP WARM. THEN GO SCRUB YOUBSELF AND WEAR A MASK: WE DON’T KNOW YET HOW YOU CATCH IT. PASS IT ALONG, ED.
“NO NEW LANDINGS REPORTED ANYWHERE ON THIS CON TINENT. THE PARATROOPERS WHO ESCAPED THE ORIGINAL SLAUGHTER ARE THOUGHT TO BE HIDING OUT IN THE POCONOS
SHOOTBUT BE CAREFUL; IT MIGHT BE AUNT TESSIE. OFF AND CLEAR, UNTIL NOON TOMORROW
The curves were turning up again. There was no longer doubt in Breen’s mind about that. It might not even be necessary to stay up here in the Sierra Madres through the winter though he rather thought they would. He had picked their spot to keep them west of the fallout; it would be silly to be mowed down by the tail of a dying epidemic, or be shot by a nervous vigilante, when a few months’ wait would take care of everything