The Day After

 

Nov 25 We are getting close to the end of writing a Flash Fiction piece to a prompt each day during the month of November.

 

The Day After

Abby wasn’t sure what to do. There was no electricity after yesterday’s blizzard.

Looking outside, she saw four pine trees lay in the worse possible places with the exception that none had hit the house or car, although the driveway was blocked by snow and a tree.

Eight. year old Seth came into the kitchen. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Cereal,” Abby said. “The stove isn’t working.”

“It’s cold,” 14-old Megan came into the kitchen in her PJs and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. “And there’s no hot water.”

What a time for Bill to be away on business. Especially since he was in Florida and the family was in a Boston suburb. Abby looked out her kitchen window. Unlike yesterday when there was a solid white curtain, she could see down the street. The sun caused the snow to look as if it were coated with diamonds.

The day was unusual to say the least. The laptops, telephones, games all ran out of power.

“We’ve nothing to do,” the kids complained.

“Empty the fridge and the freezer and put the food in the snow in the backyard. You could build a snowman while you are there to guard it.”

Megan’s eyes rolled.

“That’s not a choice. I don’t won’t all that food to spoil.” Abby threw Megan’s winter coat at her.

Megan didn’t participate in the snowman which turned out to be a snow dragon, Seth’s idea. He covered a fallen branch with snow for the dragon’s tail.

Although the family never had a fire in the living room fireplace because they were almost never in the living room together, Megan despite her complaints, brought wood from the cellar and soon the temperature in the room was bearable.

Getting out the bbq equipment, Abby was able to cook hamburgers for lunch although they had to share the two buns, which was all she had left.

“I’m bored,” Megan sat on the couch, her arms folded across her chest.

Abby had an idea. In the back of her bedroom closet, she found a jigsaw puzzle that her grandmother had given her. She remembered doing the puzzles on no-school snow days when she was young.

She put the pieces out on a card table that she used when she and her husband played bridge with the Matthews.

As she laid the pieces out, Seth came over to watch. Megan decided to go to her room, but was back within 20 minutes claiming it was too cold.

By five it was dark. The puzzle was half done. Abby found every candle she owned and set them ablaze on the mantle. “We should all sleep down here,” she said. “It’s the only warm place in the house.

Sleeping bags, and duvets were lugged downstairs.

“Did they have electricity when you were a little girl?” Seth asked.

“Barely,” Abby said as she put another log on the fire.

“There’s nothing to do in the dark.” Megan’s voice broadcast the boredom that only a teenager could muster.

“We’ll tell stories.” Abby tried hard to remember the joy she felt when Megan was placed in her arms minutes after being born. “I’ll start. When I stop, Seth you continue. When Seth stops, Megan picks it up.

“Out west in cowboy country…” Abby started. Seth named a cowboy Donkey Don. Amid sighs Megan added a beautiful young girl called Abigail who wanted to wear a dress rather than jeans. The story evolved into what could have qualified as a TV series.

Seth fell asleep first.

“What will we do if we don’t have any electricity tomorrow?” Megan asked.

“Shovel. Walk to town. Bring back food.” Abby said.

Another sigh from Megan, but soon Abby heard her breathing.

What a memory this will be when they are grown and home for a holiday meal, Abby thought. Sometime the memories are better than the original event.