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It enty past nine before Michael, Carl and Eether in the same room They were in the kitchen Carl and Emma sat in stony silence opposite each other around a circular pine table while Michael struggled to scrape together so of the liht with them from the city

The atmosphere at Penn Farm was heavy and subdued Michael felt low - perhaps lower than he had done at any ti the last few days - and he was struggling to understand why He&039;d expected to feel a little better today The three of them had, after all, stumbled upon a place where they could shelter safely for a while A place which offered isolation and protection and yet which was still coh the wide kitchenand down onto the farht elation they&039;d felt last night that wasso hard to accept

The baked beans he had been cooking had started to stick to the botto?&039; Carl runted and stirred and scraped the beans with a wooden spoon He hated cooking The reason he was preparing thewas the same reason he&039;d been the first to cook food at the community centre back in Northwich He had no com was nothingbeans so about the world outside and all that he had lost for a few precious seconds

Dejected and distant, he served up the food and carried the first two plates over to the table Emma and Carl looked at the breakfasts which clattered down in front of the at all hungry Each plate had on it a large serving of baked beans, a dollop of stodgy scra (prepared from a dehydrated es which had been boiled in brine Eement but Carl did not He sniffed and stared at his food feeling exhausted and nauseous

Eerly at the food She looked across at the other two and noticed that they were both doing the sa their daht result in the to talk to or even look at the others All three of theht and suffocated by a now familiar paradox - they each craved the security and normality of conversation, but they knew that such a conversation would inevitably lead to the their best to try and forget

As the long ed on, Emma&039;s patience wore thin Eventually she cracked

&039;Look,&039; she sighed, &039;are we just going to sit here or should we actually think about doing so constructive today?&039;

Michael looked up and rubbed his tired eyes Carl started to eat his food Filling his ave him an excuse not to have to talk

&039;Well?&039; Eot to do soreed &039;I don&039;t knohat yet, but we&039;ve got to do so&039;

&039;We need so her untouched breakfast away

Michael thought for a mos we need too&039;

&039;Such as?&039;

&039;I don&039;t knowclothes, tools, petrol&039;

&039;We need to knoe&039;ve got here first&039;

Carl watched E the conversation, looking froht First thing we should do is go through this house froot Space is going to be li up on anything&039; Michael paused to take a breath &039;Carl, do you knohat you&039;ll need for the generator?&039;