The Citadel and the Wolves

by Peter Goodman

On Boxing Day, during our delayed Christmas supper, my beautiful, dizzy sister dropped her bombshell. She finally summoned up the courage to announce to the rest of the family that she was expecting Mark’s baby. Mother and father took the news very well. In fact, they seemed quite pleased about it, surprising me a little. I suspect that they’re masking their bitter disappointment at their eldest daughter. She could have done so much better. No, I don’t think so. Perhaps Wendy is lucky. When I look at Mark Taylor, I still can’t believe that he’s the father, though I must accept it. He seemed stunned by the Boxing Day news too. I remain happy for my beautiful sister, even though my nose has grown 20 centimetres in length since I told her that. Despite everything, I retain my old sense of humour. If I ever lose it, then all hope would be lost. After Wendy’s brief and nervous announcement, we all celebrated with a cup of dad’s homemade brew, which was a mistake, leaving us with thumping hangovers the following morning. The infant is due any month now. Wendy is big. Mum said that it could be twins! Secretly, I admit that I’m looking forward to the birth too. Twins? Mother and father are going to be grandparents. Soon our family will be nine or even ten!

  Tommy finally called me ‘Jade’ the other day. I wanted to give him a big hug; however, I didn’t want to tempt the gods too much. He and Jenny are growing up fast in this brave, new world of ours. They deserve more for their future.

  Daddy, the teacher and scientist, is determined to see that the young ones don’t miss out on some sort of education. He has converted the attic, his old observatory, into a classroom, which is filled with many books that we also ‘borrowed’ from a derelict library. Tommy and Jenny are up there in the attic classroom every day. They’re keen to learn. They’re like little sponges, soaking up the learning, which is a good sign.

  Mark ‘sleeps’ elsewhere now. He has moved in with Wendy, no more slyly sneaking down to her room in the dead of the night for him.

  But what of my own future? I’m helping father out in the classroom. The street savages shan’t win the day. Civilisation and order shall prevail once more. Tommy, Jenny and the infant (or infants) are our real future, the futures of tomorrow. Today will soon be over.

  I jumped when I heard the snow shift on the roof. It startled me in the stillness of the night. I smiled. The late, late spring thaw had started. I was happily wrong. This isn’t the beginning of a new ice age. I’m suddenly the optimist again after so long. Perhaps there is hope yet for mankind.

  When Kim reached out to me, tenderly touching my face, I closed my diary on the last page and laid it on the table beside the bed before I turned out the light. I kissed her lovingly.

  I woke with a start.

  When I reached out to Kim in the dark, she had gone.

  I flew down the stairs concerned, throwing on my dressing gown. The back door was open, alarming me.

  I found Kim in the back. She stood barefoot in her nightdress on the muddy and icy vegetable patch, holding a bucket of animal feed. Something in the black sky fascinated her. I was intrigued. When I saw what it was too, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. She smiled weakly when I put my arm around her. We shared it together till dawn.

  A hole had appeared in the thick clouds. A solitary star twinkled in the dark heavens.

  ZOOTWOSOME!!!