Hunger

As the population of the country grew and food supplies began to dwindle, everyone became concerned.  The massive shrinking of both the Arctic Ice Cap and the Greenland ice cover caused a shift of the jet stream. The resulting movement of rainfall created a drought band across the entire center of the United States.  Few people remained on farms because the crop yields were so poor there was little left over to sell.  City utilities worked most of the time, but repairs were slow in coming.  Since most livestock did not survive, there was a serious shortage of protein to sustain human life.  The food riots started early in the eighth year of deprivation. 

They started on a small scale with people stealing bags of soybeans wherever they could find them. They made soups and stews, adding the few vegetables still available. But then things got out of hand. 

One day John was looking for the family dog, Coco, couldn’t find her, and suspected the pet had been stolen.  He decided to ask his neighbours about his missing dog and when he got to their hedge, he smelled roasting meat.  The neighbours were having a barbecue again, a rare sight these days when there was almost no meat to be had, but the neighbours seemed to get it from time to time.  Furious, John realized he need look no further. 

Pet nappings had become a regular occurrence in the last month.  He felt sick and wondered how he would tell Cathy.  Returning to his house, he saw Cathy standing on the doorstep and knew he wouldn’t have to say a word.  She was crying.

“We’ll never see Coco again because the neighbours are having her for supper,” she sobbed.  “What’s next?  Our children?”

“Don’t even think it, Darling!  We’re still a civilized society,” John reassured her.  But in his heart he feared Cathy was right and he thought about their seven year old son, Tom.  A day would come when Tom would say, “I’m Hungry, Dad,” and he wouldn’t have any food to give him?  He decided he had to do something about his voracious neighbours. 

That night, after tossing in bed for a few hours, John got up and dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, stuck the revolver into his pocket, and went over to Herbert’s house.  He needed revenge and killing Herbert and Millie was easier than he had expected.  Breathing hard, he dragged the bodies to his kitchen.  The noise woke Cathy and they stood in the kitchen looking at each other. 

“I’m glad you did it,” Cathy said, surveying the scene.  “I’ll get the Saran Wrap and I’ll plug in the freezer.” 

“But Cathy, can we let Tom eat this meat?”

“Tom needs protein to grow,” Cathy said through clenched teeth.  “Besides, it’s a gift from Coco.” 

Between them, John and Cathy managed to get the bodies into the downstairs bathtub to clean and dress them in preparation for stacking the meat in the freezer. 

“We’re going to have about three hundred and fifty pounds of meat,” John said with guilty satisfaction.  “Coco has always looked after us and now she’s doing it again.  It will be enough meat to last us for almost a year.  Longer if we stretch it.”

“We’ll freeze some of it and the rest can be canned,” Cathy said.  “I’ll get my pressure cooker and cans from the basement.”

“I think we should cut some steaks for Sundays and special occasions,” John said, stripping to the waist.  “Do you want me to cut some roasts?  We can grind the smaller pieces.  I’ll hand you the big pieces and you can do the wrapping.” 

“Keep the heads, toes and fingers separate,” Cathy said. “They’ll lend flavor to soups. The livers and the hearts should be separate too, they will make extra meals.”

“Butchering humans is so unorthodox,” John said, shaking his head.  “Get me the electric razor, I have to shave the heads.”

The two of them worked all night to get the job done, Cathy’s electric knife made John’s work faster.  Come breakfast, they were exhausted but satisfied.  Young Tom would have enough protein to grow on and there was no need to fear the immediate future. 

The next evening they were having supper with Tom as always. 

“How come we’re not eating spaghetti as usual, Mom?” Tom asked, with a mouthful of steak..  “I love macaroni and cheese but I’m not used to meat.”

“You need meat to grow big and strong like your dad, darling. Soon I’ll make sausages and I’m sure you’ll like those.” 

Two days later when they were planting a garden in Herbert’s back yard, a thin woman came by and inquired after Millie. 

“Oh, they went on a trip and asked us to look after their house,” Cathy said and smiled at her husband. 

They planted carrots, potatoes, cabbages, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes.  Despite constant watering and weeding, their vegetable garden’s yield of produce was marginal.  But it was enough so the family could have salads every day during the summer.  In the winter they could have canned or marinated vegetables.  The outlook was good. 

The people in their city grew thinner every day, and diseases were becoming rampant.  John and Cathy decided to take Tom out of school so he wouldn’t catch any germs from his sick schoolmates.   They would teach him the three R’s at home.  Tom protested but his parents were firm. 

“I don’t have anyone to play with now,” Tom said. John and Cathy devised ways to keep him occupied and safe.  John taught Tom sports and ball games. Cathy taught him to play on the neighbour’s old piano.

A year passed, and the family was becoming thinner.  With a heavy heart, John realized he had to kill again. 

When they were playing in the yard John tried to concentrate on the tin can they were kicking around but he was preoccupied. 

“What are you thinking about, Dad,” Tom asked as he kicked the empty can towards John.  

John’s eyes met Tom’s.  “Oh, I was just wondering why this is so difficult,” he said. 

“If you practice more, it becomes easy,” Tom said. 

©Amy Thompson. Sept 2010