Varland Story - Chapter 4 - Morgana

Something dreadful has happened. I was unable to arrange child care for Anders when my maternity leave expired. When I rang up to explain, I was told not to bother coming back and don't even think about working in the medical field again. I'm blacklisted forever! I shall endeavour to remain cheerful but this is so very hard!



To combat my boredom and sense of utter uselessness, I've written a novel: "The Loneliest Yeti". To my astonishment, it's been published and achieved a modicum of success. Lars seems even more chuffed about it than I.

The boys are growing up nicely. Neil is in school and aspires to the honour roll.

Anders is attentive when his father talks about striving and perseverance.

The day is near when martial law will be lifted and the job of maintaining order passed to local police. Lars is getting restless and seeking out new challenges. He probably wasn't supposed to tell me this but there's a space program afoot. Apparently the silver lining in the disaster is that what we've been forced to learn about survival in extreme adversity has direct applications in space colonization. He hopes with all his heart to be a part of this effort. I shan't speak or even think of how lonely I'll be if he's selected. Fulfilled dreams are in short supply in Sunset Valley these days; how could I deny him this one?

There's so much to celebrate I don't know where to begin!

First off, the curfews have been lifted! I'm so blessed to see the day! The moment it was official, Lars dashed off to the beach for a bit of fishing.

He was, in fact, selected for the space program as well; he can barely contain his excitement.

To celebrate, we had something new for supper: sushi! Oh happy day! There's no truth to the rumour that our diet has been monotonous since the disaster; on the contrary, there's been plenty of variety: hot dogs or no hot dogs, spoiled or not spoiled, scorched or not scorched.

I'm an old woman now; it's been said that that's better than the alternative. Thankfully, my darling Lars is as loving and attentive as ever. There's much to be done yet; the mob still rules and one leaves home at one's own risk. I don't dare go out of doors and I don't permit the boys to do so. I rest easily, however, knowing that when they've grown up, the boys will be at liberty to come and go as they please without risking arrest.