Quiet Armageddon

“The price of oil has now reached over one hundred dollars a barrel. The highest it has been since twenty twenty-two.”

Sylvia half-listened to the voice on the radio as she turned into the Tesco car park. She was more concerned with remembering what she actually needed: cat litter, milk, and probably bread.

As she passed the petrol station, she slowed slightly. A long queue of cars trailed out from the pumps and curled toward the road. Every space was taken. Engines idled while drivers waited their turn.

A temporary sign had been taped to one of the posts.

£30 LIMIT PER CUSTOMER

People were filling not just their cars, but plastic cans and containers.

Sylvia frowned, then shrugged.

“I’m glad I topped up last week,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

Crazy.

Still, the price had jumped from one thirty-one to one thirty-eight in just a couple of days.

“If this war goes on much longer, it’s going to get even worse.”

She pulled into a parking space and reached for her phone.

“Hey Siri, call David.”

There was a brief pause before the phone replied.

“Calling David.”

On the third ring, David picked up.

“Hey, everything okay?”

“Yep, all good. I’m popping into Tesco. You want anything? We are out of cat litter and getting low on milk. I’m buying, so you get to change it tonight. George has been especially fragrant the last couple of days.”

David chuckled, “Thanks, I appreciate that. Can you get me some tea bags? Tetley, not the cheap stuff. That’s like drinking dishwater.”

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “There isn’t any difference; you’re just a snob, or a knob. I’ve not decided yet.”

“Oh, that reminds me, Hobnobs too, please. Thanks, petal,” David said.

“Anything else, husband of mine? Do we need anything for tea? Or do you want me to get a takeaway?”

“No, that’s everything. We have leftover chicken from last night, so can use that for curry tonight. I thought we could go out and do a proper shop at the weekend. Can you grab a case of water, though? That should see us through.”

“No problem. I’m just pulling in now, so will see you when I get home. Love you.” She grinned as he hung up. He had always been particular about his tea bags.

The car park was crowded, but it usually was this time of day. The store was packed. Everyone and their brother was there. But the rugby stadium was next door; maybe there was a game on. She hadn’t heard about it. But it was just a passing thought, and she ignored it while she sent David one last text asking him to message her anything else he might need.

She was not going back out in this mess again.

Grabbing a trolley, she went in and began browsing.

It seemed like every time she came into this place, it was more expensive. But that was the economy for you. Wasn’t Labour supposed to make it better for the common man? Never mind, it was time to get what she needed and get out. The store was chock-a-block, and she had peopled enough for the day.

It took nearly an hour to get home, and she was knackered. It had been a long day at work, and she was ready for a cuppa and to put her feet up.

David was already making the curry, and she could smell the mouth-watering scents before she even opened the door.

“Oh, something smells good.” She grinned as she carried the shopping into the kitchen.

After a quick kiss, she put away the shopping; their practiced dance around each other in the small kitchen showing off years of routine.

“You wouldn’t believe how empty it was in Tesco,” Sylvia chatted while David put on the kettle for her. She loved that she didn’t even need to ask.

“Not many people shopping?”

“No, it was heaving, but the shelves were empty. The price of milk and eggs has gone up again, by the way. I swear, it would be cheaper to buy a cow and chickens.”

David laughed at that. “We can put them beside the allotment and have a farm.”

“Could you imagine?” She chuckled. “But I wonder if they are due a delivery. Honestly, there was hardly anything left. There was no fresh fruit or veg to speak of. I’ll pop into Aldi in the morning. I’m not working until the afternoon.”

“That’s all you can do, love. Here, have a cuppa. You look like you need it after facing the hordes of Tesco. And it’s Tetley, so it will actually taste good. Go have a sit down. Tea will be ready in ten minutes, and you’re just in my way here, woman.”

She laughed and dodged the swat he playfully aimed at her bum before she stole the packet of Hobnobs on her way to the sitting room.

“Hey! Those are mine,” David called after her.

“Shouldn’t have been rude,” she sniffed with a grin.

Sylvia sat down and turned on the BBC to check what was happening in the world and kill a few minutes while she enjoyed her tea.

“More talk about that man in America and war, I suppose.” She sighed while turning on the TV.

Sylvia was dunking her biscuit into her tea when her phone suddenly screamed with the emergency broadcast alert. David echoed from the kitchen. The biscuit in her hand hovered above her cup for a moment before breaking off and splashing into her cup.

She ignored the alert and stared up at the screen. David had come into the room and stood in the doorway. His phone held loosely in his hand, a dazed look in his eyes.

“Pet,” he whispered to his wife, both of them staring blankly at the TV.