“I am happy” he told her.
“Are you serious?” she mumbled back.
“I am” he smiled.
“We have another mouth to feed; and with all this plague and famine…”
“You know Dharani – my cousin; he managed to strike a deal with some company in the city. You know how they waste their food, those city folks. He and a few of his friends will be getting something from that.”
“Not the garbage” he added immediately seeing Shathana’s stare, “the ones which go waste! I know him well. He’ll take me in. We won’t starve to death, not like the Ramans” he referred to a family that had perished because of mere starvation.
“Now cheer up. I’ll go meet Dharani and come back. I may be going to the city in two days time.”
Slowly he walked out of the house. If the sun was indeed setting for them, it was not before creating a little mirage to cherish their last few days.