Tomorrow, When the War Began: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

When Ellie pulls the Land Rover up to her house, the dogs are all dead. Their chains are pulled tight, and there is blood around their necks. Their water bucket is overturned and empty. Ellie runs around back to Millie, the old dog who is separated from the younger ones. Millie looks rough, but she’s alive, and Ellie takes her chain off. Millie stands but immediately falls. Ellie yells to Corrie to take care of the dog and runs inside. Corrie passes the dog off to Kevin and follows Ellie.

Inside, the house is silent and empty. It should be loud and busy at this time of day, Ellie thinks. Her mother should be cooking and watching the news, but there is nothing and no one. Corrie picks up the phone meaning to call Homer’s house down the street, but there is no dial tone. The others come into the kitchen, followed by Kevin carrying Millie. Homer goes to the cold room to get something for Millie to eat, but he comes back empty handed. The power is out, Homer says, and everything in the cold room has gone bad.

Fiona asks what is going on, and Corrie says that maybe Ellie’s grandmother got sick. Irritated, Ellie yells that her parents wouldn’t cut the power and phones and let the dogs die for a sick grandmother. Soon, there is a complete breakdown in communication, and the entire group is yelling at each other. Kevin says it was probably a UFO, and Ellie suggests they get into the Land Rover and go to Homer’s. Lee asks if Ellie has a radio, and she says she does. She had tried to turn on the radio in the Land Rover but got only static. Ellie assumed it was due to the high mountains of Tailor’s Stitch.

Ellie grabs her radio and spins the tuning dial. Only static. She tries again. Nothing. They all get in the Land Rover and head to Homer’s. When they get there, it is silent and still. Ellie drives through the cattle grid and hits the horn, just as she always does, but Lee tells her to stop. She parks and Homer jumps out, yelling for his mom and dad. The rest of them get out of the car and follow. Homer is in the backyard, trying to milk the family cow, which is obviously uncomfortable. He asks Ellie to take over, but she doesn’t know how to milk. Ellie’s dad keeps bulls, not milking cows.

Inside, Kevin asks if he can take the Land Rover and go to the rest of their houses, but Ellie says no. Her dad said she was the only one who is supposed to drive the Land Rover. Robyn interrupts. They must be smart, she says. It is obvious their parents haven’t gone on a holiday, and they have to assume that something really terrible has happened. The group again breaks down and begins to shout and argue. Fiona stands quietly chewing her nails. Lee quiets the group and urges them to listen to Robyn, who says going around to seven different houses might not be a good idea. They have to formulate a plan.

Robyn continues. There is no sign of anyone leaving quickly or unexpectedly. It appears as if they all went to the Commemoration Day Show and never returned. Ellie asks Homer if there is any way he can tell if his parents came back or not. Ellie’s father planned to show his prize bulls but would never sell them. She didn’t think to look, but if the bulls are gone, then her parents never came back from the Show. Homer says his mom enters a needlepoint into the Show’s competition each year, and then hangs it on the wall when she gets home. She makes a big deal out of hanging the needlepoint, Homer says, even if she doesn’t win. He runs into the next room and comes back. No needlepoint. His parents never came home from the Show.

Lee reminds them of the hundreds of planes flying over Hell, and Ellie suddenly remembers the planes didn’t have lights. She hadn’t noticed it at the time, but now it is so obvious to her. The planes had certainly been dark. Lee speaks up again and asks if they remember what he said about Commemoration Day being the perfect time for an invasion. “Let’s say we’ve been invaded,” Lee says, “I think there might be a war.”