Why did each day bring about a new crisis?

Terrible things continue to happen in the aftermath of the attack. A fire burns down the Riverside Inn entirely, killing most people in it. Gas begins to run dangerously low, so Randy decides to use the Henrys' old Model-A, which uses gas more efficiently, for all transportation. Lavinia McGovern dies after running out of insulin to treat her diabetes. Randy invites Lib and her father to live with him in the wake of her death, which Helen does not approve of initially; Dan says this it is because she is jealous and does not like the idea of sharing Randy, their source of protection. Florence experiences a shock when she realizes that her cat has turned savage and eaten one of her lovebirds.