Mar. 7, 2022

I don’t know what is going on, but the soldiers are starting to act strange. Stranger. My trust level is dropping. They are definitely hiding something. Not sure if Cheryl knows something. She is also keeping an eye on them. I don’t know what the plan is, and she doesn’t say much. I mean, what are we waiting for? If the soldiers are working on something, then just let us go. Maybe drop us off somewhere that we can escape. I’m sure they know somewhere that there are less zombies. We have just been sitting in this one area for days. The shower was nice, and having something to eat is always a bonus, but really. Are we just going to sit here forever?

Mar. 5, 2022

W A T E R W A T E R W A T E R

Nice to have some running water. Took a nice shower. No it wasn’t hot. Maybe not totally clean. And the pressure was lacking. But at this point, I can’t complain. Better than the river. Haven’t cut my hair in so long. It is all in knots. Itches all the time. They let me borrow a knife. Small one. No trust. Took me a while, but I was able to cut some of this hair off. Beard too. That was much harder to do without slicing myself up. I actually got to see myself in the mirror. Glad to see I’m still really here. No one would recognize me like this. I barely recognize myself. Even after cutting my hair. I stared at myself for a while. I don’t know when or if I will ever get the chance to do it again. Just stared. Did some thinking. Remembered. Home. Family. Wonder if I made it back and they saw me would they recognize me? Would I recognize them? Thought about looking in the mirror as a kid. An innocent boy. Like to think I was innocent. Maybe mom or dad would think differently. Anyway. Then definitely not so innocent teen. Remembered looks were important then. Had to look good for the girls. I would have more of a chance with a zombie than a normal girl looking like this. Thought the teen years were pretty hard. Never thought I would wish I could go back to that time. Nothing is harder than this. Not even college. Had to look even better back then. Unless you just wanted the drunk girls. In that case, maybe I just need a drunk girl now. Super drunk. Then I thought about the present. Is this all worth it? Why am I here? Why am I not a zombie? Should I just become one and get it over with? Sometimes it feels like that but it would be the easy way out. I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I guess I should just be lucky there is a tomorrow. 

Mar. 4, 2022

After several days with these guys, they finally have gained trust in us. More like we told them everything we knew, they slept on it, and then they decided to share some stuff with us. It was more of what Cheryl could tell them since she has lived her through this mess. What they told us was that they were a select group of soldiers/scientists that were picked to stay behind in case an emergency situation occurred. When the zombies broke out, they went into a specially made hiding place which we are currently in. After some time passed, they were to carefully exit, and observe the aftermath. I have been thinking about what they said for hours now, and it is one crazy plan. Was it that they weren’t confident they could hold all those zombies here, or in what they were doing? Or did they sacrifice their own soldiers, and citizens to see what the zombies could do to a town? I wouldn’t put it past them. Apparently they lost contact with their superiors, and have decided to stay put. They have had enough supplies left from what they had stored for this mission, and what was left behind in the quick exit. Not sure on how long they have been here, or how long it has been since they lost contact. They said they were out observing again when they came across us, which makes me think they might be lying and still have contact with someone. Or they could be loyal soldiers continuing their mission until told otherwise? I don’t know. I never trusted the government. The government is their boss. So I don’t think I trust them. 

Mar. 1, 2022

Cheryl just ran for it. We were waiting, waiting, waiting, and then she took off. She said that she saw someone, and is why she ran. Even after hearing her reasoning, I am still confused. How did she make a normal person among all those zombies I will never know? Still don’t think she even knows. After she ran, the zombies ran right after her before I could move. I don’t remember thinking about it at the time, but now that I am, if I wanted to leave her that was the moment. I probably could have gone the other way and neither the zombs or her would have known. But that isn’t what happened. I got out and chased her. No, actually I was chasing the zombies that were chasing her. I’m not sure, but that might be the first time I ever chased zombies. While not in a car. Funny. Me chasing zombies. And they didn’t even know it. Then some started chasing me from out of nowhere. So it was Cheryl running after who knows what. Zombies chasing her. Me chasing her but in the process really chasing zombies. And then zombs chasing me. I didn’t know Cheryl could run so fast. I lost site of her. I guess I was really chasing the zombs then. Anyway, eventually the zombs stopped and realized I was behind them. I stopped and saw the ones behind me coming up quick. I thought that was the end once again. I didn’t notice how many of them there were. I had a few bullets but it wasn’t going to be enough. Just as I was looking for a direction to run, this big truck I was standing by turned on. It was so big that I can’t believe I missed it, but my focus was on the zombs. It pulled forward, a door opened, and an arm pulled me up and inside. Amazing really. I should be dead. Definitely would be dead if that truck doesn’t turn on. It took off. Think it hit some of the zombs too. When I got seated, there was Cheryl. I suppose it was one of these guys she saw, but I am still not sure. She didn’t describe them as any of these guys. Apparently not all the military left. In typical military style, they haven’t told us much. Been locked up. Not in a jail though. Just in a room. From the dark tunnels to this room, Cheryl and I have gotten to spend more time together. The guys have learned what a pleasure she is to talk to. As long as they don’t make me a slave, I will deal with it. This room is better than the tunnel, or on those streets. 

Feb. 22, 2022

I don’t know how, but we found a way out!!!

Of course it couldn’t be that easy. Zombs. Lots of them. Just hanging around. Lost all this time, and finally ready to get out but can’t. Not sure what the plan is now. 

Feb. 14, 2022

She was right. Zombies are down here. Hopefully make that were down here. She killed some yesterday. It is so quiet down here that we easily heard them coming. They probably picked up our smell. Maybe followed her smell from the other day. It was scary knowing they were coming, and it was so dark in here. Cheryl knew what to do though. Probably did this before. She took care of them. That is why I chose to stay with her. After that, we moved as quickly as we could through the tunnel. I can see she is very frustrated now. And worried. No matter how hard she tries to remain tough. If we run into any more, I think it might be time to return to the land of the dead. 

Feb 12, 2022

I can’t believe it. She just informed me that zombies could be in these tunnels. Not only that, but we are coming up to an area that she is not as familiar with. After she said that I demanded to know what the hell is going on. Yes, I finally stood up to her. Thought she was going to shoot me for a second, but then she told me. Apparently she was looking for the only other survivor of the group of people that went underground. She heard my gunshots in the store and thought I was him, and that is why she came to the surface. I didn’t realize how lucky I was to survive that whole incident. Or maybe not if I die in these tunnels. She said he was heading back through tunnels that led to the military base. When she said that, I couldn’t understand why he would want to go back there. Well he was going back for food. They ran out, and had already cleaned out most of the stores they could safely get to. He was a military guy, and knew there was still some food left on the base. Cheryl has been doing her best to find the way he went, but she is actually getting lost now. She said she found a few doors to the surface open, and isn’t sure why they would be open. There was one in particular that had some dead bodies, and lots of blood. She thinks zombies might have come through there. She closed off the area we are in now, but can’t guarantee that we are safe. I think she is more worried about finding him, but she is trying to make me think it is the food. We ran out of food not long after she found me. That is nothing. I have gotten use to going longer so I’m ok for now. I think she is ok too. Just worried. And now I am too. Probably not going to sleep much. She said there is a tunnel that I am free to go through. She is not sure how safe it is, but she doesn’t want me to hold me against my will. Her battle, her search, her problem. She saved me, so I feel I owe her something. Plus after what happened before, I am not going up there alone. 

Feb. 10, 2022

Being in the woods alone- scary

Being in a building alone-scary

Being chased by zombies- scary

Being under a zombie trying to bite into me- scary

Being in a dark mostly silent tunnel- definitely scary

Especially with Cheryl. Bad joke. But seriously this is freaky. It is so dark in here and I have no idea where we are going. Sometimes I am not even sure I am still here. I have to touch my face to make sure. When I talk to Cheryl in the dark, sometimes I feel like it is the voice inside my head that is talking to her and I’m not really here. Always happy when we come up on these openings where light comes in. Always hurts my eyes at first. I am sitting under one now. Cheryl went ahead like she usually does. As long as she leaves me under a light I’m ok. I do have to say it is a good place to sleep. Although there are strange noises sometimes. Pipes making sounds. I guess some things are still working. Oh and it does smell really bad in some places. But I think I’m use to bad smells already. Not much smells worse than death. 

Feb. 8, 2022

After going ahead and sharing some of my stories with her, even though I’m not sure she cared, she finally told me the story of what is going on. It was obvious the military was involved and she confirmed it. Apparently the military had this area under control for a while. The military told people in the area that if they weren’t going leave, they had to stay in their homes. Lock down. She said that was fine with her because she wasn’t going to leave her home for nothing. She toughed out hurricanes, tornados, and floods, and she wasn’t going to let zombies run her out of town. The military was doing a good job controlling the zombies. She said she would see them out of her windows patrolling the streets. All the zombies were gone. Then she realized they were doing something she couldn’t believe. Instead of killing them, they were holding some of them. She saw them actually busing in zombs in trucks. Not surprising to me. As she said that, I was hoping they found a cure, but quickly realized that didn’t happen cause I’m sitting in an underground tunnel listening to a stranger. Her family knew that was a bad idea, and they strongly considered leaving at that point. She doesn’t know what happened, but someone screwed up and the zombies took over. She has no idea what specifically happened, and really didn’t say except that she heard several theories from people since. A battle ensued, and the military soon enough bailed. People were left to fend for themselves. She seemed proud of the way the people fought, but it was too much and people weren’t ready for that. Then she kind of fast forwarded the story and said she ended up with some people, one of which was familiar with the underground tunnels. That is where they have been hiding ever since. She went out of her way not to mention what happened to her family, but you know, she doesn’t have to. I get it. I know. It happened to us all. When I noticed that, I didn’t want to push it. She finished up, and I just kind of went onto what do we do now. She seemed to have a plan, but wasn’t sharing. That was enough sharing for the day I guess. 

Feb. 7, 2022

I dreamt of the family last night. Everything was fine. We all sat down for a normal dinner. Talked about our day. Mom served dinner as usual. About half way through dad passed out. Then Violet’s head hit the table as well. I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I asked mom, but she had a blank look on her face. That was until a large smile took over as she went from mom to zombie mom. I don’t understand why time after time my dreams of mom always turn into her being a zombie. I don’t think I have had one normal dream of her in who knows how long. After she turned, she stood up and began to laugh. I tried to get up, but for some reason couldn’t. Then Violet and dad raised their heads and they were now zombies. They went and stood next to mom, and they were all laughing at me. Mom then said I would soon join them. I think I passed out and that was when I woke up. Weird feeling. I didn’t know whether I was still dreaming or not. I actually dared to write this as Cheryl looks on. She is giving me the look of death, but hasn’t said anything which is surprising. I am going to stop now just to avoid any more problems. Let’s see what she says.