Is This it? - Day 92 Mike's Diary

We've arrived, another abandoned town where we could re-supply all of the things that we are missing. There's not much really in this town I'd say, some thugs, or survivors like us were already been here way before us probably. Still though, no one gave up, and we still try to look for any signs of food, supplies, or anything really that we can use to hold us up a little bit longer. When we got here, Jack was eager to unpack his stuff, to finally get back to his work-bench to create more greatness, more weapons, and more equipments for all of us to use. Right now, it feels like everything has come to an end, we can reach nothing, and we all have no more goals. We got all we wanted, but now what? That's the question that has been pondering in my head for a while now. We have everyone, well almost everyone that we love with us right now. No troubles except for craze and more thugs, but other than that, what's the point of living? What is there to chase? Dreams have burnt down to pieces, money is worthless, and the stuff that you wanted when everything was normal is gone. The lust of relaxation, money, vacation, love, everything is gone and now it's all up to us what we want to do with the rest of this.

Moses and Julie are currently setting up the tents for us to stay for the night, I'm here watching the surroundings from on top of a tree, Victor is on the other side of the road, in an abandoned pharmacy looking for any signs of medicine, or a first aid kit, while Jack is hammering away, making more weapons and all. I was still thinking about Jack's conversation with himself during his sleep. I've never mentioned it before, but he said something along the line of leaving the group. "Operation Inferno", those are his two favourite words. He still insists in saving the world, killing all the craze in the world, though I'm sure that there will be no ending to that since more and more and more and most people are getting infected each day. Jack could kill himself if he actually decides in doing this idea of his. I don't even know whether we should all go with him, and help him "SAVE THE WORLD", or should we stay, and travel, looking for a great hidden place to start fresh from zero. I've lost too many people who I consider close to me, hope I won't lose Jack too, but if it is his decision, then I'd try my best to let it go.

Night is approaching, we started a fire, no one really watch the premises, since again we don't care what will happen next anymore. Maybe for once we can be happy without worrying our surroundings. I hope Jack will actually talk to us if he meant to be leaving the group to do his whole operation thing, though at the same time, I don't want him to bring it up, so we can just stick together and avoid arguments within the group.

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Jack's Diary - Day 29, October 15th 2013

     The guilt of yesterday's sins dripped away like water from wet cloths. I no longer felt sorry or disturbed by my actions, which is both good and bad. We all have to live with what we do, but it is how we live with and accept that defines us. Putting these acts behind me as if they were the act of stealing something from a grocery store seemed wrong or inhuman. Not much I can do about it now.
     After I woke up, I looked out the window and saw that the safe house wasn't a buzz with men shouting and searching the streets for us so I woke up Duke and we headed for the last of the safe houses we knew of. I figured that if Jane really was at the "inviting" safe house that we could always circle back for one last check. I knew there was a good chance we wouldn't find her, but there was nothing wrong with trying. I really don't know what I would have done next if I hadn't had found her. No one was at the next safe house (they may had all been out looting or had simple moved on like a herd of animal. There were no bloodstains on the floor so I don't the soulless got in here), but there were a few guns and ammo still stashed in hidden places so I decided to claim them. We kept coming across a few soulless here and there, and I would bash their heads with a thick monadnock (a police club) that I looted off one of the two men I killed. I had this strange feeling that Duke didn't like me doing that.
     The next safe house we came to was much different in greeting then all of the previous ones. There were lookouts on the roof along with a small group of men and women standing guard. The guards looked relax with our approach, but I could tell from the way the lookouts were watching me that they had their hands on a gun of some kind just in case I became violent. Upon reaching them, I explained who we were looking for and the response from one of the largest men there was, "I think I know who you are looking for. Follow me."
     Duke stayed outside while I walked in and at a table in the far back was a woman that matched the description given to me by John. She was talking with another guy when I approach, but both became quiet with our approach.
     "Excuse me, Jane" said the large man who had led me in, "This man says that he's been looking for you."
     "That's what they all say," she said in a kidding tone.
     "Your father's name is John, correct?"
     The amused look left her face, "Yah. How did you know that? Is he alright?"
     "Yes. He's just fine. I came here to take you back to him, that is if you want to."
     "Don't you think I've thought about going back. There's no way I'd make it without being killed." she answered.
     I told her that I did and I've been travelled a lot farther than this in my life. I promised that I'd get her there safely. After a brief few moments of contemplation on her part, she agreed and left to go pack her stuff.
     "Hey." The large man said, "You're just going to walk in here and take one of our women. You've got a lot of nerve."
     "Well, I'm pretty sure that their not YOURS in ownership, but that they are your comrades. I know it's not much, but would you take guns and ammo as a peace offering," I responded.
     He smirked and said, "Alright."
     We walked outside and were greeted by a small group of men, one of which immediately said, "That's him! That's the man!"
     A few of the new arrivals attempted to grab me, but the guards pushed them back.
     "What is this all about?" The large man asked.
     "Your friend there visited our places before he came to yours and killed a number of our men," one of the other guys said.
     "Because they tried to kill us! One tries to shoot me for knocking on a door and two others try to sneak up on us with knives in the night!" I said assertively.
     "Details are not important. so, are you going to come with us or will you force us to kill you all."
     "Go to hell!" The large man said taking a swing at the man who said the last phrase. However, the large was quickly stabbed and a fight broke out. I quickly ran back inside while the members of the safe house either poured outside or to the windows to provide cover fire. I found Duke cowering behind me, who had snuck in when no one was looking (which explains why this riot didn't start sooner with the men noticing him). People were pouring down or up the stairs in a panic and as soon as I saw Jane, I grabbed her arm and said "Let's go!"
     We made our way to the back of the safe house with the backdoor being barricaded a pile of table, chairs, and wooden shelves. I began moving the stuff out of the way, along with some other people who had followed us back here. It didn't take us long to get the door open just enough for us to get out and just in time because I heard gunshot about 8 seconds after we escaped. There was a group of 8 of us weaving through the alley ways, hiding from people running around with guns. I didn't know if they were necessary looking for me or just people from the safe houses to kill in general, but either way, avoidance was the best policy. As more and more gunshots were fired off, soulless began pouring in from around the city. We often has to take alternate routes because of a blockade of soulless. Going around one of the sides of the buildings, we came across some people with guns who instinctively shot at us and we shot back. Two people in our group dropped to the ground and there was no time to check  whether they were still alive.
     Finally, we made it out of the city, but not without being pursued. A group of men followed distantly behind us for some time, but it seems that for now we managed to lose them. Through all of the men shot dead and the ones that left once they realized we were leaving the city, we were now a group of four. Tim was the fourth member's name and ironically enough, he and Jane knew each other well (and if I'm not mistaken, knew each other romantically). Tim and Jane never left each other's side, even after our haste slowed. Somehow, Duke kept up with us (I was surprised) I'll go into more detail about Tim in my next entry. Right now, we're taking a breather. A long, long breather.

- Jack's Diary

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Jack's Diary - Day 27, October 13th 2013

     We finally got onto the highway going in to Saint Angeles since we were less than 10 miles outside of it. We could've got on sooner, but I figured there was a greater chance of running into soulless or bandits on the road and I really didn't feel like risking my life in another city. The highway was relatively clear save for a few soulless. Surprisingly, Duke has kept his mouth shut for nearly two days straight. That explains why I don't have the urge to kill him now.
     Finally, the city was within sight. We found a safe spot and I scouted the city with the binoculars while Duke watched for approaching soulless. This city was much more lively then the previous ones; the day was approaching nighttime and I could still see a large number of soulless wandering around still looking eagerly for "food". Although I couldn't identify a human clearly, it appeared from the fortified buildings and makeshift structures attached to them on the outside that these places are or were safe houses for survivors. It was too dark and the windows were too fortified to see anything through them from far away. I knew if all these places were still occupied with people that it would be difficult to find Jane among them, let alone if they would even let her leave. One less person means one less hunter, or one less person to assist in survival. It is a numbers game where the humans are greatly outnumbered. Before we began moving into the city, on the opposite road heading into the city, I saw about five or six soulless walking down the road toward it. It is as if they know where we are at times.
     I could tell that Duke didn't want to go in by the way he purposely followed slowly behind me, making me wait for him to catch up. I whispered to him, "if you're going to lag behind then stay behind. I don't need you getting me killed." I moved on and he stood there for a few second before quickly, but quietly catching up to me. I figured we should check out the closest safe house first. I really hoped that if there were people in there that they wouldn't kill us on sight and take our stuff. In a building as well armed as the one we were approaching, the odds were that there were at least four times more of them than us. I knocked on the door with my knuckle and waited. A voice from behind the door spoke, "What do you want?"
     "Can we enter?"I asked.
     "No..." was the response.
     "Why not?" I asked.
     There was no response so I knocked again and then knocked harder when a machete pierced the door and would have pierced me had I been an inch closer.
     "That's your only warning. Go away," said the tense, but calm voice.
     I wasted no time to asking another question, "Alright, but can you answer one question: is there a woman named Jane in there?"
     There was silence. An uncomfortable silence.
     "Hello?" I asked.
     One of the windows opened up and a man with an uzi leaned out. He had just cocked it and had it aimed at us when I drew both my nail guns and shot in his direction multiple times. I must of hit him a few times since he fell out the window. I quickly grabbed the uzi and ran off with Duke trailing. I heard gun shots behind me as I ran away. We made it around a corner and kept moving, trying to keep our presence hidden from soulless to human alike. That group of survivors now has a reason to kill us so it was best to stay away from them. We went to a smaller hideout about five blocks over and knocked on the door. The same route (a voice behind the door asking what I wanted), but this time when I asked to come in, we were let in. However, there were a few people inside who had their hands on their guns. Jane wasn't there, but we were offered the chance to stay with them. I told them that we may take them up on that offer at some point, but we needed to find someone. The man who let us in, who seemed to be the leader of the group of survivors, gave us directions to each safe house in the city (or at least all of the ones he knew of). I decided to give him the uzi I "found" in exchange for helping us, just to show them we were good guys.
     We visited three more, with one of the visits ending like the first one did with two people shot. The last of the three was the most unique among the hideouts; it was the largest of all of them and the building itself looked like it had been built just for the purpose of being a fortress: no windows of the ground floor and tall stones walls around the perimeter. After we jumped the wall and knocked on the door, we were invited in without question and offered food and drink (which made me suspicious). When I asked about Jane, they said that they knew who I was talking about, but she wasn't there at the moment (she was out looting with others). She'd return in the morning, according to the doorkeeper, and he graciously allowed us to spend the night. We were shown to a room with two old spring beds. Duke went right to sleep, I closed the door, placed the pillowed provided under my bunk sheets, and waited in the corner. I wasn't that tired away. It must have been at least three hours after I closed that door that it was opened again and two men walked in. One went to each of the beds they thought were occupied. I snuck up behind the one that went to mine and stabbed my knife through his spine while covering his mouth. The other guy still heard and turned to me before he could do anything to Duke. I let the stabbed guy drop on the bed and threw my bloody knife at the other one, hitting him directing in the chest as he backed up into the wall and slid down limply. I looted them, took my knife back, woke Duke up, and we put them in our bunks. I think Duke thought they were sleeping because he really didn't look that shocked. I broke out the barricaded upstairs windows in the room as quietly as I could, tied off the rope I had to the nearby radiator, and we descended and escaped. We hid in the next door building. Duke went off to sleep again, but I just couldn't. I had killed at least three people today. Now, I just can't stop writing and the sun is coming up.

- Jack's Diary

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September 9th - Caught a "Dog"

We caught a guy which who was involved in the attack. Me, Lexi, and Victor went to investigate the guy. We asked him many questions such as who are you, how many people in his group, why did they attack our camp and all that. Of course, he didn't answer any of those questions therefore we decided to lock him up in a cage in the middle of a forest full of cutters and craze. "Man he's goin' to shit his pant." says Lexi, we headed back to our camp and thinking what we should do next but for sure we are going to fortified our camp and we will have many more people patrolling at night, just to make sure everyone is safe. This is frustrating, though we sure will go back to check on that dog in the cage and we WILL make sure that he talks tomorrow, if not well who knows what is going to happen.

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Day 14, July 10th 2013 - Somebody Isn't Feeling Well

11:33 PM

We were woken up from our sleep by the walkie talkie. This time the little brother is talking. "Hello? Are you guys there? Where is my sister?" He said, "Hey buddy, wasn't she with you?" I asked him confused. "Yeah, but now I don't know where she is." He said. I looked at Lexi and she looked at me the same way I looked at her. We know that something isn't right and we had to get into the house before the boy got bitten. We went down the tree house, we decided to clear the backyard, I used my crowbar and Lexi used my baseball bat. Man we make a great team. After clearing the surroundings, we went in and saw a boy alone in the kitchen with the walkie talkie. "Lexi, go talk to him, I'll check on his sister." I said, "okay." She said. "Mike?" She whispered, "yeah?" I looked at her, "Be careful.", "okay" I said. I went upstairs, checked room by room, nothing. Then when I went into the bathroom, I saw her on the floor lying down. I checked her for marks, couldn't find shit. We decided to lie her down on the bed, and we waited. "Lexi, go make her and the boy soup, I'll guard the door." I said, "But we only have some left?", "It's okay, we can find more later, these guys aren't in the best shape." I went down the stairs and sat on the porch with my shotgun. I fell asleep, and I ha a dream about my sister. She was playing on a swing, I pushed her, she laughed, then I saw a guy came towards us and shot her in the head. Then Lexi woke me up. "Mike what the fuck? You fell asleep outside, you wanna die? The girl is up. She's not feeling well." Said she, "okay." I said, "hey, thanks.", "no problem" Said Lexi. We went up and asked them how long have they been in this condition, and they decided to tag along since they didn't know where their parents are. The girl's name is Jess, and the boy is Greg. Since she isn't feeling well, we decided to stay put and barricaded the house with wooden planks and other stuff we could find. Lexi asked me if she could ho somewhere on her own to get some more food, I didn't let her. We stayed there and talk about the past and things that we would do if we won the lotto. It was fun, small talks like that. Since there is nothing else to do, we decided to stay for the night, hopefully Jess is gonna feel better tomorrow cuz we need a hand in looting some shit. Now they're all asleep. "Mike, my shift, go to sleep now." Said Lexi, "it's alright kiddo, go back to sleep.", "oh trying to be a badass now huh? We'll guard together then, plus we're better together." We decided to stay up all night and talked about how I first found her and all that stuff. And now I'm really tired,  so I think I'm gonna sleep. "I'm going now kiddo.", "yaya.. When you woke up, I'll make sure your legs are still attached. Haha." Said she. 

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