The Event,
The Gospel According to Matthew, Margo and Lance
By
Thomas W. Larson
Copyrighted © August 2014 by Thomas Larson
All rights reserved
Cover Illustration
By
Ariana Patterson
Acknowledgement
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have helped in the creation of this work. It has been a rewarding and challenging effort. First of all a thank you to Marianne Stefanov and Ariana Patterson for being involved in the project. Also Beth Burke, a big thank you for the help in proof reading and keeping me from going too far astray in the story. You all were so much help.
This is the disclaimer:
Although a number of locations in this story are real, the people involved in the story are all fictitious and do not really exist except in my mind, and now maybe yours. Any similarity to a person living or dead is strictly coincidence.
Feb 1st
Hi, I’m Margo, your typical 15 year old girl at the end of the world. I guess I can say that because when the world still existed, before the whole meteor thing, I was a pretty normal girl, a freshman in high school. I was kind of good in the sciences and math. Yeah, I leaned toward the Goth side, and was a fan of Anime and Steam Punk, but a lot of us were like that. Then this sickness came along and the world changed.
I am still with our group, but it is just me now, I mean family wise, I lost Mom to a Zom attack while she was doing some research trying to figure out if they were bug borne contagious. My Grandparents are dead. My real dad, (biological dad) is dead, although he was gonna kill me so I guess that is a not a big loss and then there was Tom, he was sort of like my step-dad; actually, he was the only dad I ever really knew. And he left me, alone, but that is a story for another day. He hurt me.
I’ve killed Zoms, we all have, and I’ve had to kill humans, I have two pelts, but it wasn’t like they didn’t deserve to die. The first was Brother Gabriel; he was a religious nut, and a dangerous one. I took him out with a single shot. He was gonna kill Tom and I couldn’t let that happen. He was about a quarter-mile away and when the 50 cal. round hit him, he just exploded.
Yeah, I was nervous at the time, but I had to do what I had to do and I had one shot at it. Sorry, I guess I have Tom’s sense of humor, old habits die hard. Anyway, we found out later how evil that guy, Brother Gabriel really was. It kind of made it a little easier to accept what I had done, what was necessary.
My second pelt was a biker. He was part of a gang that had raided Hinsdale, and hurt some of the people we knew, the survivors. The bikers were on their way to mess with us. It was Charlene that really started the fight; she was pissed because the bikers had messed with her man, the Major. But really, it was all self-defense. I had to take on the driver of the Hummer that they stole. It was an easy shot, and really, no big deal.
Right now life in the camp is pretty boring, tedious, and well, like a rainy day at summer camp, too bad to play outside. I mean there are some good times, and some fun stuff, but really, how often can you play trivia, or cards, or watch the same old movies, it kind of sucks.
When we scavenge we always try to find some new movies, or books, or something to add a little something to this place. I think that this may have been why Tom kept a journal; it gave him something to do. And that is why I am starting to write stuff down too.
Feb 2nd
The weather is still cold, and we have had a lot of snow over the last few weeks. Our food supply is good, Tay (Taylor) and Nick watch that and says we’re good to April at this point. Del, Code and I haven’t had to do much hunting but then with the snow it would not be much fun.
I am tired of being cold. We live in these little 10 by 16 summer rental cabins. Yeah, we insulated them, and added wood stoves but it just seems that we are always cold; the cabins don’t hold the heat that well, and it’s just always freezing.
On the business end we have not seen or had any contact with Zoms for quite a while. Mom had always figured that the cold would slow them down, and that their population was shrinking due to decomp.
Feb 3rd
I had breakfast with Del, Code and Captain Emo this morning. Lance is Captain Emo, we call him that because of his black clothes and hair. He is kind of the tech nerd of the camp, and he and Del have a thing. Talk about two opposites, but it works.
“I need to run into Hinsdale for some computer junk, anyone up for a little adventure?” asked Captain E.
“Count me in, somebody got to watch your skinny ass,” smiled Del.
“What about you two?” Emo looked at Code and me.
“Sure, we can look for some anime or something, when we going?” I said.
“Tomorrow morning? Early?” suggested Del.
“Not too early” said Code with a frown.
“Yeah, not gonna happen there slug-a-bed, we’re on the road by 8:00.” I said, and felt a little twinge, Mom and Tom used to use that term to tease each other, and for a few seconds…Why did they leave me alone?
Captain Emo said he would check with The Three, our leaders, but felt it was not going to be a big deal, things have been quiet.
Most of the rest of the day was spent just hanging around and listening to music. We should probably hit a music store when we’re in town tomorrow; I am bored with ‘Death Cab for Cutie’ and ‘Imagine Dragons’. It is sad that there will be no more new music, a loss to humanity, but after our first Karaoke night it is pretty clear that few of us had the talent to fill that gap.
Feb 4th
It was snowing today so we didn’t go into town. Captain E said that the stuff he needs can wait so we hung out for the day and will try for tomorrow.
Del, actually Delany, is my BFF. She is a little older than I am, but intense, and hard. As I said, she and I do most of the hunting for the group, but the food situation was good so we’re staying close to camp. It makes no sense to just kill for the sake of killing and then have the meat spoil.
When we hunt we let Code, Cody, come along, he is not the best tracker/hunter in the world, but he is my BF and a good guy. He has wicked curly hair, and it is long. He was one of the people we rescued when we were at Peru. He’s like an old pair of jeans, a little thin in spots, but comfortable and that is what is important. Sometimes we get snuggly, but he scares me, everyone I was ever really close to has left me, they have died, or gone away and I am just afraid that…..I don’t want to be alone.
I am kind of into myself, it happens periodically if you know what I mean. Code has figured it out and he tries to be cool about it. He knows that perhaps a little “space” is a good idea.
Feb 5th
Yup, “Auntie Flo” showed up last night, and I am miserable, I don’t want to write.
Feb 6th
Scavenging mission is on hold due to the weather, just as well, I am not sharp today and that is not good.
Feb 7th
SHIT, I HATE THIS! I want to crawl out of my skin. I want to hide, I was wicked mean to Code today and I know he was trying, but I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry.
Feb 8th
The weather finally broke today and we made the scavenger run. It was the four of us, Del and E, Code and me. We were on the road just after 8:00 and be in Pittsfield by 9:00. It took longer than usual because the roads were still snow covered. I drove, and I think I kind of like the Coyote, it’s a big ass Ford pick-up truck that was Tom’s and not much can stop it.
Back in the summer Tom had taught me how to
drive, and I have the KIA as mine, but this trip needed a little more space so we took the “big” rig.
“So we are looking for what?” asked Del.
“I need a couple of external hard drives for storage, and while I am looking, if we can find a few more video camera units that would be good,” replied E.
“What are you looking to do?” she asked
“Okay it may not work, but I am thinking, remember how Tom used to keep that journal of his, and Tay keeps track of our inventory, and Doc (the Major) keeps track of some of the medical stuff?”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t know about the medical stuff” She said.
“So what happens if one of their machines breaks, all that stuff is lost. I want to create a data safe that everyone can back up to.”
He went into further detail on his idea; his plan was to build a kind of network hub in his lab. It would allow any of us with laptops to connect with the hub and load our files into a series of big hard drives. We each would have a big 2 T(terabyte) drive to put stuff. That way if our laps broke we would still have the old stuff and could recover it. And if something happened to one of us, he would be able to get to our files to share, if necessary.
“I’m not sure everyone will like the idea of their personal stuff being out there for everyone to see, but there is some merit to the idea,” said Code, sometimes he is Mr. Paranoia.
“True, but it would be password protected to prevent that, and only a couple of us would have access to the passwords, and then only in worst case scenario, otherwise they are sealed in an envelope and locked away,” replied E.
I had to think about that one a little bit, it made sense, and I really don’t have that much of a problem with it. It would be a good thing to save Tom’s journal, just in case. But there was time before the thing, the network, would be up and running; so I am good for now.
“Remember to look for some games and movies and stuff, we’re kind of bored with what we have.” I tossed out, to change the subject.
When we arrived, Del and E went one way, Code and I went the other, we had radios, so we could keep in contact. They headed toward Best Buy and Circuit City, we headed toward the FYE and the mall.
“Have you read his journal yet?” asked Code.
“Yeah, no, not thinking I’m ready for that yet.”
“Yeah, I guess,”
“I mean I want to, kind of, but ….Code, why did he leave us? Leave me?”
“I don’t know. But he always was there for us, and I can only guess it is because he felt he needed to go along with Azz.” He said looking down at his feet. “But he’ll be back soon enough.”
“Yeah, I know, and by then, maybe I won’t be mad at him anymore, I hope. But he left me, us, dammit.”
The scavenging itself was pretty normal, we found a few things, some movies and video games that we could use, and packed them up.
We met back up with Del and E at the truck and drove back. I noticed E had a CVS bag, must have been time to restock on hair color and eyeliner, got to keep the image going. The rest of the day was quiet.
Feb 9th
One of the things that we have noticed at night is that there seems to be a lot of little lights in the sky off to the west. They aren’t shooting stars, but more like satellites or planes or something. I heard the Major talking to E about it. They both seem a little concerned.
At breakfast this morning I heard the word “drone” mentioned by one of The Three, Teckla, I think. The Three is our leadership council, they kind of run the place, we elected Teckla, Henry and Charlene to that job. They are good people.
I’m bored, I want spring to come back so I can get back out into the woods, at least there is a quiet out there that lets me think. This staying inside is killing me. I mean you look at Nick, and Grace, they always have something going on with the cooking for the group. I even heard that Nick is putting together a survival cookbook in his spare time. Tay keeps herself busy with counting stuff. Some of the others all have things that they dabble in to keep them going. But I am a hunter, huntress, I do not belong trapped in a cottage with nothing to do.
Feb 10th
I would have been a freshmen this year if there was still school. I wonder what that would have been like. Now I guess I have to wonder if there will ever be school again, I am sure there will, I think there will be. I mean with Heather and Stephen having the baby and all, and I am sure that eventually Jan and Fred will too. And there will be a time when it is my turn. What will they, we teach, or maybe the better question is who will teach? Mom would have been a good teacher, I think.
Feb 11th
Biter and Lucy (the coyote) had their puppies today, 6 of them, cute little things. There are already people looking at them to see which one they can pick out. Lucy is kind of possessive about them so far everyone is just looking but not touching.
I have started drawing again. Today it was just some pencil sketches, it was kind of fun, and I missed having a pencil in my hand. I got so carried away with it that Code came in about 12:30 to see if I was going to lunch. I just forgot.
E was telling Del that the lights in the sky seemed to be getting closer. He was not sure how close. Ethan was doing his usual freaking out about aliens, or meteors and doomsday stuff. He means well, but gets so animated. Ethan is a college kid, and tends to be a little nervous. He was an environmental student or something and is always thinking “big money conspiracy” that has come back to bite us.
Aliens, I wonder how Tom and Azz are making out with the QUalz, the little lizard guys. I wonder what he will see, what it is like out there in space. Did they really have to go?
Feb 12th
Another cold, cloudy day staying inside.
So what is happening with the rest of our band of merry campers? Not much actually, we have all pretty much settled into a routine. It’s like a little village and we all have our place.
Grace is funny, she is such a chatterbox, and a gossip, she knows everything about everybody, and is more than willing to share what she knows. Of course, most of it’s wrong, but it is fun to hear.
Heather is doing okay with the baby, she is about 4 months along and she is showing. I am happy for her.
Del has pretty much moved in with E, so I have the cabin to myself. Okay, not really, Code spends a lot of time there. It is good to have him around.
Feb 13th
At lunch today Captain E announced that he had successfully created his computer storage unit and that anyone who wanted to back up their laps (laptops) could do so. He has laid down some rules for us. Those rules are:
1.) Your information is your own, and you can password the storage if you want to, but you need to seal the password in an envelope in the event of emergency.
2.) If you find someone has an open drive you should not read it, unless permission is given.
3.) Don’t write in someone else’s space.
4.) You should back your laptop up every week to ten days.
It is all pretty easy and basic, and everyone seemed to be on board with it. Most of the group will not use the space, but like Tay and the Doc, and some of The Three will. I think Nick may, he has mumbled about writing down his recipes. (I hope he loses the deer stew recipe!) I think that I will put Tom’s journal on there, and make it available to all. Maybe I will read it before that. I still haven’t read it, I don’t know why.
I guess I should talk about Laps, (laptops) there are a number of them in the camp. I have the one Tom passed on to me. Captain E has one in his lab, and there is one in the kitchen for food inventory control. The Three have one for council stuff and Doc has one for medical records and I think he has some old medical journals and information on it too.
The laps are not running all the time so they do not put that much a load on our power grid. Most of our electricity comes from the windmill generator or the solar panels that were at the camp when we got here. We have the back-up generators, but that is for the times when the natural pow
er sources are not working so well. We try not to run the generator to save the propane that powers it so we can have hot water to wash clothes and showers or for the gas stoves and ovens.
Feb 14th
I woke up to find a little red paper heart on my pillow; Code can be such a jerkface sometimes. Valentine’s day, gotta love him.
Ethan was all wound up this morning. He must have spent some time last night watching the lights.
“There are two types of lights, bigger ones and little ones, and they are getting closer,” he said.
“Okay,” answered E.
“And they are getting closer!”
“Okay”
“They’ll be here soon” he added, getting more and more panicked.
“Ethan, what can we do about it?” asked Del.
“I, ah, we have to be ready!”
“Ready for what, Ethan?” asked E, staring intently at Ethan.
“Them!”
“Oh boy, here we go” mumbled Code.
Ethan ranted on for another 15 minutes about the aliens and how they were coming to get us.
A little later, when the four of us were alone, E said that he was concerned about the lights but not that it was alien, he thinks they are military.
“I want to talk with the Major, we should maybe go back to the Arsenal and get the Sat-Comm link.” He said.
“Really?”
“Yeah Code, I think the military is doing something, and Ethan is right, they are getting closer.”
“But why the Major and not The Three?” Del asked
“Well, I think if the Major and I propose the trip they will go along with it, if it is just me, I am not so sure.”
“Makes sense,” mumbled Code
E and the Major pow-wowed later in the day.
Code and I spent a good part of the night sky watching. There is something out there.
Feb 15th
After breakfast, E and the Major pitched their idea to The Three and I guess it was not a hard sell because E gathered us together for a ‘secret’ meeting. Really it was secret just to keep Ethan from going nuts.
The Event Trilogy (Book 2): The Gospel According to Matthew, Margo & Lance Page 1
