I let Beth read it when she awoke. It all made sense suddenly - why my cut was never a problem. I kept it wrapped tight. And with Sid, the ghoul’s saliva that accompanied his tail bite probably didn’t have a chance to enter his bloodstream before I reacted. The shark though, it didn’t look affected - perhaps the tiny computer-bots still short out in water? Beth turned from reading the news to face me. She stared at me suspiciously and then kissed me. I’m guessing she was telling me that she is among the unaffected. I plan to sit in the truck, hold her close as well as taking comfort with Sid’s company and fall asleep for a good while this time. Tomorrow, I have some planning to do.
DAY - 21
I awoke quite early despite having been very tired. I just don’t sleep much anymore. It’s strange, but I just don’t need it like I used to. I left Beth and Sid asleep in the truck as I went back to the computer. The same message was being repeated in the chat room along with everyone asking where the other was. I count at least 30 more surviving like us, but I'm not giving away my location. I can’t trust that any of them aren’t dying until I see them for myself - bad risk.
By the time Beth and Sid were up and back on their feet, I was already well into my planning for the day. Step one - making a peephole in the roll down door. There are no windows in the shed as it is all cinder block. Step two - I alone am going out on foot to try and make it across the width of the runway. I can then reach the surrounding fencing and enter the airport’s neighboring train yard. Step three - I am going to get as many different engines going as I can. According to the Internet, train engines aren’t easily started, and I am definitely not an expert. Step four - I will come back for Beth and Sid. Step five - We drive out of the shed, bust through the fence and then board whichever train is clearest of threats - because I have already made the peep hole with a hammer and screwdriver, and I can see many of those fuckers all in the train yard.
I sat down Beth as she had a tied rag playing around with Sid. I explained to her my plans. Her face became a bit more worried. I then explained to her about this journal. I asked her to take it and the little golf course pencils from my pocket that I had been using to write with. I told her to write again tomorrow if I do not come back - that it’s important. It grows hope with every entry, I told her. She nodded and looked to completely understand.
The last thing I have done in preparation is to find Beth some suitable weapons should anything happen. I am leaving her the truck keys as well. I gave her complete permission to leave me behind if she has to.
I found a carpenter’s hatchet and long, flat crowbar. Both will be suitable for Beth, as they aren’t too heavy. I also saw a fire axe, but I think it’ll take me to swing that. I am sharpening the sword once again. I think I’m going to use it a lot more today. In case of the worst - Sid, I never had a dog before, but I still think you're the best. Beth, I don't know anything about you really, but I promise I already care enough about you to die the worst death to save you.
DAY - 22
I’m not really sure what to write down. Del said to keep this journal going no matter what. After reading every entry, I don’t think anything I could write down would come of any help to anyone. I am nowhere near as courageous as Del.
There is no way I would do what he has. I’m the type of person who couldn’t stand to be in a cemetery at a funeral service.
Well, he normally writes something about Sid in each entry.
I must say that he is the ideal friend for me. Sid doesn’t talk either. We’re both born that way. I find myself a bit more apprehensive of Sid, though, now that I read about him being bitten. That was days ago, though. He would’ve changed by now. Still, it’s not going to help me sleep any better at night. My gut instinct is to trust him until he starts to act in any way different. The slightest change in him, and I swear I will consider putting him down.
I did watch Del get as far as I could last night. I truly believe he made it to the train yard. I just don’t think the yard was empty. The whole thing is fenced in pretty good, which would contain whatever ghouls are in the area. I looked out the peephole for him all day. I even stayed as quiet as I could to try and hear anything. All that I have seen or heard are the few ghouls out in front of the repair shed. I stopped looking after I saw one that was just a child. I got sick and had to sit back down.
It’s now evening, and I have been on the computer for hours. Still the same message is looping in the chat room.
That’s usually the sign of no one at home. Automated responses serve one purpose - no one's physically there anymore. That’s not very promising.
It’s late - after 10pm on the clock. I just heard a series of train horns sounding. That’s got to be Del. The ghouls are somewhat smart, but there is no way they would sound the horns like that. The horns were sounded too fast and in successions like one does in sounding their victory. It has to be Del. I know he said he would come back for us, but I can drive this truck too. I can load up and take off through the fences right now. I'll force myself to wait just a while longer. He could be just sounding one horn of an engine. He did say he wants to get several running. There's no way I'm falling asleep. Sid is prancing about in here, too.
The horns are getting to him.
DAY - 23
I can’t believe how fast I ran getting back to the repair shed. I arrived early this morning while it was still dark. Beth had Sid already in the truck - I peered through the peephole and saw them get out after I banged on the roll down door loudly.
Beth let me in, and I explained to her that it was time to go - right away. We all loaded up with haste, opened the door one last time and started out in the truck. I made sure I grabbed the journal and secured my sword in the gun rack. Sid made a point to lick my hand a few times, so I gave him a few return gestures by scratching him behind his ears. I drove the truck with the fury of knowing it was the last time I would ever use it. I got up to a speed of 60 mph, busted through the fencing of the train yard and drove over whatever ghouls were in my path. I admit that I took great pride in hearing them bounce off the grill of the truck again. I stopped the truck right beside a train engine - the one I wanted to use the most.
This train is only two engines and twelve cargo cars. It’s also heading west. I want to try and make it into a mountainous area that has never been populated. With it being colder in the mountains, I have a theory that those undead fuckers will freeze up - their blood should ice up quite easy as they are mostly slow moving, and I’m pretty sure that I could beat any of them scaling up a mountain.
We took our every piece of luggage and quickly transferred it into the train engine. In less than a minute, Beth and Sid were sitting down in the engine as I manned the controls. We were on our way without a hitch - unless you count what I read in the journal for yesterday. I don’t exactly blame Beth for almost leaving me, though. This is survival. My only problem
with Beth is how I am going to communicate to her?
I’m guessing she reads lips or maybe still has decent hearing.
I just want to be respectable to her in finding out. I will take my time.
It’s already getting dark, but I am not sure if I can sleep. I’m a little worried about sleeping and letting the train just keep going. We may have to stop in some nothing town. Maybe not. I could just reduce the speed around 20 mph. I would have to keep it fast enough so the ghouls can’t get aboard. I just hope we don't run into another train
DAY - 24
Beth and I both awoke to Sid’s barking and yelping. He was very upset, but at something that no one else could see or hear.
I grabbed the sword, and told Beth to grab Sid and stay low and still inside the engine. I proceeded to the outside of the engine onto the small, railed walkway. I saw nothing. It was a welcome nothing as I was scared that some ghouls had truly boarded the train through the night at the slow speed. Then I suddenly heard what it was that had Sid so upset - and it was in one of the cargo cars. The third car back had its door open enough that something could have gotten in there. I listened closer for a while until I clearly heard that the sound was another dog.
I went back inside the engine and explained to Beth that I was not about to stop the train, but that I was going to get inside that car and evict our stowaway. I then traded the sword to Beth for her carpenter’s hatchet. I figured that walking atop railcars wasn’t easily done with a huge katana.
I swear it took 30 minutes to get to that third car. To hell with anything I have ever seen in a movie where they effortlessly do that shit. I took another 10 minutes just hanging onto the side-ladder of the car before jumping in. I was listening to the dog inside and trying to gauge if it was moving anywhere near the opening, but it seemed stationary. Once inside I found a horrible sight. What I saw had apparently been there the whole time - regulars to the railways - a hobo and his hound. The dog was definitely undead and ravenous. It lunged at me, but was slow as the weight of its dead owner still held it leashed. The dog was a lab-mix and had eaten through its owner’s neck, some of the torso and much of the arm that held a firm grip on the leash. Luckily the owner seemed a very overweight person - enough so that the dog was struggling to drag its way towards me. I probably stared at the sight for a full minute, but I soon snapped out of it and knew what I had to do. I started by kicking the dog in its face followed by a quick burial of the hatchet into its neck. It took another ten or so swings to fully remove the dog’s head - each chop fading his growl to final silence. I then opened wide the railcar door and kicked the dead bodies until they finally went out over the side. I made my way back to the engine, which I struggled at once again. Sid was calm, but Beth shared a worried look at me as I held the bloody hatchet. She’s clearly afraid to trust blood. I shared her caution when cleaning the hatchet with a T-shirt. I tossed the shirt outside when finished.
DAY - 25
I finally had to stop the train - near a town - some place in Missouri. I could see that this was clearly a one-road town, but that was the appeal - less people - less risk. Sid and Beth both seemed all too ready to get on their feet. Beth wouldn’t even hold her hatchet - just held Sid on his chain. Me - sword in my belt loop.
There were no ghouls on the main road of the town. I immediately started window-shopping at the old-timey setup of stores that were on the roadside. There were still no ghouls in sight. We all decided that food from a small grocery was priority. We grabbed lots of pop-top cans of vegetables, soups, SPAM, chips, snack crackers, peanut butter, some decent loaves of bread, water jugs and bottled water and even ice cream. The one who made out the best was Sid. We got him some big bags of dog food and several boxes of Milk Bones and jerky treats. We easily had three grocery baskets full.
The whole thing was the closest to a holiday we’re going to have anytime soon - seeing as how this past Christmas was red instead of white.
We loaded the train engine with our supplies, and then I decided something that nearly cost me dearly. My damned greed got me wondering about a freezer locker in the back of the store, so I went back alone. I checked the back of the store thoroughly, so I thought. I did find a freezer locker that had some hams wrapped and waiting for sale, so I tossed them in a grocery cart. Suddenly I found myself being attacked by two ghouls in butcher’s aprons. I knocked one away from me quickly, but the other pinned me against the freezer wall where my sweaty shirt immediately stuck firm like duct tape. It was so cold that I could feel it burning my skin. In my rage to survive I painfully peeled myself from the wall and shoved one of the ghouls into the grocery cart. The other ghoul was about to take a bite into my arm, but I caught him in the mouth with the handle of the sword as I pulled it from my belt loop. They kept coming strong, and I struggled to swing the sword in such a narrow space. I quickly retreated to the aisles of the store. The ghouls followed me. I stopped and stood firm in the produce section. It was much more open giving me room to work. Within seconds I dismembered them.
I began to feel the pain of my back, but I had to stop a bit and laugh hysterically for the moment. One of the ghoul’s heads that I lopped off had landed on a display of Cantaloupe melons. I wish I had a Polaroid camera. I soon raced back to the train. Beth helped me get the train moving again on our way.
DAY - 26
This morning Beth cleaned the wounds on my back with some of our water and tissues. She put her hand in my face and made a circle with her index finger and thumb. At first I was certain she was telling me that the torn skin on my back were coin sized wounds. Then I thought about how in some slang forms of sign language she was also making the symbol that meant the word “ asshole. “ That was probably right on, too. I was a dumbass for going back to the store alone. I don’t need to be getting cocky. I can’t be selfish anymore with Sid and Beth counting on me for help. I apologized.
The train was at 30 miles per hour all day. Beth and I have made it a point to watch the scenery a lot more. If anything maybe we'll find it relaxing. The current stretch of track we have been on is definitely scenic and rural. Every so often we could see smoke over the horizon of trees or hills. We haven’t seen any major cities, but I believe that Kansas City is close now. The train will more than likely have to go through the heart of the city, which scares the hell out of me. Kansas City is a far bigger city than I want to deal with - many more people - many more risks. A part of me wants to just floor the train engines and speed through in a quick blur. Of course, my intelligence and cautious nature are convinced that it’s going to be complicated. Wasting fuel flooring the engines means stopping soon and refueling at a rail yard, and more importantly, I would have to earn a crash course in railroad mapping and track shifting. There is a map in the engine that I have been studying a lot, but I am nowhere near familiar
with how tough track shifting could actually be.
It’s late afternoon. I decided to stop the train amongst the vast flatlands about 60 miles outside of Kansas City. There are flatlands as far as can be seen with hills on the horizon and power lines running a few yards off alongside the tracks. No animals are in sight - definitely no houses or people. I fully discussed with Beth what we might encounter, but that it was a must. She actually picked up the hatchet for once and held it close to her. I know she is reluctant to have to fight, but sometimes the fear of fighting actually makes you better. It’s being a cocky fighter that makes one take risks and make mistakes - pretty sure of it. That being true, I am scared enough that we can probably survive this. Then again, maybe this is my last entry. Some of our food is stinking and will have to be thrown out. I fear we’ll need to stop again soon for more.
DAY - 27
I can barely sleep. I’m trying to decide on a plan to get through Kansas City. The only thing that comes to mind is keeping the train at 25 miles per hour. That’s fast enough to outrun any ghouls and not too fast to stop when we eventually approach other trains on our track. Another huge obstacle will be pushing whatever cars are on our track. But the engine cars, if braked, will require hands on work, inside.
HOLD Page 4
