Adrian's Undead Diary (Book 7): The Trinity

by Chris Philbrook

  I already told Kevin that was an enormously stupid fucking idea, and he agreed. I can see how he’d try anyway. With no dad in his life when he was growing up, his mother was everything to him. I can see the pain in his face the couple of times it has come up the past few days. It’s slowly killing him realizing that his mother is gone. Kevin did everything to repay his mother back for all the work she did when he was a kid. The woman worked her fingers to the bone to make his life better than it was, and when he was a grown man, he made it his mission to help her. To have the world end, and to have her fate thrown into the wind has got to be painful. I imagine it’s a lot like the pain I feel when I think about Cassie.

  I feel for him. He’s like my brother. It stirs up a lot of memories and emotions just having him here. He is strong though. Stronger than he should be. Inside I'm sure he's torn up, but we won't see it unless he breaks down. And sometimes, you need to be broken down to be rebuilt.

  The trip through Maine was a joke. If you’ve ever been to northern Maine, I’m sorry. There is NOTHING there. Lots of moose, some snow, and a lot of inbreds. Now, there are more of the former, and less of the latter, and to be fair, many of the folks up there are the salt of the earth types. They drove on abandoned highways for some time, and when they got onto the turnpike heading south it was slow going due to roaming undead on the roads, and car accidents they had to go around constantly. I guess their need for diesel for their trucks was a bitch too, so they had to stop obsessively to search for fuel to keep moving. Fortunately, they aren’t dumb, and after only a little while started siphoning fuel out of home heating oil tanks. I guess not too long ago, they found and repaired a full sized fuel semi, which is now parked in the back of campus, and has… 7,000 gallons of diesel still inside it. I guess they took a three or four day detour in the Augusta area of Maine just going house to house draining fuel tank after fuel tank to fill it. The larger vehicle increased their profile, but allowed them to move further without stops, which netted them more safety in the long run.

  Just like my experience, Kevin and Michelle’s group ran into undead, and several small groups of survivors that for the most part were hostile. Fortunately for them they have some pretty motherfucking superior firepower, and were able to end every conflict dramatically well. Throwing a few dozen accurate rounds out of a team of M4s has a certain suggestive power to it. It’ll take the wind out of just about everyone’s sails. Never mind the fact that they have SAWs and a small handful of AT4s as well. In a perfect world, they’d have Javelins, but who am I to be greedy?

  After leaving Boston they encountered three trios of undead. They’d held up in an old office building on the second floor and the zombies were arranged too perfectly to be a random coincidence. When they were all looking out the windows, trying to figure out what was happening, they saw Angie and Lafrenz’s humvee approach. It’s funny how things come together.

  Gilbert and I had been working on the other side for weeks trying to figure out a way to get a message to Michelle and Kevin. Of course we didn’t know it was them at the time, but we knew the other two were together, and that they’d be arriving on the eastern seaboard somewhere. For whatever reason it is far easier to get messages to the living when they have a strong conduit to the dead to use as a tether. Love seems to be the best route to take. Gilbert originally had thought of using Abby and Gavin, but I shot that down. Abby had enough on her plate as it was, and we really needed to leave her be.

  This is a great story. Enter LaFrenz. Not too long after leaving Westfield to head north, Angie and LaFrenz were attacked by a large herd of zombies and he was bitten. He managed to hold on for a day or two (which is a pretty epic hold-out after being bitten, so kudos to him), but Angie had to shoot him. Gilbert caught wind of LaFrenz dying on the other side, and he knew where my sister was (roughly), and that’s how Becca managed to find her way to us. It’s funny now to think that the entire conversation she and my brother had with him, he was dead the whole time, and he didn’t say anything. Neither did Angie.

  After leaving my sister and brother and sending them on their way to find us, Angie continued on her journey primarily alone, trying to find her own family. LaFrenz was gone again for some time, but with my help, we were able to get him to the real world in that weird ghostly form for a few hours a day again to get messages to her so she could move in the right direction. I do kind of feel like we were using them, but I suppose it was us giving two young lovers more time that they would not have had otherwise together. Use the tools you have, I guess. I hope they didn't experience it as painful.

  With the strange trio of zombies there, they saw Angie, made radio contact, and she led them back here. The trip wasn’t great. Amongst minor hostilities from the dead, they blew a tire, and were surrounded by undead about eight towns over or so, and lost Jaden in the process. I guess he was in one of the humvee turrets, and somehow a zombie managed to crawl its way onto the roof behind him and bite him. Not sure how that happens in a group as experienced as these guys are, but shot DOES happen. Delta, SEAL, Rangers, MARSOC… they all lose guys regularly. It’s an occupational hazard when you are exposed to that much risk. Nowadays, everyone is exposed to that much risk. Anyway, I'm told he was a real stand up guy, and it sucks he didn’t make it. Not many folks can lose a leg, and still kick ass at will.

  From there they had a lot of trouble finding open roads. The highway is a rough mess, and I guess based on their descriptions the roads have somehow gotten worse since when Lindsey returned from up north with Doug. It took them two or three days, and that was closer than where Kevin and Michelle were, and it took them four or five days.

  My timing might be off too. I’m still taking pain meds. Forgive any errors in these next few entries Mr. Journal. I’ve got a mean incision in my neck, and the original gunshot wound is still quite painful.

  Speaking of which. Chris fucking Sunderland shot me in the back. That weight losing, socially inept, power hungry prick. I’m hearing now that he was doing it all for the dark. The Lacuna. We were in the orchard, and I was on the perimeter in the trees, wandering about, and he came up behind me, and did me in the back of the neck. Fucker tried to blow my head off.

  Don’t laugh, but Gilbert once again comes to the rescue. Remember all those reloads we were using for awhile? The ones that were messing with the feeds on the M4s? The reloads Gilbert did? We passed them down to a few folks that were using same caliber rifles, and as luck would have it that day, Chris was using them. I guess the one he shot me with was half dud, which is most of why I still have a head.

  As it turns out, the bullet became lodged in my neck, and cut off blood flow, sending me into a coma. I guess Lindsey also medicated me into a coma as well to give the neck time to heal, and to let me remain still. At one point I was thrashing around with Blake next to me, and I busted something, and nearly bled out. I’m betting anything that was when I was kicking the fuck out of Sean on the other side. Prick.

  Ethan and Roger took the bullet out of my neck the other day. The surgery was easy for them, because the bullet wasn’t actually blocking the blood flow anymore. Their best guess for why I was down and out for so long was twofold. Lindsey had been medicating the piss out of me, and maybe, just maybe, my time on the other side wasn’t quite up yet. Once the bullet was out, cursed as it was, and the meds Doc Lindsey were pumping into me were toned down, it was just hours before I was starting to come to.

  And here I am now. I’ve had nothing but visitors and information since I was able to have them, and I’m overloaded with faces, and decisions to make. I’ve made it perfectly clear that until I’m able to be more coherent and engaged, Mike and Abby are in charge. Patty and Mallory seemed put off by this, but the two of them are far more aware of what is going on here. Mallory also seemed off as well, which I suppose has a lot to do with the fact that she wants to break up with me.

  I’ve already read Abby’s entries, so it’s not like I’m in the dark. As for her leaving me… I
don’t even know if I can care right now. I like her, I really do, but I totally understand how bad it must suck to be with me. I don’t even know if it is fair to expect anyone to be with me. I’m a walking broken heart waiting to happen.

  Plus, I don’t know if I want one more person I can fail to be in my life. I failed when Cassie needed it most, and I don’t know if I want to fail Mallory, or anyone else for that matter.

  Sigh. Fucking emotions.

  Kevin and his team with our help cleared MGR the other day, and even made a swing past the Factory to help them. Kevin brought so much ammunition it isn’t funny. Military issue 5.56 and 9mm out the ass, never mind crates of the other less-used calibers. We’ve got 7.62 as well as other calibers now as well stacked to the ceiling in the armory as well as a few other places. We were able to resupply our locations with a fair amount of ammunitions and weapons, so if something bad should happen, we are far more capable of defending ourselves.

  As for the group of living assholes who attacked MGR the other day. Well. Let’s just say I’m feeling a little vindictive. I don't know who they are yet either. But for the moment, many other things must be addressed.

  We have so many plans…

  I have so many plans… That I will talk about another day. Right now, I need sleep, and food. It’s good to be back Mr. Journal. I’m excited for what the future holds now. Less scared of things. More excited than anything.

  Oh, and Gilbert buddy. It was good to see you again.

  -Adrian

  November 25th

  In the past few days I have managed the following: I was moved back to my room in Hall E to my bed, and I had an awkward, relationship ending discussion with Mallory regarding how I knew she wanted to break up with me. I didn't give her an out for it, I just confronted her politely. She tried to play it off, tried to act like it wasn’t what it was, or that she didn’t say what she said to Abby. I told her no further explanations were needed, no hard feelings, that I was a big boy, and I understood. I don’t have the energy to fight anymore about it, not that we've fought. I don’t care. Sex will be a distant goal of mine at best. Right now I need to heal fast, and get my ducks in a row. Mallory moved her things out of my room as if were no more than a chore, and now she's out of Hall E entirely. She’s staying in Hall D I think.

  I’m trying not to think about it. I act tough, but it still stings. As much as I don’t want to admit it, this will bother me for awhile. Chalk another loss up for me.

  So yeah, I achieved two things, more or less.

  The rest of the group was able to achieve far, far more.

  We have an agenda that seems insane to me. A year ago I was struggling with clearing the houses on Auburn Lake Road by myself, and now we cover as much area in a single day, and do it far safer. Because of the sudden addition of all these bodies, we’ve had to open up Hall C. Sadly, there has been no electric supplied to that dorm yet, nor have we found or installed a suitable wood stove to assist with the heating there as the weather turns colder.

  The new folks decided that they deserved heat and electricity, which they’ve gone without already for an unreasonable amount of time. I can’t blame them. I also want my man Kev to have everything that's coming to him, and the least of that is electricity and heat. As a result, we spent the last two solid days searching neighborhoods we haven’t gone to yet for gas generators, solar panels, wood stoves, and other usable supplies.

  Not surprisingly (thanks to yours truly, more details on that later Mr. Journal), they turned up quite a bit of goodies. I am sick with myself over the fact that I was not there to help, and to share in the joy of finding such spoils. Sigh. Such is the life of the maimed and healing. I suspect there will be a few weeks of this bullshit before I am up and running at full capacity. Maybe I can score a job as wheel man on a run outside the wall soon. That’d be so exciting. Of course that’s me being optimistic. I am having a hard time standing up and pissing on my own at a urinal right now. I have to lean against the wall with one shoulder and bank it off the side of the pisser and hope my feet don't slip. That happened once and I sprayed the entire wall of the bathroom. Had to ask Abby to help clean it up. If pissing is that difficult for me at the moment, driving a vehicle in a combat situation would be… a challenge to say the least.

  Anyway, jealousy, urination accidents and bitching aside, we managed to score not one, but two usable wood stoves. I guess the crew keeps finding these shitty pellet stoves, and no pellets to go with them, so finding actual wood stoves was the hotness. They got them yanked with just a minor series of fights, and today they’re all working on getting the stoves and small gas generator they found in a garage installed. Sadly, there were no solar panels found anywhere (but I kind of expected that already, so no skin off our teeth). Some of the guys are working on some ideas to make life a little easier around here too. These dudes really know how to get shit done. Kevin is the balls.

  No injuries, and only one real news item health wise to report. Melissa apparently had a few days where she had contractions, but those subsided. Of course she started having them about an hour ago again, so we’re thinking this is the real labor coming on. We don’t know the exact moment of conception, nor did she get exceptional prenatal care… But she’s gotta be close. She looks like she’s going to give birth to a full size replica of Ollie.

  I feel better myself as it involves pain, but my body is very weak. I lost an alarming amount of muscle tissue being in bed that long, and I’ve got a few bed sores to boot. Nothing major really, but they are stingy as hell, and Lindsey and Roger have me on some antibiotics to make sure they don’t get infected. It hurts to roll over when they put the cream on. I’m hoping the antibiotics help to prevent the neck from getting infected too. See: Adrian’s fear of infection overwhelming him.

  So the real thing I wanted to write about tonight was twofold. Firstly, we all blanked on the fact that yesterday was Thanksgiving, so this morning when I realized yesterday was the damn holiday, I got on the walkie, and summoned Abby and Patty to remind them, and to see if we could get something nice going. I think I’m the only person with a fucking calendar here, and as a result we missed the holiday. Preparations are being made now for a sweet luncheon to celebrate the holiday. I’m also told by my tiny blonde backup that many folks are celebrating the arrival of the others, as well as my sitting back up alive. I guess the odds in Vegas that I’d sit back up dead were at least 60/40.

  Fuck odds. The Jinx Fairy can blow me and chug it.

  Whore.

  Anyway. Cheery holiday chatter aside, we’re planning a shindig tomorrow to end all shindigs. James has been outside the wall with my bow hunting turkey, and he’s been pretty successful for a few weeks. He’s got one on ice right now, and he’s double timing trying to get a second out the back gate in the woods. We’re still getting straggler undead down the road, but since the crew started doing runs for loot, we’ve kept it a lot more manageable. Trying to explain to the SO kids that we will piss through our ammo is a good time. They love their rifles. I’m trying to start a love affair for them with halligans. Truthfully, they’re the shit, and don’t run out of ammo either. To be frank, I’d settle on a love affair with a fire axe, sledgehammer, crowbar, or even a concrete block. Anything that doesn’t make a lot of noise and run out of ammo. These guys aren’t used to the idea of being in one place for long. They’ve been sticking and moving for months now, and after they’re gone, they don’t give a shit about how much noise they just made. Here, it’s a concern. Things FIND us if we make noise. Did I mention these guys have military grade suppressors? You think they'd use them more.

  Alright, second big issue of the day is what I’ve got planned for us for the near future. Part of why the guys were so able to find stoves and a generator was due to information Gilbert and I gathered from the other side.

  Let me try and explain what it was like. Have you ever had a dream where things seemed very real, but you knew you were still in a dream? Vivid experie
nces that sat on the edge of your mind just out of reach, just beyond the real? Most of the time when I realized I was having one of those dreams, I became too aware of it, and I wound up waking up, losing the whole experience.

  Not so, on the other side. The other side is like a massive theme park set in a dream, one where the whole damn world froze solid on June 23rd, 2010. The bad part of that is that nothing works there. Cars don’t start, water doesn’t run, you don’t eat or drink and everything is hazy and indistinct the further it gets from you, and that includes relationships. Much like a dream, the more you concentrate on what is happening, the more control you have over it, and the more “real” it becomes for you.

  If I thought about a person who I knew was dead with enough will and desire, I could muster them to my presence or sometimes, I could go to them. As a result, once I got good at it, I was able to bring quite a few people to me, to chat. Of course, that only worked on people who died on that day, or since then. You see, the door was open before then, but now it’s shut solid until we sort this bullshit out. Most of the people who died before June 23rd, and by most, I mean the VAST MAJORITY, got to move on to where they're supposed to be. The only people we were able to contact that died before that day were the folks who were probably lingering, haunting somewhere.

  I’ll talk more about who I spoke with, and what they had to say another day. Maybe. Really, it doesn’t matter for today’s entry. What I can say, is that I was told NOT to try and talk to Cassie by Gilbert because somehow, she’s wrapped up in this. I’m not sure exactly how yet, but I’ll figure it out. Also, I was unable to summon my brothers after trying carefully, so I think both of them are still alive. That’s awesome news.