Living With the Dead: Year One (Books 1-2, Bonus Material)
Page 20
As I write this, I am sitting on the roof of a factory, and the whole roof has been turned into a water-catcher. Clever design funnels the rainwater down into barrels that used to contain needed fluids for a factory to work. Now they hold the stuff that makes people work, and in great quantity. I imagine that other buildings have been similarly altered.
Below me, I see people bent over amid the peaks and valleys in the newly turned earth, a huge square of fertile possibility in a drab and gray monument to repetitive and dreary sadness. I see the sweat gleam on their brows, and I can imagine what this land will look like when it grow and blooms.
Maybe the zombies did us a favor.
Posted by Josh Guess at 11:51 AM
Saturday, June 12, 2010
A very short update
Still out of town, gathering plants. Some worrisome things going on, but more about it tomorrow. Too many eyes and ears right now.
At home--let no one in that you don't know. There are reasons.
Posted by Josh Guess at 12:40 PM
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Secrets
Something is really strange around here. I'm back from our very successful trip around the area to find plants and seeds, and while I was out, I caught a few snippets of conversation that snagged my interest.
While I was on guard due to the rather numerous zombies wandering near our campsite, I heard two of the men from the factory talking about plans being changed. I listened in as best I could, and I heard something about needing to talk to Jack about finding another way to get the job done. They said something about a group they'd "sent south". They stopped talking as soon as they caught sight of me, and pretty much everyone in the group was cautiously polite the rest of our trip.
I made it a point to try and talk to Jack about this as soon as we got back, but he acted as though he had no idea what I was talking about. But there was something in his eyes, in the way he moved, that made my hair stand up.
My hope is that there was simply some change of plans that has nothing to do with us, that these folks just don't want to share with outsiders. That would be ideal, because regardless of what it is, I am not here to judge them or try to interfere. But I have a sneaking suspicion that whatever this secret is, it involves us, and that scares the shit out of me.
Our group has a meeting in about thirty minutes with Jack, and I need to talk to the others, just in case things here go badly. Again, let no one in that you don't know. We can't take any chances that there isn't something deeper going on here.
Posted by Josh Guess at 10:28 AM
Monday, June 14, 2010
Don't Tread On Me
The work here continues, but under a lot more stress than before. Zombies have started to drift this way in fairly large numbers, and add to that a bit of a revelation from Jack, and it comes up to shitty work conditions.
Turns out that before this group got to read up on us and get a feel for who and what we are, the general consensus was to basically co-opt the entire compound and bring all of us up here to work as the farmers to their manufacturers. Not exactly slavery, but they were preparing to get agreement from us by any means necessary.
Jack told us this because he had managed to change the minds of a great many people. The simple fact is that there is just not enough land around here that is ready to be farmed on. So while these folks will have enough to eat if they are careful through this coming winter, they will be in a pretty desperate situation come spring. Jack made it clear that the only chance they would have would be to trade with us for our extra, because our weather down in Kentucky will allow us to produce more food for a longer period of time.
Everyone back at the compound is working hard on the wall, but some groups have been sent out to check some of the farms in our county and the surrounding ones. I am told that a large shipment of corn and grains can be sent if trucks can be provided, and that the farms directly to the west of the compound have a large number of cattle showing back up after all this time. It's a big place, so we hadn't been able to search all of it.
Frankfort has a lot of resources for food. Farms are numerous and bountiful, but after learning that these people were seriously considering trying to make us into some lower class to work for them (though they don't see it quite that way) we aren't inclined to be particularly generous with our foodstuffs. From here on out, we deal in quid pro quo. If they want food from us, we get technology and equipment.
We are trying to be as pragmatic about this as we can. We simply can't afford to pack up and go home, forgo ties with these folk. We need each other if we are going to have a chance at rebuilding, really taking a shot at the long haul. We have many plans for things that we can have them make, and they were trying to watch out for their own, after all. I can't really blame a group of people that have never worked with the earth for thinking that others more experienced could do it better.
That's where we are at present. I am hoping to hear from Jess later in the morning to find out what we can send up here. Jack assures me that a shipment of solar panels and the equipment we need to make them work on our little grid will be ready to go when we are.
Hopefully this arrangement can be a long term solution to some of our problems. If we can make it work, then all of us will be much safer and happier people.
Posted by Josh Guess at 7:32 AM
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Heavy Metal
So here we are, smack in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. This is the sort of thing I used to joke about back before the fall, but right now the truth of what we are living through has never been more clear.
My group and I are still in Michigan helping Jack and his large community get plants in the ground and devising strategies for expansion of their farmland. We think that we can clear more area than we thought yesterday, mainly because we have found a large quarry about an hour away, and the machinery there will make very quick work of asphalt, concrete, buildings, you name it.
So things are looking up, except for the huge wave of zombies that came in last night. People were still out working, of course, because Jack has the people and the resources (battery powered lights, charged up during the day by solar panels). Apparently a couple of guys have been working on an interesting defense system that none of us had any idea about. I don't know the exact details, but it involves something that looks like a catapult, some interesting devices that get launched from it which spin about and cause mucho damage to whatever they hit, and some very good aim. All in all not too bad an attack for us.
Jack is sending out a party of about fifty people to clear the way down to the town we got ambushed at. We want to define as clear a trade route as possible between us and them, and perhaps we can establish contact and maybe trade with our unknown assailants as well...
My folks back home tell me that the farms around us are pretty lush with crops. I think we will make a go at farming them again next year, since many of them were planted before the zombies hit us. Long term sustainability, here we come!
Oh! I almost forgot. Jack and his group are designing us some transports and beefing up our bus even more. New engine, new transmission, new armor...and the transports will be amazing. I've seen bits and pieces, and it blows me away. Jack had an idea to help us build the wall faster, and he is having some simple snap-together sections fabricated for us. Plenty of metal around here to do it with, and he says making them is simple and easy. I think he might be trying to make up for the attitude his people had about us before they got to know us, but I will take any help I can get.
Having a good time and the future is looking a little brighter, but I miss the compound. I miss my friends and neighbors, and most of all I miss my wife. Be safe, we will be home to you all soon.
Posted by Josh Guess at 10:08 AM
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Hostage
Patrick tried to get in touch with me very early this morning, because a situation came up. I am going to insert the
comment he left on the blog right here:
"Patrick said...
I hate to be the one that pisses in your oatmeal, but I've got bad news on the home front. Do you remember John Hastings the small minded preacher that did all the graffiti last month and got exiled naked last month? Well he's been slipping into the compound for the last two weeks recruiting people to come to the new camp he found. I only found out about this late this after noon, when one of the people he tried to recruit came and told me that about 10 people, and 3 kids were going to leave with him. I said no sweat if they want to leave no one was going to stop them. Thats when I was told they planned to take as much of the food and weapons that they could smuggle out over the next couple of nights. I kept my self in check and went and found Treesong so a clear head could go and talk to these people. When we went up to the house with John and most of his people, some one opened fire. I swear we had no weapons on us we just went to talk. I got grazed in the arm, but Treesong was hit in the hip and was bleeding badly. I got him out of their as fast as I could. Evens worked on him, got the bullet out and the bleeding stopped. As of a few minutes ago he was conscious and talking so he should be ok. When I got back to the house it was empty. So I ran straight to the armory and was fired on as soon as I was in sight. Guess Evens told some one what was going on because some body on the tower returned fire and saved my ass. Thats how it sits now the armory is surrounded, John and his crew won't come out. Treesong is trying to be brave and stupid at the same time by wanting to go negotiate. Me and Evens won't let him. I've tried talking but only get bullets in response. Want to starve them out but they've got kids in there. Don't know what to do brother. Got any ideas?"
He was in an understandable rush, and I wish he had been able to get in touch with me. But events transpired while I slept, and the outcome...
John and his followers apparently realized that we weren't just going to let them go with our weapons and supplies. He came out holding one of the children in front of himself, gun to the poor kid's head. I don't know which one of the folks in the watchtower took the shot, but I am very glad they did. Any man that would threaten a child deserves death.
It turns out that none of the others took to kindly to his actions, but all of them were too afraid of hitting the little boy, Brendan, to try and take him out. I'm not in charge anymore, but my suggestion to the council was to think hard about the options here. Any time you involve kids, the morality of your choices alters. I don't want to keep people that don't want to stay, but I don't want to exile children with their parents to almost certainly die out among the zombies.
No decisions have been made yet, but all options are being considered. I hope the people back home are wise enough to come up with a solution.
Posted by Josh Guess at 7:28 AM
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Sowing Ends
We aren't needed here anymore. The ground is still being cleared in some areas, but our stock of goods has been exhausted, and what we know about growing and harvesting food Jack and his people now know as well. But of course, these are things that the people here could have figured out on their own. They might have had a harder time of it, but I am sure that they would have found things to plant and eat. The true value of this trip isn't that we saved these people; we didn't. It is the relationship we have begun, and the positive growth that I truly hope will follow.
Courtney has done so much to build ties, spending nearly all her time talking with Jack and the other folks in leadership positions around here. It really pains her to leave, but all of us are eager to get home. The horrible situation that's unfolded over the last few days still needs some resolution, and we miss our friends and families.
We will be heading home tomorrow, in a convoy that will bring sections of wall, some solar panels, and many other things. Jack is sending some folks with us to clear the way, and to help us stay safe. His people will be making their way back with truckloads of food. Seems like a good deal to me.
Hoping that the zombies hold off at home at least until we get there.
Posted by Josh Guess at 12:21 PM
Friday, June 18, 2010
Departure
We are on the road, heading home with our convoy. There are zombies all about, but thanks to some clever alterations Jack's people made to our bus as well as their own vehicles, we can drive right through them without worry.
A group of trailbreakers are moving ahead of us, and we are hoping that the sheer size of our convoy will be enough to get us through the spot we were ambushed at before. Not much else to report at present, other than the fact that there are apparently some problems with the folks that tried to take our armory the other day. I didn't get a full update, but I am sure someone will call me at some point today to pass on more details.
Hoping to be home by morning.
Posted by Josh Guess at 11:35 AM
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Fresh Perspective
I have lost count of the number of times I have said this lately, but we are home again. We pulled in with our convoy about half an hour ago, and I am very glad to be back. Jack's folks are in the process of unloading our gear, and ours are prepping containers of food for the trip north.
Zombie attacks have been heavy since we left, at least as heavy as the were before. The fire pits are pretty much full of ash at this point, and we need to detail some people to start emptying them out before too long. Evans has made a lot of progress in understanding exactly how this plague works, or so he told me when he caught me on my way in. I am sufficiently tired enough that I am fine with waiting until later to hear what he has to say.
My brother is very happy to see his wife and kids again. I know they missed him dearly, and to be honest, I missed them a lot as well. Same goes for my sister and her family. Funny that it took the end of the world to bring me closer to my siblings' families. Distance kept us from seeing one another before, and our everyday lives kept us so busy that just spending time together could be a chore.
We are all closer now. Jess has always been shy and quiet around my family, and people she doesn't know. But I have watched her change since all of this began, watched the shell she built around herself crack and crumble away. She is so much more assertive, almost brutally open with her opinions and views. But she also spends time with my family and their kids, doing everything from babysitting to sharing recipes, to teaching my sister the basics of shooting, unarmed combat, and all the like.
Marrying Jessica was never in question for me. Though I feel some dim pain in my heart that some might not like the fact that my wife happens to be of a different race than I am, it was never once a factor for me. She is hard working, smart, and funny. Her sense of humor is as twisted and dark as mine, balanced out by a sense of wonder and whimsy that is childlike in its purity. She is a rare and special person, and my life is endurable in all other ways as long as she is in it.
In a nutshell, I missed her a lot. But I am home now, and with luck I will be here for a long time. We have much work to do, and with the trade between the compound and Jack's group in Michigan, we now have real resources to draw on. We can make this place truly secure, and a real home to those that live here.
Despite the reoccurring problems we run into, I think that overall we are a good group, dedicated to each other's survival. And in the world as it is now, that is more important than anything.
Posted by Josh Guess at 11:33 AM
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Waves
Zombies have been hitting us all day. Not a great many of them in any one spot, but sort of a low grade fever of them constantly. The bodies are starting to pile up, and none of the equipment and materials we got from Michigan are put into use yet. That means no snazzy new wall sections to help keep the undead at bay.
Evans wants to give us a detailed and full report of his findings later today, and I am super excited about it. He claims to have a good idea what causes the dead to come back to life (of a sort)
and why they are so intent on eating people. While this information won't do anything to make our situation better, it might be useful if we survive long enough to have folks that can create new medicines.
I need to get out to the perimeter shortly, to take over for someone. Most of them have been on the walls for four hours, fighting constantly, and everyone needs to eat and drink. Hoping that today won't turn into another marathon. I don't think I have it in me.
I really hope that Evans has some idea why they seem to keep gathering on us and attacking, and that he has some idea of what we can do to stop it. This is getting frustrating.
Posted by Josh Guess at 11:22 AM
Monday, June 21, 2010
Repeat Offenders
Evans wowed us yesterday with an amazing report on the pathology of the zombie plague. I want to do it justice, so I am saving that post for tomorrow.