by Mark Mihalko
Losing her is the worst thing that has ever happened to me, but if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here writing right now. It is the sight of her blood, the visions of her body being torn apart by those creatures that motivate me to finish this project. The world must know how we were violated, and understand the corruption that took place over that period. One person that knows exactly the depths of depravity that was on display is our scientist. Unfortunately, he is out there on his own after another one of his team found themselves as a delicious dinner treat for the resolute horde.
I
(Play) Mark, I’m so sorry. That should have been me out in front leading us back to the lab. It was my idea to leave the shelter and navigate our way back into the city and our lab. I should have listened to you and headed toward the facility in Summit View. If I had done that, you would still be here. You would be alive ready to assist me in finding a cure for this pandemic. I know I have some ideas, but I need help, I cannot do it alone.
I have to find a safer way back into town and our lab. After that last confrontation, I don’t think that either the main roads or side streets are safe. I know that there is one other potential option available, but I am not sure what will happen if I decide to go hiking up the side of Mount Washington. I have no idea whether the infected will be in the woods. Hell, I do not even know if there is a path or where it would be. Plus, how treacherous is it going down once I reach the peak. I know the incline is there, but I doubt it is running, especially if the quarantine protocol is in place.
Maybe I should stay off the mountain and head down to the tunnel. If the isolation order has been given by the military or one of the governmental agencies involved, the tunnel surely would be guarded, and the authorities or soldiers could assist me in returning to the lab. Of course, that option does leave me in the open as I am trying to transit down toward that area and I will have very little if any, cover, and that could be a huge problem if I run into a group of those undead cannibals in search of food. That definitely will not end well for me.
I guess that makes my decision easy; I will find a path through the brush and trees and tackle Mount Washington and take my chances with what happens. I definitely think it will be safer and who knows, it could be a bit faster, and the quicker I reach the lab, the closer I will be to a cure. (Stop)
II
Now that is something I’d like to see. Can you imagine watching our scientist hike up the side of Mount Washington, all the while being chased by a group of undead flesh eaters in search of food by himself? That doesn’t sound fair to me; this man surely doesn’t have the skills for this type of setting, let alone the experience of being in combat or fighting for his life. Right now, in my condition, I don’t know if I could stomach that type of conflict and I have much more understanding of survival and warfare.
No, please, shut up, please, I can’t stand the voices-they are driving me insane; everything I do, everywhere I look they surround me. I don’t know what to do about this. I guess I am a lot like the scientist in his predicament; there is no right answer or thing to do. In his case, I’m not sure if he is making the right decision. He may not last very long by heading off the grid. Plus, with his credentials, he may be better off heading down the main road to the tunnel; at least there, he could be escorted back into the city. I know if it was me and I could do anything to miss facing those undead beasts, I would do it.
For as smart as he thinks he is, our scientist must lack common sense. This decision doesn’t take the environment into account and that could be even more of an issue for him than the flesh-eating faunas. If he does go through with his attempt to scale Mount Washington, he will be up against the harsh wintery elements. From the videos, the snow is at times blinding, and the wind-chilled temperatures unbearable, and the unforgiving mixture of moss covered rocks and fallen trees in amongst the thick underbrush. And, that is not taking the treacherous descent on the other side into account.
I remember the weather like it was yesterday and there was no way I would have ever attempted something this extreme. It’s his life, though, he is the one making this decision, and if his video shows us anything, it’s a fact, he may not be the best decision maker out there. If you take one look at how his team ended up, there is a good chance he will end up as dinner for these bastards and be joining the mindless ghouls searching for food.
I know I shouldn’t, but I almost feel sorry for him having to attempt to make it back into town alone in a bid to find a solution for his crimes. I’m not sure he can do it alone. Sure, he was able to make some progress with a few different hypotheses in the tomb, but testing these various theories without any help is likely going to be a challenge. I’m just glad I’m not there near him; he’s the one that deserved to die and I would do whatever it took to ensure he ended up in the belly of one of his creations and fight to ensure his globalist masters joined him.
Well, enough about him, I am pretty sure he will be dead soon. With his luck, he’ll likely either become face-to-face with one of his spawn, or he will be overtaken by exposure. No matter what, I’m pretty sure he is destined to meet his maker. With the scientist in the rearview, where should I go next? It’s hard for me to focus, as the voices keep pulling me in all directions and their screams take me into a downward spiral of confusion.
While part of me wants to revisit Morgan and find out what it’s like inside and abandoned Wal-Mart, another part of me wants to see how our expecting mother is doing. Did lovely Gabrielle make it to her destination? I hope she did; I can’t imagine her falling short of her goal, she seems so focused on it. I’m just so torn about where to go, and above all these fucking voices continue to burrow their way into my brain. They are driving me insane, and I need to do something before I give into the pressure. I guess I have little choice; I need to get back into this so my mind can attempt to function again. I hate being here at night; I hate being alone.
III
February 15 (Continued)
Baby, why are you so happy right now, I can feel you jumping around. Those kicks are killing me. I just can’t take much more of those kicks today. You’re hurting mama right now with the barrage of twists and turns, and I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Plus, I’m beyond starving; I need to find some food soon so I can get the energy I need to take you to safety.
When you read this, please embrace the amount of torture and pain I put myself through to keep you safe. Just joking, your safety is all that matters to me. I know you are special Eli; you are destined for great things. This is the sixth time I have had to stop in the past three hours, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold out before I collapse from starvation. At least I do have some water to help keep us hydrated, although the snow can help with that as well.
It looks like our luck may have changed, though; I think I see a sign for Wal-Mart ahead of us in the distance. If that is a Wal-Mart, they would have everything we need to keep us safe. They would have food, probably my brand of vitamins, and there’s also a possibility I could get a weapon, maybe a small gun, to help me protect you from those damn beasts that are plaguing us. While I am not a huge fan of firearms, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe Eli, even if it means turning toward violence.
I just hope we’re the only ones in there. I don’t want to run into any more of those monsters. So far, today we’ve been lucky, and have not come into any contact with anyone or anything, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. I am worried, though, I did see someone earlier ahead of us on the street. From what I could tell, she appeared to be safe. I know it’s hard to explain, but she didn’t look like she moved like one of those infected creatures, but you never know until you meet face-to-face.
Earlier, when we encountered them, they seemed like they had some useful intelligence. Eli, I just don’t know what we’re up against and I don’t understand how I’m going to survive much more. Please hold on; I’m sure I’ll figure something out to keep us moving an
d safe. Right now, I don’t know what else to do but continue on our path. After I catch my breath and find some energy, I am going to make it to that store and find something to eat. I know I will feel more refreshed then. I have to feel better soon; there is no way I can have the vigor to survive if I don’t. I just have to do something soon, I feel like I am going to collapse, my head is pounding, spinning and I’m getting very dizzy.
I also need to find us someplace safe to catch a power nap. Damn, thank you, I swear that felt like your foot was going to come right through me. Please, Eli, hold on inside there, I’m not ready for you to be born yet. Just give me five more minutes, and I will get started again. I promise I will keep you safe; I love you!
IV
There is that Wal-Mart again, and it sounds as if Gabrielle and Eli will come up on Morgan pretty soon. It seems like these two were destined to cross paths eventually. The question that I can shake is if both of these women were talking about the same Esther. The name could be a coincidence, but how many Esther’s can exist in the world today? If this were about a century ago, it would probably be a lot more. Personally, I hope it’s not the same Esther that could lead to some awkward moments inside this empty store.
On a positive note, it seems that diving back into Gabrielle’s story helped keep the voices at bay. At least for right now, my writing helped me help me get through another one of these nightmarish evenings. Hopefully, the screams don’t return, and I can take advantage of this quiet for a change. I need to get some rest tonight. I think I have only had two hours of sleep over the past two days, and I know that it is impossible to keep up a pace like that. No one can survive on that type of cycle, and for me, it traps me inside this world of pain and anguish.
The longer I go without sleep, the closer I end up to reliving the wretchedness I felt when this epidemic was running full throttle, and back into some of the most miserable days of my life and I don’t want to go there. Unfortunately, no matter what I try to do, I can’t escape.
It’s time to find my sleeping pills and attempt to build a wall around these voices and cut them off before they can erupt again. It is so hard; they have been even worse lately. Ever since Natalie disappeared, its like they feast on my crippling depression. Everything was getting so much better before she went away, now I am just lost without her to help me deal with my anger and hatred. God, I hope nothing happened to her, don't think I could live with myself if something happened after she left here that night. Please be safe Natalie. I need you to come back; I need to hold you again and continue building a new life together.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“And for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted…”
November 18
Wow, I feel so refreshed today; it’s incredible what a good night of sleep can do. I didn’t even dread heading out for my morning coffee. I have to admit; I did get a little scared when I turned on my television this morning. I guess while I was sleeping all Hell broke loose last night across the country, as massive protests overran many major metropolitan cities (including Pittsburgh). At first, I thought I woke up somewhere in the Twilight Zone, with the scenes of rage, burning cars, looting, and random acts of destruction overtaking the airwaves.
In many ways, these cities looked exactly like our town during the outbreak, except I didn't instantaneously recognize the masses of undead walking the streets. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, as this was just hordes of brainwashed malcontents likely experiencing defeat for the first time in their lives after years of globalist indoctrination. This is how participation trophies’ and social welfare handouts can transform a once robust society. It is a sad day when a large portion of society cares more for the causes promoted by the degenerate reptilian overlords than the well being of our nation.
No wonder the government and United Nations were able to get away with the unrest and unspeakable destruction they caused, neither their sheepish populace nor their subservient media could ever admit they could do wrong. Over the years, I have become used to this common thought. Every time I have to visit the VA Clinic, the government funded mental health practitioners attempt to rewire my brain to forget the atrocities.
These people would like nothing more than for me give up this quest, and give into the pressure and conform to their agenda. They don't want the truth to be known, just as the globalists fear a president that lives outside of their conglomerate. That is something that could bring down everything that they have been working on for centuries. Just as my manuscript can be a beacon of hope for the other survivors battling the demons trapped inside their minds by what they witnessed.
I do wonder how all of this will turn out. President-Elect Alexander appears to be the polar opposite of that walking disaster Scotereo, the extreme progressives, and their bankrolled media cohorts who ran our beloved nation into the ground and are now out for blood. Unless someone backs down, we could be in for a rough few years and potentially even a second Civil War. I hope it doesn't rise to that point, but one never really knows what obstacles will come up. Personally, I am not ready for anything like that to happen. I have seen enough death and destruction to last a lifetime.
Speaking of death and destruction, our lover boy seems to have realized he is destined to spend eternity in Hell. I wonder, aren't we all sinners doomed to spend our afterlife in the pit of eternal damnation? I am also prepared for that, after all, no almighty God would be this generous with his torment. He wouldn't stand for the slow death being forced on his followers with the chemtrails, vaccines, and deprived eugenics aimed at reducing the population across the globe. If he were a loving God, he would help fight the infidels and cast the false prophet off his throne upon the seven hills.
Sorry, I can tell I’m starting to ramble again, and I must find my way back into the book. With all this craziness, I imagine the voices in my head are planning a major revolt against my sanity.
I
(Click) Gabrielle, where are you? I count my days through the world in your eyes, although, it feels like forever since I have held you close. I so miss the days when you were sharing my secrets and embracing the possibilities of what could be in each other’s arms and the times when words like tears cascaded from my soul. We were not alone, and our bond was whole. Still, I have so much to say to you, and so many desires left unfulfilled.
In visions, I calm. The remnants of your haunting visage soothe my fragile heart and transports to where I can gaze in on the swirling seas of emotion. In those moments, I can again enjoy the slow walks with you by my side on the distant shores of tranquility. I can still feel Heaven in your arms and long for the realities held within that one last embrace. As I look deeper, my mind rips a hole in my heart as my darkest fears turn to blood, and my veins fill with rage.
Through dying eyes, I can see those once pristine sands now stained crimson by the souls of the fallen. My brothers butchered by the unsavory plague and those who fight against the changing landscape of reality. Gabrielle, are you still there? Can you feel my pain? My anguish of being entombed inside this tainted vessel of walking decay, which leaves me spellbound like melting time in a barren Dali masterpiece.
Truths lay before me, for; I am but a memory to you. My body stands as a desolate canvas waiting for a brush or worse, just a phantom voice from the nether. Unrequited? Gabrielle, to me, you are more than you could even comprehend. You are my salvation and my one real desire. I beg you; please wait for me. Allow me to end your pain and consume your divine flesh. For through the moonlight, and the final consummation of love, our forever awaits, and your sacrifice will lead us to eternal pleasure.
Darling is that you I sense upon the horizon? I can hear a faint whisper and pray that your beauty will appear before me. The heartbeat is strong, but the luscious scent of your bowels, though familiar, seems infected with decay. Gabrielle, am I too late? Has someone violated you? I must stop and stand frozen as I await your arrival. Maybe then, at long last, we can finally share foreve
r as one. (Click)
II
I wish I knew where our lover boy was in proximity to our damsels in distress. His words, while beautiful, are often cryptic when trying to decipher his location. Out of all of our players, I have no idea when he is from his accounts. I am rooting for him to find Gabrielle and see if there is some connection between the two of them. Plus, from the sound of it, there is someone close to him right now. Could it be Gabrielle or possibly Morgan?
The mass hysteria that has overtaken my television tonight with the insanely biased coverage of the riots is shocking. I find myself mesmerized by the handling of the story. Most of these losers have no idea what they are even protesting, and in turn, they are weakening their cause. Protests can be viable options for change when the messages and voices are unified. Unfortunately, what I am witnessing appears to be organized chaos and destruction in the name of denial instead of an open discourse for the problems at hand. Yes, as a country, we have some issues, but this is no way to address them.
What I see before me is just another example of the failed entitlement generation that believes more in socialism than patriotism. They would rather society distribute their wealth instead standing up and doing their fair share to earn prosperity. These freeloading maggots are content to sit on their asses and reap the benefits of the older generations that understood the meaning of hard work. All I know is that I didn’t defend our Constitution for over 20-years to watch these locusts consume our sovereignty.
Who knows maybe those outspoken clingers are right with all of their fire and brimstone and we are early on in the End Times. If I remember right from the last time I ventured into scripture, there was some locust infestation that overran society. I can’t seem to remember. I do know one person that has not show a propensity for taking handouts is Gabrielle. I wonder did she make it to Wal-Mart yet.