The Journal of Dave (Our Horrible Planet Book 1)

by Adam Hartman

  THE JOURNAL OF DAVE

  By Adam Hartman

  © 2015 Adam Hartman

  02 - 14 - 2019

  6:00 PM

  My first entry. I'm not really sure what to say. I mean, Hell, it's a miracle I even remember how to write. I guess after years of having it drilled into your head it's impossible to forget, even if you're a dumbass like me.

  I found this journal tucked back behind my dresser. I was looking for something and thought maybe I'd dropped it behind the dresser, and instead of finding it I found this. Guess I don't really need them anyway, haven't had anything bad happen in awhile.

  I've never really wrote in this thing before, even back in the day. Maybe I should make a habit out of writing in it seeing as how I've got nothing better to do.

  -- Dave

  02 - 15 - 2019

  7:13 PM

  So today I went hunting. Went out at around 12 PM and killed a stray dog. There's been a lot of them out here since everyone disappeared. Never really been much of a dog person, honestly. I'm guessing since they all lost their owners they've just been scavenging and mating like crazy.

  Not that I'm complaining, gives me something better to eat than food three years past its expiration date. Tastes better than food I used to eat back in the day too. Not that that's an achievement.

  Other than that nothing much really happened. I just do that same thing every day now -- hunt, scavenge water, sleep. That's about it.

  Goddamn, this is pathetic. Seeing my entire day summed up in three paragraphs is pretty sad. Maybe this journal was a bad idea, what the Hell am I ever gonna write in this thing? I thought it would be therapeutic but it's just making me depressed.

  -- Dave

  02 - 18 - 2019

  4:12 AM

  My hands are fucking shaking. I wasn't going to use this thing anymore, but I need to write this down.

  I woke up about thirty minutes ago to a loud banging sound. At first I thought I dreamt it, but something didn't feel right. I went to see what was going on and saw that my table had been knocked over. The doors were all locked, same with the windows and everything else, so I don't know what the fuck could have tipped it over.

  I spent the next few minutes looking around the house, trying to find an animal or anything else that could have done it. Thing is, I felt uneasy the whole time, like I wasn't alone. I felt like I was being watched by someone.

  I tried to ignore it, and went to fix the table. That's when it happened. I heard something, a really quiet sound. At first I didn't react, I thought I was imagining things.

  It was the voice. The fucking voice. I couldn't make out what it said, I haven't heard it in so long. I thought the voices were gone for good.

  I started fucking crying. I don't know what it said, but I know who said it.

  It sounded like my fiancée.

  -- Dave

  02 - 20 - 2019

  1:48 AM

  I haven't left home since I heard the voice. I moved my couch to block the front door and all the curtains are closed.

  I thought I was doing better. I thought I was learning to deal with it. I thought it would go away, that I didn't need them anymore.

  Her voice it just... It brought back all those memories. It reminded me how much I cared about her, how much I loved her. We were supposed to get married and have a wonderful life together. We were supposed to have a family.

  The day before it all happened she told me something. She said to me how it was a fresh start, a new year, a new life. A new life together.

  I miss you, Emily. I'm sorry I tried to forget about you.

  -- Dave + Emily

  02 - 21 - 2019

  4:02 AM

  I'm so alone. What am I gonna do?

  I thought they were gone but they're just coming back. Why can't I tune them out anymore?

  I can hear all of them again, every single one! I can't help them! They won't stop fucking talking! It's not just her anymore, it's everyone! I can't think. I can't fucking think! They're mocking me, making me remember all the bad things. Please leave me alone. PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE

  02 - 27 - 2019

  6:00 AM

  It's been a week. No more, I have to continue living. I can't have another breakdown. Emily's gone, I have to remember that.

  I learned something, though. I wasn't just hearing things. I thought I was at first, but this time it was different. There were dents, dents in the door. It looked like someone had been banging against it with all their strength. I'm thinking it was a man -- I doubt a woman would be able to dent a door like that.

  I don't know who it was that did that to my door, that made that noise, but I'm going to find out. I don't know if he intended to harm me, or if he was just trying to get my attention, but either way it's worth it just to find out if anyone is left don't do it.

  I's not happening again. It's different this time and I can prove it.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 01 - 2019

  9:11 PM

  I'm feeling better today. It feels good to be doing things again, and that's good because locking myself up for a week really put a dent in my supplies, so I have a lot of things that need doing.

  You know, most people would assume stores would be useless after the apocalypse, and they're right to an extent. The food in the stores might all be expired now, but they still have a lot of fresh water, and water never goes bad.

  Not to mention a lot of the stuff in there still works -- cameras, TVs, etc. Sure, getting power's a pain but all you need is a generator and you're good to go.

  Anyway, I saw these things in there and thought it might be a good idea to grab a few and set them up around my house. I have a feeling whoever was banging on my door might come back, and if they do I want to catch them on tape.

  I think things are going to be okay now. I hit a bit of a rough patch, but I feel good now. Things are starting to look up. I'm gonna get some proof that someone's still out there.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 02 - 2019

  4:56 PM

  It took all day, but the cameras are set up now. If he comes back, I should be able to catch him on tape. No more hiding, I'll finally have proof I'm not alone. He's probably just scared, honestly. For all he knows I could be crazy. Hell, I'd be scared too.

  If I can get him on tape, though, I'll at least have an idea of what he looks like and which direction he's coming from. If I know where he lives I'll be able to talk to him, and maybe we'd be able to survive together.

  The only downside to all this is the generator, it sounds like a lawnmower going off right next to my ear. It's worth it though. Whatever it takes to find this guy. I'll get used to the generator with time.

  Not to mention, this is the first time I've used electricity since it went out a couple of years ago. I might get a lamp or something to celebrate. This is the happiest I've been in awhile.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 -04 -2019

  3:32 AM

  The fucking generator stopped working. One minute it was making that Godforsaken screech and now it won't make a Goddamn peep.

  Knowing me I probably did something wrong since I'm such a fucking idiot. Leave it to Dave to fuck things up all the time! Great news everyone, the last man on earth's a fuck up! Surely our race is in good hands with Dave the Idiot!

  Why the Hell would the universe choose me to live anyway? Maybe it made a mistake and I should just fucking kill myself right now. I have a gun, even an idiot like me could kill himself with a gun. One bullet, that's all it'd take. Just stick the barrel in my mouth and pop! The human race just en

  03 - 04 -20
19

  7:11 AM

  I heard him again, outside. I was writing my last entry and I could hear him talking. I think he was the one who did it. It would make sense, right? He sabotaged my generator so I wouldn't be able to catch him on camera! Hell, I could hear him laughing as I was writing in my journal! I bet he knew what I was writing.

  When I ran outside to catch him he was already gone. He must have been scoping my house out for months to be able to get away so fast, I bet that fucking prick knows all the quickest routes to and from my home.

  I don't know how the Hell he knew about my generator, but somehow he did. If it had been working I probably would've been able to catch him on camera. He knew he'd have to sabotage it so I wouldn't be able to find him.

  I had a feeling it would be like this, I knew he wouldn't be friendly. Why would someone with good intentions break into my house, tip my table over, and dent my door? It all makes sense now -- he's not trying to make contact with me, he's trying to kill me.

  I'm not gonna give up, I'm gonna find out who this is, where he lives, and when I do I'm gonna get some answers.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 -09 -2019

  8:43 AM

  It took me a few days to discover I couldn't fix the generator -- I had to find a new one. This one's a lot more durable so that Goddamn psycho won't be able to break it as easily. It's also a lot quieter, thank God. I also got some new locks, more durable ones. He won't be able to break in as easily now.

  It doesn't end there, though. I'm not going to sit around and wait anymore. I've got it all planned out, I'm gonna bring the fight to him, find out where he lives. Starting tomorrow everything changes. It's time for me to start searching. He has to live close to here to be able to harass me so often, and I'm gonna find out where.

  I don't know why but I've been really tired today. I know it's early, but I'm gonna turn in. I think I deserve it after all the work I've done.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 10 - 2019

  5:12 AM

  I just woke up. I'm covered in sweat and all my muscles ache. I would say I'm sick, but I can't be sick. I haven't been sick in years. Why would I get sick now?

  It can't be a coincidence. He must've known I was going to start looking for him. I bet he knew. I know he knew. He must've bugged my house, or set up cameras somewhere. He must have done something to me -- poisoned me. It's no coincidence that this, of all days, is when I'd get sick.

  I need to check the cameras, I can hear the generator, which means he didn't get to it. I don't know if that's a good sign or a bad one.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 10 - 2019

  8:01 AM

  This doesn't make sense. This doesn't make any fucking sense!

  The cameras didn't catch anything! At 2:23 last night the cameras were working just fine, 2:24 they go out, then at 2:30 they come back on, like nothing happened! How was he able to disable the cameras? The doors were locked, the generator wasn't tampered with. How?! There's no way he could accomplish that! He must have other people working for him.

  My stomach and head are killing me. What did he do to me? My ears... they won't stop ringing, it's deafening. I don't know how much longer I have, but I'm not giving up. I need to find these people, make them pay. I'm not dying like this, not at their hands.

  I need to search my house first, though. Search for anything they could have bugged.

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 10 - 2019

  9:23 AM

  A note. I found a note at my door. It's an ad for the old museum, about 12 miles from my house. I think they want me to go there. They must know I know they poisoned me, and want me to meet them there. What for? Do they have the antidote? They must be using the poison as a bargaining chip, to get me to join them.

  I won't join a group of psychos. I'm going to make them pay you need your medicine. I'm not going to let them get away with fucking poisoning me!

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 10 - 2019

  11:19 AM

  I think they have someone watching me. I can hear footsteps on the roof, and whispering coming from outside. I can't let them know I'm on to them, though. I have to keep my plan a secret.

  I've been packing for a couple of hours now, I have to make sure I have everything on me. I have my bag packed with everything I need, save for food and water. I can't trust the water or food here, I don't know exactly what it is they poisoned. If I ingest any more poison I might die before I make it there.

  My gun I'm not going to keep in my bag. I need to be able to get it out fast so I'm going to keep it in my coat pocket. It'll only take me a few seconds to pull it out, which should give me enough time to kill them before they react.

  I also took some pain pills to help ease the soreness from the poison. I still feel sluggish and my ears are still ringing, but at least it's still helping. I should be able to make the trip like this.

  -- Dave + Emily.

  03 - 10 - 2019

  12:21 PM

  I've been walking for about an hour now. The museum is a good distance from my house. This is the farthest I've been in a long time. At least a few years.

  I can hear them following me, but I can't look back. I don't want them to know I know they're following me. If they knew, they might kill me before I make it there. There must be at least three people following me, I can hear them all talking, chuckling. They must find joy in my suffering, the sick bastards.

  I can make out there conversations occasionally. I think they might be talking about me, but they're too quiet for me to be sure. I don't feel safe.

  -- Dave + Emily.

  03 - 10 - 2019

  2:46 PM

  I've walked really far, my lungs are starting to hurt. I should've brought the medicine with me, I can feel it starting to wear off now. The pain's getting worse.

  This fucking ringing in my ear's driving me crazy. It's deafening but I can still hear them talking about me. They're getting louder, calling me pathetic. I can see their silhouettes in the shadows, but I don't dare look at them. I can't let them know I see them or they might hurt me. My heart's racing, I'm so scared.

  Why did I ever think I could do this? I want to just stop right here, let the poison kill me.

  -- Dave + Emily.

  03 - 10 - 2019

  4:01 PM

  They're talking about Emily. How do they know about Emily? They're saying she could have done better than me, wondering why she would ever have settled for someone as ugly and dumb as me. I agree, why would she ever have chosen me?

  I'm trying to ignore them but I can't. It sounds like there's hundreds of them now, all following me, all judging me. I don't even know how far I've walked.

  It's starting to get foggy, I can't even see the sun anymore. I can see them though, their silhouettes are all around me. It's impossible not to look at them anymore, they're everywhere. I'm trying to pretend I can't see them though. I don't want them to know, I don't want them to hurt me.

  The poison is starting to get stronger now. I need to sit on this bench and rest.

  -- Dave + Emily.

  03 - 10 - 2019

  5:09 PM

  A woman. I saw a woman, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, just up the road. She was different than the rest, I don't think she was one of them. When I saw her she wasn't even looking at me. I was frozen in place, I didn't know what to do.

  It looked like she was scavenging, she was wearing a large backpack and looking in the windows of buildings. After a few moments I was able to process what was going on and I called out to her, but she was too far to hear me, so I started walking towards her.

  All the voices went quiet, and I started running, screaming at her, trying to get her attention. She stared at me, her eyes big. She looked scared and confused, then she started running, too. She was faster than me, so I couldn't catch up to her. After a few minutes my lungs were on fire and I collapsed on the street.

  I can hear laughing as I wr
ite this. It's misting, the fog's growing more and more heavy and the laughter keeps getting louder. I don't know if she's one of them, she was running in the direction of the museum. Maybe it's all a trick, maybe she is one of them. I shouldn't have chased after her, what if they know I know they're following me now? I'm so stupid. That was reckless of me, I'm so fucking STUPID!

  -- Dave + Emily

  03 - 10 - 2019

  6:02 PM

  I'm getting closer now. I can see the museum in distance, but I'm still a good distance away. It's one of the tallest buildings in town. The voices are getting quieter the closer I get to the it, they're all dull whispers and murmurs now. I can barely hear them over the sound of the rain.

  I think she's in there, I saw a piece of her shirt on a fence the way up here. She must have snagged it on the fence as she was running from me. I wonder if she's still running. She must be working for them, why else would she run from me? She must be scared that I can still walk after she poisoned me.

  The poison, the ringing in my ears is getting worse. I think the poison's made its way into my brain now. There's no hope for me anymore. I'm not even scared like I was. I have nothing to lose. I only wish I brought more ammo so I could take them all out.

  -- Dave + Emily.

  03 - 10 - 2019

  6:58 PM

  The closer I get the more watched I feel.

  They're not even talking anymore, just the occasional whisper. I think they know, I think they know what I plan to do but are too afraid to stop me. Or maybe, maybe they are just waiting to see what I plan to do.

  The rain has picked up now, no longer a drizzle but a downpour. My legs hurt, my clothes are drenched, but I'm almost there. It's all going to end soon Dave please. No more harassment, no more guilt, no more worries. It's all going to be solved soon.

  It's all her fault. She caused all this, she's the leader. She had it out for me since the start, wanted to ruin everything. Why did she have to do this? We could have survived together. We could have helped each other out, made our lives better. But no, she had to go and ruin everything.