I was born in 1994. Today is my thirty-third birthday. I remember my seventh birthday party pretty much consisted of me sitting between my father and mother on the couch watching the coverage of the attacks on TV. My mother did not really want me to watch, but my father thought it was something I needed to see. I remember watching the first tower fall, thinking about all the people still inside while my birthday cake sit on the kitchen counter forgotten. I never did open my presents.
I am leaving Osceola tomorrow morning in an old International Travelall. It's got four wheel drive and what appears to be a freshly rebuilt 350 Chevy V8 under the hood. Behind that I'm pulling a trailer with a couple of ATVs. The ATVs were Micheal's idea. Be good for getting around some of the pileups I may encounter on the way back to Independence. Or for use as a quick getaway vehicle if needed. Katherine thinks I am insane for going back there. But I have to shut down that radio or change the message. I can't bear the thought of someone cruising into town thinking it's safe and getting killed because of me. Katherine and Dee are staying here. I think Micheal can be trusted to watch over them. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and his earlier encounters have made him cautious. The International has a fifty gallon tank in the back in addition to the nineteen gallon mounted underneath the driver's side. The previous owner probably took it on hunting trips and did not want to have to stop for gas. I think that should get me to Independence. I will fuel up outside the city with a portable pump I have found at a local tractor supply store. I don't want to get caught on an empty tank in town. With Micheal's help I have installed a heavy steel mesh over all the windows.
I will travel for as long as I have light and sleep in the locked truck at night. The back seat is wide enough for the to stretch out on. I don't plan on getting out of the thing anymore than absolutely necessary. Just to relieve myself, gas up and only once in Independence to change the outgoing message.
We finally convinced him of the reality of the situation by showing him one of the preserved embryos that Katherine has been studying. He visibly paled when we told him that we had to cut it out of Dee's belly. Dee kept wanting the look at the little monster, she does not seem frightened by it at all. I don't think she really understands what it is or how close it came to killing her. I hope she never does.
I am more nervous than I am letting on about this. At least I hope that I am not that transparent. I am scared of leaving Dee alone. I know she will have Katherine and Micheal, but she has already lost so much.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Monday, September 14, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Driving Tips - First Installment
Today I am going to talk about something different. It seems there is a dangerous lack of common sense in drivers today. So I thought I would provide a few common sense bits of advice for beginner drivers as well as the seasoned veteran that may just need a refresher course. My first bit of advice is to GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!
Tip #1: Turn Signals
Ok, I want everybody to go out to their cars and look at the steering column. There will be this stick thingy coming out from the left side (or right side for you European drivers). I will wait...
Back?
Good.
That stick thingy is your turn signal lever. You push it down to signal a left turn and up to signal a right turn. A little light on your dash will blink pointing in the way you want to turn if used correctly. Ok, ok. Yes, you can go check that out. I will wait. Again.
Cool ain't it.
USE IT!!!
When others use it it means they will be turning or changing lanes. When used to signal lane changes this is intended as a warning and courtesy. It means they need to get over into the corresponding lane. They may not see you so if you are close, you should either honk your horn or drop back a bit. It does NOT mean, speed up and get past me or block me. It is not an invitation to race.
I think it would be irresponsible of me to mention turn signals without mentioning another crucial piece of automotive safety equipment. The Mirrors. Those mirrors on the sides and hanging down from the center of the windshield were not meant for grooming or checking to see if that hickey shows from your makeout session you were engaged in while flying down the highway. These really come in handy for checking to make sure your way is clear BEFORE making a turn or lane change. Neat idea huh?
Tip #2: Turns
Now that we have covered turn signals and mirrors, we will cover the actual turn itself. You know those lines you see on the road. Those actually have a purpose. They divide the road into lanes. When you come to an intersection and need to make a left hand turn, please make sure you are in the left hand lane. Don't make a left turn from the right hand lane. Really this is not a good thing.
U turns should only be made when absolutely necessary and they should never be made from the far right lane of a busy 4 lane highway creeping along at 15 mph. Even if making U-turn on a small residential street totally devoid of traffic one should always check your mirrors for cops hiding behind bushes on ATVs. It appears that even I am not immune to occasional bouts of excessive inter cranial air pockets.
Tip #3: Phone Usage
It seems obvious to most but still there are people that need to be told. That thing with four wheels in your driveway is NOT a friggin phone booth! Hang up and Drive!!! I have seen people walking down the street jabbering away at their phone and trip over a fireplug. You want to bet that this joker thinks he can talk and drive just fine and doesn't need some idiot telling him what he can and can't do in his own car.
I have heard some people say, I can handle it, I'm a multi-tasker. BULLSHIT! ERs across the nation are full of multi-taskers that rammed their car into other solid objects. I even heard a cop say I can handle it because I have special training. BULLSHIT! Studies have shown that the police are just as likely to have an accident while talking on a phone as you or I.
If you have to talk on the phone, pull over. Very few conversations are worth putting yourself or others at risk. Don't make or take calls while driving.
There are a few other things that should never be done while driving.
I am sure there will be other drivng tips coming. There does not seem to be a shortage of stupidity.
Tip #1: Turn Signals
Ok, I want everybody to go out to their cars and look at the steering column. There will be this stick thingy coming out from the left side (or right side for you European drivers). I will wait...
Back?
Good.
That stick thingy is your turn signal lever. You push it down to signal a left turn and up to signal a right turn. A little light on your dash will blink pointing in the way you want to turn if used correctly. Ok, ok. Yes, you can go check that out. I will wait. Again.
Cool ain't it.
USE IT!!!
When others use it it means they will be turning or changing lanes. When used to signal lane changes this is intended as a warning and courtesy. It means they need to get over into the corresponding lane. They may not see you so if you are close, you should either honk your horn or drop back a bit. It does NOT mean, speed up and get past me or block me. It is not an invitation to race.
I think it would be irresponsible of me to mention turn signals without mentioning another crucial piece of automotive safety equipment. The Mirrors. Those mirrors on the sides and hanging down from the center of the windshield were not meant for grooming or checking to see if that hickey shows from your makeout session you were engaged in while flying down the highway. These really come in handy for checking to make sure your way is clear BEFORE making a turn or lane change. Neat idea huh?
Tip #2: Turns
Now that we have covered turn signals and mirrors, we will cover the actual turn itself. You know those lines you see on the road. Those actually have a purpose. They divide the road into lanes. When you come to an intersection and need to make a left hand turn, please make sure you are in the left hand lane. Don't make a left turn from the right hand lane. Really this is not a good thing.
U turns should only be made when absolutely necessary and they should never be made from the far right lane of a busy 4 lane highway creeping along at 15 mph. Even if making U-turn on a small residential street totally devoid of traffic one should always check your mirrors for cops hiding behind bushes on ATVs. It appears that even I am not immune to occasional bouts of excessive inter cranial air pockets.
Tip #3: Phone Usage
It seems obvious to most but still there are people that need to be told. That thing with four wheels in your driveway is NOT a friggin phone booth! Hang up and Drive!!! I have seen people walking down the street jabbering away at their phone and trip over a fireplug. You want to bet that this joker thinks he can talk and drive just fine and doesn't need some idiot telling him what he can and can't do in his own car.
I have heard some people say, I can handle it, I'm a multi-tasker. BULLSHIT! ERs across the nation are full of multi-taskers that rammed their car into other solid objects. I even heard a cop say I can handle it because I have special training. BULLSHIT! Studies have shown that the police are just as likely to have an accident while talking on a phone as you or I.
If you have to talk on the phone, pull over. Very few conversations are worth putting yourself or others at risk. Don't make or take calls while driving.
There are a few other things that should never be done while driving.
- Eating. Yes, there are some finger foods that are ok to eat, but if it requires a knife and fork, eat it at home at your dinner table.
- Typing your resume. Especially if you are using a desktop typewriter.
- Sex. Having sex in a car is awkward enough. But add to that trying to work around the steering wheel, brake and gearshift at 5o mph. Do you really need me to point out just how much of a bad idea this is? And you are aware that most cop cars have cameras now right?
- Changing cloths or grooming. I once carpooled with a girl that routinely changed her clothes while driving.
- Clipping coupons. I actually saw this one. Coupon section spread out across the steering wheel, one hand holding the paper, the other very neatly cutting out the coupons. Imagine hitting a bump and losing a finger. Makes that 50 cent coupon seem a little less of a bargain huh? And just where do you think those scissors are going to be after the airbag deploys? Kinda reminds me of Final Destination.
I am sure there will be other drivng tips coming. There does not seem to be a shortage of stupidity.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Garage Sale Tips - Second Installment
Been out garage sailing today and you guessed it a number of people just pissed me off.
Tip #4: Parking
If you are having a yard sale you are responsible in some part for parking. If you live on a busy street where street side parking is not an option, then people will be parking in your drive. Don't cuss at them and give them dirty looks. Also, don't have a garage sale and then rope off all the available parking in front of your house. If you don't want people parking in front of your house then don't have a garage sale dammit. It's not fair to make people walk three blocks to get to your sale if they don't have to. Also don't give people dirty looks for walking on your grass when you're having a yard sale. If they can't get to your merchandise they won't be buying from you.
Tip #5: Handling and Placement of Merchandise
Some items were not meant to be placed in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can actually destroy some things.
Also don't leave things out in the rain and expect it to sell. I asked one old fart if he had left his stuff out in the rain the night before. He said no. I picked up a car stereo and poured out half a cup of water at his feet.
This dovetails nicely into my next tip.
Tip #6: Honesty
Don't lie to me. If I get the feeling I am being lied to, Deal is OFF. I don't care how good a bargain the transaction appears to be, lie to me and I'm gone and so is my money. If I catch you in a lie, it casts a shadow on your whole sale. For all I know, you're a thief selling off the real owner's stuff while he is tied up in a closet.
Tip #7: Porn
Tip #4: Parking
If you are having a yard sale you are responsible in some part for parking. If you live on a busy street where street side parking is not an option, then people will be parking in your drive. Don't cuss at them and give them dirty looks. Also, don't have a garage sale and then rope off all the available parking in front of your house. If you don't want people parking in front of your house then don't have a garage sale dammit. It's not fair to make people walk three blocks to get to your sale if they don't have to. Also don't give people dirty looks for walking on your grass when you're having a yard sale. If they can't get to your merchandise they won't be buying from you.
Tip #5: Handling and Placement of Merchandise
Some items were not meant to be placed in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can actually destroy some things.
- CD's, tapes, records.
- Calculators, pocket TVs, handheld games. Anything with an LCD display. LCD displays especially older units will be baked if left sitting in the sun for even a couple of hours.
- Batteries. This includes batteries inside electronic devices.
- Candles (if you need this explained you're beyond hope, give up and have yourself committed)
- Photographic equipment and photographic developing equipment
- Computers and discs
Also don't leave things out in the rain and expect it to sell. I asked one old fart if he had left his stuff out in the rain the night before. He said no. I picked up a car stereo and poured out half a cup of water at his feet.
This dovetails nicely into my next tip.
Tip #6: Honesty
Don't lie to me. If I get the feeling I am being lied to, Deal is OFF. I don't care how good a bargain the transaction appears to be, lie to me and I'm gone and so is my money. If I catch you in a lie, it casts a shadow on your whole sale. For all I know, you're a thief selling off the real owner's stuff while he is tied up in a closet.
Tip #7: Porn
I really don't want to pull up to a yard sale and find a bunch of used porn and or sex toys on display. I can't think of anything that is a bigger turn off than used porn or toys. And if you look like Rodney Dangerfield or Rodney Dangerfield in drag then the last thing I want on my mind when looking at you is sex. I don't think there is enough mental floss in the world to get that kind of mental imagery removed.
If it is not something you would sell to your pastor, mother in law or friends, don't put it out for the whole world to see. And I really don't want to have to answer those kind of questions from my kids just yet.
These are just of few of the issues I ran into today. Will probably think of more on my next expedition.
Dead Land Journal September 6th 2027 Labor Day
Today is Labor Day. In Independence the Santa-Cali-Gon festival starts Friday night and lasted until Sunday night. My dad used to take me to the Square the Saturday before Labor Day. You couldn't park within five blocks of the square so we would walk. There were shuttle buses, but my dad was one of those people that just knew EVERYBODY in town. He would stop and talk to people we met along the way. Walking up Liberty we would pass Saint Mary's Catholic school and he would talk to a friend of his that he had worked with years ago. This would sometimes take an hour or more. Once we got there we would look at all the booths. I would get some Dr. J's Root Beer and everything we ate that day would be either deep fried or on a stick, sometimes both. I would hit all the rides at the carnival, sometimes even convincing dad to ride with me. In later years I would go with my friends and we would hang out till the last rides closed at the carnival and all the booths were boarded up. Another tradition I had hoped to continue with my own son.
Our mystery man showed up yesterday. He just walked up and knocked on the glass door of the lobby. Emily announced his presence before he even got close to the door. He rode up on an ATV so we all heard him coming. He was dressed almost exactly as I pictured him. A bit skinny though. He seemed nervous and looked almost ready to bolt, but smiled when he saw Dee. He introduced himself as Micheal Eastland. He is seventeen and was My first impression was that we are not the first people that he has encountered since the disappearance. He seemed eager to talk and I took the liberty of recording his story. He agreed readily.
Below is a transcription of his story.
"Last April I was in the middle of Football practice, I'm not really much of a jock, but it meant a lot to my Dad that I be on the team. I was blocking, coach thought that was a big joke, a beanpole like me blocking. There's a big guy on the team that likes to get opposite me, just so he can knock me down. I wasn't at my best anyways. My allergy medicine was fuckin' me up... sorry messin me up, I forgot about her being here. Course he bulldozed right over me, wrenched my knee and stomped my hand. He's laughing while he did it too. I was seeing red. I grabbed his leg and that pulled him off balance and he fell on me. Asshole weighs probably two-forty, two-sixty easy. He landed hard. And then he just wasn't there anymore. His uniform, pads and helmet was, but he wasn't in 'em. I tossed his gear aside and looked round the field. All I saw was empty uniforms all cross the field. The bleachers were empty."
He paused a moment here and pulled out a cigar. Kathy gave him a disapproving look and he put it away.
"I wandered about the whole town for a while before I ended up here. My sis worked the kennels here, cleanin up a twice a day and walkin the dogs. She's got Downs Syndrome. She can't get a job anywhere else, but they treat her good here and she loves the animals. By that time I had already figured out that everyone was gone. I released the animals so they wouldn't starve to death. I put a horse down cause it was sick and suffering. It would have died slow on it's own."
"Three days later a big van drove into town. A FedEx van, you know one of those Freightliners. I was eager to meet someone else so I flagged em down. There were three men inside. One of them got out of the van and and, he grabbed me... They beat me up and did...other things to me."
I had a feeling I knew what those other things were, and I could see that Kathy did too. He shook his head and continued.
"After a while one of them decided he wanted to kill me but the others disagreed, there was a fight and the two others killed him I think. I didn't hang around to be sure. While they were distracted I managed get away. They took off."
"I have been trying to keep a low profile since. You're the first ones I've seen since they left. Been watching you since you came into town. She's the only reason I approached" at this point he nodded to Dee, who by this time was playing with her doll house. "I would not have approached if I had not seen her."
That made sense to me, a couple of adults alone would have been very intimidating to him after what he had been through. But a couple with a child would have seemed safe. Despite what he has been through he seems to be an open and trusting boy. I think he has a crush on Katherine. Despite her attitude sometimes, she is an attractive woman. Dee likes him and Emily kept trying to climb in his lap.
He did not mention the wraiths or anything unusual and did not seem entirely believing of us when we described our encounters. He seems to think we are a couple of city folk that have mistaken a bear or a coyote for something supernatural.
He stuck around for a couple of hours but left for the night. I don't think he is entirely ready to give up his independence yet.
The fact that we have two, possibly three, psychopaths tooling about the countryside in a FedEx van worries me.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Our mystery man showed up yesterday. He just walked up and knocked on the glass door of the lobby. Emily announced his presence before he even got close to the door. He rode up on an ATV so we all heard him coming. He was dressed almost exactly as I pictured him. A bit skinny though. He seemed nervous and looked almost ready to bolt, but smiled when he saw Dee. He introduced himself as Micheal Eastland. He is seventeen and was My first impression was that we are not the first people that he has encountered since the disappearance. He seemed eager to talk and I took the liberty of recording his story. He agreed readily.
Below is a transcription of his story.
"Last April I was in the middle of Football practice, I'm not really much of a jock, but it meant a lot to my Dad that I be on the team. I was blocking, coach thought that was a big joke, a beanpole like me blocking. There's a big guy on the team that likes to get opposite me, just so he can knock me down. I wasn't at my best anyways. My allergy medicine was fuckin' me up... sorry messin me up, I forgot about her being here. Course he bulldozed right over me, wrenched my knee and stomped my hand. He's laughing while he did it too. I was seeing red. I grabbed his leg and that pulled him off balance and he fell on me. Asshole weighs probably two-forty, two-sixty easy. He landed hard. And then he just wasn't there anymore. His uniform, pads and helmet was, but he wasn't in 'em. I tossed his gear aside and looked round the field. All I saw was empty uniforms all cross the field. The bleachers were empty."
He paused a moment here and pulled out a cigar. Kathy gave him a disapproving look and he put it away.
"I wandered about the whole town for a while before I ended up here. My sis worked the kennels here, cleanin up a twice a day and walkin the dogs. She's got Downs Syndrome. She can't get a job anywhere else, but they treat her good here and she loves the animals. By that time I had already figured out that everyone was gone. I released the animals so they wouldn't starve to death. I put a horse down cause it was sick and suffering. It would have died slow on it's own."
"Three days later a big van drove into town. A FedEx van, you know one of those Freightliners. I was eager to meet someone else so I flagged em down. There were three men inside. One of them got out of the van and and, he grabbed me... They beat me up and did...other things to me."
I had a feeling I knew what those other things were, and I could see that Kathy did too. He shook his head and continued.
"After a while one of them decided he wanted to kill me but the others disagreed, there was a fight and the two others killed him I think. I didn't hang around to be sure. While they were distracted I managed get away. They took off."
"I have been trying to keep a low profile since. You're the first ones I've seen since they left. Been watching you since you came into town. She's the only reason I approached" at this point he nodded to Dee, who by this time was playing with her doll house. "I would not have approached if I had not seen her."
That made sense to me, a couple of adults alone would have been very intimidating to him after what he had been through. But a couple with a child would have seemed safe. Despite what he has been through he seems to be an open and trusting boy. I think he has a crush on Katherine. Despite her attitude sometimes, she is an attractive woman. Dee likes him and Emily kept trying to climb in his lap.
He did not mention the wraiths or anything unusual and did not seem entirely believing of us when we described our encounters. He seems to think we are a couple of city folk that have mistaken a bear or a coyote for something supernatural.
He stuck around for a couple of hours but left for the night. I don't think he is entirely ready to give up his independence yet.
The fact that we have two, possibly three, psychopaths tooling about the countryside in a FedEx van worries me.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Dead Land Journal September 5th 2027
Katherine has been studying those things for days now. Everyday she comes out with a new revelation that usually goes right over my head.
The few things I do understand are that its taxonomy does not suggest relationship to any known terrestrial species. She does not know if they are extra terrestrial in origins or just a previously unknown species. Personally I don't think they came from earth, or outer space, but an entirely different realm. Their cranial structure and complex central nervous system suggests potential for intelligence equal to our own if not greater. This really comes as no surprise to me after what I have seen. They have no lungs but instead have an incredibly dense network of blood vessel under their skin and appear to be able to absorb oxygen directly from their skin, esophageal passages and stomach lining. They also appear to be a true hermaphroditic creature possessing both male and female reproductive organs and it only takes one of them to reproduce. The most disturbing thing she has told me about them is that they have excellent regenerative ability.
I have printed off all my journal entries. There was a printer in one of the offices. I just plugged my computer into it and printed it all off. Got it all in a binder now tucked away safe. Once I print this entry out it will join the others. This computer is getting flakier all the time. It takes forever to boot up and randomly crashes. I save frequently but still worry about losing my journals. Kathy has often asked why I bother. I really don't know other than it feels important to me to put this down on paper.
I've got another damn headache. My left eye feels like it is about to pop right out of my skull. Kathy thinks it's possible I have glaucoma. Pressure builds up in the eye causing pain and loss of peripheral vision. I have noticed some spots at the edge of my vision lately. She wants to do an eye exam. Check my vision, check the ocular pressure, dilate my eyes, make me wear old fart sunglasses all day. I hate those things.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
The few things I do understand are that its taxonomy does not suggest relationship to any known terrestrial species. She does not know if they are extra terrestrial in origins or just a previously unknown species. Personally I don't think they came from earth, or outer space, but an entirely different realm. Their cranial structure and complex central nervous system suggests potential for intelligence equal to our own if not greater. This really comes as no surprise to me after what I have seen. They have no lungs but instead have an incredibly dense network of blood vessel under their skin and appear to be able to absorb oxygen directly from their skin, esophageal passages and stomach lining. They also appear to be a true hermaphroditic creature possessing both male and female reproductive organs and it only takes one of them to reproduce. The most disturbing thing she has told me about them is that they have excellent regenerative ability.
I have printed off all my journal entries. There was a printer in one of the offices. I just plugged my computer into it and printed it all off. Got it all in a binder now tucked away safe. Once I print this entry out it will join the others. This computer is getting flakier all the time. It takes forever to boot up and randomly crashes. I save frequently but still worry about losing my journals. Kathy has often asked why I bother. I really don't know other than it feels important to me to put this down on paper.
I've got another damn headache. My left eye feels like it is about to pop right out of my skull. Kathy thinks it's possible I have glaucoma. Pressure builds up in the eye causing pain and loss of peripheral vision. I have noticed some spots at the edge of my vision lately. She wants to do an eye exam. Check my vision, check the ocular pressure, dilate my eyes, make me wear old fart sunglasses all day. I hate those things.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dead Land Journal September 1st 2027
Been here a few days. Dee is recovering well. She is young and resilient. Katherine has been doing daily ultrasounds on her to make sure she did not miss anything. The building is large and half of it is vacant. It looks like there was another veterinarian practicing here and moved out leaving vacant offices and exam rooms. For now we are sleeping on air mattresses on the floor. They are about the heaviest pieces of furniture I can handle right now. If we do stay here much longer though and I will bring some furniture in.
There was an old Suzuki Sidekick around back. I filled the tank, cleaned the throttle body out, charged the battery and managed to get it started. I have been tooling about Osceola in it for a couple of days now looking for signs of life.
Kathy has also admitted to seeing signs of habitation since we came here. She saw a trail of dust yesterday morning as if a vehicle were driving down one of the dirt roads. And yesterday morning when she was checking the convenience store across the street for some Excedrin for her headache (she gets frequent headaches and there are no mild painkillers here in the vet's office appropriate for humans) she found several candy wrappers and a few empty beer bottles by the cash register, which had been cleared out.
There have been a few times I felt like I was being watched, but sensed no malevolence. I found a cabin where I think he has been staying but there was no answer when I knocked. There was an ashtray on the porch with some recent cigar butts in it. Several gold Comacho bands littered the floor around the ashtray stand. My father in law used to smoke Comacho Liberty cigars on special occasions. They were three hundred and fifty bucks for a box of twenty. But they still smelled like crap. The only time I ever smoked a cigar was when my best friend's little girl was born. At the first puff I started coughing so hard I thought I was going to rupture something. A veteran smoker will tell you that you get accustomed to it, but Damn. I am sure that if the first thing I did every morning was to reach for a hammer and hit myself in the face with it eventually I would get used to it. But for the love of God, Why?!
But I can understand this to a degree. Living in a vacant world, does it really matter. Even if your are not the suicidal type, why hang on?
The lack of exterior lighting and shutters on the windows indicates that this is either not a full time residence or he has not encountered the wraiths. Around back I found what appears to be an outdoor slaughterhouse. Bones littered the ground and a bloody butcher block dominated the back yard. Hides were being stretched out for tanning. This reinforced my opinion that this was not a full time residence. He probably did some hunting and trapping, brought his kills here to skin and butcher so that the carnage would not be drawing scavengers to his home. The back door was latched but not locked. I was hesitant to intrude, but I wanted to get to know a bit about the guy before I introduced myself. The cabin was sparsely furnished and no effort had been made to decorate. There was a futon near the wood stove, piled near the this I found a pile of old Playboy magazines and at the foot a small pile of wadded up paper towels. Nice. There was a coffee table at the head with a handheld Sony PlayStation resting on top of a file of game cards. They were all newer games, none of the old classics. What I was finding inside really altered the mental image that had been forming. Outside I was picturing a middle aged man, wearing overalls work boots and a John Deere hat. Now I was picturing a 16 to 18 year old boy, jeans, cammo jacket, ball cap on backwards so as not to interfere with the rifle scope, sunglasses and workboots. Probably involved in either Boy Scouts or 4H or both. Boy Scouts would almost be unavoidable. Osceola hosted the largest Scout camp in the Midwest.
I did not want to be caught intruding so I backed out, leaving everything exactly as I found it. I did not want to encounter him on his home turf, that could put him on the defensive. He's obviously well armed and knows how to use a gun, so that could be deadly.
Thinking about installing a PA system on the Uni so we can announce our entrance when we come into a city. Might help us find people. Then again it might also draw the wraiths to us, so maybe not such a great idea.
The battery on my laptop has gone bad and the thing keeps giving me errors when I boot up. Thing is, I don't think the summer heat has been too kind to these expensive batteries so I may not be able to find a good replacement. I have been keeping my journals backed up on memory cards, but I am thinking of printing it out on a daily basis and keeping it in a binder or something. I will need to get a printer though. Might just get a desktop computer to keep in the Uni.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
There was an old Suzuki Sidekick around back. I filled the tank, cleaned the throttle body out, charged the battery and managed to get it started. I have been tooling about Osceola in it for a couple of days now looking for signs of life.
Kathy has also admitted to seeing signs of habitation since we came here. She saw a trail of dust yesterday morning as if a vehicle were driving down one of the dirt roads. And yesterday morning when she was checking the convenience store across the street for some Excedrin for her headache (she gets frequent headaches and there are no mild painkillers here in the vet's office appropriate for humans) she found several candy wrappers and a few empty beer bottles by the cash register, which had been cleared out.
There have been a few times I felt like I was being watched, but sensed no malevolence. I found a cabin where I think he has been staying but there was no answer when I knocked. There was an ashtray on the porch with some recent cigar butts in it. Several gold Comacho bands littered the floor around the ashtray stand. My father in law used to smoke Comacho Liberty cigars on special occasions. They were three hundred and fifty bucks for a box of twenty. But they still smelled like crap. The only time I ever smoked a cigar was when my best friend's little girl was born. At the first puff I started coughing so hard I thought I was going to rupture something. A veteran smoker will tell you that you get accustomed to it, but Damn. I am sure that if the first thing I did every morning was to reach for a hammer and hit myself in the face with it eventually I would get used to it. But for the love of God, Why?!
But I can understand this to a degree. Living in a vacant world, does it really matter. Even if your are not the suicidal type, why hang on?
The lack of exterior lighting and shutters on the windows indicates that this is either not a full time residence or he has not encountered the wraiths. Around back I found what appears to be an outdoor slaughterhouse. Bones littered the ground and a bloody butcher block dominated the back yard. Hides were being stretched out for tanning. This reinforced my opinion that this was not a full time residence. He probably did some hunting and trapping, brought his kills here to skin and butcher so that the carnage would not be drawing scavengers to his home. The back door was latched but not locked. I was hesitant to intrude, but I wanted to get to know a bit about the guy before I introduced myself. The cabin was sparsely furnished and no effort had been made to decorate. There was a futon near the wood stove, piled near the this I found a pile of old Playboy magazines and at the foot a small pile of wadded up paper towels. Nice. There was a coffee table at the head with a handheld Sony PlayStation resting on top of a file of game cards. They were all newer games, none of the old classics. What I was finding inside really altered the mental image that had been forming. Outside I was picturing a middle aged man, wearing overalls work boots and a John Deere hat. Now I was picturing a 16 to 18 year old boy, jeans, cammo jacket, ball cap on backwards so as not to interfere with the rifle scope, sunglasses and workboots. Probably involved in either Boy Scouts or 4H or both. Boy Scouts would almost be unavoidable. Osceola hosted the largest Scout camp in the Midwest.
I did not want to be caught intruding so I backed out, leaving everything exactly as I found it. I did not want to encounter him on his home turf, that could put him on the defensive. He's obviously well armed and knows how to use a gun, so that could be deadly.
Thinking about installing a PA system on the Uni so we can announce our entrance when we come into a city. Might help us find people. Then again it might also draw the wraiths to us, so maybe not such a great idea.
The battery on my laptop has gone bad and the thing keeps giving me errors when I boot up. Thing is, I don't think the summer heat has been too kind to these expensive batteries so I may not be able to find a good replacement. I have been keeping my journals backed up on memory cards, but I am thinking of printing it out on a daily basis and keeping it in a binder or something. I will need to get a printer though. Might just get a desktop computer to keep in the Uni.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Dead Land Journal August 27th 2027
It's more than just a cold. She has a fever of 103, shes been vomiting and dry heaving all day. There is a hard, painful knot in her stomach. Kathy thinks its her appendix. We are still in Osceola. I am writing this while I am waiting for Katherine to give me the go ahead to move out. She wants to make sure that Dee is secured.
Same Day
My laptop has a Google Earth on it and Katherine tried to find a nearby hospital on it. It kept wanting to update and then crashing when it could not get a connection. Finally Kathy just gave up and told me to head for the highway and we would drive till we saw a sign for a hospital. But we never made it to the highway. Just as I was about to turn onto highway 82 from Route WW she told me to stop, shouted for me to really. I hit the brakes too hard and Dee cried out from the back. She pointed to a sign for an animal hospital and said "That'll do, I hope." I don't really think the intended for me to hear that last part though. It's a fairly new building. I pulled into the parking lot in front, three feet out from the door. The high roof of the Uni taking out the awning in the process. Part of me dreaded going in there, knowing what we would find inside. But they would have medical equipment inside. And Kathy said that I would have an easier time hooking up a generator here than I would at a regular hospital.
Getting the generator going was the first order of business. I quickly investigated the building and found a propane fired generator in the south end of the building. It gave me no problem getting started. On the way there I had to go through the kennels. I was surprised to find that all the cages and stalls were empty and the doors standing open. There had been someone here after the disappearance, and they had been more on the ball than I had been. Back in the lobby I found the thermostat and set the AC down as far as it would go. It took only a few minutes for cool air to start blowing through the vents. Kathy insisted that we not take time to cool things down before taking Dee inside. She's the doctor so I heeded her advice. The AC was powerful so it did not take long for the temperature inside to drop from 98 to 79. I asked Kathy on the walkie talkie I picked up after losing Dee if that was cool enough. She reluctantly agreed so I carried her gently inside, very careful not to jostle her.
She would not let me set her down until she had sterilized the exam table and lay out fresh tissue. This was a rural community so they were equipped for larger animals. Dee looked so small on that large steel table. There was a laptop computer on a little roll about stand with what appeared to be a large clumsy mouse attached to it. Prior to Lisa's pregnancy I would not have recognized it as an ultra-sound machine. She had me strip off Dee's shirt while she got the machine ready. She squeezed a generous glob of KY jelly on Dee's belly and started running the ultra-sound over her. After a few moments she let out a gasp and I looked up at the screen.
Not being a doctor, I really had no idea what to expect. But I did not expect that. It was a high resolution machine and where her intestines, appendix and kidneys were supposed to be were six spherical objects, inside these spheres could be seen what looked like embryos. Embryos with teeth and long claws. As we stared one of them squirmed and we both jumped. We both knew instantly that they would be emerging soon, and we both also knew what that would mean for Dee.
Kathy wasted no time prepping her for surgery. She had me scrub up too. She had me assist as best as I could. Really just handing her instruments and providing suction as needed. It was much the same as when I used to help my dad work on his old Rambler when I was a kid. But instead of grease and gasoline, it was blood that was staining my hands and clothes.
The eggs were a milky blue color and were easy to spot as not belonging there. Purple veins radiated out from the eggs, taking root in her abdomen. The largest of these Kathy cauterized with a surgical laser to prevent bleeding. One by one she pulled them out. I collected each one in separate specimen containers, as per her instructions. The fifth one split open as she pulled it out. The occupant, a tiny grey pink fetus squirmed about slowly and then suddenly started slashing about with its claws. At this point in it's development they were only about 4 millimeters long, but still sharp enough to do some damage had it landed inside Dee. But it had fallen on the table. I jumped back when it started thrashing about. I did not realize that the paper cover had caught on my belt and my jumping back pulled it off the table and the little monster fell to the floor. I followed my gut instinct and stomped the little bastard. Katherine did not protest, but she did give me a dirty look.
The surgery appears to have been a success, but we are going to be staying here for a few days till Dee recovers. Kathy wants to be sure that we have everything we need in case Dee gets a post operative infection. I really think Dee will be ok. Her fever broke thirty minutes after Kathy closed her up.
Kathy has been criticizing her "sloppy surgical technique" ever since. She is also mad at herself for missing the tiny puncture on Dee's back that she says was probably where the eggs were implanted. I told her to shut up dammit. If it weren't for her Dee would probably be dead in a couple of days. But I think she's afraid that's still a possibility. We weren't exactly operating under the best of circumstances.
I've been looking around here and I think we could stay for a while. The building is sturdy and easily secured. There is only one glass door and there is a steel gate that can be pulled down from the inside. Like most veterinary hospitals and clinics there is a lot of dog and cat food on hand so Emily will not starve. I have seen evidence of abundant game in this area. Plus in rural areas like this people tend to stockpile food for when times are tough.
There is someone else living here. I don't want to leave till I get a chance to introduce myself.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
Same Day
My laptop has a Google Earth on it and Katherine tried to find a nearby hospital on it. It kept wanting to update and then crashing when it could not get a connection. Finally Kathy just gave up and told me to head for the highway and we would drive till we saw a sign for a hospital. But we never made it to the highway. Just as I was about to turn onto highway 82 from Route WW she told me to stop, shouted for me to really. I hit the brakes too hard and Dee cried out from the back. She pointed to a sign for an animal hospital and said "That'll do, I hope." I don't really think the intended for me to hear that last part though. It's a fairly new building. I pulled into the parking lot in front, three feet out from the door. The high roof of the Uni taking out the awning in the process. Part of me dreaded going in there, knowing what we would find inside. But they would have medical equipment inside. And Kathy said that I would have an easier time hooking up a generator here than I would at a regular hospital.
Getting the generator going was the first order of business. I quickly investigated the building and found a propane fired generator in the south end of the building. It gave me no problem getting started. On the way there I had to go through the kennels. I was surprised to find that all the cages and stalls were empty and the doors standing open. There had been someone here after the disappearance, and they had been more on the ball than I had been. Back in the lobby I found the thermostat and set the AC down as far as it would go. It took only a few minutes for cool air to start blowing through the vents. Kathy insisted that we not take time to cool things down before taking Dee inside. She's the doctor so I heeded her advice. The AC was powerful so it did not take long for the temperature inside to drop from 98 to 79. I asked Kathy on the walkie talkie I picked up after losing Dee if that was cool enough. She reluctantly agreed so I carried her gently inside, very careful not to jostle her.
She would not let me set her down until she had sterilized the exam table and lay out fresh tissue. This was a rural community so they were equipped for larger animals. Dee looked so small on that large steel table. There was a laptop computer on a little roll about stand with what appeared to be a large clumsy mouse attached to it. Prior to Lisa's pregnancy I would not have recognized it as an ultra-sound machine. She had me strip off Dee's shirt while she got the machine ready. She squeezed a generous glob of KY jelly on Dee's belly and started running the ultra-sound over her. After a few moments she let out a gasp and I looked up at the screen.
Not being a doctor, I really had no idea what to expect. But I did not expect that. It was a high resolution machine and where her intestines, appendix and kidneys were supposed to be were six spherical objects, inside these spheres could be seen what looked like embryos. Embryos with teeth and long claws. As we stared one of them squirmed and we both jumped. We both knew instantly that they would be emerging soon, and we both also knew what that would mean for Dee.
Kathy wasted no time prepping her for surgery. She had me scrub up too. She had me assist as best as I could. Really just handing her instruments and providing suction as needed. It was much the same as when I used to help my dad work on his old Rambler when I was a kid. But instead of grease and gasoline, it was blood that was staining my hands and clothes.
The eggs were a milky blue color and were easy to spot as not belonging there. Purple veins radiated out from the eggs, taking root in her abdomen. The largest of these Kathy cauterized with a surgical laser to prevent bleeding. One by one she pulled them out. I collected each one in separate specimen containers, as per her instructions. The fifth one split open as she pulled it out. The occupant, a tiny grey pink fetus squirmed about slowly and then suddenly started slashing about with its claws. At this point in it's development they were only about 4 millimeters long, but still sharp enough to do some damage had it landed inside Dee. But it had fallen on the table. I jumped back when it started thrashing about. I did not realize that the paper cover had caught on my belt and my jumping back pulled it off the table and the little monster fell to the floor. I followed my gut instinct and stomped the little bastard. Katherine did not protest, but she did give me a dirty look.
The surgery appears to have been a success, but we are going to be staying here for a few days till Dee recovers. Kathy wants to be sure that we have everything we need in case Dee gets a post operative infection. I really think Dee will be ok. Her fever broke thirty minutes after Kathy closed her up.
Kathy has been criticizing her "sloppy surgical technique" ever since. She is also mad at herself for missing the tiny puncture on Dee's back that she says was probably where the eggs were implanted. I told her to shut up dammit. If it weren't for her Dee would probably be dead in a couple of days. But I think she's afraid that's still a possibility. We weren't exactly operating under the best of circumstances.
I've been looking around here and I think we could stay for a while. The building is sturdy and easily secured. There is only one glass door and there is a steel gate that can be pulled down from the inside. Like most veterinary hospitals and clinics there is a lot of dog and cat food on hand so Emily will not starve. I have seen evidence of abundant game in this area. Plus in rural areas like this people tend to stockpile food for when times are tough.
There is someone else living here. I don't want to leave till I get a chance to introduce myself.
© 2009 R. Keith McBride
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