Emma, Page 4

  Before all of this, we had uniformed police officers patrolling neighborhoods. Now we have former military guys who smell like cheap beer walking our perimeter. Most of the time they seem just as concerned with bedding down one of the women at the ranch as they do protecting it.

  It's better than nothing, I suppose. Thinking of what people must be going through on the outside is not something I enjoy doing. What remains of the Internet has been reduced to a handful of websites and random postings about saving money on car insurance.

  Both the United States and CDC websites are long-gone, as are pretty much every major international website. One of the larger Internet retailers remains online, though it is no longer used for the purpose of selling items. It's been modified to serve as a large message board, allowing survivors to post.

  There hasn't been a post in nearly a week, which makes me begin to question if anyone is still out there? Especially my own father.

  Entry 34

  Two survivors arrived at our gates early this morning.

  Adam and Sadie. After nearly an hour of speaking with James and his men at gunpoint, the two were allowed entry and taken into the what we've come to dub 'the segregation house'.

  They'll stay inside for the next twenty-four hours, just as we did, to ensure they're completely uninfected. I didn't get to speak with either of them, but I hope to do it soon after they join our general population.

  There's something about Adam. I can't place it, nor can I shake it. Something about him makes me question their intentions, though I didn't bring it to anyone's attention. They've done nothing to cause suspicion and I don't want the man leading us to think I'm a paranoid little girl.

  He's been hanging around a bit as it is. Trying to help my mother deal with the potential loss of my father. It's been tough. James and I have both done everything we can think of, but she seems to be slipping deeper into a depression.

  I know she loves me. I do. But I also get the feeling that she is quickly beginning to lose the passion for life. The world is crumbling around her and a soul mate gone missing. I just keep reinforcing the fact that dad could return any day now, and when he does, he'll want her here waiting.

  Entry 35

  Our new guests were allowed into general population this morning, though neither of them remained there for very long.

  James and a few of his men escorted Adam and Sadie to the safe house, which is where James stays most of the time. Keeping our vital equipment there as well, all under heavy guard.

  My guess is that he'll ask them about a possible sighting of my father and his men. Perhaps find out what he can about the condition of the world outside. If it's truly that bad, James will warn them against saying anything to the rest of us. Avoiding panic is definitely one of his peeves.

  I really wanted to speak them before he dug his claws into them, because now I'm doomed into hearing whatever story James forces onto us.

  Call me crazy, but it's something I've started to pick up on. He's a man of good intentions, I suppose, but he's also very political. Very agenda oriented. James has established himself as a clear leader and my guess is he's trying to maintain that title through power.

  Entry 36

  Today has been horrific!

  Seven of the soldiers missing have returned, and my father was not among them. The bulk of the people here at Genesis Ranch have been stunned with news of an ambush by United States Army forces against our group.

  My father is feared dead, as are a handful of others who did not return. James pulled the returning men into the safe house for questioning. I thought it strange, because they had not waited the mandatory twenty-four hours in our segregation area, but who am I to say?

  James is trying to find out what he can about my father, I'm sure. Meanwhile, mom has been devastated. She truly wasn't ready to hear that her husband may be dead.

  It has been one of the saddest days I can remember. The man who used to push me on the swings, take me out for ice cream, even bought me the very journal I'm writing in. Gone. I try to remain hopeful, but understand my father's chances are not good. It's just been a terrible day all around and I'm done with this!

  Entry 37

  No entry today. I don't feel up to it. I miss my father.

  Entry 38

  As much as I want to give up on this damn journal, I just can't.

  It was the last gift my dad handed me, and I know he would want me to continue to record what is happening here. Albeit on a computer now. Still, I'd like to think that my father started me down the road of writing my thoughts.

  The Internet seems a loss at this point. I've been unable to find anything online in the rare instance that I'm able to access a network to begin with. It's as if nothing is happening out there, or no one is alive to report it.

  I understand the infection is bad and I understand that an entire world at war makes it even worse. Still, I know there has to be groups of others out there.

  James appears to be growing tired of my lack of findings across the Internet, which is fine by me. Let him spend two-hours trying to access a network.

  We heard several booms early this afternoon, but they were distant. James told us they were nothing, of course, but they sounded like bombs to me. I'm just not sure what type or how far away they were.

  Entry 39

  It's becoming increasingly upsetting to watch James console my mom. At this point, I realize that it's as much about filling a void in his own life as it is comforting her. I've lost all respect for the man.

  In fact, there isn't much I like about James. He's grown attached to my mother, wields too much power around Genesis Ranch and seems rather hard on those who oppose his ideas. Which is why I haven't said anything to him about ogling my mother. There will come a time and place for that. For now, I'll do what I can to talk sense into my mother. She's lost her way, which I fear is due to the stress around us.

  I did have a chance to speak with Adam and Sadie today, for a very short time. They aren't a couple, as I suspected; they are brother and sister. I'm not sure what they did before all of this began, but it isn't for a lack of trying. I asked, they just wouldn't answer the question.

  Aside from their secrecy on many things, both of them seemed fine to me. Just like the rest of us, really. Staggering around in shock and missing loved ones.

  Entry 40

  Something is not right here.

  I can't say for sure, but there is something about Genesis Ranch that simply isn't adding up. We sent my father out on a supply run, anticipating we'd soon run short, though I've seen no shortage of anything.

  The firing range continues at full-force, which eats through rounds of ammunition. Several nights James has hosted ranch-wide feasts, with enough food to satisfy each of our deepest hunger for weeks. There simply is no shortage of weapons or supplies and we certainly have plenty of food to go around for a very long time, leading me to wonder why my father was sent out in the first place?

  I fear I know the answer, however, as I've watched James and my mother grow closer. Sitting with each other during such feasts and even speaking in private. It's as if they are keeping something from me.

  Several more booms were heard today, again played down by our man in charge. I, for one, am growing sick of his lies. Though I fear nothing can be done about it.

  He's insisted I log hours on the computer in search of information. Though I now believe he is putting me into the safe house in front of a computer screen to occupy me while he enjoys every moment he can with my own mother.

  I'll continue to play along with his deceit. For now.

  Entry 41

  Early this morning, Genesis encountered a small group of infected at our front gates.

  They were taken care of easily, though many within the camp fear the attacks will grow stronger.

  Though Sadie remained quiet throughout, James and Adam had a major disagreement during the attack. While I agree that Adam spoke a bit out of turn, it's about time s
omeone did. He questioned the leadership and direction for Genesis Ranch, which pretty much makes Adam my favorite person at the moment.

  He's not the ranch's favorite person, I can tell you that. They went indoors to continue a discussion which lasted nearly an hour. Adam left, obviously upset, and refused to talk about it.

  My mother and James have become close. In fact, they no longer try to hide the fact that they're in a relationship. It pisses me off. I've refused to speak to my mother, but won't dare call James out on it. His actions as of late are strange – dangerous even.

  Entry 42

  Actually a mixture of 42 and 43 as my father returned late last night.

  Though the rest of Genesis is none the wiser. He's returned for me, but asks that I remain silent about it. Which, aside from this journal, I will.

  He left out to find supplies – instead finding James had sent him away to be executed. Completely infatuated with my mother. We talked quietly in my room for several minutes. My dad and one of the soldiers who left with him are alive and well. The other two who fought to help my father, both died in a firefight with the soldiers who returned to Genesis. Loyal to James.

  My father has asked me to act normal and do the unthinkable. Steal every bit of ammunition I can from the Genesis safe house today, during my mandatory computer time. It's how we pay James back.

  I intend to.

  My dad told me about a place north of here. Just a few hours by foot. A place called Zombietown. Apparently it used to be some type of income-based housing and now it's a community of survivors.

  The hardest part in all of this is waiting until the moment I prepare to leave. I'll have to approach my mother with the truth of what's happening. I want to go there right now to call James out and let my mother know she's sleeping with a murderer.

  But my father has warned me against it. Filling me in on an affair James and my mother once had. He isn't sure she'll come with us, and can't rule out the possibility of my own mother going to James with our plans of escape.

  So I'm to grab what I can while inside the safe house, wait until nightfall and then go to my closest friends and mother. Offer them the truth and allow them all to make their own decisions.

  It's a very trying time for me. I don't want to lose either parent, but I know my dad will take care of me. He always has. I'll be his number one priority, not some midlife crisis fling of the past.

  I guess time will tell. My mother will have to make her own decision on this.

  Entry 43

  I did it. I'm back to trusted pen and paper for my journal.

  Know your enemy. Pack heat. Have a plan. Of course these folks weren't infected, but I acted as though they were. Just to keep me on my toes.

  A backpack filled with ammunition, a set of night vision goggles and even three .9MM pistols. I even used the fact that the soldier normally guarding the entrance to the safe house continues to stare at my ass, to my advantage.

  I made a return trip. Flirted with the loser a bit and told him I'd forgot to log off of the computer. Explained to him that if it remained logged on, people could track us. What an idiot. If he would have done anything other than stare at my ass, he would have realized my backpack on the return trip was a different color. Hey, it's not a lot different than dealing with the mindless infected, huh?

  Final count. TWO backpacks full of ammunition, three .9MM pistols and a .357 Magnum, three combat blades, night vision goggles and the processors from both computers. Plus a decent amount of canned food. I figured, what the hell? It will take them weeks to figure that one out as it's tough to connect in the first place. I also had time to submerge James' coveted MP3 player in a tall glass of water and rip his bed to pieces with a combat blade I'd taken. Good luck finding another copy of Laura Marano's Boombox.

  That's for my dad, you piece of shit.

  As expected, my mother did not come. It upset me, truly, but I continued to walk away from her. It was her own choice to make and my mom decided to take a long-running affair over her own family. So, to hell with her.

  Adam and Sadie are with us, though she could barely carry one of the backpacks full of loot. I'm glad to call them friends, and admit, Sadie's brother is pretty damn cute.

  My dad seemed very upset by my mom's refusal to come. I think he understood that it would eventually end this way, however. I would never come straight out and ask, but I believe my dad brought us here knowing he'd lose his wife – just because it presented the best option in keeping his daughter safe.

  He's truly a hero in my eyes. He also jumped my ass for deviating from the plan, but it's like calling me Dalton James and expecting me not to drink the stiffest glass in the room. Yea, that's happening. Better luck next time, dad.

  They'll soon enough find out that we've left. Nearly looting them dry in the process. I'm sure they'll send a group out to look for us, but my dad and his friend Emmitt seem confident we can survive out here. It's a vast area filled with infected, armies at war and a lot of nooks and low spots to hide.

  We'll lay low during the day and move at night. A little each day, until we reach this place called Zombietown. What a damn name.

  Entry 44

  I miss her. Even if my mom chose to stay behind, she's still my mom. Dad promised me that when the time was right, we'd go back for her.

  Dad, Emmitt, myself, Adam and Sadie have been laying low all day long in an abandoned building on the outskirts of Detroit. We've seen plenty of infected, but they've yet to see us. It's strange how they've began to organize themselves. This epidemic was supposed to force them into madness. Pure madness. Yet, from what I can tell, each group we've seen at a distant seems to concentrate itself around a single infected. An alpha male, I guess you could say.

  We've also learned that the booming sounds heard back at the Genesis Ranch, are, in fact, tanks at war. Not with the infected – but with each other. Both small groups are painted with the colors of the Unites States, which confirms what the Internet had posted a while back. Two factions, if not more, fighting for control of this once proud country.

  Detroit looks like a wasteland, but let's face it, it looked that way before any of this started. Almost fifty days into humanity's worst of times, and I bet Detroit's football team still sucks.

  Just saying.

  Entry 45

  Our group was able to move a few streets closer to our destination last night, but it was slow going. My dad watches through the night vision goggles and we literally move from building to building. We have to.

  The infected must never sleep. We see them roaming in packs both day and night. If there are other survivors in this area, we haven't seen them. We've managed to find a bit of food, mostly the canned variety, in moving from building to building.

  If you think the infected stay indoors, think again. The interior of every building we've hit have been largely intact and absolutely deserted. I guess they like the nightlife. Kind of like that guy from the show I used to watch, though I can't remember the name. Two men raising a kid.

  Winning.

  Entry 46

  The shelling outside has intensified. My dad says one of the factions must have had friends arrive. Either way, it's too dangerous to go out until things calm down a bit.

  I've grown fond of Adam, though he doesn't say a lot. I can just see it on his face. So much in-depth thought and concern. Perhaps for loved ones – maybe even our own group.

  I guess it's easy to develop a crush at my age. Still, Adam is a better man than most pop singers, so I guess that's something. Sadie, on the other hand, has been much more talkative. Way too talkative.

  She and her brother are from the Cleveland area, and have no idea if other family made it out alive. They were essentially living house to house, as we are right now, until finding the Genesis Ranch. Not a great life to be living.

  I suppose it's only natural that I wonder about Genesis and what everyone is doing there? I'm not sure how anyone could choose love, or at least what they
believe to be love, over their own child. Especially my own mother.

  I guess it's one of those things that I'll come to understand with age.

  Entry 47

  Last night was cold. I mean, we have infected plaguing our world and governments in chaos, but when it's cold that's pretty much all you care about.

  We've remained undetected, though fighting continues only a couple hundred yards from our front door. After looking the apartment over, we pretty much have a single decent blanket.

  My dad and Emmitt are doing without, having given the blanket to us kids. Should Adam and I ever become official, our first real date was huddling with his sister under a blanket during the zombie apocalypse. Just saying.

  Entry 48

  The good news is sometime last night the fighting outside stopped. The bad news is; we believe it to be because of an organized attack by the infected.

  Thousands are now literally in the streets. Moving about and searching for anything living. If they were able to overrun heavy equipment like tanks, we won't stand a chance.

  My dad has asked us to remain perfectly silent as he and Emmitt take turns. One of them staying with us while the other searches through every nook and cranny within the apartment building we're currently holdup in.