From the journal of Carol Evans, April 13

April 13, 2017

     I stayed at the Welcome Center for four days, just lazing around. It was so nice to not be moving around that one day turned into four. I spent time reading books from the little store here, first about the area, then animals native to the area, and then I read a book about edible plants found in Zion National Park.

     I did find the keys to the trucks. One set was attached to each Ranger zombies, on their belts. I searched for them around the 10th and was able to go out to check on the trucks that afternoon. I took the gas from the one that looked to be in rougher condition and most of it in the new truck. I looked through the small garage behind the visitors center and found a couple of gas cans. I then took as much gas as I could get into them from all the cars in the back and in the parking lot. Then, I moved the good truck near the backdoor just in case I had to make a quick exit. I loaded up all the supplies I had put together from the visitors center that I would not need right away and made sure everything was secure.
      The next day, I woke up to a banging noise on the front door. It sounded like someone had a couple of radios going with the bass turned way up on both of them and different music playing on each of them. I got up and cautiously peeked around the corner to look at the doors. There was a group of undead and they were hungry. The glass in the doors, and the large windows on either side of them, didn't look like they would hold for long. I went back to the office where I was sleeping and quickly gathered the last of my stuff.
      Why would they think anything was alive in here? I didn't know why they would be trying to get in the building at first. Then I remembered that I had gone out those same doors more than once a day for the last three days. Could they smell me? Is that why they were pounding on the glass? I finally decided that I needed to concentrate on getting out of here and think about it later.
     Shit! I remembered that I had gone in and out the backdoor too! I was ready in less than five minutes and made my way to the back exit. I listened carefully at the solid metal door and then rattled the roll up door next to it, just to make sure no undead were close enough to be attracted by the sound. I still didn't hear anything and slowly opened the door while keeping a close eye on the slowly widening crack of light. Nothing and nobody appeared and I made a mad dash to the truck with the keys in my hand.
      When I turned around the side of the building I saw the size of the group and was glad I had prepared for a quick exit. I wouldn't have had time to get out if I had to pack up everything that I was taking with me and I would have had to leave some stuff behind. There had to be at least a hundred of them filling the entry way and half the parking lot. I had to slow down, swerve around them and even had to run a couple of them over.  But I made it out of the parking lot and back onto the main road.
     I turned West and got back on my way. I was rested and now I had wheels. I had decided to head to Aspen to see if I could find a place to hunker down since it was around 20 miles closer than Vale.

     I am hoping to find a home with a really strong fence and solar power. I was really hoping for running water. I was really keeping my fingers crossed for hot water, a tub and some time to soak. But that was really too much to hope for.
     I have been on the road now for about a day and a half. I already miss my little office and my couch. But it really is time to be moving on. While I was comfortable for a short stop at the Kolob Canyon Visitor's Center, there really wasn't a way to make it secure enough to stay long term. Better to find a place not on the main road that could be made more secure. Aspen, here I come!

As a writer and artist, I appreciate any readers and their comments. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Please, come read the other blog I write for our artisan collective, Raven's Castle Creations, on our website at www.ravencastlecreations.com. It includes posts on art, the mythology of symbols we use in our art, history and more! Also, come see the art we produce in our Etsy store at etsy.com/shop/RavenCastleCreations. Follow us on Twitter at @ravencastleart and on Facebook at @ravencastlecreations.