June 5, 2017
I woke up this morning in a real bed.
A bunk bed, yes, but a real bed. We found a cabin, not from a map
found at the Visitor' Center. We found the location of a new cabin
built for one of their employees to stay in, when needed. We broke
into the Visitor's Center and then into the office of the director
and searched their files, finding a receipt for the driveway built to
the cabin. It had a map, written directions and a drawing showing how
the driveway should go to reach the site where the cabin had since
been built.
We loaded up all the snack food and
water in the store and in the back storeroom, then I told Annie,
Lisa and Phil to search through all the clothes because none of us
had enough clothes with us. There were several kinds of sweatshirts,
sweatpants, t shirts, tank tops, shorts and even a few heavier
jackets. We all grabbed some clothes and stuffed them into the bags
we found on the isle next to the clothes. We all checked the rest of
the store for anything useful and I found a .22 revolver under the
main cash register. The others found a few blankets, a few knives and
a couple of canteens There was one sleeping bag in an office and we
took that as well. We packed all the stuff into the truck and I gave
the file with the directions to Lisa who had become the navigator
since I picked them up. Then, we headed out into the forest on the
indicated gravel road.
We had to drive slowly, since the
gravel road was pretty narrow and the sides were starting to get
overgrown. It also twisted and turned through the trees, sometimes to
go around a particularly old tree. It was a beautiful drive but it
took us hours and with the sunlight coming through the trees, it took
on an unreal feeling.
When we pulled through the trees into
the clearing, at last, the sudden sunlight blinded me. I stopped the
truck to let my eyes adjust and then saw the little cabin sitting in
the middle of the clearing with it's front door standing wide open. I
pulled to a stop again and we all got out of the truck on the side
away from the cabin. I told everyone to stay behind the truck and we
watched the cabin for about a half hour before I decided to go check
it out, alone. I don't know these kids really well and I don't know
if they can handle themselves yet. It was safer for me to go alone
and not have to watch whoever went with me.
I moved from the truck to a bush to
the back door, no sense going where it appeared someone might want me
to go, and moved through the door, sweeping my .9 mm from left to
right. The room was clear and there was only two doors off the room.
I cleared them both, a bathroom and a bedroom with three sets of bunk
beds, before going out the front door and motioning everyone else to
bring the truck up to the front.
We brought some supplies in from the
truck and chose our bunks, putting our clothes and blankets on them.
Then, we investigated the cabin. It has solar power, propane tanks
out back that are full and a well. We had hot water, propane for
cooking and power to try to find a radio station or try to reach
someone on the CB.
But first, we all pitched in to make a
big, hot meal and really enjoyed the hell out of it. We laughed and
talked and ate and drank the few beers we had left. We opened some
sodas and poured them into some glasses we found in the cabinets.
Next, it was arts and crafts time. We
strung the cans on strings and then used them to make a perimeter
around the edge of the clearing. Lucky for us, we found a bag of cans
in the shed so we didn't have to open and just dump sodas on the
ground for our protection. I set up a couple of other alarms and
explained where they were to the others. Trip wires right across the
main walking paths and such.
Once we were more secure in our
clearing, we returned to the cabin and took turns taking hot showers.
With the flash water heater, there was no need to wait between them
for the tank to reheat. It was wonderful to be really clean again!
I'd forgotten how it felt and was thankful we had taken clothes from
the Visitor's Center so I had clean clothes to put on after.
The rest of the day was spent resting
and we went to bed early. Better to go to bed with the sun and not
risk someone or something seeing the lights through the trees. I
haven't slept so well since the dead started to walk. Someone could
probably have drove into the clearing and walked right into the cabin
without waking me. We can't do that again, we'll have to set up a
rotation for keeping watch, especially at night.
Today, we're resting. We didn't see
anyone or anything once we got into the forest, but that doesn't mean
that we're completely alone out here. We're going to have to continue
to make the clearing and cabin more secure every day we're here. I'll
have to talk to the others about it. I can hear them starting to stir
now, better go so we can cook some breakfast. Pancakes from a water
only mix, instant potatoes and powdered eggs with instant coffee to
drink. Yummy!
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.
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