From the journal of Earl Thompson, June 17

June 17, 2017

     We've been resting for two weeks and it's been wonderful. After Boston, and everything I saw and heard, I needed time to come to terms with it. For the first few days, every time I closed my eyes, I would see the swarm of zombies and their victims. It took around four days before I got a few solid hours and over the rest of our time here, the nightmares have slowly receded. Last night, I don't even remember dreaming and slept like the dead, but better then the undead.

     While we've been here, we've practiced with all the weapons, so all of us are more proficient at them individually and as a group. We've also decided where we're heading next; the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. It has a bunker under it that was originally set up for congress during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I told the others about the place and we all agree it is probably our best bet. They should have supplies there, in case of an emergency, even if just for their employees and their families. Hopefully, people are there and it is defended and they'll take us in.

     By looking at the maps, we can mostly stick to National and State forests and off the main roads. Luckily, we have 4 wheel drive and I have a good sense of direction. From the Allegheny National Forest, we can head to the Moshannon State Forest to Rothrock State Forest, and so on, all the way to the George Washington State Forest and then the Greenbrier Hotel. It's going to take a lot of time, but we'll miss the major population centers and get to our destination, hopefully, safely.

     We're going to have to find a lot more supplies and will probably have to scavenge on the way to make it there. Luckily, we've been practicing our entries and exits for just such situations. The four of us are getting better at moving together and keeping all angles covered. Annie, Lisa, Phil and I are becoming a unit and I'm proud of the way they've learned so quickly.

     Our little cabin is secure and surrounded by all kinds of traps, alarms and hazards to keep us safer and give us time to take out any threat before they make it to the yard. We have pits with sharpened stakes, trip wires, noise alarms from the simplest with string and cans, to more complicated with trip wires and canned horns. So far, they've kept us safe and nothing has made it close to our yard without us hearing and taking them out. We've gotten really good at moving through the forest, quietly, and sneaking up on the undead. We've been lucky that we've only had undead trying to get to us. I don't want to have to kill anyone whose still alive, but I will if they are trying to hurt or kill any of us. I know I just met these three, but they've become really important to me. After all, they're the only live people I've got with me and there's safety in numbers. In this new world of zombies, biker gangs and people turning to the dark side to survive, you need someone, or someone's, to watch your back.

So, tomorrow, we head out and head from here to the Moshannon State Forest. If there are no cabins there, we'll find a house or cabin right at the edge. If we have to, we'll camp in the forest, but I would rather sleep inside, with four walls to help protect us. But, we'll do whatever we have to do to stay alive and headed in the direction we've chosen.

     We need to keep away from cities, keep heading towards the Greenbrier and hope we don't run into anyone who wants to hurt people. I know in situations where civilization breaks down, some people give in to their every dark fantasy and hurt whoever they want, take whatever they want and damn the people they hurt or kill on the way. Like the people who were going after Annie, Lisa and Phil, when I rescued them and we started traveling together. They're lucky I was driving up, otherwise the guys would be dead and the girls might be as well, but their deaths would've been much harder and painful. Those guys would've raped them and done whatever sick thing they wanted to do to them before killing them and finding someone else to torture.

     God willing, we'll make it to the Greenbrier and find a small piece of civilization to become a part of. Please, God.

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.