From the journal of James Cohen, May 10

May 10, 2017

Rebecca and I are still at the care home. We haven't moved on yet because this place has been so good to us. I have been helping with the immobile patients while Rebecca has been helping to cook make meals for everyone. Over the last couple of days, we have started to fit into this little community and feel like we are part of something larger.

Then, this morning, we heard the sound of bikes rumbling down a street near us. I immediately thought of the bikers that I took out the day I met Rebecca and I got scared for the people in the Care Home.  I immediately went to Jackie and explained my fears and she agreed that we needed to know who the people on the bikes were and if they were bad people like the ones Rebecca and I had dealt with. We called an meeting right away and Jim volunteered to go with me once the situation was understood.
We snuck out the back and Jackie let us through the gate. I made sure that my rig was not able to be seen from the street in front of the Care Home, just in case the bikers came this way. I had this horrible feeling that Rebecca and I might have been followed to this place and I really didn't want it to be true.
We went alley to alley, getting closer to the sound of the bikes with every step. It sounded like there were quite a few of them, all rumbling but the sound was not getting any farther away. Were they moving? Or were they stopping in this town?
We got to a point that there was only a line of buildings between us and the bikers, and I motioned for Jim to go into the remains of a clothing store. We ducked into the dressing rooms to make sure we couldn't be seen if anyone walked by the front or even stepped into the store. In there, I whispered that we needed a way to see them without being seen by them. Jim motioned that he wanted to show me something in the store. He took me to the back room and there was a staircase to the roof. We walked up it carefully, praying that none of the stairs would make too much noise. The door at the top of the stairs was, thankfully, unlocked and didn't squeal as we opened it.
I glanced around the rooftops to make sure that they hadn't put a lookout up there yet but didn't see anyone. We quietly walked to the edge closest to the bikers and cautiously looked onto the side they were idleing in. Wow, there had to be at least twenty of them. Then, I felt a chill go down my spine. At the front of the group was the Mr and Mrs Hairy in the middle of a group of seven men and he was obviously giving orders to them. Shit, we had been followed.

I gestured for Jim to go back to the door and we made our way off the rooftop. Back in the dressing room, I told him that it was the man who was trying to get his people into the building where Rebecca had been living when I found her. We needed to get back to the Care Home, quickly and quietly. And without being spotted by anyone from the biker group. We were really careful to check the street in front of the store and then beat a hasty retreat back the way we had come.
When we were back with the others, I pulled Jackie and Rebecca aside with Jim and we told them what we had found out. Rebecca started to shake and Jackie almost started to panic. I quickly explained that we needed to figure out how to either be unseen and not heard while the bikers were in town, or we needed to make a plan to get everyone out of here, and now.
We called another meeting and made sure right at the begining that all the windows were covered. I explained to the entire group what was going on and everyone agreed that leaving was probably the better option. We didn't know if the bikers had followed Rebecca and I looking for revenge, or if they were just headed in the same direction. But could we take a chance? Would they think to look for medical places besides hospitals looking for supplies? Jackie told everyone that she knew the time would come when they would have to leave the home, she was just hoping that it wouldn't come anytime soon. As the meeting was breaking up, the sound from the bikes died suddenly, which means the bikers were stopping for sure. We just didn't know for how long.
I pointed out that my rig was probably the safest way to get out of here, because it is large and we could just run over anyone in our way. But there was not way to fit all fourteen of us inside the cab, even with the sleeping area. One of the elderly men, Fred, suggested that Jim and I go look in the wherehouses to see if we could find a trailer that would hook up to my rig. Then, everyone else could ride in the trailer. I pointed out that it would not be very comfortable to rid around in an empty trailer, but if we could get some mattresses or something in the trailer, it would make it a lot better for those inside. Talk turned to what would be taken from inside the home and everyone split up to gather the supplies we were going to take.
Jim and I left right after the meeting to search the local businesses and it only took us about an hour to find a trailer that would work for us. It was already mostly empty but had a couple pallets of chips, crackers and soda next to the front of the trailer. Perfect. Now all we needed to do was get the rig here, only four buildings away from the home, get them hooked together and then get everyone and everything we needed inside.
We made our way back to the home to report what we had found. A debate started about whether we should leave right away or should we wait to see if they left in the morning. The group decided that we needed to wait at least over night because the rig is really loud and they would hear it start and come to investigate. Now, if they didn't rumble out in the morning, we would have to decide if we would take a chance on starting the rig and hope we made it out before they found us. But for tonight, we are going to be really quiet, not use any lights, stay away from the windows and pray they didn't come to this part of  town.
Here's hoping we aren't discovered tonight and make it out tomorrow, safely.

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.

From the recovered journal of the Battle of the New Alamo, April 30

April 30, 2017

It's been several days since we killed Samuel and have been on our own. Michelle and I have been eating, resting and recovering from our ordeal as his meat to be slaughtered. I just really wish we had taken him out before he killed Mary. I wanted to, but the others were scared and urged me to not do anything. I should never have listened to them. Samuel deserved to die and it should have been a more horrible death then he got.

Michelle and I have noticed that some of the undead who came over the walls have gone back over them now that there is nothing left to eat inside the fort. A few days ago, I watched through a crack in the boards over the window as a group of around twenty climbed up to the top of the walls and then fell over the side. I wonder if they saw something alive out there and that is why they went over, or if it is an urge to go look for food that drove them over the top? Then, over the last two days, I have seen a lot more do the same thing. There are still hundreds inside the fort, so we are still stuck in these rooms, but we have eaten better since we killed Samuel and are building up our strength to do something.

Michelle is really scared and doesn't want to leave these rooms, but I am not ok with just staying here until we run out of food and starve. I know there is more food stored in the chapel, but it is down the stairs and about 50 feet across the courtyard. If enough of the undead go back over the walls, we might be able to make it across and into the chapel. But we are bound to be seen by some of the undead and then they would beat on the doors and draw more of the ones in the fort to where we were. I need to find a way to distract the zombies while we make our move.
I searched to rooms to see if there was anything helpful, besides the food, fireworks and I also found a pistol with around 100 rounds of ammo. Samuel, the shit, had kept his own stash or bullets when he made everyone else give theirs up for the "good of the group". I guess it's now a good thing, but still, he was an awful person. I don't know how he got to be in charge, but he killed everyone inside the fort with his bad decisions, as far as I'm concerned. Why the hell was this place not stocked at the same time or even before the walls were being built? Then, when we all had to retreat here, there would have been food and ammo to keep everyone alive longer so we could come up with a way to survive as a group!
Now, Michelle and I are the only people we know, for sure, are still alive inside the walls of the fort. I think everyone that got stuck in the hotel died when it was overrun. The group of soldiers who went to try to get more supplies never returned. And there are thousands of people who were behind the walls of San Antonio when the big walls fell that we don't know their fates. I guess there could be pockets of people alive in buildings around the city. We are so screwed.

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.

From the journal of Charlie Fast Fingers Pearson, May 5

May 5, 2017

We got stuck right where the trail heads back down the mountain. The going was so rough that Melanie was really out of it from the pain. I was limping so bad, even my walking stick wasn't helping and Buck said his ribs felt like they were breaking with every step and he was having a lot of trouble catching his breath. Will and Marty talked it over and decided that it would be better if we took a couple days of rest before heading down the trail. Also, some of the guys are making a better sled to get Melanie down the mountain, hopefully with less pain.

Besides, our fruit supply is running low, so Terry and Martin are going to look for something we can eat. If they have to, they will go back up the mountain to get some more fruit. I know that they want to get moving, but some of us are still recovering from the injuries we got in the crash. Most of us that got hurt are doing ok now. Jessie and Mick are not in much pain when they use their arms and stopped using their slings. Will is still having headaches and his vision isn't back to normal yet, if it'll ever be. He was hit in the head really fucking hard and he might not ever be back to the way he was before. Not that any of us ever will be.
I know that I am grateful that I don't have to walk much tomorrow. My leg feels like it's on fire and every step is fucking agony! At least the cut is closed and doesn't look like it will open on it's own again. Although, I will not be entering any leg beauty contests, ever. Maybe, if the world rights it's fucking self, I can get a tattoo to cover the worst of it. I thought when it happened that it was one cut, straight down the leg. But really, it is a few cuts that connected and it has healed really jagged and rough. Shit, my last woman wouldn't be willing to look at my leg anymore, let alone touch it. I don't even want to touch it or look at it. But, we had to rip off the leg on my pants, so it is out there for everyone to see. Yuck!
The one I really am worried about is Buck. His bruising has gotten a little better, but his breathing hasn't been very good since the accident. I hope nothing was hit or punctured when his ribs were broken. He hasn't coughed up blood in a while, but what do I know about internal injuries? I played the guitar for a living. I didn't go to medical school or even have any training, even first aid. He has been slowing us down more even than Melanie on her sled. At least she goes as fast as the guys pulling the sled can go. With the terrain, they've had to lift the sled and her over branches more than they have been able to drag her. Good thing they're strong men, used to lifting heavy equipment.
Well, I need to stop writing and get a fire ring set up so I can start a fire. I guess I am just the fire tender now.

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.

From the journal of Marie Costa, May 6

May 6, 2017

We had a really bad argument this morning after breakfast. I brought up the need for us to leave and find somewhere else to survive, but about half of the people here didn't want to hear it at all. I pointed out how lucky we have been that no one has tried to break in here to get food, but they just said that no one has come so far, so it should be good. I told them that made no sense because the longer the world was in the toilet, the bigger the chance that someone WILL show up looking for food. No one wants to think about it, though. There will come a time, if we stay here, that it will become an issue when someone shows up, armed and dangerous.
I talked to Will, Jorge and Frank after the meeting and they both are on the same page as I am. Jorge told us that he had spent some time in his 20's as a truck driver and could probably remember how to drive the truck with a little practice. Now, we have to figure out where we want to head when we leave here. We decided to have a meeting with all the people here that think leaving is the better idea.
This afternoon, when we had the meeting, we found out the entire group is split almost in half. We have myself, Linda, Frank, Will, Jorge, Isabella and Alex. The group that wants to stay has Sarah, Jake, Alice, Andrew, Lisa and Jackie. The people who want to stay came to the meeting too, just to listen in. I think we may be able to convince a couple of them that leaving is a better idea, if we have the time. But, I really think we will not have time and that we need to get out of here as soon as possible.

I opened the meeting by saying we need to get out of the store and does anyone have any ideas or place to go. Alex said his family has a house right on the outskirts of town but he didn't know if anyone was alive there or not. Will and I both said that being on the edge of town was not going to be good enough. Lisa said that she knew someone who owned a piece of property about a half mile outside of town, but that there is nothing built on it. I told her we needed a place to go that had a building on it already. Then, Isabella told us that her grandfather had a cabin about 10 miles outside town and her cousin was living there until about six months ago. He had installed solar, built a greenhouse and added a hand pump to the well. Then, he got a job in the big city and ditched the cabin. I asked if anyone else had any ideas. No one came up with anything else. So, we all agreed that this was the best option anyone could come up with.
Next, Will brought up that we would need to gather supplies from the store and find a way to get the truck backed up to the receiving doors. We needed to figure out if the keys were still in the truck, or if we had to go through the bodies of the zombies we took out in the store. I volunteered to make the dash to the truck and see if it was unlocked or if the keys were visible. Will and Frank agreed to go with me and watch my back. We grabbed our stakes and headed for the door closest to the truck. I took a look and saw that there were only a couple of undead on the ramp and we went for it.

I took out one of the undead on my way to the truck and heard one of the guys take out the other one. I made it to the truck and found the door unlocked. I jumped into the truck and slammed the door when I felt a hand trying to grab my calf. When I looked out the window and down, I saw the truck driver was half under  the truck. He was missing most of the flesh from his arms and legs and it looked like he had tried to hide from the zombies by crawling under the truck. At least I knew where to find the driver if I had to search him for the keys.
I turned my attention to looking in the cab for the keys. I checked the ignition, the dashboard, the glove box and under the seat. Then, I remembered that in the movies, the keys are sometimes between the visor and the roof, so I looked there next. Bingo! We were in luck! I put them in my pocket and got ready to stake the driver when I opened the door, but saw that Frank had already taken him out and was waiting with his back to me, at attention, in case any other undead were attracted by the sound we were making.
I opened the door, jumped down from the cab and we dashed back to the door. Linda opened it and we slipped inside. I did look back right before the door closed and saw that a group of five teenage zombies came around the corner right as the door closed behind me. We would have to take them out to get back to the truck when we had the supplies ready to load.
We had done what we needed to do, so we ate something and then rested for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we will start collecting what we wanted to take with us and hopefully be ready to go within the next two to three days. I don't know why I feel this almost overwhelming need to get out of this place really fast, but I have learned to listen to my instincts. Those of us that are leaving will ready and out of here soon. Those who are staying, well, hopefully nothing will happen.

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.

From the journal of Nathan Sanchez, May 7

May 7, 2017

I think the older generation is starting to come around to the need for fresh blood to be brought in for us. We have all been talking about it for days around the ranch and even Consuela is starting to soften her positition. Especially, since her own daughters are not married and if she wants grandchildren, they are going to need a man who is not related to them. And, believe me, even in the times we are in, she wants grandchildren.
The surveillance of the building supply place is almost done. No one has gone in or out since we started watching it, so I think we are going to hit it in the next couple of days. There are still a lot of supplies in the yard and the store is still full. We should be able to get everything we need to build the greenhouse and other supplies to help in the defense of the ranch. Fernando is maping out our plan and is going to go over the plan with the rest of the teams tonight or tomorrow. Then,we'll have to get everything we need to make the hit together and then we hit the place.
Darren and I have been helping out around here while we waiting for the surveillance to be done, making the changes to make us more secure. Diego has a lot of ideas about ways to make the ranch safer. He wants to build a wall and plant some kind of fast growing vine on it to make it look like it has been there since before the pandemic started. We'll have to look at the seeds we have and see if we have anything that will work for him.

Darren also has us all collecting and saving the glass bottles we have around here to make broken glass for the top of ihis wall and for putting in strategic places around the ranch, like between trees and bushes on the outskirts of our protected zones. He says the bigger the pieces the better the chance of going through someones shoes and stop them from walking in any further. He also has us to dig trenches that we can line with the broken glass and then cover over with thin branches and a light coating of dirt, so it still looks like the ground around it, and then when someone steps on it, BOOM! Down they go, hopefully all full of holes and glass.

He has other ideas, too. Some of them are a little out there, but we will probably try almost anything if it sounds like a good idea.
Time to go dig trenches.

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.

From the journal of Marie Costa, May 5

May 5, 2017

Well, yesterday was a really relaxing day. We cleaned up the mess we made when we took out the undead. Some of them had left slime trails as they came after us. Will was going to take out Mark, but I stopped him. I told him that jerk is going to spend some time as an undead cashier and think, or I guess, not think about what an dick he was to all of us before the pandemic. I feel joy when I walk by him and see him in that condition. I put some caution tape around the register area so everyone knows how far he can reach. I know we will have to take him out sometime, but  I want to enjoy his being undead for a while.

We used some of the little sterno cans to heat up some soup and it was so wonderful eating something warm! It was like velvet going down my throat and my stomach was all warm and fuzzy when we were done. I have so missed food that is not at room temperature.
I started covering up the windows on the sides of the doors. The undead know there are live people in here and are banging on the windows, and the sound is drawing more of them. I talked it over with some of the others and we are going to have to take out the ones already out front. Frank agrees and we are coming up with a plan. I think we are going to have to sneak out the receiving area and make our way slowly and quietly around the building. If we can get the attention of the ones on the edge of the group banging on the windows, then we can take them out in small groups that we can manage. When we asked for volunteers, Jake, Will, Alice, Jorge and I stepped forward to help Frank. We are going to go out and try tomorrow.
Tonight, I am going to make sure all our weapons are ready and we all know what we are supposed to do. I wish more of the others were willing to help, but they are all afraid to even step outside. I know there is the chance that we will run into a group we can't handle, but what else are we supposed to do? Hide in here forever? Eventually we will run out of food that is still edible. I don't want to spend the next several years in this place. I didn't even want to spend the time I was scheduled in this place before this began and now, I really want to get out of here and find somewhere else to spend the apocalypse. Almost anywhere would be better than a grocery store. We are lucky that no one has tried to break into this place to take the food already. It's pushing our luck staying here much longer.
There is one truck that was still in our driveway when the shit hit the fan, and I think we should load up whatever is still ok to eat and find somewhere else to be. I am going to have to find out if anyone can drive a big rig truck. I am going to bring this whole idea up when we have the next meeting.
For now, I am sharpening up my stake and making a couple of others to have in case I can't get my first one back after sticking it in some undead's head. Here's hoping tomorrow goes well and no one gets hurt while we kill all the zombies.

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.

From the journal of Correctional Officer Steven Williams, May 8

May 8, 2017

Two days ago, Gary and I went to scout Aspen. We figured with it being just the two of us, we could get in and out without being seen if anyone was already there. We drove to the edge of downtown and left my truck hidden there, we didn't want the sound to draw any undead or even anyone alive. We wanted to watch anyone to make sure if they looked like good or bad people. The group also gave us a list of stuff to look for that we might find easier in this rich town.
First, we went downtown and went through some of the stores. We used a couple of shopping carts to get the stuff back to my truck and stored. Then we started going down the streets and checking random houses for any signs of life.
We had only gone down five or so streets and were checking out this really sweet house when I saw a couple of young men walking down the street towards us. We ditched inside really fast and made our way quietly up the stairs to an upstairs bedroom. Gary handed me a granola bar, since we hadn't eaten yet, and we spent about 30 minutes watching them. They seemed to be on patrol, but were not  doing a great job of looking around. If they had, they would have seen our footprints in the yards of a couple of the houses they had passed.
Gary and I talked about it and decided to leave the house and try to follow the boys to see where they were staying and if they had anyone else with them. It was a good thing too! They must have seen movement in our window and although they tried to act all calm, we could both tell they were freaking out a little bit and figured they would come check out the house we were in. Gary said we should leave our garbage so they would know someone was here, for sure, and then we could see how they would react.
We had just ducked into the house across the alley when they came down the alley and went into the place we had been. When they came out, they immediately headed back the way they had come from. I could tell from the way they were moving that they thought they were being really suave about it, like there was nothing out of the ordinary. But, it was obvious that we had rattled them.
Turns out, they are staying in this compound three streets from where they saw something. They made it back there in like 15 minutes and shortly after, they came back out with three girls. They spent the rest of the afternoon reinforcing their fence, gates and house. We really must have freaked them out.

From what we saw, they seem to be good people. Most of them are pretty young, maybe a little older than Jenna, and they don't know as much as they think they do. It seems like they got most of their information from movies and T.V.
Gary and I waited until the sun started to go down and then snuck back to my truck. Then we drove back to our group and had a meeting to discuss what we saw. It has been decided that as soon as Henry is able to be moved, we are going to go to Aspen and see if we can get in touch with the people we saw there. The compound they are staying in would be perfect for both of our groups to stay in together and we can really help them get the place way more secure. I hope they are as nice as they seemed. I'm sure Jenna would enjoy having people closer to her own age around. I know she gets along with the kids and the adults, but she must miss people her own age.

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.