Redemption

             Since we left the dinner not much has happened. We've been marching on, stopping to charge the go karts, and closing the gap to San Diego. It sucks because we can only go about  30 or so miles a day it's taking so long. Luckily we're taking the freeway. Less slack jaws and there is always a building nearby, that we can duck into for the night. I've seen a change in the slack jaws recently. Some charge us like normal more often than not they just stare at us. I especially saw this when we passed by all the farm land in central California. Last night I walked up to one, I got three feet away from it before it tried attacking me, But once it got my scent it rushed me.

        This was the first time I had to fight one since the diner. as it attacked me I kept getting flashes of that girl in the diner. When I manged to get it off me I grabbed me sword, but I couldn't dispatch it. It came closer, and closer, until the the point of my sword was at it's chest, but it didn't stop it impaled itself. I could smell the rotting flesh as it inched in closer. I couldn't move I was paralyzed with fear.it had reached the hilt and leaned in. Suddenly the slack jaw got heavy. That's when I noticed the knife in it's head. I looked over and saw Evelyn hand on the knife. The same hand that in two second would leave it's mark on my cheek.

      I held my my stinging face in shock, and said, with a little laugh "This is becoming a pattern in your life." Evelyn didn't find it funny. She was really mad her face was as red as my cheek. "What is wrong with you? I understand why it upset you when you put down that girl back at the diner. It was horrible for all of us, but Jake we are at war, and we expect you to lead us. What happened to the man that crushed Quintin's rule." I responded, " I can't do it any more I can't fight these things. I don't want to lose my humanity." Evelyn just sighed and looked me in the eyes. "Jake I understand, you're concerned, but that is why I don't worry. You have a conscience fueled by compassion. You know right from wrong. That's the difference between you and Quentin. He has no compassion, so fills that void with his own desires." You didn't kill that girl because you wanted to, it was a reflex. That doesn't make you a bad man. Trust me if you ever get to far off the reservation I'll give you a good slap." I smiled at her gave her a hug, and said "Thank you." Then she looked at me and said, "Good, now you need to shape up, and be the man that survived the apocalypse, commandeered a helicopter, overthrew a tyrant, and found a cure to the worst disease of all time." I said, "I didn't do that alone I needed my team", Evelyn responded "and now they need you.

      So starting tomorrow this expedition will no longer be about trying to redeem the bad things I've done, but rather to save other people from having to share those things.

We're Off

     We have begun our trek. I'm posting to you from a small restaurant. We were able to travel about 30 miles today. There were so many slack jaws. It had actually been days since I had seen one. I most of them are in the final stage of degeneration. We also haven't seen any survivors. Yet today we quickly re-initiated into this savage world. when we arrived at the diner in which we now reside.

      We had run out of energy on our kart. so we had to roll them for 3 miles before we found a place we could lock down. We had brought with us a set a human powered generators. Ratio designed them for us. The way they work is through a spring loaded pulley you hook up the device to any firmly secured pole or from a banister and pull the ripcord. The spring then pulls the ripcord back doubling the energy produced. I found our temporary fort, and started setting up the generators, when we heard A noise coming from the kitchen. We were all very surprised when we heard it because we had already cleared the building.

      I went into the kitchen to find it was just a rat that had knocked over some dishes. I decided to see if there were any provisions we could use. when I noticed a note on the walk-in fridge. It read " We were all bitten. We ask if found please dispatch us. We didn't have the strength to do it ourselves. If possible please bury us. Our names a DOB's are Arthur Doyle July 19th, 1963, Rebecca Doyle August 25th, 1961, and Annie Doyle February 9th 2006. We will spend out last moments praying that your lives won't end like ours." He signed and dated 03/23/13. I realized it was today. I quickly opened the door. I thought if I could get them out we could bring them with us. but what I found was not pretty. Their daughter had already turned and killed them. I stood there shocked not knowing what to do. She looked up and charged me. Before I knew what I was doing she had hit the ground, and I smelled the thin wisp of smoke from the muzzle of my gun. I crumbled to the ground and screamed "NOOOOO!".

     Hearing me the rest of the group rushed in to see what was going on. I actually don't remember what happened in those following minutes. When they found me I was sobbing and yelling "no" over and over again. The next thing I remembered was Evelyn wrapping me in an emergency blanket. She told me I had run to the corpse and wouldn't let go. This was the first child I had seen turned, and my reflexes dropped her. Such innocence corrupted, and cut down. I guess for the first time I couldn't come to grips with what I had just done. I still am in shock. I feel I have lost an important part of my humanity. Killing has become a reflex, like coughing. I fear that some day I might end up like Quentin.

    When I told Evelyn about my fear, she slapped me across the face. She told me to never say that again. She assured me that I would never be anything like him. I feel very blessed Evelyn came with us. Her presence has really helped me. In these past few weeks, she has become more and more important to me. I would tell her how I feel, but I won't jeopardize the team dynamic by iIndulging emotional catharsis. I now have added motivation to get this cure made.  Tomorrow we will be that much closer to our goal.

Stubborn

  We will be leaving in two days, and we have had a new member added to our roster. Evelyn insists on coming with us. I tried telling her we needed her here at the Hospital, but she told me she had already trained a proper successor, and that she wouldn't take no for an answer. Frankly I don't this turn of events. I look forward to this journey.

My New Squad

   While my father selects his new officers I have been assembling a team. I've chosen two from the security squad and two from the journey squad. Their names are Cody, Samantha, Damion, and Bruce. Each of them is well equipped and ready to fight. As we gain new group members some will be staying here. Zoey, Allen, Nicky, and Brian will all stay and continue to help. We'll be leaving in a few days. We'll be heading to San Diego.

My current roster

Raito
Luna
Cody
Samantha
Damion
Bruce

Decisions

     Over the past couple days we have been meeting with people about whether or not they think we should leave. No one wants to leave but they understand and support why we must. In 1 week we shall pack up and begin our long journey to the CDC with the cure. We will check in verbally every day at the beginning and end of each day. They will also be reading this blog when I post. Over the next week we will be helping my father interview new candidates for Officer positions. I will also be hand picking my defense crew. I hope that this journey will prove fruitful. We could be seeing the end of this plague once and for all.

Cracked It

      We did it! We've found a formula that will and destroy the fungal cells. However, the moment was bitter sweet. We don't have the facilities to make more, we had just enough for one experiment. Allen was willing to be the test subject, he was tired of taking a handful of pills everyday. So now we must make a decision. We can stay here perpetually comfortable, and focus on trying to contact the outside world. All the while, the fungus infects more and more people, or we can take a team out, and make the 400 mile journey to the Californian CDC headquarters. This option we risk the structural integrity of the community, because most of our government will be leaving. I need my team. plus some of the people we've trained. This is a tough decision  and we will take a while to come to a conclusion.

LUCKY ME!!!!!

       OK today was amazing. They chose the perfect guard. They chose Evelyn. They probably chose her because Brian knows I like her. We actually had a great time together we managed to get a TV in the room. We watched some movies. The hospital has quite the selection. We watched Star Wars, The Princess Bride, and The Mask. Before I knew it, the day was over. We both went to dinner together, and talked.
        Evelyn was studying forensics. Her dream was to run a private security/ investigation agency. She's studying three different martial arts. The explains her ability to fight so well. She was raised very differently then me. She came from a broken home. Her older brother was killed in a car accident. It led to her parent splitting up, and fighting over custody. She had no one to turn too, and her life got messed up. Finally one day she tried to dull the pain with anti depressants, but she couldn't run for long finally just as she hit rock bottom she encountered some People from a local church. They brought her in and she found that the people there all cared for her even though they had just met. That was the day her life changed for the better. One month later the plague began, and the rest is history.
        She actually asked me to share her story with you all. We both hope it might inspire some hope in you all. No matter how bad things get Christ will there for you. I know that is what has kept me going. That, and my friends. After dinner we went back and watched another movie. This time though she was off the clock. After the movie she left, but before she did I asked her if she wanted to come by tomorrow, and she said YES!!! This is amazing. For the first time we don't live in constant fear. We have real lives here. Everything is changing. Tomorrow i'll return to my work. A cure will be found. We can take back our world.

Lucky Me

          Today I got in trouble. I got caught sneaking back into the lab. They gave me a choice either they handcuff me to my to the tailing that lines the room, or they'll post a guard. I choose the guard so tomorrow I'll be getting babysat. This sucks I just wanna work. I'm sure who ever they pick I can duck out and get back to the lab.

A Break

   Today I blacked out while working. I haven't slept in three days I've been so busy on the project. I feel as though sleep isn't worth the time lost. I forgot that my team consist of very capable people who can work when I'm not there. Out head physician suggest I take the next couple days off. This will be the most challenging task yet. I have no idea what I'll do with myself.

Slowing Down

       Well life is starting to wind down. We're all getting into our ruts. I get up every morning and work on the  cure, and everyone else goes about their days. We haven't had a fight since the sadists left. My research is coming along great, I believe I'm only a couple months away from breaking this thing.