Day 9: I woke in the early morning hours to the sound of Moonbeam tinkering with her jeep. I rolled off my cot and noticed my torn muscle didn’t scream in pain. Good start to the day. I grabbed two coffees and made my way out the gate. Moonbeam had tore the top off the jeep to its roll-bars. She thankfully grabbed my caffeine offering and smiled. She seems so happy when she’s playing with her jeep. She added a stag skull to the hood and proudly announced, “I christen thee, The Beast.”
Beto approached with a forlorn look on his face. He said during the night he got a call on the radio from someone offering the location of a materials stash in exchange for help with a plague heart. In this post-apocalyptic world where money has no value the only currency is trade. Goods or information, it’s valuable. Beto said when he got to the location with his contact everything was going well until a pack of ferals surprised them while they were assaulting the heart. The contact died and so did the information on where the materials were stashed.
Antonio joined us and said he had a question for all of us. He said his friend Trish is in the area, newly arrived from Drucker County. Said she’s a really good friend and would like her to meet the group, see how we all vibe. I could tell right away “Trish” was more than a friend to Antonio. We readily agreed as Antonio has already demonstrated his choice of friends is supreme.
When Trish arrived she greeted Antonio warmly. This felt really refreshing to me. After introductions were made she said she brought gifts. Can’t come to a friend’s home empty handed, she said. She unslung her .50 caliber rifle and presented it to Beto saying, “A wolf to protect your pack.” Smiling at me she said she heard about my journal and would love to read it. I actually blushed. She gave me a firearms training manual. I need this! Joe got a combat knife. Moonbeam squealed at the greasy automotive magazine. Sandy was given a book of jokes. Trish is going to fit right in.
Antonio volunteed to give Trish a tour. Beto and Joe got into a discussion on how to make our barracks more comfortable. Sandy said we need a feast tonight and headed for the kitchen. This left Moonbeam and I together. She looked at me and asked if I wanted to go for a ride in the Beast. You know it! I’ve been cooped up for days.
It was a beautiful day. The open air feel of the Beast is nice. We drove by Lofty Acres and came across a field of dead cows. We knew a plague heart had to be close by. Moonbeam told stories about her prepper aunt. A lady named Lily Ritter radioed encouraging all listeners to head to Trumbull Valley. About ten minutes later a guy named Ray Santos sent almost an identical message. First CLEO, then Lily, followed by Ray. What is going on in Trumbull Valley?
We continued down the road toward the edge of town. Moonbeam said there were a lot of wrecked cars she could salvage items from. She came across a beat up modified sedan and shrieked, “I want it!” She looked it over from top to bottom and announced with and air of competence that she could fix it.
As we drove back to base she mulled over how she was going to get the beat up car back to base. It’s at least three miles from home. “You think Trish has a tow truck?” she laughed.
When we got back to base Beto excitedly showed us the “luxury” barracks. There are partitions between the cots so we all have privacy. I love it! By the end of the day our group of survivors had built a garden, shooting range, gym, cooking area, and improved the barracks. With Trish we are now seven.
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