The Journal of Madie Beartri

Journal 50

After a moment of prodding by me, Tony ran after Pete. I finished off Tony’s eggs. It was an hour before the two of them returned to Bear Country. I was sitting at the top of the stairs with Hemy, Gretchen and Cecelia. The four of us were discussing babies. Gretchen and Cecelia have the cutest tummies. It is possible to feel their babies move. Marty was out looking for baby furniture. He is the most adorable father to be.

Tony and Pete went straight to the weight room. I hung outside the weight room doors for about 10 minutes trying to listen to their conversation. Unfortunately, the doors are thick and hard to hear through. I gave up trying to listen after Hemy drug me away from the door. Hemy said I was snooping. For the record, I’m supposed to snoop it’s my job. If I don’t snoop, I can’t write down what happens around here. It was lunch before Pete and Tony finally came out of the weight room. They must have been working out hard. Tony and Pete were both drenched in sweat. I offered to make both lunches. I suggested they both shower first. The heat and the stink were radiating off both.

Journal 49

I couldn’t sleep so I woke up early to start my day. I ran into Lisa as I was going to the showers. I don’t think she was expecting anyone else to be up that early, especially not me.

Lisa was not happy to see me. When I arrived in the bathroom, Lisa was standing in front of the mirror examining a large bruise on her left arm. Without asking, I knew it was Tyson. Lisa tried quickly to put on her shirt so I couldn’t see the bruises. I confronted Lisa about Tyson and his violent behavior. She told me to mind my own business. I tried to make her listen to reason. In her anger, she pushed me against one of the sinks. My tailbone hit the waterspout on the sink. I banged my head on the mirror and broke it. I also put a nice little cut on the back of my head. I didn’t realize the cut was there until I jumped into the shower and started washing my hair.

After my shower, I went down to the food stores to see if I could find something for breakfast. Tony was already up cooking eggs. They smelled so good. It’s not easy to find eggs in the marketplace.

Not a lot of people have chickens. Getting eggs usually requires knowing someone that has chickens and usually you must be good friends with this person. Tony was a little surprised to see me. I hobbled into the kitchen on my sore foot and bandages around my head. Tony said it looked like I had just returned from war.

Tony rescued me and helped me sit down at a table. Sitting was a challenge I think I bruised my tailbone on the sink faucet.

I started to tell Tony what happened in the bathroom when Sheriff Pete walked in on our conversation. He heard me mention Lisa and the bruises on her arm. He ran out as quickly as he entered.

Journal 48

If what I heard is true, then Aloysius is truly magnificent. I think this is probably not the case. I doubt Aloysius is everything his/her followers claim. I am not sure why people look towards religion to fix the problems of the day. If we are going to get back what we had before the virus it is going to take determination and cooperation from all. I guess in a small way I wish there was a person out there that really knew how to fix all of our problems. He or she would put life back to the way it was before the virus destroyed everything that was good.

I’m the only person that can fix or improve my situation. I can ask for the help of my friends and my friends can ask for my help. Profits are only out to improve their situation. There is always some hidden agenda. There are good gangs and there are bad gangs. I have seen more bad than good. The strong usually prey upon the weak. I am afraid that this is the way life will continue to be for a long time coming. I think our struggles are only the beginning. The strong will continue to get stronger, and the weak will continue to look toward the strong for a quick fix to their problems.

We can rebuild society. It is going to take time. Along the way there is going to be obstacle after obstacle. I can think of about a dozen people who have proclaimed themselves profits. None of these people were real. They played on the weakness and needs of others to improve their standing in society. Ultimate power over the masses was usually the goal.

I saw Lisa and Tyson at the Aloysius rally. They were hugging and kissing. I guess she forgave him. What a shame. I wish I knew what kind of hold he has on her. Sheriff Pete will not be happy. Lisa’s happiness and welfare are important to him.

Journal 47

Matt, Hemy, Tony and I spent several hours at the park today. It was nice. We packed lunch, the game trouble, and a football. Hemy and I beat the boys in 3 out of four games of trouble. It wasn’t Matt or Tony’s day to roll a six. Hemy and I kept throwing sixes repeatedly. Hemy and I would have two of our game pieces home before Tony or Matt even made it out of the starting gate.

Tony and Matt decided to toss the football around after losing three consecutive games of trouble in a row. Hemy and I weren’t interested in playing. We decided to lie under a tree and talk. We were having a nice conversation when suddenly the air filled with music. Hemy in all her wisdom asked if today Sunday was. We discussed the matter and concluded that today was not Sunday but some other day of the week. Neither of us was sure which one. We followed the sound of the music and discovered we were not alone in the park. A group of about 50 followers of Aloysius was also in the park.

Curiosity was killing me. I had to know what was up with this Aloysius person. I persuaded Matt, Hemy and Tony to walk with me to the other side of the park and listen to the words of Aloysius. I was hoping to be inspired. We didn’t get to see Aloysius, but we did get to see about half a dozen people talk about the great Aloysius and all of his good deeds.

Journal 46

We sometimes learn lessons the hard way. Lisa locked herself in her room. She won’t let me in, and she won’t come out.

The evening started out very mellow. I was spending a little time outside. The night sky was clear. It hadn’t been clear since before the meteors and the earthquakes. It was a beautiful quiet evening. Everyone had gone out for the night.

I was sitting on the front steps of the school with my foot propped up on a pillow. I was watching the stars and enjoying the night air. I was at peace.

My peace ended abruptly as Sheriff Pete and a couple of his deputies threw Lisa’s boyfriend out the front doors of the school and down the stairs. The next few moments are somewhat of a blur. I was trying to recover from having my foot stepped on by Tyson. He stepped on my foot after Pete tried to shove him further down the stairs.

Lisa was crying at the top of the stairs begging Pete and Tyson to stop fighting. Lisa’s hair was a mess and cake covered her shirt. Pete wasn’t going to stop fighting with Tyson until he agreed not to return to Bear Country. Tyson wasn’t going to leave until Lisa agreed to leave with him. The next few moments were a bit intense. I thought Lisa would choose to leave but she didn’t. Tyson left but not before telling Lisa, she was worthless.

Journal 45

I slept in. All that walking yesterday seriously tired me out. My little toe is killing me. I woke up this morning with my toe stuck to the top sheet of my bed. I didn’t realize my toe was stuck until I moved my leg and ripped off the top layer of my toe. I bled all the way to the bathroom.

Lisa was baking her cake when I went down to breakfast. It smelled nice. Lisa didn’t look like she was enjoying the process of baking. She was stressing over whether her boyfriend was going to like it. She kept peeking in the oven to make sure it wasn’t going to burn or overcooked. Lisa said her boyfriend is very particular about the food he eats. She wanted the cake to be perfect. I hope he is thankful. Pete said Lisa’s boyfriend is a control freak. I have known men like that. They are not easy to please.

Tony and Victor asked if I wanted to go and spend the day out at the Spurs Fort. I would have liked to visit with Joshua but the thought of walking all that way on my sore foot didn’t sound appealing. I declined. Tony wanted me to go. He begged and pleaded until I uncovered my toe. Tony kissed me on my forehead and asked me to keep my foot clean. He said he didn’t want to return to Bear Country later tonight and discovered that it was necessary to hold me down and cut my foot off. He has an obvious deep concern for my welfare.

Journal 44

Heed the will of Aloysius. Praise be Aloysius. Aloysius is the way. People filled the streets singing their praises. At least they were nice about it. A roadside kiosk owner offered me a glass of water. The water was a gift from Aloysius. He doesn’t want anyone to thirst. The walk home was longer than I had expected. I now have a blister the size of Texas on the top of my little toe. I won’t be putting my shoe back on my right foot for a couple of days. It’s my punishment from Aloysius for taking the canned apples.

I almost succeeded in putting the canned apple pie filling back into the food stores. I was pulling the two cans of apples out of my backpack when Pete walked around the corner. Sheriff Pete didn’t believe me when I said I was restocking our supplies. I tried to play innocent but, I had to admit that I took the apples. He was a bit peeved I didn’t speak up and then told Lisa I took them.

Journal 43

It’s sad. Our parents and grandparents thought they had prepared everything. The wealthy-built fallout shelters to safeguard their families in case the unmentionable happened. I guess they weren’t expecting a virus. All their preparations to survive a global war were futile. An overzealous scientist let a science experiment escape out into the world. At least, I think that’s what happened. I’m not sure. My parents used to discuss the epidemic over dinner. I only half listened. I really didn’t know the severity of the situation until the epidemic spread to my neighborhood. Once the virus reached your house, it was only a matter of days before death raised his ugly head.

I think Mrs. White was the first casualty on our block. She died sitting in her rocker on her front porch with her cat sitting on her lap. Body retrievers were already in use by then. A phone number continuously scrolled across the bottom of the TV. If someone died in your neighborhood you were supposed to call the number. Only the stupid would come within 100 feet of a dead body. If a family member died you were supposed to place them on the curb next to the street. The body retrievers drove around in a big army truck. People dressed in chemical suits would retrieve the bodies. Old lady White was on her porch for days. I had nightmares every night for a week after she died. I kept dreaming she would come into my house and sit at the foot of my bed. By the time, my parents died the body retrievers didn’t come around anymore.

Capt Patel was in a hurry to see me leave after we reached the main room. Everyone was strangely quiet. Another communiqué was on hold on one of the big screen TVs. Capt Patel’s first officer looked a bit nervous and a little agitated at my presence. I tried to ask what was going on, but no one seemed interested in answering my questions. Red shirts escorted me out the front door. They threw me down the front stairs.

Journal 42

After a few minutes of negotiations, I agreed to hand over my fidget spinner and a window punch in exchange for two cans of canned apples. The fidget spinner was for Bubba. In hindsight, I regret giving up my window punch.

Capt Patel and I walked back out into the main room. The lights were on low. A computer game played on both big screen TVs. It looked fun. I stopped to watch. Capt Patel grabbed me by my shirt and tugged me along. He was a bit impatient. I followed him into the kitchen.

I was expecting Capt. Patel to open one of the cabinets in the kitchen and hand me two cans of canned apples. It didn’t happen. Instead, we passed through another security door, walked down a flight of stairs, walked down a long hallway, and entered a walk- in refrigerator. The refrigerator was huge. From ceiling to floor were stacks and stacks of canned goods. Capt Patel handed me the two cans of apples as we agreed upon and we made our way back to the top.

Capt Patel’s grandfather had been part of a secret society of survivalists. He built the underground structure of the house in the 1980’s. It was supposed to be a safe retreat in case of nuclear attack.

Journal 41

The flat screen on the wall said, “In Coming Communiqué.” Capt Patel had a couple of his security guards shuffle me off to another room. I played with the starship models displayed around the room for about 20 minutes. I lost track of time. Some of the ships had actual working lights. I don’t think Capt Patel appreciated me touching his starships. I was flying the Enterprise around the room when he walked in. He asked me to put his ship back where I found it. I went to put the ship back on its stand and tripped on a snag in the rug. I didn’t drop the ship, but you should have seen the expression on the captain’s face. I think I caused his heart to skip a couple of beats. If he didn’t want me playing with the starships he should have put me in a different room.

I had to stand there for about five minutes and listen to Capt Patel scold me for touching his ships. The ships he had been collecting and building for years, the ships that meant more to him than life. He went on and on with his tirade. I kept trying to interrupt. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I yelled “Do you have canned apple pie filling or not!”