The Journal of Madie Beartri

Journal 143

It was a long night as expected. Hess is still making a fuss, although she was actually quiet for a couple of hours. Sheriff Pete’s deputies have been taking turns keeping an eye on her just in case she escapes from the restraints holding her to the bed. I dropped by to check on her progress and had to leave shortly afterwards. She has a mouth like a sailor. I tried to be good and not spit profanity back at her, but I failed. I feel sorry for her and it is very difficult to see her this way but I can’t help but think that she should have known better than to try Bliss. I thought she had more common sense than that. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised half the population currently uses Bliss.

I ran into Tony at breakfast. Victor had bad dreams all night long and now refuses to come out of the basement. I’m not surprised if someone had tied me to a post and threatened to light me on fire, I’d probably have bad dreams too. If fact, I do have bad dreams on occasion. My life after the virus has not been easy. I have many bad memories I wish I could forget. We’ll save those stories for another time.

The Library Trio came back with information on how safely to help Hess with her addiction. Time, friendship, and understanding are currently our only options. We’ll see. She is going to beat this, or she won’t. I hope she calms down soon. People are starting to get irritable. Several people have moved to the other side of the building to get away from the screaming and profanity she seems to think is necessary. I even heard a couple people suggest we hand her over to the Black Cobras. They were suffering from lack of sleep, I think.

Journal 142

I thanked Joshua for saving Victor and the Black Cobras from Hess burning them to death. His quick thinking allowed Yates the time to send his soldiers around behind Hess and keep her from lighting the fire. I have no love for the Black Cobras, but I draw the line at burning people at the stake. Those three boys would have died a gruesome death if Joshua hadn’t been passing by.

The rest of the evening at Bear Country was interesting. We tied Hess to a bed to keep her from harming herself or anyone else. Pete has put guards in her room to keep her company. The Library Trio (Marty, Gretchen, and Cecelia) are looking up the proper procedure to detoxify someone safely. I am thinking the only thing we are going to be able to do is to keep her away from Bliss and make sure she drinks water. I don’t know how long she has been using Bliss, but I have a feeling her withdrawal from Bliss is not going to be a quiet happy one. I have a feeling I am not going to get much sleep for the next few days.

Victor received several showers. The first couple of showers he wasn’t using soap. The result was that he still smelled like gasoline. The smallest spark and Victor was going to light up like a Christmas tree. Tony kept sending him back to the showers and told him if he didn’t use soap he wasn’t getting any dinner. I don’t know why boys try to avoid soap.

Journal 141

The crowd continued to increase. The Black Cobras struggled with their restraints that held them to the post. I think everyone was holding his or her breath. Most of Bear Country was present, including Tony. Tony was having a great deal of trouble letting Joshua handle the situation. I was having trouble letting Joshua handle the situation. He was doing well considering the circumstances. It would have been stupid to intervene with the dialog Joshua was establishing with Hess. All the people gathering around were starting to make Hess nervous. She started waving the torch at people and talking about how the Cobras have ruined her life. I was holding my breath hoping Joshua could convince Hess not to torch the Black Cobras, especially not Victor. He made several bad choices, but he didn’t deserve to die burned at the stake.

Yates whispered in my ear that he had an idea. He silently sent a couple of his soldiers around behind Hess. The next few minutes were extremely intense as Joshua tried to get Hess to focus her attention on him. Yates’s soldiers slowly crept up on Hess. The crowd, aware of what was happening said nothing. There were a couple of Blue Monarchs in the crowd. I continued to hold my breath hoping no one would tip Hess off that someone was sneaking up behind her. One soldier grabbed Hess as the other grabbed the torch before it hit the ground igniting the Black Cobras.

After the ordeal ended, I offered to take the now bound Hess back to Bear Country. She was not herself. The Blue Monarchs in the crowd said they had been having difficulties with her. Their numbers had dwindled down to a few because she was out of control. They welcomed having her out of their hands.

Journal 139

I didn’t go to bed until late. I was up talking with Yates, Tony, Hemy, Matt and Pete. We sat in the cafeteria, discussed the Black Cobras, and ate cinnamon buns until way after midnight. Hemy stumbled across the cinnamon buns at a roadside stand and traded a rechargeable battery for them. They were so good. I haven’t had a cinnamon bun in years.

I slept so well after I crawled into my bed. I think it’s because General Yates and his soldiers were sleeping out on my front lawn. I offered to let them sleep in the gymnasium, but Yates said they would be more comfortable sleeping outside underneath the stars. Actual soldiers posted around Bear Country have eliminated my worries of an invasion by the Black Cobras, at least for the moment.

By the time I woke Yates and his soldiers had already put in a full day of work. Yates sent some of his men out on a mission to gather information. They were returning by the time I finished my breakfast. Joshua arrived shortly after that. He apologized for not being able to attend a meeting yesterday but there had been trouble out at the Spurs Fort.

Joshua hasn’t had a lot of difficulty or problems out at the Spurs Fort unless you count the cattle raiders that were a significant problem when they first moved to Bear Country. Most of the local gangs look at the Spurs as an asset to the community. To my surprise, the difficulties yesterday involved the Blue Monarchs. A couple of Joshua’s gang members were on security rounds and discovered two dead Monarchs sitting against their south wall. It looked as if they had overdosed on Bliss.

Journal 138

Joshua sent a return runner to Bear Country. He couldn’t attend a meeting until tomorrow. He had issues to deal with at the Spurs Fort that couldn’t wait. Our runner sent to get in touch with Hess of the Blue Monarchs returned without an answer. She has once again gone into hiding.

General Yates and I had a long talk. When I sent Sheriff Pete and Jonas to Fort Shasta, I was hoping General Yates could help us with a solution to get rid of the Black Cobras. Our own efforts are failing. We have tried to stop their supply lines but Bliss continues to pour into the community. We have placed posters all around town discouraging people from joining the Cobras. We have held rallies protesting against the Black Cobras and their production of Bliss. The Black Cobras retaliate by placing people in their jails, humiliating them in the streets or worse executing them for everyone to see. Life as a Black Cobra is not an easy one, they have a great deal of enemies. I have run across several dead Cobras displayed in the streets. No one claims the kill for fear of retaliation. Their numbers continue to grow.

People fill the streets that are unable to stand, walk, or talk clear sentences. They sleep in the gutters. The Black Cobras continue to recruit. Their gang numbers grow daily. Individual gang assets are quickly becoming Black Cobra property. Out of desperation and the need for more Bliss people, swear their allegiance and hand over their property to the Cobras.

I took Yates on a tour of the safer parts of town around Bear Country. I wanted him to see what was happening. (We didn’t go alone we had several armed guards carrying weapons.) Even in the safe part of town, you could see the effects of Bliss on the community. Yates was impressed by the tour and at the same time appalled by what he saw. He asked me to leave this behind and return with him to the safety of Fort Shasta. I think I need to try to fix the problem. For some reason it just feels wrong to walk away. I am tempted.

Journal 137

Sheriff Pete and Jonas returned home safely and in time to save the day. I think I worried the entire time they were gone. The walk toward Fort Shasta led right through Alexandria City and Mathias’ slave trade. Security has not been the same since Pete left. His deputies did a good job, but I feel safer when Pete is here. Matt was glad to see his brother again. He never mentioned Jonas being gone but you could tell on his return that Matt missed him. Hugs and High fives were everywhere.

I felt tremendous relief when I saw Yates jump off the truck. If anyone could help solve the Black Cobra and Bliss problem, it would be Yates and his soldiers. I could have avoided this entire Black Cobra issue if I had stayed with Yates at Fort Shasta. I was so very close to giving up everything here.

Yates had his soldiers park their trucks around Bear Country and he posted guards. I am hoping to have a gang meeting. I sent a runner to get Joshua. I also sent a runner to try to get a hold of Hess and the Blue Monarchs. If we find Hess, I don’t think she will attend the meeting, but I thought it would be politically correct to invite her.  She is very allusive and has her own agenda.

Information travels fast. It wasn’t long before gangs from the surrounding area were checking out Yates’ soldiers and the trucks he brought to Bear Country.

Journal 136

Yesterday was a long and tiring day. Matt, Hemy, Tony, Lisa and I went hunting for Black Cobras. We didn’t catch any. Actually, we didn’t make much of an effort because even if we did capture a Cobra while in the middle of town, we wouldn’t have been able to get him out without capture. There were entirely too many blockades to get through. I think catching Black Cobras should be reserved for those Cobras traveling on the edge of town or those near Bear Country. Bear Country has not given up on its fight with the Cobras; our efforts to undermine their hold on our town continues in many other ways.

I was exhausted and my feet hurt by the time we got back to Bear Country. Tony and I grabbed something to eat. He was in the mood to talk. I don’t think I actually comprehended half of what he was saying during the meal. Afterward, I went up to my room in the admin hallway and went to bed.

Around 8 am this morning, one of Sheriff Pete’s deputies interrupted my perfectly good sleep by knocking on my door. The Black Cobras were on our front lawn. They were trying to place signs on our campus claiming Bear Country was under new management. Yesterday I made a regrettable decision. Signing those documents to get patches to gain easier access to areas blocked off in town was a mistake in judgment. I should have followed my gut feelings.

I think I was the last person to know the Black Cobras were in Bear Country. (See what happens when I sleep in.) Almost everyone residing in Bear Country was already outside.  Hemy, Tony and a couple of Pete’s deputies were holding back the Cobras trying to keep them from entering Bear Country. Matt was actually fighting with one of the Black Cobras on the front lawn. Matt looked like he was winning. I was getting ready to break up the fight when I heard trucks coming up the street. It was General Yates and a group of his soldiers from Ft Shasta. The army had arrived. I have never been so glad to see someone. The Cobras didn’t hang around but the leader of the little gang trying to gain access to Bear Country said they would be back. I don’t doubt they’ll try.

Journal 135

Matt, Hemy, Tony, Lisa and I went traveling through town looking for Black Cobras to abduct. I felt like we were mice in a maze. It seems like every time we turned a corner we would run into a blockade. The only people allowed through the blockade were those wearing Black Cobra patches. Matt and Hemy suggested we all get patches. It would make our travel through town easier and less time consuming. I was totally against that. I was not going to wear one of those patches and be associated with being a follower of the Black Cobras. We all ducked behind a building and debated the issue. After several minutes of a semi loud discussion, I agreed to wear the patch. I was not wearing it on a daily basis and it came off as soon as we were on the edge of town. The five of us walked up to a Cobra Barricade. We joyfully asked for a patch.

Getting the patch wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. We all had to agree to have our pictures taken, fingerprints and sign a document that said we agreed to the rules and laws set forth by the Black Cobras. I almost backed out. I did not want to sign on the line. I felt as if I was betraying Bear Country. I could tell the others were having the same thoughts. Traveling through town was easier with the patch. The Black Cobras just waved you through the barricades. This could partly explain why so many people had them.

The patch didn’t solve our other issue. Even if we caught a Black Cobra, how were we supposed to get him or her to the Blue Monarchs holding area for disposal?