The Journal of Madie Beartri

Journal 128

I couldn’t spend one more moment cooped up inside Bear Country. I wasn’t in the mood to tear down Black Cobra posters or throw manure at unsuspecting Cobras from the rooftops. No one wanted to go to town anyway. Tony locked himself in the basement. He won’t talk to me or let me in. It sounds like he is building something in there. I could hear banging and clanging coming from inside the room as I stood outside the door.

Out of desperation for companionship, I walked out to the Spurs Fort to spend the day with Joshua. I kept my fingers crossed the whole walk there and I prayed he wasn’t too busy to spend a little time with me. I needed someone to talk to me.

Joshua was busy but he let me help with whatever task he was working on. I worked hard most of the day. I’m going to be sore in the morning. I can already feel my muscles protesting about the day’s unexpected workout. I usually try to avoid physical labor but today it felt good. Sleeping tonight shouldn’t be a problem. Joshua is letting me sleep in one of the newly built bunkhouses and he promised me a grand breakfast in the morning.

Journal 127

I’ve been sitting at my desk, staring out the window. It’s a beautiful sunny day outside but you couldn’t tell it by the mood inside of Bear Country. The mood in here is extremely depressing. Almost no one is venturing out of his or her rooms. The people I have seen are walking around without saying much of anything to anyone. The younger children are usually running up and down the halls. I haven’t seen any of them today.

Tony has locked himself inside the basement. He won’t let me in. I asked Tony if he wanted to join me for breakfast. I volunteered to make pancakes or anything he wanted to eat. He turned me down. I went back at lunch to see if he wanted to go to the arcade. He said no again and asked me to go away. I walked away but only after making a couple more attempts at gaining entrance.

Hemy and the Central Bobcats are attempting to make themselves at home inside Bear Country. They have taken up residence in the empty classrooms in the west wing of the school. They mostly keep to themselves. I think they are still recovering from having to leave their home. Hemy is handling things much better than I would. I would be a crazy woman if I had to give up my home. Matt is doing his best to make the transition as easy as possible and he has finally moved out of his room in the admin hallway. I was beginning to think he was never going to give up that room. Today he moved all of his stuff in with Hemy in the west wing.

Journal 126

It was an early morning for Tony and me. I think we left Bear Country around 4 am. There are less people up at that hour. It makes sabotaging the Black Cobras easier. Not necessarily safer but easier. Tony and I were making considerable progress when we unexpectedly came across a group of Black Cobras tormenting a couple of Blue Monarchs. Tony and I were just getting ready to intervene and stop the madness when we noticed one of the Cobras was Victor. The two of us dove behind a couple of burning barrels. I had to stop Tony from jumping out at Victor and ringing his scrawny little neck.

The Cobras are the scum of the earth. They beat people up for fun. This is not something new. Tony was pissed. He said a few words I rather not repeat. I don’t think he was pissed because the Black Cobras were beating up Blue Monarchs. I think Tony was pissed because Victor was one of them. I was pissed Victor was one of them. It is sad to say but I wish we had not taken in the little runt. We gave him food and shelter. He would have starved to death if it had not been for Tony.

We couldn’t intervene and save the Blue Monarchs from their tormentors. Victor would have recognized us and led the Black Cobras back to Bear Country. It was difficult but we chose to sneak away and let the Blue Monarchs attempt to escape from the Cobras on their own.

Tony didn’t say anything all the way back home but I could tell he was angry and disappointed. I feel bad for him. I don’t know what to say to make things better.

Journal 125

I said goodbye to Aleece, Casey and Alexander this morning. It was hard not to cry when they left. I am keeping my fingers crossed that their journey is a safe one. Casey said she would send a letter as soon as they are settled. Alexander promised to keep them safe. I wish they didn’t have to leave but I understand the need to keep Aleece safe and out of harm’s way. I will miss Aleece very much. For a while, she was mine and in that, short time I grew very attached.

The violence in town continues to escalate. I tried to go to town to pick up some needed supplies and barely escaped trouble. I ducked behind a corner as the Cobras chase some little kid down the street. I thought of intervening but my arm is still recovering from the blow I received at the rally. I have to pick my battles and that particular battle didn’t look very favorable. The Black Cobras are everywhere and many of them have terrible attitudes. Many Black Cobras walk around as if they are God. Not showing the proper respect can result in broken bones or worse. Keeping a low profile is essential these days.

Our attacks against the Black Cobras continue although out of plain site. Random fires have been springing up all over town against Cobra assets. Retaliation from the Black Cobras has been cruel and gruesome. I am not sure if our efforts are making any difference at all. I have been trying to get a message to Hess of the Blue Monarchs. I can’t find her. She is keeping a low profile or she has left town. Today, I am not sure which.

Journal 124

The Black Cobras continue to make life hell on the Central Campus side of Lafayette Blvd. I guess I should be thankful that they are not interested in Bear Country. Matt and Hemy have given up trying to keep Central out of Cobra hands. Matt, Hemy, and several remaining gang members from the Central campus have moved into Bear Country.

Joshua made an offer that I almost could not refuse. He has suggested that Bear Country merge with the Spurs. If I weren’t so determined to keep Bear Country out of Black Cobra hands, I would take him up on his offer.  I am keeping my options open. I hope this doesn’t become necessary.

Joshua and the Spurs are not immune to Black Cobra troubles. The Black Cobras attempted to take over the Spurs Fort. In the early morning hours, a band of Black Cobras attacked Joshua’s gang. It was a mistake. Joshua and his gang are well armed and well trained. The Cobras will definitely think twice before attempting to do that again.

Many of the local gangs continue to fight off the Black Cobras including Bear Country. It is difficult and many of the smaller gangs have fallen and failed at their attempts to keep the Cobras from taking over. The Black Cobras continue to increase in numbers, mostly because the smaller gangs don’t have the power to fight. The alternative is jail, death or abandoning their home. I have sent Sheriff Pete and Jonas on a mission for help. If everything goes well they should return within a week, hopefully with reinforcements.

Journal 123

Usually when I dream it’s a bunch of random events mixed up into a complicated mess that makes absolutely no sense. I had the most disturbing dream last night. Before my parents died, before the virus I went to a lake with a group of friends from my school. I went after my parents told me I couldn’t go because it was too dangerous. (The year before a student was seriously injured. We ignored the off limits sign.) Swinging out on the rope and jumping into the water was a rite of passage. If you swung out far enough you would miss the branches and roots. I lied to my parents and went to the lake. We had a great day. No one was hurt. Our day was a success. So we thought.  We all jumped except for Sally. She couldn’t get up the nerve to swing out on the rope. Several of the kids started calling her chicken and four eyed freak and a few other hurtful names. She left crying. I forgot about her until the next day when the news said she was missing. The search for Sally lasted more than a week. A group of kids attempting to make the jump found her floating faces down in the lake. I never told my parents I had been to the lake and made the jump.

In my dream, it was the same situation only the person not wanting to jump was Runt (Victor). Large roots filled the lake. No sane person would jump. I kept trying to convince Victor that he didn’t have to jump. He finally jumped only in my dream when he made the jump we were standing on top of a building. I woke up before I saw Victor hit the ground.

Journal 122

I hate days like today, everyone crying and saying goodbye. It has been a very sad morning. Several gang members have left Bear Country to find a safer place to live away from the Black Cobras. I hate saying goodbye. I hate seeing my friends leave. Casey and Alexander have also decided to leave Bear Country. This makes my heart hurt. They will be leaving in a few days. Casey is giving me a little time to say goodbye to Aleece. Sometimes we all have to make hard decisions. I wish Casey didn’t have to make this one. Bear Country is her home. Little Aleece was born just down the hall. The Black Cobras have ruined a perfectly good community.

Sheriff Pete and Jonas spent the day in town making life difficult for the Black Cobras. Everything went well and they made it home safely. Things have not gone well for a couple of the other gangs. The Black Cobras have filled the jail and started retaliating against gangs caught interrupting the flow of Bliss into the community. A couple of people have been beaten and put on display.

Journal 121

I waited forever. I had almost convinced myself that I wasn’t going to get the information on where and when Hess was going to hold the meeting. I had to make excuses about a dozen times over the last couple of days on why I couldn’t leave Bear Country. About 3 am yesterday morning, I hear a knock on my door. A runner hands me a note with a destination and the word NOW! He is gone before I could say thank you or get more information.

I arrive at the destination printed on the note. Shortly after arriving guards blindfolded and took me somewhere else. It was an apartment, not on the first floor. I think we went up four flights of stairs. I lost count. It’s hard to climb stairs blindfolded. The apartment was black. Candles lit the room. I counted twenty people. Some of which I have never seen. There were several gang leaders from unexplored parts of town. When we arrived, our host told us not to talk to each other. I exchanged head nods with people I recognized. We mostly stared at each other. Hess walked into the room and said that what she had to say wasn’t up for debate. We could follow her battle plan or leave now and fight the Black Cobras on our own. I received a piece of paper with instruction. The instructions mapped out Bear Countries duties. Hess insisted we not share information with each other. After the meeting, I was blindfolded and returned to my original destinations.

Journal 120

I woke this morning to find a note slipped under my door. I almost didn’t see it. Lost was sleeping on top of it. The note simply said if I am interested in attending a meeting with Hess drop the blue monarch into the mail slot at 2318 Houghton Street. A tiny note at the bottom of the page said further information would be revealed later. I ventured out to drop my monarch into the mail slot and then went back home to Bear Country. I guess now it’s a waiting game. I have never been good at waiting. Someone should have told Hess that this sort of thing stresses me out. I haven’t told anyone about the note. I’m not sure if I should but I have been tempted. I desperately wanted to tell Tony when I saw him this morning.

I think Tony has given up on Runt (Victor). He didn’t even mention him once at breakfast.  When I asked Tony what he had planned for the day he simply said he was going to work on his project in the basement.

The Library Trio has been out of bed today. I passed by them as they were heading out the front door. Marty said they were going out to clean up the town by removing Bliss and Black Cobra trash posted everywhere. I cautioned them to be careful. The Black Cobras don’t have a sense of humor and they take it personally when you step on their tails. Gretchen and Cecilia promised me they would be careful. They wouldn’t let Marty take any unnecessary chances. I sure hope so.

 

Journal 119

Life in and around Bear Country continues to get more complicated. Life is spinning out of control and I don’t know how to stop the madness.

Tony is not in a good mood. He is terribly upset. Tony went to the far side of town to pick up some needed parts for his project in the basement. His journey took most of the day. On his way back to Bear Country, he stopped by the jail to check on Victor. When he arrived at the jail, he discovered the jail taken over by the Cobras. Victor was dressed as a Black Cobra and he refused to return to Bear Country.

Matt and Hemy dropped by Bear Country. They were not happy. There is no longer a straight walk from the Central Campus to Bear Country. Matt and Hemy had to take the long way around, across the park and thru the arroyo. Luckily, the arroyo was empty.

Hemy said several of the local businesses and smaller gangs on her end of Lafayette Blvd. are under the Black Cobras control including her favorite grocery store. The Cobras have even put up barriers blocking off access to several parts of town. The Black Cobras grant access if you are wearing the Black Cobra patch.

Something has to be done I am not going down without a fight.