Tooth and Nail (Draft In Progress - Book One)

Chapter 23 - The Morning Call

Day 22, June

Live from former Fredericksburg, Texas.

Good morning, Central Texas. This is Joseph Morocco coming to you live from The Bone City. Weather today is reaching 102 in Austin and 98 in the Hill Country. Yet again, my booth was empty when I woke up on the floor, and I'm glad the power has not yet cut off here. Broadcasting on all channels accessible to me, this is your Zarth Report.

From what I've gathered off of the Citizen's Band so far this morning, we are exhausting our resources pretty rapidly.

Dragon Nation, I congratulate you on your ruthless and heartless behavior. At this rate, you'll live long enough to see yourself become worse people than the monsters you're hiding from. For those of you who don't know or remember, last week on Day 12, The Dragon Nation ROTC Leadership executed all survivors in their territory under the age of eight, including the Command Sargeant Major, Carren Borgothaus's little brother Anthony. Good work, you bitch. To add to their horrendous record, last night they supposedly had the nine and ten year olds move outside the unit and spread the bodies around as a perimeter. When nearby Walkers fled into the courtyard, the unit was sealed, and more bodies were added to the count. How many of you are left in there, after all? There were 253 on Day 2. You killed almost 100 children, plus the families who attempted to leave who were shot in the back on their way out the door, and as I understand, two teenagers had their necks broken for making out after lights out on Day 14.

So Havens - did the Red Rivers ever make it to you? It was quite the buzz down here when we heard it. I guess so, since we haven't heard from you in a couple days. Did you forget your radio?

Speaking of the Red Rivers, it is my understanding that Cornwallis's fearless army has in fact made its way to the Bubble, whether or not Haven has gone Red is another issue. We hope to be hearing from you soon, Tylar. That's right, kid. Someone down here in my little corner of Zarth knew you pre-Catastrophe. Good luck living down a name like that.

To those, if any, of the 42 residents of the North Austin hospital: We're running out of meds here, and would love a visit from you angels before our diabetics and asthmatics drop off the list of mouths to feed. And I, living in the radio booth, would be appreciative of some of that hospital oatmeal.

If Mr. Hoboken and the foreign chicks are still listening, the very same kid from Hutto here in the Bone City says that there is a way out of the Main Street complex underground, and he hopes that the pies he made that morning twenty-two days ago are still good enough to eat. To anyone else stuck out in the sticks, best of luck to you, maybe catch a train our way. The gates will be happy to welcome you.

If I'm not mistaken, there should be some Pre-Law coeds in the William Doty. Play nice. Learn something.

For the 150ish still alive in the Bob Bullock Museum: Is the power still working there? If I remember correctly, you have a nice auditorium movie theater and decent space for those poor kids on a field trip to find a comfy place. Is it getting stuffy in there?

I don't know how the rest of town is doing. I hope you're all well. Its getting calm out here. The roads are blocked off and a sort of gate wall is up and we have guards and sentries and a battalion and something kind of like our own society. Any AP Human Geo kids out there? City-State? Huh? Huh? Guess not.

Anyway, I don't really know what to say to you guys. There's been some action down in Utopia, supposedly Survivor One has a team of kids from TSU living out there in the dirt. I heard they have a bus. I guess that explains the radio.

OH! Some guy named The Professor has been calling out lately for supplies. You'll find a home here, if you manage to work your way our way. I know you're hunting for your wife and all, but man, if she's alive, she's here or home alone without a radio. I don't know what to tell you, dude. Sorry to be a downer but there probably isn't much hope.