Journal 1: The Beginning

Empress Zenovia

I got news this morning that some jogger found a body, out on the trail by my lake house. I have to have the jogger come in to sign an NDA so word doesn't get out. The name of the body that was found was a young girl named Isa Bradford, she was only 17. I left out a sign of relief, knowing Avery and Nairobi were there at the lake house that night. I had to have a meeting with this girl's parents soon. Someone being murder was unheard of, no one has died by the hands of another person since the times when my great (4x) grandfather was alive. I was prepared for this moment though, another thing I got trained on before he passed.

"Come in." I said hearing a knock on the meeting room door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bradford is here." Here we go.

Mr and Mrs. Bradford walked in holding hands together. I knew they weren't expecting to have a meeting with me this morning. I ushered them to take a seat in the two seats across from me.

"Goodmorning, Mr and Mrs. Bradford." I greet them, shaking both of their hands. I make my way to my seat seeing the folder already in front of my chair.

"Good Morning. May we know what this is about?" the husband says.

"Well… there is some unfortunate news about your daughter." I say looking at them trying to read their facial expressions. Worry, confusion was all I could read. I continued, "There has been an incident regarding your daughter, though the details are still being investigated, under unprecedented circumstances your daughter was found dead this morning on the trail. I know this unfortunate news to hear Mr. and Mrs. Bradford, but I do ask you to not go to the press about this, as we are still investigating. In this folder I have an NDA, and I need both of you to sign this before you leave." I hand them the paperwork, I know this isn't something easy to process.
I can see the wife still in utter shock about what she heard, her husband holding her holding back tears. I get up from the table and leave the room. As soon as I left I could hear her mother break down. I could only imagine how she feels. I'm a mother myself. I didn't want to seem insensitive but I had a job to do. I make my way back to my office, knowing my assistant would handle the rest for me.

This was getting out of hand, and a little too close to home. Someone was killed near my home, where my child and god-daughter were. And I have no clue as to what is happening. Is it possible that there is a way out of this? I decided to do some research to see if that would give me some answers.

I have a floor to ceiling bookshelf in my office, mostly books handed down from generations. History books, dictionaries, pretty much everything.

As I was looking for one of the books I needed, I felt my hand scratch against something metal on the top of the book shelf. 'What the hell?' All these years of using this bookshelf I never felt this. I reached my hand to where my hand hit the metal. It felt like a latch, it was some type of lever. I pulled the lever and I could hear locks being unlocked behind the bookshelf. The bookshelf closet to my desk opened up, you could smell the oldness of the air. Curious, I decided to go over to take a look.

It was a dark tunnel leading to who knows where. I grabbed my phone from off my desk to use my flashlight as a guide. I was led to a small cave. It was lit due to the hole in the wall. Using my flashlight to look around the room I see something flash against my light. I go over to see what caused the reflection, and it turns out it was a piece of glass. Something else did catch my attention, a brown journal. I hurriedly picked it up and made my way back to my office. I felt weird in that room, it seemed like I was being watched.

Back in my office I studied the journal, it had the initials Z.S.C. I wonder who that could be. The book was filled with entries, front to back so I began to read one.

Date: October 2045

Times were hard, people have resulted in killing for food, stealing, breaking into homes looking for anything useful. Everything imaginable. No where was safe. There were small groups of survivors trying to salvage any bit of humanity that was left. But those groups only lasted so long, before they were found out and destroyed.
I've just built a community secluded in the mountains, at the base of a volcano. My worries were not of the volcano erupting, it has been inactive for years. I know no one would come over here and check this place. We have to grow our food from pots, pans, anything that could be used, since the soil was not rich enough. Food has been scarce, limiting the food supply. People seemed to take my lead when I did things around here, I know people needed that voice of reasoning, and hope with everything going on. I don't want people to live in fear of not being able to not eat, fear the others are going to come in and steal everything. We have become so accustomed to this life and I for one am tired of it.

-Z

Date: November 1, 2045

Since we have been at the base of the volcano everything has been running okay. There were a few instances where two outsiders found our location, they tried to break in. I had security handle it, making sure no one was aware of it. They would go in a panic if they knew. So I decided what was best. Other than that a few strange things have been happening. People have been going missing.
4 people to be exact. And the thing is none of these people have family so nobody really noticed they were gone until it was time for work. Me and my second in command had to pass this off as they just decided to leave. I mean with the food being light around this time of the year I wouldn't blame them.

-Z

Date: November 12, 2045

Other than the four people that went missing or possibly left things have been okay. Some people have come here seeking asylum. Another thing people have been getting sick, it could be from the air by the volcano, or the weather. There aren't enough resources to figure out what it is. I can see some worry among the group, but I assured them that things will be okay. There is something in the back of my mind telling me otherwise, that things will only get worse before they get better.

There were 3 people who were sick. I had them in isolation, to not spread it. They weren't getting any better. The doctors here are trying everything, but I hate to say it but I don't think they will make it. I don't want to keep wasting resources if they aren't getting better.

My intuition is telling me something is off. I have been getting an eerie feeling, like I'm being watched. My every move. I have become paranoid from this. I feel eyes watching me everywhere I go. At times it seems like when I walk around the compound people are looking at me, but when I go to see if they actually are no one is.

The 3 people who were sick, died. Not even 14 hours later. I know it's common for people to get sick, old age, but this was different. They had black spots on them, sort of like mold, they were coughing up blood, it was very disturbing to see. I haven't alerted the community yet. I would have to sooner or later.

• Z

• END OF JOURNAL -

I'm assuming this journal was written by my great grandfather (4x). He had more pages, but I was getting tired. I would have to finish tomorrow. I gathered my things and headed home, it was already 10 pm.