Sam's Journal

Day 3: April 16

The night passed uneventfully as Alex and the kids quickly went to sleep in a crudely put together room in a main building. Isaac relatively quickly left to do a rough inspection of the close walls and doors. Reed falls on a cot i made for him, his tiredness evidence. Poor guy he must have had a difficult day moving a truck full of weapons over 300 miles. I offer him food but he falls asleep, as does Isaac with equally as little food. Guess it is time to ration food more. At least till the crops are up and running. I wait till more of the company arrives, trying to show that everyone cares for the others. But as i watch the others rest I succumb to sleep myself.

The sunlight seems strange in this place, as I wake to comfort Clair. Even now as I am sitting and writing the air feels heavy and foreign. Clair plays in the grass, and I finally get a good look around. This compound is huge. Watch towers are placed at every corner, the 20 foot all towering around everything. There is a chain link fence around the outside of the wall, topped with barbed wire. My brothers are still asleep, when Alec walked out to join me. Her hair messy and she looks half asleep. We sit on the ground her fingers running through my hair. Life feels perfect, or did till the others woke up. Now work begins. Throughout the night people trickled in. 36 of us all together. Small especially for this size place. But we are just the beginning. Soon groups will beg us to open out gates and we shall, if it is safe.

Lunch time came without a notice as we unpack. The house are built like townhomes. Sharing walls. 28 homes are built and more may be made if needed. For now it will work. We full the rooms and building bringing this ghost town to life. We split and work on a building with a partner and of course I have Alex and Clair. It's funny no matter how much I say I dislike my birth giver i humm her song as I work. An old habit she used to have.("Mademoiselle Noir" is kinda like a Timburten Rapunzel.) Suddenly Alex calls me over, as we work in to school area. "Hey." she sounds nervous. "What the actual fuck is this place?" I knew this would come up, in all honesty I thought it would happen sooner. I sigh and explain what I know. Alex is my best friend seeing her look so sad kills me. All I want is for her to be happy and safe, why is that so hard in this world?

The day is spent bringing everything up to par and welcoming the remaining people. To be honest I don't know everyone by name but I do know them enough to know if i trust them. Most I do and they do seem useful, but there is one man: William McCallen that is not allowed near my kids. I haven't seen him do anything but I don't know I just don't trust him. AT ALL. He always seems to be lurking around corners. Hiding in shadows... so creapy!

Tomorrow is the day. When the groups are made. When occupaitions and usefullness is chosen. When the taining begains. Our new world has began we need to chatch up. I look to Alex, will she stay? Is this the life she can be happy with? No. I know she can never be as happy as she once was. All i can hope is this is enough. Not just for her, but for my family. We may not all see eye to eye. Hell Issac and Reed can be at the other's throat in .2 seconds, and I can snap on someone is a heart beat, but i want them all to be safe.

The sun has set, and darkness has closed in. We lit a large bonfire outside the main hall. The red, orange, and yellow heat dances on a powerful stage. Illuminating the night, the flames draw the compound together. We all stand around the the large bone fire, Issac climbs onto a Jeep roof. The lighting gives him an ominous glow. I guess it is time, now of never ad they say. I leave Josh with Mark and Nick (little boys about his age). It will be good for him to have people he trust here. When the time comes for him to join the higher ranks he needs people to trust. I look back to Josh as i walk up to join Issac.

Reed smiles when i meet his eye, my heart is racing my hands are clammy, and i can feel all eyes on me (us). This can either go realy well or shit will hit the fan. I scan the crowd, looking for my dad. Still i dont see him. God he pisses me off! I'm up here having being an adult and raising 2 kids in this apocalyptic world and he cant even come see me! Now of all times! Im trying to help people survive but here i am! Basicly alone besides my emotionless brother, and the other one that just leaves to do his own thing half the time. I can feel the tears threating to fall. Issac is too occupied running this compound and Reed tries to help but he is trying to help everyone because that is just the type of person he is. But I need people to help me right now! I feel so alone and overwhelmed! I love Clair and Josh but god damn it i wanna go out with people. Or sleep in one day. Or spend a day doing nothing. But no i have 2 kids! At 16!