Luke's Diary: An unlucky man in a zombie apocalypse. Days 601 - 756

Day 732: Tuesday 28th August 2018

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Day 732
Tuesday 28th August 2018

Well I got a bit of a shock today. I saw someone I never thought I'd ever see again.

I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming about Leo. It was actually scary. I dreamt that I was with the usual guy, who's been in my other dreams, in the same room I was in with him before, but this time I was holding Leo and then I got really angry and upset when the man told him he had to take Leo away from me. It felt really real. I woke up gasping, trying to catch my breath and covered in sweat. It was once again, really weird but it made me feel even more determined to find Leo and to find out what's going on around here.

I left the house early to avoid Caroline stomping around in a mood and I texted Naomi told her I wanted to meet her. We met up at the Starbucks where I met Mia and Harold and Naomi did NOT look happy. "I thought you'd forgotten about me," she bluntly said. "How can I forget about it?" I said, "You won't stop texting or phoning me." "Well if you replied to my text messages or answered your phone I wouldn't have to keep phoning or texting you," she snapped. "Naomi, I've got a lot on my mind at the minute," I said. "You're not the only one," said a firm Naomi, "I just want to know if you're going to leave your wife. It's a simple question and it requires a simple answer; yes or no." "It's not that simple," I said, "And anyway I'm not really with her. For the last week we've been sleeping in separate rooms." "You've still got that ring on your finger," said Naomi. I gave a depressing sigh. "I need to press pause on all this," I said, "I've got a lot going on." "Press pause on what?" said an angry and confused Naomi, "You and me? Is that what you're saying?" "I've told you, I've got a lot going on and I just need to take some time out," I said. "What have you got going on?" exclaimed Naomi, "As far as I can see the only thing you've got going on is needing to make a choice. Just be a man and do it." "Why are you being so mean?" I said, "This isn't like you?" "I thought you liked it when I was mean," said a flirty Naomi, as she reached under the table to try and grab my crotch. "No, don't," I said. "Oh God, what's wrong with you?" moaned Naomi, "You're turning into a right Nanna." "Yeah well maybe that's what I am," I said, "There's a lot going on right now that you don't know. It's complicated and I can't talk to you about it. I wish I could." TJ then appeared and looked awkward at discovering me and Naomi together. "Alright TJ," said Naomi, casually. "Hi boss," said TJ, looking uncomfortable, dressed in his work uniform ad holding a drink in his hand, "You OK?" "Oh TJ, don't look so awkward," said Naomi, "We're having a conversation, not animal sex on the table. Although, there's an idea." TJ squirmed and seemed nervous. "Look, this is none of my business," said TJ, "I think I should just leave you to it." TJ started to walk off and I quickly followed, stopping him before he left the shop. I asked him not to tell Caroline that he'd seen me and Naomi together. He promised to keep his mouth shut and make out he never saw anything. I returned to Naomi with a firm expression on my face. "What was you asking him?" Naomi asked, "Not to tell your precious wife that you've been in Starbucks with the town slut?" "Look, I'll text you in a few days," I said, "I've got some stuff I need to do and I've got to sort my head out." "Yeah you have," snapped Naomi, "Because I'm not going to hang around waiting for you forever you know. Sort yourself and come back to me when your head's straight. If I've got time for you, I'll let you know." I left, feeling annoyed at Naomi. Part of me liked the fact that she was flirting with me and clearly wanted to have some sort of a sexual relationship with me but I'm not in the right frame of mind to be thinking about all that right now. I want to find out what's going on around here and where Leo is. I'm dreaming about him so he's obviously on my mind.

Later in the day I had an idea but I needed Tara to help me. I texted her and asked her to meet me in the town square, where we met yesterday. "I got your text," she said, "What's up?" "I've got a job for you," I said, "Being a journalist, it's right up your street." "Go on," said Tara. "I want you to look into this place," I said. "This place?" said a confused Tara. "Feemh Oak," I said, "Look into it." Tara frowned with confusion. "I don't know what you mean," she said Tara. "I want to look into the town," I said, "Find out if there's anything dodgy going on." "Dodgy?" said Tara. "Christ," I said, "It's like talking to a parrot. Just see what you can find out. There's something weird about this town. Just do some digging. See what you can find out. How it's run. That sort of thing." "Where's this come from all of a sudden?" asked Tara. "Look, can you do it or not?" I bluntly asked. "I'm a journalist," said Tara, "Of course I can do it. It's just a bit out of the blue that's all. You've lived here for years. Why are you starting to get suspicious all of a sudden?" "I just think there's something weird about this place," I said, "And I need you to help me." "There's nothing weird about this place," said Tara, "Anyway if you want to know more about how the town's run just ask Rick. He's the mayor." "That might be a good idea," I said, "Anyway, just look into it will you?" "What exactly do you want me to do?" asked Tara. "Find out how the long the town's been around," I said, "Who else is in charge, how they get all the food in, where the water comes from." Tara looked at me like I wasn't right in the head. "Look, are you going to do it or not?" I bluntly said. "Yes OK," said Tara, "I think you're acting a bit strange but yeah, I'll see what I can find out – not that I really expect to find anything out." "Just text me and keep in touch," I said, "Oh hang on. I've just thought. My Auntie Meryl." "What about her?" asked Tara. "Where is she buried?" "Buried?" said Tara, "She's in Southside Cemetery. You know that." "Right," I said, "I've got to be somewhere. I'll catch up with you later." I felt slightly hopeful that Tara agreed (albeit, reluctantly) to look into Feemh Oak. I also think it's a good idea that I speak to this Rick guy but even though everyone is talking to me as if I know who he is, I have no idea who the guy is or what the bloke looks like. Something for me to think about.

Later in the day I figured out where the cemetery was; a large grim looking patch of land in the south of the town, with thousands of tomb stones and a depressing look chapel in the middle. It took me a while but I eventually managed to find Auntie Meryl's grave; a large piece of pale brown stone surrounded by dead flowers. It was an absolute shock to see this. I stood looking at the grave as a cold shiver ran on my spine and a tear ran down my cheek. I didn't know what to think. Part of me thought Auntie Meryl, like Leo, was alive and out there somewhere but seeing the grave stood there was a very powerful thing to see. For a brief moment I had no idea if Auntie Meryl was actually alive or dead and that made me wonder if Leo was alive or dead. I was really angry with ACROBAT. How could they go to THIS much trouble and set up some sort of fake cemetery with a fake tombstone to make me think my Auntie is dead. Twisted beyond definition. I even started to think that maybe I had dreamt it all or something. That the last two years had been a dream and that the apocalypse didn't happen. I didn't have time to dwell on my thoughts for much longer as I noticed a familiar looking figure in the distance picking up bits of litter and putting them in a bin bag. I frowned with confusion as I felt a sense of familiarity. I stood up, wiped away my tears and walked over to the tall figure. "Excuse me," I said. The tall figure turned round to reveal a very familiar face but one that I hadn't seen in a long time. I widened my eyes and gasped in shock as my body became covered in Goosebumps. "Oh my God," I exclaimed, "Lindon!" "Hi Luke," he said, "Long time no see." This was unbelievable. I was in an absolute state of shock. "What are you doing here?" I exclaimed. "I work here," said Lindon, "I'm the care taker of the cemetery." I might have known that he'd have a job that involved some sort of association with dead bodies. "I haven't seen you ages," I said, "How can you be here? I mean, how do you just show up here?" "I work here," repeated Lindon. "Yeah I know. I heard you," I said, "But I mean HERE. This town. The last time I saw you was in Little Knob. You remember don't you? You remember Little Knob? You shot Tara and took off. You remember don't you?" Lindon looked confused. "I don't know what you mean," he said. "Little Knob!" I loudly said, "That little village we were in." "When was this?" asked Lindon. "December last year," I said, "Come on, please tell me you remember. You told us you shot Seth." "Who's Seth?" asked Lindon. "Naomi's husband," I exclaimed. "Naomi's never had a husband," said Lindon, "I don't know what you're talking about. You haven't spoken to me in ages. No one has." "Why is no one talking to you?" I asked. "You know," said Lindon. "Lindon, something's going on with my memory," I said, "There's things I just can't remember. Tell me why no one is speaking to you." There was a brief pause as Lindon looked guilty. "I tried to have sex with one of Tara's dead relatives and accidentally ran over her in my car," said Lindon, "That's why Tara doesn't like me and that's why you all stopped talking to me." I wasn't sure what to say to this. It sounded like some alternative timeline; different reasons why Tara didn't like Lindon – a bit like something off the TV. "Do you want to be friends again?" asked Lindon. "Oh Lindon, I don't know," I said, "This is messing with my head. I haven't seen you since December." "That's when everyone stopped talking to me," said Lindon, "I miss you all." "I just don't get how you can be here," I said. "I've always lived here," said Lindon. "No," I said, "You were at Little Knob. Then you left and now you're here. It doesn't make any sense." "I think what you're saying doesn't make any sense," said Lindon, "I don't know what Little Knob is." This was strange. Most of the others had very different personalities, but Lindon was his usual, strange, corpse shagging self. "Oh God," I said, pushing the palms of my hands against my forehead in despair, "My head is spinning. Are you seriously telling me you have no memory of me, you and the others being in a village called Little Knob?" Lindon gave me his usually gormless look and then shook his head. "Am I going mad?" I said, "Have I really dreamt the last two years? But if the last two years really was some sort of a dream then what really happened? Where are my actual memories? I don't know if what I remember is right or wrong anymore." "I don't know what you're talking about," said a dumb sounding Lindon. "I need to go," I said and stormed off with Lindon calling after me, asking me to keep in touch and saying it was nice to see me.

I'm in bed in the spare room now and my head is once again spinning. Seeing Lindon was a real shock and I think I've had enough shocks over the last few weeks to last a lifetime. Maybe Lindon has been working for ACROBAT and maybe that's why he did what he did at Little Knob and maybe that's something to do with why he's here now. I'm starting to wonder if my memories about the last two years are correct. I remember everything vividly. I remember being with Alex in the hospital and killing my first ever infected with the letter opener and thinking how horrible it was. It was two years ago but I remember it like it was yesterday. Time to stop over-thinking things and try and get a good night's sleep. Let's hope Tara can shine some light on the situation, and if I manage to figure out who this Rick is, I might get something useful out of him too.