Day 1

My name is Anne Darcy. I have found John Brighten’s journal. I hope John does not mind if I continue his story where he left off. I have not been injured or become sick, but I think about my death all the time. If I die, will I matter? Will anyone know me?

I know John because he kept a journal, and so I will keep his journal as well. If the dark ones get me, like the must have gotten John, and my altered body is found, please know who I am and miss me. I will take John’s hatchet and pointy pole as well, though I fear I will never be able to use them effectively.

I am definitely not staying in a house tonight. I am currently sleeping in an upside down bus in the ditch. It does not look like anyone could be in there when you see it from the outside. I like that about the bus. There are also no dead bodies in the bus, altered or not. That helps too.

Night 1

I hate being alone. The darkness is overwhelming, and the purple lights could appear at any moment. My only companion is John’s journal. I wish he’d had time to write more. His wife sounds nice. I don’t know what a real Sasquatch call sounds like, though.

Or maybe I do. I did hear a sound tonight that I have associated with the dark ones coming. Are they sasquatches that finally got tired of hiding and came out to destroy the world like planet of the apes?

Maybe that should be funny. Oh gods, I wish that were funny.

Day 2

I was thinking about how John wished he had a booby trap, and it got me to thinking that I should probably rig something up for my bus. There is only one way in or out, so something that would give me time to escape is actually useless. I need something that will kill a monster if it tries to get in.

The hardware store had small land mines in them. I have no idea why a hardware story would carry something like that, but I went ahead and set it up at the entrance. Now I just have to make sure I never step on it on accident.

Night 2

Oh gods, it came for me. I went out to use the bathroom and there were the purple lights. I didn’t want to lead it back to my bus, so I ran and it came after me. It looked absolutely nothing like a monkey in a robe. Maybe in the morning I should go back and look to see what it really does look like with more than an eerie purple light to see by.

I used the pipe, John. Thank you for leaving it behind for me. I ran the creature through as it was reaching for my face. Oh gods, my face. It was going to do it to me. I know it was. I was almost dead, dead and not myself anymore. And I didn’t take this journal with me, so no one would have known who I was.

Day 3

I went back to where I had killed the dark one last night, and there was no body. Instead there was a woman trying to get the dark one’s cloak off of a snag. Her name is Candice. She tells me that she wanted to wear the cloak as a disguise so that the dark ones would not know she was human. Only she does not call them dark ones. She calls them skull takers because…well, if you are reading this then you probably know shy she calls them that.

I do not think I would have liked Candice before the dark ones came. She is goth, I think, and a little creepy. Now I am just grateful for someone to be with. She agreed to come to my bus with me. It will be cramped, and we will have to be careful of the mine, but I do not care so long as I have someone to talk to.

Thank you again, John. I think you have really brought me good luck with your journal. I wish I could have met you before you died.

Night 3

There were 2 of them tonight. They came at us in the bus. The mine exploded and killed them both, I think. I was so frightened. Candice and I ran out as fast as we could. Thank gods that I was sleeping with the journal in my pants. I don’t think I would have grabbed it in the chaos.

Candice grabbed John’s hatchet. She seems to have better survival instincts than me. I am lucky to have her with me.

Day 4

Candice wants to go back to the place where she was hiding before. It is a warehouse with lots of boxes of various sizes. The ones that really stink say Exempt Human Specimen on them. I really do not want to know what that means.

The warehouse makes me feel uncomfortable. There is so much space and so many ways in and out. But I do not want to say anything. My home was not safe, and Candice is the only person I have right now. I do not want to risk upsetting her and losing her.

Night 4

No lights or sounds tonight. Maybe we killed the only three dark ones in town. That would be a relief.

Candice wants to take turns keeping watch. I do not like missing sleep, but it gives me a good chance to write in my journal. I just wish I had more to say.

Day 5

Today was not fun. Candice and I fought a little bit. She wanted to go out searching for people and gear, but she wanted to go alone. I did not want to be left alone, but she said it would be too risky to travel together.

I looked a bit around the warehouse for something besides crackers to eat, but no such luck. Candice came back with a hiking backpack. We will be able to carry a lot of stuff in it, but she brought it back empty. That will not help us much. And it means she will go out again tomorrow. And probably every day after that.

I wish we could go together, or that we could stay here together. I do not like to be alone.

Night 5

The purple lights were back last night. I was so scared that I banked my knee on something wooden. It is bleeding. Being hurt makes me even more nervous. Candice hand to hold me down to keep me calm.

I don’t think she is happy with me. I’m worried that she is starting to feel like she regrets meeting me out here and keeping me with her. I do not want to be alone. I need to find a way to make her want to stay with me.

~Joshua