Wayne Gray

Good call. Zombie soot is likely not great for the lungs or belly. As for how they’re getting along … I thought about that. I think people would largely set aside petty differences and find a way to coexist. Thanks for reading and for the comment. And we’ll have to see about that sleeve contraband you mentioned. 😉

You’re not wrong about consequences. Maybe one of those will be to find additional survivors. I suppose we’ll see. Thanks for reading and for the comment, Dave!

August 08, 1993 Saturday 645AM Mmmm. Wow. Yeah, I definitely like having our own cabin. Making as much noise as we want when messing around is just fun. Crap, running late. Gotta get out to the crew working on the tower. Till next time! August 08, 1993 Saturday 1120 AM Oops. I'm so embarrassed. Well, he was going to find out, but I didn't want it to go quite like this. Apparently, Russell had been up and walking around the yard early this morning, per doctor's orders, to get

My husband's boyfriend made it, so I'll ask him. The texture on it was GREAT. It was the best meatloaf I've had in a while.

Wow. Great to hear you're getting back on your feet. That takes work and grit, and you're doing it. Nice job. Honestly? It sounds like fertile ground for a story. 🙂 Take care, and drop by more often.

@kbois wow. Thank you! I mean, aren't you scared the govt will come after you now that you know "everything?" Be careful out there! Also ... wow. Again. LOL.

Turkey meatloaf, little potatoes split and coated in olive oil, ranch seasoning, and lemon zest, and glazed carrots all are in the oven. We'll eat a bit late, but it'll be worth it. This house smells fantastic. I hope you're all doing well on this Tuesday.

I'm going to forever put quotation marks around "shoe size" in my mind now.

See. We write. Sometimes, we write HOT stuff. Sometimes we write erotica, and sometimes it's just flat out, unapolegetic porn. So that response? Perfection.

Sorry you're feeling "blah," tim. Let folks take care of you. you'll be back to sneaking donuts in no time.

spyke may be onto something here, Chris. You didn't do so, but patients who say things like "It feels like I'm swallowing glass" usually end up with strep throat. Get checked out if it doesn't clear up soon. Folks who ignore strep can have autoimmune issues later, so you don't want to ignore it. Plus, a simple course of antibiotics will make you feel a world better if it is strep. Feel better soon. EDIT: The tired comment also makes me wonder if it's mono. If you and hubby are not above making out with others, it's possible. It's a super simple test to determine both mono and strep, so do your best to get to a clinic.

I’ve been taking more time off lately. I’ve got over a month banked, and I accrue about 2.5 days a month, so I take at least a day off to extend a weekend. I could use more, but not until I get a manager in place and trained. As it is, I get called and messages on days off, so there’s no real point. Lol Take that MH day, kbois.

Good! He's a "to the point" kind of guy. Accepting, loving, protective too. What's not to like?

Hey. First, thanks for taking the time to comment. That's always appreciated. Second ... I can't recall where I said this, but I'll repeat it. Most Americans are about three months of no work away from homelessness. It doesn't really matter what the reason is - most people in the US cannot handle that long of a gap in income. Few of us are immune to that. A medical issue, a bad string of jobs that don't work out, or housing falling through, and we're untethered - ground under the wheels of the systems we used to be a part of. This story shows how a productive person can have this happen to them, despite their wanting to rise above these new, undeserved circumstances. I'm sorry you've hit a rough patch. Those happen to many of us, and our saving grace has to be those who love us. Don't be hard on yourself. Ask what you would do for those who are now doing for you. Would you do the same? Would you help them if you could? I'm betting you know the answer. So, accept that grace given. Remember it. Return it when the time allows. Anyone looking for a way to stand on their own will find their feet. You'll get there. Thank you for reading. And good luck to you. I'm glad you have found some hope here.

Thanks, lucretiaseeks. I read a piece concerning how the GOP is essentially screwed. They are hostage to someone who commands legions of rabid followers. They know their jobs and perhaps lives are forfeit if they resist. So. They don't. They give up their power for the illusion of control and security. Many hate what is happening, but they have no courage. So here we are, where any backbone is reason to proclaim that person unfit, unclean, and disloyal. This is why the only lever left is the judiciary. That's it. Well. And in the end, authority only exists for one reason. Because it is ALLOWED to exist by the people affected by that authority. That authority will vanish under a wave of rebellion, anger, and righteousness when pushed too far. That isn't far off. This administration won't last four years. Not in a country like mine - where a lack of reasonable gun laws have allowed firearms in so many hands. Maybe legislators will realize this and act before that happens. Or maybe not. Regardless, this administration won't last four years. Things will get worse before they improve. But they will improve. One way or another. EDIT: I'm so sure this term will not last the full four years because before he was even elected, we saw two attacks on him. Notably, those came from the right, not liberals. He has encouraged his followers to solve problems with violence, and they will eventually see him as a problem. When they cannot get life-saving healthcare for loved ones or put food on their tables, they will ultimately realize they're being lied to. The past has proven they're capable of knowing where the problem lies. Give them no other choice, and they'll take the only route they know.

Thanks, Flip-Flop. I actively went searching for anti-nazi symbolism, and this really fit the bill. James did a tremendous job incorporating the two into a great, coherent design. Lots of meaning. Personalized, and ever-pertinent.

Thank you, Reader. I’m super happy with how it turned out.

Thanks, Chris. I love it.

He did. I forget what a tremendous talent he is until I see him work, and then I am reminded in the best way. Thanks, kbois.

Yesterday, I visited my tattooist. I had given him the parameters for a new tattoo. I wanted the inclusive pride flag, tattered and marred but still flying. And with it, the symbol of the Social Democratic Party of 1932 Germany. The Social Democratic Party was the only real opposition to Hitler and the nazis (the only party to vote against the Enabling Act responsible for the authority Hitler gained to send people to their deaths in concentration camps). Though ultimately defeated, they fought hard, and I'm proud to bear their mark. Plus, it's just a badass tattoo.

Oh, suuuuure! That's what all the handsome Italian men say!

Thanks for the great message. Writing from a journal or diary requires a shift in tone and perspective, and I understand the sentiment concerning the dislike of those constraints. I don't necessarily like them in most cases, either. But for this story, it's necessary. It won't become apparent why until the very end, but it will. I know ... not very illuminating, but them's the breaks. lol I will speak to a few of your other points, too. Garrett may be believable because I have met him—more than one, actually. Growing up in Kentucky, I was in the Scouts, and we took our scouting seriously. I was friends with a kid who mirrored him almost perfectly. His name is Eric, and he's still kicking around eastern Kentucky. He raised a hell of a tomboy who now does all of the things he used to do (survival camping for fun, hikes, foraging, homemade bows and arrows, and learning to shoot them WELL, etc). You have to remember that these people are Kentuckians. They are rural and rough, and if anyone can survive without modern amenities, it's them. Daryl Dixon from TWD is only a SLIGHT exaggeration. Really. You should tell your husband this story exists. 😉 The group needs expertise it doesn't possess. And no, I won't make one person a magically capable and savant-level individual. As in real life, each has their skills and talents, and they use them for the good of all. Dr. Jake and Wayne are the odd men out with advanced degrees and training. Buck, too, considering he has a master's in agriculture. The rest are mainly self-taught, but make no mistake, those skills are essential, too. Mark and Wayne had to hunker down for a while and figure out what they were doing. Yes, they assumed at first that the government would come riding in to rescue them. But once they heard the message about the spread and that the government encouraged citizens to take up arms against the threat, they knew they were on their own. At that point, they went into high gear. And yeah ... Garrett is a tough kid. But everybody has their limit. And putting an arrow through the head of his dad, even if he was gone, was just too much. Zombies are what they are. We don't need to invent new ways for them to exist for them to be a threat. Innovating in that case can be a way to spice things up when the plot is what needs some work instead. That said, fast zombies are terrifying. But the science-minded brain in my head can't rectify the lack of fully functional bodily systems and Olympic-level sprinting zombies. No ... mine will remain slow but inexorable. And that's terrifying enough. I'm glad you're enjoying this take on zombies. Stick with me, and we'll find out where our little band ends up.

Ohhh … now that’s delicious. lol. I hope you’re impressed with the man sharing your name. 😏

Absolutely great to hear. An author can improve, and they can sharpen skills and such. But ... there's a distinctive "voice" or style to every writer. While I can't speak for others, I don't think I can change mine. It's there, like a current under the surface and buried within the mechanics of the language used. People will either like that voice or they won't. The rhythm you spoke of is a part of that, too. I guess the short of it is - I'm glad you like the style, because I can't change that. While the mechanics of the writing can improve, that voice remains.

Ah, thank you. Please, don't judge my Italian in the story too harshly. I used Google Translate for it, so it'll only be as good as the programming is. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the rest of the tale!