Dear Diary
I have again heard “something” about ten minutes ago. It was right outside the Honda Motorcycle dealer’s service department area. Once again, I am getting this overwhelming sensation someone is watching me. I have my .38 special locked and loaded, and my Remington rifle is locked and loaded as well. I have called out to see if anyone would answer. As always, nothing in response. Despite being heavily armed, I am scared. I don’t know what awaits me in this “brave new world” that I have encountered. I will try to go back to sleep, hopefully I can.
7:26AM
Dear Diary
A late start to the morning due to last night’s disturbance. I still have no idea what it was. As I stepped out the front door of this dealership, all six lanes of Airport Blvd were clogged with cars. I cannot begin to speculate on what would cause people to just up and leave their vehicles in the middle of a major thoroughfare in this city. I get dizzy even trying to think about it. I have the 2016 new Honda Gold Wing loaded and ready to push start this morning. I also have a Honda 2000 watt generator tied to the rear seat with about eight bungee cords; I sure hope everything holds in place. This is a monster bike. It must weigh about 1500 pounds or more. Luckily, there is a downslope from the Honda dealer, and I will attempt to push start this bike as soon as I eat my morning breakfast of Vienna sausage and crackers. God, how I would love to have a ham and egg omelet from the Waffle House about now! And some hot coffee! I will not make an entry until noon if I am successful in my attempt to push start this huge motorcycle. I intend to visit many places this morning in an attempt to make contact with any surviving people. God, please…just a little help here. That’s all I ask…just a little help.
12:25PM
Dear Diary
Successfully push started the Honda Gold Wing. It took me four attempts to get it started. But I have been cruising all over town. It is completely deserted. I have seen empty baby carriages as mothers were taking their babies out for a stroll. I have seen dog collars all over the street. Where are the dogs? DAMMIT!!! Where is everybody??? None of this makes sense. Banks just don’t up and leave vaults completely open! Police officers don’t just up and leave their police cars in the middle of the street! Money - hundreds, thousands of dollars - has fluttered down Broad St. this morning…and where did it come from?? I have driven to Saraland, Prichard, Grand Bay and back to Mobile, still not a trace of civilization. I have ridden a very large area. Approximately one million people in this area. Not a sign of anyone. I’m not sure what to do next. I am thinking of going back home, look for Ralph, and plan my next move. Right now, I don’t know what to do next. There is the CDC in Atlanta. If there are survivors, they are probably at the Center for Disease Control. That will be my next step, I think. But first, I have to get back home and hope I find Ralph.
2:21PM
Dear Diary
I am back home. No sign of my little beagle, Ralph. I had this fantasy he would be waiting for me on my front porch. But no such luck. I siphoned some gas from cars on Hwy 43. I think that will be my best bet instead of trying to get gas from gas stations. I could be mistaken, but as I was driving back home on this Honda motorcycle, I think a honey bee hit my face shield. It was there for just a second. It was the first insect I have seen since the 17th. Honey bees started disappearing back in either 2007 or 2008. None have been seen in about 4 or 5 years, according to news reports. I could be mistaken. But as a young boy, I was always fascinated by bumble bees, honey bees and ants. I think that was a honey bee. What was it that Einstein said about bees…or was it someone else? I have unloaded everything from the Gold Wing. I have enough gas to power the generator. If it will just start now, I may be able to get the refrigerator going and maybe, just maybe I can have some ice. I have thrown away everything that was in the freezer. So, no meat to grill. I will go into the meat market in Axis tomorrow and see if they have anything that is not spoiled. Mr. Atkins always had ribeyes packed in dry ice to send to customers across the nation.
5:04PM
Dear Diary
I have got my refrigerator running!!! I can barely breathe because I am so happy!!! I will have ice as soon as the ice trays freeze up. Very little water pressure since events of November 16th, but I have plenty of bottled water to choose from at the local general store in Axis. I have siphoned all my gas in my Honda Civic and Nissan truck into all the gas cans I could find around the house. I will try to get a bigger generator back in Mobile, although I'm not sure how I will bring back a bigger one than the 2000 watt generator currently in my possession. I have been looking for any old ATVs in local homes, but have found nothing thus far. That would be a big help to me. It is illegal to even own one now, but most people have always ignored that law since it went into effect in 2012. I will continue searching.
7:48PM
Dear Diary
Had a dinner of canned enchiladas, pork and beans, turnip greens and sliced bread. The charcoal grill is going to be a mainstay at this house for a while. I had cold water to drink tonight, too. I can’t put into words how great that is now. I feel like a new man…I feel human again. I even cracked open a bottle of wine I got at a local drugstore. Damn, I am feeling good now…I will probably finish this bottle of wine before the night is over. I miss getting on the internet. I miss email, watching my lineup of movies, chatting and games. I miss so many things. What is going on? I just can’t figure out what has happened or why. The CDC in Atlanta is where I plan on going next, but first I have to rest and relax here. I will always return here instead of staying in Mobile. This is my home. I keep thinking I hear Ralph barking, it is most likely my imagination again.
11:21PM
Dear Diary
I fell asleep from too much wine and am ready to go back to bed. I finally can see the moon once again. That is some comfort, but not much. I had to rewind my old Big Ben clock since I had been gone for so long. What will happen when my Timex windup watch quits working on me? I will have to keep looking for windup watches, or I will lose all track of time. I just have this overwhelming need to know what time it is. I got up about 20 minutes ago, looked down this long country dirt road I live on, and got the most eerie feeling. I heard not a sound and saw nothing. But the darkness at the end of this dirt road seemed darker than the night itself. That is the only way I can describe it. I took my .38 with me. I never go anywhere without a weapon now, I just feel more comfortable armed nowadays. I was never that way before November 17th. I am starting to lose hope I will ever see Ralph again. I still hear him barking sometimes, but fear that it is simply my imagination playing tricks on me.
I have decided to travel to Atlanta, GA, in about two days. I still need time to recover from all I saw in Mobile…or rather, what I didn’t see. I still have no inkling what has caused everyone's disappearance. What has me disturbed more than anything: I have this old hand-cranked weather radio that doesn’t need batteries, it is intended for emergencies like in hurricanes. I have gone through the entire bands of AM, FM and all the emergency channels, but there is nothing except static. That has me extremely disturbed at this time. I have a bad feeling about all this. But I’m afraid to even put into words right now what I think has happened. If someone finds this diary someday, please note that I have done all I could think of to find people. As of this entry, I have been unsuccessful. I will keep trying, and am going to branch out over the Southeast in an attempt to find someone…or something…whatever that might be. Time for me to sleep…or try to.
Alone on Earth – Entry #6
November 21, 2016
