7/27 12:00 noon

Looks like the old man’s hallelujah chorus came too early. Turns out the jets weren’t just dropping bombs. Decided that adding some napalm to the mix was a great idea. And, unfortunately for us squatters in a lumber yard, the wind is blowing to the south. Toward little old us.

We can see the smoke from here. Black, acrid stuff. My skin’s already prickling, just thinking how hot it’ll get.

And the cherry on top. James Matteson woke up about five minutes ago. Gave him some water and went off to try to quiet Daisy down. Looks like he didn’t get a concussion of any sort. Maybe a bit wobbly on his legs, but right as rain otherwise. After the knocking he got, I’m rightly surprised. Course, I already know he’s world shatteringly hard headed. Right now he’s standing up and walking over to Dave. Looks like I’m missing the board meeting. Be back.

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7/27 1:30pm

We’re heading out. James swears that the only safe option for us (he’s part of ‘us’ already?) is to move south and hop the river. Has a map out and everything, says he familiarized himself with the land, and it’s our only shot. Honestly, I don’t see any alternatives, but I’m still not happy. No way of carrying all of the old man’s stockpile, so we’re leaving behind a lot of supplies.

Irks me that we’re following some guy who just got here, too. Doubting James has any real idea what he’s insisting we do. That river is a good moat for us, this side of the river. Goners from the city are stuck on the other side. That’ll all change when we cross it.

Dave’s speaking to James now, doing his best to explain the way the world works inside the picket line. Lots of hand waving and ‘Dead Ed this, Dead Ed that,’ going on. James keeps shaking his head. Trying to clear it or thinking that the old man is lying. Either way, Jimmy Matteson is in for a suprise when we get out. If he doesn’t know about the moaners, he will soon enough.

Haven’t told Dave yet about the text messages, and James doesn’t know I saw them. I‘d bet that his real reason for heading toward the city is to make his way to the processing plant and his girlfriend.

We’ll see. In the meantime, I’ve got some packing to do.