7/27 6:03 am

Couldn’t sleep. Gray predawn just threatening the horizon. Tossed and turned, but the ruckus up north hasn’t quit yet. Still seeing flares once in a while. Still hearing some gunfire. The old man could sleep through a carpet bombing, and the new guy could well be in a coma, which leaves me. Unwilling to choke down another Ambien. Don’t want to get addicted to that stuff.

So, I decided to see what the new guy brought with him. What I found surprised me. Who would bring a cell phone into a war zone? Havent’ seen a functional one since all this began. Signals were blocked since before I ever saw my first moaner. Mr. Gas Mask’s name is James Matteson. Almost all his texts are to that same Liz. Pretty standard stuff, can’t wait to see you, when are you coming back, etc etc.

Paging through the messages now. Seems she worked at the local waste treatment facility. It’s right next to the college I dropped out of last year. Wonder if I saw her there?

Shit. Looks like she was there when all this started. Muldraugh U was hit hard. Dorms are a pressure cooker for flu and the cold. Why not this virus too?

8:00PM
James: You’re the one who wanted to do hazmat repair. Your own fault if only one district had an opening... only one outside the Peach State, that is.

8:03PM
Liz: Don’t do this again. I couldn’t stay in Georgia. You know mother would have kept me on a short leash.

8:08PM
James: Honestly Liz, do you think I was worried about that? You’ve been able to avoid her reach for years. BTW, going in the tube.

8:08PM
Liz: K. How is Glasgow treating you? Enjoying your little Scottish adventure?

8:18PM
James: It’s not a little adventure. It’s an overseas education at a PREMIERE medical institute. Wish you would support me.

8:20PM
Liz: Riiiiight. I support you more than anyone else. Stuck up much :)?

8:25PM
Liz: Did they have to build the plant next to sorority row? I’ll NEVER get any work done tonight.

8:30PM
James: Partying again?

8:30PM
Liz: God. Louder than normal. Starting earlier than normal, too. Not Halloween now, is it?

8:31PM
James: When was the last time you left work? It’s spring, not fall. NOT All-Hallow’s Eve, pet.

8:32PM
Liz: Your European uppity-ness is getting annoying. There’s just a lot of screaming going on over there.

8:33PM
Liz: What the hell? Oh mh Ffkudfjlgggggos

8:34PM
James: Liz? What’s up?

8:35PM
James! sShit, James! They’re eating each other1 James/1a sdfou wehsdf the hell/?

8:36PM
James: LIZ? LIZ? I can’t raise you through a call! Liz? What’s going on? LIZ?

...And that’s where it ends. Shit. If this Liz was in the city when the outbreak began, she’s gotta be dead. Hope James wasn’t trying to get to her, though by the look of it, that’s exactly what was happening.

Sleep tight, Mr. Matteson. In for some major disappointment when you wake.