Will of Man - Part Two Read online

  WILL OF MAN

  Part Two

  By

  William Scanlan

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FOR WILLIAM SCANLAN

  This publication is property of William Scanlan. All rights reserved for William Scanlan. Copyright 2013.

  No part of this book shall be copied, reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Other books by William Scanlan found at Amazon.com

  To purchase WILL OF MAN – PART THREE (click here)

  also

  To purchase WILL OF MAN - PART ONE (click here)

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 162

  Date: April 21

  Day: Sunday

  Weather: Sunny and Warm

  Days since the LAST DAY: 9 months, 20 days

  I awoke six days ago to a different world. Everything has changed. The world has been in a total blackout now for over 9 months. I’ve been in a coma for over ten.

  It’s hard to describe how I’m feeling. Physically I’m very week and lethargic. I can hardly sit up without help and my vision is weak. My eyes hurt when I look into the light. They’ve been closed for over ten months and are not used to focusing. I have to squint at night and wear sunglasses during the day. Otherwise I get a pulsating headache.

  My stomach has shrunk so much that I have hardly any appetite. My voice is weak and it’s hard for me to form words. I stay in bed most of the time. Mom and Dad found a wheel chair during one of Dad’s searches and they’ve tried taking me for strolls down the road. But it’s too much for me right now.

  My family is happy to have me back. I’m still wondering if this is for reel. I sense they want the old Tyler back. But it’s hard right now. I’m having a hard time believing any of this. The world is so different now.

  Mom said Hailey moved away. She headed south to a warmer climate. I guess she has relatives in Tennessee that live on a farm. She left a note with my parents in hopes that I could read it when I wake up. I haven’t read it yet.

  Mom said she was very upset when she visited the house. She and her dad road their bikes the ten miles to our house; so she could say goodbye and leave the note.

  I miss her and wish I could have said goodbye. I wonder if I will ever see her again. I wonder if I ever do see her again, will she still care for me the same way. Will she be away from me so long that she forgets about us? Should I accept the possibility that I will never see her again?

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 162

  Date: May 16

  Day: Sunday

  Weather: Rainy and cool

  Days since the LAST DAY: 10 months, 15 days

  I finally have enough strength to sit up and walk to the bathroom. I’m sure my family is happy I can finally use the bathroom on my own since they’ve had to clean my bedpan.

  Even Tanner had to take his turn doing the deed. He always had a disgusted look on his face that said everything he was thinking. I would grin and remind him to clean it extra good. He’d smirk and remind me that I owed him big time. I joke with him, but deep down I’m really impressed with how much he’s matured since the LAST DAY.

  He’s really stepped up and contributes to the work load around our house. He was so young acting before the LAST DAY and now he seems years older - even though it’s been less than a year.

  Everyone has physically changed. Everyone in my family is thinner and rougher looking. Mom doesn’t put on makeup anymore, and Dad shaves only twice a week (mostly for Mom I think). Tanner actually has put some muscle on and has lost some of his “softness.”

  The only one who looks the same is Molly our dog.

  We burn candles at night, but go to bed early and rise usually when the birds start chirping. Now I know how the saying “Early to bed, early to rise” came about. There’s no prime time television to keep us awake, and it’s hard to sleep through the birds chirping in the morning.

  The neighbors still live down and across our dead end street. They come over at least once a day to say hi. We’re not only friend’s, we also have a ‘working relationship” with them, as Dad calls it. We share a garden and work together to maintain it. We share supplies and tools and warn each other of any suspicious people.

  It’s nice to have friends close by since my other friends are too far away to see every day.

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 174

  Date: May 29

  Day: Monday

  Weather: Sunny and warm

  Days since the LAST DAY: 11 months, 28 days

  Dad started our spring planting today in the garden. He planted sweet corn, potatoes, carrots, and beans. Our fruit garden is doing well finally after years of developing it. There are blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry bushes. Strawberries line the edge of the woods and we have 3 apple trees not too far from the house. They will give us plenty over the summer. Mom will make jelly, pies and can when it is time.

  Mom and Dad are getting better at preserving food. It is still a work in progress, but they are learning. We ran out of our canned preserves mid February and had to make due.

  Dad plans to expand the gardens and increase crop production. He kept a log of how much food we used over the winter and plans to over compensate this winter so we don’t go hungry. Whatever is left over after the winter, we can use to barter in the summer.

  Mom and Dad remind us to not talk about our supplies to others. Not even our friends or neighbors. We help when we can, but my parents have made us their priority.

  Dad wants to barter for another horse and a couple goats sometime this summer. He says we have some extra tools we will probably never use and can use them to barter with.

  Dad did a good job scavenging when he could. He predicted trouble a long time before anything major happened and was able to prepare us well.

  Some people were taken by surprise and really struggled to survive. Many people apparently passed away during the winter. It saddens me to think about those who suffered so much. There are still people suffering. Thankfully I live in a community where people watch out for each other.

  Mom says next fall Tanner and I will start attending school again. The plans are that students will go twice a week to start out. The local farmers have volunteered to lend their hay wagons to transport kids to and from school. So the new school bus will be a farmer’s hay wagon that is pulled by a couple horses. Subjects will be primarily math, reading, and writing, with the addition of agriculture.

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 179

  Date: June 06

  Day: Saturday

  Weather: Sunny and warm

  Days since the LAST DAY: 1 year, 05 days

  Today was a very fun day! We had a community carnival today. There was the game where you have to pop balloons with a dart, the game where you knock over bottles with a soft ball, a dunking tank, sack races, a spook house, pony rides, hay rides, a baseball tournament, a three on three basketball tournament, and much more.

  People were selling caramel apples, elephant ears, barbecued pig meat, chicken, hamburgs, and different homemade candies and pies.

  You could tell those that were really struggling because of the total blackout. They looked dirty and hungry. Everyone chipped in though and made sure that whoever came had a fun time and was well fed. This day was not about making money, but to bring our community together and feel at least one day of “normalcy.”

  I found most of my friends and kept an eye out for Hailey. I hoped maybe she was visiting for the day and I could see her once more. I still miss her very much. She was my first real girlfriend and she meant so much to me. I listened throughout the d
ay for any mention of her. However, I heard nothing of her.

  The day ended with a big community dance in the middle of Main Street. Local musicians played music, people danced and laughed till late in the night. It was a great time and I can’t wait till we do it again. It was the first time in a long time my family really laughed and enjoyed ourselves.

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 199

  Date: June 26

  Day: Sunday

  Weather: Sunny and warm

  Days since the LAST DAY: 1 year, 25 days

  At the fair earlier this month, I noticed Jax’s family was not there. Kendrick said he hadn’t seen Jax for a while and that he was worried about them. Jax lives nearly fifteen miles from me. I wanted to go check on him, so I asked Dad if I could go. He said yes, but to make sure I was back before dark.

  Mom gave me some preserves to give them and I carefully packed them in my backpack. I filled a couple bottles of water and headed out on my bike. It was fifteen miles away on paved roads. So I figured the trip should take me a little over an hour.

  It wasn’t like the old days when I could have Mom or Dad drive me over in less than fifteen minutes.

  Nowadays, if you want to go anywhere, you have to plan ahead and give yourself time to get back before dark. Our community is fairly safe (compared to others), but we still take caution at all times. You never know who may be wondering through and how desperate they may be.

  So I headed out, and I was right, it took just over an hour. I can tell time with the wind up clock Dad gave me. It’s a big clock that hangs on a chain. I feel kind of goofy with it, but it’s hard to find a cool looking watch that winds up. Almost every watch was battery operated and doesn’t work anymore.

  As I approached Jax’s house, I could tell I wasn’t going to like what I found. The grass was long, the house was dirty outside, and the front door was open with leaves blowing around inside the house.

  I laid my bike down and slowly walked up the front porch. There wasn’t a sound and as I looked inside I could tell no one had been living there for at least a few weeks.

  Jax’s house was a ways away from others and located on a back road rarely traveled. So if something did happen here – no one would know about it.

  The house was a two story house with bedrooms upstairs. I roamed the lower level looking for any signs of recent activity. The table was neatly set for six but only one plate looked used. The house looked kept up, but barely. I noticed pictures of the family still hanging on the walls and personal artifacts still displayed around the house.

  I began to worry. I asked myself why Jax’s family would leave these things behind if they did leave. And then I saw my answer from the back window. I saw five somewhat fresh graves with makeshift headstones. I walked out and read the headstones. They were Jax’s mother, three younger brothers, and Jax himself. My heart sank.

  Next to the five graves was a sixth. But this grave was open. There was a hole dug around five feet deep with a shovel lying next to it. The headstone had Jax’s Dad’s name on it with his birthday and a death date that read May twenty-seventh. But there was no body inside it.

  I walked back into the house and listened carefully. I could hear a creaking upstairs and what sounded like a bunch of flies buzzing around. It didn’t take long to figure out what was upstairs. I paused for a long time and contemplated going upstairs. I knew Jax’s Dad was up there probably hanging and half rotting. I was right.

  I wanted to just leave rather than deal with his rotting corpses. But Jax was a good friend and I was going to show respect to him and his family. Near Jax’s Dad’s body I found a note. It basically asked for forgiveness and asked that whoever found his body would they please bury him near his family. So I did. And that’s all I want to say about that.

  I rode back and told Dad. He was proud that I honored Jax. I’m glad I did it, but not that I had to.

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 225

  Date: July 30

  Day: Tuesday

  Weather: Sunny and Crazy Hot!

  Days since the LAST DAY: 1 year, 2 months, 29 days

  The weather is scorching hot! Dad suggests we stay inside, down in the basement. It’s much cooler in the basement especially if we keep the shades closed. We have a walkout basement that’s furnished with one bedroom.

  Lately, we’ve all been sleeping in the basement since even the nights are so hot. Tanner and I moved our bunk beds down to the basement and Mom and Dad sleep in the basement bedroom.

  Since it’s so hot, we don’t go outside much. I’m beginning to get cabin fever staying in so much. Everyone’s getting on each other’s nerves. Mom and Dad have been snapping at each other constantly and Tanner’s being the stereotypical little brother by driving me nuts.

  We try to play board games and cards to help the time go by. But those games are getting old and everyone’s on edge.

  I tried a couple times to get out and be productive outside, but the heat is too much. I miss our pool. I’ve been tempted to ride the six miles to the lake to go swimming, but it’s just too hot. The heat reflects off the blacktop and I feel like I’m going to melt.

  Tanner and I got bored and set a pan out on the blacktop. We took an egg from the chicken coop and cooked it in the pan.

  Dad and I pump water from the well at dawn and water the garden at night. Dad says it’s best to water plants at night, because it’s unhealthy for the plants to be watered during the day when it’s so hot out. It’s fine by me, because I wouldn’t want to be out during the day in the sun anyways.

  At least we have an abundance of books to read and my journal keeps me preoccupied for the most part. Tanner’s young enough that he still likes to play with his toys. However, he makes really annoying noises when he plays and I have to keep reminding him to be quiet. Mom and Dad are even at their wits end with his little noises.

  I’m worried about Molly our dog because she looks sick from the heat. She just lays and pants really hard all day. I keep bringing her water, but she doesn’t seem interested in it. I hope she gets better.

  I actually took a nap in our cellar. It’s the only place cool enough to relax. It’s not big enough to stretch out. But it will do for now. Anything for a little escape from the heat.

  Tanner, Dad, and I have resorted to walking around in only our underwear. Mom is a little stronger. I think it’s only a matter of time though.

  Tyler’s Journal Entry: 227

  Date: August 1

  Day: Thursday

  Weather: Sunny and still Crazy Hot!

  Days since the LAST DAY: 1 year, 3 months, 0 days

  Today was intense. The day started out with it being hot as usual. Dad and Tanner were pumping water from the well when three men approached our house. Molly did her job and started barking loudly to let us know something was wrong.

  They were each carrying rifles. They were holding their guns in front of them walking across our yard. Anyone from the community knows this is a huge violation of the community rules.

  The rule in our community is; that if you approach someone’s home you must stop at the outer edge of the owner’s property and wait till you’re acknowledged. When you have the owner’s attention, you must hold one hand in the air to signify that you are not aggressive and come in peace.

  You never enter someone’s yard until given the “Come across” sign – which is one hand raised by the owner of the home. Two hands means stop and the owner will come to you. And a swipe of the hand means go away. Once permission is given, you may peacefully enter onto someone’s property. This rule keeps the peace.

  But today, three strangers were walking across our three acre yard. They were holding their rifles with both hands and no “Come across” sign was given.

  Dad didn’t recognize them. They were very dirty and looked lethargic. Dad held both hands up signifying for them to stop and wait. They kept walking towards the house. Dad yelled for them to stop, but they didn’t.

  I remember being scared
, but also realizing Dad was in his underwear and looking really silly. He turned to Tanner and told him to run inside and to tell Mom to go into lockdown. Lockdown was our code for securing the house.

  We have interior shutters made of treated two-by-six boards. They are hinged above each window of the basement and first level. They just swing down and lock in place. The doors have similar set ups. We actually lock them in place each night in case someone tries to break in at night while we’re sleeping.

  There are peep holes for looking out. Each room has a fire extinguisher in it in case of fires. Miscellaneous weapons are hidden in floor boards for each room with extra ammunition.

  We practiced lockdowns a few times and everyone knew exactly what to do. It reminded me of fire and tornado drills at school (probably where Dad got the idea).

  I wasn’t prepared to shoot anyone, but I was prepared to act like I could. I took my post and stuck my rifle barrel out the peep hole and aimed it right at those men.