Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventy Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The explosion rocked the ground beneath us, throwing us down. After we regained our footing, I looked back and saw a rising plume of smoke from somewhere on the other side of the reservoir.

Pandemonium reigned in the sky above us. Drones and warplanes criss crossing and colliding and falling to earth.

I briefly remember being thankful for the confusion for I realized it favored our escape. But then as I fled with Elijah in tow I saw that the confusion was affecting the cohesion of our group.

Reuben was in the advance urging us on, but Quasimo and Magwich were no where in sight.

Quasimo and his drone did catch up with us later, but Magwich is still missing.

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Day One Thousand Eleven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

All remained mute as Quasimo set us on the path out of the city. Jezer and Tomas stayed behind with a promise to catch up soon. They saw to the needs of the traitor to sustain him until such time as he can break his bonds.

And to take care of the problem, as they framed it, of the tanker truck.

On the rise outside of the city, Reuben fell in beside me and shared something gleaned from the prisoner. If we can believe his tale, he had been sent to investigate the explosion. They, the world government, had no idea who was responsible.

From the top I saw the tanker truck on the goat tracks far to the south.

Day Nine Hundred Ninety One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

As we neared the desert crossroads we pushed ahead of the others with Jezer and Tomas. There Reuben patiently awaited our arrival.

He had just returned from a mission of mercy, for which he was seeking our approval, after the fact. And especially that of Jezer.

Jezer was aware of the particulars-Reuben was from the city along the road devastated by the explosion, and could understand why he would want to help.

When we assured him of our acceptance, he asked if he should refill the truck or not.

Elijah asked him to hold off. We would have to revisit our initial plans in light of the present circumstances.

I feel that everything will work out for the best.

Day Nine Hundred Seventy Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our friend could talk of nothing else but the explosion. He was well past the town where it went off when it went off. He turned around and ran back to investigate. But he couldn’t get any closer than the fields outside. Nothing stirred, except the raging fire – everywhere. It seemed to be feeding on something within itself.

When he passed through before, not a soul would answer him. So he had wiped his feet and left in search of us.

When Tomas had unburdened himself, Elijah had us all turn in. Only with the new morning did we open up about our journey and about the rumor we had heard.

We parlayed and unanimously decided to pursue the lead.

Day Nine Hundred Seventy Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We decided that we had to keep to our original plan to meet up with Tomas tomorrow. Between what we have heard and what he may have learned we should have a better basis for our next step.

We did not have any encounters today, except at a distance. A very large flock of sheep was grazing beside a stream under the gaze of several shepherds. We would have passed through their midst but a flash of light followed by a fireball and the sound of an explosion over the horizon in the direction of the road, sent the flock into a panic.

Then, while two boys saw to the sheep, the rest of the shepherds rushed towards the road.

Day Eight Hundred Fifteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Both Quasimo and I advised against the move southward. But Elijah insisted. So the rest of the day we made our way out of the central district, and passed the night in a posh but deserted hotel.

Before we set out this morning Quasimo told us they would be on high alert since the explosion and surveillance would begin the minute we set foot in the southern sector.

Elijah said we would only be there long enough to deliver a message, then we would egress via his preferred route.

Thus, we ended up before an angry crowd and Elijah announced the continuation of the drought. Their anger boiled over.

But we disappeared before they could lay a hand on us.

Day Eight Hundred Fourteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The first part was easy. Quasimo led us out of the audience chamber the same way he had gotten in. Avoiding all surveillance.

Then came the tricky part.

He took us into the communication/security room in the basement. There he was to report the success of his mission. It also held the relay connections to initiate a final solution in the event his mission turned suicidal. He switched the controls to that connection over to a timer instead. Set it and led us away via underground passages.

We emerged in the market area. But Quasimo held us back – until the explosion.

Then he explained, “Now all surveillance is down. And all the barriers also.”

Elijah asked to go south.

Day Two Hundred Eighteen Late Morning #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle writes:

Wakened out of a sound sleep by a thunderous explosion. I stood and looked up towards the moon. It appeared to be weeping. Flaming objects filled the sky, falling to the horizon.

Then I did wake up and realized it was all a dream.