Day One Thousand One Hundred Twenty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

All quiet today on the plain. No sign of conflict by sight or sound. By the end of the day it had been so quiet we had relaxed our vigil, especially when we sighted what we took to be the halfway point of our journey – the well to which Sy had led us – the one whose water was too low to access.

To our relief its water table had risen and we easily refilled our water skins.

Elijah volunteered for the first watch but I had no sooner turned in when he raised the alarm.

Alarm turned to joy when we recognized our intruder was our friend Reuben whom we first knew as a guard in the prison near Jerusalem.

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Day Fifty AM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle writes:

I thought I had outpaced them all. The lulls were coming with greater frequency, and I took full advantage. Or so I thought.

Last night I held up in one of the last high rises. Turns out it was the headquarters for all the Intruders I’ve been dodging. And I met their master. She tells me I’ve been a lot of trouble.

What she added next surprised me. She told me that she was sending me on my way. With two fine lengths of rope.

She was warned in a dream not to harm me nor my friend. She knows Enough but not by that name.  And since I did not know any other, she refused to fill me in.

Day Forty Nine PM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I wanted to go after Lyle. Really I did. But circumstances have intervened and scotched that notion. The intruder activity between myself and where Lyle should be has exploded beyond what I have ever seen before. Probably the result of his drone flying over this area yesterday.

I’m beginning to think that he was trying to get a message to me. But perhaps that was his meaning – a warning to get out of here.

It was a slow process but I was able to get it all down in five trips. There has been no intruder activity here at all on this side of the wall. I put my drone up and have confirmed that no intruder is watching me.

Day Forty Eight AM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle writes:

The Intruder was breathing down my neck all day. So with one eye on the path before me and the other on the sky overhead, I made my way the best I could. One Intruder after another joined the first, until there was a total of six pursuing me.

It all seemed random at first, but at length I realized that I was being “herded” ever away from the direct line to my desired destination.

During one of the calms – the periodic absences of all Intruders, I sent my drone off towards the city’s edge and the wall.

First, to ensure that the way was clear of obstacles. And secondly to let Enough know that I am still out here and to encourage him hopefully to wait for me.

Day Forty Seven AM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle writes:

Never thought I’d say I was suffering from loneliness.  I am. I just have to keep my mind on what I’m doing and my goal.

Came across a small hardware store and I went in immediately to check for rope. Very little left on the shelves open to the public. So I next took a run through the stock room. All picked over as well.

Exited the building just as an Intruder passed by. I froze. And watched it disappear. In the general direction that I am heading.

This is going to be tricky.

Day Forty Six PM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

No sign of Lyle. He probably won’t be back today.

I continued a grid search of the area for rope. Nothing. But I am edging ever nearer to the section where we last sighted an intruder. I am taking it slower and slower. Can’t be too cautious.

Clarissa stays close. And she appears perfectly content, without a care in the world. I take it as a good sign.

Spend some time watching the automated processes every time the one gate opens. I realize that a live person will eventually put in an appearance to properly maintain the mechanisms out here. There is only so much machines can do. It would increase the odds of discovery. Pray Lyle gets back soon.

Day Forty Six AM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle writes:

Made good time today. Though I did slow down in the afternoon. That’s when I crossed the boundary into the territory patrolled by the Intruder.

I’m setting a course for the mall area we visited on the way out.

Day Forty Four PM #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We arrived at an area where there were no intruder sightings all day long. We felt safe enough in the afternoon to put our drones up. This whole end is a solid wall. Lyle feels and I concur that we’re not likely to find anything different any place else up this way. Therefore we are going to look for a good place to climb over or lower us down from that wall.

While Lyle minded all the “birds,” I took the opportunity to forage, and stumbled upon enough foodstuffs to replace that which we consumed these past few days.

Lyle informed me at day’s end that he had sent his drone out to its limit. Other people are out there.

Day Thirty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Ate up a bunch of miles today. Ahead the end of the city is in sight. No inhabitants at all. Or no sign of any at least. Lyle did spot that intruder in the distance at one point, but it was far behind. I think he can’t help but look behind, hoping to see Rufus.

In camp tonight we took stock. We are all set for the mountains, except for some warmer clothing, which we will seek to remedy tomorrow.

I’ve been thinking that we’ve overlooked something, and it finally came to me – spare parts for our drones. I told Lyle my idea. He listened politely but nixed it, for the extra weight and since we’ll soon not need them.

Day Thirty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

No sign at all of an intruder today. We each advanced by four turns. We would have traveled more but we needed to scavenge for food. And we found plenty, even some fresh vegetables in an abandoned garden. Lyle was handy in pointing out the weeds. I would probably have eaten them.

We now have enough to carry us up to the mountains, except for some additional stores for Rufus. They shouldn’t be too hard to find before we depart civilization.

The air was very clear today. The mountains stand out in bold relief, and appear even closer. But I realize that we have many days ahead of us before we arrive in their shadow. Pending further instruction or illumination.