Day Seven Hundred Thirty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Tomas led the way, as usual, around the lake and into the foothills. Our guests carried on behind us. Each fully armed and with heavy packs. They’ve been instructed to follow us until they reach the goal of their mission. Besides themselves, Elijah is the only one with that knowledge.

Their names are Lung and Mei. I really was bowled over to learn that Mei is not a man, but a woman. Both had been guards over Elijah, and Mei was always barking commands and gave no hint of her gender.

Elijah knew, of course, and was greatly amused at my discovery.

Our road is a good one. It has been surfaced for vehicles, and we are making good progress.

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Day Two Hundred Fifty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

When last in this vicinity we were hounded by drones. Nothing flies above our heads now, not even birds.

Our host explained everything to Elijah. He is related to the woman who had helped us. She disappeared a few days before the deluge from the skies took down everything electronic.

Elijah in his turn explained the mystery behind the woman’s disappearance. It was a great comfort for our host. The time was indeed ripe for him to believe.

When we told him our intent to continue moving onwards into the city, he balked and practically begged us not to. He does all within his power to avoid drawing attention to himself and his people.

We decided to acquiesce for now.

Day One Hundred Forty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

An eventful day. I doubt if I can write it all down. Hopefully I won’t forget or leave out any important details.

I have met Grazie, the woman who waved to me from the western fields. Lyle was not with me, as he had wished. It happened on my inspection of the gateways into the west end. All were still shut, except for the one into the deserted first district.  Decorations were spread everywhere. It made no sense. I was at the point of leaving when she materialized at my side. She had not expected seeing me either. Of all she shared the most riveting was her warning – not to submit to her leaders.

And that the gates reopen tomorrow.

Day One Hundred Thirty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lyle won’t let me meet with the woman. Not alone anyway. If there is to be a meeting, Lyle insists upon going along with me.

That’s okay by me, but it’s all a mute point for now as the west end is still closed.

The woman did write that I am to wait on her for a time and place. My guess she is faced by restrictions from her side too.

We have had nothing else to do today but wait. Lyle won’t meet again with his leaders until next week, unless there are developments from the west end.

I took a walk and wound up at my little walled courtyard and rested a good part of the day there.

Day One Hundred Thirty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I was curious about Lyle’s reading of his distant encounter with the waving west ender yesterday. He had the distinct impression that he was mistaken for someone else, for the individual waved a couple of times, then stopped and withdrew.

I decided to make another attempt at contact. Our crews were returning when I passed through the fields on the way out to the vineyards.

The west end fields were deserted more than usual. Hope dwindled as I approached the vineyards.

I was hesitant to leave, so I remained to meditate on past visions of the desert.

Turning to go, I nearly ran into a woman. She put a note in my hand, smiled and left.

She wants to meet.

Day Fifty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We cleared the first foothill yesterday, but didn’t get much farther than that. The city for the most part is blocked from sight, only the tallest buildings poke their heads up enough to be seen.

There was another reason for our lack of headway. Lyle shared an account of his adventures with me. They were pretty hair-raising. I’ll suggest to him that he share his journal too.

But I will relate that he had a run in with that woman he feared. She had him cornered at one point, and fortunately as it turns out, placed him right in the midst of what he went to find – all that rope.

And it directly led to the recovery of Rufus.

Day Twenty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The day was one of pluses and minuses. You would either be elated, on the rise in good spirits, or down in the depths of discouragement, for some bonehead call you made.

Overall it was a plus. For we definitely felt ahead of the game by day’s end.

We had found the source of the intruder. Both a plus and a minus for various reasons. The plus is obvious; the minus not so, even though it was for the same reason, if you get my drift.

It comes from a tower just out a little farther than our building. But Lyle recognizes the woman behind the operation and she is very bad news. We must be even more than vigilant.