Well, we’re fucked. There have been rumors of a new strain of the infection that has wiped out other settlements. As if things needed to get worse, I talked to a nice woman named Dessa who works at the hospital and she told me that they are considering mandatory blood testing every week for everybody in town, a notion that pisses me off beyond belief. Everyone that has died has turned, what do we need to test for? A cure? That’ll be the day. I like my blood to stay on the inside of me, always have, and beyond my dislike for needles it’s nobody’s damn business what is in my blood until I start dragging one foot behind me and moaning for brains. But I think saying no to the tests will bring the attention of the new lawman in town, the self-appointed sheriff of Arklay, some dude named Mike. What incredible arrogance to think that he knows what’s best for everyone. He’s just another power hungry psycho with a badge he made up as far as I’m concerned. But the real terror is a girl that’s been wandering around town, named Nissa. I met her a few days ago in the old church, she looked really sick and was hungry so I gave her some corn. She thought I wanted her body in trade, made me so sad to see her resigned to that kind of thing. Anyway, I convince her it was a gift with no strings and she eats the corn, then throws it back up right there on the church floor. I gave her some old rags I’d found in the church but I didn’t touch anything that came out of her, which probably saved my life. Because people are saying now that she has this new infection and could be spreading it around town even now. I saw Nissa yesterday outside of Coach’s and she looked even worse, red eyes and sunken face, staggering around delirious. I feel for the girl but I’ve been keeping well away, just in case rumors are true. I’m not feeling any different, but I haven’t told anyone how close I came to her and her bodily fluids. This town seems like it could turn into a torch-and-pitchfork kind of mob without too much trouble. And my tobacco is running out. Every day seems like a bigger mess than the last. If not for people like Eva and Dessa and some others who have been kind to me I might be over that bridge and away from here already.