I’ve been out of the loop. 60 long ass days. Exploring the mainland wasn’t all I thought it’d be. Feral animals are everywhere. The dead are decomposing, leaving traces of God-knows-what toxins in the environment. Roads and highways are overgrown. I saw some scavengers from a  distance, but laid low. There is no telling who to trust out there.

I got horribly sick, flu, cold, some sort of bug. Had to camp in an abandoned warehouse till I felt better, enough to move. I’m not sure what I was looking for, but I kept looking. Arklay was fine enough as it went, but I had to see the rest of the story.

I came across a small camp, maybe 20 guys. The worst kind. They were taking turns on what appeared to be a father and two daughters. With only a knife and two crossbow bolts, I had to let it be. It hurt. I’m not sure why society takes a plunge into darkness when rising into the light is just as easy.

I managed to make it into a few shops, get some fresh clothes. Took a sponge bath.  Trimmed my hair. Only in my 30’s. It’s going gray. I feel weathered.  I found a stash of all kinds of goods. Food, water, weapons, clothing. I stayed there wondering  what happened to the owner. The place was well equipped, whoever built it could stay there a while. But they left. Probably much like I left Arklay. To see what’s out there. I left more than half the stash. The owner might come back.

I became desperate to find an Arklay-like community, but all I saw were small, transient camps of raiders and random survivalists. Perhaps further out? I don’t know. I battled with my lingering cold or flu. The cold humidity didn’t make it better. It is what turned me back around. At least in Arklay I could find rest and respite. Plus the long spell on the road was lonely. I often wished I had some private time on Arklay, now I wished I could have someone, anyone to talk to.

The road back was uneventful, but I was in for a surprise.  The population had exploded. The quiet border island was full of people, vibrant and thriving. So much had changed. My pet project, Radio Free Arklay, had been assumed by another. I felt very out of sorts, but still thrilled to be a part of something bigger than myself.

I took a job at the hospital shelter for the time. It keeps me out of my head, and seems to offer a bit of hope to the newcomers. I hope to keep it up for a while. Ben is a decent, if gruff, soul. The hospital staff really does go out of their way to help people too. So for now it’s home.

If you read this entry, and feel like giving up – don’t. Arklay is the foundation of a real community, and no words can describe the value there. Reach out. Make friends. Do not ever give into the despair. Ever.

((OOC – my absence was due to real life hospitalization)