FRIDAY JULY 15TH, 2011
("yes, quite nice")

9:10 AM
WHERE THE FUCK IS DONNIE OH GOD

9:11 AM
Oh. Bathroom.
Hahaha.
Haaaaaaaaalet’s just go.

9:39 AM
This fucking apocalypse, man. It was maybe sorta getting somewhere approximating the direction of "Cool" for a bit? But now I just want to get to the rabbit hole and decode the next goddamn Cipher.
Seeing people get murdered left and right kinda puts a damper on the fun.
So we're off. We're out.
On the road again.

10:20 AM
"Jordan?"
Yeah?
"Are you.. feeling alright?"
Yeah, what's up? Did I do something?
"No, I'm just worried."
Well, all things being equal? Accounting for the shit we're witnessing on a daily basis, and the physical strain of unpredictable survival? Like, accounting for that.
"Yes, accounting for that. I've seen you through some hard stuff. You look tense even for that."
I do? ...actually, no, yeah. Sorry, guess I'm waking up. Yeah. Yeah, I am tense.
"We need to keep an open communication. Talk to me."
It's. I think it's the prospect of new Fears. Can't know what we're in for.
"Mm. Was it the cold one yesterday?"
...yeah. ._.
"I felt it too, y'know. I lost sight of you, and I quickly lost all memory of you. By extension, all memory of anyone but my mother. I thought I was still living with her, that it was me and her in this apocalypse, that I had to depend on her during this. That's... a nightmare I've had for years. Not that I expected literally this to happen to the world, but my mother is just not dependable... and I would fear that I'd be put in a position where something did happen to the world and she was still my only guardian…"
I can.. understand. That cold wave.. it got.. it got us deep. It was powerful.
"I want you to talk to me about your nightmare."
It's.. well, like yours, it's a nightmare I'd been having a lot even before the apocalypse happened. When my family moved back to England, it didn't just remove me from my friends, it removed me from any life or culture that I had been prepared for. And I had taken quite some preparing. I didn't get back into school in England. That was my parents' responsibility, I was underage even by English law, and culturally, like... I'd never lived in a town like that before... I'd never interacted with a British school... well, like, I had faint memories of it when I was 5, 6.
Anyway.
The point is I didn't get in in time. And I was too young to get a part-time job, according to my dad. So I was literally just.. in my room all the time. Bare white walls. Tiny, closet-sized room. Giant window that couldn't close properly, giving me direct access to the British winter temperatures... we didn't even have internet for a few months, I'd have to go to the library and log onto those computers just to go on Facebook and see all my American friends moving on with their lives, assuming I was doing okay, and like, even if I wasn't, what could they do?
So. So it was. Cabin fever. Alien world outside, sure England still speaks the same language as America, but... no it fucking doesn't. England has a completely alien culture. Everything's a joke. The environments are hostile, the people treat everything like a meme, and I was a fucking outsider with a thick American accent who was prepared for a very different world. Hell, I was ready to struggle in America, it wasn't gonna be easy, but I'd prepared myself for that struggle.
So. Isolation.
Depending on my family. And they had their own shit going on.
I just got in the way.
So. I had the very vivid fear that... come ten years, I'd still be there. Still in England. Still living with my parents. Still not quite used to English society. Still just fucking floating. No support, except maybe the bare minimum from my parents so I'm not even allowed to say I have no support. Floating... watching my own mind, watching my own memories…
I think I'd probably dive into a drug addiction.
That's my idea of cold. I don't like thinking about it. But, oh yeah, I've seen it coming... it's been a long year…
huggg
"It's really important we acknowledge these fears, as it looks like we're going to deal with creatures who know how to drag them out of us."
Yeah.
"Your nightmare is.. scary."
So is yours.
"And what's important here is they don't apply to this situation we're in now. We aren't helpless, legally bound to our parents. We're here, you and me. We crossed an ocean, and we're crossing a whole continent."
Yes. We might still have moments of sadness, loneliness, doubt, but they're just moments. They're not a backdrop, a whole reality.
"Yes." :)
:)

10:28 AM
Our conversation has turned to video games, a comfortable subject to us both.

12:23 PM
…wait
Something about this highway looks odd.
The sky’s blue.
Is Rapture over?
Wait, no. We’re just in a rabbit hole. Dammit.
We must have been in it for the past hour, shit.
It doesn’t feel like a rabbit hole. They’ve been getting less and less crazy lately.

12:30 PM
CAR
It’s stopping for us.
It stopped up ahead.

12:31 PM
I opened the passenger seat
and then a skeleton popped out.
I like this world.
And hey, free car!

12:40 PM
Donnie’s driving this time.
I get to be the skeleton. :D

12:49 PM
Will this world ever do anything
ope. guess I tempted fate. Now we’re out of the rabbit hole!
…that was seriously one of the least-rabbit hole-esque rabbit holes I’ve ever been in.
But we have a car now!

1:12 PM
That road sign said we’re close to “Falls City, Nebraska.”
We’re in Nebraska! :DDDD
God, we’re making some serious progress now.
And look, Rapture’s over, everyone’s happy!
…no, just kidding. xD

1:45 PM
Donnie asked for some music.
So I put in some Foxtrot.

2:34 PM
Colors!

3:38 PM
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway!
Donnie needs to hear this album at least once in her life. :3

5:02 PM
God, we are just speeding along. Quiet day today, I assume.
Either that, or it’s an “It’s quiet here, too quiet” day.
…
The Great Misdirect time!

6:04 PM
Now how about some We Excavate? c:

7:10 PM
DRAW A STAIRWAY FOR MY GOD TO SPITE THE SOFA OF MY FAITH!

7:14 PM
WHOA
That sign says “Oshkosh, Nebraska— HOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST CIPHER!” It’s spraypainted on, I assume by another survivor who knows of the things.

7:30 PM
This.
This town isn’t even a town.
This is, like… a coupla buildings.
This should be some easy shit.
Now where’s that rabbit hole?

7:40 PM
Oh.
The.. the airport has a gigantic Door in it. Big closed wooden door, like we saw under New York.
But in the middle of the runway.
What kind of small town even has an airport?
"Maybe this is actually an airport with a town in it."
I feel like it's probably still just a town, with an airport in it.
"Yeah, but. As you said, what kind of small town has an airport? It's gotta be one big airport. With a town in it."
This is.. a silly argument. An airport's gotta be somewhere. This airport is in a town.
"Not necessarily! Airports can be on, like, mountains. This is an airport, with a town in it."
I. Really? But. There is a town... and it's like, an airport may be physically bigger, but it's never gonna take, like, jurisdictional... priority... over the classification of a town.
"I want to drive my car into the rabbit hole. The rabbit hole inside the runway, which is in the airport, and not the town."
You.. you can do whatever you like, baby. It's your car.
"Thank you."
But this is a town with an airport in it.

7:49 PM
We broke into a nearby house and raided the kitchen.
We’re gonna think our plan through over some coffee.

8:00 PM
Okay, we’ve decided a couple stuff.
We’re driving into the Door and praying we don’t spawn in front of some wall.
We’re gonna stick together at all times. And we got each other’s back.
Frying pan and Tiger Stripes. Yeah, we got each other.

8:02 PM
And, uh.. when we make it deep enough. When we reach the Cipher’s realm, we’re gonna look for each other immediately. Stick together.

8:04 PM
Okay, getting into the car.
..I wanna name this car.
I wanna name it, like.. the Friendcar or something. ..but not that; that’s a stupid name.
Uh. The Survivor. The Raptor. …YES. The Raptor. It’s like “Rapture” but not. And it’s cool!
The Raptor! Donnie just smiled at me and rolled her eyes.
Yeah, she’s just jelly of my naming skills. >W>

8:10 PM
Donnie’s lining us up on the runway. Guess I gotta go open the
Oh.
The Door’s opening by itself.
…that’s a NASCAR track in there; perfect!
This oughta be interesting.
Okay, line it up… ready?
WAITWAITWAIT
WHO’S THAT
Someone’s running on the runway, shouting for us to hold on.

8:11 PM
It’s someone in a big black cloak. Their hood's covering their face really well.
Who are you?
"Don't worry about that! I have something you're going to need!"
donnie "I think your identity is a reasonable worry to have!"
"Please, just!" reaching into their robe
oh shit
it's like three boxes of rifle ammo
"This is good for the exact rifle you have."
How do you know?
"Well, do you think you're hiding your inventory that well?"
...fair point.
I say we take the ammo.
donnie "But what if this is a Fear?"
"Do you want me to load the ammo in your gun for you? Fire a shot? Prove that it's just ammo?"
donnie "Okay, okay. Just. Give us the boxes. And thanks."
Why are you helping us? Can you tell us that?
"You're going after a Cipher. That's kind of really cool."
..again, fair point.
now they're waving goodbye
donnie and I are looking at each other apprehensively
"that was weird"
there's been a lot of 'weird' this summer
let's just go
"yeah okay"
THROUGH THE DOOR WE GO!

8:18 PM
NASCARNASCARNASCARNASCARNASCAR
This is actually more exciting than I thought it’d be.
All these cars racing along with us, except those aren’t just cars! ..well, they literally are just cars! No people!
It’s a race! The Raptor versus Ghost Cars!

8:22 PM
RACE RACE RACE
THAT GHOST CAR’S OVERTAKING US.
LET’S KICK ITS ASS
9vjifdj
WHOA
THEY’RE FUCKING BUMPING INTO US.
Okay. Okay! Okay, you wanna play like that, Ghost Cars?
Well. I got Tiger Stripes. Imma open some fuckin’ windows.

8:24 PM
BAM, opened up that fucker’s side window.
He’s swerving now.
…riiight into the wall.

8:29 PM
This is fun so far.
Donnie’s doing a rad job at keeping us in first place.
A time like this calls for…
Muse! Black Holes and Revelations!
In memory of the band that got torn to shreds. D:

9:03 PM
..okay, this is a long race.
How many laps are there?

9:04 PM
That sign reads “Infinite laps.”
Oh hell no.
Do you think you could drive us to an exit?

9:10 PM
Where the hell are the exits?! o_o

9:13 PM
The Ghost Cars are all morphing togeth
OH MY GOD
IT’S A SUPER CARBRA

9:14 PM
Okay. Listen up.
The Carbra is a dangerous beast. I’ve.. never actually destroyed one before. Let alone a Super Carbra. o_o;;
Just.. keep driving! I've gotta get this sunroof open.

9:16 PM
trying to balance on the roof of the Raptor
this isn’t gonna end well

9:17 PM
DIEDIEDIE
EAT TIGER STRIPES.
YOUR MOTHER WAS A HORSE. THAT ACTUALLY VAGUELY MADE SENSE.
YEAH YEAH YEAH.
…YEAH.
RUN.
WE’LL SEE YOU IN A MINUTE WHEN THE TRACK LOOPS AROUND.

9:22 PM
SMACK GOES THE WEASEL
BIDDLY-BOP
EAT WEASEL, YOU CAR REACTOR
WHAT AM I EVEN SAYING
DIE DIDDLY-IE
WHACKBACK.
THAT’S A WORD NOW.
WHACKBACK TO YOU TOO, SUPER CARBA.
IT’S SHOWING DAMAGE.
MAYBE I CAN DO MORE DAMAGE IF I’M NOT WRITING AT THE SAME TIME.

9:42 PM
The Super Carbra crashed into a wall, ripping it open for us.
Inside, we can clearly see a night sky, in stark contrast to the blue sky above us right now.
Looks like it’s time to continue down the rabbit hole.
I'm climbing back into the passenger seat.

9:53 PM
Night sky, highway with the occasional streetlight.
I know we’re still in the rabbit hole ‘cause the real sky is a dark red at night!
“Thanks, Captain Obvious.” You’re welcome, Lieutenant Sarcasm! :D

10:06 PM
Road sign. “Sleepville, ten miles.”
Sleepville. That sounds really pleasant. :3

10:20 PM
The town of Sleepville is… well. Sleepy.
Rolling hills going on for light years. The hills are actually giant pillows, and the sky is covered by a blanket of.. well, blanket!
There are thousands of creatures, dangerous and safe, friendly and foreign, sleeping in every direction.
I wonder if even the slender man sleeps in Sleepville. .w.

10:25 PM
We’ve found a nice open patch of pillow.
Night-night, journal. ^w^

(Attached: "On the matter of rabbit holes: There are lots. Just when you think you've seen all of the worlds behind that Door, you go find another and yet another more. On the matter of sleep: There's never enough. Sleepville might be the cruelest world simply because it promises a necessity, a much-needed escape from the horrors of the world from which we all came, but that escape never lets go. It's almost as if specifically designed to give you so much of what you want so as to make you desperately no longer want it. And yes, I say that knowing full well how obvious it sounds. Did I ever mention how painfully boring it gets here in this library? It makes the obvious the only thing you want to say. Kinda turns most subjects into a sort of small-talk, like how people at a bus stop will casually talk about the weather with obvious statements such as 'Nice weather we're having,' as if I can't bother to look up and see the giant expanse of-- yes, quite nice-- weather. There was a time when I used to hate small-talk and only want to talk about bigger matters. That time's long gone.")