TUESDAY JULY 5TH, 2011
(DUCK AND COVER)

9:39 AM
Yearning to begin anew
Spinning the labyrinth blue
The landscape opens
To a refreshing twist
Of passion, music,
Society sun-kissed!
Follow me into civilization
Close the door behind
You fall deeper, you star sweeper
Into the story of mankind
There’s nothing like a little bit of Sunsetters to wake you up in the morning, huh, journal? :D

9:53 AM
Donnie's found a road map in the lobby. Gotta discuss where we're going next.

9:55 AM
"Do you think we'll go through Nebraska?"
I mean, we can go anywhere we want. I was actually thinking of checking out New York. It's not too far from here, relatively.
"Oh. What's in New York?"
Could be many things. Big important city. I'd expect some people, like good guys, still hanging out.
"But what's there for you?"
Well. There was that book. In that library. It told me I have a friend there. I showed you that log, right?
"Yeah! You did. That's as good a reason as any I can think of. I can wait for Nebraska, I'm sure we'll be on the road again before long."
Probably! What's in Nebraska?
"Nothing, it's fine."
You sure?
"I'm sure. Let's get moving!"

9:59 AM
And off we go, down side roads! Hopefully we can find the motorhighway.

10:10 AM
It feels good to be in America again at last. I've missed this, like, general style of road. Trees. Road sign. And with Donnie by my side, I feel like I can take on the world. :D
...she kissed my cheek. we're gonna hold haaaands

10:32 AM
I almost miss being on the Exodus. At least it meant we didn’t have to walk to each place. >_>

10:42 AM
..oh my god no way
It's a goddamn Rapture Duck!
Jesus, look at the size of that thing!
quack
"They're really cute…"
They're monsters.
"How can you say that? Look at it, it's a duck!"
Just keep it away from my journal. o_o;;

10:53 AM
I hear a car in the distance! People! O:
"Americans!"

10:54 AM
Look, it's a little gray volvo!
It's.. it's coming onto the sidewalk.
Oh god, LOOK OUT

10:55 AM
man, fuck you, and your volvo…
what are you doing, don't turn around, just keep driving!
for fuck's sake here it comes again
dive!
run!
dive!
duck!
DUCK!
DUCK!
RAPTURE DUCK!
OH MY GOD
FUCK FUCK JUST
FUCK OFF

10:56 AM
The car's rolling down its window
GUN
pointing at us
"Give us the girl."
WHAT
donnie "Are you serious?"
"Do we look like we're joking?"
Well. Hang on, let me take a closer look at you.

11:00 AM
So, uh.
Donnie was kidnapped by plants.
Yeah, literally just. Plant men. Vines and twigs. Driver was just a fucking bush. Gunman had arms of bark.
I'm not saying I capitulated at the mere sight of them, I mean they got out of the car and really put up a fight!
They.. drove off to the north. Pretty sure that's north. It's the direction we were going anyway.
I've gotta... I've gotta go after them.

11:11 AM
I wish!!! I wish for Donnie!!!

11:20 AM
Walking down quiet highway roads, trying to ignore that ever-prevalent cawing I’ve gotten so used to.
quack
And that goddamn quacking. Leave me alone! Where were you in all this, huh??? With your fierce beak, you could have eaten those plant dudes! Right? What do ducks eat?
Well?? Tell me!!!
Why are you just standing there, looking at me like that?
...

11:21 AM
RIDING THE RAPTURE DUCK

11:43 AM
There! The volvo! It's parked in front of that shack!
Thank you, duck! You're alright.
Do you want to.. come with me? Can you fit through that door? Have you killed before?
quack

11:45 AM
Dark hallway. Long hallway. Either that, or we're walking in circles because we can't see anything.
The air turned very stale as soon as we came in.
I think it's a rabbit hole. It's gotta be.

11:48 AM
I hear a faint roar.
Gripping Tiger Stripes.
There's faint music above the roar...
Two big double doors.

11:50 AM
“No fireworks, no cameras, no merch, in fact I’d go as far as to say there’s no real quality of service but that still doesn’t change the fact that WE’RE PLAYING TONIGHT– HELLO, CAMPER FESTIVAL!”

12:03 PM
Out in the lobby now.
I’m sure the Camper Festival means something, something big, but I don’t have time to look around.
..Ms. Desmond?
She’s just sitting there, watching the performance.
Ooh, over there! Is that Bonnjo Vjonsped?! OwO
rightsorrylet’sgo
..they’re missing their guitarist. o__o
SORRY OKAY GOING
this duck does NOT like loud music

12:08 PM
The door opened to a florist, and then past that, a forest.
I made sure to ask for some weed-killers on my way out.
I mean, she didn't give me any, because I have no money. But I made sure to ask!
Man, this shrubbery! Real thick!
Why am I still talking

12:11 PM
I hear things nearby.
Hey duck, can I ride you again?
Where are you going?

12:12 PM
I swear I just saw something running through the canopy.
Duck, where'd you go? :(

12:19 PM
I swear a bug's crawled up my trouser leg
I hate this so much

12:20 PM
I hear voices.
And honks! Friend, you're close! :D
Just gotta keep.. whacking shrubs out of the way…

12:25 PM
hnnnng

12:28 PM
Three th
a voice speaks to me...

Night
I don’t know what time it is. It’s dark, though. Very.
I can’t see much, but I can make out vague shapes of the trees around me.

Night (2)
Listening for the duck. Listening for the voices. Listening for anything, but there's just, there's nothing.
Gonna walk a bit.

Night (3)
I can hear faint birds singing. They sound nothing like birds are supposed to. May not even be birds; I’m just guessing at this point.
..the ground here’s suddenly wet. o_o

Night (4)
Dry ground again. I hear footsteps nearby.

Night (5)
There’s definitely someone there. I can see the vague shape of their body. I’m finding out who it is.

Night (6)
I bumped into a tree. I heard the person run off.
I don’t know where to go.

Night (7)
I’ve been wandering for a really long time; I’m sure it’s been half an hour, at least. My eyes don’t adjust to the darkness, no moon rises to shine light, nothing. The forest remains in its perpetual darkness.

Night (8)
I found a piece of paper. I can't read it, but I'll keep it with me. Can read it later.

(Attached: "In the woods there is peace.
And the birds,
And the woodland animals!
On the trail,
On my way out from you.
And the wind,
And the rustling trees hear me.")

Night (9)
All the trees look the same. I think. I can barely see any of them anyway.

Night (10)
How long have I been out here?
Too long.

Night (11)
Person again. I think. I see a vague white shape.

Night (12)
The person is wearing a theatrical sadface mask and standing there, staring at me.
They won’t answer to my shouts.

Night (13)
Tree.

Night (14)
Walking.

Night (15)
I blink and some trees disappear.

Night (16)
I blink and some trees appear.

Night (17)
The sadface man is in front of me.
Under his mask, I am watched.
“How will you handle the world crumbling around you?“
do you want to see?
ings just ran into a nearby cave. The duck's here and quacking at me.

12:30 PM
The cave is filled with plant-men. Flowers and leaves and vines, and.
Wait.
These things.
They’re Treefingers.
You're Treefingers!
And they’re staring at us welcomingly. Me and the duck. Guess they're not threatened.

12:31 PM
I asked one of them where they took Donnie. They’re looking at each other oddly.
Do you guys not talk? Do you know any Treefingers who do?
I'm being led somewhere now.

12:33 PM
This is an arena. You guys do, like, cagefighting here?

12:34 PM
One of the Treefingers told me, if I want to see Donnie again, I must challenge “the beast,” for it is the beast that Donnie is being sacrificed to.
..okay I hate these guys again.
I’m doing it. For Donnie.

12:36 PM
The air’s getting a little thick. I’m coughing a bit.
Where are you, beast?
Tiger Stripes, give me…
..Treefingers are approaching.
They said the beast has been called off. Donnie is being released.
o_o Okay. Works for me, I suppose. Do I look that intimidating? ...was it the duck?!

12:39 PM
Being taken to Donnie, down into some rooms caked in mud.

12:41 PM
DONNIE OH GOD
I MISSED THAT HUG.
She looks pretty shaken. They didn't hurt her, though.
Let's get the hell out of here. Take the duck.

12:45 PM
“Someone would like to speak with you before you go.”
In a big mud hut, outside. Their leader or something? o_o

12:46 PM
Oh dear god. How'd you get the wooden suit back?
YES, Mistress! Hello! Oh, how I have completely missed you!
"I've come back from my exquisite tour of the Bahamas, and I am so pleased to see you again. I know, I know, you had places to go, and you did a fine job of role-playing with me last time we saw each other, so I forgive you for just ducking and running. But I heard you were in the area, so I thought I'd have you come by and say 'Hello.'"
...hello.
"You've managed to hold onto your girl all this time. Haven't broken her heart yet. ..hoho, just a joke!"
…what do you want, Harlequin?
"Ouch. I did get the message, you know. You.. shut the door on me quite clearly. Both of you!"
donnie's not saying a word
"These plant guys, they're so much nicer. They give me what I want. They seem to think I have connections? Whatever might have given them that idea?"
…
"God, look at you. You're so scared of me. Like, actually scared. Listen. I'm not gonna make this any more awkward than this has to be. I saw you were in the area, and I just wanted to give you a word of warning."
...
What is it?
"I'm not the only bad guy in the world, y'know? And as far as the totem pole of power goes, I'm hardly even on the radar. You made it to America? Took the long way. Put so much work into it. To what, to escape? Sky's still red here. And me, I'm still here. Maybe you did escape something, but you're just so... clueless about it!
"So that's my warning: You don't know what you're running from, and that means you don't know what you're running into either. You just don't know."
Yeah…
"Yeah? So, you'd better find someone who does." giggle
donnie "Thanks for the advice. Can we go now?"
waves her hand "You have cities to see, drugs to take, a job to do, worlds to save, whatever."
Well.
Uh.
she's looking right at me now. with that unmoving mask of a face.
...bye? o_o;
silence
...

2:39 PM
We.. got moving after that.
That was.. weird. I even kinda forgot it happened and wasn't a fever dream until I picked up my journal to update it and saw it really written there. Donnie definitely didn't want to talk about it. I don't know what we'd even say about it.
And now we’re getting close to New York. Duck travel is good travel.

3:21 PM
Most of the creatures around here are zombies. It’s getting pretty dull.

4:04 PM
…wow, a spidercat!!! VARIETY!

4:27 PM
We’ve come across a large body of water.
God, we're gonna need a boat. Wait no. Boating’s for squares. Get with the circles. Better yet, get with the rhombi.
"Jordan, what the fuck are you talking about?"
We need a rabbit hole!
"Jordan, we're on a giant duck."

4:28 PM
went right into the water, no problem.
quack
Well. Okay, I feel silly.

5:25 PM
yeah yeah we made it across no problem, but guess where we found our way to now?
Broadway Street!
We’re in New York City! Skyscrapers piercing the red sky with their manmade majesty, streets as empty as London’s were.
Okay okay okay, where to now?
Shit, that’s a really good question. I know I (should) have a very good friend here, but this is a fucking huge city. who knows if she’s still here.

5:28 PM
..graffiti on the side of a clothes shop!
“embracethearchangel“ I’ve seen this message before. Still no spacebar, but it’s significant.
“RAPTURE IS COMING, CAN’T YOU FEEL IT, IT’S COMING AND IT’S COMING SOON”
“A voice speaks to me: Would you like to see?”
“NORTH OF TOWN IS PLAGUE TERRITORY, STAY OUT”
“What did Doctor Cloud discover in the Genera?”
“But it’s all in a mouse’s night to take on all those who fight”
..someone’s coming.

5:31 PM
It’s an older man, long black hair going grey, a mustache, trenchcoat. He’s wearing one red glove. o_o

5:32 PM
“Welcome to America, White Jester. You’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Um. Alright. And who are you?
“Oh, you’ll get to know. All in good time. But you're gonna want to know, you're expected at the Soho Grand Hotel."
Expected? How do you know me?
"Pfft. White Jester? Arsonist of Paris? You're known."
Wait, that wasn't me!
"And furthermore, do you not know you're being followed?"
I'm what? We're what?
"I did my job. You know where to go. Watch your back."
walks away
Well. Okay. o_o Guess we'll go look for a building by DAMN NAME and NO ADDRESS!!!

5:50 PM
Soho Grand Hotel.
Parked our duck outside.
The lobby’s huge. Broken glass everywhere, chairs overturned, doors closing DOOR
AFTER THAT DOOR

5:51 PM
The world has too many hallways.
I see a mirror at the end of the hall. Damn, my suit is nice. :3
Staircase up here.

5:52 PM
‘Nother mirror down there. Seriously, I love that suit. .w. Have I gotten taller?
We’re calling out for my friend. If she hears us, she’ll come out.

5:53 PM
Up these stairs!
I take it all these halls have mirrors. Beautiful suit, Jordan. Fits you much too well. >w>
.why am I the only one up h oh, I’m not. Donnie's right there.
..then where’s her
OH
THAT'S NOT A MIRROR
THAT'S THE FUCKING SLENDER MAN
WHAT DO WE DO IN THIS SITUATION, DO WE MAKE A LOT OF NOISE? WAVE OUR ARMS? that's bears, DO WE HIDE IN A ROOM? DO WE RUN DOWN THE STAIRS?
"GET DOWN!"
FUCK
budda budda budda

5:57 PM
We're in a hotel room now. A dude in big fuck-off military gear escorted us to safety.
Donnie's asking the man if he really just shot at the slender man with a high-powered rifle.
"Yes, ma'am. That's policy."
Hey, it worked!
donnie "It scared it off, sure! But that thing didn't bleed. You can't kill it! What if you just pissed it off?"
"Then I pissed it off. You two didn't."
"Okay, your funeral."
You say this is 'policy?' The government's?
"That's right."
Huh.
Are we, like. Okay? Did we walk into a top-secret base or anything?
"You're fine. This is civilian property. We do a routine sweep every day, as the Soho's one of the places we've designated a safe zone."
'We,' like, the military?
"Yep."
donnie "We were told we were expected here? Were you expecting us?"
"It's a routine sweep of a hotel. I expect civilians, but I do not know who you specifically are."
"..huh."
"Dinner's in the restaurant below around 8. Scream if you see any more monsters; someone will hear you. Goodnight."

6:00 PM
What just happened?
Did we just, like, get lucky?
"Maybe we're still expected. He said this was a safe zone, and this room looks pretty clean. There may be lots of people staying here."
Yeah... probably!

6:22 PM
Nothing. No one's at reception. There were some cooks in the restaurant getting set up, so people are definitely here, but the cooks hadn't heard anything. They pointed us to a small office on the ground floor that was being used as reception, and.. no one's there!
Are we supposed to go knocking on every door in this hotel?

6:57 PM
this is stupid
"look, we'll just try a few more, and then take a break."
I would much rather be chilling in our hotel room
"we can do that later! after dinner!"
but that's an hour away! :C
"do it for me? ;)"
…

8:10 PM
Fuck yeah, dinner!
I'm having pizza! :D

8:50 PM
GOODNIGHT, JOURNAL!

(Attached: “Jordan's arrival in America is hard to make sense of, about to get harder. There are two different angles to consider: the American gods curious about the boy who stood up to a Fear; and Jordan's own background, which he tries to avoid focusing on. We have a lot to get through, so I'll clarify what I can when I can. Watch for song lyrics.”)