The Park Page 14
technologies to opposing military forces is leveling an insult against this company, and hence against my family."
The US military intends to buy a further, unspecified number of CESUs, barring any CONT, A11
JOURNAL 11SUSAN
ENTRY 008
DATE: 4/15/2074
Can't lie. Beginning to lose hope. I'm not made for this. Can kill if I need to. I know that much. Not a hunter. Haven't found anyone yet. Camping out in this trailer for the night. Looks like someone was here. Don't know how long ago. They might come back.
Old trailer hasn't caught anyone. All traps still untripped. It's harder than I thought. Too bad they don't have cashiering challenges. Might win those.
I can still win this, though. It just could take a while. Not ideal, but could be worse. I know I can make it through to the end. Unless I die of old age first, I'll walk away.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 03BLAKE
ENTRY 006
DATE: 4/15/2074
I've got something for Rita. I just know she'll like it. I think she will, anyway. I mean, it's not like she needs it. Rita's a fucking badass. Like, the kind of chick you'd see in a vampire movie or some shit. She can take care of herself. But I still want her to be safe.
I found a medallion out and around. It's a pretty nice one, too. But, you know, anything would be better in a fight than her telekinesis thing. I mean, she can lift shit and move it around, but that's really not much when someone's got your head in their sights.
It's, like, a fist. An invisible fist, but it's really strong. I don't know how to describe it, really. It doesn't matter. I know she can use it. Either of us could but… I don't know. I think she should have it, not me. I just don't feel right leaving her without any protection. It's not right. I'll be fine. I've got my shotgun thing. I'll be good to go. No problem. At least, I hope it's no problem. I still might have to go through and try to find another one. Or two. Or ten. That would sure as hell be nice, God damn it.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 05CRAIG
ENTRY 008
DATE: 4/16/2074
Manfred's gone. He's been gone for a while, but I've been working through things as best I can. I don't know why he left. There was a note, but it wasn't informative at all. I'm sorry. That's all he gave me was 'I'm sorry' scratched into the door. Not a damn word about it. And he left everything here. His medallion's still hooked up into the perimeter defenses. If he'd told me, I would have helped him out. Disconnected it. And maybe gotten an explanation out of him about the whole mess.
I didn't realize how much I would miss him, when he was gone. I knew we wouldn't stick around together forever. If nothing else, he would have probably died off before me. Yeah… too morbid. Bad mistake on my part. It sure as hell won't help my mood at all.
I tell you what. This may all be ridiculous, and it may be completely stupid on my part, and he might not even consider offering me up the same courtesy, but I can't leave Manfred be. Assuming we run into each other at some point before the game ends… when else would we run into each other? If we run into each other, I'll help him out. I don't know how, but I'll figure a way. He deserves that, a nice guy like him. He should never have been here. I'm writing it down so that I'm accountable. Now there's at least some kid of record, even if no one will see it.
ENTRY END
Unexpected Success for 'The Park'
4/17/2074 at 8:16 p.m. EST
Three and a half months. That's a hell of a life for any TV show nowadays, especially a reality show. We can only watch people play mind games and sidestep social pitfalls for so long before it loses its luster. Even the most long-lived reality competitions eventually die off.
And then we have The Park. It's still in the number one spot, and the ratings are still rising. Evenstad Media's making a ton of money on it, and they only seem to be fixing to make more and more.
Of course, the whole success of the show is in the characters. I know, I know, they're contestants, not characters. But those contestants sure are some characters.
I know, I know, it's a bad joke. Sue me. But they are. I don’t know if I can honestly believe that they were randomly selected. It's just a little too perfect at times, the way some of them interact and react.
Personally? I prefer Susan. She's driven. More than any of them, she wants it, I think. She wants it badly. More than the other contestants. She's already killed for it once, and I doubt it's going to be the last time we see that. Craig needs to watch out, when she finally finds him. I'd be scared shitless if I knew she was out there looking for me, even if I had a real electric fence set up.
I'll definitely keep tuning in every week, and I suggest you all join me. You won't be sorry.
Phil Boggs
JOURNAL 05CRAIG
ENTRY 009
DATE: 4/18/2074
I just realized how fucked I am without Manfred around here. Or after he left. Or something. I'm just… I'm so frazzled. I can't believe I missed something so obvious as this. I don't have anything left if someone gets through. My perimeter isn't flawless by any definition, and I know for a fact that Susan, at least, is looking for me. I don't know how close she is. Hell, maybe she's dead, but I doubt that. I really doubt that.
I have the weak laser thing, yeah, but I don't know how much it's really going to do up against flesh and bone. I'm not all that afraid of it, and I have it right up by my face when I work with it.
Which means I have to go out. Either that or sit and wait and pray that I never have to fight anyone off. Which I'd rather not risk. If I stick with that theory, that's when Susan'll show up. So going out it is. I have enough protection that, if I don't find anything out there, I can be kind of safe. Kind of. So I don't have to leave for long, I hope. Five or six hours, at most, and I hope not that long. But I really need to track something down out there. Otherwise, Susan'll show up and blast a hole right through my skull, just like she did with Tina. Wouldn't that be lovely?
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 07JULIA
ENTRY 006
DATE: 4/17/2074
I have to write this journal while Christina's asleep. Of course, she sleeps most of the time nowadays, anyway. Poor thing. She just hasn't been right since that attack. But I have. That's why she can't see this.
I know it's wrong, but I liked it. I liked being that close to death. It wasn’t my death, and maybe that's the big difference. It probably is, I suppose. I'd be even worse off than she is if that woman had been coming after me. I bet she would have, after she took care of Christina, but I don't know. In her place… well, I can't say. I don’t think I can put myself in that state of mind, really.
I know it's not right for Christina. She's been acting so weird lately. Not herself at all. When I met her, she looked like power. Plain and simple power and control, and nothing else about her. Now… I don't know. She's cracking, I guess. Things are starting to get to her. She's told me a couple times now that it would be best for me to just leave her, since she's a weak link. But I cracked too. A lot more than she did, and for a lot less. But she was there. I'm hardly just going to leave her to fend for herself now. It wouldn't be right. And I'd miss her. A lot. Really a lot.
But I have an idea, too. I think I can get her to snap back together. At least well enough for her to keep playing this game. Or it could really wreck her up. Like, a lot worse than she is right now. A lot. But she always tried to do the right thing with me. That meant letting me figure out my own stupidity without a lot of interference. I don't think letting her sit and go stale is good. I've got to take an active role in getting her put back together. And I'm hoping that a trip outside is the right thing.
But I worry that it's just me wanting to go out, too. Because I do want to. It was so exciting… I just have to
think about it and trust my instincts. What else is there?
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 11SUSAN
ENTRY 009
DATE: 4/21/2074
Found Craig. Moved in close by for now. He's good. Managed to set up traps. Obvious traps. Probably has others. Smart kid. Won't be too easy. I can manage. A lot of money when I do. Going to watch him move for a while. Find where he doesn't step. It won't be long. He's smart, not sneaky. Not too sneaky, at least.
Considered shooting a hole through the house. Be easier. But too noticeable. Could see that golden ball almost anywhere. Not worth the risk, now. Not if I don't have to. Have to get a clean shot. Every shot I make is worth almost two million. Twenty million divided by twelve. I'll take my time.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 07JULIA
ENTRY 007
DATE: 4/21/2074
I already hate myself for what I'm going to do. It makes me want to puke just thinking about it. But I have to. I'm going to take Christina outside today. Back to where we were when that woman tried to kill her. Or nearby. As long as she realizes that's where we are, it'll work just fine.
And I have to scare her. I don't know how, yet. I can figure that out later. But it has to happen. It's the only way I can think to maybe jog her back into herself. Maybe. Or ruin her. Or… I need to stop. I can't keep worrying about it. But I should. But I can't.
I hate this.
ENTRY END
NOTICE FOR ALL RESIDENTS
Fort Lewis will be hosting military training exercises from Sunday, April 22nd to Saturday, April 28th. All non-military personnel are banned from the premises, barring special permit. Dangerous weapons will be present.