A QUIET PLACE ~ EQUESTRIA GIRLS

PAX. C.S.P.B.

C.S.S.M.L.—N.D.S.M.D.

V.R.S.N.S.M.V.—S.M.Q.L.I.V.B.

Day ~~13~~ 14

Coterie (koh-tuh-ree): Exclusive group of individuals closely sharing a unified goal, purpose or interest. That’ll be the last one for a while during this trip. Had to leave the dictionary behind for packing space.

Looking back at the last entries, I forgot to mention what exactly happened at the hospital. Maud told me and Comet how we were short of time and resources to either wait for other people or try and gather more things. We agreed to start heading back to the Church and school after consolidating all that we found, and I decided to record that before we all heard a reverberating crash. Something fell from the rooftop. Neither Comet nor I had the chance to check what it was, but Maud described seeing a large metal box like the ones attached to the bed of a truck. Suggesting that someone else was in the building, it may have been more than one, and those possibly living there were not keen to join our coterie.

That got me to wonder if the backup power system was ever on, or if the original generator was restored.

At any rate, our rations were prepared in advance the past four days before departure yesterday. Roseluck, Daisy and Lily had for us a variety of snack bars, string cheese, chips and jerky pre-removed from their bags and wrappers, which were kept inside clean bandanas, handkerchiefs, and towels. Four days’ worth of food to get us there, Amethyst, Maud, Big Mac and I figured it’d be best that we scrounge for more food once in the big city to save up on supplies here. With rolled up sleeping mats, wool blankets, plastic jugs, and some of those durable shopping backs folded in our backpacks, we put on some hiking boots before cutting through the school’s ballfield and reaching the road towards the interstate.

Attended the Mass Liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration. I thought it was fitting, since Godly Rescue talked about His self-sacrificing departure with Waterdrawn and Mi Domino Deo on the mountain.

Applebloom and Pipsqueak are most familiar with the Cake twins. Able to take good care of them and kept them occupied during our exit. Left them a small token for them. Fuzzy dice they enjoyed playing with after I found them 10 days ago.

I started the first day in leading the pack, with Wallflower Blush right behind me followed by Maud Pie, hands ready on a firecracker and light, and Big Macintosh trailing last. The mile markers and signs are great indicators of how far we travel. Still, Blush opted to carry an old roadmap for navigation. No guarantee that every road sign is still intact at each exit.

It’s a clear shot, with a wide ditch on both sides of, and between the two roads. No obstacles too challenging to maneuver. Capsized cars, trucks and semis mostly spaced out, whether on the road or in the ditches. Unlike the echoing gym and Church nave, we felt the need to wear our boots on the road for the sake of broken glass and debris. The asphalt offers solid traction that absorbs most sound from our slow, conserving steps. And with a clear line of sight ahead and behind us, and ample space between us and the tree line, we’re able to traverse down this sure path with little worry about sudden ambush. Even if one of us accidentally makes a noise, there’s plenty of grass cover to muffle our steps and quickly lie still in the ditch. Maud can then be ready to light and throw a stick across the street for a diversion.

Anyone trying to surprise us would have to make a noise themselves, putting their own lives in jeopardy. Still, during such times as these, people are liable to do crazy, senseless things out of desperation. Take the hospital, for instance.

Can’t be too careful.

Not a sound nor sight of birds, squirrels or rabbits. No wildlife detectible for miles. I imagine many of them had to migrate southward. Even a bird’s got to find someplace to forage and roost.

We spent the first night in the center ditch, where Maud rigged a bell system around us without the other three’s notice. Anyone trying to come close to our coterie would trigger one string or another, while trying to go over or beneath. In case that ever happens, she mentioned Sparkler’s suggestion of each carrying a stick of firecrackers to incrementally toss as we move away from encroaching aliens. With a flashlight in case to travel at night, we opted to keep our campsite without chancing a fire, or lamplight. For the sake of minimal attention and to keep any intruder from seeing the bell line. The bells themselves would be fair enough of a warning.

We all slept on our pads, wrapped in our wooly blankets with relative ease. The stars above, on the canvas of a clear sky offered momentary consolation.

Today, we moved along the road again. Starting after dawn, we saved our rations ‘til we’re three miles out for lunch. Further out of any city limits was much clearer, with very little metallic carnage or places where a fire erupted. Still, the area has clear signs of a wildfire that did spread from beyond our line of sight.

Taking a rest after three miles, I thought we might try a brief game to help raise our spirits a little. I wrote instructions on what to do, then wrote a sentence for a story and drew a picture. I passed it to Blush, who would try to write the next sentence of the story, then draw a picture based on that sentence. Passing it to Macintosh, he would do the same before sending it to Maud. Then it would come back to me after everyone’s finished. Here’s how it went:

A raven flew by, nabbed someone’s bread, then ate it.

The raven landed next to a giant flytrap that was also hungry.

There's also a nest full of fruit bats nearby who went and ate all the giant flies before that there plant can get any.

And there was a rock named Boulder.

Boulder says that he was dehydrated but was glad that he doesn’t have to eat.

The End.

I think the four of us shared a good smile amongst ourselves. Wallflower was at least somewhat amused, while Big Mac seemed glad of the chance to reminisce a bit. I’m guessing Maud was happy to incorporate her pet rock into the game then let said rock play along too.

The other three miles for today were, thankfully, uneventful. The advantage we have in walking past burnt down trees was not seeing movement amidst charred stumps and ash. Anything trying to approach us would be spotted instantly. The downside to all this though was traveling with the sun shining directly onto us, without any shade for cover. We were probably all thinking about sunscreen and aloe vera to grab once we get to the big city.

Though there was fewer flotsam around our camp for string to wrap around, Maud spotted long sturdy poles from ripped-off markers and road barriers. Gently and firmly driving them into the ground, us coterie members helped her set up the bell system for the night. Like the other nights previous after a short supper, I prayed on my cloth Rosary before going to bed.

Good night.

Faithfully,

Solace Sheen A.M.D.G.