The Park (Evenstad Media Presents Book 1) (11 page)

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 22
^nd
to Saturday, April 28
^th
. All
non-military personnel are banned from the premises, barring special permit.
Dangerous weapons will be present. For the safety of all involved, a 50 foot
perimeter will be maintained around the airport. Any persons attempting to
cross will be arrested and fined a maximum penalty of $100,000 and serve a
minimum six-month prison sentence.

The training may produce strange lights and sounds. Please
do not be alarmed by these. Everything is well under control. In the event of a
disaster, all citizens within a one-mile radius will be immediately evacuated.
While we do not anticipate any such failures, please be prepared for any
eventuality.

Lena Browne, United States Secretary of Defense

JOURNAL 04JUSTICE

ENTRY 009

DATE: 4/23/2074

I haven't fucking left, yet. I found those two ladies, but I
can't make myself fucking go over there and just do it. Or even try to do it.
It wouldn't be difficult. Just set the fucking house on fire. If she runs, I
could get her. I only need to take out the business suit, after all.

But I don't want to. I ain't a fucking killer. I know I need
to be. I need to be for Desiree's sake. Fuck, it's for my sake just as much.
Probably more. Desiree don't fucking know what's going on. Not anymore. She
won't fucking know anything ever again. Just thinking about it makes me so mad,
I can't hardly fucking think. Which is probably how I need to feel to get this
done.

The bitch in the business suit. She's the one who has to
suffer. For all the pain she caused. She deserves the absolute worst. I think I
can do it. I hope I can. I ain't a killer. But this ain't real life, so I don't
have to be me. Ain't that just fucking wonderful?

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 02CHRISTINA

ENTRY 009

DATE: 4/23/2074

I went out with Julia. Back to that spot where the crazy
psycho lady tried to kill me. I knew what she was doing. She's not stealthy at
all. But I played along. Her little trick didn't scare me, pretending to see
someone. I attacked them and acted, for her.

What scared me was what I did see. There was someone out
there. A real someone. I couldn’t get a good look. They weren't wanting to be
seen, and no matter how used to the dim lights I was, it wasn't hard to hide
yourself. But there was definitely someone. I saw them a few times, following
along with us. I didn't tell Julia. She thinks I'm breaking. Maybe I am. But
she's still fragile, too. Can't worry her, and I didn't want her to think I was
just seeing things. That wouldn't make her feel better about any of this.

Of course, maybe I am seeing things. I don’t like it at all,
though. Real or not, there's someone. I'm not looking outside. I might see
whoever this bastard is. If he's real. Or she. Or it. I don't know. I just
don't fucking know.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 05CRAIG

ENTRY 010

DATE: 4/24/2074

The house isn't right. Everything looks right… but nothing
looks right. Like someone was in here. Which worries me. I checked through
every room and didn't see anyone. But one of the traps got tripped. A net I
made from bed linens. But it's been cut through. Or burned through, judging by
the marks.

I shouldn't worry. I'm just paranoid, and I know that. It
doesn't help that I didn't find anything to help fight anyone who might show
up. No luck at all. Which sucks ass.

I still can't shake the feeling that I'm not safe here. But
I'd be a lot less safe if I tried to move. Definitely. I just… I'll have to get
over it. I'm writing it here: at this exact moment, I'm going to pull myself
together. Doesn't do me any good to worry about the things that could be
happening, or that could happen at some point in the future.

I sure do make a lot of affirmations in this damn journal.

While I'm being unrealistically positive, I may as well
write about how they're bound to let us all out. And about how Tina's not
really dead. I'd throw in how it might all be a dream, but I don't think that
would be all that good. What the hell would it say about me if my brain could
come up with this kind of shit?

ENTRY END

Evenstad Enterprises Expands to Include New Agricultural
Arm, Evenstad Farms

4/24/2074 at 2:19 p.m. EST

Today, Evenstad Enterprises, parent company of Evenstad
Technologies, Evenstad Media, Evenstad Foods, and over a dozen other companies,
announced yet another member to their family: Evenstad Farms. According to
newly appointed COO of Evenstad Farms, Marta Evenstad, their goal will be to
'acquire new, fertile farmland, then ensure it is properly tended so as to
avoid the past mistakes of the human race.'

For the past several decades, viable farmland has been
scarce. If Evenstad Farms' plans work out, it could be a new beginning. While
no more information is available at this time, we will keep you up to date as
news reaches us here at The Cruise.

JOURNAL 11SUSAN

ENTRY 010

DATE: 4/26/2074

Kid's good. Got me in a net. Burned my leg cutting my way
out with that laser. But I'm alive. Good news. All I need.

Know the layout. Electric wire. Been watching. Craig will
come back soon. I'll be there. Then I can have his house. Two million dollar
headshot. Just like a pretty model boy.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 05CRAIG

ENTRY 011

DATE: 4/27/2074

It's over. I don't have to worry about Susan at all, now.
Not even in my dreams. After I killed her, it all stopped. I was so relieved, I
sobbed when I woke up.

Honestly, I don't remember that much of it. I'd gone out
looking for a CESU to help protect myself. When I got back, she ambushed me. I
sprained my ankle getting away, but I'm still here to feel the pain. Not too
much complaint. All I had to work with was the little laser I'd been using to
bust into the CESUs. Hell, it could have been useless. But I took my shot when
it presented itself. Clean through her forehead and out the other side. And
that was it. No more Susan. No more nightmares.

I searched her body right after I was sure she was dead. If
I'd let her go cold, I just don't know if I could have done it. She had a nasty
burn on her calf. I would bet she was the one that tripped the net. Caught
herself with a CESU cutting her way out.

And she had three CESUs. Tina's, her little laser, and a
third one. I can't believe that they would actually leave that last one around
for just anyone to find. It was a big, golden ball of heat. Or hot light. It
was ridiculous, though. I fired it and it just kept going. Don't know what
ended up happening to it after it got out of sight, but the fact that it was
powerful enough to even go out of sight before dissipating proves how
ridiculous it is. I'm glad I have it. I can keep it locked away from everyone
else. Nobody needs that kind of power. The other two, I'll figure out something
for. I'll probably keep Susan's original medallion just the way it is. Tina's
would make a decent booby trap. Doesn't look like it had a whole lot of range,
but it's definitely got some power. And it's loud, too. Good alarm. I just have
to figure out how to work it to make it as effective as possible.

It's not all good, though. I don't have nightmares about
Susan, but I can't get her out of my head. I killed her. I killed another human
being. I keep telling myself that she was a psychopath or a sociopath or
something, and that she would have killed me just as dead as I killed her, but
it doesn't help. I didn't feel remorse. Or not enough remorse, at least. I know
it's stupid, but I feel like I should feel worse. Instead, all I think about is
how good it all is. No more Susan to worry about. It's so damn nice… but I
don't think it should be nice.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 02CHRISTINA

ENTRY 010

DATE: 4/27/2074

I see him all the time. Everywhere. Never head on. He's
always outside. I can see his shadow out of the corner of my eye. Behind the
curtains, shadowed footsteps passing by the door. I see them in the tiny space
above the kick plate. He'll stop. If I'm quiet, I can hear him breathing. I
know he's real. Julia doesn't believe me when I talk about him, but I'm not
crazy enough to hear things that aren't there. I refuse to believe that. I'm
not that creative. He's out there, just waiting for me. If I hold still, and I
have the windows open and the lights off, he'll come closer. Close enough to
see some of his features, although I don't get much in the darkness. He's tall
and he's broad and I can't tell for certain, but I think he's black. It doesn't
matter. He's already here. It's not like I'm going to go looking for him. No
need to pick him out of a lineup or anything. I just know that he's big and the
idea of running into him scares the shit out of me.

I don't know why he's just waiting around and stalking me.
He's probably had lots of clear chances to take me down. Then again, why the
hell haven't I done the same thing? That one, I know how to answer. As much as
I want to be sure of everything, and as much as I think I'm not imagining this,
there's enough doubt in there that I can't. What would Julia think if I just
melted out the window because… well, because of nothing? For no reason? I don't
think she'd abandon me for it, but she'd see me in a less flattering light.
We'd have to move to a new house again, too. This one's relatively safe. If I'm
just nuts and seeing things, it's really safe. Completely safe. I can't be sure
one way or another. So I just have to sit here and hear him and see him
stalking around the house and try to pretend that I'm fine when Julia's around.

That'll work.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 10MANFRED

ENTRY 009

DATE: 4/28/2074

I have neglected my journaling, and this time I have no good
reason for doing so. I was already moving out in the open. The light would not
have given me away any more than my walking about. I know better than this. Or
I should.

I have finally found a new home, for the time being. I
passed it by several times in my search, but I have finally settled back here.
I was hoping for another suitable place, but this is the safest, even though I
have neighbors. Neighbors I certainly don't want. A boy and a young woman. I
fear they must be the same two who killed David. Fate would be so cruel.

There is a home between us, but I hardly think that is
enough of a barrier between myself and Death. It seems I won't escape, no
matter how hard I try to escape. Or perhaps I am simply reading too much into
all of this. It is coincidence. There are only so many homes, and I am sure
several of them have been compromised during this competition. We are bound to
find one another at some point. Yes, we can all pretend that there are no
walls, but they are there, and they hold us here. We will meet. It is simply
the way things are, and I have found myself once more in the company of
murderers.

If we are bound by some sort of fate or destiny, I am glad I
left. More than glad. If we would have met no matter what, I would rather we
meet here than put Craig or anyone else in danger for the sake of my fate.

I throw up every day, now. I tell myself it's from nerves,
which is possible. It is likely part of the issue. But not entirely. I know
that. I am unwell, and have been for some time. I struggle to keep food in my
stomach.

So it's not a question of if I shall survive, but rather
what will kill me. Will it be the boy? The woman? Or myself? I find I no longer
contemplate suicide. At first, it seemed a good thing. But now I wonder if it
is not simply my body signaling how close to death I truly stand.

ENTRY END

WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE PARK?

POLL 3

1: Justice (20%)

2: Rita (15%)

3: Blake (13%)

4: Christina (12%)

5: Craig (11%)

6: Julia (9%)

7: Manfred (8%)

8: Susan (7%)

9: Tina (2%)

10: David (1%)

11: Desiree (1%)

12: Nathan (1%)

(Information Collected by The Cruise)