hey Madison folks?

Was there really a tornado on the Beltline last night? I ask because the parking garage is pretty empty today. It seems like only the people who live in Verona or further out were able to make it in. I'm guessing that most people are stuck in traffic or in a detour because there are not nearly enough OOO messages in my email.

Assuming it doesn't rain again today, here's my plan:

Work, work, work
Weed the garden
Get gas in the car
Grocery run: cereal, bananas, bread, milk, potatoes, chicken
Home for dinner, Wii Fit, and reading Widdershins

This sounds like an achievable plan. I like it.



BLITEOTW08

misadventures in lunch acquisition

In an attempt to distract my brain from being pissed off at coworkers who think I'm both their personal answer girl and am so devoted to only answering their questions that I sit around and sob when they haven't given me something to do in the last 20 minutes, I decided to go grab lunch.

The cafeteria was much less crowded than usual - unsurprising when there's still almost no one around - so I grabbed my salad and headed to the cash register. As I was paying, I heard someone shriek in the dining room. It was...odd.

And by "odd" I mean "terrifying in a Horror Movie Come True sort of way".

A large group of people were shuffling toward the big windows outside of the dining room. My best guess is that they came over from the training building, but I don't really know. They were moaning and starting banging on the glass. They were trying to get in but didn't realize how to work the doors.

Caution being the better part of survival, I headed back to my office through the interior routes. All the exterior doors open outward, so that's at least one good thing.

I'm not entirely sure what to do. Where I am is decently defensible, but also pretty easy to get trapped. I don't see anyone between me and the parking lot, so I could probably get to my car, but I can't see if there's anything moving around in the parking garage. I'm leaning toward heading home for the dog and the .22 and then going down to Downwood's work since it's incredibly defensible. I'm just not sure I can get to my car to get there.

BLITEOTW08

can't run for it

I missed my chance to leave. I should have taken off right when I thought. Now, even though I can't see into the garage itself, I can see zombies milling around and mobbing anyone who tries to get to their car. People in the surface lot have been mostly okay, though some just haven't been fast enough.

I managed to get my desk in front of my door, so I'm pretty sure that the bands roaming the hallways can't get in. My music and lights are turned off and I made the tough decision to close the blinds on the window leading to the hallway. I'm thinking that if they can't hear or see me, they won't try to get in.

I'm not sure how I'm going to get out. I know I left this for too long. My hope is that I can stay hidden for a while yet and then make it out later. I've been working on the screws in my window screen and I think I know a more or less safe route around and down the outside of the building.

I'm going to start emailing people in my building to see if anyone else has a better idea. I don't want to call, as the noise might be enough to draw a zombie down on someone else.

Last year's scare was so much easier - I knew what to do and the people I care about were mostly safe. I know Downwood's in pretty good shape, but he's the only one I've heard from.

At least we still have power and internet access. If that goes out, I'm definitely going to have to figure out a way out of here.



BLITEOTW08

here goes nothing

I'm still barricaded in my office. I got the screen out of my window, but once I was out on the ledge I realized that my initial plan was going to end up with me breaking at least a couple bones in my legs and only a couple feet above the zeds.

It's mostly quiet in the hallway now. There are still sounds of shuffling, but the screaming has stopped. Occasionally I'll hear a phone ring, so either reception is still there (unlikely) or there are more people than just me and John left.

John was the only responder to my all-building "Is there anyone left?" email. He's in his office, which is on the other side of the big gap from mine. He's been looking out his window and he thinks it's an easy drop to a ledge that wouldn't be too dangerous to jump from onto the Jeep. In five minutes I'm going to make a break for his office. He'll let me in and we'll re-barricade the door. Then we head for the ledge. So long as there aren't any of the track star zombies - most importantly, the high jump zombies - we should be fine until Downwood shows up.

My cell phone is charged so I can give him directions when he gets close to the complex. Thanks be to all the good gods for four-wheel drive. I hope that he's able to pick up the greyhound and one or both of our laptops, but I'll settle for just seeing him again.

I don't know where we're going after this. I haven't heard from anyone, but I've left messages all over the place. This is worse than last year. It should have been better. We should have been more ready.

Crap. The power's flickering. And it's time for me to make my move.


BLITEOTW08

well, crap

So, um, goodbye. I got bit when we were trying to get into the shop - of all the days to not wear long pants this has to be the worst possible choice. It was under the stairs, I stumbled, and...yeah.

I've petted my dog and tried to call my folks.

Good luck. Stay safe.

If you make it through this, help out Downwood. The next couple minutes are going to be a problem for him for a while, I think.



BLITEOTW08