May 9, 2012

11:00 P.M. We made our way into Winchester today. It looks much like every other city and town I've been through so far, dead and empty. There wasn't much as far as supplies went, and we couldn't find a confiscated stockpile either. This place was stripped clean.

However, we did find a decent camper. Small enough for the Scout to pull, but big enough for the three of us. The other thing we found is a tremendous amount of bird bones. It seemed like they were everywhere we looked. On roofs, on top of cars, scattered across the ground...

Bird bones and feathers everywhere. It's an eerie sight, that's for sure. In fact, the whole town gives me the creeps, and Josey too. We made camp on the outskirts, and planned on an early departure.

Kevin and I hunted down a pair of cottontails for supper. We were lucky to find them, because game seems to be pretty scarce around here. Livestock too, which seems odd. I've run across plenty of cows, goats, and sheep in my journey so far, as well as pigs (both feral and domesticated). But around here they are non-existent. Sets the mind to wondering if there's not a fairly large population hidden nearby. Dogs do their damage on livestock, but not big stuff like cattle. And now that I think of it, we haven't seen any dogs around here. Cats either. Until now, I've seen plenty of cats. But they were never a concern, so I never made mention of them...

Josey roasted those rabbits to perfection, and heated up some canned veggies from their stash to make the meal. It was wonderful to me (in an odd sort of way, given my isolation over the past months) to share a meal with other people. It almost felt surreal, like it wasn't really happening. Like it was some kind of dream, and I would soon wake to find myself alone again. And my thoughts turned toward my lost Jenny. My God, I'd nearly forgotten her. I've been through so much that I've become hardened and cold, but now I'm filled with sorrow over my Jenny. I haven't had time to grieve I suppose, but now it's caught up to me.