Silence is key. Silence is golden. Silence will keep the zombies off your back. A step on a fallen branch – you know, that snap – can be the cause of your death. It sucks we have to be so careful nowadays and hide all the time. I’ve lost close and newer friends from fiascos caused by a stupid noise or injury. Constantly I tease myself ‘Babe, why more survivors? Most have been horrible!’. Is it hope? Optimism? I don’t know, it’d be easier to set up shop alone or shack up with my homies. But yes, I’m hopeful and will still allow the illusion of optimism to guide me back to normalcy. Someone out there must have the “in”.

Honestly, I’m looking for a safe space that allows music from a speaker. I miss dancing! I love to dance with people, in the kitchen while I cook, in the shower, in the garden, I mean, everywhere and anywhere! That’s what I bring to the table, the power of movement. I can teach you dance moves that can help you dodge and flee infected loved ones that find us super delicious.

On day one of the outbreak, the second I could – you know, after the initial shock of people eating people and running away from those people – I downloaded all types of music and songs of the ages on my smartphone from a streaming service. I nabbed plenty of classical and exotic instrumentals too, some standup comedy and funny podcasts. I’ve gained trustworthy allies by letting them hear their favorite song or something that allowed meditation and release, even if listening on low with one ear-insert in. I protect my smartphone first over anyone, so back up! I swear, there would be no point living if I couldn’t have music one way or another, you know.

Members of the group I’m in say my collection inspired tomorrow’s mission. What I call ‘Project: Blow by Ke$ha’ is my unique opportunity to blare music and dance and clear out as many zombies as we can in the area we want to gate and expand. We came across a dam with a hydropower station and have a trio that can operate it. They will guide the rest of us to get the grid going again. I’ve always wanted to learn a trade to be the ultimate trade, even though the countless hours of zombie-killing in video games got me this far and handy enough to concoct a method that might work for our five-year plan.

The plan is to lead as many zombies within a ten-mile radius of the electric hub and our newly designated town center to unfinished construction sites like our first gig to half-done high-rise apartment buildings. A few of us will race to the top of the buildings, already lined with explosives and jump off when we get our collection of zombies all in. We’re hoping the underground parking levels can become a pit for lingering dead and future tours. The sprinting I will have to do tomorrow might just get me killed, even if I so happened to been a month in training for the marathon in NYC to meet guys in the Big Apple, plus the miles I’ve already skipped pasted to survive this terrifying life.

In town, there’s a duplex I spotted for Mike and me to meet a few requirements. I thought he might want to live alone but he feels better positioned close in case anything happens. I need some space but don’t mind being close neighbors with my remaining childhood best friend. He told me I’m still the only person he trusts. I do trust him most and will make sure we leave hand in hand if needed but I want him to open up and help more. We both do. We need other people to survive and I don’t want anyone worrying about him. I figure the only way forward, more so for my dear friend, is to stand strong with a community that can resist violent groups and clear zombies to lighten our fear and stress. We’ll never forget the zombies were loved people and the fight and clean-up will be a greater burden as we progress.

Who knows, it all can go wrong, I die or if successful, potentially be hazardous along the line but we can never take on what we want with the number of dead people walking around. They are everywhere and taking down a zombie is already nearly impossible for some. Plus, killing one only attracts more, so we have to use that to our advantage. Certainly, we’ll have to do more tours and scout for more trap sites and always keep watch, but I believe it can help keep zombies off our backs while we establish a headquarter and light up the place.

I need current fear levels to drop. Every day I say, ‘how can I get closer to the dream before sundown?’. I need a safe community. I don’t want to fight any more people. I don’t want to kill another loved one or hide from them. I need music and my skincare regime back. This plan, with the group I’m in, seems to be a mighty step towards a positive difference for all of us. Our fighting chance lies on me movin’ and groovin’ to the oldies and I will survive! Well, I hope I will survive. I’ll be so P-I-S-E-D if I trip over a damn leaf!