Chapter Text
Day 1
April fools. Very funny guys, you can come out now.
Day 2
I think I’ve actually adjusted to this whole thing. I’ve got a wagon, a friend to keep me from going crazy, assuming I really am the only person left alive, and an umbrella. Good start.
Day 3
I tried to jump today, but I couldn’t do it. I honestly don’t know why. Maybe it’s for the best. Clearly I needed to calculate my jumps, and after jumping at random four times, I probably completely warped whatever sense of time my being might have had. I’m not going to try again until I can figure this out mathematically. I may be an idiot, but math is never wrong.
I’ll bet Dad is laughing somewhere under all this rubble.
Day 4
I found them. If they didn’t make it, no one did. Except maybe whoever killed them. Note: Ben and Vanya weren’t there. Or me. Would I be there if I get back to the past (my present) in the future? I’m gonna lose my mind.
Day 5
Buried them. Had nothing to say. I didn’t even know them anymore. I don’t know who they became. [something illegible, scratched out]
Day 7
Good news: Ben didn’t die in the apocalypse. Bad news: he died way before he should have. Figures. Still haven’t found Vanya. Found her book, though. It’s a tough read. I’m almost glad I missed all that drama, but I really miss them. Even Dad, may his soul burn for all eternity.
Haven’t figured out the cause of it all, yet. I want to say nuclear, but I guess I’ll find out. If it is, destruction of this magnitude means I should be dead of radiation poisoning in a week or two, and that’s being generous on my behalf. I can’t tell if my queasiness is radiation poisoning or that spam I ate yesterday.
Day 10
I’m beginning to doubt the nuclear war theory. I saw a rat yesterday. It had a normal amount of heads and legs, and it wasn’t dead. I guess we’ll see.
Day 22
I’m not dead. I’m gonna go ahead and rule out nuclear war. I wonder if I could build something nuclear powered to enhance my ability and launch me back in time? Unlikely, but what have I got to lose?
Still haven’t found Vanya, but even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to recognize her at this point. She isn’t alive, at any rate. Guess it’s just me. And Delores.
Day 41
Delores is really starting to grow on me. It’s scaring me. Almost more than literally everything else on this godforsaken husk of a planet.
Day 79
Just went two days without water. I thought I saw someone, but I’m pretty sure it was just a hallucination. Unfortunately, I followed that hallucination into a ditch and woke up a whole quarter mile away from the wagon. Got back just fine, and found a bottle of water to boot. Nothing missing when I returned. Delores kept good watch, but would it be too much to ask to let me know when I’m wandering off?
Mannequins, am I right?
Day 120
Nothing is working. Granted, I doubt I’ve tried everything. Delores keeps telling to keep my chin up and my brain on. Easy for her to say—her chin is plastered up and she has no brain.
Day 183
Happy birthday.
Day 217
Almost lost a hand today. Man may die, but machines will soldier on for at least another year, or so I discovered. Delores tells me I should be grateful, because she’s a triple paraplegic and has no hair. Her exact words. She’s so dramatic.
It’s getting really frickin’ cold. I may die soon. I’ll keep you posted.
Day 268
Merry Christmas. Found Delores a new blouse today. Blue with little white reindeer on it. She said it was cheesy but she liked it anyway. She didn’t get me anything, but her company is enough of a gift.
It is very, very cold, and from what I can tell, it’s just getting colder.
Day 275
New year, new me.
Day 293
I wish I’d paid better attention in frostbite class. I can’t feel my hands. Delores mocks me from within her plastic corpse-like interior. I almost wish the world was on fire again. At least I’d be frickin warm.
Day 315
Why am I writing this? Only Delores and I can read it. Delores says that’s probably for the best. I can’t tell if that’s an insult.
Day 340
I heard a bird today. I thought I was hearing things again, but Delores said she heard it too. It chirped twice. It was probably one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard.
Day 362
I decided I’m not smart enough Delores says to say “well versed enough” in the art of mathematics to really pinpoint my time trajectory. I’m gonna teach myself math until there’s no more math left to learn, and then I’m gonna create new math. I’m gonna get home, if it kills me.
Shut up Delores.