March 26th 2022

  7:11am

  I stepped outside this morning.

  The rain melted most of the snow, and what was left behind had these pink-ish, rust-colored stains.

  Puddles in the streets have that gasoline quality to it, looking like olive oil mixed with rainbow food coloring.

  I also noticed that the grass is darker in patches, and the dirt near the walkway is stained the same ugly color as my ruined shirt. The ground is still soft, but it smells metallic.

  9:42am

  So, I’ve been trying to channel my inner Mr. Clean.

  Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.

  The water in the bucket I was using turned pink almost immediately. A girl loves the color pink ‘n all, but not like this. I feel like Midas, but instead of gold, everything turns into the ugly step-sister of Pepto-Bismol.

  My hands started tingling after a while as well, as if I was knuckle-deep in some stinging nettle. But at least once I thoroughly rinsed my hands, it was fine.

  2:34pm

  I pnned to take another trip into town, but my little journey took a pause when I heard another commotion. I don’t think it was the same guys as before, but I also didn’t want to find out.

  Kept my head low, hid inside the hardware store until the sound of gun shots faded away.

  Found some new tools in the meantime, like a crowbar and a little hand saw. It’ll come in handy for more difficult, boarded up houses to scavenge.

  Once the coast was clear, I continued on. And while looking around, I noticed a lot of the abandoned cars in the street have streaks all up and down them.

  The rain must be pretty potent to fuck up all the paint jobs, huh?

  I saw a few mumblies standing out in the open. They were just standing there, facing different directions in various poses. Bent over or to the side that on a normal person, it would probably snap them in half.

  Kinda awkward to look at. I ignored them and they ignored me.

  Well, at least for a little while.

  I came across a mumbly ying in one of those acid rain puddles. He looked like a patchwork quilt, bits of his skin red or bruised or falling off.

  He tried rolling over, failing around like a turtle, really struggling with it to the point I almost felt bad.

  It probably wasn’t intentional, but the mumbly managed to spsh a bit of water on my ankle. It stung a little bit, mostly cold. Annoying.

  5:36pm

  I don’t think the rain did anything to the mumblies.

  If anything, they look… shinier? But with a way worse, pungent scent to them.

  Not just that smell of wet dog, but also like cow manure. Very cool.

  Think I need to find a house that has a stockpile of air fresheners or something. Anything, I’ll even take some incense sticks and candles. Nothing like meditation and cleansing during the end of the world!

  On the way back home, I found a mumbly dragging herself along the pavement toward my house.

  She was moving at a pretty decent speed despite half her body being missing. I wonder if she lifted weights before.

  Somehow, she was able to sift through the smell of death and cow ass to lock in on the scent of my leftover roasted meat I made this morning. Still had a few skewers sitting by my campfire.

  I guess smell travels better after the rain.

  Using my foot, I kicked her out of the way and onto the wn with the others.

  “...wait”

  These mumblies sure are getting better at talking.

  It’s all becoming partially mumbled and garbled speech, like their mouths are full of greased up marbles or marshmallows, but it’s passable.

  I’m not really the waiting type, though.

  A quick blow from my crowbar kept her quiet.

  I don’t like the noise.