Blackout

***Strong language advisory

06/19/2057

Dear Diary,

My daddy found this old blank book and told me that a long time ago people would write to themselves in it and named it Diary. I guess they would just talk about their day or if they were happy or sad or mad. He said it made them feel better sometimes to share and no one would ever read it so you could even tell it about your biggest secret! Well I do have a new secret so you have to promise not to let anyone read this! Ok… Well Mary and I were down in the sticks, you know, the crummy scary part of town. I know I’m not supposed to go there! But it was super bright out today and we were only going to look for a minute! Anyways we found an old trunk and the lock looked super loose so we hit it with a rock a few times and it broke away! There wasn’t much inside though. Just some old jewelry like gold and diamonds even some pretty red stones, but nothing that would make us rich. Until we saw it… a little first aid kit and inside were a couple of those tubes that make dirty water clean! I think it's called Life Straws but the label on it was kinda peeling off. Anyways we decided to split the treasure and Mary took one and I took one along with some bandaids. I don’t know how much it would be worth but I’m going to hold onto it in case we start running out of water to pay for food and stuff. Maybe it would be worth some rice or bread. Well I have to go now. Daddy says dinner is almost ready and he doesn't want to light the candle until we are together so it doesn’t go to waste. BYE!

Sincerely,

Jane Diane Adams

06/19/2057

Dear Diary,

I’m tired of the dark. I miss the sun on my face. Even on days like today, where the light of the sun almost broke through the dark haze, it's not like you can feel the warmth or bask in it. It just prolongs the lighting of the candles for a few hours. I’m so fucking tired of lighting these goddamned candles. And you know what, I’m thirsty. I’m so fucking thirsty. But I don't want to waste a glass of water when I know I can wait until tomorrow for a drink. I’ve almost saved up enough gallons to get a battery powered lamp, and I know Claire would love it. I’m hoping to have enough saved by her birthday in a few weeks. Well, I have to go help Claire with dinner now. Everything has been so damn hard since the blackout. Here’s to hoping…

Until Next Time,

John David Abram

06/19/2057

Dear Diary,

Marcus and I had to go into the city today. He’s giving a speech in a couple days for the 5th anniversary of the storm. He plans to announce the plans for a new power grid that can somehow withstand the electrical pollution and radiation. Even though it won’t be complete for another 5 years, he seems hopeful. He has to be hopeful. He’s the only reason this is one of the last cities that hasn’t fallen into complete chaos along with the rest of the world. He’s an inspiration to these people and they worship him. Well, I need to do a few laps in the pool before dinner is served. I need to look absolutely perfect in my new dress for the event. Marcus wouldn't allow me to look otherwise. We have an image to maintain, he says. For the people. Tata!

Jacqueline Danielle Ashton

06/20/2057

Dear Diary,

OMG GUESS WHAT! Daddy says we get to go to the festival tomorrow! Can you believe it! He says he won 2 tickets at work for me and him! I’m so excited! It also came with food coupons and he said I can get whatever I want even sweets! I usually only get to have sweets on special occasions like my birthday or holidays but he says tomorrow is kind of like a holiday so we can have some. I’m glad he’s not as sad as last year. Tomorrow is the 5 year anniversary since the storm that killed mommy and the sun. Well I don't think it really killed the sun but it blocked the light from getting to us daddy says. It also took out all of our power so that's why we have to use the candle at dinner. I don’t really remember it too much. I was only 5 then. I remember mommy’s hair kinda looked red in the sun just like mine but not anymore. There’s no more sun. Or mommy. I’m tired. I’ll talk to you after the festival.

Sincerely,

Jane Diane Adams

06/20/2057

Dear Diary,

What a fucking day. I got a call at work to go work on none other than good ol’ fucking Marcus Ashton’s house. I pull up and here a giant splash, now I’m panicked, thinking someone spilled some water, you know, our most precious life resource, FUCKING WATER! It was his goddamned bleached blonde trophy wife SWIMMING IN A FUCKING POOL!!! Now, I'd heard that some of the top elite still had pools, but I tell you, I did not believe it. How? How could they consciously fill up a pool for leisure when there are people DYING every single goddamned day of dehydration. Then I get home and find my Claire, my beautiful Claire, sipping from the same glass of water that she filled this morning. Even with the extra rationing from the government because she’s pregnant, I’m terrified. I’m terrified to bring this little life into this fucked up cold dark world. No light, no water, no peace. I don’t know how I’m going to do this. I don’t know how to pull myself together and be the strong one and the brave one, when every moment of everyday, I live in fear of what kind of life this poor innocent child is being thrust into. Well, one good thing came from working for Marcus “Burn us to ashes” Ashton, or whatever the hell it is that man calls himself. His assistant gave me 2 festival tickets as a “tip”. That’ll get Claire excited. She always loved going on all those crazy rides growing up. It’s not the same as it was back then, but she always knows how to find the bright side. She’s my sunshine now. 

Until Next Time,

John David Abram

06/20/2057

Dear Diary,

Tomorrow marks 5 years since the storm and the blackout. Sometimes it’s hard to remember a time before all of the chaos and destruction. Marcus plans to announce his plans for the new power grid tomorrow at the festival. He thinks it’ll inspire the people and create jobs potentially lowering the crime and poverty levels. Poverty levels? THERE’S NO MONEY, MARCUS. Not really. People don't give a damn about the dollar anymore. People are out there trading water for necessities to live. WATER. While we hire people to come clean out our POOL. I get lost in it sometimes, you know. The fame, the “fortune”. I forget that, I too, was impoverished.  That my mom worked 2 jobs to support us. That I’m one of the lucky ones to have been in the right place at the right time and caught the eye of someone with influence. And I’m grateful! Don’t get me wrong! I’m extremely grateful that I will never again suffer as we once did. I don’t know. I overheard the workers at the house yesterday while I was swimming discussing how disgusting we are and I truly felt it at that moment. Hopefully Marcus is right and this power grid might be the hope that so many of the people have been waiting for. Well, time for my beauty rest! I, too, set an example for these people. 

Tata!

Jacqueline Danielle Ashton

06/21/2057

Dear Diary,

Like I promised, I'm going to tell you about everything that happened today! Today was mostly good with some bad and scary parts. This morning daddy and I had breakfast and he asked me about all the things I wanted to do at the festival. I told him and he tried his best to remember the whole list but it was reeeally long. Then we got dressed and started heading towards the festival. While we were walking there was a little earthquake but daddy told me not to be scared because there was no way another one was going to hit. I asked him to promise but he said he couldn't because it wasn't impossible but improbable whatever that means. Then he bet me all the cotton candy I could eat if he was wrong. We got to the festival and I went on rides and had junk food and soda and sweets then went on more rides. Then we had to stand and watch this man talk about electricity and the blackout and the storm for a really long time. My feet got tired so daddy said we could go. While we were waiting in a line a really big earthquake hit and people were screaming and running but daddy told me we were going to be ok and he picked me up and started running out too. I was crying and telling him he owed me cotton candy and he said yes but he was going to have to get it later because we needed to get safe. Then he promised that there wasn’t going to be another earthqua

06/21/2057

Dear Diary,

What a shit show today turned out to be. I thought I was taking my beautiful pregnant wife to finally have some fun and enjoy herself. God, to be able to see the smile on her face while nostalgically riding a carnival ride was all the light I would have needed for the year. Turns out, you can't operate big rides without POWER! And the only rides they had were new battery powered kiddie rides just for the kids. Strike 1, John. Then all the junk food made her nauseous because her pregnant body hasn't been able to process any of that kind of stuff before.. Strike 2. Then I finally give in and decide to hear what Marcus motherfucking Ashton had to say for himself. More fucking bull shit about a new power grid in the works and how we have to come together as a community, blah blah blah! What he failed to elaborate on was HOW LONG WILL ALL THAT TAKE, MARCUS? It would be another 5 years minimum before we had any sort of relief. And none of that will help with the storm clouds that have drowned out our sun for FIVE FUCKING YEARS. I was through. I was through listening to his empty promises of a better tomorrow.. “We will rise from the ashes with Ashton” my ass. Then wouldn’t you know it. Cherry on the fucking cake. This giant earthquake comes rumbling through and basically split the festival grounds in two!! I grabbed Claire and carefully but quickly got us out of there. Thankfully we don’t live far from the area and made it h

06/21/2057

Dear Diary,

Marcus did beautifully today. He spoke with those people and really knew how to connect with them. I truly believe today marked a huge step on the path to a better tomorrow! The festival was fabulous and with the exception of that earthquake, I think it really lifted the spirits of these citizens. Like Marcus always says, we will rise from the ashes with