What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

It's been three months, to the day, since my last post. So much has happened in that time. The most exciting change of note is that citywide service has been restored to Malton's local mobile phone network. This is in fact the reason behind why I am able to update today. Prior updates were made from a phone tied into a specific jury-rigged phone mast in a location which I chose not to disclose at the time. You see, not knowing the full extent of the threat facing the city, I was very protective of the only sure method of outside contact I had.

I lost that point of contact during my move to the southwest. However, I gained something different in exchange: Fellowship with a friendly, strong band of fellow survivors, who welcomed me into their company and offered me a home with them.

Re-reading my older posts to this space, I am struck by the solitary, isolated, alienated tone that resonates through them.

Today, I am no longer alone. Have not been for quite some time.

The truth? I could have taken a day, at any time over the last two months or so, to travel back to my old neighborhood, patch back in from my secluded site, and post here again. There were days when I wondered whether my messages here had ever reached an audience. There were days when I was haunted by the nagging urge to return, to Tell The Story, to Break the News. But I was never a news reporter by trade ... and that goal was eventually replaced by the goal of helping my new-found allies locally, one day at a time, in whatever way possible.

And that is still my goal today. I am writing here primarily because I have been encouraged to do so. Thanks, Barry. And thank you, dear reader.

Yours from Malton,
-- Nat.