DECEMBER JANE

December: Tuesday

I've known Ann for a while, but God forbid I told her about anything I saw Sunday night. She only knew I was shot, and the worst reaction she had was babying it for the next few days, demanding that I stay inside until she could get the bullet out. I told her it was okay until I could get a doctor, and then she started to cry over Smiley. Attempts at comforting her were useless.

But whatever. I needed to build this bomb.

I spent two days slaving over the kitchen island, toying with the parts I stole (and the ones I didn't). From my journal designs, I had several options, but there was one I was willing to test. It would have some resemblance to a pipe bomb. I decided the pipes under the kitchen sink would work as perfect vessels. Ann and I filled up several containers to the brim with water, then shut the system off. I dismantled the pipes and therefore cut off our water supply; I will say, Sean's offer for assistance sounded pretty good right now.

I used three straight pipes to build a simple fuse-spark system, but I had my own ideas with the more curved ones. That was in fact the kind I was working on now.

However, I ran across a problem: I needed explosive material.

Now, finding that wasn't easy, but Laori knew downtown-- which meant stores-- which could carry fireworks.

I sat up and stretched from hours of being hunched over. The temperature was either way too hot or way too cold in this damn place. I heard footsteps behind me, though I didn't bother to look. I knew it was Ann.

"How's it going?" she asked.

I sighed. "Better than nowhere," I said. "But still not much."

"You'll get this. I know you will."

I managed a half-smile. "Thanks."

My eyes found themselves on the old clock on the wall. It read 5:30, which due to it being an hour and a quarter behind, really meant 6:45ish.

I wiped my brow and stood up, looking at the chaos on the counter.

"I'm going to grab some important pieces tomorrow," I said. "This looks good for now."

Ann shrugged. "I trust you know what you're about to do."

"I really hope you do," I mumbled.

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I woke up on the couch to the trickling sun through the trailer window. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I looked down at Ann, who had also fallen asleep on the couch. She was half curled up in the fetal position near my legs. It surprised me how much room this dinky couch had.

Trying my best to not wake her up, I slipped my legs from under her and lightly landed my toes on the ground. Before I crashed, I took my overalls off, so putting those on along with my boots, I was almost ready to go. I only took one pistol that still had ammo and shoved it into my bag which I emptied the day before. The only other items I packed were an old plastic water bottle I had filled and my journal. When I slipped on my jacket, I was officially ready to go. Before I left, I scanned the living area for the final time before I left Ann to sleep safe and sound.

It may have been early in the morning, but I needed to run downtown because I didn't want to die before I got there and I wanted as much time as I could get my hands on. I didn't sprint, because my shoulder was killing me from moving at all, and also because my legs were already fucked from the night before. I alternated between a jog and a speed walk until I finally made my way to the old highway. From there, I could view the sun and determine the time. The position looked to be about ten A.M.