Bridger’s History Book
In retrospect, it's amazing how fast the old world went away. The power went, and it spiraled out of control from there. In the beginning the survivors fell into two camps, those who looted and pillaged from the onset, and those that tried to hold onto the rules of society and civilization.
Those that tried to maintain the old world were eventually beaten down by the new way of things. The aggressive scavengers ruled the day, and in the process the old world slipped away.
The written word went the fastest, all the books that remained were burned to sustain life, cook meals, heat shelters. As the days and years passed, no one had time to teach their children how to read or write for the most part, it took a backseat to survival. In a single generation, the written word was all but gone. When the scraps of paper ran out, we started to scavenge the wood that was left. At first it was the scrub brush and the dead trees, and when those went, we started to whittle down the wooden tool handles and gun stocks. We shaved them down until there was nothing left to burn. As for the Farlanders, we consumed the last of the group’s wood over 500 days back, replacing what was lost with scraps of leather or metal.
The written word went the fastest, all the books that remained were burned to sustain life, cook meals, heat shelters. As the days and years passed, no one had time to teach their children how to read or write for the most part, it took a backseat to survival. In a single generation, the written word was all but gone. When the scraps of paper ran out, we started to scavenge the wood that was left. At first it was the scrub brush and the dead trees, and when those went, we started to whittle down the wooden tool handles and gun stocks. We shaved them down until there was nothing left to burn. As for the Farlanders, we consumed the last of the group’s wood over 500 days back, replacing what was lost with scraps of leather or metal.
One of the first things I realized after everything went to hell was how ignorant I was of the machines I had used in my everyday life. I became painfully aware that I couldn't repair a radio or fix a car engine. I didn't know how to get electricity out of an old car battery to power lights. I had almost no useful skills when it came to maintaining old technology or building anything new.
I also had very few practical survival skills. Before this, I had only been hiking and camping a handful of times, and had never had to think about where my next meal was going to come from, much less catch it or prepare it. Then there was the problem of finding clean water. We spent a lot of time being sick at the beginning due to the lack of clean, drinkable water.
Another thing that went away was matching pairs of things, like boots and gloves. I haven't had a matching pair of gloves since Day Zero. We got out of the city and I realized I didn't have a pair on me, and it's been mismatched pairs ever since. I did manage to get out of the city with a matching pair of boots, but after they wore out, I would pick one up here and there as I was able.
Another thing that went away was matching pairs of things, like boots and gloves. I haven't had a matching pair of gloves since Day Zero. We got out of the city and I realized I didn't have a pair on me, and it's been mismatched pairs ever since. I did manage to get out of the city with a matching pair of boots, but after they wore out, I would pick one up here and there as I was able.
No comments:
Post a Comment