Chapter 29

October 22^nd 2043

I still can't believe it's a Pod. I guess it re-entered sometime during the storm and was blown against the cliff. From the looks of the parachutes, the pod, and the cliff it looks like it hit higher up and tumbled down to land on this little shelf about 20 feet above the water. It's at a slight angle but it seems pretty stable. The way it's wedged in I think it'd take a really big storm or an earthquake to dislodge it. Still I wish it had fallen into the sea. If it had I wouldn't have found him.

I know it's really not a nice thing to say but I can't help it. Nobody should have to find anything like that. I mean finding Anna was bad enough. (Sorry Anna.) Finding him ... like that... (sob!) Why did he have to be dead? Why?

His name is Eric Daniel Robertson, age 32. He was a fireman. I wish he, and Anna, were here. I feel so alone. (Yes, Anna, I know you're here with me. Thank you so much for that. I just wish you were alive though. Why couldn't you be alive? Why couldn't he be alive? Why have the only people I've found been dead? Is everyone dead? Didn't anyone else make it to the surface alive? Oh! I hope Lou, Sarah, Liz, Amy, Charlie, and Brian are a live. Please God let them be alive! Please!!!!)

I suppose I should write down how I found Eric and his pod, just in case someone does have a problem with how I did things.

I left home early this morning in the amphibious jeep. Like yesterday I drove across the river and along the beach. This time I kept going past the beached pod. I did pass a couple more creeks and another river before the beach curved out towards the point. Every now and then I'd stop to look through the binoculars. I started to get really excited when I saw that it was a pod.

Over all it took about two hours or so to get there. (It wasn't like I was driving super fast.) I didn't look at my watch but I figure I arrived around lunchtime. I was too excited to eat though. Which was a good thing because I threw up after finding Eric.

I parked up in the tree line, and picking up my backpack and rifle, (a girl's got to take precautions), headed for the pod. The beach here was really rocky but still nice. The pod is up on a cliff shelf, like I said. Fortunately there's a kind of path to it. I still had to do some climbing but it wasn't too bad. It wasn't like I was scaling the cliff face. It was more like climbing giant steps or something.

I was really excited when I climbed up the pod's tailgate and hurried to the door. Then I looked in the window. (No I don't know why he had the window shield down but it was the sun reflecting off the window that caught my attention yesterday.) My heart dropped like a stone. There he was lying on the floor, all crumpled up. I knew that wasn't good. I just knew it.

I used the emergency release on the door and as soon as the door started to open, the smell made me gag. I tried not to but I ended up throwing up over the side. I just couldn't help it. When I couldn't throw up any more I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve and went to look at the grisly remain.

I couldn't stay in very long but it was more than enough to confirm he'd been dead for a while. From the way there's blood splattered on the cockpit window, I'd say he died in the crash. I don't know why he had the window shields down but they are. The cockpit window is cracked and the seating against the wall is buckled, leaving a gap for air to escape. In fact that cockpit area is caved in a little along the side and the forward heat shield was missing. (I think it came off when it hit the cliff or I don't think the pod would have survived re-entry.)

I suppose he might have been okay even with that damage he might have lived if he hadn't hit his head. I think when the ship hit the asteroid he hit his head and just never woke up. At least I think that's what happened. Otherwise I'm sure he would have closed the cockpit's rolling door or tried spraying the emergency sealant on the leak to keep his air in.

After making sure he was ... I came back out and threw up again or I tried to. I didn't have anything left to throw. I so hate dry heaves.

I really don't know what to do now. I suppose I should bury him and see what I can salvage from his pod but I can't stay in there long enough to do anything. Besides all I want to do is cry. I suppose I could try to air the pod out while I go home to get some things. I guess I'll do that. I really don't want to come back but I can't leave him like ... like... (sob!)

October 23^rd 2043

Yesterday was so terrible! I just want to stay in and cry but I really should bury Eric. Why did he have to be dead? Why couldn't he have been alive when I found him? Why couldn't Anna? Why?

When I got home yesterday after finding Eric, the wolves knew I was upset. They immediately came over and gave me wolfy hugs and kisses and let me hold them and cry. After I'd cried myself out I went up and fetched the little excavator. I drove it down to the over look where Anna is. It really is a nice spot. I'd thought about burying him next to her but I got this feeling he'd have liked to have been closer to the trees. I don't think it was because Anna didn't want to be next to him. The feeling she gave me was more that he'd prefer the shade, so that's where I dug his ... his grave, off to the side under a tree.