Hi Mom, Dad and Walter. I hope you are somewhere safe, because there is no sign of the end for this, what ever this is! We've watched people stagger around below for days. They aren’t going anywhere really, just wandering, not even seeing each other. They look disgusting, like they were attacking by dogs. They grown as if they’re in pain, but they don’t bleed. We’ve talked it over, Jason, 4 friends who hid with us and I, and this must be a super-strain of rabies. Rabies makes you act crazy and violent; you drool and attack other people. Eventually you die. None of us are vaccinated for rabies (I was once 4 years ago, but the vaccine doesn't last very long), so we’re waiting for all these sick people to die before we move. They just keep coming. We saw a couple cars yesterday, trying to drive west, out of town, but they ran into so many people, so many piled on the hoods. The cars had to stop and, through the binoculars, we watched the wanderers attack them through the windows. They swarmed like ants on jam! After a while, no one paid attention to the cars anymore, and the passengers weren't moving. Later Jason said he saw movement in the cars, and I threw up. Sheri started crying, and Tina was gasping as if someone had punched her in the stomach.
We’re more resolved than ever to stay put. I don’t know how long we can stay here. There’s plenty of food inside the building, but there’s no way we’re climbing down there! We have good sleeping bags, but it’s getting really cold at night. The sick people don’t seem to notice; they walk by, 24 hours a day, hundreds of them. Where’s the military when we need them? Sitting on top of a Walmart in the Iowa- we can see for miles in all directions and there’s no one else here. Somebody help us!
Helen E. Monroe, 7 October 2009
