stopped again, the difference being that it has been over thirty minutes this time. I am hoping, praying it has stopped permanently.
10:05PM
Dear Diary,
Humming has still not come back. I have been dreading almost every minute of this day, thinking the humming would return after stopping for a period of time. Anyone has yet to be able to definitively explain what has caused this noise all around the world. Ralph seems to have calmed down as well. In fact, he is eating after refusing to eat all day. Networks are flooded with people discussing this. President Obama has been on TV twice today trying to calm people down, all to no avail. People are still freaking out. My neighbor of 12 years, Brenda, killed herself with her .357 magnum about 3PM today. They live about a mile from me, and we have visited each other quite often. They are my closest neighbor living out here in the country. Her husband, Mike, and their children are beside themselves tonight with grief - as are many other people, I would imagine. I hope this ordeal is over. This is simply unbelievable.
10:30PM
Dear Diary,
I’ve had enough for one day. I’m tired, I don’t feel good. Ralph acts like he is sick too. In fact, after eating for the first time today, he threw up on the kitchen floor. I can look out my back door and see dead squirrels, birds, opossum, and others I can’t make out. I have a mess to clean up in the morning. I’m going to bed. I’m going to let Ralph sleep at the foot of my bed tonight. I don’t usually do that, but I just need someone close by tonight. Hopefully, things will be explained tomorrow to everyone’s satisfaction. This has been a terrible day. It’s time for some sleep.
Alone on Earth – Entry #2
November 17, 2016
6:51AM
Dear Diary
I have awakened to another power outage. There is no humming noise that caused such chaos yesterday. But there has been no power for almost four hours since the wall clock that was plugged into a wall outlet stopped at 3:17AM. Ralph was not at the foot of my bed when I woke up. He went out the little doggie door I built for him four years ago, but he is usually barking. I'm going to go outside and clean up the dead birds and other animals that I saw late last night.
7:42AM
Dear Diary
All the birds, opossums and other dead animals have vanished! I have no idea what has become of them. Did someone come and haul them off while I was sleeping ? And where is Ralph? I can’t find him anywhere in spite of having called to him for at least 30 minutes. I have tried calling my brother on my wrist video phone (WVP), but either he isn't answering, the distortion of yesterday is back, or he didn’t charge it last night. This battery is weak on my WVP, even though I just charged it last week! I have tried calling the utility company and encountered the same problem, no answer. In fact, I've called about six different numbers and received no answer. I fear yesterday's distortion is back, but there is no humming today. It is in times like these that I wish I didn’t live so far out in the country, 26 miles from town. Still, I'm going to just get in my truck and head into town to see what is going on. I hope Ralph comes back from his morning trek into the woods. It is unlike him not to answer my calling him, so I'm worried both about him and the fact that I can’t contact anyone.
8:26AM
Dear Diary
Batteries in both my ’06 Honda Civic and ’95 Nissan Truck are dead! This is impossible! I went to get a flashlight that I put fresh batteries in two days ago, and the batteries are dead in that, too. I've checked all the batteries in my house: All size EE batteries are dead. These batteries last at least a year, they are only two months old. I am at a loss to explain this. Now, my AVP is completely dead. I can’t contact anyone, and my options are limited. My neighbor Mike, whose wife Brenda committed suicide yesterday, is about a mile away. I have an old Murray bicycle that I have not ridden in about six months. I suppose I will ride it to their house and see if they are still there. Mike said something yesterday about going into town to stay near the mortuary where Brenda was taken. I will get on my bicycle and ride there to see if anyone is home. No sign of Ralph thus far, and I am sick with worry about him. I thought I heard his barking a few minutes ago, but I can't be sure. I wonder if my fear is causing me to hallucinate.
12:17PM
Dear Diary
I went to Mike’s house. No one was there, I suppose he and his kids are in town. I’m not used to riding a bicycle, it wore me out. I am grilling some steaks on the grill. Being old-fashioned, I still prefer the old charcoal style grill. I am so hungry. Writing this, I am wondering what to do next. I can’t contact anyone; my AVP is dead, the communications center being down since I still don’t have power. Still no Ralph….that is weighing on my mind as much as no power and no means to contact the outside world. Those steaks are ready, I think. My freezer is starting to melt…I sure hope power will be restored soon.
4:02PM
Dear Diary
Still no power. I keep getting this sinking feeling that something is terribly wrong. From the events of yesterday, it makes me think a catastrophic event has taken place. But I have no way of finding out, no way to contact ANYONE. Power has never been out this much unless there was a hurricane here in the gulf. But this is November, and no word of a hurricane as of yesterday. Of course, we are now getting hurricanes in January and February. Those steaks were good, I was very hungry. I ate some potato salad I bought from Wal-Mart Tuesday. My freezer is continuing to melt.
7:36PM
Dear Diary
It is getting dark. If not for my Timex windup watch and my Big Ben alarm clock, I wouldn’t even know what time it is. I am crying as I write this in my old notebook by a candle. I am sick about Ralph. I keep thinking I hear him barking, but every time I call him, the barking stops. I think I could be hallucinating again. I haven't seen one person come down this lonely country road. You see at least 100 cars come down this road during the day, but I haven't seen one car. Something is wrong…really wrong. Plus, I have not seen one single bird today. Not one. I have not seen the raccoon that usually comes around dusk to raid my garbage can. I wish I could see him now. God how I wish I could see him. I have not seen one human being today. It may be the first time that has happened in my entire adult life. I am going to pray extra hard tonight.
10:34PM
Dear Diary
I am going to go to sleep now in total, complete darkness. I can’t even see the Moon tonight due to an overcast sky. I again thought I heard Ralph, who has a distinctive bark that only I can identify with as his owner. I have prayed and cried like no other time in my life, feeling so completely alone. But that is not possible. Is it? If only my brother or sister would come over. No batteries are working anywhere in my house, and there's no explanation for that which I can think of at this time. I am short on blood pressure medication. I must have that refilled soon. If nothing else, I will ride that bicycle 26 miles into Mobile, AL. That will completely exhaust me, I know. I will bring my diary notebook with me to record everything. I have a bad feeling of what I might find. I pray that everything will be normal in the morning. I pray that power will be back on. I pray that Ralph will come back home. I pray that God will make sense of this to me in the morning. I pray…
Alone on Earth – Entry #3
November 18, 2016
5:14AM
Dear Diary
I am up this early with the knowledge the power is still out. I am very despondent with the realization of this fact. I had hoped Alabama Power would at least have trucks out this way to the utility sensors to restore power. But thus far…nothing. In fact, I have not seen one vehicle go down this lonely stretch of road outside of Mobile, AL, in the past 24 hours. I am currently using candles as a light source. Every battery I have in this