The Beginning at the End of the World: A Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian Series (The Survivor Diaries Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

silence.

November 6
    Now that the snow has stopped falling for several days, the Village is starting to come back to life. Charlotte Copeland, our resident agriculturist, has even come back to work on the garden. During the deep snow, we placed heaters in the raised plant beds using one of our remaining generators. I have been apprehensive about burning our gas supplies on the remote possibility that our crops can survive this freeze, but we must have the food.
    Adam came home on Monday with the smallest amount of supplies that our Out-bound group has collected yet. The team gathered a few cans of vegetables, including tomatoes, corn and green beans. They also were hunting, and they came back with four large bucks.
    Ammie has been focusing on nutrition with Annie, who is in the kitchen again. We use our own kitchen at home since our old one was destroyed in the fire. Even though it’s a bit small, she is still able to make meals for everyone. We all gather to eat at Jill’s house in shifts. I can tell that the Villagers are growing impatient with this kind of dining, but we have no other choice at the moment.
    Ammie and Doc Malcolm have been treating people for constipation, which is developing from our new high-protein, low-fiber diet. Ammie says that it is not a problem yet, just uncomfortable. And I can attest to that. I am also getting really tired of venison and rabbit. What I wouldn’t do for a big bowl of steamed veggies and some homemade chicken soup.
    The one thing I can’t help but be really excited about is the eight turkeys we are storing in our recently built ice house. We are saving them for Thanksgiving. We have decided that we will celebrate it, if we can. I have found that making plans in this new world is usually disappointing, though.

November 8
    Ironically, Cory’s trial came far more swiftly then it would have in the old world. This is ironic, since we needed to create a new justice system to deal with this fairly minor incident. We spent most of the week arguing about how it should unfold. It made me wonder if our Founding Fathers also argued about the ethos of justice in the same way that we did; loudly and with conviction.
    Retired Judge Shayna Rosen was leery of becoming involved in the law again. I don’t blame her, but she was the most experienced person in the Village to help us create a fair system. It was she who insisted that in this world justice needs to be truly swift.
    It was decided that we would have a jury of six randomly chosen Villagers. Judge Rosen would preside over the hearing; William Broderick for the defense and Shelia Akron for the Village - both lawyers in the old world - would serve as Counsel.
    We all met in the ballroom, where chairs were placed in the same positions as a courtroom from the past. I was becoming increasingly concerned about so closely modeling our new legal system on the former one, but old habits die hard even when you are honestly trying to change.
    The six jurors, including Steve Rolette, a man who has been leading a group of vocal dissenters of the organization that has been established in the Village, sat upright and attentive in their chairs. There was a palpable excitement radiating from the jury, and that had me nervous from the start.
    “My client has been unjustly brought to trial,” began Broderick. “All because he simply stated his opinion to someone who violently disagreed…”
    The three hour hearing ended in Cory being exonerated on the charges of creating undue threats to the “government” of the Village. He was found guilty of assault on Levi because he threw the first punch. The assault was deemed a misdemeanor and he was sentenced to three weeks of kitchen cleanup duties.
    I dreaded Cory being in my home for his penance, but I felt that justice was served. Personally, I never had a problem with him stating his concerns about the next steps for our future. And it is only fair to admit that we were indeed considering the move he