The Book of Benjamin

Hey honey! Wanted to give you a journal so you can record memories for Boaz and Abigail as they grow up. Hard to believe they're already 12! We all love you. - Sarah

Day X+1

Today, the strangest thing happened. Water started falling from the sky. It's never done that before. Even the elders are perplexed. Abigail thinks "the sky is falling". She's young, but I don't have anything better to say. Thankfully, it's mainly just annoying. Everyone's wearing their leather clothes and it seems to be sheltering us enough. Boaz and Abigail are having a blast playing outside.

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Day X+2

The water still hasn't stopped. Everyone is puzzled. How long is this going to go for? Kids are starting to get bored.

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Day X+3

Some people came into our village today. They apparently came from another settlement that was down by the river. The river has grown with the water coming down and it started threatening their homes. They took what they could and came here for higher ground. We are trying to let some people stay with us, but we only have so much space.

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Day X+4

More people came in town today. We don't have room. And people can't sleep outside with all of this water everywhere. We don't want to turn people away, but we don't know what we can do. People are moving on from our town in search of something else.

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Day X+5

The water is all people can talk about. Apparently there was someone who saw this coming? People are saying they prepared by building some kind of wooden apparatus. If this gets much worse, maybe that's not a bad idea.

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Day X+6

When Sarah was going to visit someone, she saw that the water has spread to the outskirts of town. Apparently all that remains in the South is just a large lake. It's hitting the refugees differently. Most seem heartbroken; even if they see their homes again, all of their personal belongings are probably gone or waterlogged. Some have remained stoic this whole time. Some are thankful that they got out of there. A handful seem relieved for some reason. But everyone is clueless. When is this going to end?

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Day X+7

We had to leave. When we woke up this morning, the water is up to our doorstep (that was fast). I gathered up Sarah, Abigail and Boaz and brought as much food and other items that we can carry. I had felt sorry for those who had lost their homes; now I totally understand. I know we have to do this if we are going to stay alive, but I can't shake this feeling we aren't ever coming back. This is where I was born, where my children were born. Is it just going to be wiped off the map? I hope not. Need to stay positive. At least we can leave.

We brought our neighbor Aaron along with us. He doesn't have any family any more and is quite old. He isn't going to make it without help.

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Day X+8

We started going in the direction of the mountains. High ground is a priority. We can see the water rise. It's slow, but when the terrain is flatter, it can spread as quickly as fire.

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Day X+9

The water has always been cold, but it's getting to us. Particularly Aaron. He has this really bad cough. It's slowing us down. We need to make it to the highlands soon.

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Day X+10

Found a town that was completely underwater. Abigail and Boaz went over while we were resting to explore. Sarah didn't want to let them. I figured we can't let this break our spirit and that they could use some fun. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The water must have come down mainly in the night. It looks like people didn't have a chance to wake up and get out. Boaz and Abigail came back screaming about what they saw. Apparently there were a number of bodies, presumably those who couldn't move quickly. I should have listened to Sarah. Boaz and Abigail are having trouble sleeping.

It's hitting me that people are actually dying from this. I hope the rest of my family is okay.

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Day X+11

Abigail asked me if we are going to die. I told her no, but I'm getting nervous. The water is never that far behind us. And once we get to the highlands, it is a long way to any higher ground.

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Day X+12

Aaron didn't wake up today. We had to leave him. Sarah found him when he didn't show up in the morning. We told the kids that he went on his own way. They've seen enough already.

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Day X+13

Boaz is homesick. He keeps asking when we are going to go back. I don't think he realizes that our home is probably gone by now. I don't have the heart to tell him. I kept saying that we would get back as soon as this weirdness stops happening.

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Day X+14

Boaz is missing. He apparently left in the middle of the night without any supplies. He left a note saying he missed home. Sarah is going to stay put with Abigail while I go after Boaz.

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Day X+15

I found Boaz floating in the water. I broke down crying once I recognized his clothes.

I should have left him where he was, but I had to be sure. I swam out to him and flipped him over. His face was left in a grotesque pose, eyes half open and mouth agape. The color had left his cheeks and instead there was a grey pallor over his body. Something in the water started eating on his cheek. His clothes were torn, with bruising all over his body. He must have fallen and could not get up in time.

What I cannot get out of my head is his expression. Even with all of the damage, you could tell that he was terrified until the very end.

He was only a kid. HE WAS ONLY A KID. HE WAS ONLY A KID.

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Day X+16

I keep having nightmares about Boaz's face. I have to get back to Abigail and Sarah.

I also seem to have a cough from my swim yesterday. Hopefully I fare better than Aaron.

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Day X+17

I caught up to where Abigail and Sarah were supposed to be. They weren't there. From the tracks, it seems like they went towards the mountains. I should be able to catch up; I don't have nearly as many supplies as them and am not traveling with a child. I need to catch up.

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Day X+18

I found Abigail and Sara! As happy as it was to see them again, they're in rough shape. Everyone is freezing from the water that just doesn't stop falling. My cough is worse. The backtracking also took away the lead we had on the water. If we don't move... I don't want to think about that.

The news I brought also didn't help matters. I think Sarah knew as soon as she saw that I came back by myself. But she was also holding out hope that I didn't find him and he was still out there somewhere.

Not sure what we are going to tell Abigail about her brother. Sarah wants to hold off since Abigail has gone through so much (to be fair, we all have). I still think we should tell her; she keeps asking where Boaz went. She misses her brother.

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Day X+19

We made it to the highlands, but they are not going to cut it long-term. The water hasn't let up.

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Day X+20

Trying to find higher ground. Easy enough to find food and other supplies; everyone's abandoned their homes. Doesn't feel like stealing since it's probably going to get swept away. We are moving a bit faster since we aren't bothering carrying as much any more and just looting as we go. We even found a wooden cart, which makes taking our stuff much easier.

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Day X+21

Sarah looks horrible. I don't know how much more she can take. We are all in rough shape, but she can't stop shaking. We are going to try to take a rest day and recuperate. But I don't know how long we have.

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Day X+22

You know, if you're just resting, the water is kind of pretty. Then you remember how it killed your neighbor and son. I feel crazy for being mad at water. But here we are.

When is this going to end? Is this going to end? Is this just life now?

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Day X+23

We had to start moving again. We can finally see the mountains.

Sarah is not doing well. She keeps collapsing while we travel. Her feet have started to change color and are decomposing.

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Day X+24

Sarah can't move anymore. She asked us to leave her behind but I can't. I ditched everything on our cart and moved Sarah that way. She is in pain all the time.

I haven't been someone who prays often, but since the water began I have. Today, I begged the heavens to stop or, at least, help Sarah. I really hope they listen.

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Day X+25

Abigail is riding in the cart with Sarah now. She can't walk anymore. She's just 12; I'm impressed she made it this far.

Sarah is begging me to "just let me die". Every time I hear it I want to cry. I'm not giving up. I can't give up. For her. For all of us. For Boaz and Aaron. We have to keep moving.

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Day X+26

Sarah was missing this morning. She left a note:

Benjamin,

I can't do this. Even if I could keep up, I am sick and falling over. I can't. I just can't.

I love you. I remember our wedding. It's strange having a happy memory in these times. But it was the happiest day of my life. You are the kindest person I know. You have been such a good father to our kids. You have such a big heart.

If there's anyone who can get Abigail out of this, it's you. I believe in you.

Eternally Yours,

Sarah

I have to keep going. For Abigail.

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Day X+27

We found Sarah washed up on one of the few hills left. The skin wasn't just grey but blue. Her veins darkened, weaving black and blue webs throughout her flesh.

Some kind of creature ate the majority of her nose and cheeks, exposing the flesh and bone. The pain she was enduring and resignation to her fate tempered her pallid expression. A morbid smirk gave the illusion she was still there watching somehow. Meanwhile, her pupil-less eyes seemed to stare at you no matter where you were standing.

And Abigail saw it all.

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Day X+28

Abigail has stopped talking. I don't blame her. She has that same look of resignation on her face Sarah had. Even if everything was magically okay right now, I don't think Abigail would be the same.

Come to think of it, I'm definitely not the same. I keep dreaming of Boaz and Sarah's faces. It's so regular that it's weird to think I once dreamt of other things. Maybe tonight will be better.

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Day X+29

Abigail still hasn't talked. Now she's stopped eating almost entirely. I'm slowly watching my sweet daughter give up the will to live piece by piece.

I can't shake the feeling she's watching me do the same.

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Day X+30

Today marks 30 days since the water began. I was holding out hope that there would be something special about this day and that things would finally go back to normal (or at least as normal as possible).

We are almost to the mountain. This has to end soon.

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Day X+31

We made it to the mountain today. The water is a little bit behind us, so we have time to approach this in a smart way. So far we have been able to keep walking up, but we may have to rethink our approach if we want to make it to the top.

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Day X+32

Abigail fell. We were climbing up a hill when she just fell backwards. She took a huge tumble. She is still alive, but she isn't going to be walking any time soon. We have to figure out something.

It's funny, I'd expect anyone Abigail's age to be crying nonstop. But she just sits there in silence.

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Day X+33

If that other guy can build something out of wood that will float, I can too! I left Abigail by our fire and set out to build a platform out of wood. If it floats, we should be okay on top of it. I just hope we have enough provisions to last us; there aren't any houses left to search.

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Day X+34

I built something. I hope it works. I can see the water creeping up the hills. If it doesn't work, I'm not leaving Abigail. We are going to sleep on the contraption and hope it works. The water will be here soon.

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Day X+35

I woke up today on the wooden platform. But Abigail wasn't. I don't know what happened but she isn't here.

I kept calling for her. But there's no response.

All that surrounds me now is water. Other than the wood I'm sitting on, I can't see anything else. Water goes around in all directions around me (even up). And I don't have much left as far as provisions.

I'll probably never see Abigail's face again. At least I don't have to see it like I saw Boaz's and Sarah's.

I was thinking about Aaron earlier. There's been so much death that I almost forgot about him. At least he got out of this early. Before we ran out of hope. Then I thought about all of the people who were probably gone. My parents that lived in the next town. My friends who lived by the river. Even those refugees we shared our house with. I don't know that they're gone, but it's all water here. And everywhere from the looks of it.

Aren't I *lucky* for making it this far. Far enough to watch everything I love and cherish get swept away, destroyed or killed.

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Day X+36

I don't know if this will ever end. But it's clear I won't see it. I'm out of food and the water is still coming down. Is it better to starve to death slowly or should I just take a final swim? Maybe I'll just slip and the decision will be made for me. That sounds nice actually in a weird way.

I never found out why the water started falling or why the world was wiped away. I don't know if the water will ever stop. Heck, I don't even know why I'm still writing this.

I've given up on praying. It's clear that no one is listening. Or perhaps no one cares. Doesn't really change much for me.

At least I'll be with my family soon.