(Takes place a few says before Captain finds the "Summon's Cancer" bag.)

Entry # 3650

September 20_.

We're returning from a "mission" on the outskirts of town. I'm not sure why we even went out here; Captain is being more discrete than usual. Pilot is acting like he knows what it's about, but he won't tell me anything either. According to him saying anything would be "against Captain's orders". I asked him if whatever it was would get me killed. He just laughed under his breath and skipped farther ahead, playing with a red balloon. I had thought all those blasted balloons would all be gone after the flying machine he had tried to kill me with, but apparently not…He must have found a whole warehouse of red balloons.

God, I hated those red balloons.

I think its past noon. We spent most of the day out here and did absolutely nothing except walk…and almost got killed by a Day Walker. Captain was disappointed, but he declared that we'd have to return tomorrow to finish the very important mission. I tried to argue that I could help finish the mission if I knew what it was. Captain however countered that it would compromise everything.

All this secrecy is making me feel a little on edge and being out here in the open isn't helping either… I feel like something is wrong (aside from not knowing what we were doing). It's almost as if something is watching me. I want to be back in the city, where I know where everything is and what to expect. Both places are dangerous and at least out here you can see what's after you. In the city you might have places to hide, but so do the monsters and mutants. But the city holds a familiarity. I know what to look for, what the signs of predators are, how to outrun the Flesh Mutants and how to trick the Parasite Claw Monsters.

I wish I had my weapon. Maybe that's another reason I feel so nervous. I'm out in the open with no protection and I have to be on guard even more carefully than usual to make sure these idiots don't die.

Pilot keeps letting go of the balloon and jumping up to catch it before it leaves his reach. He always catches it right at the tip of the string; a second later and it would fly too far for even his high jumps to grab onto. Release, Wait, Grab, Repeat. Release, Wait, Grab Repeat. Watching this cycle isn't helping with my uneasiness and I tell him to stop before he loses the balloon. He gives me a pointed look and I'm sure if he didn't have a mask covering his face he'd be sticking his tongue out at me. But he stops anyway and instead turns to humming what sounds like 'Que Sera Sera'.

We're almost at the first building and I feel relief wash over me. It'd be much easier to keep Pilot and Captain alive within the confines of the city. I just want to be back at base. I'm getting hungry and boiled rat is sounding pretty good at the moment. I really wanted some beans, though. We are running low on food supplies again. We only have enough to last us a few more days and I know I'm going to have to inform Captain soon. I should find a new weapon first. I definitely don't want to be sent out on my own and be caught without a weapon. Heh, can you imagine?

My eyes won't leave the ridiculous balloon. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems off. Pilot is still humming the song and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I walk closer behind Pilot to stare up at the balloon with him. Pilot's green goggles reflect in the red material and behind him my blue ones. I notice the purple glow of Captain's on the other side and I glance over to see our leader staring up at the balloon as well with genuine curiosity. I bring my attention back to the balloon. There's something wrong, it's as if there is another set of eyes reflected in the inflatable object.

I stop in my tracks and swivel around quickly to be confronted by a wall of red. It moved too quickly for me to examine it too closely and I feel the mass of...something enclosed around me, suffocating me. It wrapped around my face, capturing one of my hands up by my head. I can't breathe! I hear a voice in my head. A voice made up of voices. "BEwaRe!"

Bwah! I feel my conscious slipping as the thing continues to smother me. Just as I think that this is the way I'm going to die, I feel a blast of cold air and I gulp in air. I'm on my knees and I grasp my neck as the air practically burns my throat. Captain has the red thing stretched out in his hands, admiring the long glowing creature.

"My! What a glorious scarf!" He loosened his grip, letting Pilot admire it. I stand up quickly to examine it as well. It can't be a scarf! It attacked me! It tried to smother me! But indeed, what had felt like a living creature was only soft itchy-looking yarn. I was about to reach out and touch the material, just to be sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me when a gust of wind brushed around us, blowing the 'scarf' (and Pilot's balloon) away.

Pilot gasped in horror and Captain stared sadly after it.

"What boobery!" He turned to face me. "Forget today's mission, Mr. Snippy! I want you to retrieve that scarf or face the wrath of my tea!"

…sigh.

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