Kasey's Journal

Date: July 20th 2008

Things have been alright… well, as well as they can be, all things considered. Normally, I wouldn't expect my life to change much in five days since I last wrote, but since the world pretty much ended, days feel like weeks and this past week has felt like an eternity. It's almost been a month, so that's eternity times four. That's a long time. If it weren't for my friends, I'd probably have gone stir-crazy. I wish Molls would talk with me, but she's still shut up in her room most of the day. She's lost a lot of weight too. Even when I made her a chicken pot pie (her favorite) last night, she only took a few bites. Talk about a waste of a chicken. More for me then, I guess.

I guess the loss of one chicken isn't that big of a deal. Sinatra Ranch has been doing well. Farming came easy to me (a lot easier than I deserved), thanks to all the help I had from Gill, those old books, and Finn, the sprite that followed me around for a while. He was pretty good at helping me figure things out in the beginning. But now, I've been running this place on my own, growing vegetables in bulk and raising a bunch of livestock and chickens. I actually started to make a healthy profit, but I don't know how things will work out now. Mayor Hamilton asked that I start putting more food in cold and/or dry storage so that we never run out. Also, I think Gill said something about using food as a bartering tool with Hazelwood. Between the other two farms and I, I guess we'll have enough to go around, but Gill did seem concerned. I don't blame him. He's carrying the weight of the entire town on his shoulders. Honestly, he does so much of the work, he should probably be the mayor, haha.

Looking at the numbers I'll need to meet, I might have to get some farm hands. Molls may be of help there, but I know she'll hate it. She never wanted to work here; too smart for this sort of thing, she'd probably say, and she's not wrong. But we did get a few castaways washed on our shores, so maybe they'll want a job. I just hope that my career doesn't kill me. Then again, that would be better than starvation or radiation. Still, I'd like to live a long life. Let's hope that's a possibility and not just wishful thinking.

Chapter One: Appreciation

June 4th, 2010

"Hayden, another round of wheat cocktails on me." Kasey raised an empty glass to signal the bartender. His generosity earned him a pat on the back from Owen. Castanet used to get most of their alcohol imported, save the bit of wine that the farms were making, but ever since two years ago, getting wine imported was an impossibility. The farmlands were making their own alcohol in surplus to meet demand, not only with the citizens of Castanet but also with Hazelwood. But it was slow going. Until they caught up, alcohol wasn't cheap. Still, Kasey was making decent money, so he could afford to buy his friends a round or two.

It was Friday, but the night at the bar was winding down now and most of the regular patrons had gone home, save the stragglers. Kathy was collecting the last of the tabs and Selena was still dancing, keeping a majority of Kasey's attention. How she could do that for hours, not get tired, and still look fine as hell was beyond him. He caught himself staring at her a bit too long when the clink of a filled glass brought him back to reality.

Owen and Luke had joined him that evening and he was plenty glad for that. Before the world ended, he didn't spend much time with either of them, but over time, they became his drinking buddies. Truthfully, they were the best drinking buddies he could get, given who he had to work with. Gill rarely ever partook, Luna mostly didn't care for the bar, both Kathy and Selena were usually working during bar hours, and Calvin… Calvin was SUPPOSED to be there that night, but he no-showed again.

Great guy, but a workaholic, Kasey thought to himself as he took another sip of the cocktail. Wheat cocktails were nasty in his opinion, but they were pretty strong. That was the appeal at the end of the night.

"Yo Kasey, you're awesooome," Luke said, giving him a thumbs up. Kasey could tell that he was getting pretty hammered, which was kind of hilarious. Luke was an incredibly talented lumberjack and carpenter, but he had almost no tolerance for the sauce.

"Please, I know it," Kasey laughed back, "but if you really think that, you can buy the next round."

"Well, he'll have to do that some other night. We're closing in five," Hayden reminded them in a gruff bark. He looked like he had aged ten years in the past two, his thick, brown beard growing grayer by the day. "Still, you boys are my best customers, so I hope you'll understand."

"Noooo!" the blue-haired carpenter cried out, giggling slightly as his head crashed into the bar. "Just one more!" By now, his bandana was falling off his head and his hair was a mess.

"Luke, I think you had enough," Owen chimed in with a laugh. He then whispered to Kasey, "seriously, he's like the drunk chick at the party."

"He is the drunk chick at the party," the rancher joked, chuckling at his friend's notion. Between Owen and Luke, Owen was definitely the mature one. Ever since his grandfather died, he had been burdened with the care of his younger cousin and his grandfather's blacksmith business. During the days, he was pretty serious and focused, but once a week, Kasey could get him to come out and drink.

"Hey, I… I resent that!" Luke stammered, raising a hand in protest.

"Go back to sleep, you lush," Owen said, reaching over and giving Luke a slap on the back so hard that Kasey was surprised the blue-hard carpenter didn't throw up all he had drunk. After that, the blacksmith took another sip of his drink before leaning on the bar. Kasey couldn't help but look at him with envy. The guy was supremely jacked from his work and his workout routine. Looking at Owen was just depressing for him.

"Oh man, we went a bit too hard tonight," Owen groaned, rubbing his head. "I'm going to have a hard time getting up tomorrow."

"Cold shower, black coffee, and a slap across the face: that's my hangover cure. Give it a shot." Kasey was confident in his suggestion, but Owen just laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind." He sighed, rubbing his face. "Damn, why did we drink so much anyway? Is it some sort of holiday?"

"No, I don't think so." The young rancher looked over at Luke, who seemed to be completely out of it and back to Owen. As much as they loved drinking, they didn't usually go that hard unless it was a special occasion. "Was it one of our birthdays? No, that's not it. It's not my birthday at least."

"What, you need a reason to drink now?" Kathy asked, having overheard the conversation. Since her shift was pretty much over, she wrapped her arms over Owen's shoulders from behind and kissed him on the cheek. "I remember when you first got here, you were drinking here almost every other night for no reason. Why the change?"

"I don't know, I'm old. I feel old, at least." Kasey drank the final part of his drink and set the glass back down, rubbing his head. "Seriously, was it an anniversary or something? Did somebody get married this time last year?" No, that isn't it either. But there was an anniversary that suddenly came to mind. Technically, it wasn't for another twenty days. "Oh, that's it. It's June." It wasn't about a celebration after all. It was more about forgetting things. As far as he was concerned, the month was cursed.

"June?" Owen asked, "what's special about Ju-… oh yeah." His eyes suddenly fell. "What a buzzkill."

"I don't believe so. You still look intoxicated to me," somebody behind them said.

"Hey, I thought you said you had paperwork tonight." Kasey looked to his right to see Gill standing between him and Luke. His friend looked down at Luke, sighed, and shook his head.

"How much did you let him drink?" Gill asked, his voice chilly, but Kasey knew that he was more concerned than anything else.

"He'll be fine. Just needs to sleep it off." Kasey gave Gill a pat on his sweater-vested back. "Surprised you made it. Well, sort of made it. They're closing."

"Gill, I can mix you up a drink if you want," Kathy offered, but Gill shook his head.

"Not tonight, I need to wake up early tomorrow. But thank you." He looked back to Kasey and answered his original statement. "I got done early, but still, all that documentation lasts an eternity." Sometime during that last sentence, Gill recognized that his friend seemed upset. He was incredibly perceptive like that. "What's wrong?"

"Two years, that's what's wrong," Kasey answered in a disgruntled murmur. "You realize it's almost been two years since the nukes? That just… I don't know, it's just sad. The world frickin' died, but we barely even think about it anymore. We've grown desensitized. Here we are today, drinking like nothing happened, taking our fortune for granted. Doesn't that bother anybody?"

"Again, buzzkill," Owen muttered. "I get what you're saying, but come on."

"You know, Kasey, while I do think that you should drink a bit less on a night before work, maybe it's alright to celebrate a little bit." Gill said this with such calming sincerity that Kasey couldn't help but be baffled.

"Gill, billions of people died-"

"And we didn't," Gill reminded him. "If you ask me, that's a reason to drink, celebrate, and thank the Goddess. Look around you." Gill surveyed the bar and a small smile emerged on his face. "We're thriving. We're safe from the outside world and the radiation that's engulfed it, we have enough food to last us years, and our trade agreement with Hazelwood…" he frowned. "Admittedly, that's a bit shaky, but still." He placed his hand on Kasey's shoulder. "There is nothing wrong with mourning tragedy, but you shouldn't let it keep you from treasuring what you have."

"Yeah, you're right." Gill was always right. Sure, maybe he was a bit insensitive and cold at times, but Kasey had come to appreciate Gill's pragmatism. Even though Kasey himself was thankful for the safety he had in this town, sometimes he needed his reminder that it was okay to not constantly mourn the tragedy that had occurred. Otherwise, he'd end up like his sister. There was plenty to appreciate, and one of his favorite targets of his appreciation arrived.

"Hey boys," Selena greeted seductively as she touched Kasey's shoulder with her left hand, slowly circled him, and sat on his lap.

"Heeey Selena, you look sooo ho-" Luke passed out again before finishing his sentence.

"Hey, beautiful, you look great tonight," the rancher greeted, smiling.

Of course, Selena looked great every night, so Kasey was just stating the obvious. She was wearing one of her loose-fitting, revealing, Arabian-styled dancer's outfit that showed off her curvy assets. Kasey found himself trapped as he stared into her purplish eyes and admired her tan, virtually flawless face. Unashamed, he kissed her right there. If Molly was around, she'd probably chastise him over his public displays of affection again, but he wouldn't have cared either way.

"Hey, Selena," Owen greeted but she didn't seem to notice him or anybody else.

Instead, she leaned close to Kasey's face. He thought she was going to kiss him again, but instead, she brought her lips to his ear and whispered, "Are we going to fuck tonight?"

Kasey's eyebrows raised and he grinned. My, that was blunt, even if nobody else could hear. "Well," he gently slid Selena off of his lap, stood up, stretched, and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I think it's time I head out. Gotta get up at six."

"Yes, I should leave too," Gill agreed, looking over at Kathy and Owen, who were also in very close proximity and then back at Kasey and Selena. "It's getting a bit too intimate for my tastes."

"Hey, you take care. We're still on for tomorrow night?" Kasey asked. Gill replied with a curt nod, and Kasey smiled back. "Owen, can you make sure Luke gets somewhere to sleep? If not home, somewhere else?"

"Don't worry about it, we might just throw him on the couch or something," Kathy answered instead, not taking her focus off of Owen.

"Good, thanks." His head turned back to Gill. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me feel better." Kasey knew that Gill already knew what he was talking about, but he wanted him to hear it.

"Well, you're welcome then." Gill smiled a little again. "Go home, you need your sleep."

Yeah, well, not gonna get much of that, he thought to himself as he gazed into Selena's eyes. But he figured that his friend already knew that too.

It was a beautiful night. Above the island, no clouds blocked the countless stars and the few buildings in Harmonica town that were still lit upped gave an aura of coziness. The only other person out besides Kasey and Selena was one of the night patrol (a young man who Kasey couldn't remember the name of.) There were a few men on the third shift watch that took shifts patrolling the seaside by night and since there were rarely any problems with outsiders, it was a very cushy job, save whenever they went on deliveries to The Haze. Their nights had been pretty uneventful as of late.

"Kasey, did you drink too much?" Selena asked, gripping his shoulder. "You almost tripped."

"I'm fine, I didn't have too much. Just need to walk it off." His head was spinning. The problem with drinking so much in one sitting was that he never realized how drunk he was until he stood up.

"Oh, poor baby." She turned him to face her as she held him close to her. "Should I carry you home?"

Damn, I love that accent. "No, I'd like to hold onto whatever dignity I have left, thanks." The funny thing was that Selena probably could carry him home if she wanted to without breaking a sweat. Maybe it was from all the dancing she did or maybe it was because she was naturally strong (almost as strong as he was, and that was with running a farm.) Even so, he wasn't that drunk.

"Oh, you think you are such a strong man," she teased as they began to walk to his place. "You won't be too tired, will you? I don't want you to sleep just yet."

"Don't worry, I got energy to spare." He gave her a squeeze between steps. Selena started talking again, mostly about her day, and as he listened, Kasey looked out into the ocean. Far away, several miles of shore, he could see the storm clouds; the ever-present storm that encircled the island. For those who could survive the radiated ocean, that storm was the last line of defense. Thankfully, it was a pretty damn good defense.

"Kasey?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled, blinking sleepily.

"Did you hear one thing I said or were you dreaming again?"

"Uh… you were talking about how your mother still wants you home?"

"Basically, yes," she giggled. "But there's no need. I'm safe here. Safe with you."

"Aw, you're making me blush," he giggled, slightly uncharacteristic. He may not have been that drunk, but he drank enough that he'd act a little bit weird.

"Are you sure that's not the alcohol?" she teased again, touching one of his cheeks.

"I guess we'll never know, will we?" By then, they reached his ranch. It was a serene place at night without the brutal sun shining down and without his animals grazing and mooing in the field. "But thank you. I don't know where I'd be without you. I've never felt this way about somebody before, you know?"

"Oh, Kasey." She turned to face him and she lightly pushed her forehead against his. It was kind of awkward, given that she was taller than him by about two inches, even when she was barefoot like she was then, but he hardly cared. "I love you." Without warning, she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms over his shoulders. Flashing a thirsty smile, she whispered, "now prove that you love me."

"I thought you'd never ask." Before he could even take another breath, her lips were on his and her tongue forced its way into his mouth

Oh damn, she REALLY wants it tonight. With the beautiful girl still in his arms, he took a few steps forward, fumbled for the doorknob, and entered the house. The house was warm inside, but not so warm on the summer night that it was unpleasant. However, Kasey realized pretty quickly that Molly was probably up, given that the lights were on. Between kisses, he caught Molly staring at him from the living room, a twinge of disgust on her face.

"Hey Molls, Phoebe," he greeted, still unashamed. His sister and one of her only friends on the island were sitting together on the couch, surrounded by a bunch of their blueprints. On a normal day, he would have asked them what they were designing, but for the moment, there were other things on his mind. "I figured you'd be asleep by now."

"Yeah… hi," his older sister replied, her voice dry and cold, unaffected by the greeting or her brother's pet name for her. "We were just designing… something."

"Yeah? Well, that's cool. How are you doing, Phoebe? Haven't seen you in a while."

The green-haired inventor just stared at him through her thick, red classes, mouth slightly agape, not sure what to say to the rancher that just carried his girlfriend through the front door. Not wanting to put her on the spot any longer, he just kept moving towards the stairs.

"Well, have a good night!"

"Bye, you two," Selena added playfully as they went up the stairs. At the top, Kasey took a right and arrived at his door.

His room was pretty simple. Queen-sized bed, dresser on the left, old photos of friends and family covering the walls, and a desk that was covered in papers, mostly his farm paperwork. He was falling a bit behind on that, but he knew Molly would probably help him out if he paid her a bonus. But he didn't reflect much on that since he had a beautiful woman in his arms. Gently, he loosened his grip and let her feet touch the floor. She kissed him again, slowly and far less heated than earlier. Not that he was complaining, as it was a relaxing change of pace.

"You know," Selena began as she let a hand run down his back, "I don't know why your sister doesn't like me. I haven't done anything to her."

"Eh," Kasey said, shrugging slightly. "Don't let it get to you. Molls doesn't really like anybody. Never has, save a few people. Hell, she can barely stand me."

"But she likes Phoebe, it seems."

"Yeah, well, Phoebe and Gill are the exceptions," he explained. "Probably because they're all geniuses, I bet. Birds of a feather, right?"

"Hmm…" Selena pondered out loud. "On the rare occasions I do see her, I always see her with Phoebe." Suddenly, her smile turned devilish. "They do make a pretty cute couple."

Kasey sighed, shaking his head, though in good humor. "We've been over this before. My sister is not a lesbian. I can't speak for Phoebe, but Molls... I feel like I would have figured it out by now if she was."

"Oh, how do you know?" Selena played, laughing lightly as she did, "Have you seen her with a man?"

"No, but I never saw her with a woman either. For all I know, she had boyfriends in college. Besides, even if she did like women…" He stared off into space for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I can't imagine that she'd say it out loud, especially in this town. A small, isolated, religious community... I'm not sure how well they'd handle that sort of thing. And it's not like she can go anywhere else."

"Well, whatever. Forget about her. You have more important things to worry about." Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Oh yeah, like what?" he asked, returning her stare.

In response, Selena pushed him onto the bed so hard that she may as well have thrown him. He lied there, sprawling on his back and before he could move, she was already straddling his lap, leaning her torso forward so she could whisper to him. "Like how you're going to do your work when you're so sore."

Everything happened so fast. Though he didn't feel too drunk, the alcohol was definitely messing with his perception. The foreplay was still fun, regardless. He loved how strong she was, how flexible she was, how passionate she was… it was just a perfect combination. To top it all off, he was absolutely crazy about Selena. He had never been with somebody who made him feel so amazing or who understood him as well as she did.

Damn it, not again. She had impatiently ripped open his button-down shirt and he heard a few buttons pop off and hit the wooden floor. It wasn't a huge deal, but it would be something else he'd have to worry about later. Later.

"You know," he said when he had the chance to actually vocalize his concerns, "I still have to get up at six in the morning." His reminder didn't faze her at all.

"Oh, do you need me to stop?" She stuck out her lower lip, but there was no need for that.

"No, not at all. I just-"

"I missed you so much this week…" she whispered into his ear, nibbling him slightly. "I promise that you'll get a good sleep when we're through."

"I'll hold you to that," he whispered back, pulling her into another kiss. Of course, he wasn't going to stop. He was too horny to even consider it. He just knew that he'd pay for it in the morning when he woke up with a hangover and a severe lack of sleep. Still, the nights with Selena were worth it. Like Gill had said, after the world ended, it would be foolish to be unappreciative of the good things that he had left.

If you've this far, let me know what you think. I have part of the next chapter written already and I'd love to get some feedback on the story thus far.