December XX, 2012
Melvin has his own book out now. An autobiography of how he was basically abandoned by his parents to go gamble while living in Perfection, a hamlet town; encountering graboids and the trauma that came with it, going through life struggles, and finally turning his life around to start his own businesses and be an entrepreneur. I read the dang thing! Wondered what his side was about.
Jack even wrote his own autobiography as well. His ups and downs in life, working in Hollywood, his experience with the second graboid incident in Perfection, and now business owner. That one was given to me so of course I had to read it.
March 31, 2013
Would like to welcome Jodi and Eric's baby into the world, Jeoffrey. That was a fun day! We were all gathered to get ready for the next holiday after Graboid Day, which was Shrieker Day. And we talked about the upcoming tourist season. Well, in the midst of Jodi giving off her ideas, her water broke. That became an all-hands-on deck type of situation.
Eric was keeping her calm while she kept repeating that she needs to be driven to the hospital. Nancy headed over to their place to grab the packed bags that were ready for the hospital stay. We all agreed to try to keep Jodi calm. She got in the habit of overthinking and forgetting stuff. Some of the ladies called it 'pregnancy brain.' Whatever the case, all I know is I was not allowed to drive her there because I go too fast for her comfort. Didn't even know that I was an option for her as a driver? But Nancy got there in time and it was smooth sailing as much as delivering a baby was.
June XX, 2013
Finally got to see the deadly den again. It's been a few. Only got to see them from the binoculars. Turns out they have another addition. Born on April 13, 2013, Desmond Gummer. Clearly, its not Wes who has been naming the last two. Don't think he has ever come across those names before. If he has, well learn something new every day.
April XX, 2014
I don't feel like Burt is ever coming home. I know it's tough to write but according to the new psychologist, Rosalita, she said we all need to come to terms in our own way. It's been about a decade. We all have our hopes, he's gonna come sauntering in through Chang's spewing out the latest adventure he has been on. Letting us in on the new paranoia he's acquired through these adventures, what new guns he picked up, and what sort of monsters he's encountered.
When I mosey around Chang's I keep looking at the door, thinking that is going to happen. I keep thinking I'm going to hear his rig pull up, him yanking off his glasses, spewing out curses, and getting overwhelmed about what all happened here.
I want him to hear him raise his voice about the new buildings. I want to see him throw a fit at Nancy and the rest of the town for allowing this to happen. I want him to encounter D.W. and the new tricks they taught to El Blanco. While he's doing his rounds to be scared for a moment as those two beached themselves with tentacles out, scaring the socks right off him where he then fumbles for a gun, tries to point it at them, and then remembers that he can't, since they're endangered. I want Burt to radio us about how there are two albino graboids and not one. How the Hell that came to be? When it all happened?
I want him to remember about the Proudfoot lab he was so infatuated with. How he kept trying to find the entrance. To remember Rose and Wes. To now see he has grandchildren, one even named after him!
I just want Burt back. I know he doesn't miss us. I bought his new survival videos. He still has his prowess of a hunter. You can tell that he does remember bits and pieces of those years here with everything going on. It's faint but there somewhere up there, roaming around in his memories.
May XX, 2015
After trying to get over Burt, here he comes back, in a way. He is actually outside Perfection, somewhere in the valley, on rocky terrain, filming one of his episodes. Rose and Wes were the ones that informed us.
Which, side note, Rose is pregnant, again! Last one she says. Going to be another little girl, Wes had picked out the name this time- I knew it! They're naming her, Victoria, after Heather's mom, his grandma. She's due next month. The three have grown since the last time I have seen them. Like little weeds.
Anyways, back to Burt, we were told not to disturb him as his condition is still the same. No luck yet on his blood problem being solved.
May XX, 2015
Found out from Rose and Wes, South Africa has an assblaster problem. That's amazing and terrible. My follow-up question was answered. Burt has already been dispatched. Wes has been keeping an eye on Burt besides the rest of the government. It's not a lie when Burt says he's paranoid with the government always watching him, because it's true.
Guess it was the South African Wildlife Ministry that came to ask for Burt's help. Burt is bringing along a new film guy. Dr. Thorpe is trying to get in touch with the scientists over there while also putting a team together.
My guess is Burt is going to be there first and nothing is going to be left.
Wes closed the diary. He looked around the room. It was all one big, happy family. Elora was pregnant with hers and Larry's child. Jodi and Eric were watching their son get familiar with his children. Nancy was holding Victoria with Rosalita making faces at her, trying to get her to smile. Larry, Andria, and Rose were talking.
Tyler glanced over to him. "So, what happened in South Africa?" This made everyone look over to them.
Wes had to explain since the news coverage was everywhere. He started out with the species as he had recently read the reports Dr. Thorpe was sending in. There were gasps and stunned looks as how the South African graboid and assblaster was much more dangerous compared to the American ones. He continued to explain all what happened. Again, this was through reports and witness accounts. The story almost seemed unbelievable but then again, the town had to remind themselves about everything that happened with the Proudfoot labs.
Just then Harlowe came in, his boots stomping on the hardwood as he hurried past them. "I was listening to a podcast on the way here, you all have got to see something." He found the remote to one of the TVs, clicked it on, thumbed through channels before stopping on one.
"I am Burt Gummer," he was standing around some sagebrush. "This here is Travis B. Welker-"
"Also known as Burt's son," Travis winked. Burt ignored him.
"And for any monsters that appear, before they make you disappear, be sure to call," Burt put on his sunglasses. A phone number popped up below the screen.
Harlowe clicked off the tv. Some of the group had to sit down. Once sitting they looked between Rose and Wes.
"Did you know?" Tyler let out as quiet as he could.
"Found out in one of the reports," Wes looked over to him. "He's an older brother. Turns out Burt didn't know about him either. Burt had more of an open mind and well not everyone wore protection back then. Anyways, what you saw there was their new reality show."
"Burt is going from survival shows to reality shows," Nancy let out a sigh. "Never seen that one coming."
"Just wow," Jodi mouthed. It was a lot for the group to take in.
A month later, as tourist season was still in full swing, a drifter came into town. He had gotten a ride from one of them. He had no where else to go. He was divorced with no remorse. He went back to the only place he knew. He hadn't taken a bath and the stench of alcohol was his cologne.
The drifter had a bottle in his hand. He had swiped it from friendly tourists who drove him into town. He couldn't believe the place didn't change and changed in some aspect. The original town is still the same, except for the few upgrades. Down the main road, he noticed the new buildings. He smirked before heading towards a familiar rig. It was still that same color blue with rust and scratches. Hadn't change and hadn't moved. It was still where he left it, the junkyard.
He opened the door. Hauled himself unto the driver's seat. He leaned back letting out a sigh. This was familiar. This was close to home. It felt right. He took a swig from the bottle. He looked around the inside. Still the same way they left it. He dropped down the visor to see worn pictures that were crumpled at one time. They fell into his lap. He let out a chuckle. He had an ideal type and then fell for someone totally different yet here he was back in the same state almost. He looked at the pictures with one hand while taking a swig with the other.
He was lost in thought reminiscing that he didn't hear footsteps. He did see something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see a little boy around eight. The kid was looking around for something.
"Kid," the man called out to him. He wondered if he was one of the tourists who got separated from the group. The kid had on a tan ball cap, green pants, little hiking boots, tan long sleeve shirt, and a green vest. "You remind me of someone."
The kid stopped what he was doing to look up at him.
"Someone who got his life together," the man started to ramble. "Someone who stuck to his ways. Unlike me, who thought that was all past me. Doing the interviews, speaking at events, rubbing shoulders with high class people up in New York." He let out a chuckle before taking another swig. "Thought I was doing great. Thought these things wouldn't resurface. Lo and behold they did. Not just once either. He didn't call me. I wouldn't have answered. Why would I go back? How was I supposed to know they turned into bipeds? How did I know that the Mexican government offered a high dollar reward for that?" He took a swig. "My experiences were now on the back burner. Swept off to the side. Thankfully, my little girl was born after that. I became a stay-at-home dad while my ex-wife worked." Another swig. "It was okay until she started going to school. Felt more useless then. Doesn't help these things kept changing, kept attacking, and popping up in different areas. Just kept pushing our stories back to the end of the line. You know our therapist told us that it was due to trauma that got us together and because our relationship only went so far, that's what led to our divorce. Psh. Trauma."
The little boy picked up a ball rolling towards him. It was big as a basketball. He had both arms to hold onto it.
"And now, they found them in South Africa," he put the bottle to his lips. He glanced at the kid holding a ball now. He took a swig, swallowed as he saw a familiar scenario. He dropped the bottle. "Kid. I need you to stand completely still. Don't move. Don't make a sound." He couldn't believe he would encounter his past this early. The kid didn't move at all.
The man glanced at the white graboid with its beak out enough that the tentacles spilled out, searching for the kid. The man felt sober in this situation. He yanked the kid by his arm, making him drop the ball. He held the kid in his arms as he started to run. He felt like he was in one of his nightmares. Picking up his daughter and trying to save her from his past.
The man ran onto the main street. No one was around. He needed to head to the market. As he was heading that way. The ball fell in front of him.
"Shit!" The man evaded it. He side-stepped trying to keep pace. He glanced back to see the ball had disappeared again. "Dammit!" He was still being followed.
He glanced back again to see the ball shoot out from the ground. He kept running. The two watched the ball as it was then caught by a young woman.
"Lady-there's a graboid," he stopped. "We need to get to higher ground."
The woman tossed the ball back and forth in her hands. "I know." This made him flinch. That was not the reaction he was thinking he was going to get. "Put down my son." She placed it on her finger, started spinning it with the other hand.
The man did just that. He noticed more people were coming out of the homes. He glanced around. There was still a graboid right here. He couldn't argue with them since it would make matters worse. He placed down the little boy. He ran over to his mother. She gave the ball to him. He held in it his arms. The boy stood next to her while she pulled out a rod. She knelt towards the ground. She clicked a few buttons. The graboids left the area.
"H-how did you do that?" He was amazed and confused.
"Val," Nancy came over to him. "Valentine McKee!"
"Nancy?!" Val turned to see her. "You're still here?!"
"Yes," Nancy put her hands on both his shoulders, guiding him to the restaurant. "Come, we will explain everything."