25 February 2011 Heres what I found, everything I know about these parasites.

If you find this, take it to a safe place, tell everyone. I am afraid I wont live long, I was infected with a male worm while early in my research, and I am doomed to be attacked. May Heaven help us. The disease is parasitic, not airborne like they said on the news. Its these worms, I have taken to calling them suggestion worms because of their link to the human brain. There are males and females. Each has different developmental patterns. Females: -mind control onsets slowly, however full effect achieved in ~2hrs. Sudden release can cause confusion and sudden pain in victims. -full fledged mind control using hormonal and electric brain stimulation. -large, visible on the back of a victims neck underneath the skin. -lays blood born eggs on a bi-weekly cycle, and uses mind control over host to attack male carriers and deliver eggs into bloodstream -once ovum have been delivered, relinquishes mind control to keep host alive -causes anemia, headaches, but also increased healing rates from physical trauma (while mind control is not being used) Males: -slight mind control: emits pheromones to attract female carriers, aspirin-like chemical to thin blood and increase pain tolerance. -not visible from outside, however anemia and headaches are symptoms, but much less pronounced than in female cases -once insemination occurs, the target pheromone is turned off, replaced by a stop pheromone. -male dies after insemination of the eggs, potentially freeing up that host for a female Babies: -males can fly through the air, however females are too heavy and cannot. -escape through bodily fluids, out of wounds, solid waste, etc -enter new host through any means possible, wound, food, drink, eye-rub, etc

23rd Feb 2011 Today we saw another weird man with a lump on the back of his neck. Pale skin, slow yet unceasing. He grabbed Troy and bit his arm until it bled. Troy was lucky, as soon as he started bleeding, the man fell unconscious. Hes at the hospital now, but I think hell be alright. 26th Feb 2011 School is cancelled today, theres too many people with the lumps on their necks outside. Im scared, but Ive got food and some water at least. I had my friend come over, were locked in my room, peeking out the blinds. Some unfortunate kids have been caught by three or four of these people at a time! Im starting to wonder whether this is some sort of dream... 27th Feb 2011 We had to go get more water, somebody sent out a message over the university system saying our water would be shut off in three days. The powers already out, so I beleive them. If this thing is a disease, it sure spreads fast, I think it might be airborn. We soaked some extra shirts in urine and were using them as masks just in case-- Michael heard somewhere that that works. They smell terrible, but if it saves me from becoming one of them, it will be worth it. Michaels bringing a baseball bat and a makeshift shield made out of his art clipboard in case we get seen. Im bringing three backpacks to stuff with waterbottles. 28th Feb 2011 We did run into one yesterday, luckily just one. It was Ken. Michael and I didnt want to fight him, but he wouldnt stop following us. We ran to Wallgreens and hid out until he left. Michael decided that it would also be a good idea to bring back ziplock bags to fill with tapwater back at the room. I want to leave Provo as soon as we can, try to get somewhere with more food and water, but Michael says we should wait for warmer weather. Hes probably right. 1st March 2011 There are some here in the dorms... they bang the door and look up at the window. Michael and I have started wearing those wretched masks all the time now, if one of us gets the lump, we promised to kick each other out and take a message home to his family. If there is a family left. 2nd March 2011 I knew eating expired bread would get us nowhere. I have terrible diarrhea. How long can you hold it before you have to go fight your way to the bathroom? I tried going out the window but the lump-heads down at the bottom got a little too excited. 2nd March 2011 again I couldnt hold it. I took Michaels shield and bat, donned my ski goggles and face mask, dressed up in all my winter clothes-- I was a tank. Bashed heads to get to the bathroom. The blood on the walls is a terrible reminder of friends now dead. 3rd March 2011 I couldnt sleep last night, more of them got into the hallway. Who designed our building with inward-opening doors? That was the dumbest thing Ive ever heard of. I cried when I looked out the peephole and saw that Kevin was outside. Pale-faced, a cut on his cheek was infected and oozing pus, red streaks emanating from the wound. I could smell him, even through the stench of my pee-shirt. Rotting disgusting smell of death. Michael helped me get over it. Once they get the lump, theyre dead already, David. That helped. Kevin is already dead. Its not him out there, just some disease. 4th March 2011

Its too crowded in this room. We decided to ration the food even more tightly, and the water DID shut off, like the text message said. I need to get out! Plus, we need another shield and another head-whacker, so its adventure time. We donned our winter gear again, even though its like 50 degrees out today. Michael took his turn out in the hall with the bat and shield, and we made our way to the bottom floor. We locked all but one door, and that one opens OUT not IN. Then right on down to the athletic building for another bat. The doors were all locked, and we couldnt get in, so we sneaked our way up to the student center. Not that that helped at all. Michael ended up having to knock a couple of them down on the way up there. One of the doors was still open, an outward-opening one, so it was probably relatively safe in there. The rentals shop had bikes and sports equipment. Nobody was there, so we just took what we needed and left. 5th March 2011 So no shield, but two bikes and another bat, thats a plus. Its even more crowded in here with the bikes, but at least our adventures will be faster now. Didnt find any food yesterday, either, so maybe thats tomorrows goal. And why do the lump-heads keep coming to our door? Its like they know were in here, even though we try to keep quiet. We have no lights, so thats not a problem. I wonder if they can smell us... 6th March 2011 Its warm enough. Theres no snow on the mountains, the reservoir must be full, I think its time to leave. Plus, we need food. If we dont leave soon well starve. So my plan for today is a food raid. We go to all the houses nearby, all the apartments, and knock out any lump-heads. Then we grab whatever food we can carry and we bring it back. Its stealing, but everybody who cares is gone... and the owners are probably dead too, so its no big deal. I hope. 6th March 2011 again These stuffy coats! Im glad that paid off, we have canned food and the rest of the dried food from my room, Micheal says if were careful it could last us a couple of weeks. It was terrible, though, whacking those lump-heads. They look for the most part like normal people, just pale and red-eyed from not sleeping (ever) and they have nasty festering stinky wounds is all. And the worst is when you know them. Usually Micheal and I steer clear of that kind of situation, but its still just so disgusting to haul off and swing at these people. But its best to get it done in one shot, because if its not a hard enough hit, youve got to do it again until you get it right-- and thats much worse-- theres blood, and sometimes they kind of wake up and then faint, or scream, but then go back again. Almost the only thing that makes me follow through is that every time, they are trying to get me, they claw at my coat or try to bite through. So in the end fear wins out over honor, and I swing. And then I cry myself to sleep. 7th March 2011 Today is my mothers birthday, I hope shes alive. Or rather, I hope shes either alive, or at least actually dead, not this disgusting sort of in-between that the lump-heads seem to be so good at. I couldnt bear to see her like that. I want to try and get back home, the good old pacific northwest has to be better than here. Anywhere would be better than here. I tried to build racks or something for the bikes today, but I think what Ill end up doing is making a one-wheeled trailer thing with some pieces from the rental shop. That way we can carry our supplies with us when we decide to leave. Michael and I have been discussing routes, and its really a tough decision-- the most direct route goes straight through a desert, no water or really food for a long way. Plus, the freeways are probably clogged with cars, so wed be walking or pushing our bikes

(or maybe wheelbarrows would be better... Ill think about that tomorrow). A longer route would be to follow the mountains north to cooler climate and more vegetation, and then cut west up north. But the roads dont follow that way, and it would be rough going-- no cart, maybe no bikes, just hiking. And with not much in the way of fire-making equipment, Im worried that water contamination or just wild animals would be the end of us. But Ill think about that tomorrow.