Six Months Ago …

Six Months Ago Today
Six months ago the world changed forever.
I find it odd that I still track the days and months as if nothing has changed. It means nothing now, just as the hour means nothing.
There was a time when it meant so much to so many, but we found now time is fleeting and it’s just a way to measure the distance to what could be the end.
In reality, the world changed many more than six months ago. For many, it was closer to twenty-four months. Some knew of the possibility that the end could happen and more choose just to ignore the possibility, maybe out of arrogance or perhaps out of fear.
I remember a little of the first time I heard of comet C/2012 SI ISON. It was a quick little promo of sorts on one of the national news stations. “When the comet approaches Earth it will be brighter than the moon and be visible during the day” is what he said. “We will be there to keep you updated and provide you with views of the great event.” I wonder where he is now.
As the time came closer and it was a small dot of light, the stories began to come out. One doomsayer after another saying God was going to smite the world. Others were saying the governments know the truth but are afraid to tell the people, while amateur astronomers were saying that a near miss if not a direct hit was all but inevitable.
But the professionals always debunked these claims with facts that only they understood. “Trust us,” they said. “We have nothing to worry about, sit back and watch the show.”
Where are they now, and how much did they really know or suspect?
The greedy were ready to play on the fears, real or not. Many people were sold backyard shelters, and some went deep in the woods to construct their own as if the woods were some kind of protection.
I’m sure there are many who prepared quite well with their shelters buried deep in the ground. How long can they last? How many have they killed in defense of their little piece of paradise lost? Luckily I had never run into any or trespassed on what they still considered their land.
How many survive at places like NORAD and other deep military bunkers? How many survived outside the bunkers, on their own? Enough to rebuild, enough to start over? Probably, assuming there is even the possibility of starting over.
Many questions may never be answered, at least not by me. Does it even really matter? We may know soon, but nothing is ever certain.
The sky that can be seen now at times is very different. The moon looks like it comes and goes; the sun and the stars appear out of place.
It’s almost summer here in the north, but it feels more like early spring.
What must it be like in what’s remaining of the southern hemisphere where the comet glanced and actually scooped out part of the Earth?
I have not met anyone who knows for sure, not even those I am with now. The reports that came in before the world fell into disarray didn’t know for sure. Most satellites were down, blinded by the pulse the comet caused as it entered our atmosphere.
There have been many earthquakes here in what was once the backcountry of Ohio. Sometimes three or four tremors a day can be felt, but they seem to be getting less as the weeks go on.
I don’t know if this area had many quakes in the past since I was an east coast Philly and Jersey boy for many years. I moved inland away from the coast when we started to realize the truth.
Many left the coast, as they were afraid of massive tidal waves sweeping across the land from the oceans of the world.
I had heard stories from people I encountered in my travels, but most sounded just like that, stories. I doubted anyone actually witnessed anything that they lived to tell about. Only some of us who now survive have seen second hand, some of the truth.
Yes, six months today, I wonder if any of us will make it to a year. Will I even be keeping track if I am still alive.

Hello, My Name Is John
I must stop here and beg your forgiveness. I am rambling along, and I have not yet introduced myself.
My name is John Desmond Hackley, formally of what was once known as Burlington, New Jersey in the great country that was the United States of America. As I have eluded too earlier, I was born and raised for the first twenty-four years of my life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All meaningless now in this year 1 AC (After Comet).
I was sort of named after my mother’s father. My grandfather’s name was Jacob, but my mother opted for John instead. My parents were both big Beatles fans and liked the name Desmond. What I wouldn’t give to have a barrel full of anything and a marketplace to visit right now.
I was raised in a good Catholic family and went through twelve years of Catholic education. I have to wonder why God, if he exists, would bring this down upon us? Were we that evil and deserving of such a punishment?
Truth be told, when I think back of before the comet, I think maybe we were. It’s possible the universe would be better off without us.
I was living in a home with my soon to be wife, Cheryl, dreaming of the life we were going to start together. We had just bought a nice new home, and we both had good jobs. I am, was, an Industrial Engineer and my fiancée worked for a bank in Pennsylvania.
I guess I should have known it was too good to last.
About six months before the comet’s coming, the news was starting to spread that this might be far more than a good show. The trajectory of the comet was not as predicted. The comet was new to the Earth; so the scientist had no idea what the object was made of, or even if it was a traditional mostly snowball like comet.
It became clear as the ice was ripped away by the sun, that this comet held a destructive secret inside. It was measured at around the size of Lake Ponchitrain in Louisiana. And it was coming right at us, sort of. Eventually, it was realized that the angle of the comet would cause it to miss us or give a glancing blow to our Earth, and not a full-on impact.
A full on impact would have been sudden death for much of the Earth with the Earth entirely barren long before the six months that have since past. With this new information, it was thought we might be okay after all.
Unfortunately, that news was too late to save my fiancée. She left me a note saying she was so sorry but she was not brave and could not endure waiting day by day for her death to come. I found her sitting in a chair on our porch. The police did not know where she could have gotten the poison she took, but we had our suspicions. Like I said, maybe the universe is better without us.
With Cheryl gone I was alone in the world, such as it was. With the impending doom, the world went downhill quickly. Many stopped working so they could stay home and pray, while others went around raping and destroying all they could lay their hands on. The human race at it’s lowest. What was the point? If the world were to end, the money and jewels would mean nothing.
Was it okay to rape and torture just because you could get away with it, while the law was busy with the looters and while everyone was concerned only for themselves?
As I said, “I was alone in the world.” My parents had died a few years earlier, and I was an only child. Cheryl was the best thing I had in my life, and with her gone, I almost wished some thug would just kill me so I could be at peace.
As the comet drew closer, many scientists were again concerned. The comet could fly by a few miles above our outer atmosphere, or it could be dragged down into our atmosphere and brush across the land and be like a tiny moon burning around our globe.
All they knew for certain was that the most significant effects would be felt in the southern hemisphere and possibly along all the coastlines of the world.
Not knowing what to expect and with nothing keeping me in New Jersey I headed west. That was two months before the coming.

The Day of the Comet (November 18th)
What actually happened I didn’t know at the time, but from the amount of debris in the air, the earthquakes and the strange realignment of the moon and stars, I later felt it was more than a glancing blow.
I think it may have been better if we were hit dead on, so to speak. I would most likely be dead now and with my love. I don’t have it in me to take her way out.
The day the comet was to strike or pass by, it was a warm November day; very cloudy and rainy, as if the Earth was in mourning of the coming death and destruction. I was not sure of the exact time it was due and decided I would just sit in a gazebo in a nice little park I found here in Bessemer, a small town just East of the Ohio border, and near New Castle, Pennsylvania. The park was empty except for a few squirrels eating and playing in the trees.
The houses that were undamaged from the riots and looting were mostly quiet. I could see light in some, and I could imagine the scene of families huddled together. I wondered how many had taken Cheryl’s was out today or the days and weeks prior.
There were no Thanksgiving decorations or early Christmas lights in town or anywhere else along my travels. People were scared and in no mood for festivities. The present the universe was sending was not wanted or appreciated.
Late in the afternoon was when I believed it happened. The birds flew out of the trees, and there was a rumbling that seemed to be coming from nowhere and everywhere. I felt slightly dizzy as if the Earth had moved under my feet. Ordinarily, it took a few drinks to have that feeling.
I was wondering if I was far enough from the coast to avoid any tidal waves, part caring and part not. I didn’t know what to expect and found I was holding my breath waiting for what I did not know.
There were more tremors in the Earth and a lot of noise from flocks of birds flying in all directions at once. The squirrels that had been playing had run into the trees and had not been seen since. I could also hear many dogs barking around the area and in the distance. Eventually, I realized nothing else was going to happen now; the Earth was not going to swallow me whole, and the ocean was probably not speeding toward me.
I heard stories later that large waves did destroy New York City, Washington, Baltimore and probably Philadelphia. Any city close to the coast or near a river close to the shoreline, I thought was probably gone. I had even heard that the Susquehanna River rose over 30 feet around Harrisburg. I have recently seen images showing evidence of how bad it actually was. Had I not went west, I would now be dead.
The next day the sun was out, but sunrise and sunset did not appear quite right to me. And when the moon came up, it wasn’t near where it had come up just two days earlier.
The sky that day was mostly clear, but there did appear to be a light haze in the air, and the sunrise and sunsets were much more colorful than usual.
A few days later, on what would have been Thanksgiving, things really began to change. The sky was dark, and it wasn’t from normal looking clouds. It was as if there was a blanket over everything blocking out the sunlight. The moon and the stars were gone entirely. Six months later the skies are clearer at times, and even the stars are occasionally visible through the haze.
Another thing that I noticed in the first few days after the comet was that the air seemed to be thinner, as if some of our atmosphere was ripped away or thrown into space. Too much exertion caused me to feel light headed, and I had more headaches than ever before. There was a constant wind that at times became very strong, blowing towards the south.

My Travels Westward
I stayed around Bessemer for about six weeks after the events of that day. Those who were still around in their houses offered me shelter from the cold, as well as food and water, and I was tempted to stay longer, but I became restless. I just didn’t feel that I could sit around to see what was going to happen next.
Since the world did not end that day, some people began to try and find some kind of new normal life. I considered that a bit too optimistic considering the sky was still dark and the temperatures were dropping. The earthquakes were I thought a very bad sign even though they were mild. Having so many quakes was not normal for this area.
I decided to continue west for no other reason then that’s where I had been going. I ventured more to the south to stay away from Youngstown. Even small cities were a dangerous place to be since the comet. I felt better in the countryside where people were mostly better and peaceful. I met a few people on my way. Some were going east to find family and some going south to get away from the cold. I should have gone more toward the south considering the temperatures, but then I would not be here to know the horrors of that day. Maybe that would have been better.
Nobody had any definite information, just theories on what had happened. A few people had battery powered radios filled with nothing but static.
I passed through a few towns where I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not wanted and I should keep moving on. In other towns it was like a police state, and in some, it was pure anarchy.
At one point I came to a town being controlled by a National Guard troop. They were doing their best to keep order and keep out troublemakers. They were hoping to hear something from the government, but even their radios were full of static. One of the guardsmen was sure the static was because of the effect of the comet and not that government was gone. I would find he was partly correct.
I was not in any hurry to go nowhere, so I stayed in some of the friendlier towns a few days at most. After a few days, I always felt like it was time to move on. Even the small towns were starting to fall into anarchy, and some no longer felt safe.
It had been over four months since the comet, and I learned it was better to stick to the main roads. Animals that had once been pets were roaming around, and some were near starvation. A couple of times during my journey I had to fight off or scare away hungry dogs.
Wolves and other predators must have realized that something had changed. They were much more brazen and willing to be out in the open. I had not yet had a problem with any wolves, but I was always sure to have some kind of shelter every night.
I had been walking along Route 39 in Ohio for a few days. I passed through a town called Rockford, which was little more than a post office and general store. I didn’t see anybody in the area; in fact I had not seen anyone for a couple of days.
Meeting people during my travels was not something I looked forward too anymore. You would think I would long for the company, but nowadays, you never knew what to expect.
Even someone traveling with children, was not above pulling a gun and demanding food, water or clothes. Usually, if I heard someone ahead or heard a car, I would duck into the woods until they passed.
A day after I passed Rockford I came upon a sign that said,”3 miles to Roswell.” This was certainly not New Mexico, but the name made me think of the days when the worst thing that the world thought could happen to it was a nuclear war. Many scientists had expected the conditions would be the same if the comet hit dead on, but that seemed not to be the case. Although the sky was still not usually clear and the temperatures seemed lower than any normal winter, it was not the nuclear winter we always heard about.

The Mansion in Roswell
Roswell was a small town with a central small country style downtown with single-family houses scattered around. Some were on what we use to call blocks, but there were no Philly or Boston style row homes or as they more recently called them, Townhomes. It was probably a pleasant place to live and raise a family. Now, I saw many signs of conflict and looting. I passed a couple of bodies along the road. One was in what appeared to be a prison uniform.
On the far side of town, it seemed more preserved and less damaged. I saw no direct signs of people, but the area looked a bit cleaned up. I thought that was odd, but who knows what it was like here after the impact. I did hear what I thought was some conversation, and I felt like I was being watched.
I needed a safe place for the night, and after walking about a half hour out of town, I saw a rather large house down a dead end street that looked abandoned. As I approached the house, I again felt like I was being watched. I’m not usually one to have such feelings, and maybe it was the oddness of the area, but I felt nervous.
As I approached the house, I noticed it looked cleaned up and taken care of, as if someone was living there. It appeared abandoned only because of all the brush and bushes allowed to grow up in front of it, partially blocking the view from the main road. I then noticed an unusual amount of satellite dishes on the roof that had been hidden from view farther down the road, and I noticed what looked like antennas of some sort hidden in the trees.
I wanted to start walking another way, but my curiosity got the better of me. As I approached, I still did not see any human activity, but a squirrel was digging in some trash from a can that fell over. A can with fresh trash? Just as that thought was entering my mind, I was grabbed from behind; everything went black, and next woke up in a bed feeling drugged.

………

It is from that house, I now call The Mansion in Roswell that I write these words that probably no one will ever read.
This is now my diary or journal. What it’s really called probably doesn’t matter. It’s my words of how the world… changed or possibly, came to an end, as we know it. That statement may be premature, but before I get to that, I should finish detailing the events that led to this day.

……….

When I awoke in the bed, I soon realized that I was tied down to the bed and could not get up. It was dark outside, and the lamp in the room was lit. The lamp? There was no power coming through the grid, so if there was light, this house had some kind of generator.
I later found they had a very sophisticated power system set up for the house.
I listened intently but could not hear the hum of a generator or any other noise from the house. I could have been all alone, and I suddenly panicked that I was left here tied to the bed alone to die. I released that did not make any sense. If I was left here to die why was a lamp turned on in the room?
I noticed a mirror on the wall and realized it was probably a two-way mirror. I was being watched. “Hello,” I said and realized my mouth was dry plus my voice sounded extremely weak and timid, so I spoke more loudly. “Hello, is anyone there? Why am I tied to this bed?”
There was no immediate response, and I did not want to waste my strength screaming and struggling with my bonds. The bed was the warmest and most comfortable sleeping accommodation I had in a long time so I eventually fell back to sleep.
When I awoke the next morning, I found I was no longer tied to the bed, and there was some fresh food on a table in the corner. Well at least I was not left here to die, I thought.
I noticed now that there was an open door on the far side of the room that led to a bathroom. I took advantage of the facilities and also washed up a bit. The bathroom had a working shower however I was not comfortable with the idea of being so vulnerable, especially if I was still being watched.
When I came out of the bathroom, which had no windows, I went to one of the windows in the room and found that it was barred with a fancy grate and the glass was frosted so no one could see in or out.
Since I had nothing better to do, and I was hungry, I decided to sit down and eat. The tray included what I believed was fresh crushed apple juice, a pear, some bread, and cheese.
As I was eating, I began to wonder what had happened to my backpack. I didn’t have many possessions, but it would be nice to have my other clothes.
It was at this time that I thought about the fact that I should have been keeping a diary or journal of some kind, if only so that I could remember the events of my life that have been forever changed. Or, I thought, if the world somehow survives and rebuilds it could be a lasting piece of history for future generations. I decide if it were possible in the near future I would begin what you are now reading.
I was lost in thought and completely startled when I heard the door suddenly and quickly open behind me. As I turned two men with guns strapped to their sides entered the room, and one tossed my backpack on the bed. “Here are your things; Robert will be here in a while to talk to you.” That’s all they said, quick and to the point. I wondered if talk to would be more like interrogated, but I had nothing to hide, and if they wanted me dead they could already have killed me. Of course, they may only want to hear what I know from out there before they kill me. But why then feed me? Many thoughts ran through my head before Robert finally came into my room with his daughter Jeannine.

The Horror
Dr. Robert Monroe was an older man with grey hair and a tired face. I later found out he had a doctorate in Astronomy and Earth sciences from Princeton University. Jeannine was very striking, and although I was never good with ages, I figured her to be in her early thirties. I found out later that I was not far off.
Robert began by asking me the usual questions; who are you? Where are you from? Why are you here? After I filled him in on the important details of my recent life, and I assured him I was just a weary traveler, we moved to a nicer more comfortable room. The men with the guns had disappeared, however I was sure they were close. I didn’t blame them, for not completely trusting me.
I found out that there was a group of over twenty people living here. Most, like Robert and his daughter, were scientists, the rest were the muscle. They had power and access to some fresh food, but mostly frozen and canned goods.
When the truth started to come out they gathered here from universities from up and down the coast. Some were in government programs, and a few corporate types were working in the satellite industry. There were many other groups like them across the country and a few in other countries.
There had been one in Australia and one in Brazil, but they are no longer there, the houses or parts of the countries.
Robert informed me that he believed the comet glanced the Earth right over Southern Africa, basically ripping the land and water right off the Earth and throwing a lot of it into the atmosphere, and some even out into space.
He showed me images taken from some northern satellites that showed what looked like a massive cloud ripping out of the Earth and out into space. It was a horrible site to see. Finally knowing what was suspected. The southern hemisphere had been torn apart, and even parts of the South American continent had been swamped by massive waves of water and pieces of the wounded Earth.
The oceans rushing in to fill the void had made the title waves less in the north yet they still did much damage.
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and many other cities close to the coast, all basically gone, all dead cities. The empty wreckage of severely damaged skyscrapers is all that remains. As the oceans slowly stopped oscillating the water level of the world ended down about six feet. As heavy rains fell, mostly in what was left of the southern hemisphere, the water level had started to come back up, but the Earth has lost water that may never come back again.
They told me there were much larger chunks of Earth and comet that were still orbiting the planet, mostly invisible because of the more than normal cloud cover. Eventually, they will all fall to the ground, some causing even more damage to the north than the first impact.
They had been monitoring conditions as best as they could with the technology that was remaining. What they learned has not been good. They believe the Earth has been slightly jogged out of its normal orbit, causing it to become a bit oval rather than round. A slight distortion does not have a significant weather impact since our temperatures are more controlled by the angle of the sun then our distance from the sun. What concerned the scientists was that the long-term effects with the moon and other planets were unknown. The solar system has been in this balance for many millennia, and no one knows how much a slight shift in one planet will affect the others. Based on the limited availability of observations, they thought that the moon had adjusted and was back on a normal pattern, but they were not one hundred percent sure.
The bad news was saved for last. Everyone knows that the Earth revolves on an axis that is tilted 23.5 degrees with respect to the orbital plane. They used a bunch of big words about gravity and force that I didn’t understand, but what it came down to was that they thought the Earth might have been knocked off its axis by the comet. The tilt that was at 23.5 degrees had changed as best they could tell to something like 21 degrees. They were not sure, but they thought this was ongoing and that the Earth was still tilting more. What does that mean? Well, imagine if the Earth kept tilting more and more, never stopping. Temperatures at what were the polls could reach over 100 degrees and then the areas that were the equator being 50 degrees or more below zero. If the Earth did not stop moving on its axis, it would continue to turn in two directions at once. Alternately baking and freezing the Earth forever. Normal day and night cycles would also be gone as the Earth’s axis continued to shift. We would not survive for long as every spot on the surface would go from endless day to endless night, backing and freezing, over and over.

May 18th
…………
May 19th
It has been a month since the day I first saw the images of the devastation caused by the comet.
I have been allowed to stay here in exchange for help maintaining the computers and other systems here. It seems they didn’t think to include any engineers in their group.
There have been some more earthquakes since I have been here. Most were small, but we had a strong one last week that caused us to lose our generators for a few hours, but things are back to normal now.
The scientists have continued to monitor the Earth’s tilt, and they believe there may be hope of surviving.

May 25th
I have spent some time helping prepare some land behind the house for farming. We are hoping to be able to grow some fresh vegetables if the skies clear enough to let in enough sunlight.
The scientists are continuing to monitor as best they can. They are very limited in the ways they can measure and are relying on some of the old-fashioned ways of measuring the position of the sun, which is very difficult when on most days the sky is still not clear, and most days have hazy sunshine at best. All we can do is continue to wait.
Even if the Earth does not move back to its traditional position all may not be lost. The planet may just tilt slightly more before stopping or reversing. No one knows. We just all hope it does stop or most of this world is doomed.
What has the slightly elongated orbit done to change things? That is the big question. If there are still seasons, they will be different but not necessarily deadly, if the Earth stops moving. I think I am starting to ramble on and repeat myself. It’s been a long day.

May 26th
While monitoring the Earth, our scientist here have also been monitoring radio frequencies trying to find out what’s happening in the rest of the world.
They have monitored government communications, talking about trying to restore some order and government. The government reports indicate gangs and militias control many areas.
Some states have loose governments, but society has mostly broken down. We have had some gangs wander by here although none have come near the house. We do try to hide our presence here as much as possible.
They have picked up some other communications from others not part of our larger group, discussing the orbit and axis of the Earth. Apparently, we are not the only ones concerned.

May 30th
We had some excitement last night. A couple of teenaged boys stumbled upon the house and decided to come in for a look around. They were grabbed by security and locked in a couple of bedrooms just like I was. I don’t know what their status is at the moment. We can only support so many people here and still stay hidden.
Other than helping to maintain the equipment, and helping with chores, I’m not sure why I was allowed to stay. I have nothing to add to the scientific work, and as a guard, I’m not much use. I have grown close to Jeannine, and I think her father Dr. Monroe likes me. I wonder if I was allowed to remain as future breeding stock. Assuming there is a future.
I don’t expect to hear anything new today. There is a lot of data and information the scientists have to analyze, and they don’t exactly have all the proper equipment.
I went for a little walk around the area today just to clear my head and to keep all the thoughts of despair and hopelessness from bringing me down.
We can’t walk very far, for fear of running into someone bent on trouble. I found out there are other people who live in the area but we try not to have too much contact with them, and we don’t talk about what goes on here. We have resources and supplies that most others don’t have access too, and they could be worth a person’s life in today’s world.

June 4th
It was a beautiful morning today, by the most recent standards. The sun was shining through the haze that still filled the atmosphere, and the temperature was comfortable. After breakfast, I was allowed to join the status meeting concerning what was recently learned.
Dr. Monroe is hard to read, but there was no mistaking the look on his face when he entered the room. Our worst fears appear to be coming true. The Earth has not started moving back on its axis. We think it is still moving at about the rate of a half-degree per month. He went on to say they were still monitoring and this could be just a small deviation that could be temporary. They are not one hundred percent sure since the tools they have are crude. If the Earth does correct itself, it could still be devastating for the environment. The disruption to the wildlife still in existence could cause extinction for many species.
Dr. Monroe said that they would give another update in a couple of days.
The afternoon was filled with violent thunderstorms as if the Earth knew and was throwing a temper tantrum of despair.

June 6th
The only update today is a bit disconcerting. I asked one of the security guards about the two boys who had wandered into the house last week. He ignored my question for a while, but after more prodding from me he said, “They have been taken care of.” That could mean a lot of things, and I decide not to push the issue. I know we have a delicate balance to maintain, but I hope we have not sunk so low as to have done what his comment implies. Even if they are locked up somewhere it still causes me a lot of concern.

June 10th
Dr. Monroe told me today that they have been able to pick up some signals from countries in Europe.
A couple of small European countries have restored limited power and are trying to rebuild. Hopefully, it will not all be for nothing.
There was no news today on the movement of the Earth. I didn’t ask, figuring he would have told me if anything was new.

June 12th
We had a violent storm come through here last night. Some trees have been knocked down, and we spent all day restoring our communications that had been disrupted.
If the world does survive, I have new skills of climbing and working in trees, as well as fixing missing roof shingles.

June 16th
The last few days have been hectic. I have been back in the trees fixing some of our antennas, and out working on our little farm.
Dr. Monroe met today with a group from the town represented by the mayor and police chief who were trying to restore order and the rule of law back to the town. I guess that things have improved a small bit since I first came into town. He did not inform them of what was happening here. He acted as if it was just himself, Jeannine and a few of his nephews here as well.
Later was the update we were all waiting for. Nothing appears to have changed. “All we can do,” they said, “Is to continue monitoring the situation.” They did stress how limited their abilities were and that we should continue to hope.
They have been in contact with other similar houses in Europe, some of which have better equipment and resources.

June 20th
There was a relatively strong Earthquake today that lasted almost one minute. The scientists are saying that the frequent earthquakes could be another outcome of the Earth’s shift. The quakes could also be a sign of the Earth’s core exerting its influence over the Earth’s tilt. The tilt should also be affecting the Earth’s magnetic field, which is in part connected to the spinning of the Earth’s core. We know that the magnetic poles have shifted, but they have no way to measure the magnetic field itself.
It’s been another round of grueling work in the fields followed by equipment maintenance at night.
Last night I had to help with guard duty since one of the other guards has been ill for a few days.

What was June 21st?
Today is June 21st, the Northern Solstice, the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Even though the Earth’s axis is off tilt, most people would probably not notice even if clouds and debris did not mostly obscure the sun. This should be the start of summer, but temperatures have been below normal. As we approach summertime it feels more like late April. The sky is still not clear, and most days have hazy sunshine at best. If the Earth axis shift does not stop or somehow reverse, the concept of seasons and even daylight, night hours will be meaningless, as meaningless as the terms northern and southern.

We did hear through our limited communications that some plans are underway in some areas to move as many supplies as possible into underground facilities. One such facility mentioned was the CERN in Europe. Not much help to us here.
Some places on the Earth could survive the extreme temperature changes that would eventually come if the Earth did not stop and maybe that is where our civilization will survive. The problem is that it would be along the equator. There was a lot of damage even in that area, and it was not the most developed part of the world even before the comet. As measured in land area it is also not very large, but then again how many would be left anyway and how would they get there?
There will be no news today, so I think I will continue my entries tomorrow.

June 22nd
I have many developments to write about today. They have been monitoring radio and television signals since this all started, and today they received a signal from the federal governments emergency system. There was no actual picture; just the emergency background and a voice signal letting everyone know that the federal government was still intact and working out of the emergency bunkers spread out across the country.
They talked about working with power companies to start bringing back some limited power. They asked that everyone work together to restore order. There was no mention of what happened, or the current state of affairs, which they had to know about.
We were told that our group, as well as the other groups working with us, would try to remain as hidden as possible. They were not sure if everything was truthful and did not want to acknowledge our presence until they were sure there was a legitimate government in control.
Then the update we were all waiting for. Today we received the first bit of good news. Two other groups of scientists, one in England and one in France, have confirmed that the movement of the axis shift has begun to slow. Another group farther north that we made contact with has been able to connect to another satellite that was not destroyed, and they have verified that the regression of the tilt is only half as fast as it had been. This could mean things were going to get better or if the Earth has already past the point of no return, then it would make matters much worse. The roasting and freezing would be a much slower process. After the update, I went outside just to look at the barely visible setting sun. The sunsets were muted but also spectacular thanks to all the haze still in the air. I wondered if the animals had noticed the odd position of the sun, and wondered how long before the people left alive began to take notice.
There were a few small earthquakes again today.

June 24th – AM
I was awakened a few hours ago by the sound of gunfire and loud voices. A group of men and women, five in all, managed to get past the guards outside and get into the house. We are not sure if they know what we are doing here or if they just happened to notice activity here and thought we had something worth stealing. When they entered the house, they set off an alarm that was quickly answered by the guards inside. They refused to put down their weapons and began to fire at the guards. Our guards have superior firepower, and all five ended up dead, even the two who tried to escape outside.
This I fear is just another sign of how bad things have gotten. Even though small groups are trying to restore normalcy as well as some governments, society has all but fallen apart. It has become everyone for themselves or their little group, and they will steal and kill to get what they want and need.
The guards did an extensive search around the grounds, yet they did not see any sign of anyone else that had been watching from the woods. At 2:00 o’clock I went back to sleep.

June 24th – PM
Our little firefight last night did not go unnoticed. The Mayor, Walter Johnson, the Police Chief, Walker and his deputy Chris drove out, yes drove; some people do still have access to gas, to pay us a visit. Since they were know, they were allowed to approach the house, and the guards remained unseen. They got out of the car and knocked on the door. Jeannine answered the door, while someone went off to fetch Dr. Monroe. I was in the study, which is where Jeannine was instructed to take them, and I was introduced as one of her cousins.
They appeared to be on guard, having realized I’m sure that things here were not as they had been represented. We discussed the weather and how things were beginning to clear up, as we waited. I was waiting to see if they said anything about the time of sunset lately.
A few minutes later I was surprised when Dr. Monroe entered with one of the other scientists.
The mayor said there were reports of gunfire from out this way last night, and they were sure it was coming from this area. I wondered to myself why they did not come out last night before I realized there was no emergency phone system, so they probably didn’t hear about it until this morning.
The two scientists glanced at each other and then asked our guest to sit down. Apparently, they were ready for this situation.
They started by telling them the truth about how many people were here and what they do here, without mentioning the specifics.
They proceeded to give them the details about last night and informed them that the bodies had already been buried out in the woods. I was waiting for an outburst from the Police chief, but it seemed he was allowing the mayor to take the lead. He was not comfortable about how they handled the situation or about the presence of so many people here with guns. He did concede with the world the way it was, they were not in a position to do anything about it, or deny people the right to defend themselves without question. It was now a different world.
Again I noticed the two doctors glance at each other and I knew they had decided to tell them everything. First, they filled them in on the scientific network that had been established followed by an explanation of what had happened when the comet hit.
It was now time for the hard part. As Dr. Monroe progressed with his story, you could see the color draining from the faces of the men sitting before us as they began to understand. They were reluctant to believe what they were hearing and did not even fully understand until Monroe used a handy globe to show them how some parts of the Earth would be in sunshine and darkness for six months at a time if the axis shift did not stop.
After they understood all that was happening, they proceeded as if it was just a story. The mayor told us how they were farming the land as a town co-op and offered us food if needed. They explained how the town government had been restored and how they now had some limited power that was being generated by some low-level emergency windmills. They also had plans to try and tap into an experimental windmill farm that was only a few miles away.
They mentioned that a group of men had been sent to Columbus, to see if any type of state government had been restored. They had been gone for over three weeks, and they were beginning to get worried. They wanted to send another group with a truck and a good supply of gasoline.
They asked if they could have one of our guards to go along or at least some guns and ammunition. Dr. Monroe said he would discuss it with the others to see what help they could offer.
There was more discussion of what to do if people started to notice the odd position of the sun. It was decided that was a conversation to be had in a few more days after more was known about the movement of the Earth.
They said their good byes and left the house around dinnertime.

June 26th
There was another small Earthquake today. They are becoming too common, but some here still say it could be a good sign.
It was decided that we would send one of our men along with the group from town to the capital with hopes of learning if any state government actually exists.
He will have some limited radio contact with us before he gets out of range so we can learn more of what’s happening around our area.
I also learned that we had been holding the two teenaged boys in the house. They were turned over to the Chief Walker, and he assured us they would make sure they did not cause any trouble.
He hoped they could become part of the town and help to rebuild.

June 30th
I have not seen Dr. Monroe since the meeting with the mayor, and I am beginning to get worried that there is only bad news coming. Jeannine has not spoken with him either, and she was concerned that he might be working too hard.
The mayor had come by again yesterday asking for an update, but he was told the doctor was not available, and they had no new updates. The mayor joked that no news is good news, but you could tell he did not believe his own words.
There was another strong Earthquake again late today. There was no damage, but I am getting very concerned.
Again one of the scientists told me he thought it was a good sign of the Earth trying to adjust and right itself. He said, “Just like a spinning top, the Earth has a certain equilibrium that has existed for millennia, and that is not easy to disrupt. I’m not sure if he was trying to convince himself or me.

July 4th
We were given the word last night that there would be a meeting at 8:00 in the morning. That’s it, no other news, and no other update. I didn’t know what to expect, and I had a hard time sleeping. I woke early and just could not eat breakfast. They would have told us if it was good news, was what I was thinking to myself. This could only be bad news.
When I walked into the large parlor where the meeting would be held, the mayor and police chief were also there. This was it, one way or another, but I knew as soon as the doctor walked into the room, that the news was good.
He proceeded to tell us that it was confirmed, “The Earth’s axis stopped regressing.” It was too early to know if the axis would begin to move back or if this would become the new normal. The scientist up north had measured the tilt at somewhere between 20.5 and 20 degrees. He continued, “We hope the Earth will someday correct itself and get back to normal, but with the orbit slightly changed, we can not be certain.” “We will, of course, be monitoring this going forward, but we feel confident that the worst is over, and maybe the human race can start to rebuild.”
If the Earth does remain at this angle, it could still be devastating to some wildlife and to some who live close to the poles. The ice caps will not freeze as much in the winter or melt as much in the summer. After a period of adjustment, it is hoped sea levels will be near normal again.
For us, it means winters will not be as cold and summer not as warm. Our temperature extremes will be much narrower. The difference between daylight and night hours will not be as drastic as in the past, but most important, we should survive.
We do still have to worry about debris falling, but most should be more to the south. It will not be safe to go back to the coast for some time, as large chunks could still cause large waves to circle the Earth.
The most significant effect as mentioned will be to wildlife. Some animals and plants may adapt and some may not, only time will tell.

………………..

Does the United States of America still exist? Do we have a Federal government with Washington gone? What will become of what’s left of the USA? What I do know is that this day will now have a new meaning for all of us who were in attendance at that meeting. What will tomorrow bring? Who knows, but I am glad that it looks like I will be around to see.

The End?

………………..

August 1st
Now that I expect someone will be around to read my account of events, I have decided to continue at least on a monthly basis.
Much has happened since July 4th
Some people who left the town have come back from wherever they were hiding. The police, whose ranks have now grown with some of our former guards, and the two boys who broke into the house weeks ago, are clearing out squatters from houses of those who have returned. After much debate, the new town council has decided to let the squatters live in some of the abandoned homes until the owners return. They must maintain the houses and help clean up the town, if not they will be arrested and held in the jail.
The Ohio state government has been mostly restored, and we have gotten some help from the state. They have helped get more regular power coming into the town. The local power company expects to be fully in service by fall, or what was fall.
Some radio has returned to the airwaves, and a local station has been restored as well as one from the Capitol. The major networks are broadcasting, but it is all news and emergency information. Some cable stations are also broadcasting.
The Federal government is trying to restore normalcy as much as possible. The President has broadcast many messages from one of the satellite Oval Office locations. For now, his location and the location of Congress has not been disclosed.
One thing we have learned is that the interior states have been mostly untouched by the comet. Although they have had power shortages, looting and some unrest, most governments, and the rule of law have been restored.
The eastern and western states have not fared as well. We have learned that most of the west coast has been destroyed. Anything west of the mountains is in ruins, with waves still flooding some of the areas. The same is happening in much of Alaska, and Hawaii has been wiped clean except for in the mountains. Areas that were hit by waves and those that were not have been hit with devastating earthquakes.
Most states, as well as ours, have called up their respective Nation Guard troops and they are patrolling especially the rural areas to make sure things stay calm.
It is still not entirely safe to go out alone or in small groups away from population areas.
I find myself wondering about the rest of the world. I’m sure the government has had contact with other nations, however they have not given any details.

September 3rd
I did receive some answers regarding the rest of the world. The British islands have been devastated. Almost all coastal areas in Europe sustained some damage. Even the coast along the Mediterranean suffered some damage due to higher than normal tides. Earthquakes hit in Italy, Greece, Central Europe, China, and Russia. Japan was hit by large waves and earthquakes worse than any seen before. Many countries may never recover.
NASA has gained control of most American satellites still in orbit. They have helped restore international communications. Most satellite time is being used for emergency services and news updates. The news networks have been showing satellite views of much of the damage. None have shown what I have seen, nor have they shown much of what’s left of the southern hemisphere. I don’t think the government feels the people can take it.
Our government has called a special meeting of Congress to be held in November to discuss where to seat the capital of the United States. Some want to return to Washington, while others want it to be centrally located.
The temperatures are still lower than normal, but the sky is getting back to normal. Sunsets are still strikingly beautiful, and the night skies are becoming brighter. The cycle of the moon is still a mystery. I guess when there are less important things to worry about; the scientist will update the moon’s cycle.
On a lighter note, I have met someone in town that I have been spending some time with by walking and talking about our new world. Her name is Lori, and she is a lifelong resident of the town. Her family owns a little store in town that is still open for limited business.

October 1st
Things have continued to improve in our little town. Yes, I now consider myself a resident of Roswell, Ohio. I have even moved out of the mansion and have taken up residence in one of the abandoned homes in the center of town. If no one rightfully claims the house within the next five years, it will legally become my home. That is assuming many things. One, the civilization exist in five years. We are still not one hundred percent sure that everything will continue to improve. There is still debris falling in the southern hemisphere. Another assumption is that I am still in this town. Who knows what will happen in the next five years.
Power is almost fully restored in the state as well as most of what’s left of Pennsylvania and New York. We have not had a blackout here for a few weeks, although the lights do still flicker a lot.
Lori and I are officially an item now in our town. It’s still a small town, and I have been quickly learning the names of many faces new to me.
The state government has officially declared the sate under control and is working with local officials to return all police operations back to the local authorities. The state’s National Guard will continue to monitor major checkpoints that were set up just to make sure there are not a lot of people entering who do not belong here. Travel has been discouraged unless necessary, but not forbidden or largely restricted.

November 2nd
This month marks the one-year (old calendar) anniversary of the comet. There are some plans to have a prayer service to thank God for our survival and to remember the dead. One year later and we still are not sure how many have died.
The debate has been raging as to where the new Federal Capital should be. Many people are calling for a ballot referendum, but that would still be difficult to organize. It has already been decided that federal elections for the Congress will be pushed back by one year unless the individual states choose to adhere to the regular election schedule.
Most in Congress are leaning toward moving the capital to a midwestern state. They feel it will be less expensive to start from scratch than have to clean up what’s left of Washington and then rebuilding. There is also some concern that the area is not safe. Large debris falls could still send devastating waves to the area. The front-runner is the idea to carve out a piece of Nebraska, along the Colorado border. The new capital would be close to interstate 80 and close to a major east-west rail line.
The federal government has been trying to restore as much order as possible. Access to what’s left of the major eastern cities, Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Boston, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville, has been restricted. Army troops and some navy ships that survived are blocking all access. Cities farther in are under martial law as there has been much destruction and looting since the day of the comet.
Much the same is happening on the gulf coast and west coast, although no real details have been released.
It has been confirmed that Florida has been ninety-five percent wiped clean by the tidal waves that followed the comet’s impact.

December 1st
Winter has come early, with a foot of snow already in the area. The longtime residents say it’s not unheard of, but it feels wrong to me.
The holiday celebrations will be marked as usual, although it will be more traditional and far less commercial than in the recent past. Maybe we can get back to celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.
We are not sure if we should celebrate the New Year or not. The scientists are still not positive our revolution around the sun is normal. No one in the scientific community that we have been in contact with has had the time or ability to study the starts to figure it out. For all we know we could be falling into or away from the sun, although that does not appear likely.

December 25th
I felt I should add an entry while the memories were clear in my mind.
The service that we had last night was beautiful and inspiring. The children started a choir a month ago, and they sang beautiful songs of Christmas and of hope for the future. It was a crystal clear night as if the Earth cleared the skies for the celebration.
The networks were broadcasting services from some of the larger un-damaged cities, like Chicago and Salt Lake.
Christmas morning was greeted by a light snowfall making a beautiful Christmas card by the end of the day.
I had a traditional dinner at Lori’s house with her family. It was after the meal when I asked her to marry me. I told her I could not promise her much except my love and devotion. With the past years’ events, I have learned not to wait for what I want in life.
She said, “Yes.”
Time now for a peaceful sleep.

December 29th
Good news today. The scientists believe our orbit has stabilized, and they expect that most everything will return to normal with the one exception being the tilt of the Earth’s axis. Dr. Monroe says he never had any real doubts. The mechanics of our solar system are very hard to disturb for long. Some had thought the tilts would drift back, but it has not happened yet.
It is expected that the government will make full disclosure of what has been happening along of course with the good news of things slowly return to normal for those that have survived.

January 1st
Happy New Year! Yes, it looks like it will be a happy new year after all. With the news from a couple of days ago, we can really now concentrate on restoring our world and our lives.
Although the skies are not always clear and debris is still falling heavily in the southern hemisphere, we appear to be ready for a new beginning.
The government announced today the capital of New Washington, will be located along the Nebraska, and Colorado border. They expect construction to start in a few years.
We have set our wedding date for November 4th this year. We choose this date since that was the date my fiancée’s grandparents were married.
I look forward to a new life in a world that feels entirely new to me. My life and my world, reborn.

The Beginning…

10/08/13 J. J. Eckhardt
09/02/18