Saint's Classroom: Have some fun!

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Saint_
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Post by Saint_ »

Free Writing: Earth Abides Name__________________

Scenario:

You are in the mountains by yourself, on a hike. You get bitten by a rattlesnake on the leg. Unable to make it back to the car, you lie down. Later... you start to feel very sick all over.

When you wake up, you feel much better, but you realize by your watch that it is two days later. You get back in your car and drive to the nearest town. When you arrive ... there is no one around. The town is completely deserted. You see a newspaper in the window. It reads:

Crisis Acute!

The SuperFlu Crisis that has already killed 65% of the population of the world continues to defy scientists. Some scientists are speculating that the virus is a genetically enhanced bioterror weapon that was accidentally released. All contact has been lost with the continents of Europe, Australia and South America. China reports that they no longer can continue basic services such as electricity and are moving all burials to sea.

The government of the United States is hereby suspended for the duration of the emergency. Local governments will take control of their areas. All survivors should report to the nearest large population center for help with the mass burials.

The paper is dated two days ago. You realize that the snake venom in your leg has probably saved your life. You see a large mound of earth in a field, with a bulldozer parked nearby. After investigating some of the nearby houses, you realize you might be the only person left alive.

Please answer these questions at this point:

1. How do you feel?

2. What will you do first and where will you go?

3. What would you do in the way of survival?

After investigating your home, you find that no-one is left in your neighborhood. You decide to travel to the largest nearby city. There you find that there are actually a few survivors. The first one you meet is an old man who has broken into a bar and is in the last stages of alcohol poisoning.

4. Would you try to help him or not? Why or why not?

5. Would you stay together with him or leave him?

A little later you come across a man carrying a machine gun. He has large amounts of jewelry draped over his shoulders. With him is a girl who looks drunk and is also carrying a pistol. She asks you to join them, but the man just watches warily.

6. Will you join them or walk away? Why or why not?

7. What would happen next if you joined them or what do you think they would do if you declined?

Now you come across a normal person of your age and opposite sex. This person has seen a lot, since they lived through the plague. They cry often and have trouble sleeping.

8. Would you try to take care of them or go your own way?

9. How do you think they feel?

With whoever you joined (or by yourself if you didn't join anyone) you find a place to live.

10. Where would this place be and why?

The power is out, the food in the supermarkets has spoiled, and there is no running water anymore.

11. What will you do for food?

12. What will you do for water?

13. What will you do when the cars won’t start anymore?

14. With no television available, how will you entertain yourself?

Last question:

15. Would you raise a family in this scenario? Why or why not?
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minks
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Post by minks »

Saint_;1293725 wrote: Free Writing: Earth Abides Name__________________

Scenario:

You are in the mountains by yourself, on a hike. You get bitten by a rattlesnake on the leg. Unable to make it back to the car, you lie down. Later... you start to feel very sick all over.

When you wake up, you feel much better, but you realize by your watch that it is two days later. You get back in your car and drive to the nearest town. When you arrive ... there is no one around. The town is completely deserted. You see a newspaper in the window. It reads:

Crisis Acute!

The SuperFlu Crisis that has already killed 65% of the population of the world continues to defy scientists. Some scientists are speculating that the virus is a genetically enhanced bioterror weapon that was accidentally released. All contact has been lost with the continents of Europe, Australia and South America. China reports that they no longer can continue basic services such as electricity and are moving all burials to sea.

The government of the United States is hereby suspended for the duration of the emergency. Local governments will take control of their areas. All survivors should report to the nearest large population center for help with the mass burials.

The paper is dated two days ago. You realize that the snake venom in your leg has probably saved your life. You see a large mound of earth in a field, with a bulldozer parked nearby. After investigating some of the nearby houses, you realize you might be the only person left alive.

Please answer these questions at this point:

1. How do you feel? lonely and confused and afraid2. What will you do first and where will you go? sit down and ponder finding water, food and a gun. Where will I go? for a wander to see if anything is living see if it is human and join forces with it. if it is animal consider if for food or watch it as it forages for food and determine what I eat

3. What would you do in the way of survival? Find useable shelter, look for water to test, look for something to make a fire, look for food (and a gun) After investigating your home, you find that no-one is left in your neighborhood. You decide to travel to the largest nearby city. There you find that there are actually a few survivors. The first one you meet is an old man who has broken into a bar and is in the last stages of alcohol poisoning.

4. Would you try to help him or not? Why or why not? I would sit with him till he was done, it is his choice and I would honor it. He could potentially be my next meal as well.5. Would you stay together with him or leave him? I would leave him but come back and check on him he really would be of no use to me unless for a desperate food source. I don't babysit well

A little later you come across a man carrying a machine gun. He has large amounts of jewelry draped over his shoulders. With him is a girl who looks drunk and is also carrying a pistol. She asks you to join them, but the man just watches warily.

6. Will you join them or walk away? Why or why not? I would join them yes, I think the girl could be reasoned into giving up the drink and helping us survive. Buddy with the gun is just what I would be looking for. Also they are a pair that could potentially be the last capable pair to procreate (I am fixed)

7. What would happen next if you joined them or what do you think they would do if you declined? I think they would shoot me and use me for food if they were in that dire of a state. If I joined them I would hope they would see the need to get shelter, water and food. After that look for more life.

Now you come across a normal person of your age and opposite sex. This person has seen a lot, since they lived through the plague. They cry often and have trouble sleeping.

8. Would you try to take care of them or go your own way? At this point I would have to ask the other 2 their thoughts, tell them about the old drunk sot I left for dead and take a vote if knowledge is worth it, and how capable would be be to care for the weak. I think now my opinion on the old man has changed too, If I had to be the decision maker ok, go back for the old drunk add him to the collection as he may have valuable knowledge and pool all knowledge and work on looking after each other we may be all we got.

9. How do you think they feel? I think the drunk feels he has given up same with the drunk chick but maybe we can reason with them. The sad person has to be struggling too as they have been through something like this already. Give them encouragement. And get them to feel useful.

With whoever you joined (or by yourself if you didn't join anyone) you find a place to live.

10. Where would this place be and why? Somewhere High with a mote so I can see anyone approaching and still have protection. Ok for real I think it would be like a warehouse so we can have mass storage for anything we salvage. After that we can start to build shelter that would offer more comfort.

The power is out, the food in the supermarkets has spoiled, and there is no running water anymore.

11. What will you do for food? hmmm I answered this already, I would go look for it, and if worse came to worse, there is cannibalisim (I can say that hypothetically but in real life could I do this I don't know)

12. What will you do for water? (go look for it, dig where streams and rivers used to be, watch for wild life and follow them they may have a better idea. Go through buildings and look for bottled, or contained water.

13. What will you do when the cars won’t start anymore? Walk, or ride a bicycle or horse or donkey or whatever may be near by.14. With no television available, how will you entertain yourself? Story telling, drawing, make cards and play card games, charades, singing.

Last question:

15. Would you raise a family in this scenario? Why or why not?


No I would not I would be amazed if I managed to get through it myself. To bleak and desolate for a future IMO.
�You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.�

― Mae West
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Saint_
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Post by Saint_ »

There's no right or wrong answers, its just for fun!

You get an "A+" Minks! :D
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Saint_
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Post by Saint_ »

. He could potentially be my next meal as well.


You crack me up, Minks!:yh_rotfl
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Bryn Mawr
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Post by Bryn Mawr »

1) Griefstricken and scared - I've almost certainly lost all of my family and friends and I'm fairly much reliant on the trappings of civilisation.

2) The supermarket, the hardware store, the outdoor store and a bike shop - food, tools and transport (even if there's no trailer there, a kiddy buggy would hugely increase my carrying capacity).

3) Out of town, isolated homestead if possible, tent if not. Either way avoid people like the plague - they are.

4) This must be at least a month later, preferably three. Having carefully observed him from a distance and found that he was alone I'd approach to within talking distance to see if he was coherent - if so I'd find the lay of the land, if not I'd move on. I have no medicines to save him but his infection could easily kill me.

5) See (4)

6) I would decline politely explaining that I was traveling to find my wife and would not stop until I had done so. The gold is either a trap or an indication that the pair are not survivors.

7) I would be wary but not expect trouble from the man - he appears to be possessive but I have made it clear that I am not competing for "his" woman.

8) If she is alone and appears to be healthy (both well fed and disease free) then she has proven herself to be a survivor and is likely my best chance for the future - if she feels the same I'd team up. Long term survival chances are slim as a loner so it's worth the risk of picking up the plague to do so.

9) As desperate as I do?

10) Again, an isolated homestead on a sheltered hillside near running water.

11) This is what I've been expecting so I'm as prepared as possible - I've collected some livestock for the homestead and planted a vedgitable garden for the food

12) the stream's nearby for water

13) petrol ran out months ago, kept as much diesel as I could for the tractor but will fall back to hand and horse as time goes by.

14) No time for tele - chewing gum for the eyes anyhow. Survival takes planning and that's nightwork. When planning's done there's planting to think about :p

15) I'd give it a try (see (14)) - no point otherwise.
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LarsMac
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Post by LarsMac »

Obvious confused and a bit lonely. I would gather my tent, a couple of knives, and some lightweight firearms, and ammo, and head to higher ground. Find a concealed, sheltered area near a creek.

I would stay away from population centers and avoid contact with people for a while until I see how things are going to play out.

When I did make contact with people it would be rancher farmer types, not city types.

As for your people, avoiding the population centers would take care of the drunk. Probably the bejewelled gunman and his girl, as well.

Not the kind of people I want around when trying to survive a major catastrophe of any kind. If I did meet them, my decision would be whether to take them out, and pick their pockets, or let them go on without me, then move far away from them.

The girl, perhaps, I take in and help to get her act together, but that would depend. I am an old curmudgeon with little patience.

Food and water would be no problem, unless the bug took out the wildlife, as well.

Long range plan would be to head for the Southern Rockies, or the southern Appalachian regions.

Raising kids would be tough, so that would take a lot of thinking and planning, plus the right female companion, willing to deal with stone age medicine . But how do I know that the immunity to the bug carries to our offspring?

Nah, probably avoid the kid adventure.
The home of the soul is the Open Road.
- DH Lawrence
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minks
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Post by minks »

Saint_;1293757 wrote: You crack me up, Minks!:yh_rotfl


now in the real world I dunno if I could do that but desperate measures for desperate times would tell.
�You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.�

― Mae West
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along-for-the-ride
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Post by along-for-the-ride »

Did Stephen King write about this?

:D
Life is a Highway. Let's share the Commute.
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chonsigirl
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Post by chonsigirl »

1. How do you feel? Punctured and pooped.

2. What will you do first and where will you go? Go find some water and food.

3. What would you do in the way of survival? Go to the sports shop, food store, lay in stores, camping equipment, clothing, etc.

After investigating your home, you find that no-one is left in your neighborhood. You decide to travel to the largest nearby city. There you find that there are actually a few survivors. The first one you meet is an old man who has broken into a bar and is in the last stages of alcohol poisoning.

4. Would you try to help him or not? Why or why not? Take him to the nearest hospital. If no one is around, do my best. And of course take all needed items for survival, like antibiotics, first aid stuff, etc.

5. Would you stay together with him or leave him? I’d stay until he died, why would you leave him to die alone?

A little later you come across a man carrying a machine gun. He has large amounts of jewelry draped over his shoulders. With him is a girl who looks drunk and is also carrying a pistol. She asks you to join them, but the man just watches warily.

6. Will you join them or walk away? Why or why not? No, I wouldn’t join them.

7. What would happen next if you joined them or what do you think they would do if you declined? I’d pull out my shotgun I had strapped over my shoulder from my sporting goods store visit, and say “See you later.”

Now you come across a normal person of your age and opposite sex. This person has seen a lot, since they lived through the plague. They cry often and have trouble sleeping.

8. Would you try to take care of them or go your own way? I put them in the back seat, and take them along.

9. How do you think they feel? In survival mode, personal feelings don’t matter much. Of course they will cry, it is natural.

With whoever you joined (or by yourself if you didn't join anyone) you find a place to live.

10. Where would this place be and why? Mid-California, good ground for planting, lots of water for irrigation, and a hop-skip-and-away over the Sierras if needed for safety.

The power is out, the food in the supermarkets has spoiled, and there is no running water anymore.

11. What will you do for food? Lots of food, just have to know what to eat.

12. What will you do for water? Lots of water in my location too.

13. What will you do when the cars won’t start anymore? I would walk, catch myself a nice horse or two, and have mobility.

14. With no television available, how will you entertain yourself? Oh, I raided to the local library, I have lots of reading to do. Picked up some survival books too, on those nights it’s a little boring. Plus, I have a pack of cards, solitaire is fun sometimes. And I have my little flute to play, and the stars shining at night, sounds pretty good so far. No alarm clock, forgot to grab a rooster.

Last question:

15. Would you raise a family in this scenario? Why or why not? Well, I would help any family member to survive, since I am too old to have anymore kids. Why not survive, it might be a lovely world again, in a few hundred years or so.
Amythest
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Post by Amythest »

I think I'll just pray to God since he'll probably come up with a Neo_Genesis type human revitalization program.

He'll have something planned I'm sure.:yh_rotfl
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Saint_
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Post by Saint_ »

along-for-the-ride;1293795 wrote: Did Stephen King write about this?

:D


Good eye, but not King. This is from a classic sci-fi book called, "Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart.
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