Who: Shelley What: A letter to Norman When: Today in her cell Warnings: Nope
Dearest Uncle,
It has been several weeks since I last took the opportunity to write to you and I hope that you can forgive me for being so lax in our correspondence. Yes, even though I do not have the ability to truly send these letters to you, nor do I know if you will ever have the opportunity to read them, I still consider this a correspondence because I am most definitely speaking to you and, I like to imagine that I can hear your response. It is my very fervent hope that one day we will see one another again and I will present you with a pile of these missives and we will sit together in companionable silence while you read my collective ramblings. Until that day arrives just know that you are very much in my thoughts but that is always the case so on to more current news!
I finally found Roman in a town called Everett. I was followed the very clever clues he left along his way and I had hoped, prayed even, that I would catch up to him and it finally happened. He did very well for himself, though between the two of us he is still much too thin, and arrived here only a few short days before I did. Our reunion was exactly as joyful as you would expect so I will spare you all of the details and tell you more about our new home.
Everett Washington is a town roughly the size of Hemlock Grove perhaps a bit bigger. It was to be a transfer point for people fleeing the area to go to the safe zone in Canada. There were supposed to be helicopters to take people there but from what I have seen and what others have told me there have been no helicopters in some time. In response to that people have gathered here and begun to make homes. There are several groups, the largest of which makes their home in the local prison. This is where Roman and I are currently living. The prison has a good sized population and has electricity, running hot water, food, an infirmary, and a duly elected Council that address resident concerns, security issues and the general day to day challenges of keeping things running. And what challenges they are.
Uncle, I do not exaggerate when I tell you that even after all of my travels and adventures since the outbreak of the zombie virus I had no idea there were so many different supernatural beings. The prison is home to humans, vampires, werewolves (both of whom have several different races represented), mutants, witches, angels and ghosts and I'm certain I have missed some! Everyone is brought together under one roof with a simple and clear goal: survival. To that end each person who seeks shelter here participates and contributes in one of many jobs. For instance Roman works as a raider. Teams of raiders go out on 2-3 day trips to surrounding towns to find supplies for the prison. I was unsure exactly what part I could play in all this industry what with being unable to wield a gun or a kitchen knife with any sort of dexterity but a compromise was found - I have been allowed to put together and tend to a small indoor garden. Clearly such a garden won't be able to produce enough produce (I realize that phrasing is clunky but I rather enjoy it anyway) to feed everyone but a few fresh ingredients to go along with the stores of canned goods can only help, right?
I do not think I can adequately express what it means to me to finally, finally have some employment in this world. Knowing that I, Shelley Godfrey can contribute to her community in a small but meaningful way - well, it is a new source of pride I had no idea I had been so sorely lacking. Not only that, Uncle but your industrious niece has gone and gotten herself two jobs. In addition to tending the prison garden and making plans for an outdoor garden in the spring, I've entered into a business arrangement with a man called Hatter who owns a tea shop here in town. I met Hatter on the road on my way here and we amiably parted ways only to meet here once more. I brought him some herbs and other types of plants for his shop and he was so pleased that he offered me a job searching for more plants he can use. Sometimes we look together and other times I look on my own. How glad am I that I paid such close attention to Dr Pryce's talk on botany!
Hatter is a genial, if slightly rakish fellow and I find his company and that of his trusty steed, March quite enjoyable. His story is a fantastical and slightly sorrowful one that I would normally share with you but since it was told to me in confidence I do not feel entirely at liberty to do so. If anyone would understand that, Dear Uncle it would be you.
As enthused as I am for labor and occupation, I'm sure you can imagine Roman to be less than enthused but I believe you would be proud of him. In spite of some of Roman's less than admirable qualities he has risen to the challenges put before him in this new world and continues to grow and adapt. So much has happened to us together and individually that I feel as though we are not the children who left Hemlock Grove. The world and its circumstances are remaking us and I am not entirely sure into what however, I remain excited at the process. Even if tomorrow I woke to a word without zombies, without the threat of the virus hanging over our heads like the Sword of Damocles, and we were to all be reunited back in Hemlock Grove I would be elated to see you all again but I would not be the same girl I was before.
I have faced hardships the likes of which I did not think I could endure and come out the other side. I am part of a community now where people either accept me or have the grace to leave me to my business, I have both made friends and experienced solitude for the first time in my life. I have been self-reliant, I have persevered. In short, Uncle I have climbed down out of my tower and no force on this earth will ever get me back up those stairs. I thought I had tasted independence before but this is more than rebellion against Mother's tyranny, this is freedom of my own making and it tastes far sweeter.
And on that note I must close for now. I will write you again soon. Until then know that you are not only in my thoughts but in the spark of life that I feel with each step towards my new destiny whatever it may be.