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Day 1, May 31st 2010 10.21 AM :

It's been two weeks since I last heard from my brother. "Don't worry about me lil' bro',

I can take care of myself". The last words he said to me still ring in my

ears, and for the past few days

it seems as though they've become louder and louder, always reminding me of

his absence. I should've heard from

him by now... Since my mother had died recently and our father left us at a

very young age, it had been just me and my brother.

I was only seventeen so I couldn't get a steady job, and my brother was the

only one that could provide for us. I still

remember the chill that went down my spine as he talked of his idea to

become a stalker, he'd always been curious about

the "zone" and I guess now he finally found a reason to go there. He said he

was going to collect some artifacts and bring

in some big bucks. I firmly opposed his idea but to no avail, "we need the

money lil' bro', I got no choice...". With those

words he took half of what little money mom had left us and took off, so

since then I had to fend for myself. Two weeks...,

my money's almost gone now, I keep hoping he'll return but in my heart I can

feel something happened to him, I don't

know *how* but I just *know* it. I'm starting this journal today because I'm

leaving for the zone myself, I've got to go

and find him. If I don't make it out, then at least there'll be some record of what I've done...

Day 1, May 31st 2010 11.30 AM :

I've packed my gear and I'm ready to leave, I don't have much and I know

there's little chance of finding him. Hell, I don't

even have much hope of surviving, but I *have* to try and find him. A

flashlight, some canned food, the shotgun my father

left behind, and some shells...that's all I've got, but I guess it'll have

to do. I have to be strong, my brother would've

done the same for me. I'm leaving for the stalker outpost now, the weather

seems to have taken a turn for the worse all of

a sudden. Dark and foreboding clouds are soaring through the skies,

everything's wrapped in a veil of darkness, every now and

then lit up by a flash of lightning, followed by thunder so loud it's almost

unbearable to be outside. Sour rain is pouring

down as I'm looking through my window, dammit Alexi, why did you go out

there ! We could've found another way to make some cash...

Day 1, May 31st 2010 12.47 PM :

Finally, I've made it to the stalker outpost. It seems as if the weather has

only gotten worse... Maybe I should stick

around here for a while until things get better, I'll use the little cash I

have left to buy some more food and equipment.

And while I'm at it, I'll try to find out as much as I can about the zone.

There are lots of stalkers coming and going around

here, I'm sure at least one of them will help me, or so I hope...

Day 1, May 31st 2010 15.02 PM :

I finally found someone willing to tell me a little about the zone, but what

he told me has only greatened my concern.

Mutants, strange anomalies, deadly mist... This is some mess Alexi 's gotten

himself into. I don't think I've ever been so

scared in my whole life... When I told Sergei - the stalker who's told me

what I needed to know about the zone - about my brother

he offered to help me find him. Thank God I met this guy, maybe now that I

have an experienced guide I have a better chance

of locating my brother. The storm outside has only gotten worse, Sergei says

there's no chance we'll be leaving today,

there's zero visibility outside. "No need to make things more dangerous then

they are already", he said. Maybe the storm

will have died down tomorrow. But to be honest, after everything Sergei's

told me so far, I'm not too anxious about going

inside the zone...but I *have* to, Alexi might need my help...

Day 1, May 31st 2010 18.16 PM :

Sergei introduced me to some of the stalkers, I still can't believe some of

the stories they told me. Is it possible Alexi

could've survived all this ? I just don't know... I guess there's only one

way to find out. Sergei offered

me a bed in the room he'd rented at the stalker outpost and told me to get

some rest. I don't think that's a bad idea, I'm probably going to need it.

Day 2, June 1st 2010 07.40 AM :

Sergei just woke me up, he said we're leaving. He offered me some more

equipment and a hazard suit. "Good thing I packed

two of those kid, or you'd have died of radiation poisoning before we even

got close to your brother" I would've bought one

but I didn't have the money for it, so Sergei decided to lend me one of his.

The storm outside has died down, it's still raining,

but at least it's not as dark outside as it was yesterday. Once we're inside

the zone I don't know If I'll still have the time

to write in my journal, but I'll try to make as many entries as possible.

Day 2, June 1st 2010 17.50 PM :

Sergei and myself have just reached Tsjernobyl. This place is horrible, the

whole city is just a mere shadow of its former self.

Abandoned buildings are all around us, playgrounds that used to be filled

with the sound of laughter seem static and grim.

Toys littered all over the ground... It's eerily quiet out here. Sergei

hasn't said a word since we entered the zone. He seems to be

on alert constantly, he keeps his gun ready at all times and is always fully

aware of his surroundings. Maybe he's had some militairy

training ? If it weren't for Sergei, I'm pretty sure I would've turned back

already. We've set up camp in an abandoned building,

"Looks like we're spending the night here kid, don't worry, those foul

things usually don't show their faces around here." Somehow his

voice didn't sound as reassuring and firm as it always had. I guess maybe

you can't predict what happens in the zone no matter how

experienced you are...

Day 2, June 1st 2010 18.46 PM :

We've just eaten our evening meal, Sergei seems more relaxed now. We struck

up a conversation and it turns out he has a wife

and kids. He told me he's an ex-militairy officer, or at least he used to

be. He was dishonorably discharged a few years ago.

I asked him why, but all I got as an answer was a silent stare... When he

finally broke the silence all he said was, "We should

get some rest, today was the easy part, tomorrow we start trying to locate

your brother." The rain has stopped for now, at least

that's one thing we have in our advantage.

Day 3, June 2nd 2010 03.13 AM :

I can't sleep, I keep hearing these cries coming from deeper inside the

zone, and not just any cries, they almost sound like a wolf howling.

Only these howls...they cut through marrow and bone, I've never heard

anything like it. I'm scared to death, what could be making them ?

I know one thing for sure, I'm not going to be getting much sleep tonight.

I'm keeping my eyes open as long as possible...

Day 3, June 2nd 2010 07.50 AM :

I tried to stay awake yesterday but I guess I must've fallen asleep, I was

exhausted from all the trekking we'd done yesterday. When I woke up

it looked like Sergei had been up for a couple of hours already. He was

readying our equipment, and as soon as he noticed I was awake he stuffed

my fathers shotgun into my hands and told me to load it. "We're heading into

dangerous territory now kid, we best take some precautions." He didn't

sound as hesitant as he did yesterday, maybe what scared him only comes

out at night...

Day 3, June 2nd 2010 19.51 PM :

We ran into our first mutant today, it looked like it might have been a

normal boar at some point, but the radiation must've somehow altered it genetically...

Sergei didn't even blink twice before he shot it, he fired two rounds

straight into the boars' head with an almost surgical precision. I took a closer look

at the thing after Sergei killed it, it had something wedged between its

teeth. As I looked even closer it appeared to be a human fingerbone, I didn't think about

it for too long because even just the thought of these things feeding on

human flesh was enough to make my stomach churn. We found another building that seemed to

be clear of threats so we decided to spend the night here. Sergei still

hasn't said more about his militairy past and I honestly don't have the guts to ask him.

I think I'm gonna turn in early today, Sergei gave me some earplugs after I

told him about last night. He apparently isn't bothered by the cries anymore, I guess

if you spend enough time inside the zone you eventually get used to stuff like that.

Day 4, June 3rd 2010 2.25 PM :

Sergei woke me up a few minutes ago, he said he heard someone crying for

help not too far from where we were. He's gone to check it out and maybe

provide some help.

He told me to stay inside and guard the rest of our equipment, "Kid, keep

that shotgun of yours close and keep your eyes open, at this time of night there are things out

there far worse than that pig you saw today. If you need my help, just fire

off a few rounds, I'll try to come back as fast as possible." I don't like this one bit...

Day 4, June 3rd 2010 3.27 PM :

I just checked my watch, it's been almost an hour since Sergei left. Could

something have happened to him ? No...I'm sure he's fine, he *has* to be,

he's a professional.

Isn't he ?...

Day 4, June 3rd 2010 3.48 PM :

I just heard a terrifying scream ! Fear struck my heart as I began to

realize that the voice I'd heard screaming was Sergei's...No, this can't be

happening. What am I gonna...

wait, what was that sound...it sounded like a door opening a few rooms

further, maybe it's a stalker...

Day 4, June 3rd 2010 3.51 PM :

I ran up to the second floor, I've barricaded myself into one of the rooms.

I got a look at one of those things as I was running up the stairs, Sergei was right, there *are*

things far worse than those pigs out here. It looked like it was some sort

of leech-human crossbreed, tentacles protruding from its mouth as it made a faint hissing sound. I think it spotted me, and worst of all, this thing brought some

friends...

Day 4, June 3rd

They finally found me, I guess they're smarter than I thought. Those cries

for help me and Sergei heard, it was them all along, it seems they've

managed to somehow imitate a real

stalkers cry for help. I wonder how many people they've lured into their

death trap... It looks like the table I used to barricade the door isn't

going to hold much longer, those

things have been pounding on the door for a few minutes now and it's not

gonna take much longer before th....

***

Alexi puts the torn up pages down on the table with a horrid look on his

face, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry you have to find out like

this Alexi, maybe if we'd found him earlier..."

Alexi looks up at the stalker standing before him, still in full gear, a

cold stare in his eyes, "Where did you find these ?" "In the building where

your brother must've died, I'm sorry but

it didn't seem like they left enough behind to bury." the stalker replied.

"Thanks, you can go now..." Alexi looks at the diary, tears now streaming

down his cheeks, "Dammit Janus, if only you'd

waited one more day..."