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https://joereyesauthor.com/2015/05/20/sleep-is-a-luxury-you-cant-afford/
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Running creates more noise than walking. Nature gives you all the cover you need, but it conceals your enemies as well. Doesn’t matter if you’re part of an army or by yourself, you must constantly be aware of your surroundings. Take your time to navigate safely because you don’t want to alert everyone to your presence.
Woodland hunters set traps to catch animals and people alike. Traps are easy to set and even easier to conceal if you aren’t paying attention. When you run, you aren’t able to pay attention to all the details in the woods. That one misstep will be the difference between life and death. Unless you’re on the run for your life, do the smart thing and walk. Slow and steady keeps you alive in Aftermath.
Joe Reyes
Traveling light is the smart thing to do when you’re a nomad. You wouldn’t want to weigh yourself down with unnecessary items. The best backpacks you can find are the ones with multiple compartments because you can easily separate materials.
The items you need are:
The tradable pieces are useful when you encounter a nearby city. Paper money will be obsolete. Metals and items of value will be the only source of currency. It would be wise to have something tradable incase the hunting grounds are bare and water sources are contaminated.
Rope you will need if you decide to sleep in a tree (previous Post). Also, rope can be used to set up traps. You have no idea what dangers will present themselves, but the best method to ensure your survival is to be prepared.
There is a good chance you will be on the run for your life at one point. Having unneeded weight can be a definite way to get yourself killed. Travel light, travel smart is the best motto when picking out your survival gear.
Joe Reyes
Justin is the character that allows you to see the military’s point of view. Justin has been wandering around with his fiancé Amy since the bombs fell. Justin was difficult to write about because during the planning, he didn’t have a whole lot going on. However I have found a way to get him right into the mix of the plotline, more so in book two.
In Aftermath, Justin’s main focus is Amy’s safety. They have been making their way from one side of the country to the other looking for somewhere safe. The US government has many safe zones scattered around the country still. A heavily protected area is exactly what they are looking for. With the ensuing battle going on in the country, it is time consuming to navigate around the fighting to get where they need to.
The sequel will throw Justin into the middle of the fight. I envisioned him to be a passive character at first and then changes from all the fighting and what else I throw at him. Justin is like Ian when I planned him. At first I didn’t know what to do with him, but after a few days of planning I found a great path to put him on and interesting characters to make him react to.
Joe Reyes
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First there will be utter chaos and then civilizations will rise up. You can do the “lone wolf” act for a while, but after the chaos starts to dwindle down, you MUST pick a side. Armies and communities will start to quickly spring up. Wars WILL tear most of the country apart. The goal of a war is to implement your principles and beliefs as the new mentality of the area. You have to find out what side of the war you want to be a part of.
First you have to understand who you really are and what you stand for. Do you want to change the way things were previously run? Do you want to follow a new set of rules? What are the major armies in play? Can you safely become a part of that group?
If you can’t find a group that embodies your beliefs, then the next best thing is to start your own army. You must find people who you can help see your vision of the future and follow your command. Becoming a visionary is incredibly hard. You have to be able to “inspire” to get others to join your cause and “terrify” to make enemies bow down to you at the same time.
Joe Reyes
Ron was the second character that I wrote about. He was originally a quick one page short story about someone in a post-apocalyptic story. The story was called Even Heroes Get Hungry, and it was about a man fighting for food in the wilderness. The story was to illustrate how sensible people will do irrational things for food.
I was writing the Ian story when I decided to put Ron in the mix, because I really liked his character. I wanted Ron to be young, around 10 years old. I wanted his parents to be dead, forcing Ron to be on his own.
Ron was an interesting journey because he doesn’t know much. Everything he learns is in the woods. He stays away from people, because he doesn’t trust them. How could he? He’s been independent since the tragedy, which everyone is out for themselves.
When Ron gets in contact with a group of rebels it’s difficult for him at first. He has never been a part of a “group” before. At first he is thinking how he would get away from them. But then, as things progress, those feeling disappear.
Ron started off as a little boy with a knife to a little boy with a machine gun. Through Ron, you get to see into the army of Cortez. He is the only character in book one who is up close and personal with the leader.
Joe Reyes
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Joe Reyes Author 