ᶜᴼᴺᵀᴱᴺᵀ ᵂᴬᴿᴺᴵᴺᴳ — ᴿᴱᶜᴼᴹᴹᴱᴺᴰᴱᴰ ¹⁶⁺ ᵀʰⁱˢ ᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵈⁱᵃʳʸ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵃⁱⁿˢ ᵈᵃʳᵏ ʰᵘᵐᵒʳ, ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ, ᵇᵒᵈʸ ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵈⁱˢᵗᵘʳᵇⁱⁿᵍ ⁱᵐᵃᵍᵉʳʸ.

07/10/1980

Dear Diary...

I don’t even really know how to start.

Remember that bad feeling I had yesterday?

A nuclear power plant a few miles from here exploded. They told us that nobody can leave the building, not the staff and not the guests.

There are men in yellow suits walking around the resort. We’re trying to keep working and act like nothing happened, but this morning some of the guests by the pool had these awful pastel-colored blotches on their skin. A little boy went up to his mom and popped the one on her knee, and all this colorful goo came out.

Everyone started running around like crazy. Jennyfer started laughing at the whole thing. Then she got me laughing too, so we were the only two idiots laughing in the middle of a screaming crowd...

In all the chaos, some man pushed her into the pool. But when she came back up, she was still laughing like a maniac. So hard that I couldn’t even stay on my feet anymore and had to crouch down.

Thank God we’re together.

I heard they’re calling the staff in one by one to check how much radiation we have in our bodies. But if it were really that dangerous, we’d all be dead already, right? Maybe those suits are a little over the top. And aren’t they hot in there?

I managed to talk to that cute guy I told you about yesterday. There was a power outage, probably because of the explosion, and I was in an elevator with him... I think we were stuck in there for about 30 minutes before someone came to get us out.

He has really nice brown eyes and a smile that makes you feel safe. But I can’t remember his name. Maybe Trevor. I’m not sure. He told me he’s from a town near here, but I can’t remember the name of that either.

I’m not very good with names, okay?

Tomorrow I’ll find a way to ask him without actually asking him.

Tonight, Jennyfer and I snuck into the guests’ buffet for dinner. We had some amazing shrimp and spaghetti with mussles. The empty plates are still sitting on our beds. I hope they don’t fall.

I guess with everything going on, nobody’s paying much attention to people stealing food. Better for us, in the end.

Oh, and of course, she’s still humming Funkytown...

Well, I talk about it, talk about it...

Anyway, they talked about the nuclear plant explosion on the news too. There are other places completely locked down.

I’m actually a little worried.

While I was talking to my boss, light blue liquid started dripping from her nose.

Well, at least if the world has to end, it’s decorated with pretty colors.

XOXOXO

Taffy

ᶜᴼᴺᵀᴱᴺᵀ ᵂᴬᴿᴺᴵᴺᴳ — ᴿᴱᶜᴼᴹᴹᴱᴺᴰᴱᴰ ¹⁶⁺ ᵀʰⁱˢ ᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵈⁱᵃʳʸ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵃⁱⁿˢ ᵈᵃʳᵏ ʰᵘᵐᵒʳ, ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ, ᵇᵒᵈʸ ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵈⁱˢᵗᵘʳᵇⁱⁿᵍ ⁱᵐᵃᵍᵉʳʸ.

07/09/1980

Dear Diary,

Yes, I bought a brand-new diary. I got it especially so I could document this new adventure properly.

Let’s start from the beginning.

Leaving from North Carolina, between the two flights and the layover, it took us almost 10 hours to get to California, where we’re going to work at a five-star resort. It’s called the Sunny Side Resort. Very chic. Of course, it’s not exactly the same as going on a real vacation. But we get unlimited alcoholic drinks when we’re off duty!

And obviously, food and accommodation are included. Our room is wonderful. It has two pretty big beds and it’s always so bright. Even though we’re hardly ever in there...

They gave us our uniforms. Mine is Yellow, Jennyfer's turquoise... but I don’t know... I feel like they’re missing something. They look a little empty...

Anyway, we’ve only been here for four days and everything seems to be going perfectly. We’ve even spotted two cute guys.

I mean, I’m not completely sure the one I like is actually cute. I’ve only seen him from far away and, as you know, my eyesight isn’t exactly great. But he’s a member of staff too, so sooner or later I’ll get the chance to talk to him.

Jennyfer has been humming Funkytown nonstop since we left. I always end up singing along with her, but it’s starting to get stuck in my head...

There was something else I wanted to tell you, but I forgot..

Oh, right! You’re probably wondering why we left so late for our summer job... I fell behind on two of my college exams. But yes, I passed them both! And Jennyfer, who had already taken hers, helped me study.

Luckily, the resort agreed to wait for us anyway.

That’s why I’m saying everything is going perfectly... maybe a little too perfectly.

Actually, I have this weird feeling. Like a little knot of anxiety in my stomach. But usually when I feel like this, nothing ever happens. It’s like something is trying to tell me... I don’t know... that I shouldn’t be here.

I’ll update you in a few days!

Maybe something even better will happen after all!

XOXOXO

Taffy