Itt was a nice morning as I stood in the backyard, keeping watch while Mark worked on his latest engineering project. True to his word, the old smoker was installing the solar panel system he'd promised us weeks ago—a sophisticated array that would give our house self-sufficient energy independence.
More than two months had passed since the initial outbreak, and we'd managed to restore some basic electrical functionality through Mark's genius and determination. The Municipal Office had been his testing ground, where he'd successfully jury-rigged a power grid using salvaged generators, car batteries, and miles of repurposed electrical cable. But this solar installation represented something far more ambitious—a completely autonomous energy system that wouldn't depend on fuel supplies or mechanical maintenance.
