Journal

The player starts ZED with a blank journal that gets filled with entries connected to specific items that are collected in the game.

Location	Fragment	Entry Title	Entry Text
Gallery	Moon	First Steps	This... This isn't a dream. More like... memory soup. There was a voice – a doctor. What did she say? Find the fragments – my "most important memories" – and set things straight. She called it a game. Alright, let's play.
Dreamer's House (Child)	Comic Book	The Fates	Drew a lot of inspiration from this series. Me and Mal would snag the latest issue from the Five and Dime like clockwork, the third Wednesday of the month. Heh, sometimes we'd even pay for it.
	Glove	The Fountainhead	Never liked playing on teams much. More fun just playing catch with Mal – pitching ideas. Some of the stuff he'd come up with was way out of left field. Really hit on something with "ZED" though.
	Radio	The Happy Medium	This thing weighs more than that fancy TV Rose brought by on one of her visits. Countless nights listening to "Bart Bellwether's Voices from Beyond" on KQDB, beneath the sheets. If Mom knew, she never let on.
	Slingshot	Sling–O–Matic 2000	My sixth, no... seventh birthday. Not a glass bottle within biking distances was safe after I got this bad boy. Thanks, Grandpa! Needless to say, Mom was not a fan.
Sewer	Balloon	Luftballoon	Saw this in a movie... Third grade, I think – with Miss Kleine. Too snowy for recess. This kid gets bullied over his red balloon. There wasn't any dialogue, but I'm pretty sure it was German. Now, what the hell was it called?
	Dog Collar	Ruthie's Best	I'll never forget when Ruthie had a litter – after all, I was sober. Not all of them survived, of course, but it was a good lesson for Rose: Creation is a messy affair.
	Goldfish	The Marvelous Mrs. Whelk	My first and last pet, before Rose–– Wait, no, Ruthie... The dog. Geez. My folks got me a goldfish to teach me a bit about life and death. Pretty messed up, if you think about it, but it's better than being coy.
	Sculpture	Mental Gymnasium	You find inspiration in the most unusual places. On Sunday's after church we'd ride our bikes to the edge of town, and play army. I don't know what they used to make there, and I never thought to ask.
Neighborhood	Bird Mask	Second Skin	You're not fooling anyone. Can't hide who you really are.
	Costume	Clever Costume	I've got my fair share of flaws, but you can't deny: I work well under pressure. Nothing like a last-minute invite to a costume party – WITH GIRLS – to get those creative juices flowing.
	Disguise	Grouch–O–Vision	Do I wish I'd done things differently? You bet your life I do.
	Sword	Excalibur	Sooner or later, it hits you. And you just know: there's something rotten in Denmark... or the fate of the kingdom's been left up to a rock. Which makes about as much sense as, well, ladies living in lakes.
Pumpkin Playground	Baseball Bat	Pumpkin Pounder	What does the sculptor see in a piece of wood? The painter, on an empty canvas? Art's a little like anarchy: all you need is a healthy ego, and a little elbow grease. Well, that and the right tool for the job.
	Baseball Cap	Keep a Lid on it	Little League was a lot like puberty: an awkward, demoralizing affair. Must have been twice as tough on Mal... Kids are cruel and merciless. Small-town adults aren't much better.
	Ribbon	Booby Prize	Winners get trophies, which... what, makes the rest of us losers? Anyway, I didn't let it stop me. Lord knows I didn't let much of anything stand in my way, when it came to my career.
	Sand Dollars	Pirate's Booty	Me and Mal swore we'd get serious about working on ZED. Instead, we spent half the summer beachcombing, convinced we were gonna be rich. Bobby Holtz said he'd give me a REAL dollar to eat one, but all I earned was a trip to the ER.
Woods	Cauldron	Strange Brew	"I'm not a witch, I'm a warlock!" But Dad wasn't having it – so no tricks, no treats. He was the kind of guy who'd be front row to watch them burn the heretics, if they still did that kind of thing.
	Milk	Udder Loss	Nothing beats starting each day with a heaping bowl of cautionary tragedy. After Kip Webber went missing, we weren't allowed out past dark for, like, ever. None of us took it seriously, but we were just kids.
	Popsicle	Choco–Bomb	"Chocolatey delicious, And arguably nutritious, Choco–Bombs! Choco–Bombs! Choosy moms choose Choco–bombs!"
	Teeth	Ersatz Choppers	Not a lot I got from my old man that's worth being proud of, but at least I'll go to my grave with a big, brilliant set of all-natural teeth.
Nursery	Alligator	Avery	"What are you painting now, Avery? It's so pretty! More colors than a rainbow! When I grow up, I hope I'm as good at making stuff as you are – maybe I'll be a famous artist!"
	Fox	Frida	"Great idea, Frida! But shhh, don't tell Mom. We'll sneak out into the pumpkin patch after dark and hunt for hobgoblins! Bet I'll catch more than you, this time!"
	Moose	Mal	"After lunch, will you finish the story about the Gingerbread Princess and the Three Blind Moose? Pleeease? When you tell it, it's like I'm really there. I can't wait to hear how it ends!"
	Porcupine	Picasso	"Here Picasso, want another bite of grilled cheese? No? Okay, I'll finish it then. That's what I like about you: you're so unselfish, and always stick up for your friends."
Cellar	Magazines	Grandpa's Lad Mags	Rosie thinks it's hilarious that I still listen to the records – says I'm missing out on the little details. Thinks it's quaint. Maybe so, but some things are best left to the imagination.
	Medal	True Mettle	After grandpa hit his limit, I'd root through all his old war stuff. It was just like when Decima and Morta fought the Nazis, but even better. It was real. The danger was... "cool." Boyhood is bliss.
	Train Ticket	Ticket to Ride	One-way tickets are a double-edged sword: scary and exhilarating. Excited at the prospect of something new. Terrified you won't like it. But committed, after all: life only runs in one direction.
	Whiskey	Hidden Hooch	This takes me back to the 'River Rats,' trying to catch forty winks under the tattered canopy of a PBR31. Growing up, booze tasted like bitter medicine. Come to think of it, that's exactly what it is.
Train Station	Bear	Fuzzy Buddy	Unpacking your personal baggage is lonely business. Never hurts to have a friend, to help.
	Conductor's Hat	Conductor's Cap	I started spending summers with Grandpa and Lashonda after things got bad with Dad. Mom would say the train was taking me "off to the land of make believe," but it was really just going South. To Florida.
	Suitcase	Travelling Trunk	Before all the androids and arch-mages, it was Blackbeard and Tom Sawyer. In search of adventure. No responsibilities. No attachments. Just the shirt on your back.
	Wooden Whistle	Wooden Whistle	I'll never forget the sound of Rosie's laughter when we took her first train ride. Seeing her face all lit up like that, whet my appetite for adventure all over again. An indelible reminder of young awe and wonder.
Crash Cave	"BOTTOMS UP!"	High Spirits	Here's to you, Mal, and whatever makes you merry. You deserved better, old friend.
	"LEAST LIKELY TO CARE"	A for Ambivalence	"Bliss is Ignorance.  Ignorance, bliss.  But if no one knows,  Who gives a whit?" – E. Malone; 10th grade
	"MOST UNFAITHFUL"	Pillow Talk	"TELL ME THE TRUTH GODDAMNIT!!" "I... don't know what to say." "THE TRUTH!!!" "I'm sorry."
	"WORLD'S WORST DAD"	Parentheticals	Should've. Would've. Could've. Didn't.
Bathroom	Belt	Cinch to Win	Dad was never a particularly meaty guy, but he lost a lot of weight toward the end. Like father like son. Sometimes the hunger just leaves you, even when there's food on the table.
	Gun	Father's Little Helper	"According to recently released national research statistics, legally purchased firearms are used in nearly half of suicides in North America, with the number of attempts reaching record highs in the past five years."
	Pills	Slumber Party	Not surprisingly, most sleepover's were at Mal's place. His dad would pick up take-out and rootbeer (and some of the regular variety for himself). Up all night, hopped up on comics and board games. Happy days.
	Razor	Splitting Heirs	At the mirror with dad, standing side by side – one of the good memories. "Don't go against the grain unless you're sure you know what you're doing." Old man was right. Every risk is better with a little calculation.
Dreamer's House (Adult)	Clock	Five More Minutes	Quit Procrastinating. ZED is waiting. Time to go.
	Divorce Agreement	Parting Papers	Guest lecturing at some art academy. Spunky redhead, front and center. The instructor seduces his students... Or was it the other way around? Either way, you're a walking, talking cliche.
	Newspaper	Bad News, Bared	"Hollywood financier Halbert Atwell has secured media rights to Plimco Comics' award-winning "ZED." An eponymous live-action feature-film is in the works, with an extensive merchandising rollout to follow..."
	TV Dinner	Naked Lunch	Somehow, even now, I still miss our stupid arguments. About my studio's sanctity. About salad dressing, and the need for just a little god-damned silence. Jesus, Carolyn, I wish you were here to yell at me now.
Garden Shed	Book	Little Black Book	The first few steps in the creative process are pure chaos – and I love it. So many possibilities. Nothing ventured. Failure isn't even an option. It's only when you start to actually create, that things get complicated.
	Crutch	Lean Machine	First Mal. Then Carolyn. Then the bottle. You used to think you were so independent, but let's face it: everyone needs some propping up, now and then.
	Rabbit	Woothie's Wabbit	There may be a trick or two left in this old dog, but I wouldn't count on it. Considering the circumstances, I'm not sure whether it's better to beg, or just roll over.
	Sign	Note To Self	"Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life..." ...So long as someone's willing to pay you for – or at least put up with – it.
City of Smoke and Mirrors	Air Freshener	Dormitory Daze	College life was steeped in the ever-present haze of Morley smoke and makeshift air-fresheners. Misako mixed Lennon shades and a Lenin cap like nobody's business. Just a fling – nothing serious – but it was good.
	Glasses	Purple Haze	"The doors of perception won't budge for just any old fool. You gotta pry those bastards wide open. Crowbar of the mind, my man, crowbar of the mind." – Lenny the Lysurgeon Phd, LSD.
	Hand Mirror	Nothing to See Here	There's a lot of me and Mal in ZED. Not literally, of course. But let's face it, if your art doesn't reflect some facet of you, you're doing it wrong.
	Political Pin	Heart on Sleeve	I never bought into the whole "art school scene." Too political. All just nonsense. Spare me that sanctimony, let the art do the talking and leave me alone.
Tunnel of Ticks	Flashlight	Pathfinder	There's a light at the end of the tunnel. But is it just another stop, or the end of the line? I'll be finding out soon. After all, I'm right on schedule. For the first time. Maybe the last.
	Lighter	Fired Up	Inspiration's often described as a "spark," but that's not how it works. The creative process is a fickle mistress – she'll flash you a glimpse, but you can be damn sure your work's cut out for you.
	Pack of Cigarettes	Pack of Morley's	I like a clean workspace. Taking care of my tools. Nothing wrong with that. Brushes cleaned after every use; the right caps put back on the paints. I guess the healthy habits die just as hard.
	Shoe	Sole Survivor	No way! I've been looking for this since... since we snuck into the Dead show. Lenny ran off with this far-out chick, with dreds for days. Took us hours to find the van, but it's not like we were in any rush.
Factory	Carton of Cigarettes	Morley's, En Masse	Seriously. All things considered, it is a little hard to believe I never took up smoking... cigarettes.
	Ice Cream	Cold Comfort	We bickered from the start, but it wasn't always bad. I said vanilla, you wanted chocolate; we settled on Rocky Road. I said it was a sign – that we're a match made in heaven. You said I was nuts.
	Plant	Signs of Life	After losing Carolyn and John, I lost myself in the bottle. Nearly for good. Somewhere in there, I realized that along the way ZED and I had grown apart. I figured finishing his story might... that I had to do it. For myself. For Mal. For Charlotte.
	Rose	Rose, On the Nose	I'll give you one guess what kind of flowers all of Rose's dates brought her. Nice kids though, for the most part. She's a good girl – kind, like her mother. Must have done something right.
Graveyard	Heart (Left)	Glass Half Empty	I value my career above all. I prize discipline and order. I can never enjoy enough success. I regret... nothing.
	Heart (Right)	Glass Half Full	I put family first and foremost. I cherish adventure and spontaneity. I need a little, and want even less. I remember... everything.
	Party hat	A Little Pizzazz	Standing in Rosie's living room, piled high with baby shower gifts, Mal's words came rushing back: "ZED can be about anything we want it to be." His story began on the pages of a comic book, sure, but as for the ending...?
	Rattle	Lil' Maraca	I never got around to cleaning the house, after the accident. All those forgotten things, remembered too late. What I did know, was that ZED was still out there, awaiting the next adventure. I just couldn't hear his voice.
Cliffs	"90 DAYS SOBER"	End of an Era	"A legacy's a noble goal, but there's more to what we leave behind, than the work we've done. I see that now. Thanks to you, Charlotte, I know what I need to do. So even though we may never meet, I'll always be your biggest fan."
	"FOREVER FAITHFUL"	"Unsung Heroes"	"Success takes extraordinary dedication and commitment, often from those who go unappreciated. I know I've never been the easiest guy to love, but – baby, you're always with me. You and Johnny are a part of me forever.
	"TRUE FRIEND AWARD"	Friends Like These...	"I'd like to share this with my old partner in crime – a good friend, and a great writer. Killer wit. Mal, if you're listening in, buddy, I'm doing something new – with ZED – and I think I've found a way to work you in. Hope you like it!"
	"WORLD'S BEST DAD"	Best in Show	"Wow. Just... Wow. This is truly an honor – and let's be honest, I never thought I'd even be here today. I'd have to thank my family, first – especially my daughter, Rose – without whom this wouldn't have been possible."