“In the flesh,” said Itzpapalotl. He smiled. Bare bones glittered and clattered in the moonlight, faint rouge dappling the cheeks, as the waves slowly lapped at the shore. Nash’s fists clenched and unclenched, watching the strange god stand. Itzpapalotl’s stance was lazy and relaxed, a hand on one cheek, hollow eyes staring at him. The long moment of tension held, but Itzpapalotl did not attack him again. Nash didn’t relax.
Letting Go
This month’s Patreon story is Letting Go. 20,000 words, 4 chapters, this story is focused on Randall- Specifically, his past, and how Horace came to be living with him. Set in 1997, in the aftermath of the death of Horace’s mother, it shows us a bit more about Randall, and why exactly Horace is the way he is. This is a bit of horror/kung fu stuff, with some psychological interludes; Maybe even what you could call a character study? But with a lot more fisticuffs.
If you’re interested, this- and all other Novellas, as well as PDF/.docx downloadable versions of A Serpent and Zion and Catfished- are available on my Patreon for anyone who pays 1 or more dollars a month! If you pay 5 or more dollars a month, you also get in on the voting for new novellas; Currently, there are three being voted on for July; There’s still two weeks or so to get in on that! ‘That’ Thing is in the lead with 2 votes, but Paradise by the Dashboard Light is close behind it. And as a last incentive: I’m only about 4 dollars a month away from unlocking the stretch goal, which is a free 10,000 word Hell’s Kitchen Sink story for one random person who is backing me at 5 or more dollars a month, every month! This one will actually be public.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light: Slice of Life, Comedy. Atina-focused. Atina finds herself being hired by a Fairy Noble of Spring, whose teenage son- a changeling- has begun making far too many unwise promises, not least his promise to love his girlfriend forever, while dealing with Roy’s occasional jealousy at said fairy teenager’s skill with words.
Border Guard: Slice of Life, Drama. Dio and Doctor Smith-focused. In the wake of the destruction of Zion’s keystone, Diomedes and the other inhabitants of the town find themselves at a crossroads. While monsters and heroes are awakening all across the world, Zion remains a particular nexus for things to cross over, and it’s in their best interest to keep things calm- But a figure from Megan’s path is there to court her, and where Mister Mica walks, trouble follows.
‘That’ Thing: Romantic Comedy, Cosmic Horror. There are many dangers to Antarctica, especially in the winter. The cold. The storms. The eternal darkness. But people always tell stories about things there. Creatures. Bullshit, of course, one would assume. But sometimes, you catch a flash of eyes in the darkness. But the cold and the dark and the night make companionship a rare thing. And so when a young man finds a huddling girl with transparent skin and black eyes, he’s willing to be understanding.
Chapter 1: Denial
1997
When I was 24, four very important things happened to me. First and foremost, I bought my first car. A second generation Ford Thunderbird, it was my first truly selfish purchase. It represented the freedom I had been searching for since I was a child, growing up in the booming industrial heart of upstate New York. Second, I passed the Bar Exam, and proved that I was worthy of being a lawyer, possessing the intelligence and recall to defend the liberty of others. Third, I stabbed a man who I probably shouldn’t have, because it was the only right thing to do under the circumstances. And fourth, I was recruited into a secret society. The Order of Set. I had written the name Randall Creed in the secret history of the world, in blood and splintered bone. I had been the greatest fighter the Order had trained in living memory.
Chapter 11: Ozohmatli
The change in the city was shocking. When Nash had entered the Aztec’s Bloody Crescent, the air had been full of tension. Anger. Fear. All of that had vanished in the short time that Nash had been inside. The low, throbbing drums had been replaced with smaller, higher pitched ones, which beat out a rapid and catchy tempo. Dancers spiraled and twisted through the streets, carrying streamers and torches with them, drawing lines. Night remained over the city, though it couldn’t be later than two in the afternoon. He was still in the midst of the Aztec’s world.
Chapter 10: Malinalli
The slaves were led towards a great paddock. It was little more than an enclosure of sheet metal. It wouldn’t have stopped a determined child, let alone one of the monsters or heroes among the Vemana. The chains, the walls, they were all just a reminder of the thing that was really keeping them trapped. The gaze of the gods above, three of the great gods of the Aztec, made it clear. There was to be no escape from this place. Nash looked casually around the paddock, and faded towards its back. The gods gaze would not stop him.
Chapter 9: Ocelotl
“Hmmm.” Nash nodded down towards the slums. “I’d prefer not to have to fight my way through the entire Bloody Crescent.”
Chapter 8: Tecpatl
“Cooking is one of the oldest human gifts,” murmured Heather. She smiled at him, and Nash’s heart ached. He felt the tears dripping at the corners of his eyes. “In the ages long past, men sat by fires, and lured the beasts out of the darkness with the promise of fresh-cooked meat.” He looked around. The warm summer sunshine fell through pine trees, illuminating the back lot behind the old motor lodge. Tables set up. People joining together for a feast. A deadly quest ahead of him, but that wasn’t what frightened him now. It was the look on their faces.
Chapter 7: Bone of my Bones, Flesh of my Flesh
Ji-a breathed shallowly through her nose as she and Jack hobbled through the door into their small apartment. Deep in the slums of Paradise, where no one would notice her. They were silent as they slipped through the doorframe together. Both of Jack’s arms hung limply, his shoulders dislocated. Ji-a limped, trying not to put weight on her left leg. Her right hand was held gingerly, trying not to let the broken bones twist and grind against each other. They couldn’t meet each other’s eyes. She was afraid of what she might see in Jack’s eyes. Humiliation. Shame. Rage. Defeat. The loss of hope.
Continue reading “Chapter 7: Bone of my Bones, Flesh of my Flesh”
Chapter 6: Let There Be Light
The doors swung open, to reveal an empty elevator. To their credit, the men manning the machine guns didn’t hesitate for even a second. Both barrels swung up towards the roof above the elevator, and began to fire. The heavy pounding of the machine guns filled the air with low thumps. Round after round pounded up through the roof, the dense uranium tearing terrible gouges through the stone and metal, perforating it like it was cheesecloth. It was loud enough that no one but I made out the two soft pops of a small caliber weapon.
Chapter 5: Seven Times Over
I yawned, and coughed a bit. My mouth was dry. I pulled myself out of the bed, and padded into the kitchenette. The full moon hung on the horizon, glowing like a distant eye. I gave it a knowing wink as I poured out a glass of water.
Chapter 4: Threescore and Ten
The walk back through the darkness was unpleasant. I’d been told I would die many times before, by both friend and foe. Sometimes it was a warning. Sometimes it was a threat. Sometimes it was just a hope. It had never been a prophecy. Christians were big into their prophecy, although they seldom admitted it. They thought God had everything worked out in advance, and even stranger, they thought it was all going to be okay.
hellskitchensink 