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For Memorial Day 2010, I shared an amazing non-fiction book called WAR by Sebastian Junger. Photojournalist Tim Hetherington went to Afghanistan with Junger and directed the documentary Restrepo, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2011. Hetherington died in Libya on April 20, 2011.
Image from Amazon.com
This Memorial Day, I want to share another exceptional book called The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL by Eric Greitens. If you’ve ever wanted to learn about the very personal, human side of worldwide humanitarian efforts, or detailed descriptions of brutal Navy SEAL training, this is for you. You can also see Stephen Colbert’s interview with Greitens.
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Gally rock-climbing! Yes, I did make it to the top ;D
Despite more delays moving, things have been going a lot better for me lately. I finally managed to pry out another chapter of Infectnation after months of not being able to focus on it, I’ve been working out and Geocaching more often, and I’ve been going to (American) football practice, clubbing, rock-climbing, and more with my friends Elaine, Z, Z’s sister Sarah, and others. Thanks so much for the fun times, guys!
Special thanks also goes to Betsy and Tomasz for encouraging me to keep writing, Chris for being supportive even when he’s super busy, and my incredible husband Nick, who never ceases to astound me with his endless love, devotion, and sweetness. Happy Anniversary!!!
And thanks to all my wonderful readers and fellow bloggers!
I know it’s been a long time since the last chapter, so please take your time reading through this and letting me know your thoughts. Has your view of Jade, Beatrix, or Huxley changed from previous chapters? Do you feel like you’re getting to know them? Do the monsters freak you out? :D
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Infectnation
Story by Christine Lines, © 2010-2011
<<< <:/Log.07>
>>> <:/Log.09> (pending)
<:/Log.08>
Jade’s first thought was what bullshit it was to get attacked the one time she decided to sleep without her boots on.
In the red glow of the emergency lights, she shot up in bed, found Beatrix’s arm, and frantically shook her awake. “Bea, wake up! We gotta go, cmon, get your things!”
“Hmm-mmf, what–”
“Bea, open your eyes and get up!”
When alertness finally surfaced on Beatrix’s face, Jade vaulted out of bed, into the other room, and zipped up her boots. “What’s going on?!” she shouted over the rumbling at Huxley.
“We’re being attacked!” he called from the doorway. “Everyone’s gathering upstairs to fight! I came to get you two personally since you don’t know protocol, now hurry up so I can get back up there!”
Jade quickly stuffed her belongings into her bag while Beatrix did the same. Then they headed out with their backpacks strapped and nerves on end. Jade wasn’t expecting to remain here after tonight no matter how much Beatrix protested. It was obvious to her this place was a prime target for the infected with people venturing in and out all the time.
As they ran down the hallway towards the central stairwell, they were suddenly knocked from their feet as the whole structure trembled violently.
In the crimson silence, Jade whispered, “What’s up there?”
Huxley swallowed hard. “A shank.”
“What is that?”
“We’ve only ever had spitters come down here because they’re smaller than the others. But this… it’s like a giant tumor with spikes shooting out of it. I don’t know how it made its way so deep inside the building. It’s trying to impale us through the ceiling so we can’t even hurt it with our pulse weapons. We have to find a way to drive it off before the ceiling collapses or we’ll all be crushed.”
“Then why did you tell us to evacuate rather than fight?”
Huxley paused. As he lowered his face, dirty-blonde hair washed over his eyes. “Because I… don’t think we can save this place. I’ve already told the single parents to take the children and leave through the second stairwell. We haven’t had time to scout out a back-up home, so they just… they have to wait for someone to come up there and find them a new shelter and…”
Jade squinted, detecting doubt in his voice. He didn’t just think their home was about to be obliterated — he didn’t think anyone was getting out of this alive.
“I… want you two to escape with my sister. Things are getting really ugly really fast and I don’t know how much longer we can hold it off.” He unholstered the pulse pistol at his right leg and stood. Jade caught his arm.
“What the hell do you mean, take your sister? Where the fuck are you going to be?”
He turned to look at her, all that smug sarcasm gone from his hardened face. He suddenly seemed a lot older than she previously thought. “Cmon, we need to hurry.”
“Hey, I’m not going anywhere with you until you talk straight with me for once. Why aren’t you going after her?”
Huxley’s face contorted as if someone had just throttled his heart. He gritted his teeth as he spoke. “I’m in charge of security, I can’t just wander around looking for her. I have to go up there, I have to…”
He shook his head as if fighting away a terrible thought and took a deep breath. “Listen to me. You two are the first people I’ve seen who’re from outside of Bethune. I don’t know if you got by on pure survival skills or freakish damn luck, but if you made it here, you can make it far away with her.”
Jade opened her mouth to object, but Huxley grabbed her shoulders firmly and locked icy eyes with her.
“Promise me. Promise me you’ll look after her. There’s no one else. I have to go up there with everyone. Just follow me, take cover, then head down the corridor to the left. Last I heard of her, she was down that way doing maintenance. When you find her, take the hallway all the way down and you’ll see the door to the last stairwell.”
He released Jade from grasp and gaze then dashed down the hall to the central stairwell, gun in hand, hopes left behind. Jade and Beatrix exchanged uncertain glances then hesitantly followed him as if being ordered to go on a suicide mission.
Thock. Like fleshy lightning, a scarlet spear rained down from the ceiling and sunk into the first man they encountered, impaling him from clavicle to groin. A thick sucking sound echoed as the spike suddenly retracted from his body in a spurt of blood and tissue, and the man fell over slowly in a contorted stance, as if the bones and organs under his skin were completely severed into halves.
Huxley strafed past him as countless spikes pierced the ceiling, searching hungrily for victims to penetrate. He watched wide-eyed as men and women he only moments ago ate with and laughed with futilely fired their pulse weapons through holes in the ceiling, only to explode in a splash of organs as the creature relentlessly attacked. He took cover behind a colossal pillar then signaled for Beatrix and Jade to follow.
Jade couldn’t let herself hesitate. She sprinted towards him, dodging severed limbs and slippery pools of blood and urine. Just as she arrived at his side, she whipped her head back towards Beatrix.
She wasn’t moving. Beatrix was just standing there, frozen in fear, shaking in tears, staring blankly at all the blood, stuck in the middle of the massacre just like before.
Jade screamed out her name, but Beatrix wouldn’t budge. Huxley yelled for her too, but no one’s words could reach her. Huxley stepped forward to go after her, but it was too late. Jade rushed back first as large debris started to fall from above.
Another quake rippled through the building and flung Jade across the floor. She gasped as chunks of the ceiling came crashing down all around her. A woman screeched beside her as massive slab crunched her under its weight. Jade rolled and darted up again, weaving and slipping everywhere, too scared and out of breath to call out to Beatrix again.
A trio of fighters gathered beside Beatrix, shooting through the massive gap that the monster had created in the ceiling. Red flesh started to gorge through the canal like a sickening live birth. The pulses did nothing to stop its advance as the pocked skin stretched and throbbed through the hole, spikes flailing wildly. Its wide, clawed hands slipped through next, some shredding at the ceiling blocking its descent, some grasping for survivors below and popping them with an effortless squeaze.
Jade dodged a boulder-sized block of ceiling falling down and scraped her way under the fishing hands of the beast. She tried not to take her eyes off Beatrix, but as terrified as she was to watch the brutal slaying around her, she couldn’t pry them away. Her teeth and fists were clenched so tight and her legs were so numb she could barely tell how she was still moving.
A spear caught the woman in front of Beatrix in the arm, ripping it off and taking her pulse pistol with it. She collapsed as the man beside her took a spike to the face and a huge hand grabbed the other man. As he gurgled his final cries and erupted in splintered bone and ribbons of intestine, blood dotted Beatrix’s trembling porcelain skin.
As Jade somehow managed to stumble her way to Beatrix’s side, another bloody hand stretched from the ceiling towards them. Jade was too tense to unhinge her jaw and tell Beatrix to run. Jade grabbed her and slung her away, then dove just as the clawed hand slammed down on the floor inches away.
Jade gripped her friend and half-ran, half-dragged Beatrix through the blood and rubble. When the hand retreated empty and wriggling, Jade bent down and slapped Beatrix over and over until her eyes focused up at Jade.
Jade’s voice was eerily soft and shaken as she said, “Move, now, go, now.” Beatrix managed to get on her feet and shuffle along as Jade lead her back to Huxley.
But as Jade looked to Huxley beyond the growing mass protruding from the ceiling, she noticed he was standing there stunned and his eyes were intensely focused behind them towards the hidden door they had entered through the night before. Jade instinctively followed his gaze over her shoulder and regretted it when her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Out of nowhere, another abomination had come, so close it could spit on her.
She yelped and yanked Beatrix forward faster, scrambling to get away from this new creature. It crept behind them on all fours like an enormous toad with its back pulsating like something was moving around inside it. Even as the spikes from the shank sank into it, it kept crawling forward as if it didn’t feel anything, its twitching chameleon eyes focusing on the remaining survivors.
Huxley snapped himself out of it and laid down cover fire. As Jade and Beatrix reached Huxley, they couldn’t help but turn to see how far they’d gotten away from the monsters. The shank was tearing away at the ceiling, trying to twist its way through, almost ready to fall to the floor and devour all. The new terror had finally collapsed from its injuries, but its eyes still darted from person to person, as if targeting each and every one.
“GO!” Huxley shouted.
The smaller, lizard-like monster suddenly started squirming, both conical eyes pointing directly at Huxley. But its body couldn’t move forward anymore, impaled by the spikes like a live horse on a carousel pole.
Its mouth opened. Blood gushed forth. Then a voice, groaning at first, then growing into high-pitched wail of agony.
“huuuXLEEEY!”
The three of them stood stone cold, shocked, horrified as the dissonance of the infected’s voice stabbed their ears. Then its back burst with a maddening pop and out flew hundreds of tiny black buzzing creatures.
They swarmed everyone, biting, stinging, ripping, devastating. As each person fell, another one rose in its place, infected and spewing blood and acid.
The three of them turned and ran, dashing together down the only exit remaining to them: the left corridor. They careened around the corner and over-turned tables and scattered supplies. Huxley glanced back only to see the black mass of flying critters gaining on them.
And Camille hiding beside a crate far behind them.
“NO!” he shouted, “NO! NO!”
He turned but Jade and Beatrix grabbed his arms and kept moving forward, the stairwell exit just in sight.
“NO!”
Hearing his voice, Camille’s soft blue eyes met his, but it was too late.
“NO!”
The black wave overtook everything in its path. It swallowed the crate and engulfed Camille.
“NO!”
Through the haze, he saw her skull, little patches of skin and hair still clinging to it, fall to the floor, and a blue eye roll back up to meet his gaze one last time as acid spilled through her jaw.
Huxley suddenly slammed into a wall and a door slid shut before him. They had made it into the stairwell and sealed themselves away from the infected.
“SHIT, FUCK, NO!” Huxley yelled, punching and kicking the door. “Let me go, I need to get back out there!”
“Like hell!” Jade growled, blocking the door’s control panel from Huxley. She felt vibrations coming through the wall and knew it was from the wasp-like drones buzzing and feasting on the other side. “If you open that door, we all die. Now let’s go!”
“No! I can’t just leave everyone, I can’t leave her in there!”
Beatrix curled up against the wall, shaking and sobbing.
“Huxley,” Jade said slowly, deliberately, “they’re all dead. We’re alive. Let’s go before they break down the door.”
A primal, guttural cry erupted from Huxley as he charged for the control panel behind her. He was easily a foot taller than her and much stronger, but she stood her ground and round-house kicked him back, the recoil smashing her shoulder into the wall. But he quickly regained his footing and lunged again like a wild animal. As Jade turned back around to face him, she produced the knife from her belt. She didn’t want to use it, but she had to protect Beatrix no matter the cost.
She braced herself as he towered over her, then slashed. He evaded, caught her wrist, then pulled her forward and twisted, the pain forcing her to drop the blade but not enough to keep her from kicking the side of his knee, bringing him down with her. She somehow wiggled free of his grasp and tried to hop away, but he swept his leg and knocked her feet out from under her. As she landed on her back and coughed all the air out of her lungs at once, he got back on his feet and went for the control panel.
Beatrix stood in his way, weak and fragile, tears streaming down her face and turning pink as they slid past speckles of dried, crusted blood.
Huxley stopped. He could’ve just walked past her. He could’ve just reached out and pressed the button. He just looked down at her, hesitating. Then he looked back at Jade as she stood and retrieved her knife off the floor. He turned back to Beatrix, looking into her eyes, searching for an answer in all the confusion, despair, and fury gripping his body.
He covered his face with his hands and shamefully turned away. Then in one last outburst of defeat, he groaned and headbutted the door, slowly sliding to the floor, huffing, maybe weeping; Jade didn’t dare get close enough to know with someone in such a volatile state. Instead, she side-stepped to Beatrix, keeping her distance from Huxley, and checked her for wounds. After all this shit, they’d be fucked if one of them were infected after just managing to escape.
As Jade scanned herself too, Huxley finally spoke. His voice was low and bitter.
“I’ve always hated that coward. He was an inmate who escaped when a rampage of infected struck the prison. Park thought we could rehabilitate him to rejoin what was left of society, to earn his keep, to fight for his freedom. I was a soldier, that’s why they chose me as head of security; I know what it’s like to fight for freedom, but that bastard… One day I’d catch him stealing, another he’d be sneaking off by himself. He could’ve stolen the door codes for all I know. Park told me to be patient with him when I wanted to banish him for being a security risk. I knew when it came time to fight he’d show his true colors, he’d tuck his fucking tail between his legs and run like the coward he really is.
“But today, I was the one to turn and run.” Huxley banged his fist and grinded his forehead into the door. “He made me run away when I should’ve stayed and fought!”
“You mean stayed and died,” Jade retorted. “Dying isn’t fighting.”
“Dying is better than living like a fucking coward, living with the knowledge that I just watched my sister die and couldn’t do a damn thing about it!”
Beatrix suddenly spoke, softly and hesitantly. “What… what do you mean he made you?”
Huxley finally flipped over from his knees to his back, facing them with the most defeated look a man could have.
“Baxter. That was Baxter who just killed my sister, killed my friends, destroyed everything I fought to protect.”
Jade and Beatrix stared at him in disbelief.
“You heard him,” Huxley continued, wiping the sweat on the back of his gloved hand. “He called out for me. He was coming for me. Instead, he took her. I should’ve died in there, I should’ve died beside her…”
Huxley’s head fell forward and his hair rained over his face. Jade didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t blame a man for trying to protect someone close to him. She might’ve tried to do the same thing if she were in his place.
Beatrix stepped towards him and knelt. She picked up his pulse pistol and held it out to him. He looked up at her with ice blue eyes so mournful she teared up again.
“You’re where you should be. You’re with us now, fighting another day, not letting them get the best of you. If you’re an honorable man, you can’t give up now. You owe it to them to see this through.”
Huxley exhaled heavily. “To what? Where does this end?”
Beatrix’s lips parted to answer, but nothing came.
Jade stepped forward and offered her hand. “We’ll find out together.”
Huxley looked up at them both. He took the pistol from Beatrix, then took Jade’s hand and stood. Together, the three of them advanced back up the dim stairwell to whatever hell awaited them at the end.
Novel © Christine Lines 2010-2011
Photo © Christine Lines 2011
Blog post © Christine Lines 05.30.11
http://lestismitethee.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/infectnation-chapter-8/
[...] Infectnation Chapter 8 [...]
You’ve been playing football?? PHOTOS, SHA DEMANDS THEM! ;D Sounds like you’ve made some new friends as well. Are they Northern Virginia area? I’m glad you’ve found some fun times amongst the nightmare that has been Fairfax. I’m embarrassed to ask, but when is your and Nick’s wedding anniversary? I remember about the time you two started dating, but the wedding was such a whirlwind affair, the date hasn’t stuck yet. Happy anniversary, anyway, you two!
Hmm… I wish I could sympathize with Jade more. As much as I wish Beatrix wasn’t being such a dead weight to Jade, I Get where her shock and fear and eagerness and innocence come from. Poor Huxley too… I’m still getting to know him, but to see genuine caring and distressed, I don’t want him to die. Jade just… always knows what to do and what to say, and I wish I knew how she could keep such a level head amidst all the chaos. I want to know her more, but I know there’s more book to come, and I’m excited to read it. :)
Chameleon lizard monster skewered gives me the shivers. I am creeped out by the shank… the gigantic, man-crushing hands are what make it the freakiest, imo.
Also – you came up with the chapter titles. Logs. I love it. :)
Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of us playing football, but it’s one hell of a workout. So’s rock-climbing; I’m buffing up my forearms and shoulders like crazy.
Elaine and the others have been very kind and supportive despite only knowing me for a month and knowing I could be moving any week now. Some people start to write me off as soon as I say I’m moving, but they’ve been inviting me to happy hour, eating out, clubs, sports, etc., and it’s had such a positive impact in my life. I feel my inspiration flowing again now that I’ve got a support network here and I’m not so focused on how depressed I am without Nick.
Our wedding anniversary’s May 23. I was hoping I could get to Korea before then, but obviously that didn’t work out. But again, I just have to be ready to move any week now.
I’m still working on developing the characters, but what I will say is that Beatrix will evolve the most as the story progresses. She seems weaker and more traumatized than Jade now, but there’s a reason for that and it will be revealed as more background chapters come into play (the italicized ones). Later in the story, she will become very strong.
As for Jade, her past forced her to become cold, calculating, and focused when there’s trauma. Because she’s used to bad shit going on and Beatrix isn’t, there’s this learning curve for Bea, but I hope to show how they evolved to become such good friends despite being nearly opposites and how Bea learns to stand up for herself.
And I’m looking forward to writing more about Huxley; he was not a planned character, but I had so much fun writing him that I have to include him. More characters are going to come into the story, one very soon, so that should be even more fun to write.
The shank was originally not going to have hands, but I thought of the floor/ceiling-masters in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (the black, disembodied hands) and how freaked out I was, so I decided to add them. Not to mention they’re so big, they have to have a way to burrow or move quickly somehow.
The reptile thing is based on the surinam toad, which is a totally disgusting, cool creature that carries its babies in its back. As the story progresses and more monsters are introduced, you’ll see animal similarities with the infected people. There’s a reason for this… you’ll see.
My brother rock climbs a lot… it’s one of the few activities that actually leaves him sore, which is impressive, because he is so fit. I think, besides rugby, it’s one his of the most intense workout routines (he also bikes everywhere and strength trains and is generally what PE teacher’s dream all their students will turn out like). Heh. I want to see you in all the football padding, because I just can’t picture it; you’re so tiny!
Where did you meet them? I’m sorry I wasn’t supportive in the right ways. I mean, when you’re depressed or upset, it probably doesn’t help to spend a lot of your nights with a chronically depressed and emotionally unstable person like me… I think that’s one of the reasons therapists don’t like their patients hanging out. Oh well. You’ve got a positive, socially and physically active group now, and then the move to Korea AND NICK! So yay~
I don’t think Beatrix being like a deer caught in the headlights when it comes to the infected and death and gore is a bad thing. I want Jade to save her time after time, because she’s so human. I don’t want cold survival machines to be the future of humanity in this world, yanno? But I don’t really like thinking of Jade as a cold survival machine either, and I’m really curious as to how she’s going to grow as a character.
I actually dreamed about the shank last night (I read this right before going to bed). O_O The dream was all really creepy, with hundreds of gypsy moth caterpillars and strange slimy bubbled beetles. I can’t recall exactly where the shank came into it, only that it (or elements of it) did, and that I was really surprised.
I’ve been watching a let’s play of Metal Gear Solid 4, and Laughing Octopus, one of the bosses, enjoys terrorizing the soldiers of both sides. In the beginning of the game, you see her frequently stabbing through them with her tentacles, or, more gruesomely, wrapping them up entirely and squeezing with such force that their bodies explode. Reading about the shank and its hands reminded me a lot of that, and imagining the viscera and crunching and … *shudders* it got to me. Which is what a good horror scene is supposed to do. ^_^
Can’t wait!
PS. Are there goth clubs in DC?
Ack… my comments don’t appear to be showing up. Sorry if I accidentally ended up double-posting.
It’s okay, I have comments set up so that I have to approve them first. Hurray for the age of spam and constant advertisement.
We don’t wear padding for football, we just wear flag belts, so you have chase people and tear off their flags before they do anything. Makes it a lot more tricky, in my opinion, because people can swivel and spin and dodge away and you can’t just tackle them.
Also, to be honest, you weren’t the negative influence when we were hanging out, so don’t worry about that.
Yes, I want all my characters to show a lot of growth throughout the story, but I imagine Beatrix will have the most growing to do. You’ve got Jade with a tough past who’s learned to keep a level head in (most) shitty situations, and you’ve got Huxley, a former soldier. Beatrix lived a cozy life with lots of love and support from her friends and parents. I can’t wait to write more about them all!
If I’m giving you nightmares, I’m doing my job. I want the creatures to be disgusting and frightening to the max. But I also have to be careful because I want them to be unique. They’re not vampires, zombies, or anything else, and there’s a reason to the madness. You’ll just have to wait and find out more and what new creatures I’ve got in store.
Yeah, there are Goth clubs in D.C. I went to one and enjoyed dancing and talking to people since everyone was older than me so there were no young, immature jackasses acting stupid or just there to pose. I love how Goths can be so philosophical; we talked a lot about literature, science, religion, and other stuff.
Gah!!! Gally, this is amazing. I really enjoyed this chapter. It made me cry ): So sad!!!!
I was beginning to think that Beatrix was just a… I’m not sure of the word I’m looking for, but kinda just there to give Jade something to protect? I’m not sure how to explain it, but with her giving Huxley the gun and encouraging him to live and go with them… I thought that was pretty ballin’ xD I wanna see her do more awesome things. <3 Like take out some crazy monster for Jade or something. :)
I'm really glad that you're writing again! I've been missing my dose of Infectnation for some time now!
I'm also glad that you've got some friends up there. I was really worried for you, and I'm glad things are looking up! They've some awesome names as well ;D (My middle name is Elaine lol).
I can't wait to read the next chapter!!! Love ya!
YAY! Thanks, Betsy!
I know exactly what you mean. And with these last couple chapters, I’ve tried to show more of Beatrix’s character. You know, she’s arguing with Jade over staying in Bethune, she’s freezing up when there’s lots of killing going on, etc. But most importantly, I want to show how she evolves over the course of this story, and she will grow a LOT as I write more. Right now, she’s still traumatized, and you’ll realize why when the story reveals more background chapters (the italicized ones). But in the future… yes, she will become plenty badass ;D
I’ve also been experiencing a lot more freedom with the characters too. I loosely used your and my personality as a basic outline for their personalities, but now that I’ve started to get the hang of writing them and I know what I want to do for their past and how they develop as characters, I’m moving away from us and growing them into independent personalities :3
I think I was finally able to write something because I’ve been more positive lately and around kind, positive people who also like to do the same things I do like going to Goth clubs and outdoor activities :D I’m in a much better spot now than the last 10-11 months.
I’m going to write more today! I’m so glad you like this! I miss ya <3
Well look at you go, Gally! Sounds like you’re having a blast with life at the moment. Hope it keeps up!
I’m just glad to have another chapter for us to behold. :) Another lovely piece, Gally – my one critique is a personal peeve of mine, that being the extensive use of exclamation points. I always advise to use as few as possible…but on the scheme of things, that’s a pretty minor editors note, so if you don’t agree, whatever. Eee, poor Huxley…tragedy struck, and it struck hard.
Also, in reading through the comments, I will admit to a giggle on reading that an inspiration came from Ocarina of Time. Nice.
Thanks a ton for reading and giving me constructive criticism :] I’m very happy for both.
I looked back over it and did notice a lot of exclamation points in the beginning when they wake up and in the middle after they escape into the stairwell. I wanted to give the impression that they’re yelling at each other over the rumbling in the beginning, like it’s an earthquake, and that they’re hysterical with fear and anger when they’re in the stairwell. But I, too, don’t like too many exclamation marks, so I’ll cut back on some. Thanks again!
Haha, btw, really looking forward to the 3d remake of LOZ: Ocarina of Time on the 3DS. I read it’s going to include Master Quest, so I’m really excited!
A great new chapter. I have three main questions;
1. Who was Baxter? I would go back to read the past chapters but I’m stretched on time currently.
2. Was Jade a marine before the infection came to be? She seems to have incredible fighting skills, maybe she’s an infected and strength is her ability, hahaha.
3. I also forgot, what is driving the infected to go out and kill in the first place? Is that what happens when you become infected, just search for living beings to feast upon?
I’ll offer one criticism…
“Huxley’s head fell forward and his hair rained over his face. Jade didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t blame a man for trying to protect someone close to him. She might’ve tried to do the same thing if she were in his place.”
Umm…Hasn’t Jade been doing anything she can to protect Beatrix? Why is it any different for Huxley wanting to protect his sister? Quite hypocritical of Jade in my opinion, if the man wanted to die protecting his sister that should have been his right, because I’m sure Jade would have done the same for Beatrix.
*Takes douche-baggery critic mask off*
I loved this chapter Gally. I know you have been busy lately with preparing for going to Korea and saying your goodbyes, but I would love some illustrations on what the infected look like. The descriptions are great, and it does allow us to use our imaginations to fill in the blanks, but I like to see what I piss my pants over (metaphorically speaking).
Keep the good work coming…
Mr. Mojo Risin
Haha, thanks! Glad you could make it here despite being busy :3
Okay, so Baxter was the first person they met in Bethune. He took Beatrix hostage and Jade kicked his ass. Then the infected found them, Jade and Beatrix ran away, and Huxley saved the day, but they don’t know what happened to Baxter.
Nah, Jade wasn’t a Marine, although that’s a funny thought. She’s had a tough past, so maybe that has something to do with it ;]
The infecteds’ origin and purpose remain a mystery, so you’ll just have to read more! You can assume, though, that like all living things, consumption and reproduction are part of their agenda.
For the last part, I think you might’ve misread? It’s saying exactly what you’re saying; she DOESN’T blame him for what he did, she WOULD do the same thing. That’s why she agreed to bring him along for the ride.
As for illustrations, yes! I’ve been meaning to draw the characters and the infected so you can see what they look like and get a size reference for the different monster types. I’ll get around to it eventually, definitely after I move though.
Thanks again! Very glad you enjoyed this!
Ohhhh thats right, I remember that part just did not recall his name.
Yeah Jade can handle herself, all while protecting Beatrix, so a badass chick like the writer :).
I see, I was just curious why they are specifically after humans (though they could be after other living creatures to eat and survive, guess I don’t really know the specifics on that)
What I meant originally was that Jade and Beatrix prevented Huxley from going back after his sister in the first place, she was far from them, but her life was still intact while they were pulling him away (don’t know why I’m making it such a big deal, I just think if Beatrix was hiding behind a box about to be devoured and Huxley tried preventing Jade from saving her, she would’ve kicked his ass to get to her is all).
Illustrations would be great, and would offer a further reason to make this into an anime series or movie :).
By the way, I’m sorry to hear people have already written you off before leaving, you would think with someone as awesome as you they’d use the time they had to hang with you, but no reason to concern yourself with those individuals, their loss :).
That will be a nice day when you are reunited with Nick. Maybe Jade won’t be so pissed after her character reference is with her husband again, haha kidding.
It’s always good to hear from you and see what you’ve been up to Gally, a shame you guys weren’t able to come visit California, I would have had fun headbanging with you and Nick.
Til’ next time,
Mr. Mojo Risin
Haha, your comments are always awesome.
Man, my novel getting published AND getting made into a movie? I think I’d piss myself from joy. That’d be a dream come true :D First thing’s first, though: I gotta finish my manuscript.
It’s strange that being around positive people can help unleash my creativity, and being around negative people can bottle it up. Just goes to show you it’s not worth your time to bother with crappy people. I can only imagine living with Nick again will inspire me even more :3 But don’t worry, Jade will still be all angsty and stuff XD
Ya know, CA may be in our future again, even if only for a visit. So don’t cross out head-banding madness yet!
Hey Gally,
It’s been a while since I’ve stopped by! Just had a read through many of your posts I’ve missed and realised I really have to come back a whole lot more often, I’ve missed your words!
Much love,
B
xo
Thanks for stopping by, Bianca! I’m glad you enjoy my writing and look forward to seeing you back :]
I finally made it, Gally! Well, I came by earlier in the week and read the story but then got called away before I could comment.
It’s hard to talk about the character development as it’s a long time since I read the last episode. Certainly I feel Huxley is a much clearer person now. I also like the two ‘monsters’.
The dialogue feels much sharper in this episode, Gally.
So, keep writing and publishing here. Big badass hugs to you and the cats!
I’m so glad you made it!
I’m definitely taking time to focus more on descriptions and dialogue because I realized I didn’t do so well in the previous chapters. I gotta go back and polish up some things so I have stronger beginning chapters :] I hope this one was better.
Huxley is becoming so fun to write, probably because he’s sarcastic but not an ass, and he’s got a lot of potential within this little group that’s forming. The next chapter I’m writing is even more fun and will be posted soon!
This story is gathering some serious pace now.
Great job.
You put conversation into a story so much better than my past feeble attempts
Thanks a lot! I agree, I think it’s gaining momentum. I felt the shift as I was finishing this up :] The next chapter will have lots more dialogue!
It has been a while since I visited. Apologies for that, can’t say I’ve been busy but I wanted to give a proper amount of time to read this, rather than in a hurry.
I like the way your story is turning out, interesting twist in the tale here. I can’t wait to read more. The monsters sure are scary, and now the suspense has increased a lot. I really want to know where this is going. Keep posting!!
Thanks a lot for reading! I’m glad you like this chapter and think the monsters are scary :D The next chapter will be done soon, so I look forward to hearing your thoughts again!
Hey, good to hear from you. Glad you are having fun. Keep writing! Its a struggle with so much going on, but keep at it. You have talent!
It’s great to hear from you too! Thanks so much for the words of encouragement, Sandra. I feel so scatterbrained sometimes, it’s hard to focus on writing. But I will keep going!