At this point, Zayne has been missing for about four months... in cannibal country. It can be reasonably assumed that Zayne will not be making another appearance in Vincent's storyline.
Oh, poor Zayne. I mean, it makes sense, considering how long he has been missing, though it is still sad. Four months without any sign of life sound pretty much like a death sentence in cannibal country. Was this determinant on one of our past votes, or was there no chance to save him?
I can also say that approaching the group on the road would have led to a worse outcome. Basically, Vincent would have fallen down the hill pretty pitifully, been robbed by the group at the road and then left for dead. This wouldn't have changed the group's fate, though.
Wow, I had a feeling it would have went a bit like that. Screw these guys then, it appears they had it coming. That said, there is little doubt that the people who murdered them are even worse. Sounds like Vincent is the only half-decent guy left in the region.
On a different note, Vincent's storyline is going to tie into the Laredo storyline to a great effect by Act IV. Perhaps not in the ways you've speculated. Chapter 14 or 15 will build on this.
My first guess would be that it has something to do with the community James mentioned and that they and maybe Vincent as well will either pose a threat to the Laredo group or will become allies against an even bigger threat.
On another note, congratulations for 2000 comments! May there be many more to follow
Even more murder It appears the chapter title relates to both storylines. It's sad when it can be said as a positive thing that the corpses… more haven't been eaten by cannibals. Vincent really is in a lot of trouble and I'm afraid Zayne is in even bigger trouble. I wonder if Vince is ever going to find him alive, considering that he is seemingly in a completely different area now. Anyways, I have the slight feeling that the murder of these men might be related to the stuff that happened to James. Perhaps the Fox Mask Guy is some sort of serial killer who tortures his victims whenever he has the time to do so.
At this point, Zayne has been missing for about four months... in cannibal country. It can be reasonably assumed that Zayne will not be making another appearance in Vincent's storyline.
I can also say that approaching the group on the road would have led to a worse outcome. Basically, Vincent would have fallen down the hill pretty… [view original content]
Was this determinant on one of our past votes, or was there no chance to save him?
Way back Zayne was presented with the option of staying with Vincent for the extended future. Instead, the option to leave once he had fully recovered was chosen. Had the former been picked, they would not have been separated. It's been so long, though, I can't remember specifics.
Sounds like Vincent is the only half-decent guy left in the region.
Half is the key word here. He did murder four men, unprovoked, with little chance of Zayne actually being with them. While it's unlikely they were good people, it's no question: Vincent murdered them.
On another note, congratulations for 2000 comments! May there be many more to follow
Indeed! Coincidently, my reply to your other comment was my 4500th. :^)
At this point, Zayne has been missing for about four months... in cannibal country. It can be reasonably assumed that Zayne will not be maki… moreng another appearance in Vincent's storyline.
Oh, poor Zayne. I mean, it makes sense, considering how long he has been missing, though it is still sad. Four months without any sign of life sound pretty much like a death sentence in cannibal country. Was this determinant on one of our past votes, or was there no chance to save him?
I can also say that approaching the group on the road would have led to a worse outcome. Basically, Vincent would have fallen down the hill pretty pitifully, been robbed by the group at the road and then left for dead. This wouldn't have changed the group's fate, though.
Wow, I had a feeling it would have went a bit like that. Screw these guys then, it appears they had it coming. That said, there is little doubt that the people who murdered them are even wo… [view original content]
I just got back from Louisiana after seeing family like the day before yesterday. Well, technically the day before that, but I was there for a week.
It's kind of funny. I hadn't refreshed my memory on the geography and forgot that the Mississippi river divided the two states. So I thought I was in Louisiana for the first day or so of staying at the hotel. Luckily, I got corrected by a family member, who already know I'm dumb, and didn't make myself look silly in front of someone else.
As for the relationships, I figured that Danny and Calvin had this close relationship, it would be awful for Danny to see Calvin as a zombie. Looking into it, I can sort of see how refusing would alter Jake's relationship with Maria, but it might not be as clear to me. Anyyyways, glad we chose right.
Since Maria and Danny are so close, it would have affected her kind of by association. I can't say what would have exactly happened, as it's a spoiler, but let's just say she would have kept her distance from Jake.
Also, I noticed you asked a while ago about what would have happened if Maria looked for Calvin. I forgot to address it, but I can't really talk about what would have happened, sorry!
I just got back from Louisiana after seeing family like the day before yesterday. Well, technically the day before that, but I was there for… more a week.
As for the relationships, I figured that Danny and Calvin had this close relationship, it would be awful for Danny to see Calvin as a zombie. Looking into it, I can sort of see how refusing would alter Jake's relationship with Maria, but it might not be as clear to me. Anyyyways, glad we chose right.
It's kind of funny. I hadn't refreshed my memory on the geography and forgot that the Mississippi river divided the two states. So I thought I was in Louisiana for the first day or so of staying at the hotel. Luckily, I got corrected by a family member, who already know I'm dumb, and didn't make myself look silly in front of someone else.
Honestly, I had no idea of that before, but it's something good to know, considering I head out of Texas every summer and once a week every winter. Thinking on it, I should probably look more into the states that I frequently visit.
Since Maria and Danny are so close, it would have affected her kind of by association. I can't say what would have exactly happened, as it's a spoiler, but let's just say she would have kept her distance from Jake.
Oh, I see now. Not what I was thinking, but it makes more sense than what I was thinking. In my opinion, preserving the relationships that one day might save Jake's life, is more important than taking a chance on evidence that might not even be there in the first place.
Also, I noticed you asked a while ago about what would have happened if Maria looked for Calvin. I forgot to address it, but I can't really talk about what would have happened, sorry!
I just got back from Louisiana after seeing family like the day before yesterday. Well, technically the day before that, but I was there for… more a week.
It's kind of funny. I hadn't refreshed my memory on the geography and forgot that the Mississippi river divided the two states. So I thought I was in Louisiana for the first day or so of staying at the hotel. Luckily, I got corrected by a family member, who already know I'm dumb, and didn't make myself look silly in front of someone else.
As for the relationships, I figured that Danny and Calvin had this close relationship, it would be awful for Danny to see Calvin as a zombie. Looking into it, I can sort of see how refusing would alter Jake's relationship with Maria, but it might not be as clear to me. Anyyyways, glad we chose right.
Since Maria and Danny are so close, it would have affected her kind of by association. I can't say what would have exactly happened, as it's a… [view original content]
I'm very sorry for the delay and I am also sorry that this will likely be mistaken for new activity. I'm experiencing a lot of writer's block, but I've started reading more actively (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Blood of Elves) in hopes that it will alleviate the writer's block. I'll not to go radio silent for so long again.
Take your time Hope, it's alright. I know the end result is totally worth the wait Here's hoping you're finding your inspiration again soon, because I'm totally excited for more Monument. I can't get enough of this wonderful story. But at the same time, writer's block is bad and should be gone first. The books you mentioned are amazing. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my favourites and I have recently finished Blood of Elves as well and found it to be wonderful. They should be able to help overcoming your writer's block.
Small Update:
I'm very sorry for the delay and I am also sorry that this will likely be mistaken for new activity. I'm experiencing a lot… more of writer's block, but I've started reading more actively (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Blood of Elves) in hopes that it will alleviate the writer's block. I'll not to go radio silent for so long again.
I've been having trouble with making an immediate continuation of this chapter so I'm calling it. Chapter Thirteen: Murderer is closed. Fourteen will continue things very soon, likely this week! Be prepared for a shift in landscape and tone in Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, coming soon!
Yes, this is cool Red Cloud sounds interesting but also dangerous. I am curious about the shift of lanscape. Maybe we will see a new location in Vincents part of the story.
The Final Update:
I've been having trouble with making an immediate continuation of this chapter so I'm calling it. Chapter Thirteen: Mur… morederer is closed. Fourteen will continue things very soon, likely this week! Be prepared for a shift in landscape and tone in Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, coming soon!
Chapter 14: Red Cloud, Part 1: The air smelt of rancid flesh. It was the sickening indication of an as yet unseen horde that had everyone in the expedition on edge.
The group traveled by the cool darkness of night because the smell was unbearable during the day’s heat. The barren land stretched out like a desert, and it was already morning. James signaled for the group to stop with a closed fist. A few pieces of human structure were ahead.
“Kurt, Danny—you two check the back of those silos. The rest of you follow me.”
James led; Domenick, Tom, Violet, Maria, Asher, Sasha and Jerome followed.
Kurt and Danny returned with nothing to say and began assisting the others in gutting an old portable house to make room for the whole group. In half an hour the ground outside had been littered with accumulated trash and any piece of furniture that couldn’t be slept on.
As the work wound down, Kurt retrieved some incense from his backpack, which—after ransacking a few shops in the past week when the smell had first become prevalent—was mostly filled with an absurd amount of scented products. He passed several sticks between the nine other occupants.
Sleep was difficult. The incense offered little relief, and half of them suffered insomnia caused by the stench outside. They passed the hot day by resting, reading, and snacking on hard candy—once again to try to alleviate the smell. By dusk James deemed it practical to set out and they packed up and continued northwestward along the road as the the day cooled off.
That night the smell was at its worse yet. By the light of early morning, they came to the realization that they had been walking among the smell’s source for an untold portion of the night.
Gross pieces of flesh littered the road—where the bile was most visible—and an unknown area around the road. A horde of massive proportions had been there within the week. Members of the group split in different directions but ultimately the horde’s bearing and girth could not be determined before it became unbearable.
They built a fire in the heat of day in order to discuss their options while feeling slightly less quessy. They gathered around it, letting their clothes soak in the smoke, to breathe something that wasn’t absolutely revoting.
“A whole week…” Tom spat into the fire, resisting the urge to vomit, his saliva sickening to swallow.
“I would guess,” Kurt said miserably, “that we’ve been traveling alongside it.” He glanced at James through the nipping flames. “What do we do?”
James drew on a cigarette in an attempt to delay his answer. He didn’t expect it to be popular. “We’ll continue. There’s no other option.”
“Like hell there isn’t,” Sasha muttered frustratedly and with nausea.
James studied her expression as he drew again. He exhaled, said: “We can’t go back. We wouldn’t survive the return trip.” The rest of the group appeared too exhausted—and appalled by the stench—for James to gauge their reactions. “We’ll follow the road until we see the herd. Until that, we can’t make meaningful adjustments to our course. We just gotta get eyes on the herd.”
“We shouldn’t treat this as a herd,” Danny whispered.
“Hmm?” James prodded without much interest.
Danny glanced over his shoulder at the trampled farmhouse property two hundred meters away and most of those at the fire tried not to do the same. “I don’t know. The size of this thing is goddamn biblical.”
There was a long silence. James flicked his used cigarette in the fire and stood. “I’m not disagreeing with you. It’s obviously fuckin’ monumental. We can’t, however, go running back to Texas with our tails between our legs just as soon as trouble’s looming.” James rose—followed by everyone, some more reluctantly than others—and kicked at the fire. “We’ll continue,” he huffed. “Once we’ve got eyes on it, we can take a detour to avoid it.”
To be continued...
A few notes:
The expedition is set in the present, as well as any sections that are not formatted in any special way. The following parts will contain sections that are set in the past which will be entirely italizied to signifiy the difference.
Tom (named Tommy in submission) is a different character entirely from the one who appeared previously. This character is the brother of Domenick.
Finally, I didn't intend to post so late in the week (or this late in the day, for that matter). I'm going to try to have the next part come around sooner, but there's a lot I have to work out with the new plotline. I'm gonna try to make the new part and release it in a timely manner! This one was very short, I know. But so far, so good :^D
Whoa, such a timeskip was the last thing I expected. And it must have been a relatively large timeskip, considering that James is able to undergo such a journey. He also seemed to have done something to earn the trust of the others, which must have taken its time as well, so... I guess we're talking about at least a month or more here. At the same time, the timeskip certainly worries me, since Josie and Jake are nowhere to be seen here and since there has been a murderer on the loose the last time we saw them. It is safe to say, I'm scared, which probably is nothing new. At least their absence is not automatically an indicator that something bad happened, since one of James' comments hinted at the Laredo community still existing and since someone has to stay behind to lead. Josie and Jake are both part of this council, so neither is in a position to lead an expedition to Colorado (as I see from the character list). I just hope that they will survive whatever is going on at Laredo this moment and I am certainly anxious for these flashbacks.
Now, the part itself got me wondering why exactly James leads this group to Colorado. I guess he is looking for his old community, but I have no idea why. Maybe Laredo needs their help. It can't be anything sinister, since he got Maria, Danny and Nightcrawler with him, who are good people. I also see that Sasha and Asher are with him, we got our first glimpse of Violet after the timeskip, as well as Dom and Tom, whom I remember from another story. And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the character list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
Anyway, the nature of the expedition got me wondering. He mentioned they can't just run back to Laredo at the first sign of danger, which almost sounded as if they were forced, but at the same time, I can't imagine that this would actually happen. It must be something else and I probably misinterpreted his line. But well, I am overjoye that the story is back I am especially anxious for the sections set in the past, as they should explain what exactly is going on there. My guess would be that James managed to stop the killer and earned the trust of Laredo, enough to allow them to lead an expedition to Colorado for whatever reason. But you got me, once again, afraid for what happened to the others that have not appeared here. Especially to Josie of course, but I am also nervous for the lack of Jake, Ashley and Atlanta in this part. I can't wait for the next parts, I'm looking forward for them and I'm scared at the same time
Chapter 14: Red Cloud, Part 1: The air smelt of rancid flesh. It was the sickening indication of an as yet unseen horde that had everyone in… more the expedition on edge.
The group traveled by the cool darkness of night because the smell was unbearable during the day’s heat. The barren land stretched out like a desert, and it was already morning. James signaled for the group to stop with a closed fist. A few pieces of human structure were ahead.
“Kurt, Danny—you two check the back of those silos. The rest of you follow me.”
James led; Domenick, Tom, Violet, Maria, Asher, Sasha and Jerome followed.
Kurt and Danny returned with nothing to say and began assisting the others in gutting an old portable house to make room for the whole group. In half an hour the ground outside had been littered with accumulated trash and any piece of furniture that couldn’t be slept on.
As the work wound down, Kurt retrieved some incense from his backpack,… [view original content]
And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the character list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
I recall that Jerry, since he kind of did some "questionable" things to some people who are still around in the group, uses the name Jerome so they don't realize Jerry is among them. At least, I think that's the case. Maybe his real name is in fact Jerome.
Whoa, such a timeskip was the last thing I expected. And it must have been a relatively large timeskip, considering that James is able to un… moredergo such a journey. He also seemed to have done something to earn the trust of the others, which must have taken its time as well, so... I guess we're talking about at least a month or more here. At the same time, the timeskip certainly worries me, since Josie and Jake are nowhere to be seen here and since there has been a murderer on the loose the last time we saw them. It is safe to say, I'm scared, which probably is nothing new. At least their absence is not automatically an indicator that something bad happened, since one of James' comments hinted at the Laredo community still existing and since someone has to stay behind to lead. Josie and Jake are both part of this council, so neither is in a position to lead an expedition to Colorado (as I see from the character list). I just hope that they will … [view original content]
And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the character list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
As InGen said, Jerry ran into Natalie in (I think) chapter eleven and introduced himself as Jerome to keep his identity a secret. Everyone outside of a very small group would know him as Jerome. It's been a while, so I'll remind you in case you forgot, that Josephine suspects Natalie knows that Jerry is still alive. He wouldn't abandon the monocle while others in the expedition could potentially report back to her.
Anyway, the nature of the expedition got me wondering. He mentioned they can't just run back to Laredo at the first sign of danger, which almost sounded as if they were forced, but at the same time, I can't imagine that this would actually happen. It must be something else and I probably misinterpreted his line.
To fix any confusion, James briefly mentioned that they wouldn't survive the return trip; I haven't intentionally implied they were forced on the trip. And by the "first sign of danger" line, he is saying this is the first real threat to the expedition that they are facing and that they shouldn't turn back.
But well, I am overjoye that the story is back I am especially anxious for the sections set in the past, as they should explain what exactly is going on there. My guess would be that James managed to stop the killer and earned the trust of Laredo, enough to allow them to lead an expedition to Colorado for whatever reason. But you got me, once again, afraid for what happened to the others that have not appeared here. Especially to Josie of course, but I am also nervous for the lack of Jake, Ashley and Atlanta in this part. I can't wait for the next parts, I'm looking forward for them and I'm scared at the same time
Most of the new developments that occurred during the brief time skip will be revealed in the flashbacks and interactions between the members of the expedition. I'm really happy to return to Monument and am looking forward to delving into some of the things I've got cooked up!
Whoa, such a timeskip was the last thing I expected. And it must have been a relatively large timeskip, considering that James is able to un… moredergo such a journey. He also seemed to have done something to earn the trust of the others, which must have taken its time as well, so... I guess we're talking about at least a month or more here. At the same time, the timeskip certainly worries me, since Josie and Jake are nowhere to be seen here and since there has been a murderer on the loose the last time we saw them. It is safe to say, I'm scared, which probably is nothing new. At least their absence is not automatically an indicator that something bad happened, since one of James' comments hinted at the Laredo community still existing and since someone has to stay behind to lead. Josie and Jake are both part of this council, so neither is in a position to lead an expedition to Colorado (as I see from the character list). I just hope that they will … [view original content]
As InGen said, Jerry ran into Natalie in (I think) chapter eleven and introduced himself as Jerome to keep his identity a secret. Everyone outside of a very small group would know him as Jerome. It's been a while, so I'll remind you in case you forgot, that Josephine suspects Natalie knows that Jerry is still alive. He wouldn't abandon the monocle while others in the expedition could potentially report back to her.
I remember this now and it makes sense. I have failed to come to the conclusion that this was written from James' subjective PoV, but now it makes a lot more sense. I was just totally shocked because I saw Jerry in Colorado and this Jerome mentioned, especially since Jerry can easily be a nickname for Jerome. That said, now that I think about it, he could have come up with a better fake name, one that has nothing at all to do with Jerry XD Can't blame him though, since he had to come up with it on the spot if I'm not mistaken, back when he first encountered Natalie.
To fix any confusion, James briefly mentioned that they wouldn't survive the return trip; I haven't intentionally implied they were forced on the trip. And by the "first sign of danger" line, he is saying this is the first real threat to the expedition that they are facing and that they shouldn't turn back.
Ah, alright, I understand it now. Now I'm even more curious what made them undertake such a dangerous mission, knowing that they might not be able to return. The situation as Laredo must be really dire if they send some of their best people (and Danny and Maria certainly are among their best). And with James as the leader, it must have something to do with his people. Perhaps there are certain supplies the Laredo community needs, which James' group has.
Most of the new developments that occurred during the brief time skip will be revealed in the flashbacks and interactions between the members of the expedition. I'm really happy to return to Monument and am looking forward to delving into some of the things I've got cooked up!
Okay, so the timeskip was brief. I guess it still must have been long enough for James to recover from the brink of death to the point where he can lead a physically demanding expedition, but I of course don't know how badass the guy is. From the way it sounds, he's very badass. And well, again, I can't even put into words how excited I am for this
And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the chara… morecter list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
As InGen said, Jerry ran into Natalie in (I think) chapter eleven and introduced himself as Jerome to keep his identity a secret. Everyone outside of a very small group would know him as Jerome. It's been a while, so I'll remind you in case you forgot, that Josephine suspects Natalie knows that Jerry is still alive. He wouldn't abandon the monocle while others in the expedition could potentially report back to her.
Anyway, the nature of the expedition got me wondering. He mentioned they can't just run back to Laredo at the first sign of danger,… [view original content]
Hmmm so I've got a question now. It might seem obvious, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Unless it does. Then I'm sorry.
Anyways, the character list says the expedition group is located in Colorado, but James says he was attacked in New Mexico and there was a brief mention of Arizona, so why are they in Colorado? Couldn't they just have gone to New Mexico through the panhandle or go to Arizona through New Mexico?
Though, there's probably something obvious that I'm missing.
And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the chara… morecter list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
As InGen said, Jerry ran into Natalie in (I think) chapter eleven and introduced himself as Jerome to keep his identity a secret. Everyone outside of a very small group would know him as Jerome. It's been a while, so I'll remind you in case you forgot, that Josephine suspects Natalie knows that Jerry is still alive. He wouldn't abandon the monocle while others in the expedition could potentially report back to her.
Anyway, the nature of the expedition got me wondering. He mentioned they can't just run back to Laredo at the first sign of danger,… [view original content]
James was attacked in New Mexico, but I didn't say his group was located there. James himself says "I'd traveled from the border of southern Colorado to the southern border of New Mexico." And it was mentioned that James was a police officer in Arizona before the zombie apocalypse, which doesn't relate to the expedition or his group's base of operations.
Hmmm so I've got a question now. It might seem obvious, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Unless it does. Then I'm sorry.
Anyways, the characte… morer list says the expedition group is located in Colorado, but James says he was attacked in New Mexico and there was a brief mention of Arizona, so why are they in Colorado? Couldn't they just have gone to New Mexico through the panhandle or go to Arizona through New Mexico?
Though, there's probably something obvious that I'm missing.
It's perfectly okay to ask a question! :^D
James was attacked in New Mexico, but I didn't say his group was located there. James himself … moresays "I'd traveled from the border of southern Colorado to the southern border of New Mexico." And it was mentioned that James was a police officer in Arizona before the zombie apocalypse, which doesn't relate to the expedition or his group's base of operations.
I finally caught up. What an emotional Roller Coaster! I may need therapy.
I love this story and can't believe I didn't check it out sooner. You are brilliant!
New chapter hype! And I was almost correct with my guess about a new landscape. This mission James and the others are undergoing sounds interesting and I look forward to learn more of it and of the things that happened during the timeskip. Lets hope nothing too bad happened.
Chapter 14: Red Cloud, Part 1: The air smelt of rancid flesh. It was the sickening indication of an as yet unseen horde that had everyone in… more the expedition on edge.
The group traveled by the cool darkness of night because the smell was unbearable during the day’s heat. The barren land stretched out like a desert, and it was already morning. James signaled for the group to stop with a closed fist. A few pieces of human structure were ahead.
“Kurt, Danny—you two check the back of those silos. The rest of you follow me.”
James led; Domenick, Tom, Violet, Maria, Asher, Sasha and Jerome followed.
Kurt and Danny returned with nothing to say and began assisting the others in gutting an old portable house to make room for the whole group. In half an hour the ground outside had been littered with accumulated trash and any piece of furniture that couldn’t be slept on.
As the work wound down, Kurt retrieved some incense from his backpack,… [view original content]
I finally caught up. What an emotional Roller Coaster! I may need therapy.
I love this story and can't believe I didn't check it out sooner. You are brilliant!
Still accepting character submissions?
I finally caught up. What an emotional Roller Coaster! I may need therapy.
I love this story and can't believe I didn't check it out sooner. You are brilliant!
Still accepting character submissions?
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 2: The expedition traveled in single file across the offensive-smelling plain until they reached another in a long series of pit stops: Lamar, CO. Dusk was upon them. Everyone was tired and ready to collapse after walking for almost twenty-four hours.
There was little to question that they were the only living occupants of the small town as they searched for some kind of shelter that hadn’t been demolished. Corpses lurked under the debris in starved hibernation while a few wandered the surface in pursuit of the living who elude them easily.
James led the group to a brick building that had previously belonged to the local government and had weathered the storm. Its first floor was torn apart and covered with trash, which spilled into the lawn, and it reeked of lurkers and rotten flesh. They explored cautiously, and Domenick came upon a suspicious alcove that housed a door. He approached, knife ready, and carefully prodded with his heavy boots at the gross pile of rubbish that was collected there. When he found nothing, he opened the door to find a small, claustrophobic stairway that led up into darkness.
Domenick shouted and they came to his location in pairs. James pushed his way to the front of the group—conscious of the trash—and looked up the stairs. He brandished his knife. “Dom, you’re with me. The rest of you wait.”
As the others loitered outside, James led the ascension quietly while Domenick followed an arm’s width apart. At the top of the stairs, a door on the righthand side opened up to a large but low-ceiled room. They spread out, and James found a curtain in the darkness and threw it opened; he gagged on the hundreds of motes of dust which spun into the thin evening light. James coughed for a bit while Domenick waited for him, unamused.
The upper floor had not been disturbed—at least by the dead—in a long time. The greatest indication was the much more subdued odor. The duo searched for a while longer and turned up nothing, then James leaned out into the stairwell, smirking slightly.
“It’s a little dusty,” he declared, “but not unpleasant. Finish up your business downstairs, then we’ll closing that damned doorway for the night.”
There came a whisper that broke the utter silence: “Did you know about this place?”
James was the designated guard at this time—propped against the wall in a sitting position—and his eyes shot up. He looked for the asker and found the woman named Violet staring at him from several feet away, resting away from the others, using her backpack as a makeshift pillow like everyone else did. He didn’t recall her speaking for much of the expedition and didn’t know what to make of her.
“Sorta,” he said with a frankness perhaps brought on by fatigue. “I told you people I wasn’t the only one my group sent out. There were half a dozen of us.” He smiled sadly. “We’re just now traveling up one of their routes…”
“Did you know this person?” she asked.
James remembered that others could be listening, and his recollection created a momentary hesitation that he was sure Violet picked up on. “Yeah,” James finally murmured to fill the void. “I knew ‘em all.”
Silence ensued and James waited for her to ask another question, but then hesaw her dark silhouette shifting onto its side. Then, when he had thought the conversation had ended, she asked: “Are you hoping to find the one who follow this route?”
“A little,” he replied soberly.
Violet didn’t speak again, but she seemed to... settle peacefully.
Half an hour later James woke Asher to take his place. He tried to get some rest but was kept awake a while longer, wondering what had befell the others like him. He wanted to believe they had completed their goal and returned to home base safely, but he was worried some didn’t survive. He wondered if he was the unluckiest or luckiest.
Eventually he slept, but his wonderings turned into unpleasant dreams about roads, towns trampled by an army, and a relentless stalker.
Two square coffee tables now replaced the round one used by the council during their meetings, and they sat twelve people. James laid a bundle of papers on the table for his nine companions to see, as well as Jake and Josephine. “I gotta thank you all for coming,” he said. “I know a few of you are still hesitant... and perhaps resistant... to enact this, but I assure you...”
“The maps,” Josephine said. “Let’s get on with this.”
“Alright, yeah... Here…” He removed a few maps from the bundle and unfolded them on top of one another in accordance to relevance. The state of Texas sat on top. He rested his finger on Laredo and retraced the highlighted roads. “Here we are, moving at least twenty miles per day if the weather and, let’s say, wildlife permit it. We take Route 83 up toward Abilene, switch over to Highway 153, find our way to Route 84 across the panhandle, then Route 385.” He rotated maps. “We’ll take that through the Oklahoma panhandle”—and again, he switched the maps—”and then make our way to Lamar . . . Finally, we’ll take Route 50 towards Colorado Springs.”
“That’s at least nine hundred miles,” Jake said. He was very much part of the planning process. “Forty-five days at the very least. To be safe, we’re anticipating it taking two months, and your provisions will reflect that.”
“If you want to do this, you need to leave this week,” Josephine said with an undertone of distaste—she nursed an open disdain for the expedition, but she knew her opinion was mute at this point and choose to try to better their chances rather than potentially let it fail. “Scott’s scouts have found three plots of farmland out of the five originally planned, and they're getting ready to act within the month. You have to act now, or else you might not be able to secure extra supplies.”
“Odds are you're going to be very reliant on scavenging,” Jake said. “Ideally, you’ll be scavenging first and using your supplies second. If for some reason you run out of packed supplies, which is possible but unlikely, and are incredibly, batshit unlucky… you’re all well and truly fucked. And at a certain point, it’s gonna be impossible to turn back.”
That statement instilled awkward, hesitant glances from several of James’s companions, and he realized they were looking at him. Hearing it said out loud again, even James felt the small rise of anxiety in his stomach. “I assure you,” he said quickly and with a tone of actual assurance, “that we’ll reach Colorado Springs within two months.”
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 2: The expedition traveled in single file across the offensive-smelling plain until they reached another i… moren a long series of pit stops: Lamar, CO. Dusk was upon them. Everyone was tired and ready to collapse after walking for almost twenty-four hours.
There was little to question that they were the only living occupants of the small town as they searched for some kind of shelter that hadn’t been demolished. Corpses lurked under the debris in starved hibernation while a few wandered the surface in pursuit of the living who elude them easily.
James led the group to a brick building that had previously belonged to the local government and had weathered the storm. Its first floor was torn apart and covered with trash, which spilled into the lawn, and it reeked of lurkers and rotten flesh. They explored cautiously, and Domenick came upon a suspicious alcove that housed a door. He approached, knife ready, and… [view original content]
This situation is getting more and more intriguing. First of all, I believe this was the first time Violet even spoke since the timeskip XD Not that I have missed her so terribly, but I'm still relatively glad to see that she's still around, apparently in a more important role even. James is also growing on me, by now I am almost convinced that he is not a psychopath. This means, Fox Mask Guy from the Act 2 Epilogue is almost certainly confirmed as a genuinely bad guy then. I wonder if he had anything to do with the events of Vincent's storyline, or if James and co. are going to run into him. But anyways, the expedition has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward for it
And the flashback part was very interesting. I'm highly relieved to see that Jake and Josie have apparently still been alright by the time the expedition was about to start. But whatever the reason for this expedition, it is obviously urgent enough that Josie is willing to risk it despite her highly negative opinion on it. That is concerning, especially as I'm still not entirely sure why they are doing this. Perhaps there's a severe shortage of supplies? With the expedition group apparently not perfectly equipped and having to rely on scavenging, it seems like a possible theory. But considering the risk, I wouldn't be too surprised if that's not the entire reason for it.
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 2: The expedition traveled in single file across the offensive-smelling plain until they reached another i… moren a long series of pit stops: Lamar, CO. Dusk was upon them. Everyone was tired and ready to collapse after walking for almost twenty-four hours.
There was little to question that they were the only living occupants of the small town as they searched for some kind of shelter that hadn’t been demolished. Corpses lurked under the debris in starved hibernation while a few wandered the surface in pursuit of the living who elude them easily.
James led the group to a brick building that had previously belonged to the local government and had weathered the storm. Its first floor was torn apart and covered with trash, which spilled into the lawn, and it reeked of lurkers and rotten flesh. They explored cautiously, and Domenick came upon a suspicious alcove that housed a door. He approached, knife ready, and… [view original content]
This situation is getting more and more intriguing. First of all, I believe this was the first time Violet even spoke since the timeskip XD Not that I have missed her so terribly, but I'm still relatively glad to see that she's still around, apparently in a more important role even.
Yes, that's completely right. She hasn't appeared since the last act. Her role in this will likely still be a little subdued. If anything, she has an... interesting story to tell because of the consequences that befell during and after A Man Gone and Dogma.
James is also growing on me, by now I am almost convinced that he is not a psychopath. This means, Fox Mask Guy from the Act 2 Epilogue is almost certainly confirmed as a genuinely bad guy then. I wonder if he had anything to do with the events of Vincent's storyline, or if James and co. are going to run into him. But anyways, the expedition has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward for it
"I'm glad to have drawn your suspicions away from James" is probably the worst way for me to put to words that I'm happy you're beginning to trust him. Trust will be important. And you now what, I don't recall you ever proposing that Vincent is the guy in the fox mask, unless I've forgotten. Anyway, speaking of Vincent... we probably won't see him for a little bit... No correlation, obviously.
And the flashback part was very interesting. I'm highly relieved to see that Jake and Josie have apparently still been alright by the time the expedition was about to start. But whatever the reason for this expedition, it is obviously urgent enough that Josie is willing to risk it despite her highly negative opinion on it. That is concerning, especially as I'm still not entirely sure why they are doing this. Perhaps there's a severe shortage of supplies? With the expedition group apparently not perfectly equipped and having to rely on scavenging, it seems like a possible theory. But considering the risk, I wouldn't be too surprised if that's not the entire reason for it.
In case you've forgotten, it's been outright said a couple of times these last few chapters that the Laredo community is about to face a supply crisis if measures are not taken. Natalie and the scout coordinated (recently named as Scott) have their plan to divide the community into smaller, self-sufficient settlements. The expedition, as it has been revealed, is the product of the minds of James and Jake. The full intention of the expedition, however, has not been revealed.
This situation is getting more and more intriguing. First of all, I believe this was the first time Violet even spoke since the timeskip XD … moreNot that I have missed her so terribly, but I'm still relatively glad to see that she's still around, apparently in a more important role even. James is also growing on me, by now I am almost convinced that he is not a psychopath. This means, Fox Mask Guy from the Act 2 Epilogue is almost certainly confirmed as a genuinely bad guy then. I wonder if he had anything to do with the events of Vincent's storyline, or if James and co. are going to run into him. But anyways, the expedition has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward for it
And the flashback part was very interesting. I'm highly relieved to see that Jake and Josie have apparently still been alright by the time the expedition was about to start. But whatever the reason for this expedition, it is obviously urgent enough that Josie is willing… [view original content]
Great part! I am excited for the expedition now and to learn more about it. I start to like James, I think he is a good guy. Hope I am not wrong about him
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 2: The expedition traveled in single file across the offensive-smelling plain until they reached another i… moren a long series of pit stops: Lamar, CO. Dusk was upon them. Everyone was tired and ready to collapse after walking for almost twenty-four hours.
There was little to question that they were the only living occupants of the small town as they searched for some kind of shelter that hadn’t been demolished. Corpses lurked under the debris in starved hibernation while a few wandered the surface in pursuit of the living who elude them easily.
James led the group to a brick building that had previously belonged to the local government and had weathered the storm. Its first floor was torn apart and covered with trash, which spilled into the lawn, and it reeked of lurkers and rotten flesh. They explored cautiously, and Domenick came upon a suspicious alcove that housed a door. He approached, knife ready, and… [view original content]
As I said to Liquid, it's nice to see James is becoming well-liked. Plus, it really makes the storyline feel more consequential... and potentially much more gutting.
Great part! I am excited for the expedition now and to learn more about it. I start to like James, I think he is a good guy. Hope I am not wrong about him
Yes, that's completely right. She hasn't appeared since the last act. Her role in this will likely still be a little subdued. If anything, she has an... interesting story to tell because of the consequences that befell during and after A Man Gone and Dogma.
So she got consequences as well? Interesting. I must admit, I haven't put too much thought into her after Dogma, although I noticed her absence. It'll be interesting to learn what she's been up to during the timeskip. From her little talk with James, I guess there have been psychological consequences after learning just what a complete bastard her brother has been, especially since she seemed to have loved him very much before realizing his true nature. But since I don't know what she was up to, there might be more to it.
"I'm glad to have drawn your suspicions away from James" is probably the worst way for me to put to words that I'm happy you're beginning to trust him. Trust will be important. And you now what, I don't recall you ever proposing that Vincent is the guy in the fox mask, unless I've forgotten. Anyway, speaking of Vincent... we probably won't see him for a little bit... No correlation, obviously.
You are right, this is the worst way to put it XD But yeah, I think my initial suspicion seems highly unlikely now. Watch me totally regretting my words, once he sells Laredo out to his old community and personally executes Jake, Josie and the rest of the council. I think that is the only truly antagonistic act I could still see him doing by now, though it becomes increasingly less likely that he has bad intentions the more time we spend with him as the protagonist of these recent parts. And no, I never brought up the idea that Vincent is the Fox Mask Guy, I only speculated that Fox Mask Guy might be behind some of the events in Vincent's storyline. Maybe he is the leader of the cannibals that apparently ate Zayne and Rooster. Or he could be responsible for killing the people Vincent stumbled upon at the end of the last chapter. Although, now that you mention it, that would be a dramatic turn of events to have Vincent end up as Fox Mask Guy himself.
In case you've forgotten, it's been outright said a couple of times these last few chapters that the Laredo community is about to face a supply crisis if measures are not taken. Natalie and the scout coordinated (recently named as Scott) have their plan to divide the community into smaller, self-sufficient settlements. The expedition, as it has been revealed, is the product of the minds of James and Jake. The full intention of the expedition, however, has not been revealed.
I have indeed forgotten about this detail. How embarrassing But it makes sense, even though I can guess that there is more to the expedition of course. I have this theory that at least one side goal for the expedition will be to get Jerry away from Laredo. The last time we saw him, he wasn't exactly in the best condition, so the ones in charge (Josie and Jake most likely) must have had specific intentions when they chose him and I'm sure getting him away from Nathalie played a role in their decision.
This situation is getting more and more intriguing. First of all, I believe this was the first time Violet even spoke since the timeskip XD … moreNot that I have missed her so terribly, but I'm still relatively glad to see that she's still around, apparently in a more important role even.
Yes, that's completely right. She hasn't appeared since the last act. Her role in this will likely still be a little subdued. If anything, she has an... interesting story to tell because of the consequences that befell during and after A Man Gone and Dogma.
James is also growing on me, by now I am almost convinced that he is not a psychopath. This means, Fox Mask Guy from the Act 2 Epilogue is almost certainly confirmed as a genuinely bad guy then. I wonder if he had anything to do with the events of Vincent's storyline, or if James and co. are going to run into him. But anyways, the expedition has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward for it
… [view original content]
As I said to Liquid, it's nice to see James is becoming well-liked. Plus, it really makes the storyline feel more consequential... and potentially much more gutting.
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared their destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could ask, he announced, “Radio tower. It’s on.”
“The radio towers weren’t active when I left. This is a good sign.” James wetted his dry lips, staring expectantly at the approximate spot he’d seen the light but the clouds didn’t part again. He could feel the pangs of hunger reverberate within him. “Now, I haven’t been there myself, but there should be station near its base. It’ll be stocked with supplies.”
“We’ll talkin’ food?” Asher asked hopefully, casually leaning on his long rifle.
Kurt shook his head reluctantly. “Won’t it be occupied?”
James winced. “You’re right. Ten men and women knocking at the door in the dead of night won’t go over well. We’ll scare the operator half to death, and in all likelihood, we’ll get ourselves shot.”
The group exchanged glances and grimaces as they contemplated the remaining walk to Colorado Springs. They were already running on fumes, walking on blistered feet, and forcing their aching muscles onward. There was little doubt that they would reach the city tomorrow, but there were still many unknowns that hung over them. Plainly aware of their current physical—and mental—state, they worried they wouldn’t be able to face those unknowns, if they arose.
“Maybe,” Asher proposed, “it will be better to make contact on a smaller scale.”
“Assuming we’re not shot on sight,” Maria said. “I don’t see the added benefit.”
Asher shrugged. “Our arrival at their main base will be really tension-heavy. If we get out by radio that’s it’s just good ol’ James back with some friends, we’ll avoid that and maybe any potential misunderstandings.”
“Between making contact at the radio station or the main gate,” Kurt said, “the former seems needlessly hazardous.”
Domenick, having lit cigarette, tapped the end in the direction of the hills. “We are not traveling those hills in the dark,” he stated. “And we look like a bunch of malnourished marauders to boot.”
“The worst kind to find knocking,” Kurt whispered.
“Given our appearance, we could almost just as easily get shot at the main gate.” Domenick sighed a long cloud of smoke, cigarette hanging in his mouth, lighting his darkly lit face up in a weak ember glow that emphasized his stiff—perhaps dead—features. His frown was unrelenting as usual and perpetuated a dark mood. “I’d rather take my chances against one person if things go wrong.” Judging by his upset expression, Domenick could see that James took some offense to that. He shrugged, drew a puff, and softly said, “Sorry.”
James shook his head, unfortunately. “I see your point, as much as I dislike it.” He stretched his tired limbs, cuing the dreadful yet oddly enjoyable popping of his joints. “Are putting to this to vote, or is it my decision as guide?”
“I’ll trust your judgment,” Kurt said. Everyone else agreed.
Sasha, stirring gravel with her boot absentmindedly, asked that he not get them all shot. Jerome and Maria echoed this sentiment. He smiled sarcastically and agreed.
James considered many things as he came to his decision, staring at the dark horizon in hopes the red light would reveal itself again. Domenick was right, he decided—getting shot was a possibility for both of their options, but the former offered a much easier chance to subdue that situation before things got out of hand, as well as the opportunity to avoid further incidents. The latter—approaching the main base—would likely have fewer variables. However, they wouldn’t be in control of the situation. He had trusted his community when he’d left, but, admittedly, he disliked having things out of his control. In addition, people, motives and authority changed over time. For this reason, he wasn’t going to let his guard, not even to them, because the lives of those around him were at stake.
[Option 1: Change course at sunup to make contact at the radio station.]
[Option 2: Continue with an undeviating course to make contact at the main base.]
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared t… moreheir destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could as… [view original content]
[Option 2: Continue with an undeviating course to make contact at the main base.]
Ah, this is not an easy one and I had to think about it for a while. In fact, I changed my opinion three times while writing this comment, but in the end, I will stay with this one, for several reasons. First of all, sooner or later James and his group will make contact with the main base. This main base is certainly better guarded than the radio station, so it is less likely that they, a meager ten people, will scare anyone up there. Meanwhile, the radio station is probably only operated by one or two people, who could easily feel threatened by the arrival of so many people, most of which are complete strangers to them and the one guy whom they potentially do know is likely supposed to be dead, so I doubt they will recognize him immediately. No, the main base is where they have to go in any way to help Laredo and I believe it sounds less likely that anyone will get shot by accident. But damn it, this is one hell of a hard choice!
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared t… moreheir destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could as… [view original content]
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared t… moreheir destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could as… [view original content]
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared t… moreheir destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could as… [view original content]
(!) The group will wait until sunup to begin approaching the radio station.
This decision will spell many unforeseen consequences that will certainly be unexpected. Really, it feels a bit unfair. Anyway, both of the options would ultimately see them arrive Colorado Springs. However, the chosen option isn't just a little sidestep without progress. Valuable information will be garnered. And now they're approaching their destination from a slightly different direction, which has irreparably changed the course of events. Let's just say... you've picked your poison.
Voting is closed!
(!) The group will wait until sunup to begin approaching the radio station.
This decision will spell many unforeseen… more consequences that will certainly be unexpected. Really, it feels a bit unfair. Anyway, both of the options would ultimately see them arrive Colorado Springs. However, the chosen option isn't just a little sidestep without progress. Valuable information will be garnered. And now they're approaching their destination from a slightly different direction, which has irreparably changed the course of events. Let's just say... you've picked your poison.
Comments
Oh, poor Zayne. I mean, it makes sense, considering how long he has been missing, though it is still sad. Four months without any sign of life sound pretty much like a death sentence in cannibal country. Was this determinant on one of our past votes, or was there no chance to save him?
Wow, I had a feeling it would have went a bit like that. Screw these guys then, it appears they had it coming. That said, there is little doubt that the people who murdered them are even worse. Sounds like Vincent is the only half-decent guy left in the region.
My first guess would be that it has something to do with the community James mentioned and that they and maybe Vincent as well will either pose a threat to the Laredo group or will become allies against an even bigger threat.
On another note, congratulations for 2000 comments! May there be many more to follow
Way back Zayne was presented with the option of staying with Vincent for the extended future. Instead, the option to leave once he had fully recovered was chosen. Had the former been picked, they would not have been separated. It's been so long, though, I can't remember specifics.
Half is the key word here. He did murder four men, unprovoked, with little chance of Zayne actually being with them. While it's unlikely they were good people, it's no question: Vincent murdered them.
Indeed! Coincidently, my reply to your other comment was my 4500th. :^)
It's kind of funny. I hadn't refreshed my memory on the geography and forgot that the Mississippi river divided the two states. So I thought I was in Louisiana for the first day or so of staying at the hotel. Luckily, I got corrected by a family member, who already know I'm dumb, and didn't make myself look silly in front of someone else.
Since Maria and Danny are so close, it would have affected her kind of by association. I can't say what would have exactly happened, as it's a spoiler, but let's just say she would have kept her distance from Jake.
Also, I noticed you asked a while ago about what would have happened if Maria looked for Calvin. I forgot to address it, but I can't really talk about what would have happened, sorry!
Honestly, I had no idea of that before, but it's something good to know, considering I head out of Texas every summer and once a week every winter. Thinking on it, I should probably look more into the states that I frequently visit.
Oh, I see now. Not what I was thinking, but it makes more sense than what I was thinking. In my opinion, preserving the relationships that one day might save Jake's life, is more important than taking a chance on evidence that might not even be there in the first place.
That's understandable, thanks anyways :^)
[Wait for Natalie come to act as witness and perform an autopsy; risk Calvin’s reanimation.]
Small Update:
I'm very sorry for the delay and I am also sorry that this will likely be mistaken for new activity. I'm experiencing a lot of writer's block, but I've started reading more actively (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Blood of Elves) in hopes that it will alleviate the writer's block. I'll not to go radio silent for so long again.
Take your time Hope, it's alright. I know the end result is totally worth the wait
Here's hoping you're finding your inspiration again soon, because I'm totally excited for more Monument. I can't get enough of this wonderful story. But at the same time, writer's block is bad and should be gone first. The books you mentioned are amazing. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my favourites and I have recently finished Blood of Elves as well and found it to be wonderful. They should be able to help overcoming your writer's block.
The Final Update:
I've been having trouble with making an immediate continuation of this chapter so I'm calling it. Chapter Thirteen: Murderer is closed. Fourteen will continue things very soon, likely this week! Be prepared for a shift in landscape and tone in Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, coming soon!
Yes, this is cool
Red Cloud sounds interesting but also dangerous. I am curious about the shift of lanscape. Maybe we will see a new location in Vincents part of the story.
Chapter 14: Red Cloud, Part 1: The air smelt of rancid flesh. It was the sickening indication of an as yet unseen horde that had everyone in the expedition on edge.
The group traveled by the cool darkness of night because the smell was unbearable during the day’s heat. The barren land stretched out like a desert, and it was already morning. James signaled for the group to stop with a closed fist. A few pieces of human structure were ahead.
“Kurt, Danny—you two check the back of those silos. The rest of you follow me.”
James led; Domenick, Tom, Violet, Maria, Asher, Sasha and Jerome followed.
Kurt and Danny returned with nothing to say and began assisting the others in gutting an old portable house to make room for the whole group. In half an hour the ground outside had been littered with accumulated trash and any piece of furniture that couldn’t be slept on.
As the work wound down, Kurt retrieved some incense from his backpack, which—after ransacking a few shops in the past week when the smell had first become prevalent—was mostly filled with an absurd amount of scented products. He passed several sticks between the nine other occupants.
Sleep was difficult. The incense offered little relief, and half of them suffered insomnia caused by the stench outside. They passed the hot day by resting, reading, and snacking on hard candy—once again to try to alleviate the smell. By dusk James deemed it practical to set out and they packed up and continued northwestward along the road as the the day cooled off.
That night the smell was at its worse yet. By the light of early morning, they came to the realization that they had been walking among the smell’s source for an untold portion of the night.
Gross pieces of flesh littered the road—where the bile was most visible—and an unknown area around the road. A horde of massive proportions had been there within the week. Members of the group split in different directions but ultimately the horde’s bearing and girth could not be determined before it became unbearable.
They built a fire in the heat of day in order to discuss their options while feeling slightly less quessy. They gathered around it, letting their clothes soak in the smoke, to breathe something that wasn’t absolutely revoting.
“A whole week…” Tom spat into the fire, resisting the urge to vomit, his saliva sickening to swallow.
“I would guess,” Kurt said miserably, “that we’ve been traveling alongside it.” He glanced at James through the nipping flames. “What do we do?”
James drew on a cigarette in an attempt to delay his answer. He didn’t expect it to be popular. “We’ll continue. There’s no other option.”
“Like hell there isn’t,” Sasha muttered frustratedly and with nausea.
James studied her expression as he drew again. He exhaled, said: “We can’t go back. We wouldn’t survive the return trip.” The rest of the group appeared too exhausted—and appalled by the stench—for James to gauge their reactions. “We’ll follow the road until we see the herd. Until that, we can’t make meaningful adjustments to our course. We just gotta get eyes on the herd.”
“We shouldn’t treat this as a herd,” Danny whispered.
“Hmm?” James prodded without much interest.
Danny glanced over his shoulder at the trampled farmhouse property two hundred meters away and most of those at the fire tried not to do the same. “I don’t know. The size of this thing is goddamn biblical.”
There was a long silence. James flicked his used cigarette in the fire and stood. “I’m not disagreeing with you. It’s obviously fuckin’ monumental. We can’t, however, go running back to Texas with our tails between our legs just as soon as trouble’s looming.” James rose—followed by everyone, some more reluctantly than others—and kicked at the fire. “We’ll continue,” he huffed. “Once we’ve got eyes on it, we can take a detour to avoid it.”
To be continued...
A few notes:
Whoa, such a timeskip was the last thing I expected. And it must have been a relatively large timeskip, considering that James is able to undergo such a journey. He also seemed to have done something to earn the trust of the others, which must have taken its time as well, so... I guess we're talking about at least a month or more here. At the same time, the timeskip certainly worries me, since Josie and Jake are nowhere to be seen here and since there has been a murderer on the loose the last time we saw them. It is safe to say, I'm scared, which probably is nothing new. At least their absence is not automatically an indicator that something bad happened, since one of James' comments hinted at the Laredo community still existing and since someone has to stay behind to lead. Josie and Jake are both part of this council, so neither is in a position to lead an expedition to Colorado (as I see from the character list). I just hope that they will survive whatever is going on at Laredo this moment and I am certainly anxious for these flashbacks.
Now, the part itself got me wondering why exactly James leads this group to Colorado. I guess he is looking for his old community, but I have no idea why. Maybe Laredo needs their help. It can't be anything sinister, since he got Maria, Danny and Nightcrawler with him, who are good people. I also see that Sasha and Asher are with him, we got our first glimpse of Violet after the timeskip, as well as Dom and Tom, whom I remember from another story. And then there is one name that kind of shocked me. Jerome. At first I thought that would be a new character, but then I looked in the character list and I saw that Jerry motherfucking Stewart is in Colorado right now, which explains Sasha's presence. So... does that mean Jerry's real name is Jerome? I feel like that is among the most mind-blowing twists I have ever read about in my life
Anyway, the nature of the expedition got me wondering. He mentioned they can't just run back to Laredo at the first sign of danger, which almost sounded as if they were forced, but at the same time, I can't imagine that this would actually happen. It must be something else and I probably misinterpreted his line. But well, I am overjoye that the story is back
I am especially anxious for the sections set in the past, as they should explain what exactly is going on there. My guess would be that James managed to stop the killer and earned the trust of Laredo, enough to allow them to lead an expedition to Colorado for whatever reason. But you got me, once again, afraid for what happened to the others that have not appeared here. Especially to Josie of course, but I am also nervous for the lack of Jake, Ashley and Atlanta in this part. I can't wait for the next parts, I'm looking forward for them and I'm scared at the same time 
I recall that Jerry, since he kind of did some "questionable" things to some people who are still around in the group, uses the name Jerome so they don't realize Jerry is among them. At least, I think that's the case. Maybe his real name is in fact Jerome.
As InGen said, Jerry ran into Natalie in (I think) chapter eleven and introduced himself as Jerome to keep his identity a secret. Everyone outside of a very small group would know him as Jerome. It's been a while, so I'll remind you in case you forgot, that Josephine suspects Natalie knows that Jerry is still alive. He wouldn't abandon the monocle while others in the expedition could potentially report back to her.
To fix any confusion, James briefly mentioned that they wouldn't survive the return trip; I haven't intentionally implied they were forced on the trip. And by the "first sign of danger" line, he is saying this is the first real threat to the expedition that they are facing and that they shouldn't turn back.
Most of the new developments that occurred during the brief time skip will be revealed in the flashbacks and interactions between the members of the expedition. I'm really happy to return to Monument and am looking forward to delving into some of the things I've got cooked up!
I remember this now and it makes sense. I have failed to come to the conclusion that this was written from James' subjective PoV, but now it makes a lot more sense. I was just totally shocked because I saw Jerry in Colorado and this Jerome mentioned, especially since Jerry can easily be a nickname for Jerome. That said, now that I think about it, he could have come up with a better fake name, one that has nothing at all to do with Jerry XD Can't blame him though, since he had to come up with it on the spot if I'm not mistaken, back when he first encountered Natalie.
Ah, alright, I understand it now. Now I'm even more curious what made them undertake such a dangerous mission, knowing that they might not be able to return. The situation as Laredo must be really dire if they send some of their best people (and Danny and Maria certainly are among their best). And with James as the leader, it must have something to do with his people. Perhaps there are certain supplies the Laredo community needs, which James' group has.
Okay, so the timeskip was brief. I guess it still must have been long enough for James to recover from the brink of death to the point where he can lead a physically demanding expedition, but I of course don't know how badass the guy is. From the way it sounds, he's very badass. And well, again, I can't even put into words how excited I am for this
Hmmm so I've got a question now. It might seem obvious, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Unless it does. Then I'm sorry.
Anyways, the character list says the expedition group is located in Colorado, but James says he was attacked in New Mexico and there was a brief mention of Arizona, so why are they in Colorado? Couldn't they just have gone to New Mexico through the panhandle or go to Arizona through New Mexico?
Though, there's probably something obvious that I'm missing.
It's perfectly okay to ask a question! :^D
James was attacked in New Mexico, but I didn't say his group was located there. James himself says "I'd traveled from the border of southern Colorado to the southern border of New Mexico." And it was mentioned that James was a police officer in Arizona before the zombie apocalypse, which doesn't relate to the expedition or his group's base of operations.
I must have missed that. But thank you for clearing that up :>
I finally caught up. What an emotional Roller Coaster! I may need therapy.
I love this story and can't believe I didn't check it out sooner. You are brilliant!
Still accepting character submissions?
New chapter hype! And I was almost correct with my guess about a new landscape. This mission James and the others are undergoing sounds interesting and I look forward to learn more of it and of the things that happened during the timeskip. Lets hope nothing too bad happened.
This is wonderful to hear! And yes, submission is still very much open. The link can be found in the original post! :^D
Wow, you caught up incredibly fast, that's so awesome
If you require therapy for any Monument-induced trauma, I know a great cardiologist that managed to help me get through Nine O'clock Lab and Dogma
Created new characters
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 2: The expedition traveled in single file across the offensive-smelling plain until they reached another in a long series of pit stops: Lamar, CO. Dusk was upon them. Everyone was tired and ready to collapse after walking for almost twenty-four hours.
There was little to question that they were the only living occupants of the small town as they searched for some kind of shelter that hadn’t been demolished. Corpses lurked under the debris in starved hibernation while a few wandered the surface in pursuit of the living who elude them easily.
James led the group to a brick building that had previously belonged to the local government and had weathered the storm. Its first floor was torn apart and covered with trash, which spilled into the lawn, and it reeked of lurkers and rotten flesh. They explored cautiously, and Domenick came upon a suspicious alcove that housed a door. He approached, knife ready, and carefully prodded with his heavy boots at the gross pile of rubbish that was collected there. When he found nothing, he opened the door to find a small, claustrophobic stairway that led up into darkness.
Domenick shouted and they came to his location in pairs. James pushed his way to the front of the group—conscious of the trash—and looked up the stairs. He brandished his knife. “Dom, you’re with me. The rest of you wait.”
As the others loitered outside, James led the ascension quietly while Domenick followed an arm’s width apart. At the top of the stairs, a door on the righthand side opened up to a large but low-ceiled room. They spread out, and James found a curtain in the darkness and threw it opened; he gagged on the hundreds of motes of dust which spun into the thin evening light. James coughed for a bit while Domenick waited for him, unamused.
The upper floor had not been disturbed—at least by the dead—in a long time. The greatest indication was the much more subdued odor. The duo searched for a while longer and turned up nothing, then James leaned out into the stairwell, smirking slightly.
“It’s a little dusty,” he declared, “but not unpleasant. Finish up your business downstairs, then we’ll closing that damned doorway for the night.”
There came a whisper that broke the utter silence: “Did you know about this place?”
James was the designated guard at this time—propped against the wall in a sitting position—and his eyes shot up. He looked for the asker and found the woman named Violet staring at him from several feet away, resting away from the others, using her backpack as a makeshift pillow like everyone else did. He didn’t recall her speaking for much of the expedition and didn’t know what to make of her.
“Sorta,” he said with a frankness perhaps brought on by fatigue. “I told you people I wasn’t the only one my group sent out. There were half a dozen of us.” He smiled sadly. “We’re just now traveling up one of their routes…”
“Did you know this person?” she asked.
James remembered that others could be listening, and his recollection created a momentary hesitation that he was sure Violet picked up on. “Yeah,” James finally murmured to fill the void. “I knew ‘em all.”
Silence ensued and James waited for her to ask another question, but then hesaw her dark silhouette shifting onto its side. Then, when he had thought the conversation had ended, she asked: “Are you hoping to find the one who follow this route?”
“A little,” he replied soberly.
Violet didn’t speak again, but she seemed to... settle peacefully.
Half an hour later James woke Asher to take his place. He tried to get some rest but was kept awake a while longer, wondering what had befell the others like him. He wanted to believe they had completed their goal and returned to home base safely, but he was worried some didn’t survive. He wondered if he was the unluckiest or luckiest.
Eventually he slept, but his wonderings turned into unpleasant dreams about roads, towns trampled by an army, and a relentless stalker.
Two square coffee tables now replaced the round one used by the council during their meetings, and they sat twelve people. James laid a bundle of papers on the table for his nine companions to see, as well as Jake and Josephine. “I gotta thank you all for coming,” he said. “I know a few of you are still hesitant... and perhaps resistant... to enact this, but I assure you...”
“The maps,” Josephine said. “Let’s get on with this.”
“Alright, yeah... Here…” He removed a few maps from the bundle and unfolded them on top of one another in accordance to relevance. The state of Texas sat on top. He rested his finger on Laredo and retraced the highlighted roads. “Here we are, moving at least twenty miles per day if the weather and, let’s say, wildlife permit it. We take Route 83 up toward Abilene, switch over to Highway 153, find our way to Route 84 across the panhandle, then Route 385.” He rotated maps. “We’ll take that through the Oklahoma panhandle”—and again, he switched the maps—”and then make our way to Lamar . . . Finally, we’ll take Route 50 towards Colorado Springs.”
“That’s at least nine hundred miles,” Jake said. He was very much part of the planning process. “Forty-five days at the very least. To be safe, we’re anticipating it taking two months, and your provisions will reflect that.”
“If you want to do this, you need to leave this week,” Josephine said with an undertone of distaste—she nursed an open disdain for the expedition, but she knew her opinion was mute at this point and choose to try to better their chances rather than potentially let it fail. “Scott’s scouts have found three plots of farmland out of the five originally planned, and they're getting ready to act within the month. You have to act now, or else you might not be able to secure extra supplies.”
“Odds are you're going to be very reliant on scavenging,” Jake said. “Ideally, you’ll be scavenging first and using your supplies second. If for some reason you run out of packed supplies, which is possible but unlikely, and are incredibly, batshit unlucky… you’re all well and truly fucked. And at a certain point, it’s gonna be impossible to turn back.”
That statement instilled awkward, hesitant glances from several of James’s companions, and he realized they were looking at him. Hearing it said out loud again, even James felt the small rise of anxiety in his stomach. “I assure you,” he said quickly and with a tone of actual assurance, “that we’ll reach Colorado Springs within two months.”
To be Continued...
It's back!
Edit: Great part btw!
This situation is getting more and more intriguing. First of all, I believe this was the first time Violet even spoke since the timeskip XD Not that I have missed her so terribly, but I'm still relatively glad to see that she's still around, apparently in a more important role even. James is also growing on me, by now I am almost convinced that he is not a psychopath. This means, Fox Mask Guy from the Act 2 Epilogue is almost certainly confirmed as a genuinely bad guy then. I wonder if he had anything to do with the events of Vincent's storyline, or if James and co. are going to run into him. But anyways, the expedition has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward for it
And the flashback part was very interesting. I'm highly relieved to see that Jake and Josie have apparently still been alright by the time the expedition was about to start. But whatever the reason for this expedition, it is obviously urgent enough that Josie is willing to risk it despite her highly negative opinion on it. That is concerning, especially as I'm still not entirely sure why they are doing this. Perhaps there's a severe shortage of supplies? With the expedition group apparently not perfectly equipped and having to rely on scavenging, it seems like a possible theory. But considering the risk, I wouldn't be too surprised if that's not the entire reason for it.
Yes! And thank you, it's much appreciated!
Yes, that's completely right. She hasn't appeared since the last act. Her role in this will likely still be a little subdued. If anything, she has an... interesting story to tell because of the consequences that befell during and after A Man Gone and Dogma.
"I'm glad to have drawn your suspicions away from James" is probably the worst way for me to put to words that I'm happy you're beginning to trust him. Trust will be important. And you now what, I don't recall you ever proposing that Vincent is the guy in the fox mask, unless I've forgotten. Anyway, speaking of Vincent... we probably won't see him for a little bit... No correlation, obviously.
In case you've forgotten, it's been outright said a couple of times these last few chapters that the Laredo community is about to face a supply crisis if measures are not taken. Natalie and the scout coordinated (recently named as Scott) have their plan to divide the community into smaller, self-sufficient settlements. The expedition, as it has been revealed, is the product of the minds of James and Jake. The full intention of the expedition, however, has not been revealed.
Great part! I am excited for the expedition now and to learn more about it. I start to like James, I think he is a good guy. Hope I am not wrong about him
As I said to Liquid, it's nice to see James is becoming well-liked. Plus, it really makes the storyline feel more consequential... and potentially much more gutting.
So she got consequences as well? Interesting. I must admit, I haven't put too much thought into her after Dogma, although I noticed her absence. It'll be interesting to learn what she's been up to during the timeskip. From her little talk with James, I guess there have been psychological consequences after learning just what a complete bastard her brother has been, especially since she seemed to have loved him very much before realizing his true nature. But since I don't know what she was up to, there might be more to it.
You are right, this is the worst way to put it XD But yeah, I think my initial suspicion seems highly unlikely now. Watch me totally regretting my words, once he sells Laredo out to his old community and personally executes Jake, Josie and the rest of the council. I think that is the only truly antagonistic act I could still see him doing by now, though it becomes increasingly less likely that he has bad intentions the more time we spend with him as the protagonist of these recent parts. And no, I never brought up the idea that Vincent is the Fox Mask Guy, I only speculated that Fox Mask Guy might be behind some of the events in Vincent's storyline. Maybe he is the leader of the cannibals that apparently ate Zayne and Rooster. Or he could be responsible for killing the people Vincent stumbled upon at the end of the last chapter. Although, now that you mention it, that would be a dramatic turn of events to have Vincent end up as Fox Mask Guy himself.
I have indeed forgotten about this detail. How embarrassing
But it makes sense, even though I can guess that there is more to the expedition of course. I have this theory that at least one side goal for the expedition will be to get Jerry away from Laredo. The last time we saw him, he wasn't exactly in the best condition, so the ones in charge (Josie and Jake most likely) must have had specific intentions when they chose him and I'm sure getting him away from Nathalie played a role in their decision.
Oh, then I think that potentially there will be bad consequences coming up for James if we make poor choices. This means I will be extra careful now!
Chapter Fourteen: Red Cloud, Part 3: Tomorrow loomed. The members of the expedition did not express any anticipation openly as they neared their destination. Expectations were tampered and they shared in the general unpleasantness of the journey. Tomorrow possessed the ability to either dispel their worries or confirm their fear. An air of dread mingled with the stench of corpses and none were at ease.
Tonight, Domenick led the movement. He was silhouetted by the moonlight and James walked in his shadow in stride with Kurt to his right. They all were submerged in near darkness when a cloud obscured the moon. For the briefest of moments, James saw a red light blink far off in the distance before it vanished again in the haze.
James froze instantly and everyone came to a stop as he stared past the plain, toward distant hills, at the left side of the highway, shrouded by cloud cover almost imperceptible in the night. Before anyone could ask, he announced, “Radio tower. It’s on.”
“I saw it, too,” Asher said. Violet nodded in silent affirmation.
“The radio towers weren’t active when I left. This is a good sign.” James wetted his dry lips, staring expectantly at the approximate spot he’d seen the light but the clouds didn’t part again. He could feel the pangs of hunger reverberate within him. “Now, I haven’t been there myself, but there should be station near its base. It’ll be stocked with supplies.”
“We’ll talkin’ food?” Asher asked hopefully, casually leaning on his long rifle.
Kurt shook his head reluctantly. “Won’t it be occupied?”
James winced. “You’re right. Ten men and women knocking at the door in the dead of night won’t go over well. We’ll scare the operator half to death, and in all likelihood, we’ll get ourselves shot.”
The group exchanged glances and grimaces as they contemplated the remaining walk to Colorado Springs. They were already running on fumes, walking on blistered feet, and forcing their aching muscles onward. There was little doubt that they would reach the city tomorrow, but there were still many unknowns that hung over them. Plainly aware of their current physical—and mental—state, they worried they wouldn’t be able to face those unknowns, if they arose.
“Maybe,” Asher proposed, “it will be better to make contact on a smaller scale.”
“Assuming we’re not shot on sight,” Maria said. “I don’t see the added benefit.”
Asher shrugged. “Our arrival at their main base will be really tension-heavy. If we get out by radio that’s it’s just good ol’ James back with some friends, we’ll avoid that and maybe any potential misunderstandings.”
“Between making contact at the radio station or the main gate,” Kurt said, “the former seems needlessly hazardous.”
Domenick, having lit cigarette, tapped the end in the direction of the hills. “We are not traveling those hills in the dark,” he stated. “And we look like a bunch of malnourished marauders to boot.”
“The worst kind to find knocking,” Kurt whispered.
“Given our appearance, we could almost just as easily get shot at the main gate.” Domenick sighed a long cloud of smoke, cigarette hanging in his mouth, lighting his darkly lit face up in a weak ember glow that emphasized his stiff—perhaps dead—features. His frown was unrelenting as usual and perpetuated a dark mood. “I’d rather take my chances against one person if things go wrong.” Judging by his upset expression, Domenick could see that James took some offense to that. He shrugged, drew a puff, and softly said, “Sorry.”
James shook his head, unfortunately. “I see your point, as much as I dislike it.” He stretched his tired limbs, cuing the dreadful yet oddly enjoyable popping of his joints. “Are putting to this to vote, or is it my decision as guide?”
“I’ll trust your judgment,” Kurt said. Everyone else agreed.
Sasha, stirring gravel with her boot absentmindedly, asked that he not get them all shot. Jerome and Maria echoed this sentiment. He smiled sarcastically and agreed.
James considered many things as he came to his decision, staring at the dark horizon in hopes the red light would reveal itself again. Domenick was right, he decided—getting shot was a possibility for both of their options, but the former offered a much easier chance to subdue that situation before things got out of hand, as well as the opportunity to avoid further incidents. The latter—approaching the main base—would likely have fewer variables. However, they wouldn’t be in control of the situation. He had trusted his community when he’d left, but, admittedly, he disliked having things out of his control. In addition, people, motives and authority changed over time. For this reason, he wasn’t going to let his guard, not even to them, because the lives of those around him were at stake.
[Option 1: Change course at sunup to make contact at the radio station.]
[Option 2: Continue with an undeviating course to make contact at the main base.]
option 1 (it seems safer than going to the main base unannounced)
[Option 1: Change course at sunup to make contact at the radio station.]
I got a bad feeling about this. I imagine doing what I'm voting for will backfire, but still.
[Option 2: Continue with an undeviating course to make contact at the main base.]
Ah, this is not an easy one and I had to think about it for a while. In fact, I changed my opinion three times while writing this comment, but in the end, I will stay with this one, for several reasons. First of all, sooner or later James and his group will make contact with the main base. This main base is certainly better guarded than the radio station, so it is less likely that they, a meager ten people, will scare anyone up there. Meanwhile, the radio station is probably only operated by one or two people, who could easily feel threatened by the arrival of so many people, most of which are complete strangers to them and the one guy whom they potentially do know is likely supposed to be dead, so I doubt they will recognize him immediately. No, the main base is where they have to go in any way to help Laredo and I believe it sounds less likely that anyone will get shot by accident. But damn it, this is one hell of a hard choice!
[Option 2: Continue with an undeviating course to make contact at the main base.] No nonsense, let's go.
[Option 1: Change course at sunup to make contact at the radio station.]
Voting is closed!
(!) The group will wait until sunup to begin approaching the radio station.
This decision will spell many unforeseen consequences that will certainly be unexpected. Really, it feels a bit unfair. Anyway, both of the options would ultimately see them arrive Colorado Springs. However, the chosen option isn't just a little sidestep without progress. Valuable information will be garnered. And now they're approaching their destination from a slightly different direction, which has irreparably changed the course of events. Let's just say... you've picked your poison.
Now I'm scared lol
I've always been a fan of despairful situations.
But no despairful situation can replicate the despair that I'm feeling after that.
But, at least we get valuable information.