Nichole finds Joe. Most importantly, that allows me to resume dialog between characters, rather than merely giving exposition as to what Nichole is up to. I hate that; my stories live and die based upon interaction.
So. Nichole finds Joe. Tells everyone “rocks are falling! y’all gonna die!” is not much of a transition, but there it is. At least they’re talking again, minus Joe’s accidental head-butt into N5’s plug. Yeah: talk your way out of that one, kid.
Between men and women are bad enough. Alliances? Blood, everywhere. I’ve written a bit more, but will try to add to it and post it, tomorrow. Must make an end…
I thought everything was going to Hell. No, let me try again: I remain convinced that everything is going to Hell. It’s just that somehow – again! – Nichole started talking and is trying to save everyone and everything… including me. It’s a good speech of hers, and almost convincing… but as the author, I’ve the SMOD Card in my hand, and I’ll be playing it either 1) once this clown-show is coiling back along itself toward Portland; or 2) In the next sentence I write where another rider comes in with preliminary non-com casualty figures… including Rhun’s children…
In an absurd burst of enthusiasm, I thought I could finish the manuscript this weekend. My new doctor certainly wants me to: “you’re drinking too much; your liver numbers are shot to hell.” Great. I told her I’ll cut back in a week or so, once finished.
It has been a difficult transitional period in the story. I did NOT want to write yet another battle, swirling about Nichole, but was uncertain how to write around it. Last night, after watching a few old music videos, I saw the part of Nichole and Armando having a quiet moment – not a war moment – in the back of the MRAP. That let’s me tell the story to the point where things fall to shit and she get’s out of there, on a mad dash south, where she’ll encounter Major Muller & his 2nd Detachment of Cavalry as well as Friend Joe, serving in Militia A, holding the supply line between Portland and Longview.
After that? Into the City with the Nation on their heels. Rocks fall; everyone dies. I’m so happy to be writing this…
Things are going to get rather unpleasant from here on out, That’s what’s it like to destroy a world.
Via Gab.ai: Nichole & Toast.
Just about everyone is where they need to be. Some shuttle diplomacy by Nichole, getting Brunelli, Reilly, and Jenkins back into the fray, and then I can let everything go to hell. How nice, for me.
Did I mention I’m taking the rest of the year off after this?
