#tnfoc

[ahordeofwasps]

9 Lines 9 People Tag

I've been tagged by the superb @deanwax, @winterandwords, @chauceryfairytales, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @sarandipitywrites, and @lordfenric-writes! Thanks for the tags! I'm going to share the last nine lines (plus a bit extra to finish the paragraph) I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @cat-esper, @loopyhoopywrites, @mary-is-writing, @emelkae, @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, @space-writes, @drabbleitout, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Steve had believed in Erika, believed that there was hope, believed that they could make the Sunodos undo what they had done. That there was some way to fix his mistakes. But that all evaporated into uncertainty the moment the source of all his trouble spoke out. Dwarfed in both size and power by his creators, there was nothing he could do. They were all doomed. But Steve had to try. He couldn’t do anything but try. Magnetic fields strong enough to move planets rippled across his bones. He did his best to stand tall as he faced what could only be his end. “YOUR INFLUENCE HAS BEEN LEFT UNCHECKED FOR TOO LONG. WE WILL CORRECT IT AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR SENTENCE.”

#I may be 20 days behind on my tag games #writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #9 lines 9 people #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Last line tag

I've been tagged by the amazing @cat-esper, @winterandwords, @chauceryfairytales, @autumnalwalker, and @aohendo! Thanks for the tags! I'll be sharing the last little bit I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @isherwoodj, @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, @space-writes, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

It wasn’t peasant versus Ghidorah. It was armored knight versus a pantheon of gods bloated on their own hubris. And she was made of possibility, wielding a divine tool turned weapon.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #last line tag #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

WIP Update Tag

I've been tagged by the awesome @autumnalwalker! Thanks for the tag! I'll be sharing an update regarding To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Rules—share an update on your WIP/s (with lines from the wips if you like).

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @emelkae, @isherwoodj, @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, and open tag!

Now, onto the update!

So, when I was getting ready for this tag game, I may not have read the rules. Instead, I saw @autumnalwalker's very pretty graph and thought the purpose of the tag game was to make a graph that represents the different updates to a wip. And then read the rules after said graph was made.

I am very distracted by shiny, colour-coded figures.

So have a graph!

Now, I guess onto the actual wip update.

I'm on Chapter 12 of To Not Falling Off Cliffs, which is turning out to be the climax. Which means To Not Falling Off Cliffs will likely have 13 chapters in total! Something I'm very happy about!

Here's a bit from Chapter 12 I maybe had a bit too much fun writing!

“YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF-” “Buzz off, you obtuse rock!” Erika shouted. Her eyes were wide as she tried to take in the kilometer sized form of the Sunodos. Sweat glinted off her scales and her bottom lip trembled. Still, she picked up a fist sized chunk of glass and lobbed it at the Sunodos. It vaporized with a sharp sizzle before it could make contact. The Sunodos did not sigh. That was too mortal of a gesture. Instead, there was a moment of silence, during which the essence of a long drawn-out sigh was palpable.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #wip update #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Heads Up Seven Up

I've been tagged by the brilliant @amewinterswriting, @loopyhoopywrites, @autumnalwalker, and @blind-the-winds! Thanks for the tags! I'll be sharing the last seven lines or so that I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @emelkae, @isherwoodj, @space-writes, @chauceryfairytales, @winterandwords, @spuddlespud, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Once she had finished breakfast, Mrs. Smith shuffled over to her guest room, where she kept a small desk upon which a beige CRT monitor covered in faded flower stickers sat. The corresponding computer case was snuggled underneath the desk and was also covered in flower stickers. Jackie had been begging her to upgrade for years, but Mrs. Smith found that to be a waste. Her Delphi computer had served her faithfully and was only two decades old. That was practically new! Her oven was five decades old, her fridge six, and she had her sewing machine for centuries! Her great-grandchildren may be grown adults, but they were still young pups to think two decades was “old.”

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #heads up seven up #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

No Context Line Tag

I've been tagged by the amazing @deanwax! Thanks for the tag!

Rules: share a line from a WIP with no context.

I'll be sharing an out of context line from the latest (and last) chapter of To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @the-down-upside-finch, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @sarandipitywrites, @notwritinganyflufftoday, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

The answer to that was by breathing oxygen and not being on fire.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #No context line #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Heads Up Seven Up

I've been tagged by the spectacular @lordfenric-writes, @sarandipitywrites, @amewinterswriting, and @chauceryfairytales! Thanks for the tag! I'm going to share seven lines from To Not Falling Off Cliffs! However, I'm going to fracture the rules a little; these lines aren't going to be the last seven I wrote, but rather the last seven that aren't spoiler heavy.

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @the-down-upside-finch, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @winterandwords, @aohendo, @loopyhoopywrites, @mary-is-writing, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

It did not bring him to his knees; its burn was a fraction of that of the fire. Instead, he found himself shaking his hand. The force dislodged the jellyfish and it floated free. Steve readied himself to charge forward, at the Sunodos, to do something that would get himself wiped from existence. He had no heart, so it could not beat quickly. He had no sweat glands so he was not soaked in it. But he felt it all the same.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #heads up seven up #tag game #To not falling off cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

OC Recipe Tag

I've been tagged by the wonderful @sarandipitywrites and @drabbleitout! Thanks for the tags!

Rules: share a recipe your OC would make, either one passed down to them or one they found all by themselves. Bonus if you have an actual recipe to link! Some OCs can't cook to save their lives, but let's talk about the ones who can! :D

I'll be sharing a scene from To Not Falling Off Cliffs where Erika makes Mrs. Smith Ketchup Chip Salad as well as a rough recipe for it.

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @the-down-upside-finch, @talesofsorrowandofruin, @loopyhoopywrites, @emelkae, and open tag!

Now, onto the Ketchup Chip Salad recipe!

Once her tea and the tape’s A-side were both finished, Erika got up and flipped the tape. She listened to its B-side while she prepared Mrs. Smith’s ketchup chip salad. She washed the broccoli and chopped it alongside the onions. She minced half a head of garlic and fried it with the onions and broccoli. Then, Erika added the ground beef and chopped liver before taking the time to wash her hands, scrubbing them thoroughly to erase any pathogen the raw meat may have left on her skin. After her hands were cleaned, she sprinkled the vegetable and meat mixture with her own preprepared seasoning mix. She fried everything until the meat had not a trace of pink and the broccoli had started to become mushy, then added the pasta sauce. Erika wrinkled her nose. It was just the way Mrs. Smith liked it. Erika filled a casserole dish with freshly washed spinach and scooped the meat and vegetable mixture on top of the spinach. For the final step, Erika opened a bag of ketchup chips and covered the food with crushed chips. Erika covered the casserole dish with tin foil. It was ready for Mrs. Smith.

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli

1 onion of choice

1/2 a head of garlic

??? Tbsp of vegetable oil

1 lb ground beef (any% fat)

1 lb chopped liver

♥ Tbsp of Erika's seasoning mix (1 part salt, 1 part pepper, 1 part dried chili flakes, 1 part thyme, 2 parts garlic powder, 2 parts onion powder, 2 parts oregano, 2 parts sage)

1 family sized jar of pasta sauce

1 large bag of prewashed spinach

1 regular bag of ketchup chips, crushed

Steps:

Chop broccoli and onion into bite sized pieces. Mince garlic.

In a large, deepset frying pan or wok, fry broccoli, onion, and garlic over medium heat in ??? Tbsp of vegetable oil until onion starts to become sem-translucent.

Add ground beef and chopped liver. Season everything with ♥ Tbsp of the seasoning mix. Fry, stirring occasionallly, until meat is cooked through.

Add pasta sauce. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Cook until heated through. Take everything off the heat.

Dump the spinach into a casserole dish. Add fried meat-vegetable-pasta sauce mixture on top. Cover everything in crushed ketchup chips. Serve warm.

#writing #writeblr #recipe #tag game #fantasy #urban fantasy #OC recipe tag game #To not falling off cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Find the Word Tag

I've been tagged by the spectacular @deanwax! Thanks for the tag! My words are cut, split, frown, and wipe. I'll be sharing excerpts from To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @winterandwords, @loopyhoopywrites, @mary-is-writing, @isherwoodj, and open tag! Your words are born, forlorn, torn, and sworn!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Cut

Tiffany had no lips and was unable to smile. However, she looked up at Steve and he winced again. She had a change of plans. The sound system put out only static for a brief moment and then started playing a new song. Maybe with a vote on the grave of a dead woman, Steve would finally learn that they were reapers. They didn’t have souls. They had to cling onto life while they still could and not fuss about those who had afterlives to get to. Tiffany marched back to where she dropped the rolls of fabric and picked up the fabric scissors. With a series of movements that would have a seamstress uttering a series of curses, she took the fabric scissors to the newspaper and cut out Erika Knight’s obituary.

Split

“There’s been a scheduling whoopsies. We’ve booked Erica for five shifts today and you for five shifts tomorrow.  You’re not working today.” Erika blinked as she held her phone to her ear. She was still in her pajamas and on the counter in front of her there was a neatly packed lunch of a spaghetti sandwich with extra garlic. “With a C, right?” she asked and there was an affirmative grunt from the other end, “I can just call her and swap a couple shifts with her. I’d rather split the 15 hours over a couple days than work it all in one.” There was a heavy sigh on the other end. “No, it’s in the system. We can’t just swap shifts willy nilly! The system will get confused and next thing we know people will be giving themselves promotions.”

Frown

When the pot of tea was about halfway finished, Mrs. Smith asked Erika how she was doing. Erika just smiled and told Mrs. Smith she was doing fine. Work sometimes had mix-ups that had her working 15 hours in a single day. She occasionally got headaches that left her staggering. She had a hard time sleeping most nights. Her apartment was cursed. Her shampoo was wrecking her hair. The mundane objects she was supposed to trust were occasionally deadly. But that was normal. Erika could handle all that. She was fine. When Erika told Mrs. Smith she was doing fine, Mrs. Smith frowned for a brief moment. Erika quickly changed the subject by pointing to a new photograph of a grey wolf on Mrs. Smith’s wall and asking about it. She was fine. She was changing the subject because the conversation had taken an awkward turn. She was fine. There was nothing to be worried about. Mrs. Smith told Erika all about her cousin Pat. They did not return to the subject.

Wipe

And when the reapers began to, as a collective, understand their own mortality, they revolted against the Sunodos the only way they could. They stopped reaping. The Sunodos were without mercy. Hundreds of reapers were wiped out of existence and new reapers were spawned to take their place. The Sunodos were unable to see the need for mercy. They were unable to see that someone would be unlikely to cooperate if their predecessor had met an unfortunate and unfair fate. They were unable to see that mortals wanted not only to live but cared for more than living. No matter what the Sunodos did, the reapers wouldn’t reap. Not until they had what they wanted. Not until they were given the chance to live. In order to get their souls, the Sunodos were forced to acquiesce to the reapers’ demands. They were forced to give the reapers the privileges. They were forced to give them a chance to live.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #find the word #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Find the Word Tag

I've been tagged by the spectacular @loopyhoopywrites! Thanks for the tag! My words are Fun, Horror, and Idea. I'll be sharing excerpts from To Not Falling Off Cliffs.

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @space-writes, @kaiusvnoir, @chauceryfairytales, @deanwax, and open tag! Your words are waver, win, warp, and wrap!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Fun

Steve nodded weakly. He had befriended Erika years before her death. A mutual friend, Ambrose, had invited both of them to a wine and cheese party. As a novelty, she had brought the original 1981 edition of Trivial Pursuit for all of them to struggle over. It quickly became apparent that although the game was a struggle to play as individuals, each had an area that they excelled at. Steve was good at Geography, Erika knew a lot about Entertainment, Ambrose excelled at History, Zargun the Destroyer studied Art, Vicky was knowledgeable went it came to Alchemy, and Spot aced the Sports section. With their combined strengths, they conspired to form a team for trivia night at the nearby pub. They had named the team the “Immortal Kittens” and set their sights for victory. They ended up getting eighth place. But that didn’t stop them. They came back for pub trivia week after week after week, failing to secure first place every time. But it didn’t matter. It was never about victory, though they wouldn’t have formed the Immortal Kittens if they didn’t think they had a chance. There was fun to be had drinking with friends, catching up, and playing games. After a few weeks, Steve and Erika were spending time together outside of trivia nights.

Horror

Mrs. Smith set down the tray on the coffee table, finding space for it among the origami flowers. She shook her head. “Oh no! You’re a guest and guests shouldn’t make hosts tea! Besides, this recipe is special! It just came in yesterday!” “Oh, I see…” Erika said, realizing what the shipment was. She then watched in dumbfounded horror as Mrs. Smith poured a deep purple liquid into the teacups. It somehow smelled of fish. “What kind of tea is this?” Erika asked, fighting to keep her voice level as she stared at the purple concoction.

Idea

“Aisle 12, about… fifteen steps in when approaching from the north, top shelf on the left.” Steve was not allowed to tell anyone directly what had killed his client, but he got around it by giving directions to find what was responsible. The pit in Erika’s stomach transformed into full-fledged nausea. Neither she nor their friends liked it when Steve pointed out what killed his clients, but he was insistent on letting them know; he didn’t want to have to reap their souls. When Erika had first befriended Steve, she tried to argue against it, tried to tell him that it wasn’t worth his existence, but he kept giving her directions anyways. Erika would wind up following them out of curiosity. It didn’t take long for her to notice a pattern. Vintage cookware, dietary supplements, microwave popcorn, old aqueducts still in use… everything Steve pointed out were things that Erika and billions of other people could encounter every day. After she noticed the pattern, she stopped arguing with Steve about it. Ignorance may have been bliss, but the idea of ignorance was terrifying.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #find the word #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Heads Up Seven Up

I've been tagged by the delightful @sam-glade! Thanks for the tag! I'll be sharing the last seven sentences (and a bit to establish context) I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @loopyhoopywrites, @mary-is-writing, @emelkae, @isherwoodj, @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

She had to say something. Apologize. Explain her intentions. Make it right. But instead, Tiffany just stared at him, her own thoughts fighting each other.  I didn’t know. Didn’t know what? That it would hurt? I did know. I did know and did it anyway. It was for his own good! Our own good! Ah yes, the greater good. I sound just like them. Reading through her silence, Steve exploded. “You weren’t even sorry for that!” He accidentally knocked over his mug and it shattered on the ground. They both flinched, but Steve carried on as if it didn’t happen. “She had been buried less than a month and you decided to use her!”

#and I think I'm finally all caught up on tag games! #writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #heads up seven up #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Favourite Line Tag

I've been tagged by the awesome @oh-no-another-idea! Thanks for the tag! I'll be sharing one of my favourite bits (that are spoiler-free!) I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @space-writes, @emelkae, @chauceryfairytales, @deanwax, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Steve had made many friends over the centuries. He couldn’t help it. Someone entered his life, grew to like them and then he couldn’t imagine it any other way. He had no lips, so Steve could not smile, but whenever he saw them, he felt his jaw shift in way he could not help. Thoughts about his work were drowned out by ones that if were not pleasant, were at least wanted. He found himself making excuses to be near them, his spirits lifting in their presence. He wanted nothing more than for them to be well. It wasn’t falling in love – Steve never fell in love – but it was something more. Something that went without courtship and ritual, something that demanded nothing of the flesh. A simple bond that rang truer than anything else.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #favourite line #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Last Line Tag

I've been tagged by the spectacular @snooeycatwrites, @sarandipitywrites, and @winterandwords! Thanks for the tags! I'll be sharing the last little bit I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, @space-writes, @kaiusvnoir, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Steam poured into the cold air in great puffy clouds. The rumbling of the kettle quieted. The kettle clicked. Steve’s shoulders rose and fell, as if he was taking a deep breath. He poured the boiling water into the mugs. When he turned around to bring them to the couch, Tiffany thrust out one of the cue cards to him. It was now or never. If she didn’t tell him now, they’d be stuck there forever, drinking mystery tea as the dead stared down upon them.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #Last line tag #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Find the Word Tag

I've been tagged by the spectacular @loopyhoopywrites! Thanks for the tag! My words are Keep, Feel, and Meet. I'll be sharing excerpts from To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, @space-writes, @kaiusvnoir, and open tag! Your words are face, embrace, erase, and space!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Keep & Feel

Several minutes after Erika sat down, Mrs. Smith returned carrying a tray with a full pot of tea, two teacups, a gallon of milk, a small pot of sugar, a jar of chocolate chip cookies, and two plates of the ketchup chip salad. “Sorry it took me a while. I’m feeling a bit tired today. It’s that time of the month, y’know?” Erika gave Mrs. Smith a gentle smile, knowing that the time of the month was not why Mrs. Smith felt tired. “Don’t worry about it. I could have made the tea if you wanted,” she said. On occasions where the salespeople were feeling extra greedy, Erika had done exactly that. Mrs. Smith set down the tray on the coffee table, finding space for it among the origami flowers. She shook her head. “Oh no! You’re a guest and guests shouldn’t make hosts tea! Besides, this recipe is special! It just came in yesterday!” “Oh, I see…” Erika said, realizing what the shipment was. She then watched in dumbfounded horror as Mrs. Smith poured a deep purple liquid out of the teapot into the teacups. It somehow smelled of fish. “What kind of tea is this?” Erika asked, fighting to keep her voice level as she stared at the purple concoction.

Meet

He turned his gaze back to Tiffany, licking his lips with a tongue an inch longer than that of a human’s. He leaned in closer. “Tell me,” he said, his voice in a low whisper, “Do you know who’s meeting their untimely end? I must know every delectable detail.” Tiffany did know. Abcde had spilled the details to any reaper that would listen. Reapers couldn’t let the souled know about the deaths of the reaped, but they were permitted to gossip amongst each other. Dulius would lure the woman he currently fed upon into the engine room, where the nuclear reactor that powered the Manhattan lay. He would do so with the intent of draining her dry, unaware that he himself was walking into a trap. The woman was Katia Girard and her fake French accent hid her real French accent. She would impale the Duke with a silver butter knife she had smuggled onboard, but in the process damage the nuclear reactor. Abcde would reap the Duke, while Katia would return to the party. The damage to the reactor would eventually cause an explosion and sink the Manhattan. Katia would succumb to hypothermia and Tiffany would reap her soul. But she couldn’t tell the Duke that. It was not her place to alter Fate. Besides, she’d rather not get in trouble with the Sunodos. She liked her existence where it was.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #find the word #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Find the Word Tag

I've been tagged by the amazing @amewinterswriting! Thanks for the tag! My words are cozy, copper, cool, and fall. I'm going to share some excerpts from To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @space-writes, @kaiusvnoir, @chauceryfairytales, @deanwax, and open tag! Your words are dare, dire, dead, and dear!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Cozy

Not found! I'll share a fun fact instead. It's common for homes to be blessed such that the occupants receive benefits, such as luck and improved health. However, these blessings can be botched, leading to the home being cursed instead. Curses are quite variable, so there hasn't really been any housing laws developed for them yet.

Copper

Erika flung her other hand out to lock the door, her fingers slapping the wall. It glowed red where she touched it, the curse activating. Two years gone. Erika bit into her tongue, drawing blood and filling her mouth with its coppery taste. She locked the door. “You don’t have to be afraid. We just want to talk,” said the [unintelligible]. The doorknob kept rattling.

Cool

She pressed the right sequence of buttons and the computer whirred to life. The hard drive chirped and clicked as it spun, while the cooling fan hummed softly. The CRT screen gave a constant high-pitched crackle, the air around it filling with the prickle of static, somehow smelling of hot dust. It was completely dark save for a small blue loading bar that progressed at a pixel per minute. While the computer booted up, Mrs. Smith made herself another cup of sugary coffee.

Fall

Then, after ten minutes had passed, Erika struggled to do anything other than clutch her head, unable to ignore the headache any longer. Steve was the only one talking at that point. Eventually, Erika struggled to maintain even consciousness and passed out. Not long after Erika lost consciousness, her heart beat its last beat and she breathed her last breath. Six minutes after Erika had stopped breathing, Steve opened his briefcase. “To not falling off cliffs,” he whispered.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #find the word #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Last Line Tag

I've been tagged by the amazing @autumnalwalker and @sarandipitywrites! Thanks for the tag! I'll be sharing the last bit I've written for To Not Falling Off Cliffs.

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @isherwoodj, @amewinterswriting, @blind-the-winds, @space-writes, and open tag!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Then, Erika led them on to a task that by all accounts should have been unachievable. But she was made out of time and possibility; probability was merely a suggestion to be ignored.

#writing #writeblr #fantasy #urban fantasy #tag game #last line #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC

[ahordeofwasps]

Find the Word Tag

I've been tagged by the awesome @deanwax! Thanks for the tag! My words are dress, red, book, even, and odd. I'll be sharing excerpts from To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

But first, the no pressure tags! I'll be tagging @sarandipitywrites, @winterandwords, @mary-is-writing, @emelkae, and open tag! Your words are fire, flail, free, and follow!

Now, onto To Not Falling Off Cliffs!

Dress & Odd

On the other side there were two humanoids. One was a woman, and the other was a man. They had clean flawless skin. Their hair was neatly combed without a single strand out of place. The woman wore a white dress while the man wore a black turtleneck and black slacks. They both smiled as they each held a small stack of pamphlets. They both looked almost human. Almost. Their teeth, although perfectly white and straight, looked a little too sharp. Their eyes weren’t vacant, but there was an emptiness behind their stares, the kind that demanded to be filled. They were [unintelligible]. [unintelligible] usually didn’t go door to door. [unintelligible] usually found their prey in crowds, in those that walked a little too slowly as if they were lost. Some [unintelligible] hunted on the internet, using social media to find those set adrift in their life, looking for someone or something to grab a hold of. [unintelligible] were impersonal, though they did strive to make their prey feel special. [unintelligible] preferred odds set in their favour, usually working one to one only when their hooks were in their prey.

Red & Even

There were small occasions where Erika lingered truthfully, however. She stopped in the aisle with the shampoo, taking the time she normally spent pretending to read the ingredients in each bottle. Recently, Erika had noticed that her hair was turning red and was starting to become dry and chitinous. Although she liked the unexpected colour change, she disliked how she looked with a head full of chitin instead of hair. When Erika had examined her shampoo and conditioner, she discovered her shampoo was enchanted to give her the “dazzling hair of the future.” Erika did not want the hair of the future. She wanted the hair of the present. Obtaining the hair of the present proved to be difficult. Half the shampoo brands had the “hair of the future” enchantment, making Erika wonder why she hadn’t seen anyone else with chitinous hair. Of those without the enchantment, one brand had caused the death of one of Steve’s clients, two brands were currently in the midst of lawsuits due to giving their customers alchemical burns, one shampoo’s only ingredient was one whole coconut, and the rest weren’t sulphate free. Erika sighed, rubbing her temples, feeling her headache returning. What should have been simple hygiene was quickly turning into a losing battle. Erika could at least choose how badly she lost that battle. She picked up one of the shampoos with sulphates; it would make her already dry hair even drier, but at least she would be free of the chitin.

Book

At first glance, the apartment looked the same as it was when Erika last visited. There was still a bucket of crystals on the end table next to a stack of unopened cardboard boxes with facial cleansers targeted towards teens. The blue macrofibre dusting cloth was still left forgotten on the bookshelf next to a series of volumes on pigeon breeding. Beer cozies with various energy drink logos printed on them nestled mason jars filled with origami flowers were scattered about every available flat surface. Next to where Erika sat was a potted plant sitting on a cardboard box that once contained meal replacement shakes. But, as Erika examined the room further, she spotted new items among the clutter. A small box of make-up was in the bucket of crystals. A bar of soap that looked like a cupcake sat on the bookshelf, still in its original packaging. The paper petals of the origami flowers look like they were wet, and the room reeked of peppermint, with the stench being strongest next to the origami flowers. There was a plastic depiction of a zombified cat having a tea party with a ceramic frog in the soil of the potted plant.

#writing #writeblr #urban fantasy #fantasy #tag game #find the word #To Not Falling Off Cliffs #TNFOC