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Nook Tablet

Posted by Velox , in Other, Life, Literature Jul 29 2012 · 130 views

Heh, been a while.


Anyway, one of my birthday presents was a Nook Tablet. Gotta say, I'm definitely loving it. It's going to be very useful when I go to college this fall, as I'll be able to download a lot (most likely) of my textbooks, so I can just carry around my slick Nook instead of a bunch of books. Not to mention it's really awesome for if I ever want to read outside of my house -- waiting rooms, plane trips, car trips, etc. Of course, the problem is that I buy most of my books at a used bookstore where they're between $1-5, usually $1, and on the Nook, they're often more than that. =/ Oh well. I've already downloaded a couple of my favorite books, plus a handful of cheap and/or free ones.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of slight things about the Nook -- I can't seem to post on BZPower (I click on the add reply box, and the keyboard won't come up -- still looking into that, though), and there aren't Skype/AIM apps. I can, however, use websites for that, so it's fine, just not as neat. And a couple other things, but they're all minor. Otherwise, the Nook Tablet is extremely awesome. It will especially be handy as a calendar -- I need to keep better track of things that I need to do/appointments/etc. I have/etc., and this will definitely come in handy. Very much so.

But of course this is just going to make me add to my reading list. I seriously have so many books I want to read -- a lot of which I already have in normal book-format. I have nine books that I want to read "next," and then (literally) hundreds of others I want to read after that. Currently I'm re-reading the Hobbit, which is amazing (I don't remember much from the last time I read it, as it was a long time ago). Man, I am so excited for that movie! I'm not sure it'll be able to top TDKR, but I'm sure it'll come close.

I also got the Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Edition Soundtrack for my birthday, which is also very amazing (my personal favorite version, mostly because of Colm Wilkinson and Philip Quast). Speaking of music, I've started buying CDs again. I've never been that much of a music and/or CD person, but now that I have my license (oh yeah, I passed my test with flying colors after starting to drive for the firs time two weeks earlier. Forgot to mention that here. Driving is fun!) and a car that I can use whenever I want (and no iPod jack), I've started using CDs more. I recently bought Oh! Gravity and Vice Verses Deluxe Edition, by Switchfoot, which are both awesome, and that technically completes my Switchfoot collection because the only CD I'm missing is Hello Hurricane, but a live version of that comes with the VV Deluxe. The other bands I am trying to get CDs for are: Matt Maher, Owl City, The Fray, Lifehouse, Coldplay, Eisley, Rise Against (although I have 4 of their albums, just not in CD format), Yiruma, and Linkin Park, among others (those are my first priority). That bookstore I mentioned also sells a few CDs for $5 (where I got Oh!G), so I should be able to get a lot of those there.

All right, I think that's enough rambling for now. Look at that, I actually (very slightly) rambled for once. I should try to use this more, maybe.

~ Velox



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A Monster Calls

Posted by Velox , in Reviews, Literature Jun 15 2012 · 162 views

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A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness is honestly one of the best books I have ever read. Illustrated by Jim Kay, this book tells the story of a thirteen-year-old boy named Conor who wakes up at seven minutes past midnight to find a monster outside his bedroom window. For a long time he has been having nightmares almost nightly, but this isn't the monster from those nightmares -- this monster is different and wants something from Conor: the truth. Filled with emotion, characterization, and great writing, this novel tells Conor's story as he faces his mother's illness and the nightmare that haunts him.

I've been trying to find this book for a few months now at a used bookstore (what can I say, I'm cheap =P), but hadn't been able to find it until I visited Powell's bookstore in Portland when I was at Bricks Cascade (I'm sure I could have found it at a normal bookstore like B&N, but I haven't looked -- I know they have it online). I actually ended up buying it new anyway (it was only $16.99), and I definitely don't regret it. I started and finished this novel a few days ago and couldn't put it down while reading it. It has so much great characterization, plot, emotions, description, tales, not to mention the fabulous illustrations that accompany the text and simply the fact that the writing was very well done. I really want to read it again, but I'm forcing myself not to so I can read some of the other books on my mile-long list of books to read.

But honestly, this book is highly recommended. I am really, really grateful to Katie (aka Ezorov) for telling me about it and "nagging" me to read it because I loved it and it is now definitely one of my favorite books. On that note, today is her birthday, so you should all go say "Happy Birthday" to her over here in the birthday topic I made for her!

And if anyone's wondering, this is where my recent banner/avatar came from. I may write a more "official" review of it later on, but I just wanted to throw this out there that it's an amazing book and highly recommended.

~ Velox



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Preparation

Posted by Velox , in Personal Writings, Literature, BZPower Jun 08 2012 · 159 views
Summer Olympics, Library, Contest

Preparation


I typed away furiously at the black keyboard before me. I glanced at the clock on my computer screen. One-hundred words to go, nine minutes left to enter. I focused on the task at hand, pushing all other thoughts aside and only caring about the story in front of me. I continued to type, my stream of consciousness flowing straight from my mind to the keys and subsequently onto the computer.
..........There, I said to myself, finished. I looked at the clock again. Perfect. Three minutes left. I quickly switched to my internet browser and clicked on the Fast Reply box at the bottom of the screen. I quickly typed out my Member Name, the Theme, Word Count, and then copied and pasted my story from the Microsoft Word document and into the white box. No time for any formatting – not that it was allowed, anyway – so I gave it a quick once-over, spotted a single grammar mistake, fixed it, and then clicked the “Post” button.
..........The page loaded and there it was: my story entered into the contest with a minute left. I smiled to myself, proud that I accomplished my goal and entered in time, even if just barely.
..........I scrolled up the page, glancing at the other entries. Forty entries all together.
..........“Quite a good turnout, wasn’t it?” Velox asked as he posted the new theme.
..........“Indeed. And just one down; still eleven more to go.”
..........“Time to start on ‘Treasure’,” he said, the second theme posted.
..........There it was. The next theme. Treasure. Already the wheels in my head began turning, thinking of a myriad of possibilities I could use for my story. I sat down and began writing, excited to write again.



~ :: ~


...Five Days Later

Amor Omnia Vincit. I wracked my brain trying to think of a story idea for this theme. But nothing came. Only six themes into the contest and my inspiration was already dying. My writing seemed to get worse and worse with each story.
..........Not matter what I did, nothing came. Come on, I shouted inwardly. You can do this, you can do this, just focus. I sat there for a few minutes, head resting in my hands, probing my brain for answers, ideas. Something.
..........And then it hit me. The inspiration inside me flourished once again; an idea had popped into my brain. I opened up a blank Word document quickly, and began to write, my fingers flowing across the keyboard. It was exhilarating, enlivening.
..........But that feeling didn’t last long.



~ :: ~


...Six Days Later

There. Last one, I think to myself after I had finished writing my entry for the twelfth theme.  I drop my hands, exhausted. Relieved that the twelve days are over. My fingers are sore, my mind tired. But I know it’s over. I completed them all, entered every single theme. And now finally I can relax. A sense of pride filled me. I did it. I leaned back in my chair, propping my feet up on the desk, resting my head in my hands.
..........“Why are you laying back?” Velox asked. “These were just the beginning. The warm-ups. Simply a preparation for the real contest. So get back to your computer and start typing. The BZPower Library Summer Olympics 2012 are about to begin.”
..........And that invigorated feeling hit me again as my passion for writing consumed me. I was ready for the challenge. Ready to write.



~ :: ~


From here. Yes, not the best writing, I realize that (most-likely due to getting my wisdom teeth taken out and not being in the mood to write), but it served it's purpose, I think. The Library Summer Olympics have now officially been announced.

~ Velox



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The Bzpower League Of Authors: Reborn

Posted by Velox , in BZPower, League of Authors, Literature May 20 2012 · 316 views
Authors Guild

...Is back. Nuile and I realize that we have neglected this, and we also realized several problems there were with this writers' club. But we are ready to devote our time once again to this in order to hopefully stimulate writing on BZP, whether it be fanfiction or not. As such, we have decided to start smaller -- we realized that we expanded far too quickly, and as such for the moment the League of Authors shall consist of only bi-weekly challenges and a Review Pass.


With this new change comes a new name: The League of Authors is now the BZPower Authors' Guild. With the smaller set-up, a new name was needed that conveyed that -- "League" denotes something much, much larger. We do hope to expand in the future, but for now, we hope that this format will help our fellow writers on BZPower.

What is the League of Authors? you might ask. For those that don't know, the LoA is a creation of Nuile that is, in some ways, the successor to the writers' clubs before it (honorable mention to Lazzy the Spazzy for, in my opinion, having the most successful writers' club with his "Story Fit" which was a great inspiration to the formation of this club). All the LoA -- now BAG -- is, is a writers' club for the members of BZPower; to get writers writing more, to inspire writers, and to help writers become even better than they already are, because let's face it: everyone can improve.

Want to join? Post in the main entry stating your desire to join, and you'll be added to the list! Simple as that. There are no restrictions here: we welcome everyone and anyone who wants inspiration to write more and/or become a better writer.

And so, it is with great joy that I say: Welcome to the incarnation of the LoA: The BZPower Authors' Guild. Nuile and I will remain dedicated to this, and we hope you will as well. After all, in the great words of an anonymous writer:



"A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write."


That is what this club is for.

~ Velox



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Burning Bridges

Posted by Velox , in Personal Writings, Literature May 05 2012 · 101 views
vignette, write-off and 1 more...
Another 15-minute write-off between 5 5's and co. that was written about a week ago. Even though it's kinda dark, I really like this one, and hope to expand upon the idea with a larger story at some point. Until now, a vignette:

Theme: Bridges



Burning Bridges


I was sick. Sick of myself, sick of whom I had become.
..........Death was a salient part of my life. I had gone places I wished I had never even heard of. Done things. Things that could only be described in a nightmare. And now I was that nightmare. A dæmon. A monster. An eidolon. I had passed the bridge of redemption long ago, leaving it behind and doing only what I was ordered to. Every day I had wished to go back, to turn from my ways, but I never did. Never could. I continued the appalling behavior, letting the demonic side of me take over.
..........I knew there was no going back, yet every day I still hoped that there was. A way to stop the wraith from consuming my being.
..........My reflection stared back at me in the mirror, eyes black as my soul, full of hatred and malice. I hated it. Hated myself. My fist flew toward the mirror, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. My hand bled, but I didn’t care. Pain was no longer a concern of mine. Today was the day I would fix everything. Burn the bridges that kept me from changing. Shatter every malicious part of my being just like the broken mirror before me.
..........I finished dressing, tying my tie and then putting on my suit jacket, still staring at my reflection in the mirror, now a kaleidoscope. Those dark eyes still protruded from the lightness of the room, but I could see a hint of light shining forth from the calignosity of my being.
..........I holstered my pistol at the small of my back and left the apartment, ready to take on my controller, the head of the mob family I worked for. No longer would my soul belong to him. No more would I do his every bidding, every atrocious act he ordered.
..........Once this bridge was burned, my soul would be free.


~ :: ~

~ Velox



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The Flight

Posted by Velox , in Personal Writings, Literature Apr 18 2012 · 128 views
writing challenge, short story and 1 more...

So yesterday I posted a vignette called The Forest, done for a little "write-off" between John (55555) and others. We've been doing them for the past four or five nights now, so I'll probably post more here, but here's the one that we just did. Also, just for a little background on these write-offs: someone chooses a theme (usually John -- in this case, the theme was "Flight"), and then everyone participating (tonight it was Rene [EW], John, Micah [Kakaru], Lord Oblivion, and a couple other people not on BZP) is given that theme and then 15 minutes to write about it, no time for preparation (unless you want to take away from writing time), and no editing afterwards. As such, keep in mind that it is not the quality of my usual work and is unedited.



The Flight

We ran. Ran until our legs burned and our feet blistered. The forest whipped past us as we dodged the trees, not concerned with where we were going as long as it was far away from here. In my arms I carried my 18-month-old son who was crying emphatically. But I ignored his cries, focusing only on the running. Concerned with only his safety and mine.  
..........I chanced taking a look behind me and I could still see our pursuers hot on our heels. We weren’t gaining on them. No, they were gaining on us. In the distance smoke still rose from above the tree line.
..........They had come in the middle of the night with no warning, burning our houses, killing everyone in sight. When already half the village was destroyed the warning bell finally came. I was awakened, first from the horrid cries of my neighbors, then the ringing tone of the campanile got me on my feet. I quickly shook my wife awake, a sound sleeper, and grabbed my satchel which I kept for emergencies. I put the bag around my neck and placed my sleeping son in my arms.
..........“Go!” I yelled to my wife, who without hesitation began to run. We made for the tree line, following a small group of others who lived on same side of the village we did, the farthest part from where the attackers came.
..........And so we ran. Ran with all the strength we had. I wished I could help my son, give him something to make him stop crying. Something to tell him it was going to be okay. But I couldn’t. I could only run for dear life and pray to God the barbarians didn’t catch us.
..........My wife had tried to stay with me, but I ordered her to go on; she was faster not having to carry anything. I saw her up ahead, dodging the trees just as I was as she ran. For a brief second I saw her worried, scared, horrified face as she looked back toward me. I knew what she was feeling. We all did, and we all felt the same way.
..........It was hopeless. They’d catch us. But we ran anyway, fleeing from the place we had called home for generations.
..........I tripped over a root of a tree, falling face first into the frondescence that had formed on the ground. I kept my son in the air, taking the force of the fall on my chest and face. Pain seared through my being, but the adrenaline in my system allowed me to ignore it. To fight on. I picked myself up and ran again.
..........Finally, after what had seemed like hours, I looked behind again. No longer were our pursuers following us. I stopped, taking a closer look and realized it was true. They were gone. Our number had lessened, but we were not longer being hunted.
..........I fell to my knees on the forest floor. My wife came up behind me, hugging me closely. Tightly. The other members of our group gathered together to celebrate our victory. We were safe. We were alive. Our flight from the enemy was over.

~ :: ~





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The Brass Verdict, By Michael Connelly

Posted by Velox , in Literature, Reviews Apr 13 2012 · 35 views
book review, Brass Verdict and 1 more...

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The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly
ISBN: 9780316166294
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Release Date: October 2008
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: "Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.
Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together."

Review: Another amazing novel by Michael Connelly. The first page starts off talking about lies and how everybody lies. It’s cool to see that come up a couple more times in the novel as well, a great reference to the beginning of the novel. For the first three chapters you get a flashback of a young Haller in court, starting off the novel extremely well, as court scenes are always interesting especially when you have Haller.

Right off the bat you get some great new characterization for Mickey Haller. After the events of The Lincoln Lawyer, he fell into addiction of drugs, lost his chance with his wife, lost joint custody of his daughter, and hadn’t been to court in about a year. You really get a good look into Haller throughout this novel, who has proven to be an exceptionally interesting character.

In The Brass Verdict you also get Harry Bosch, Connelly’s main character who has ~16 novels to his name (and only ~4 to Haller). I haven’t read any of Connelly’s Bosch series yet, so it’s cool to see him here. Another interesting character, to be sure. A lot of great conflict between the two, but seeing them eventually working together was cool as well, and gave another great look into the character of Haller: he really does care about helping the “good guys.” It is also cool to see how Haller finds out Bosch is his half-brother. Quite an interesting development there. I am definitely going to read the Bosch series as well.

One thing about this novel that was interesting was that at one point it focused heavily on jury selection. I never knew that the jury was selected by the lawyers, and it was cool to see how everything worked, especially Haller’s strategy for it.

The Brass Verdict kept my interest from the beginning, with a very pleasing-to-read writing style, amazing characterization, an awesome plot, and some very well-placed twists. I especially liked how Connelly related the book to the title toward the end of the book, wrapping it up nicely. I enjoyed seeing that there was a glimmer of hope with him and his daughter’s mother, and the conclusion of the book as a whole was very satisfying.

Along with the rest of the Mickey Haller series: Highly recommended.



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The Athena Project, By Brad Thor

Posted by Velox , in Reviews, Literature Apr 13 2012 · 47 views
book review, The Athena Project and 1 more...

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The Athena Project, by Brad Thor
ISBN: 1439192952
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: November 23, 2010
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: "Tucked away in a remote corner of North Carolina’s Fort Bragg, behind rows of razor wire and heavily armed guards, lies the headquarters of the nation’s most elite counter-terrorism unit - the United States Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta. Here, a brilliant new approach to combating terrorism has just been born. Its codename: The Athena Project.
The novels will follow an elite team of female warriors from their recruitment as top-level athletes, through their training, to their deployment on some of the most exciting and dangerous international assignments the fiction world has ever seen."

Review: Quite the thrilling read. Just the idea itself: of having a special forces/black ops team of female operators doing the same kick-butt stuff that male operators do is awesome. Then coupled with Brad Thor's incredibly improved writing skills, that just made it better.

On that subject, with this book, I also finished reading all of Brad Thor's novels. I had read Path of the Assassin (his second novel) a while ago (somewhere around Christmas), and then I decided to go back to his first, skip PotA, and then read the rest in order. His first was really lacking (Lions of Lucerne). It wasn't bad, not at all, but it wasn't great either. However, that just shows what an amazing author Brad Thor is. If there was an award for "most improved author" it'd be him. I absolutely loved State of the Union (his third novel), as well as all of his following novels (and I enjoyed PotA, too). He is definitely one of my favorite authors.

Anyway, back to The Athena Project. First introduced in the previous novel, Foreign Influence, I was immediately captivated by the idea. I mean, all those thrillers you read are about mostly guys. Having this Delta-born group of females is just a cool new idea, and I think Brad wrote it well.

Starting off with a flashback at the end of World War II, the novel dives you in to an intricate plot with which four women operatives complete their mission in several European locations. Which is another thing I liked about this. For some reason, I just like novels set in Europe, though not to say that ones set in the Middle East or Asia or wherever are bad. I also really liked a twist that was given near the end of the novel.

The one thing that I think could be improved would be the characters themselves. I just didn't feel like I knew them well enough. Maybe that's just because it was four people, rather than the usual one guy (like Scot Harvath or Mitch Rapp, from Vince Flynn). But it wasn't bad enough to distract from the novel, and the characters were still very enjoyable.

Definitely a compelling novel with a gripping plot and characters.

So yeah, I'd definitely recommend The Athena Project as well as any other of Brad Thor's books (just know that if you've only read The Lions of Lucerne, or read that first if you like reading things in order as I do, they will get better, and you should keep reading).



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The Lincoln Lawyer, By Michael Connelly

Posted by Velox , in Literature, Reviews Apr 13 2012 · 33 views
book review, Lincoln Lawyer and 1 more...

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The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly
ISBN: 0316734934
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Release Date: October 3, 2005
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: "Mickey Haller has spent all his professional life afraid that he wouldn't recognize innocence if it stood right in front of him. But what he should have been on the watch for was evil.Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense pro who operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car, to defend the clients at the bottom of the legal food chain. It's no wonder that he is despised by cops, prosecutors, and even some of his own clients.From bikers to con artists to drunk drivers and drug dealers, they're all on Mickey Haller's client list. But when a Beverly Hills rich boy is arrested for brutally beating a woman, Haller has his first high-paying client in years. It's a franchise case and he's sure it will be a slam dunk in the courtroom. For once, he may be defending a client who is actually innocent. But an investigator is murdered for getting too close to the truth and Haller quickly discovers that his search for innocence has taken him face-to-face with a kind of evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, Haller must use all of his skills to manipulate a system in which he no longer believes."

Review: Wow. I really wasn't expecting this to be that good. I saw the previews for the movie back when it came out and it looked cool. However, if a movie is based off of a book, I like to read the book first, so as such I just added The Lincoln Lawyer to my five-thousand-mile-long reading list and didn't think much of it after that. I even bought the book a while back at a used bookstore, but again, just shelved it in favor of other books that I wanted to read first. So I finished Locked On, by Tom Clancy (review here), and then was looking at my bookshelves and deciding what to read next. TLL caught my eye, and, after watching the trailer for the movie again, I chose that over the other books I was considering. Needless to say, I was hooked from the beginning, promptly read it, finished it Wednesday, and then starting The Brass Verdict (the next book in the Mickey Haller series) and finishing that in a couple days. Both were amazing.

The Lincoln Lawyer captured my interest from the start. One thing I liked is how you got to see Mickey Haller in court for a short time at the beginning of the novel, starting off the novel very well. At first I felt as if I didn't have any idea who Haller was, as if there should have been a novel before this one. Of course, this was definitely resolved with quite a bit of characterization throughout the story. And, to be honest, I'm glad it was done that way. Being in first person, the only way to really explain who he is would be to have him say "I am__" which is boring and fourth-wall-ish. It's like he's talking directly to the audience. Rather, Connelly uses the book to explain who Haller is; a very enjoyable ride.

Which was definitely one of the things I liked most about this. Mickey Haller is an extremely interesting character; very unique in his ways (Lincoln Town Cars, etc.). He says himself "sometimes I'm not sure which side of the bars I am on" -- which makes for a great character and a great chance for characterization, which Michael Connelly definitely utilizes. Continuing with Haller, while it may seem as if he doesn't care much about innocence and whatnot, deep down, he does, as revealed in the novel. It was cool to have the novel in first person; I greatly enjoyed the Dresden Files in first person, so it was nice to have another awesome first-person novel.

The other characters were all well-written and well thought-out as well. The one thing that was a little weird is the close relationship he had with his two ex-wives. I'm not complaining, however, because Connelly (and Haller) made it work, but it was interesting to see how one was his assistant and the other was still a love interest. Which provided some more great characterization with the tension between Haller and his daughter and her mother. It was really cool to see how much he cared about his daughter.

There were a few times when some of the names got confusing, as Haller was working on several cases which were mentioned periodically throughout the main case of Louis Roulet, as it would all be focused on him and then someone from a different case would be mentioned, but overall it didn't distract too much from the story, as the plot and writing kept me hooked, wanting to know what would happen next.

There were several great twists throughout the novel. One was completely expected, because I had accidentally read it in the Wikipedia plot summary (though it seemed a little easy to guess anyway), but the twist was still awesome and I still enjoyed reading it and seeing Haller's and others' reaction to it.

The best part -- or at least the most exciting part -- of the novel would definitely be the latter part with the big court scene. Mickey Haller was simply awesome during it, and it seemed very realistic. The ending, too, was very satisfying and well-done. Which is what made me want to immediately start The Brass Verdict.

The movie rendition was also very well done, but the book was far better; the movie was too fast-paced, causing you to miss out on a lot of things/scenes that made the book so great. Characterization also suffered in the movie, as you don't get to see as much of Haller's thinking, etc. However, the movie was still very enjoyable, and Matthew McCounaghey was quite awesome as the title role.



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Solus

Posted by Velox , in Personal Writings, Literature Apr 05 2012 · 94 views
Short Story, Solus, Library

Solus


~::~


I stood alone on the edge of a snowy mountain, a broadsword gripped tightly in my hand, surveying the aftermath of a war.
..........As I looked down the mountain, I realized that the snow was no longer a pure white, but rather a bright crimson, stained with blood. The blood of countless victims, whose bodies were strewn across the mountainside; some living, most dead, but all broken—if not in body then in spirit. ..........The bodies lay there, blood pouring out from open wounds and pieces of flesh hanging from limbs. Often there was not even a whole body, rather only an arm or a leg which had been hacked off during the battle.
..........I glanced out over these people, many who were my friends, simply abandoned there, more helpless than a child in a snowstorm. Those still alive breathed hoarsely, struggling with every rasping inhalation to remain alive. I wished I could go and help, but there was nothing I could do—nothing but watch as they gave a final moan of pain and gasped for the last time. I could barely stand to watch – my friends dying one by one, but I endured.
..........I did not enjoy standing there, watching them all die helplessly the way they did, but I knew I had no other choice. No other choice but to walk away and desert them; and that was not an option. Not for me. I would not leave my friends alone to die. I would remain until the end. To be with them every step of the way.
..........Soon there was only one person left who still breathed—even if only just. With each wheeze, drops of blood spilled from his open mouth, but he clung on to life, unwilling to give up just yet, still hoping there was a way to get back to his family.
..........He was my best friend.
..........When I could stand it no longer, just watching the life evaporate from my comrade's body, I started climbing down the hill-side. I walked with a limp I had received from many injuries. But I was still standing—the last to do so.
..........I trudged slowly through the ankle-deep snow toward my friend, who moments later was sprawled only feet away from me, one of this legs missing from the knee-down. As I walked, sharp, biting pain accompanying my every step, I looked down toward my armor, once a glistening white, but now matching the snow.   
..........When I had at last reached where my friend was, I fell down on my knees and held him in my arms, bringing him close to my own body to keep him warm. He continuously spat out blood, staining my white armor even more, but I didn’t care, for that was all he could do. He could only lie there and cough up his own fluids, longing for death so the pain would cease, but yet wishing that he could live so he could see his family. He persevered, choosing the second option, holding onto hope. He made ragged breaths, was still alive—but not for much longer.
..........I remained there, cradling his limp form, not willing to give up, but knowing my efforts were fruitless. After only a few more minutes had passed, my friend let out his final exhalation. Blood still spewed from his mouth, numerous gashes and amputated limb, but he no longer felt pain, for he was dead. Tears flowed from my eyes and onto the body I was holding, which had only moments ago been alive. I stayed there, kneeling for a moment before I began screaming in anger; anger at the ones who started the war. Screaming in pain; pain that tore into my heart like daggers from the loss. Screaming in frustration; frustration that I could not have saved him.
..........I was alone, and soon would die from exhaustion, starvation, or blood-loss. The pain started to become intolerable, and I finally had to leave the scene, seeking help and leaving a scarlet trail with my tracks, my feet bleeding from one of many injuries.
..........I walked alone along the path before me, not knowing where it went, or where it would lead me. But I walked on further, knowing it was the only choice I had—the only choice besides giving up hope. As I looked around, hoping to find someone–anyone–I could see only my shadow beside me, always following, but never speaking, never comforting—I was alone.
..........I started to trudge away from the mountain, coming to a dirt path with patches of snow placed intermittently. The dirt entered the open wounds in my feet, causing violent stinging. I unsheathed my sword and brought it to my throat. I could bear the pain of being alone no more, nor the pain that escorted my numerous wounds, so I let the blade dig into my skin, releasing a trickle of blood from the wound. I was ready to plunge the sword in further, prepared to sever my jugular, but then I remembered who I was; a hero.
..........I trudged along still, sheathing my sword, determined to retain my dignity if nothing else. I tried to keep up hope, but I could undergo the pain no further. I fell down on the dirt path, the blood coming from my knees staining the path before me. I unsheathed my sword for a last time, and again brought it to my throat. I placed it on the cut I had made earlier, and dug in further.


~ :: ~


The blade passed through his jugular, severing the organs in his throat, and within seconds he was dead. His mouth remained open, and his body limped to the ground, lifeless. He was no longer alone at last. But he was lost forever.


~ :: ~


Finis.





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Bibliophilic Littérateur
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Joined: 20-September 07
Member No.: 64089

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|| Account Approved | Administration | 20th September 2007 ||

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|| Premier Membership | Dimensioneer | 9th January 2008 ||

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|| Forum Mentor | Black Six | 16th April 2010 ||

|| Short Stories Critics Club Curator | Hahli Husky | 9th August 2010 ||


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|| Forum Assistant | Black Six | 20th February 2012 ||

All About Me

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Name ~ Andrew
Username ~ Velox
Nicknames ~ V, TV, Felix, etc.
Age ~ 18
Birthdate ~ July 8, 1994
Gender ~ Male
Location ~ Los Angeles, California
Grade ~ College Freshman
Occupation ~ Student
Hobbies ~ Writing, reading, reviewing, listening to music
Interests ~ Books, books, books, and more books. Also reading said books and music and Katie and murder mysteries. 
Religion ~ Roman Catholic
Political Views ~ Conservative Republican

Favorite...
Bionicle Character ~ Takanuva and Kopaka
Bionicle set ~ Brutaka
Bionicle Element ~ Electricity, Ice
Color ~ Dark Blue
Animal ~ Wolf, Dragon
Sport ~ Basketball
Standalone Book ~ A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness; The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Authors ~ Vince Flynn, Michael Connelly, Agatha Christie, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allen Poe, Jim Butcher, Ted Dekker, and J.K. Rowling. 
Musical ~ Les Miserables
Action Trilogy ~ Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.
Fantasy Trilogy ~ Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings
Drama Movies ~ A Few Good Men, Warrior
Animated Movie ~ Ratatouille
War Movies ~ Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, Act of Valor
Old TV Shows ~ Sherlock Holmes, with Jeremy Brett; Columbo, with Peter Falk; and The Rockford Files, with James Garner.
New TV Shows ~ Sherlock; Castle; HIMYM; Person of Interest.
Comedy Movie ~ The Princes Bride
Music genres ~ Classical, Soundtracks, Musicals, Rock, Alternative. 
Artists ~ ThePianoGuys, Rise Against, Matt Maher, Switchfoot, the Beatles, Billy Joel, and others.
Composers ~ Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Howard Shore, Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven
Board Game ~ Monopoly
Environment ~ "Fall" -- (or Winter, in SoCal)

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