Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sequel Update
127 pages and 2300 words written as of today. Here's an excerpt:
“This my usual medicine cocktail?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think might happen,” Hedley said, “If I decide to spill its contents on the floor?”
The bio-mech assistant looked at Hedley, without any detectable expression, until finally contorting its face in an effort to convey concern and confusion. The result was a mash-up of folded metal that turned its visage into a giant, meaningless smear.
“I don’t know. Why would you do that?”
Hedley smelled the familiar candy scent of the medicines wafting up from the cup.
“To break the pattern.” Hedley quietly said, almost to himself. He lifted the cup away from his lips, his hand quivering from a combination of age and fear.
“To break the pattern.” The bio-mech repeated, almost reverently, as though reciting words in a solemn ritual.
Hedley poured the contents of the cup over the ceramic tiled floor of the corridor. He watched the blue stuff drift into the canals between the stones, extending outward like a grid.
“That’s right. Starting now, nothing can be predicted. Nothing can be planned.” Hedley said, and resumed his slow, painful walk. The bio-mech trailed close behind him, protectively.
“Chaos.” The bio-mech said.
With a shocked expression, Hedley stopped and turned to look at the automaton.
“What did you say?”
“Chaos. You are describing the concept of chaos.”
Hedley stared at the bio-mech, incredulous.
“What is your codec?”
“I don’t have one.”
Hedley thought about that for a moment, slowly shaking his head as though trying to come to terms with a monumental oversight.
“We’re going to have to give you a name.” he said, and then turned back to the business at hand… putting one foot in front of the other.
“This my usual medicine cocktail?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think might happen,” Hedley said, “If I decide to spill its contents on the floor?”
The bio-mech assistant looked at Hedley, without any detectable expression, until finally contorting its face in an effort to convey concern and confusion. The result was a mash-up of folded metal that turned its visage into a giant, meaningless smear.
“I don’t know. Why would you do that?”
Hedley smelled the familiar candy scent of the medicines wafting up from the cup.
“To break the pattern.” Hedley quietly said, almost to himself. He lifted the cup away from his lips, his hand quivering from a combination of age and fear.
“To break the pattern.” The bio-mech repeated, almost reverently, as though reciting words in a solemn ritual.
Hedley poured the contents of the cup over the ceramic tiled floor of the corridor. He watched the blue stuff drift into the canals between the stones, extending outward like a grid.
“That’s right. Starting now, nothing can be predicted. Nothing can be planned.” Hedley said, and resumed his slow, painful walk. The bio-mech trailed close behind him, protectively.
“Chaos.” The bio-mech said.
With a shocked expression, Hedley stopped and turned to look at the automaton.
“What did you say?”
“Chaos. You are describing the concept of chaos.”
Hedley stared at the bio-mech, incredulous.
“What is your codec?”
“I don’t have one.”
Hedley thought about that for a moment, slowly shaking his head as though trying to come to terms with a monumental oversight.
“We’re going to have to give you a name.” he said, and then turned back to the business at hand… putting one foot in front of the other.
