With Subtle Defense finished, I turned my attention to the next genre on my list, a Horror story. Before I could reach for a prompt, my monster hunter flooded into my mind, complete with a partial skeleton. While certain aspects filled my mental landscape, others were as barren as a dessert. However, deadlines, especially looming ones, are wonderful for the creative process.
When I sat down to flesh out the story, a strange character emerged from the shadows. Unlike Solomon, this stocky figure was a nervous wreck and was trailing behind my hunter of the supernatural. As the figure tried to hide, Solomon’s actions reminded me of an episode of the Librarians where the titular characters end up in a video game. While I recommend that episode and the entire series, the concept of dragging someone through a dangerous situation filled the narrative with life.
Grab a chair and join me as we follow Solomon in his latest fight with the supernatural.
With the sun past the horizon, Solomon is dragging a portly man through a forest with monsters closing in on them…
As the tree’s shadows darkened the surrounding foliage, Solomon slipped his rifle under a branch. The hunter held his breath as he shoved the limb out of his line of sight. Once the dense patch of leaves shifted, air seeped through his lips as he removed his weapon and glanced down at the man standing calmly behind him. “There are times when ignorance truly is bliss.”
The portly figure behind the hunter reached out and tugged Solomon’s jacket. “What are you talking about?”
“Unfortunately, I’m all too aware of the creatures who are scouring the forest for you.”
“If what you’re telling me is true,” the man said, as a fingertip tucked under his collar. His head whipped about, tossing beads of sweat from his brow as he inched closer to the towering hunter. “Shouldn’t these things continue to ignore me?”
“Not when they’re here for you,” Solomon said, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he crept toward a massive tree. He pressed his fingers against the rough bark while his chest swelled. When Solomon released the gathered breath, he inched around the enormous trunk. “However, if you’d like to learn about these things, I’d be happy to remedy your lack of knowledge.”
The stout figure’s eyes bulged as cracks rang out from under his feet despite following the hunter’s trail.
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