Yeah, Jeb is a piece of work. I was glad where he ended up 😁
The move has provided me with inspiration. There’s another story in the works that should be out in a few weeks. I guess it just takes me a few weeks to settle
I’ve still got loads of reading to catch up on, including your great new story which hopefully I’ll get to this week 👍🏼
Yeah, we’re staying in an apartment now and doing up the family home to get it sold asap. It’s a nice block of flats but the lighting doesn’t work properly in our hall so it’s always in darkness, the lift stops at the 3rd floor and the doors don’t open so you have to prise them open with your hands, the wind whistles through the building and sounds like children crying and finally, the other week, my dog got attacked by these two hell hounds and I had to take him to the vet. However, all that being said, it does seem to be inspiring me 😁
Eep! Sounds a bit much. Hopefully the inside of your actual place is nice though. (And hopefully there's no infrasound from all that wind whistling through... (That's my brain from too much Uncanny!!)).
Great story! I really enjoyed how Jeb’s attitude came back to haunt him in the end. The way his fear slowly took over was really well done, and the Scrabblers were genuinely creepy. That final scene with the river was such a cruel twist. I have to ask — do you think Jeb ever had a chance to survive, or was he already doomed the moment he decided not to help the others?
While I couldn’t feel much sympathy for the awful Jeb, the horror of being hunted down by a slavering pack of Scrabblers hit right on the button! Nightmarish!
I loved how the story flipped my assumptions about who the real monsters were, and that final reveal was both shocking and unsettling. Was that ending always the plan, or did the twist come to you later in the writing process?
Well, the ending was really the beginning. The picture of someone jumping from their balcony into a river, to escape something, was the genesis of the story. Then I worked back from there as to why they would be doing that. The difficult bit was the ending as I knew it had to be dark. I thought about him missing the river, or a Scrabbler grabbing his foot as he fell and finally settled on going back to the beginning and the river. Here was his escape route that he longed to journey down, being full of his worst nightmares
Scrabblers! Scuttlers! Claws on the stairs! With a sick crunching sound, the head burst open and purple brain chunks exploded up the wall." Yeeeeeiikes!
Best line of all: "Students or something even worse!" (NOOOOO! Worse than students!? OMG)
Wow this was an edge of my seat read. Hard to root for Jeb, but he seems to have gotten what was coming to him in the end.
I chuckled a little to myself reading your end note because I was wondering while reading your story if it was inspired by your new digs!
Thanks very much Garen 🙏
Yeah, Jeb is a piece of work. I was glad where he ended up 😁
The move has provided me with inspiration. There’s another story in the works that should be out in a few weeks. I guess it just takes me a few weeks to settle
I’ve still got loads of reading to catch up on, including your great new story which hopefully I’ll get to this week 👍🏼
Great, propulsive read, Dan!
Best line: "Holding out his key card like a tiny plastic rectangular Excalibur." Superb!
I'm out of the loop. New move? New digs? Hope all is great. What's the strange goings on you mention??
Thanks very much Nathan 🙏
Yeah, we’re staying in an apartment now and doing up the family home to get it sold asap. It’s a nice block of flats but the lighting doesn’t work properly in our hall so it’s always in darkness, the lift stops at the 3rd floor and the doors don’t open so you have to prise them open with your hands, the wind whistles through the building and sounds like children crying and finally, the other week, my dog got attacked by these two hell hounds and I had to take him to the vet. However, all that being said, it does seem to be inspiring me 😁
Eep! Sounds a bit much. Hopefully the inside of your actual place is nice though. (And hopefully there's no infrasound from all that wind whistling through... (That's my brain from too much Uncanny!!)).
Yeah, I should write to Danny Robbins and tell him I’m living in a cursed apartment block 😁
What an exhilarating ride! Terrific story, Dan. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
Thanks very much Justin 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it 👍🏼
Great story! I really enjoyed how Jeb’s attitude came back to haunt him in the end. The way his fear slowly took over was really well done, and the Scrabblers were genuinely creepy. That final scene with the river was such a cruel twist. I have to ask — do you think Jeb ever had a chance to survive, or was he already doomed the moment he decided not to help the others?
Thanks very much 🙏
Well, as the story went on, he become more and more mean, so I think his fate was fully justified! 😁
Really appreciate the question 👍🏼
While I couldn’t feel much sympathy for the awful Jeb, the horror of being hunted down by a slavering pack of Scrabblers hit right on the button! Nightmarish!
Thanks very much Liz 🙏
I loved how the story flipped my assumptions about who the real monsters were, and that final reveal was both shocking and unsettling. Was that ending always the plan, or did the twist come to you later in the writing process?
Thanks very much MARTYS 🙏
That’s very kind of you to say
Well, the ending was really the beginning. The picture of someone jumping from their balcony into a river, to escape something, was the genesis of the story. Then I worked back from there as to why they would be doing that. The difficult bit was the ending as I knew it had to be dark. I thought about him missing the river, or a Scrabbler grabbing his foot as he fell and finally settled on going back to the beginning and the river. Here was his escape route that he longed to journey down, being full of his worst nightmares
Maybe that says something about me 😁
Really appreciate the interesting question 👍🏼
That's fascinating! I love how the ending was actually the story's starting point.
Scrabblers! Scuttlers! Claws on the stairs! With a sick crunching sound, the head burst open and purple brain chunks exploded up the wall." Yeeeeeiikes!
Best line of all: "Students or something even worse!" (NOOOOO! Worse than students!? OMG)
Thanks very much Sharron 🙏
Ah, yes, the change of name mid story! Completely planned of course 😁
That’s me updated it. I think “Scrabblers” work best 🤔
Really appreciate the kind words 👍🏼
so good! I was totally locked in.
Thanks very much EJ 🙏
Glad you enjoyed it 👍🏼
Oh, what a twist! Love it!
Thanks very much Wendy 🙏
I'd love to see more of those monsters. I hope you expand that particular universe.
Thanks Wendy 👍🏼
I have a few ideas but want to make sure I avoid this slipping into a zombie type story as that’s been done to death (if you ignore the pun 😁)
Something with an origin story involving nuclear waste and accelerated evolution—or something that we never knew was there.
EEEEE-yikes!! Horrifying! (But well-told!)
Hope you enjoy your new riverside digs! 😳 😅
Thanks very much Rose 🙏
As long as there’s no Scrabblers I’ll be fine 😁
Terrific stuff, Daniel. - Jim
Thanks very much Jim 🙏