RoustWriter: Blog

This week with Times 7:

...Mack struggled up the steep trail to his cave while trying to balance his water bucket with one hand. Hiking to the stream and back (especially back) had been a hassle from the beginning because of the steep trail, but with his injury, the trek was fast becoming an impossibility. His arm was totally useless. During the last two days, the wound on his shoulder had steadily worsened. He suspected that he had been delirious last night.

He let out a sigh as he set the bucket down just inside the cave and mustered enough strength to put the poles back into place across the entrance. After sitting and leaning back against the wall, he pulled the makeshift bandage from the wound. The inside of the dressing was again covered with pus, even though he had cleaned the hide and replaced it on the wound only a short while ago. The injury was oozing corruption, and the swelling had distended the area until the stitches were barely visible.

Mack cooked some meat on his spit and after forcing it down, rested for a while before cutting another piece of hide and boiling it until he was sure it was as sterile as he could get it. After it had cooled somewhat, he applied it to his shoulder. The rest of the day, he kept a low fire burning around his pot, applying hot compresses until well into the night. Some of the swelling seems to be going out of my arm. Maybe my body will fight off the infection after all.

After a moment, he shook his head. You’re deluding yourself. You’re in big trouble, Boy...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Times 7:

...Kathy jumped to her feet, which startled Thad as much as the alarm did. “Wait, Kathy. Just take it easy,” he said as he reached to turn the volume down until it was barely audible, “I’ll put some more wood on the fire. Maybe that will change its mind.”

As he tossed three more branches on the already blazing fire, the alarm subtly changed pitch. After he activated the tiny five-centimeter screen, they watched a dot gradually move toward its center.

“It’s coming this way,” Kathy hissed as Thad picked up his rifle.

“Just be calm, Kathy. Just because something invaded our perimeter doesn’t mean it’s going to try to come in here and eat us.”

“Be calm,” she hissed. “I would have to be crazy to be calm at a time like this. I thought you said it wouldn’t come back after you shot at it,” she insisted crossly...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Times 7:

...After glancing around the area to ensure they weren’t leaving anything behind, Thad started on down the mountain. “Walk behind me, but keep alert,” he said gruffly. “Listen for noises, be on the lookout for anything unusual, and don’t be afraid to call something to my attention. Look up in the trees and behind you. I almost died back here from not looking behind me when I should have. This place has big animals with big appetites. And don’t be bashful about taking your gun out.” Then, having second thoughts about her walking behind him with a drawn weapon, he added, “But keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire and pay attention to where you are pointing the weapon. Stay close.”...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Times 7:

...There was a wrenching sensation that threatened to tear Kathy’s being asunder as the chamber faltered, then completed the last few milliseconds of the materialization process. She staggered as excruciating pain seemed to assail every nerve ending her body possessed. The pain was gone as quickly as it came, but then nausea hit. Something must be terribly wrong, she reasoned.

Having been tranquilized heavily on her initial trip to Temporal, she had little memory of her arrival there to compare this with, but what she did remember wasn’t anything like this. As she tried to focus on Thad, violent vertigo disoriented her. Her surroundings seemed to shift back and forth, blurring into a smear of colors that swirled around her, sometimes flowing together like streams of brightly colored paints. She stumbled to her knees as her stomach rebelled. She could vaguely feel Thad steadying her, saying something to her as her stomach muscles contracted again and again.

This couldn’t be happening. She had passed the physical under the time fields without any problems, so what was wrong? Every time she opened her eyes, the violent swirl of her surroundings would increase the nausea. Thad was trying to get her to lie down on something. Apparently, he wasn’t affected, so the chamber must have functioned properly. Could it have malfunctioned only with her? She felt something cool and wet wiped over her face. I’m disgracing myself, but I can’t help it...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Times 7:

...Thad couldn’t seem to get his mind off it. They actually went through with it. Those idiots burned me at the stake. They must have dragged me up on that pile of wood, tied me to that pole, and burned me to death.

Thad wanted to take a weapon, go back, and burn the whole village to a cinder. He couldn’t do it, of course. It would cause too much disruption in the timeline. He wouldn’t really do it, if he could, and changing one’s own timeline would be a surefire way to never come back, but thinking about burning the place to the ground helped dissipate some of his pent-up anger.

Did I scream? Beg? How long did it take for me to burn to death? Too long....

Have a goodun;

Roust