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Originally Posted By Markypie:
Did you get any candid snaps of Bruce? I really am sorry. I did not expect you to quit writing. This was a great story-even without incest! I'm groveling here. Please don't cut us off. I didn't quit, I just haven't had time to write more. Yes, candid pics of Bruce were taken, along with a photo of myself with Bruce autographing my Army of Darkness poster and director's cut DVD. You can see some pics of the Groovy World Tour 2008: Starring Bruce Campbell in my thread in GD. I'll get around to the next chapter whenever I have time to sit down and remember how I've got this segment of the story worked out. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Hell of a good story AGAIN
thanx |
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New chapter coming Friday!
I'm in a writing mood. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Ok, I'm sitting down to write now.
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Chapter 8
––––––––––––––––––––- The next day, Hope slept in until almost noon. The bed was so comfortable, she couldn't make herself get out of it. She finally got up when Eli and Nick came in and threatened to drag her outside if she didn't get out of bed. Once dressed, she joined them outside. "What have you been to, Eli?" Eli literally bounced up and down in excitement. "This town is really cool, Hope! They don't have lots of cars so they use horses to go everywhere! And Nick took to go see a blacksmith, and he had lots of really cool stuff! It was really hot in there, and he let me wear his leather apron and hit a horse shoe with his hammer! It was awesome!" Hope blinked several times, then looked at Nick. "What were you guys doing at a blacksmith?" "My old hunting knife snapped off at the hilt a few weeks ago. I really liked it, so I'm paying him to forge me a new one. He's pretty good; he's going to copy the design of my knife and then slap the old handle on over the tang." Eli grabbed Hope's hand and yanked it up and down as he jumped, showing her a badly mangled horse shoe. "See? He let me keep it after he cooled it off in a bucket of water! It was great, steam went shooting everywhere! And the blacksmith was the biggest man I'd ever seen! He's got this huge mustache and this really cool scar on his neck like an L with an 8 next to it!" "An L with an 8 next to it? On his neck?" Nick's eyes narrowed and his tone hardened. "Slaver's mark. They take a branding iron and burn their mark into the base of your neck, usually on the left side. Let's people know that you're... property. Cheaper than tattooing and you can't take it off like a collar." "Oh gosh," Hope covered her mouth, "You mean he's a slave?!" "No. Slavery is illegal in Wilma and the surrounding area. It's illegal in most civilized places, at least this far west. He escaped a few years ago and the folks here took him in when they found out he knew how to handle steel. He's one of the most important people in town now." "I can imagine, being a blacksmith. But a slave? That's horrible! I didn't think... Um..." "Didn't think people really did that? I guess if you've been sheltered all your life, grew up in some place where things hadn't gotten so bad, you'd hear about it, but it'd be too abstract to really believe." Nick's glower became an outright snarl. He wasn't looking at Hope any more. "It's disgusting what people do to each other. That's why I try to spend as much time out in the wilderness, even the wastelands, as possible. Getting killed by animals or radiation is better than letting people get their hands on you. Far better." Hope, unsure how to respond to that, let an awkward silence hang for a long moment. Clearing her throat, she broke it by asking, "So, uh, where's Sam? Did he go to the blacksmith with you?" Nick snorted, his apparent anger vanishing in an instant. "Hardly. Sam likes people even less than I do, so we're not in town very often. Some place as comfy as a hotel room is a rare luxury for us, so... Uh, it's gonna be practically impossible to drag him out of there." Hope's forehead wrinkled a little. "What does he do in there all day? I mean, I guess he could sleep in like I did, but is he going to do that the whole time we're here?" "Ha! Hardly. You don't have much time for relaxing out in the wastelands; you're either doing something necessary, or looking over your shoulder for danger every five seconds. We spend most of our time in civilization catching up on our reading. Plus Sam likes to hog the air conditioning." "I can imagine, the way he's always covered up with that scarf and jacket." "Eh, the jacket's not that warm. I would know, it used to be mine. Besides, the weather's usually cooler this time of year. It's really weird, it being this warm; it's almost like it was before the war, before the weather patterns got all messed up from the nukes. I guess things are returning to normal, at least as far as the planet goes." Eli was shifting from one foot to the other, irritated with the boring conversation but too polite to interrupt his elders; Hope placed one hand on his head to hold him still. "Why does he wear that scarf and jacket if it's warm, anyway? Wouldn't it make more sense to just take them off? I mean, I can understand always a hat, but it's a little... odd." She quickly added, "Not that I'm trying to be rude or stick my nose in anybody's business, of course, I just, uh-" Nick laughed it off. "Don't worry about it. Everyone out in the wastelands has their little quirks. We get real attached to our possessions; sentimental, I guess. I even talk to the truck sometimes. Sam thinks I'm going crazy whenever I do it. You might try asking Sam about it, see what kind of an answer you get." "Wouldn't he just not say anything, like usual?" "Um... Yeah." "Why won't he talk with us?" "Like I said, Sam likes people even less than I do. You know what, you haven't gotten to see Wilma, so what do you say Eli and I show you around?" Eli jumped and whooped and began tugging on Hope's arm, telling her about the things he'd seen. After a few moments of resistance, she gave in and let the two lead her away. ––––––––––––––- Wilma was a serious community. It was interesting to see the shops, but it wasn't very entertaining. You could only look at a gun smith, cobbler, or cooper for so long before it became boring. The people in the town were hard-working, and apparently spent most of their time laboring just to survive. Even the children were hard at work, tending livestock, killing rats, or learning to read in the house that had been converted into a one-room school. The old, pre-war school had been converted into a hospital since Wilma had never had so much as a first aid clinic before the bombs fell; in those days, the next town over was just minutes away and a serious emergency would warrant a helicopter from the major hospital there. Now, most of that town was ruins, destroyed by fires and looting shortly after the nuclear strikes, and the school was the only hospital for dozens of miles in any direction. Wilma had been warned by people fleeing that town. Warned not to let refugees in. They came from the cities, with no food, no water, no electricity. At first, they'd streamed in by car, then on foot. There had been miniature riots at gas stations as they fought over fuel to continue fleeing. The ones on foot had no money for food from the stores. Most of the stores had given away handouts, but more and more refugees continued to stream in from the cities. The food began to run out and was rationed. The refugees were angry. They began looting the stores. Then they spread out into residential areas and began camping on people's lawns, begging for food, shelter from the weather and the fallout. Some people let them into their homes, and this made other refugees jealous. They demanded to be allowed inside too, demanded to be given a share of food and water. There wasn't enough to go around, and anger and resentment grew. Smarter residents refused to let anyone in and refused to share what little they had. This did nothing to make the refugees less angry and resentful. Eventually, it became a full-blown riot. Refugees stormed into homes by the dozen, typically killing the owners when they resisted. Businesses were looted by crowds of thousands. Women were raped in the streets. In many parts of town, the rioting was racially charged and people were shot, stabbed, or beaten to death for being the wrong color. Residents fled ahead of the ravenous, lawless mob and arrived in Wilma in time to warn them of what was coming. The people of Wilma barricaded the streets with trucks, began erecting wooden fences and barbed wire to keep people on foot out, and formed a militia. Except for their neighbors that had escaped to warn them, Wilma would be letting no one into town. The refugees from the cities angry at being refused entry, but the people of Wilma were dead serious. Eventually, the body count grew high enough that the streaming hordes of humanity flowed around the town like a river flowing around a boulder in its path; none wanted to brave the rifle and shotgun fire of the people of Wilma any more. They descended on the surrounding countryside like locusts, stripping the farms and ranches of anything and everything they wanted to take, then moved on until they were only rumors. The town of Wilma continued to fortify itself, and had maintained its no-nonsense approach for all these years. This was the condensed version of Wilma's history that Hope got listening to Nick and the various residents she encountered on her tour of the community. She met the blacksmith that had so impressed Eli, and he truly was a giant of a man. He was loud, he had a roaring laugh that followed all of his jokes, a big, black handlebar mustache. If he hadn't been bald, she'd have sworn he was almost identical to the Theodore Roosevelt person she'd read about in the only history book she'd had at home. His humor was infectious, and he simply had presence. Hope found her eyes kept returning to the ugly scar on his neck; it did indeed look an L and an 8 close together, a reddened welt on his skin. He noticed her stares and, though his mood became slightly subdued, if that was possible, he made several self-deprecating jokes about how he should have taken up running as a child instead of learning how to work a furnace and anvil. He informed Nick that his knife would be ready by tomorrow afternoon, gave him a slap on the back that obviously winded the smaller man, and returned to his work on a plowshare. "He certainly was... interesting. I can see why he impressed Eli so much. He has a very... loud, personality." Nick chuckled and rubbed his back, straightening one strap on his chest rig. "He certainly does at that. We should get lunch soon, then I'll show you two the town museum. It's got a bunch of indian stuff and some relics from the frontier days; I think you'll like it." ––––––––––––––––––––––- That night, Hope and Eli relaxed in their beds, enjoying the cool breeze from the ancient, laboring air conditioner under the window. Lunch had been good, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and pickles, but dinner was stew and biscuits again. According to Nick, that was the most common meal here as it was easy to make. Hope decided that must get boring after a while, though the stew was certainly delicious. In Nick and Sam's room, Johnny Cash began singing again, so Hope flipped through the small cd case Nick had given her and looked at the DVD's it contained. One had a scorch mark on it, indicating it had apparently been through a fire at some point. Ferris Beuller's Day Off. Intriguing. She stuck it into the DVD player, took some time figuring out how to work the television, and started the movie. It drowned out some of the music from next door. Hope and Eli enjoyed the movie, though they didn't really understand the majority of cultural references throughout it. When she turned the television off and retrieved the DVD from the player, she noticed the music had stopped and she could hear water running in the next room. "Ok Eli, time for bed." "Awwww!" Hope gave him a playful swat to the back of the head and together they went to brush their teeth. They both took a quick shower and headed for bed. Lying in the dark, Hope luxuriated in the almost forgotten sensation of having a bed all to herself and rubbed the soft flannel blanket against her cheek. "Hope?" "Yes?" "I'm having lots of fun. This trip was worth it." "Don't say that yet. We're not even a third of the way there." "Yeah. Night." "Goodnight." |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Thanks for the new chapter. You've got talent keep it up.
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BTT for day crew.
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Very good glad I came across it.
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It'd be like a jellyfish attacking a snowblower. - cmjohnson
She's so easy, even a caveman can do her. - thedoctors308 افر |
Just so you guys know, I've got the rough outlines for the next couple chapters worked out, so I just need to find time to sit down and write. Expect two or three new chapters before the end of the month.
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
Just so you guys know, I've got the rough outlines for the next couple chapters worked out, so I just need to find time to sit down and write. Expect two or three new chapters before the end of the month. Awesome! And I thought this past one was another great installment, thanks. when finished, will you be making the story, in its entirety, available as a word/adobe file? |
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Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
Just so you guys know, I've got the rough outlines for the next couple chapters worked out, so I just need to find time to sit down and write. Expect two or three new chapters before the end of the month. Can we hold you to your word on that? Cause your stories are like ammo, we always need more. |
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Originally Posted By goodmike45:
Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
Just so you guys know, I've got the rough outlines for the next couple chapters worked out, so I just need to find time to sit down and write. Expect two or three new chapters before the end of the month. Awesome! And I thought this past one was another great installment, thanks. when finished, will you be making the story, in its entirety, available as a word/adobe file? I don't know enough about computers to make a pdf, but others do. One e-mailed me a pdf containing The Survivor in its entirety, so I'm sure someone will do the same for From Sea To Shining Sea. I do save each chapter to a word file after I post it though, just in case the thread disappears or something. I figure after I crank out a few more of these stories, I can go through and edit them for the numerous typos I'm sure are present (I noticed half a dozen in the latest chapter alone) and maybe stick them all in a book of short stories and get it published. I've no problem with people saving the stories, and I don't mind folks sharing them with friends and family who may like to read them. I just ask that anyone who does so includes my screen name for authorship and a link to the appropriate thread(s). |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Nice update, Swindle!
Enjoying it! Michael |
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It's no longer a question of "if".... it's a question of "when"!
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BTT
Forgot to edit the title so people knew there was ANOTHER new chapter. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
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Awesome, keep it up.
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Originally Posted By Gripy:
Awesome, keep it up. +1 |
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I just GOTTA know!!!! Is Sam really a girl?!!! Light build, keeps under wraps of heavy clothing, doesn't talk, stays in the hotel room, they turn up the TV real loud at times (so the noise they make is covered up maybe????). I'm thinking Sam is really Samantha, and is a SMOKIN' hot blonde!!!!
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Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
I don't know enough about computers to make a pdf, but others do. One e-mailed me a pdf containing The Survivor in its entirety, so I'm sure someone will do the same for From Sea To Shining Sea. I do save each chapter to a word file after I post it though, just in case the thread disappears or something. .... It is very simple to change a word document (.doc file) into a pdf. Step 1. Go Here Step 2. On the site, click browse and find the file on your computer. Step 3. On the site, click convert Step 4. Save the pdf document that pops up. And your done. |
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Originally Posted By Taxed2Death:
I just GOTTA know!!!! Is Sam really a girl?!!! Light build, keeps under wraps of heavy clothing, doesn't talk, stays in the hotel room, they turn up the TV real loud at times (so the noise they make is covered up maybe????). I'm thinking Sam is really Samantha, and is a SMOKIN' hot blonde!!!! LOL. Don't give Markypie any ideas for his "special" chapters. |
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Great job!! Can't wait for more
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Originally Posted By icedfire:
Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
I don't know enough about computers to make a pdf, but others do. One e-mailed me a pdf containing The Survivor in its entirety, so I'm sure someone will do the same for From Sea To Shining Sea. I do save each chapter to a word file after I post it though, just in case the thread disappears or something. .... It is very simple to change a word document (.doc file) into a pdf. Step 1. Go Here Step 2. On the site, click browse and find the file on your computer. Step 3. On the site, click convert Step 4. Save the pdf document that pops up. And your done. Useful. Thanks. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Thanks for the new chapters, Swindle. Great job.
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Reason and Logic kill so many threads around here that they are about as welcome in a discussion as a drag queen is to a tractor pull! - Acman145acp
SWT Proud member of the Hardass 8. Molon Labe! |
Originally Posted By Halffast:
Thanks for the new chapters, Swindle. Great job. HE LIVES! |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Originally Posted By Markypie:
Originally Posted By icedfire:
Originally Posted By Taxed2Death:
I just GOTTA know!!!! Is Sam really a girl?!!! Light build, keeps under wraps of heavy clothing, doesn't talk, stays in the hotel room, they turn up the TV real loud at times (so the noise they make is covered up maybe????). I'm thinking Sam is really Samantha, and is a SMOKIN' hot blonde!!!! LOL. Don't give Markypie any ideas for his "special" chapters. So Sam is really Samantha. We're ridin' dirty now. Great story Swindle, keep it up. Just let me know if you need a break. You keep your perversions to yourself or I'll stick you in the story just so I can kill you off. Wait- that may actually encourage such behavior. Dang it, now I don't know what to do. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Don't worry, I said I wouldn't do it again, and I'm as good as my word, usually.
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Hunting and fishing are sports. A sport is where something stands a better than even chance of dying. Everything else is just a game.
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Just an update guys:
I've got the outline for the next chapter (next several chapters, actually) worked out, but I have a wedding to go to (I'm an usher) this weekend, then I'm chilling at the range with a friend and playing some Call of Duty, and then it's Thanksgiving. Plus, I have SEVERAL papers I gotta write. So. Long story short, no new chapter for at least a week. BUT, the good news is, because I've worked out the outlines for the next few chapters, you should get at least two or three new chapters a day or so apart when I start writing again. Also, Markypie: You know I love you, man. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
hey man are ya done with finals yet?????????????????????
We sure could use a nice deversion from from all the crapola out there PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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you've come to take my WHAT?
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Originally Posted By gunnutt1:
hey man are ya done with finals yet????????????????????? We sure could use a nice deversion from from all the crapola out there PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nope. I graduate next weekend; then I have a month off before I head off to train for the park services. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Don't let the drill instructors break you, Swindle.
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Hunting and fishing are sports. A sport is where something stands a better than even chance of dying. Everything else is just a game.
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AWESOME story!!! You have a real knack for writing. I am really looking forward to these next chapters. Great job on The Survivor as well
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Originally Posted By Markypie:
Don't let the drill instructors break you, Swindle. I won't be worried until and unless they start calling me Private Pyle. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
New chapter please.
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Originally Posted By TSR2922:
New chapter please. Read the update. Not happening for at least a week. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
MOAR!!!
Seriously though, you should write a big fricking book. Not to be a kissass or anything, but you have a talant. |
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Thanks EFB16ACRX!
It is the DUTY of all Americans to own and be proficient with all manners of firearms. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference. FUCK OBAMA |
Originally Posted By g3shooter:
MOAR!!! Seriously though, you should write a big fricking book. Not to be a kissass or anything, but you have a talant. Good readers make good writers. And I have a shit-load of books sitting in my room that I've read. Very likely I'll do the next chapter this coming week. Not happening tonight; I'm exhausted from loading my stuff for two hours, driving for four hours, unloading my stuff, and my leg hurts (ran full-tilt into a stone bench that was invisible in the dark; I SHOULD have gone to the hospital to get it stitched up, but my SF first aid skills took care of it. The torn ligament is sore from going up and down stairs carrying appliances and shit though. ). Oh, and my cat may be dying, so the mood obviously isn't there. BUT, it's likely I'll have the next chapter up between now and next Sunday. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
This will probably be the first time you have heard this from a reader, but take your time.
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Thanks EFB16ACRX!
It is the DUTY of all Americans to own and be proficient with all manners of firearms. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference. FUCK OBAMA |
So, I'm thinking you guys are going to want a Christmas gift, amirite?
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
YES!
But first things first, how is the cat? |
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Thanks EFB16ACRX!
It is the DUTY of all Americans to own and be proficient with all manners of firearms. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference. FUCK OBAMA |
Originally Posted By g3shooter:
YES! But first things first, how is the cat? You can look up the thread in GD for all the details, but long story short, he died early Thursday morning. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Sorry to hear that. We had to put one down last week due to Kidney failure. It is never easy.
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So, yeah, new chapter tonight. Dunno how long it'll be, it depends on whether or not I've got time to post the entire next segment of the story or if I'm really busy and can only post part of it.
Either way, you suckers are getting a new chapter Merry Christmas. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polar-bare is THE MAN. |
Originally Posted By Swindle1984:
So, yeah, new chapter tonight. Dunno how long it'll be, it depends on whether or not I've got time to post the entire next segment of the story or if I'm really busy and can only post part of it. Either way, you suckers are getting a new chapter Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas |
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And to you and yours.
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Hunting and fishing are sports. A sport is where something stands a better than even chance of dying. Everything else is just a game.
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Sorry guys, I've been sick. I can only focus long enough to make snarky comments. Writing out a chapter is beyond my attention span at the moment. And that's before I took medication that made me loopy.
You'll get your chapter tomorrow, when I feel better. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polarbare is THE MAN. |
Tomorrow? Its been tomorrow twice already! Come on man I need the next chapter.
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No worries - hope you get to feeling better.
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"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." -- The Dalai Lama
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Hey guys, new update:
Feeling much better and am able to focus on things for extended periods of time. I'm going to go pee and then write up the new chapter right now. |
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America is at that awkward stage where it's too late to change things from within and too early to shoot the bastards.
polarbare is THE MAN. |
YAY!!!
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