This was a nice finale for an awesome chapter! And I have to say, I am surprised how strangely sweet the interaction between Jerry and Sasha… more is. If it weren't for the Jerry shrine, they'd almost appear like a normal couple to me Anyway, I am surprised by it, but I like these two together. They seem oddly perfect for each other.
By the way, hope you had a nice christmas
Maybe I'm just too pessimistic, but sadly, I doubt it. In case of Jerry and Sasha, they have additional problems. Neither of them exactly fits the definition of a well-balanced person. They both habe plenty of issues and their relationship already seemed to have serious problems long before 99% of the human population turned into cannibalistic monsters. That said, maybe they can work it out, against all odds. It's a million-to-one chance, but it might just work.
The shrine to Jerry was more of a memorial. And there's nothing creepy about a memorial, amirite?
Well, it is less creepy than the kind of shrine I had in mind when first hearing about it. That does not mean much, but I have to give Sasha credit for it.
It's been a quiet but pleasant Christmas this year, so it's been nice. I hope you had a good holiday, too!
Certainly, christmas has been nice this year. Nothing extraordinary in my case, but very relaxing
The shrine to Jerry was more of a memorial. And there's nothing creepy about a memorial, amirite?
It's been a quiet but pleasant Christmas this year, so it's been nice. I hope you had a good holiday, too!
You know i have always been afraid of joining this story due to its massiveness (and the fact that you have probably got all this planned out). It kinda surprises me that you were shocked Prime was so long when this story is huge too.
You really werent kidding with the title. This is as long as a monument.
Vincent Hale - Four Months Before ‘Blissful Among the Scary Things’
The thawing ground squished beneath Vincent’s boots, echoing the pain of blisters that covered his feet. It hurt like he had experienced third-degree burns, and when he rested and took his shoes off to clean them, he always found the same messed-up image of torn tissue and dried blood; painful, but bearable.
Vincent walked up the side of a hill and reached its crest to see, across a hundred meter expanse of 3-foot-tall grass, the light of a campfire. He instinctively hunkered down and put the sniper rifle shock in his shoulder, then peered through the scope:
Three men sat around a campfire in a semicircle, and from this distance, they all looked like ghosts, remnants of men. They reminded Vincent of his appearance the last time he looked in a mirror: thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
A fourth man left a tent and completed the circle, and it brought Vincent’s attention back to the matter at hand. He scrutinized the campsite thoroughly, taking it all in, and grimaced at the lack of another person, the boy or otherwise.
Something shifted in the brush behind the camp and Vincent focused on it. He watched that particular area for more than a minute and was able to just barely see two vaguely human silhouettes.
Vincent was about to ask himself, Was it enough to justify killing four men, but refrained from it. It wouldn’t help because he would have to do it anyway.
Vincent swallowed, aimed at the man front and center, and hoped the bullet would pass through and incapacitate the man across the fire so he could focus on the other two. He also prayed to a god that would surely damn him, not for his sake, but for the boy’s.
He brought a pair of thick headphones over his ears and blasted some punk rock through them so they would drown out the sound of death that awaited him. Green Day greeted his ears and he prepared to fire.
To be continued...
Getting in gear and getting reacquainted with long unseen characters to give a picture of what they've been doing. The next part will likely be back to the main date and characters, which is why this is 'part zero.'
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 0)
Vincent Hale - Four Months Before ‘Blissful Among the Scary Things’
The thawing ground squished be… moreneath Vincent’s boots, echoing the pain of blisters that covered his feet. It hurt like he had experienced third-degree burns, and when he rested and took his shoes off to clean them, he always found the same messed-up image of torn tissue and dried blood; painful, but bearable.
Vincent walked up the side of a hill and reached its crest to see, across a hundred meter expanse of 3-foot-tall grass, the light of a campfire. He instinctively hunkered down and put the sniper rifle shock in his shoulder, then peered through the scope:
Three men sat around a campfire in a semicircle, and from this distance, they all looked like ghosts, remnants of men. They reminded Vincent of his appearance the last time he looked in a mirror: thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
A fourth man left a tent and completed the c… [view original content]
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 0)
Vincent Hale - Four Months Before ‘Blissful Among the Scary Things’
The thawing ground squished be… moreneath Vincent’s boots, echoing the pain of blisters that covered his feet. It hurt like he had experienced third-degree burns, and when he rested and took his shoes off to clean them, he always found the same messed-up image of torn tissue and dried blood; painful, but bearable.
Vincent walked up the side of a hill and reached its crest to see, across a hundred meter expanse of 3-foot-tall grass, the light of a campfire. He instinctively hunkered down and put the sniper rifle shock in his shoulder, then peered through the scope:
Three men sat around a campfire in a semicircle, and from this distance, they all looked like ghosts, remnants of men. They reminded Vincent of his appearance the last time he looked in a mirror: thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
A fourth man left a tent and completed the c… [view original content]
Well, Vincent certainly has a good taste when it comes to music. Greenday wouldn't be my first choice to listen to during a postapocalyptic shootout, but regardless, they are undoubtedly a very fine choice. Anyways, it is nice to see him back, it has been quite some time. I was already wondering what happened to him, Zayne and the rooster during the timeskip This part also made me realize, maybe one of them is the mysterious guy that got saved by Ashley and maybe this chapter is going to explain how he ended up being tied to that raft. I guess that is not the most random theory I ever made
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 0)
Vincent Hale - Four Months Before ‘Blissful Among the Scary Things’
The thawing ground squished be… moreneath Vincent’s boots, echoing the pain of blisters that covered his feet. It hurt like he had experienced third-degree burns, and when he rested and took his shoes off to clean them, he always found the same messed-up image of torn tissue and dried blood; painful, but bearable.
Vincent walked up the side of a hill and reached its crest to see, across a hundred meter expanse of 3-foot-tall grass, the light of a campfire. He instinctively hunkered down and put the sniper rifle shock in his shoulder, then peered through the scope:
Three men sat around a campfire in a semicircle, and from this distance, they all looked like ghosts, remnants of men. They reminded Vincent of his appearance the last time he looked in a mirror: thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
A fourth man left a tent and completed the c… [view original content]
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in the open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her left ear. She powered it on and let out a sigh at her reliance on the device; that’s what happened when guns were fired multiple times in a basement without ear protection—one completely deaf and the other damaged.
Josephine left the suite, closing the heavy door as she went, and descended the flight of stairs in a hasty manner to find Jake. She suspected he would be at the infirmary. Upon arrival at the lobby, she found that someone had the common sense to cover the broken panes of glass with canvas and duct tape. The Southern Hub was less of a mess than it had been yesterday: the breached barricade had been given a more permanent seal, with pieces of scrap metal welded to it, which mostly originated from the fallen radio tower.
Josephine noted that some of the planters had yet to be uncovered from the wreckage, and the plants in the cleared off ones appeared dead or dying. That was bad, but not the end of the world. With a percentage of their food supply gone, their scavengers would have to pick up the slack while their gardeners worked to restore it.
They’d likely expand the garden to the rest of the park while they were at it. And when things settled down, they’d be in a better position than before the storm hit. Mother Nature’s attempt at killing a vestige of humanity would just make them stronger.
Josephine came to the bridge she guarded and suddenly came to the realization that she hadn’t taken over for Kurt. Opening the gate and looking around, she found that Kurt hadn’t shown up for work either. She had to assume he was either taking a much-needed break or was doing something more important. Ultimately, given the damage that was done and repairs needed elsewhere, guarding the bridges was pointless at the moment anyway.
Josephine arrived on a street dead-ended by another barricade with a tree fallen on top of it. She recognized the short, dirty blonde hair and old jacket belonging to Atlanta, even from this distance, as she stood atop the barrier with a silenced pistol, covering a man who used a loud chainsaw to cut away the tree. Once she got closer, she realized the man was Tommy.
Atlanta signaled him to stop when she saw Josephine approaching. Tommy shut off the saw and pulled down the rag that covering his face. His expression was grim, but he forced a friendly smile.
“Josie,” Atlanta said, hopping down from the barrier.
Tommy whistled the theme song to Josie and the Pussycats, and Josephine stared daggers at him. He knew that annoyed her. She turned back to the young woman and her gaze softened. “Has Jerry shown up?”
“Yes,” she answered. “He came back late yesterday afternoon to apologize for running away and talk with Daniel. Apparently, he and Sasha are starting fresh.”
“Where is he now, then?” Josephine asked.
“He got Jake to talk to Natalie,” she replied, “to let Sasha, Lindsay, and Keith out of their rooms… so I bet he’s with Sasha, wherever that might be. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Josephine nodded. “Where’s Jake?”
“Jake’s in the infirmary,” she said, “waiting for the man to wake up with Ashley and Calvin.”
“Thank you.” Josephine turned and walked towards the front doors of the building. The chainsaw was restarted and Atlanta climbed back onto the barrier.
After walking down the long hallway, she turned and found that the lights were lit in the injured man’s room, some machinery was powered, including a heartbeat monitor was active that pulsed consistently. The man himself looked about the same: dried skin, sunburned, and unconscious; they had covered him up, though Jake showed her the scars that coated his flesh. It was bizarre, but Josephine was nothing if not curious.
Jake was sat in a chair with his hands together in front of him, and he looked up when she walked into the room. “Josie.”
“Hey, handsome,” she said as she took next to him. They both stated at the man. Josephine asked with looking, “Where’s Calvin and Ashley?”
“I’m taking a turn watching him while they rest. They’re still in the building.” He sighed, and it turned into a yawn.
She managed a glum smile. “You go rest, too, okay? I woke up. I’ll watch him for a bit.”
He sat up straighter. “That’s not necessary.”
“C’mon. You need sleep as well,” she told him.
“Are you sure, after…?” His voice trailed off.
“Yes,” she said, with a sudden flare in her tone.
“Are you positive you can watch him?” He looked at her, his eyes bloodshot, but his voice was solid and masculine. She didn’t know long it had been since he’d slept, but he looked like he might fall asleep in the chair.
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
Hm, so it looks like the bastard Trevor succeeded in giving Josie a permanent reminder of his actions after all. However, all things considered, she still got lucky in a certain way. Requiring hearing aid is not that bad, compared to how easily it could have been way worse. Now that I think about it, I realized that after all the bad stuff that happened to her, Josie could have easily been the most unlucky person in the world, but to my neverending relief, she seems to have this strange habit of always somehow managing to narrowly avoid complete disaster
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
Maybe I am unnecessarily paranoid, but as long as we don't know who this unconscious man is, I don't trust him and I don't think Josie is save around him. Maybe he is part of Vincent's group and a decent guy who does not deserve my distrust, but at the same time it is entirely possible that he is some lunatic. See the strange scars for example. Especially the chapter title continues to keep me on guard. Maybe it is referring to Jerry and how he feels like a murderer, but I think it is entirely possible that there will also be a literal murderer somewhere in this chapter. And as long as we don't know anything about the raft man, this murderer could be him. In such a case, I want to keep Josie away from him. In fact, I want to keep her away from any kind of murderer, for obvious reasons. Of course, I absolutely don't want Jake to get murdered either, but Josie's death would hit me like a steamroller in comparison, so she is my priority. Part of me doubts that the consequences of this choice will be that brutal, but it can never hurt to be on guard. Maybe this is the day where my paranoia is going to save Josie's life. At the same time though, I am super concerned for Jake now.
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
I dont think watching the man will be dangerous for Josephine. She is tough and this man is almost dead, so even if he is a dangerous killer I dont think he could be dangerous for her at the moment. I also dont think it will be dangerous for Jake. This man is still handcuffed if I am not wrong. Josie and Jake survived worse than this man. I think someone who is not going to fall asleep should watch him just in case there is a medical emergency.
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in … morethe open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her l… [view original content]
(!) Jake will continue to watch the man and Jospehine won't lose a hair on her Pretty Little Head.
It's been an entire month since I last posted in this thread. Well, I've been preoccupied, trying to get a better grip on writing by way of reading (I read The Road and I Am Legend, among others, last month). Though, really, my delay hasn't been one of writer's block, but for lack of trying.
Also, I world like to apologize tremendously for my inactivity on the stories of other users (I've said that way too many times).
On a more happy note, I think I'm ready to return to writing on Monument for the moment. I haven't written in a good long while, so I don't know how easily or quickly the new part will come out. Maybe a few days if I stick to it. I'll see you, hopefully, then!
I've been sick for the last week, and I'm still not quite well yet. Hopefully I'll be able to devote some time to writing now, or maybe after I'm well. Until then I'll like to announce my absence. Ideally it won't be too long.
Now, take a guess what I just remembered, and just in time on top. Well, technically I'm already too late for it in my own timezone, but its the Telltale time that matters
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Monument and I'd like to use this unique opportunity to thank you, Hope, for writing this beautiful story. Thank you for every of the countless awesome moments it contains. Thank you for managing to make a stone-cold, uh, stone like me feel actual emotions just by reading words on a screen. I'll never forget how genuinely stunned I was after reading the Act 1 finale. It deserves special mention because it was that crazy. Thank you for bringing all of these characters to life. Jerry for example, who had the most amazing journey from a huge douche to a true hero, Josie of course and always, Atlanta, Ashley, Jake, Jordan, Maria, hell, even this fascinating antagonist Zafir. I'm always someone who finds it hard to decide on favourite things, but I can positively say that Monument is indeed my favourite story in this forum, maybe even in the entire internet. Other stories here came and come close, some of them very close, but Monument stays the story I'm the most invested in. So, once more, thank you for a whole year of Monument. I'm looking forward for what the next year brings. For now, I'm just happy because my favourite story turns a whole year old. With fondness, I look back at 27 pages and one year of this, in the truest sense of the word, monumental story. Hehe, get it? It's funny because I said 'monumental', which is a reference to the title of this absolutely wonderful and praiseworthy story, which is Monument. Man, I feel so subtle right now...
Finally, I hope you get well soon! Seriously, take your time and get fit again. While I am excited about the coming chapters, I first and foremost hope that you're feeling better again soon!
Now, take a guess what I just remembered, and just in time on top. Well, technically I'm already too late for it in my own timezone, but its… more the Telltale time that matters
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Monument and I'd like to use this unique opportunity to thank you, Hope, for writing this beautiful story. Thank you for every of the countless awesome moments it contains. Thank you for managing to make a stone-cold, uh, stone like me feel actual emotions just by reading words on a screen. I'll never forget how genuinely stunned I was after reading the Act 1 finale. It deserves special mention because it was that crazy. Thank you for bringing all of these characters to life. Jerry for example, who had the most amazing journey from a huge douche to a true hero, Josie of course and always, Atlanta, Ashley, Jake, Jordan, Maria, hell, even this fascinating antagonist Zafir. I'm always someone who finds it hard to decide on favourite … [view original content]
This story has really become something amazing. I looked back as well, and I don't know about you, but I saw something fantastic. Over time, Hope's writing has been getting so much better. I honestly can't even compare anything to it.
Now, take a guess what I just remembered, and just in time on top. Well, technically I'm already too late for it in my own timezone, but its… more the Telltale time that matters
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Monument and I'd like to use this unique opportunity to thank you, Hope, for writing this beautiful story. Thank you for every of the countless awesome moments it contains. Thank you for managing to make a stone-cold, uh, stone like me feel actual emotions just by reading words on a screen. I'll never forget how genuinely stunned I was after reading the Act 1 finale. It deserves special mention because it was that crazy. Thank you for bringing all of these characters to life. Jerry for example, who had the most amazing journey from a huge douche to a true hero, Josie of course and always, Atlanta, Ashley, Jake, Jordan, Maria, hell, even this fascinating antagonist Zafir. I'm always someone who finds it hard to decide on favourite … [view original content]
Thank you for pointing out Monument's one-year anniversary! I knew it was approaching but had completely forgotten. Anyway, it really means a lot to hear this. And, yeah, it has been a hell of a ride, despite the shortcomings I'm increasingly apprehensive about, and it will go on. Hopefully better than before. I'll try to use this time to take a look at how I want it to continue, as I've had trouble with that thought in the past. I'll definitely have to think long and hard about my plans and so forth. It will go on, though, and hopefully at a consistent pace for once.
Unfortunately, I've got a lingering cough and fever, and my foot has likely got an infection (all of which I'll be seeing a doctor about in the very near future), so my absence is bound to last a little longer. And again, hopefully taking a step away will prove beneficial in the long run.
The story is also at its half-way point at least in terms of the chapters. So, yeah, I guess that's another thing. It feels kind of weird to have been working on it for this long. It's sort of late here, it's almost 10:00 PM, and I've been more recently sleeping like a normal person for once, and I am tired, but I feel like I should have done something for the anniversary. I really can't make any promises with being sick and all (and the strong possibility I won't think of anything), but I'll try to think of something special to do.
Now, take a guess what I just remembered, and just in time on top. Well, technically I'm already too late for it in my own timezone, but its… more the Telltale time that matters
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Monument and I'd like to use this unique opportunity to thank you, Hope, for writing this beautiful story. Thank you for every of the countless awesome moments it contains. Thank you for managing to make a stone-cold, uh, stone like me feel actual emotions just by reading words on a screen. I'll never forget how genuinely stunned I was after reading the Act 1 finale. It deserves special mention because it was that crazy. Thank you for bringing all of these characters to life. Jerry for example, who had the most amazing journey from a huge douche to a true hero, Josie of course and always, Atlanta, Ashley, Jake, Jordan, Maria, hell, even this fascinating antagonist Zafir. I'm always someone who finds it hard to decide on favourite … [view original content]
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficiency because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficienc… morey because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficienc… morey because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Hey, hope you get better soon Hope. I'm used to getting my blood taken, I'm a blood donor and my doctor insists on checking my blood every month. Apparently I have good veins. Hope you feel better.
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficienc… morey because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Take your time, I really hope you're feeling well again soon!
About the suggestions, I'm not the most creative person when it comes to this sort of thing, but a map of the Laredo community sounds interesting. I also think imighthavebrokenit brought up a good idea. I loved the flashback/pre-apocalypse scenes in the early parts of Act 2, so it would be nice to see more of these.
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficienc… morey because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficienc… morey because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
Yes, I'm sorry I didn't update right away. The fever, cough, and infection are all gone. According to my blood test, my iron is on just the low side, and I've started taking vitamins to fix that. Bottom line: I'm perfectly fine now.
I'll hopefully be getting back to writing Monument soon, but it should be said that I'm busy with an off-forum project recently, which is my I haven't gotten around to doing the special thing for its anniversary. There are a few things coming up (gonna work towards getting a driver's licence, and a GED or high school diploma), so I can't say for certain when it will return, though I can say it will definitely return in the near future.
Yes, I'm sorry I didn't update right away. The fever, cough, and infection are all gone. According to my blood test, my iron is on just the … morelow side, and I've started taking vitamins to fix that. Bottom line: I'm perfectly fine now.
I'll hopefully be getting back to writing Monument soon, but it should be said that I'm busy with an off-forum project recently, which is my I haven't gotten around to doing the special thing for its anniversary. There are a few things coming up (gonna work towards getting a driver's licence, and a GED or high school diploma), so I can't say for certain when it will return, though I can say it will definitely return in the near future.
Meanwhile, I'm nearly 17 and my parents still don't trust me behind the wheel smh. Enjoy your freedom, Hope! And it's good to hear you're better, even if it was almost 3 weeks ago now
Yes, I'm sorry I didn't update right away. The fever, cough, and infection are all gone. According to my blood test, my iron is on just the … morelow side, and I've started taking vitamins to fix that. Bottom line: I'm perfectly fine now.
I'll hopefully be getting back to writing Monument soon, but it should be said that I'm busy with an off-forum project recently, which is my I haven't gotten around to doing the special thing for its anniversary. There are a few things coming up (gonna work towards getting a driver's licence, and a GED or high school diploma), so I can't say for certain when it will return, though I can say it will definitely return in the near future.
Comments
I hope you had a good Christmas as well, and it'll be nice to return to Monument for awhile!
The shrine to Jerry was more of a memorial. And there's nothing creepy about a memorial, amirite?
It's been a quiet but pleasant Christmas this year, so it's been nice. I hope you had a good holiday, too!
Maybe I'm just too pessimistic, but sadly, I doubt it. In case of Jerry and Sasha, they have additional problems. Neither of them exactly fits the definition of a well-balanced person. They both habe plenty of issues and their relationship already seemed to have serious problems long before 99% of the human population turned into cannibalistic monsters. That said, maybe they can work it out, against all odds. It's a million-to-one chance, but it might just work.
Well, it is less creepy than the kind of shrine I had in mind when first hearing about it. That does not mean much, but I have to give Sasha credit for it.
Certainly, christmas has been nice this year. Nothing extraordinary in my case, but very relaxing
You know i have always been afraid of joining this story due to its massiveness (and the fact that you have probably got all this planned out). It kinda surprises me that you were shocked Prime was so long when this story is huge too.
You really werent kidding with the title. This is as long as a monument.
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 0)
Vincent Hale - Four Months Before ‘Blissful Among the Scary Things’
The thawing ground squished beneath Vincent’s boots, echoing the pain of blisters that covered his feet. It hurt like he had experienced third-degree burns, and when he rested and took his shoes off to clean them, he always found the same messed-up image of torn tissue and dried blood; painful, but bearable.
Vincent walked up the side of a hill and reached its crest to see, across a hundred meter expanse of 3-foot-tall grass, the light of a campfire. He instinctively hunkered down and put the sniper rifle shock in his shoulder, then peered through the scope:
Three men sat around a campfire in a semicircle, and from this distance, they all looked like ghosts, remnants of men. They reminded Vincent of his appearance the last time he looked in a mirror: thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
A fourth man left a tent and completed the circle, and it brought Vincent’s attention back to the matter at hand. He scrutinized the campsite thoroughly, taking it all in, and grimaced at the lack of another person, the boy or otherwise.
Something shifted in the brush behind the camp and Vincent focused on it. He watched that particular area for more than a minute and was able to just barely see two vaguely human silhouettes.
Vincent was about to ask himself, Was it enough to justify killing four men, but refrained from it. It wouldn’t help because he would have to do it anyway.
Vincent swallowed, aimed at the man front and center, and hoped the bullet would pass through and incapacitate the man across the fire so he could focus on the other two. He also prayed to a god that would surely damn him, not for his sake, but for the boy’s.
He brought a pair of thick headphones over his ears and blasted some punk rock through them so they would drown out the sound of death that awaited him. Green Day greeted his ears and he prepared to fire.
To be continued...
Getting in gear and getting reacquainted with long unseen characters to give a picture of what they've been doing. The next part will likely be back to the main date and characters, which is why this is 'part zero.'
...the main date?
Date as in a day, date as in the fruit, or God forbid date as in a romantic interaction between two individuals?
Date as in the day. And maybe a little romance if I'm feeling merciful.
Green Day? I approve. I approve of this. All of it. If Green Day is in it, I'm down with it.
Great job!!
Romance for mercy? May I ask what would happen if you were unmerciful?
Break-ups galore. Possibly some characters meeting brutal ends. Luckily I'm 99% merciful and incredibly squeamish.
Green Day rocks!
I still maintain Sasha would murder the 'woman' she thought Jerry liked if they ever broke up.
I know! Favorite song from them?
Maybe a three-way tie between Basket Case, Holiday, and Wake Me Up When September Ends, but unfortunately, I haven't heard all of their songs.
I like X-Kid, 21st century breakdown and the Last of the American Girls.
Well, Vincent certainly has a good taste when it comes to music. Greenday wouldn't be my first choice to listen to during a postapocalyptic shootout, but regardless, they are undoubtedly a very fine choice. Anyways, it is nice to see him back, it has been quite some time. I was already wondering what happened to him, Zayne and the rooster during the timeskip
This part also made me realize, maybe one of them is the mysterious guy that got saved by Ashley and maybe this chapter is going to explain how he ended up being tied to that raft. I guess that is not the most random theory I ever made 
Chapter Thirteen: Murderer (Part 1)
Josephine Harper - Present
A cool, earthy breeze entered the suite through a one-inch-wide gap in the open glass door and gently pushed the curtains inwards. Josephine felt the chill and tugged at the blanket. She noticed she had access to more blanket than usual, and she opened her eyes to discover that she was alone in bed.
Jake was gone. After spending months in a secure community without much danger, compared to the harshness of living on the road, she still felt panic rise. Normally, the two of them woke up very early but inspecting her wrist watch revealed it was 11:30 a.m.
He let me sleep in, she deduced, quickly rising from bed. That bastard, he’ll kill us all with kindness.
She grabbed her jacket and was pulling it on as she neared the threshold of the door—but then stopped. She turned on her heel and grudgingly walked to the nightstand, grabbed the hearing aid, and put it into her left ear. She powered it on and let out a sigh at her reliance on the device; that’s what happened when guns were fired multiple times in a basement without ear protection—one completely deaf and the other damaged.
Josephine left the suite, closing the heavy door as she went, and descended the flight of stairs in a hasty manner to find Jake. She suspected he would be at the infirmary. Upon arrival at the lobby, she found that someone had the common sense to cover the broken panes of glass with canvas and duct tape. The Southern Hub was less of a mess than it had been yesterday: the breached barricade had been given a more permanent seal, with pieces of scrap metal welded to it, which mostly originated from the fallen radio tower.
Josephine noted that some of the planters had yet to be uncovered from the wreckage, and the plants in the cleared off ones appeared dead or dying. That was bad, but not the end of the world. With a percentage of their food supply gone, their scavengers would have to pick up the slack while their gardeners worked to restore it.
They’d likely expand the garden to the rest of the park while they were at it. And when things settled down, they’d be in a better position than before the storm hit. Mother Nature’s attempt at killing a vestige of humanity would just make them stronger.
Josephine came to the bridge she guarded and suddenly came to the realization that she hadn’t taken over for Kurt. Opening the gate and looking around, she found that Kurt hadn’t shown up for work either. She had to assume he was either taking a much-needed break or was doing something more important. Ultimately, given the damage that was done and repairs needed elsewhere, guarding the bridges was pointless at the moment anyway.
Josephine arrived on a street dead-ended by another barricade with a tree fallen on top of it. She recognized the short, dirty blonde hair and old jacket belonging to Atlanta, even from this distance, as she stood atop the barrier with a silenced pistol, covering a man who used a loud chainsaw to cut away the tree. Once she got closer, she realized the man was Tommy.
Atlanta signaled him to stop when she saw Josephine approaching. Tommy shut off the saw and pulled down the rag that covering his face. His expression was grim, but he forced a friendly smile.
“Josie,” Atlanta said, hopping down from the barrier.
Tommy whistled the theme song to Josie and the Pussycats, and Josephine stared daggers at him. He knew that annoyed her. She turned back to the young woman and her gaze softened. “Has Jerry shown up?”
“Yes,” she answered. “He came back late yesterday afternoon to apologize for running away and talk with Daniel. Apparently, he and Sasha are starting fresh.”
“Where is he now, then?” Josephine asked.
“He got Jake to talk to Natalie,” she replied, “to let Sasha, Lindsay, and Keith out of their rooms… so I bet he’s with Sasha, wherever that might be. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Josephine nodded. “Where’s Jake?”
“Jake’s in the infirmary,” she said, “waiting for the man to wake up with Ashley and Calvin.”
“Thank you.” Josephine turned and walked towards the front doors of the building. The chainsaw was restarted and Atlanta climbed back onto the barrier.
After walking down the long hallway, she turned and found that the lights were lit in the injured man’s room, some machinery was powered, including a heartbeat monitor was active that pulsed consistently. The man himself looked about the same: dried skin, sunburned, and unconscious; they had covered him up, though Jake showed her the scars that coated his flesh. It was bizarre, but Josephine was nothing if not curious.
Jake was sat in a chair with his hands together in front of him, and he looked up when she walked into the room. “Josie.”
“Hey, handsome,” she said as she took next to him. They both stated at the man. Josephine asked with looking, “Where’s Calvin and Ashley?”
“I’m taking a turn watching him while they rest. They’re still in the building.” He sighed, and it turned into a yawn.
She managed a glum smile. “You go rest, too, okay? I woke up. I’ll watch him for a bit.”
He sat up straighter. “That’s not necessary.”
“C’mon. You need sleep as well,” she told him.
“Are you sure, after…?” His voice trailed off.
“Yes,” she said, with a sudden flare in her tone.
“Are you positive you can watch him?” He looked at her, his eyes bloodshot, but his voice was solid and masculine. She didn’t know long it had been since he’d slept, but he looked like he might fall asleep in the chair.
[Insist on watching the man for Jake.]
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
[Insist on watching the man for Jake.]
What could possibly go wrong?
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
Hm, so it looks like the bastard Trevor succeeded in giving Josie a permanent reminder of his actions after all. However, all things considered, she still got lucky in a certain way. Requiring hearing aid is not that bad, compared to how easily it could have been way worse. Now that I think about it, I realized that after all the bad stuff that happened to her, Josie could have easily been the most unlucky person in the world, but to my neverending relief, she seems to have this strange habit of always somehow managing to narrowly avoid complete disaster
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
Maybe I am unnecessarily paranoid, but as long as we don't know who this unconscious man is, I don't trust him and I don't think Josie is save around him. Maybe he is part of Vincent's group and a decent guy who does not deserve my distrust, but at the same time it is entirely possible that he is some lunatic. See the strange scars for example. Especially the chapter title continues to keep me on guard. Maybe it is referring to Jerry and how he feels like a murderer, but I think it is entirely possible that there will also be a literal murderer somewhere in this chapter. And as long as we don't know anything about the raft man, this murderer could be him. In such a case, I want to keep Josie away from him. In fact, I want to keep her away from any kind of murderer, for obvious reasons. Of course, I absolutely don't want Jake to get murdered either, but Josie's death would hit me like a steamroller in comparison, so she is my priority. Part of me doubts that the consequences of this choice will be that brutal, but it can never hurt to be on guard. Maybe this is the day where my paranoia is going to save Josie's life. At the same time though, I am super concerned for Jake now.
[Let Jake continue watching the man.] Eh, Jake can take a nap right here.
Wherever is certainly the question, whatever they're doing is not so much.
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
Hey, if he want to, more power to him.
Great part!
[Let Jake continue watching the man.]
[Insist on watching the man for Jake.]
I dont think watching the man will be dangerous for Josephine. She is tough and this man is almost dead, so even if he is a dangerous killer I dont think he could be dangerous for her at the moment. I also dont think it will be dangerous for Jake. This man is still handcuffed if I am not wrong. Josie and Jake survived worse than this man. I think someone who is not going to fall asleep should watch him just in case there is a medical emergency.
Voting is closed
(!) Jake will continue to watch the man and Jospehine won't lose a hair on her Pretty Little Head.
It's been an entire month since I last posted in this thread. Well, I've been preoccupied, trying to get a better grip on writing by way of reading (I read The Road and I Am Legend, among others, last month). Though, really, my delay hasn't been one of writer's block, but for lack of trying.
Also, I world like to apologize tremendously for my inactivity on the stories of other users (I've said that way too many times).
On a more happy note, I think I'm ready to return to writing on Monument for the moment. I haven't written in a good long while, so I don't know how easily or quickly the new part will come out. Maybe a few days if I stick to it. I'll see you, hopefully, then!
Update:
I've been sick for the last week, and I'm still not quite well yet. Hopefully I'll be able to devote some time to writing now, or maybe after I'm well. Until then I'll like to announce my absence. Ideally it won't be too long.
Now, take a guess what I just remembered, and just in time on top. Well, technically I'm already too late for it in my own timezone, but its the Telltale time that matters
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Monument and I'd like to use this unique opportunity to thank you, Hope, for writing this beautiful story. Thank you for every of the countless awesome moments it contains. Thank you for managing to make a stone-cold, uh, stone like me feel actual emotions just by reading words on a screen. I'll never forget how genuinely stunned I was after reading the Act 1 finale. It deserves special mention because it was that crazy. Thank you for bringing all of these characters to life. Jerry for example, who had the most amazing journey from a huge douche to a true hero, Josie of course and always, Atlanta, Ashley, Jake, Jordan, Maria, hell, even this fascinating antagonist Zafir. I'm always someone who finds it hard to decide on favourite things, but I can positively say that Monument is indeed my favourite story in this forum, maybe even in the entire internet. Other stories here came and come close, some of them very close, but Monument stays the story I'm the most invested in. So, once more, thank you for a whole year of Monument. I'm looking forward for what the next year brings. For now, I'm just happy because my favourite story turns a whole year old. With fondness, I look back at 27 pages and one year of this, in the truest sense of the word, monumental story. Hehe, get it? It's funny because I said 'monumental', which is a reference to the title of this absolutely wonderful and praiseworthy story, which is Monument. Man, I feel so subtle right now...
Finally, I hope you get well soon! Seriously, take your time and get fit again. While I am excited about the coming chapters, I first and foremost hope that you're feeling better again soon!
Couldn't have said it better. Let it come on.
This story has really become something amazing. I looked back as well, and I don't know about you, but I saw something fantastic. Over time, Hope's writing has been getting so much better. I honestly can't even compare anything to it.
Get well soon, Hope!
Thank you for pointing out Monument's one-year anniversary! I knew it was approaching but had completely forgotten. Anyway, it really means a lot to hear this. And, yeah, it has been a hell of a ride, despite the shortcomings I'm increasingly apprehensive about, and it will go on. Hopefully better than before. I'll try to use this time to take a look at how I want it to continue, as I've had trouble with that thought in the past. I'll definitely have to think long and hard about my plans and so forth. It will go on, though, and hopefully at a consistent pace for once.
Unfortunately, I've got a lingering cough and fever, and my foot has likely got an infection (all of which I'll be seeing a doctor about in the very near future), so my absence is bound to last a little longer. And again, hopefully taking a step away will prove beneficial in the long run.
The story is also at its half-way point at least in terms of the chapters. So, yeah, I guess that's another thing. It feels kind of weird to have been working on it for this long. It's sort of late here, it's almost 10:00 PM, and I've been more recently sleeping like a normal person for once, and I am tired, but I feel like I should have done something for the anniversary. I really can't make any promises with being sick and all (and the strong possibility I won't think of anything), but I'll try to think of something special to do.
For now, good night, and thank you!
Update 2:
Went to the doctor yesterday for a check-up -- besides the infection and all, the doctor thought I might have an iron deficiency because I'm pale, but, to be honest, I just don't get out of the house much, but if there is, I'll probably find out soon. I got an antibiotic and had my blood taken for the first time (apparently I have small veins, which made it pretty unpleasent), and will, to my understanding, be going back in early March. All in all, it went perfectly fine. I should hopefully be well in about a week.
On a different note, I have given the thought of doing something for Monument's anniversary a little time and haven't come up with anything (outside of maybe drawing some maps of the Laredo community) and wanted to ask a question: Do you have suggestions for it? I'm having a little trouble myself.
The only things I could think of were flashbacks or more pre-apocalypse scenes.
Get better soon and I'm hoping for the best!
Give a brief alternate else-world story involving Jerry and Sasha.
Hey, hope you get better soon Hope. I'm used to getting my blood taken, I'm a blood donor and my doctor insists on checking my blood every month. Apparently I have good veins. Hope you feel better.
Take your time, I really hope you're feeling well again soon!
About the suggestions, I'm not the most creative person when it comes to this sort of thing, but a map of the Laredo community sounds interesting. I also think imighthavebrokenit brought up a good idea. I loved the flashback/pre-apocalypse scenes in the early parts of Act 2, so it would be nice to see more of these.
Hey, is there any new news on this?
Yes, I'm sorry I didn't update right away. The fever, cough, and infection are all gone. According to my blood test, my iron is on just the low side, and I've started taking vitamins to fix that. Bottom line: I'm perfectly fine now.
I'll hopefully be getting back to writing Monument soon, but it should be said that I'm busy with an off-forum project recently, which is my I haven't gotten around to doing the special thing for its anniversary. There are a few things coming up (gonna work towards getting a driver's licence, and a GED or high school diploma), so I can't say for certain when it will return, though I can say it will definitely return in the near future.
Good to hear you're doing better. Hey, and good luck with the drivers licence. I got mine back in December.
Meanwhile, I'm nearly 17 and my parents still don't trust me behind the wheel smh. Enjoy your freedom, Hope! And it's good to hear you're better, even if it was almost 3 weeks ago now