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Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

For a moment there I thought this was going to be the last episode, and I sensed a great dread swoon o'er me. But as fortune would have it - there's a to be continued at the end! Hurrah!

Given you've said 'for all eternity' maybe you should make this a series of indeterminate length (i.e. just keep it going where'ere it may, and it may it not end soon!).

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Nick Winney's avatar

as these things can sometimes go, the idea for this story was for it to be a Christmas story... but in setting the back drop, the character of speighthart and a dickensian hypebole took hold, and here we are, four chapters in and the ACTUAL story not really yet begun!

You may be pleased to hear that I feel the end draweth nigh - I have fair exhausted my lexicon of deathly verbiage and every dread sentence seems but an echo of one used before and taxes me sore in the re-writing!

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Jeannine's avatar

You mean that all this was just the set up (no diss implied - the first four chapters have been fantastic, so much so that I thought we were already into the actual story)? Very Dickinsey indeed! 😎

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Nick Winney's avatar

the idea was about a haunted post box... then it was... how would a post box be haunted???... so now you know....

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Jeannine's avatar

Ah! I can see how a haunted post box might cause a lot of havoc on Christmas. All the set up chapters were worth it, though, they were very entertaining I couldn't imagine the story working well without them. Now I know - thank you!

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Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

I can understand what you mean about running out of verbiage. There's only so much a brain can take.

Also, this is such a good story that you wouldn't want to overdo it.

Plus it means you can get to work on that novel, eh!

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Nick Winney's avatar

yes... and also maybe subit some stuff to magazines and etc....

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Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

Definitely. I am minded to do that myself. I’ll have to write some new stuff though. I have all these stories lined up for my Substack (like my Immigration Control anthology), but that means I can’t submit really them anywhere.

It does mean motivating me to write more, though, which is a good thing ultimately.

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Jeannine's avatar

I had the same fear and the same sense of relief - it's a great story, isn't it?

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Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

Totally!

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Jeannine's avatar

Oh my, it going to get worse? Wonderful writing, you seem to be having fun! I had to google "mortsafe," which led to all sorts of fascinating rabbit holes. Looking forward to your next installment!

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Nick Winney's avatar

the art work for this episode features a mortsafe - but for some reason it doesn't appear on the banner.... I may have to change the photo - glad you like it!

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Jeannine's avatar

I did see the photo and it certainly looks like a cage to keep the undead from escaping - but I was curious about the actual intention... I won't mention it here, because I don't want to drag this awesome story down into the mundane world, but Wikipedia explains their use pretty well.

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Nick Winney's avatar

it has reappeared... and yes... this is a mortsafe!

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Jeannine's avatar

I've never seen one in real life. Kind of freaky and cool at the same time.

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

There’s another part to the story?! Oh my - this tale really has got you in its grasp!

By the way, I’ve seen a mortsafe in real life. As a kid, I was absolutely fascinated by its morbid aura. I do love a graveyard.

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Nick Winney's avatar

i have completely got carried away with it - the original idea has still not quite surfaced in the story...I think perhaps there is a final 8th chapter in me...

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

Oh I hope so!

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Nicole Paton's avatar

Oh poor poor Mungo.

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Garen Marie's avatar

Just when I thought it couldn’t get much worse for the town, its church, and the cursed. What will happen now??

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Nick Winney's avatar

soon you shall find out.... soooooon

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Garen Marie's avatar

🙀😸

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Nick Winney's avatar

AND STILL I DIDNT FINISH IT AAAARGGHHHH

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Garen Marie's avatar

😆 that’s okay! Don’t rush the process, you know.

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