We have good news and we have so-so news, but we aren’t going to spill it here. Luckily, you’ll only have to scroll a little ways to see both.
In addition to these two little tidbits, we have the usual swath of content ready for your consumption! A new installment of A Vampire’s Vengeance brings us just a little bit closer to figuring out what happened with the coven. Our Classic Horror story is one of possession. Doesn’t that sound like fun? We leap into space for this weekend’s Calamity on Cinema.
And finally, we have the latest from our resident Bus Driver! Let’s get into it →
Okay, so the Good News first: with much of the reorganization of the project framework for each attraction in development, I have managed to begin getting ahead with A Vampire’s Vengeance. While this may appear nominal, this is actually a pretty big deal, as writing out several chapters ahead of their publication means I can turn more attention to other attractions that are currently waiting in the wings. You know, projects like The Rise of the Warlock Queen and Unholy Requiem.
This also means a return to the origin story of The Groundskeeper which, by all sources, may prove to be popular enough to query to literary agents. I am, however, mixed about this, as the appeal of self-publishing means I can spend less time getting the book to the presses and more time developing existing attractions still under construction. The benefit of having the text picked up and published by a small or large press, however, means I’ll be able to share responsibility of marketing instead of having to do it all myself.
Pros and cons and pros and cons and … well, you get the idea.
Unholy Requiem will be quite the release when it’s ready, and I am absolutely thrilled to finally be able to return to it. With just a few more tweaks of the current underlying system, I do believe I will be able to devote a substantial amount of time in getting this finally out of development and onto the carnival grounds. Keep your eyes here for updates.
The disappearance of the coven remains a mystery, but we come a little closer to uncovering what happened in this week’s installment of …
Imagine, if you will, your lover taking on characteristics quite out of character for who they are. Then coming to realize they are being possessed. Such is the tale we bring you in this week’s Classic Horror column:
We have enough monsters to worry about here on Earth, wouldn’t you agree? And yet, space is far too exciting to not draw down monsters from its depths. We bring you Three Flavors of Space Horror in this week’s Calamity on Cinema:
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An old woman risks everything to discover what became of her husband. A tale from the Odds ‘n’ Endings Boutique.
When last we spent time with the bus driver, the bus was cresting the pass and about descend out of the mountains on the other side. It was while taking in the expansive view that our bus driver and his passengers noticed the massive swarm of infected off in the distance. You can catch up with Part IX here. A swarm in the distance, well away from the highway, should not pose a threat, right? Let’s see what happens.
Exclamations resounded through the cabin as the realization of the terror lurking in the outer realms dawned on each passenger. Though nobody moved from their seat, the desire to get out of the bus and sprint all the way back to the compound was palpable. What they saw was at odds with what their minds wanted to comprehend, to dismiss, to escape from. One passenger in the back simply began screaming.
The scream pulled the bus driver out of his own fear. He had trained for moments like these. He couldn't control how his passengers reacted to what they encountered, but he could control his own reactions. He took several deep breaths, working to bring down his heart rate and ease the absolute terror he was experiencing. He knew there was no going back. They had no choice but to complete this journey.
Despite his terror, he managed to bring himself to an even keel. This bus was designed to withstand an incredible amount of damage. The expectation was not that the trip would go smoothly, but that they would survive through innumerable encounters. He had to trust in those who built it, and those who prepared the way. With a firm grasp of this belief, he picked up intercom’s mic and engaged the talk button.
"This is your bus driver speaking." The crackle of the intercom and his voice carrying over the cabin served to bring silence over his passengers. "We're now heading out of the mountains and will be passing through Victorville within the hour. Please adhere to all signs on the overhead at all times and remain calm." His own effort to calm his passengers began to work on himself. "Now, if you'll draw your attention to your right, you'll see the mountain range we're passing through is quite enormous and may house monsters we may never see. Now please turn your attention to the swarm we are all very aware of and take note of the distance. Now allow me draw your attention to the highway and notice it moves away from that monstrosity."
He paused a few moments and released the talk button to allow the passengers to process this. Even he felt a little more relaxed, knowing they were not heading directly toward the swarm. Re-engaging the talk button, he continued:
"Remember the Three C's of an encounter. They are," and he heard the passengers say the words out loud as he said them over the intercom. "Stay Calm, Cool, and Collected." Nothing else mattered if you weren't in your right mind during an encounter. "We have all been trained to deal with encounters, and we all know what to do in the event of a swarm. Remember your training and let's get to Calico without falling apart."
He disengaged the talk button and set the mic in its holster on the dash. With both hands on the wheel, he guided the bus through the numerous switchbacks taking them down out of the mountain. He considered their rather short trip thus far, and recognized the largest problems weren't encounters with infected, but rather the management of their fear. He also recognized they still had quite a ways to go before they arrived at their first stop; there remained plenty of opportunity for encounters to arise, though for the moment he did his best not to think about it. Victorville was just ahead, and he was both curious and terrified to find out how the organizers had set up a way through.
They came down the final stretch out of the mountains. The sun was beginning to set, though it remained light enough to see far ahead on the highway before them. With the swarm out of sight, hope was renewed in the bus driver and his passengers.
This hope, however, was short lived. In the next few moments, a barrage of rockets lit up the sky ahead of them, flying over the highway to light up a large block on the other side, which was met with a return volley of rockets.
The bus driver took a deep breath. That was Victorville and they were headed straight for it.
Well looking at a far off problem certainly is different than facing one! What’s a swarm of infected in the distance when faced with explosions right up ahead? Well, truth is, we really don’t know which is worse without experiencing it first hand, do we? But I suppose we’re about to find out! Will the bus encounter the swarm? Or will they be blown to bits first? Only one way to find out! Come back next week!
What a stellar edition! Even if I do say so myself. Such intrigue, with the vampires and the bus driver! Such terror to be found in space, and in possession! There’s a little bit for everyone here and I’m quite beside myself to have the pleasure of sharing it with you all. Please, if you have any feedback, suggestions, or simply want to say hello, do not hesitate to do so. You may reply to this email directly or use any of the survey buttons below. And above all, thank you so much for being our guest!
Cordially,
Mad Alex
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