Wednesday 6 February 2013

Wildwood

by John Xero


The dawn mist hung low and tattered through Shawton Wood. The gnarled hawthorn trees were riddled with bulbous galls and their split bark oozed dark sap.

To drunken Toby there were shadowy assailants behind every trunk and he jumped as a low branch touched his shoulder. He took a deep breath.

The branch wrapped tightly around his arm. He pulled at it but more wound round him, pulling against each other until his body could take no more and he came apart in a gushing, splattering rush of blood.

The woods creaked like the fog-dampened screams of a dying man.




Author bio: John Xero knows never to go into the deep, dark woods. Not in the real world. But sometimes the deep, dark woods of the mind are where the best stories sleep...
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22 comments:

  1. R.S. Bohn6 February 2013 at 14:18

    Oh goodness. It's a bit early for gore.

    I should state that my stomach is notoriously weak. And my imagination vivid. But these are not criticisms on your skill, more like queasy cheering on. After all, it's not every day a man is quartered on the digital page. ;-)

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  2. Anonymous7 February 2013 at 00:04

    Ew.

    And I mean that in the most complimentary manner. ;)

    Loved the wording "split bark oozed dark sap", and that final line was perfect.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero8 February 2013 at 15:56

      Thanks, I was just having a bit of fun with the last line. =)

      Delete
  3. Peter Newman8 February 2013 at 14:20

    Ew, is seconded. (Same manner)

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  4. mazzz_in_Leeds8 February 2013 at 15:26

    cool! I love a bit of gore with my post workout shake

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  5. Anonymous8 February 2013 at 17:22

    When you read the words 'bulbous galls' in a story, the scene is set. Addictive and gruesome, i thought.

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  6. Cindy Vaskova9 February 2013 at 11:41

    Awesome! Love me a bit of gore!

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  7. Steve Green9 February 2013 at 12:46

    Great imagery in this John, I can just imagine the blood and guts draped and dripping from the branches. Wonderful stuff. :-)

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    1. John Xero9 February 2013 at 22:14

      Thank you, Steve. =) It's like special bunting... ;)

      Delete
  8. Sarah Snell-Pym9 February 2013 at 21:37

    More gore needed...

    Saffy

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    1. John Xero9 February 2013 at 22:16

      Ha ha! It is rather succinct gore, isn't it? ;) Difficult in the space constraints to fit both gore and story in.

      Thanks, Saffy. =)

      Delete
  9. John Wiswell10 February 2013 at 14:21

    I'm imagining the fellow was just drunk and imagining how the woods would come alive. His splattering blood is no more real that the sound he likens to carnage in the final paragraph. He's got to get off the booze!

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    1. John Xero11 February 2013 at 15:06

      I can see that, good interpretation. =)

      Thanks, John. =)

      Delete
  10. Anonymous10 February 2013 at 23:32

    I still find it incredible how we can write a piece with so much informationa and description with so few actual words - its an art ;)
    Not so keen on the gore but it certainly packed a punch. Nice work

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    1. John Xero11 February 2013 at 15:08

      Thank you. =)

      My writing normally shakes out on the side of less gore, but sometimes I like to splash around on the messy side of things. ;D

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  11. Sandra Davies14 February 2013 at 08:51

    That final line should e accompanied with soaring strings and a funereal tolling drum.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero14 February 2013 at 10:15

      And a long reverse zoom, low over the foggy trees... =)

      Delete

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