There is only today, and being read on youtube.

 

    What happens when you have incredibly limited time, a drive to write, and an opportunity to enter a story writing competition with a new outlet? Simple you get a frazzled Khan who slams out a one thousand word piece in a half hour lunch break. A one thousand word piece based on the theme 'there is only today'. 

    The competition was hosted by the youtuber Del Pera, and required people to adhere to a strict list of rules and the theme 'there is only today'. I wanted to get back on the horse after some set backs, and rejections so I decided I wanted to put my hat in the ring. This competition came at the right time, and I had wanted to branch out from where I had been previously sending my works. So It was a perfect opportunity. That said, I had also become a father, and between that and work I had very little free time. As I would later go on to joke 'pressure makes diamond and irritation creates pearls'. I was also working on the Open Window submission mentioned in my last entry so I had been rather flat out. However, like most of my writing an idea hit me, and I just had to get it on the metaphorical paper. I usually write things on literal paper, and then transcribe them to a computer. This however was not possible due to the time constraints and as days melted away towards the deadline I had only one option. To quote 'fuck it! we'll do it live!' style literary Leeroy Jenkins the project. So on one particularly long day at work I rushed down to my lunch break fired up a work laptop that is so old it could have charted the space race, and in a flurry of typing punched out the following piece. 

There is only Today

Her vision began to blur and darken. The sensation barely held the terror it once did for Orina. She knew it was the effects of the gene manipulation. Her ocular nerve was atrophying again. It was the first symptom that heralded her need to take a treatment. ‘Where was that Spire riding toff’ she hissed as she tested the cold iron manacles that chained her to the table. She blinked and focussed on the ancient chronometer on the far wall. Its iridescent green lumen display blossomed and made the time unreadable to Orina. She heard the grind and rasp of metal let her know she was no longer alone.

Orina felt her lip curl into a snarl as she saw the shape of the Palantite enforcers enter the room and take up position in the corners. Finally he entered, her employer, and her gaoler. Guild master Josiah Kurg. He wore the same green brocaded coat and impeccable boots. He carried a data slate, upon which his full attention was directed.
“My my what a busy time you have had Orina” Josiah said in the mocking tone that grated upon Orina’s anger. In the Underhive Josiah would be torn apart. Orina smiled thinking how she would slice him apart. How her Escher sisters would lay this pretender low. But that was not going to happen today. So Orina swallowed her anger.
“What does it matter?” she spat. “You got what you wanted didn’t you?”
Orina knew she had left a trail of destruction in her wake. Josiah used her to get things from the Underhive that he was too cultured to procure himself. In this last mission she had no doubt set off a gang war as she had shot her way through the Goliath gang the Forge Kings. She worried that her sisters would bear the brunt of their rage. She could not help them. Not today. She began to sweat and realised her heart was racing.
“Oi you gunna give me the shot?” Orina suddenly snapped at Josiah. He paused and looked up from the data slate. He affected a shocked expression and gestured to an enforcer. Orina felt an injector jab against her neck and fire erupt in her veins. Again the sensation was not unexpected, but Orina never got used to it. She swore she would make Josiah pay for it one day. But that would not be today and so she swallowed her murderous rage. Her vision began to resolve, the shot taking effect immediately. She saw Josiah clearly. His close cropped blonde hair, his unblemished skin, and hooked nose. Everything about him spoke of a soft life. It made Orina sick to her stomach. Although she reminded herself that could just be the treatment.

This was her lot in life. Josiah had caught her trying to break into his store house. Instead of killing her, he had introduced the leash. A man made gene hack that required her to take regular treatments or have her organs shut down. She could not run, as she would only die. Another sad death in the Underhive. So she had to crawl back to Josiah and take her treatment. She would have her freedom again but she told herself ‘not today’.

“Now that you are mildly more focussed Orina we can plan your next assignment” he began as he took a seat opposite her at the small table. Orina hated that he was so confident to sit that close, he felt no threat from her. ‘Good’ she thought to herself, ‘it will make it so much easier to kill him when the time comes’.  Orina could see how easy it would be. She would lurch back and snatch the enforcer’s stub pistol and shoot the second enforcer. Then it would be just her and Josiah. She snapped out of her day dream and reminded herself that it was not going to happen today. Still it made this man easier to deal with. The dream of future violence kept her going. This was all temporary and she could stomach it. She listened with feigned obedience as he began to lecture her about some corpse workers that had a relic he wanted her to recover. She nodded at the right places in the story, smirked as he hinted at the possibility of violence. She would casually ‘remember’ contacts that could help her with the task. Josiah nodded and clapped at this. He was always pleased when they had ‘their time together’ Orina suppressed a shudder. It was so obvious that Josiah was attracted to her. Orina had heard the story plenty of times. Spire nobles with a fetish for Eschers, and the sheltered Josiah was an open book. It had taken months to slowly twist Josiah into a place she wanted him. His eyes kept dropping down then snapping back up. He had no idea how to hide his interest. Orina smiled to herself ‘there is so much that he doesn’t know’ she thought to herself. He had no idea that every task that let her go back into the Underhive allowed her to contact her sister. To dead drop a vial of her blood, and to make plans. He also clearly did not know that no one can work chems like an Escher. Her sisters had been tirelessly breaking ‘the leash’. Orina nearly laughed when she thought of the contents of the last message from her sisters. That they had the solution. Upon her next return to the Underhive her sisters would dose her with a cure and with her leash broken she would return to Josiah and she would not be alone. Her sisters would come with her and as a family of hunting cats they would run Josiah down and tear him apart. But today she would have to play the game. She would allow him to feel in control. With a genuine smile she knew she only had to do it for today.

    I want to say once more 'hello wall of text my old friend'. Yes, in my rush to get an entry in I had sacrificed formatting, and editing. Yet, I had done it. One thousand words in thirty minutes. It felt incredible. Now I had to play the waiting game once more. roughly a month later I would be sitting down to play some Star Wars Squadrons when I would receive an email from Del Pera. A simple email. It simply held a youtube link. I followed it and was greeted to the following video. 

    Outside of one particularly embarrassing day in high school history class, I have never had someone read my writing back to me. It is a truly humbling feeling to have someone read your work. I laughed as Del Pera gave his criticisms. Especially when he said 'if this is a first pass well done', knowing full well the intensely rushed manner in which I had made completed to work. It was a uplift I really needed at the time. 

    So in reflection what could I have done better. Firstly time management. That is a given. I had plenty of forewarning and I should have worked hard to find the time to work on this piece. There is no real excuse for just rushing a piece, and to be harsh on myself is it rude to expect people to read it, if you have not given it your all. Something the competition winner can hold their head up for obviously doing. I suggest you go and watch that video also, especially Space Wolf fans. As to the story's content I enjoyed slipping into the world of Necromunda. 40K is best known for its expansive world shattering conflicts, and large scale unending wars. It is good to go into a smaller scale. Also following my horror piece I wanted to try and use fewer characters. I also wanted to make the main character one readers could understand. I also enjoyed the tension of 'oh just you wait tomorrow you're going to get it'that I wanted to create in the story. The cold way in which the protagonist broods about revenge and killing was definitely inspired by the character Riddick of the Pitch Black film.

     I had to do a little reading on the Escher, who I have always liked the most when it comes to Necromunda. I also wanted to play with the theme of there is only today. I wanted to do it in two ways. Firstly, the toxin/maguffin that keeps the protagonist in line. I like the idea that only the curative treatment is what buys her loyalty and that all parties know it. I also wanted to slowly reveal the dawning realisation that she had the cure and today was the last day she would take the manner in which she was being treated. 

    So in the end I am happy with the high pressure irritation that resulted in the above story. I do plan that in the future I will be better prepared, and currently I am spending a great deal of time upgrading my gaming/writing space. As well as trying to create a schedule for content creation. I want to get more regular, and especially more quality output. I have been digging through my old journals and I am considering a regular series of new fiction. Something of my own, rather than dabbling in existing IP. 

Regardless I hope to share it with you all soon. 
As always remember Hospitality is Sacred.