Posts tagged ‘novel’
THE BEAST AWAITS: A NOVEL, SYNOPSIS PART I
Here is the beginning of the synopsis promised in my last post.
THE BEAST AWAITS
By Walt Trizna
Synopsis
The Beast Awaits is a novel composed of three parts: A New Species, Migration and Redemption.
The initial setting for the story is StemDiscovery, a newly started company located in a sprawling complex south of Miami. The horror created there spreads throughout the country and then to the rest of the world
PART I OF SYNOPSIS FOR THE BEAST AWAITS
A NEW SPECIES
Part I, A New Species, follows the formation of a new species, a hybrid creature that is part human, part amphibian and part insect. At the root of this monster’s accidental creation is greed on the part of one of the investors in StemDiscovery. The company was formed by a group of venture capitalists for the purpose of exploiting the relatively new field of stem cell research.
Harding Fairfax, one of the driving forces involved in forming the company, has recently remarried. His stepson, Ralph, is a ne’er-do-well and drug addict. Fairfax goes to the head of research, Dan Webb, and insists that Ralph be put to work. He further insists that he be involved in working with a new stem cell line coming from Singapore. The origin of this cell line is a mystery, the truth known only to Fairfax and those in Singapore who created it using a human embryo. Unknown to science, this cell line contains a unique stem cell, a primordial stem cell, whose development depends on the nutrients provided.
Dan Webb informs John Martin, head of the lab that will handle the new cells, that he is gaining a new employee.
Ralph is put under the supervision of Janice, the lab supervisor working under John Martin. Unaccustomed to the sophisticated setting of a research laboratory, Ralph constantly makes mistakes in the care of the cells given to him. He repeatedly uses the wrong media to feed them. The contents of the various media used will have disastrous results. Soon he notices that the cells are changing. He destroys them and is given a fresh batch. His mistakes continue with the same results. He is given a walk-in incubator in which only he will keep cells so that he will not jeopardize anyone else’s work. One day, as he goes to retrieve the flasks, he stumbles and one of the flasks falls to the floor behind the shelves out of sight.
Janice notes an odd growth pattern in the flasks and consults John Martin about their strange appearance. Martin looks at them and orders them destroyed.
Ralph, given no further cells and only trusted with remedial chores, spends most of his time hiding in vacant labs, avoiding work and getting high.
The cells in the dropped flask continue to grow, rupture the flask and become a larva.
Janice invites her niece, Natalie, to visit the StemDiscovery complex. As they make their way down a corridor where Ralph spends most of his time, he hears them coming and ducks into the walk-in incubator. The larva stings him, subdues him, and then uses him as a food source. It then weaves a cocoon suspended from the ceiling of the incubator and morphs into the beast.
Sometime later, Janice walks past the incubator and notices movement through the window of the door. She opens the door and is killed by the beast, which then runs down the corridor, crashes through a plate-glass window and escapes.
Chief Daniels from nearby Florida City is called to investigate.
This is Part I of my synopsis for my novel, The Beast Awaits. Let me know if this sounds like a novel you might be interested in reading.
THE BEAST AWAITS: A NEW NOVEL OF HORROR
THE BEAST AWAITS: A NEW NOVEL OF HORROR
The synopsis for my unpublished novel, The Beast Awaits, is about to appear on my blog. The novel consists of three parts. The first is primarily science fiction and the next two are pure horror. I’m sharing the synopsis to see what interest to novel sparks and to receive comments. I am not looking for likes. I am seeking opinions.
Later this year I will begin publishing, on my blog, another new novel, Sweet Depression. That work will be yours for free.
ELMO’S SOJOURN, CHAPTER 3
My previous post was mislabeled. It actually was Chapter 2. Sorry about the confusion.
ELMO’S SOJOURN
CHAPTER 3
ELMO ARRIVES ON ROTH
When Elmo awoke, he had no idea where he was. His eyes beheld a landscape both strange and beautiful, a rolling countryside of vegetation and a nearby dwelling, but unlike any he had ever seen. Then, he recalled entering his time-space machine with his newfound friend. As he ran his fingers through his thick black hair, he wondered where he was. His body felt youthful. He must be forty years younger. He contemplated the shift in time and enjoyed his renewed youth.
Waiting to be transported back to his basement, Elmo had no way of knowing his adventure had caused the greatest blackout in history. He was hesitant to move and change the coordinates he had entered into the time-space machine sitting in his basement. Eventually curiosity won out and he began to explore his surroundings. At the same time, he felt a growing fear. He wondered if this journey was a good idea and if he would ever see Mildred again.
As he stood near his traveling companion, he saw the creature’s funnel shaped mouth form a grin, happy to be home. The soil was the color of the soil back home with green vegetation, but vegetation that defied what he knew of plant life. There were trees in the distance, but they towered like mountains over the landscape. The giant redwoods he recalled from his vacations would reach only a third the way up the trunks of these behemoths. He stood in a tiny bare spot of ground. Stepping upon a green field, he heard tiny screams and immediately retreated. Vegetation was obviously advanced on this planet, felt pain, and could utter distress. There were trails leading everywhere so that one could avoid walking on the plant life. He must remember to tread lightly on this planet. His eyes left the landscape and gazed at a brilliant lavender sky studded with crimson clouds although it was not yet dusk. Crimson must be the normal color of clouds in this world. Elmo also found that here a small hop would carry him far. His companion, too, was much more active in gravity one-fourth than of earth.
This newly youthful Elmo sat down with his traveling companion at his side and studied the landscape for a very long time and thought of his journey. He noted that although his age had noticeably changed, the appearance of the creature next to him had not. This must indicate a longer lifespan. Then he smiled, realizing that if the journey had been made with a Galapagos tortoise, the effect would have been the same. Elmo considered the implications, both scientific and personal if his theory about age was correct. The personal consequences made his eyes run with tears. His companion seemed to understand his grief, and its tiny arm hugged his shoulder. Elmo once again gazed at the sky and drank in the glory of another world. Dusk approached, and the sky held three moons of varying diameters. As the sun set, the crimson clouds held hints of green, becoming a deep emerald as darkness approached.
Night fell. Lights began to dot the landscape. In the darkness, the door to the nearby structure opened and a tall, gray-skinned figure approached Elmo and his eye-roving friend. Elmo’s first reaction was to run. But where would he go? He knew nothing of his surroundings, and, after all, this adventure was meant to learn about alien life. The approaching creature was clad in a flowing, blue robe-like garment. As it came closer, Elmo’s traveling companion began to execute flips and emit sounds similar to the purring of a cat. Suddenly Elmo realized what he thought was the dominant life form was actually a pet. As the strange being approached, Elmo appreciated its height, which was well over seven feet, and its regal bearing. The head of the creature was very large, larger than his seven-foot plus height would require, and completely hairless. Its ears were mere holes in the sides of the
OPINIONS & OBSERVATIONS
NOTE TO A YOUNG WRITER
I’m an old writer. Let’s make that a seasoned writer. In the past I was an enthusiastic writer but with age the energy has waned. The ideas still come but many go no further. Although a few produce unpublished stories.
In bygone days I wrote nonstop, every chance I had. I wrote, on the job.. I published short stories and a novel. These days the desire to write is there, but the energy is not.
As I said before one factor, which continues undeterred, are the ideas for future projects. I jot down ideas – short stories and projects that lose their way in a lifetime of books and the debris of long forgotten projects.
What I want to convey with this piece is a realization, from personal experience. I was shocked as the length of my life increased and how I changed.
I find that in youth you will have the constant desire to write. The day job is just a way to pay the bills. You will have the drive to create but not enough time to feed that hunger. In old age you will have the time but lack the energy to complete projects and begin new ones. I have two novels requiring editing and come across short stores I don’t remember writing. Now retired with plenty of time when I think about that needs to be done, I think that I’ll do that tomorrow. But as you age, that tomorrow becomes less and less a guarantee.
I say to you young writers take advantage of your youth, your energy to create, to develop your craft.
You may see these words of and old man having little value. But time will show you I’m not far from wrong.