I'v been admitted to a long-term physical rehab facility for 2-4 weeks (maybe more). I got a severe blood infection and AM exremely week. I do plan on being bacK ASAP.
JOHN
Sounds like the basis for a good short story, John.
Plot: Ink for a book printing by a certain author gets poisoned during the printing process when a psychotic worker is killed and his blood mixes with the ink. One of the book's readers, who happens to be a diehard collector of that author, has a small cut on his finger; ink gets inside, he gets blood poisoning. Somehow the story itself got mixed with the psycho's blood and gets in the reader's blood, giving him a blood poisoning that doctors can't identify or treat and which transforms the reader into a psychotic killer who thinks in terms of the book he was reading mixed with his own memories of being a collector.
The reader escapes the treatment facility and wreaks havoc on all those who have ever wronged him by buying one of that author's books out from under him, and makes sure they are all dispensed in manners similar to the characters in the book. Collectors on a certain website mysteriously start having accidents or disappearing, but the rest of the collector-geeks soon realize that they are being knocked off one-by-one per both their collecting specialty and the book's storyline. They set a trap where a certain book that never shows up for auction suddenly appears for one day only; knowing the killer must have it, they band their resources to snipe outbid him at the last moment. They publicize a celebratory collecting-geek party for their good fortune at having acquired the rare tome, knowing the killer will be so outraged at having been sniped that he will be unable to turn down the chance to show up and dispense of them all at the same time and in the same place.
The time comes; the book is left under a spotlight on a raised dais in the center of a room for all to admire. The killer watches from outside as the fools leave the room and gather around a large fireplace, sipping fine liquors in toast of their good fortune. The killer cannot help but also be the collector inside, and must first have the book. He enters silently, approaches the dais, and silently weeps to himself as he reaches for the cover. Suddenly there is a noise behind him; he turns to see a clown carrying balloons. He is startled, as the thing is hideous and just stares at him. He spins to grab the book, it is all about the book ... and hears another sound; this time a pale-skinned vampire approaches from the shadows. His mind reels in horror as to what is happening. More noises, more horrors coming at him; a man with an axe; a policeman; a girl covered in blood; a woman with a sledgehammer; a dark man. They slowly converge on him, surrounding him, staring silently; his mind reels. The book! He must save the book! He turns, reaches for it, and ...
So that's the plot; you have 2-4 weeks to flesh it out. Writing is a great recovery device; get well!
George
Originally Posted by George at C-Springs
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