French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 19

We learned a bit more about why the Blackwells are hated... in this chapter, we get to meet another one... -----   Chapter 19. New York City, 1980 “Congratulations, Dyl, you passed your second history exam,” Tina said, leaning against the Muffin House display case. “There actually is a brain in that head of yours.” She smiled and tapped her temple with a thin finger. In her other hand, she held out the purple-dittoed test sheet. A red-ink "85%" was circled at the top. On the table behind her was a stack of books and a binder. For [ Continue reading... ]

French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 18

Another trip back in time, and we see some other characters when they were younger... and learn just how nasty Mr. Blackwell was.... -----     Chapter 18. New York City, 1980 Anna's Muffin Shop was a small shop, with a large display case filled with many different kinds of muffins ranging from corn to chocolate as well as cupcakes and cookies. The walls were painted pink as a background for black silhouette figures that danced across the wall, figures with finger-wave hair and zoot suits. Apparently the shop had started [ Continue reading... ]

French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 16

Dylan was flashing back... -----   Chapter 16.New York City, 1980 The first week was uneventful. Both Anna and Douglas mercilessly drowned him in academics. During the evening he helped at the Muffin House, and they were also in the process of integrating the other members of his therapy group into Anna's halfway house. Between socializing with friends, work, and studies, he barely had time to think about hunting down Keith. His life, despite the odd circumstances, had become strangely mundane. Save for the fact he, at eighteen, [ Continue reading... ]

French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 10

The problem with being a revenant in this world is that you don't so much remember as you re-live past events... -----   Chapter 10. New York City, 1980 The air was crisp and cool against his cheeks. Dylan turned his face toward the welcoming breeze as it tossed the hair from his eyes and away from his face. He inhaled, tasting the bitter stench of gasoline, grease, garbage and human sweat. It was a new world to him. The smells alone were overwhelming. He had never imagined how acute the sense of a renfield were. If he focused, [ Continue reading... ]

French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 7

Dylan was reliving the event that changed his life... -----   Chapter 7. New York City, 1980/2010 With that decision made, he felt ready to at least face what was coming. "You can't fool me," he said, returning to their prior conversation, "there is no cure for someone going revenant, save blowing 'em up before they turn all the way. I’ll still raise." Dylan's voice dropped and he curled his shaking hand around his injured shoulder. His soul would be doomed if either he killed himself, or if she killed him. Unfortunately he [ Continue reading... ]

French Roast Apocalypse: Chapter 6

Dylan had blacked out after an unexpected savior had shown up... -----   Chapter 6. New York City, 1980 Darkness. Pain. Memories of a chair pushing through something that ripped and crunched and screamed. He sat up with a gasp – and knew right away that was a mistake, because pain ripped through him from his toes to his scalp. He sagged back into the cushions but let his eyes open. He did feel cushions. In a bed. Turning his head, he realized it was a hospital bed. Metal railing, obviously adjustable. The faint beep-beep of [ Continue reading... ]