Tag: fiction

“Infestation”

Posted on by @HppoTweeter in Uncategorized

Day 1 (Morning)

Hey J,

It’s Day 1 again for the thousandth time, last night she punched through the black again. A gorgeous out of focus memory. I go for a hug or to go with her, but she presses my head and keeps me at arms length. Dressed like an angel, bathed in light as she left me to cry. I taste the salt and smell her perfume and coconut shave cream. 42(45) years old, bench 220, certified iron man, trophies mounted in the den, venison and bear in the drop down, I am a man GOD DAMMIT. Not that helpless child. I have the next two weeks off, just on more day…

(Evening)

…Janet is the biggest bitch ever, not just because she is 400 pounds and has bent all the steel chairs in the break room. I just needed to make it through the day. I did, things might be tense after this cleanse and my return but at least this time I got a job to go back to and not a foreman with a black eye. I hadn’t noticed that my arm was still bleeding from when that ho fell on me. Bri pointed out the red on my blue flannel, I thought it wasn’t that deep but then again I don’t think straight and that being the point is why Day 1 comes again. I would be out cold having finished Jeopardy, J they replaced that rainbow guy for the human calculator how long was his streak anyways. Better get to sweating if I am to get some sleep before I drive out tomorrow.

Feeling good and strong now, time to fight those demons.

Day 2(Morning)

Hey J,

It’s Day 2. Last night was the Pakistani. He wasn’t even my first confirmed. I pulled the trigger, he had a gun. Jacoby said that the sweep came up and that his weapon wasn’t even loaded. I guess they made me feel like a tool for that one. Did he not know? Was he set up by his “brothers”? Something in his eyes reminds me of Bri, trust I’ll call it that for now. I’m taking set 2 to McGoggin’s cabin this time. 30 days rations 😉 Janice, Johnathan, Justice, vis gear, tree tent, flares classic and glow, 9 hours of Bowie’s 2018 release LOVING THE ALIEN, crank battery charger, 200 cash, standard sealed first aid kit, a duo pack of cards, and a sealed first aid kit.

(Evening)

After cleaning up the needles and boarding up the window, McGoggin’s cabin looks almost respectable again. Best thing about the solid wood furniture is that applying resin coats was easier than cleaning blood and vomit from the cushions and rugs he kept during Kimberly or was it Candice. I heard her name like twice and after once he called them all “that cunt” anyways. It was an 8 mile hike to the cabin and a 6 hour drive. Now that the place is patched up and the bed sheets changed out. I’ll burn the soiled ones tomorrow.

Day 3(Morning)

Should I be happy the faces have gotten fewer, last night it was the girls from my days with REDWATER. I think I am okay with this small guilt of not having more from my official days of service. I should feel bad and I do, but if this cleanse is just going to the greatest hits that’s okay too. I know J, I am suppose to express the horrors of the dreams and “process” these feelings. But when it comes to the love hostel raid of those REDWATER demons, I am okay with carrying their guilt. Someone should feel bad for the what happened that day. I know those assholes won’t, after all do demons even suffer in hell?

(Afternoon)

Perimeter sweep complete. There is a new gravel road about a half mile from the north border, leading to a wealthy cul-de-sac, Righlty’s Realtor, etched in a granite slab. 5 modern McMansions where the walls are glass except for the sleeping areas on the top and bottom floor. Imagine buying a car you never drive or a view you visit twice a year. Hey maybe they are timeshares J. A quick way to turn a few mil into another dozen. “Each is own.” I know, but fuck wouldn’t there be more to go around if their was more like me who get to the top, stop, and coast. I know there are things I can’t afford like a private jet or a yacht, but I have enough pooled from my dividend that I could take any dam flight or cruise I desire.

Southeast lake looks like carpet clearing, almost full coverage of algae, glad I came out for a hunt and not a fishing trip.

Southwest is still charred from the fires two years ago, dead trees and a grave yard of ashes. I’ll be keeping that out of my sight line. No reason to invite an environmental horror into my PTSDreams.

(Evening)

Logs cut and sheets burned. Some chores shouldn’t be so satisfying, why ever did men leave the woods and settle on cities. Some say women, others say wolves, I bet the college crop says capitalists starved them out. How though, there is food in every bush and fish in every pond.

Day 4(Morning)

REDWATER, Cocaine, Full Sweep, 35 confirmed, 90 fired. 20 armed, 12 under fifteen, screams from those burning in the work house. “We could be heroes, We could be heroes, Just for one day we could beat them” If I could steal time I wouldn’t take back that day. We did some good there, I just wish upon a djinn that I could have done it better. If I had spoke up or had more sway I could have spoken up for a full hostile sweep rather than a full sweep. I could have made the difference, But for that fucking scared child. He is a coward and can’t speak up for what he should. That one is on him. Those screams are for him to suffer.

(Afternoon)

Janice caught me a rabbit clean behind the back of the skull. Shit was ripe with strange ticks though. Yellow-grey carapaces, the length of earwigs and the width of a fat caterpillar. It’s puss smelled of sulfur and methane. I used two bags and hopefully the slurry still attract a coyote or two tomorrow.

My wound has finally closed and I don’t need to change wraps anymore.

Tonight will be the worst, I know it. Justice keeps offering peace, but I am confirmed and their isn’t any doubt what lies after I accept that offer.

(Evening)

I need to get with a dietitian again, I can feel my bones start to crack under the pull of my muscles. How am I to sleep if I can’t exhaust because I got older than I should.

Day 5(Morning)

WATERSTONE, EU, disposal. I did what I had to. Two hours in the bath until my nose started telling the truth about the lye being a dream. After the sun caught the rabbit slurry, that smell returned and had to scrub myself til those red splotches appeared. Vaselined Talcumed before I clothed up again, blessing be that the itching of my clothes keep Justice quiet.

(Afternoon)

At least those bugs didn’t chew through the plastic, and the gasses from their feast didn’t pop the bag either. My hide is set up just a mile from the lake, I found a clean apart that smelled fresh enough. Wild lavender and black berries not heavily picked. Now comes the waiting, well after I climb down and pop the bait. Never mind, J it’s just you and me the gases finally burst the seam. If everything keeps getting so shitty and expensive I will need three bags next time.

Best thing about live recordings is not feeling alone, while literally being alone. And maybe one day the cries of joy will blend with the screams of pain and I can get back to normal like person being.

I saw a fox but she saw me first.

(Evening)

Sun will be down in twenty, being on the edge all day is exhausting. If my haunts hold true though I’d rather not see them tonight. I heard yips 2 hours ago but they won’t refuse a snack if dusk wind blows just right.

(High Moon)

that rabbits nasty infection of tickwigs, headed out under the moon like a square foot of carpet yellow-grey carpet pulsing toward the lake. I watched them shiver blood and guts through Janice’s newest accessory.

Day 6 (Morning)

If the only thing I gained was a reprieve from that time, well last night wasn’t a loss. But had I been paying attention why those tickwigs left. I would have saw that they picked the bitch clean.

(Afternoon)

The lake was completely covered now, and the algae was choking itself losing color fast. If I can’t hunt, what else am I going to do with the time. 4 more days and I can medicate again. Every plan I ever had the world will conspire against it.

(Evening)

Spent the day on the beat trails, and as suspected there isn’t anything from deer or even wild hogs around. The fox watches me though, I left her a trail bar. Her nose is smart enough not to eat those berries containing tickwig maggots. If she was younger and less scarred, I could use the hide. But she has survived many battles and hardly has plume on her tail.

I’m here for the never satisfied hogs or the brutal coyotes, not some geriatric veteran fox.

Day 7(Morning)

WATERSTONE, under Florida, Triangle Job, I never felt so good for getting paid for this one. Never felt worse for losing my ignorance that true monsters walk around in human suits. I’d seen the targets at mass. I didn’t know it yet, why they were hit. Honestly I don’t know for sure whether it was cleaning up deviants or just a power play. I suspect the son of course, his gains where close to half a bill. But could have been any of a hundred reasons he upset the wrong person, something as simple as not showing “proper” respect during a banker’s dinner party. New money has no idea how fragile their fate’s thread is. What I did for those children was a mercy, and the fact their faces bring me a moment of peace during that nightmare. Why did the crew have to be so upset and haunt me? Did they not know? Is it possible they had no idea what their master was? Was the devil himself laughing at me knowing that maybe one day he would have all our souls. They died without last rites. They should be working it off in Purgatory not pissing off my sleep.

Sorry J, this isn’t much of a dialogue and process is it. Maybe next time.

Well I am off to pour 20 gallons of gas into the choke at the lake and bring back nature through a little dino blood magic.

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This has been an Iron Age media submission, Be sure to vote after October 19th 2023.

https://ironage.media/prompt/the-infestation.html

Manufacturing Credibility

Posted on by @HppoTweeter in HppoThorns, Uncategorized

Credibility is defined as the quality of being trusted and believed in.

But it is not the same as being true.

Who is more credible on the subject of writing?

The college professor who has published in scholarly journals

OR

The New York Times best selling author

…

The rational would say that it depends on the advice or the subject. The emotional will indicate that it depends on their proximity and relationship to the subject.

R: The professor specializes in Russian Long form and Eastern European poetry, so as long as that is the realm we are discussing then they are more credible than The NYT bestseller H.K. Rowling but on the subject of YA or scholastic fiction Rowling’s is the more creditable source.

E: I loved the Harry Potter books and they inspired my own journey into writing fan fiction then novels, H.K. Rowling’s is the more creditable source. But my teacher has shown me the finer points of the finer technical points of long form novels even if they were written by some Russian ages ago.

The answer I’ve been trying to find is just how does one manufacture “Credibility”

I know it’s been done before and I’ve seen it done a few different ways.

The first is

“FOAF”

or friend of a friend

the poem “Ozymandias”, Plato’s description of the fall of Atlantis, Star Wars’ opening crawl.

Each use this with great effect to provide a creditable foundation.

It is thought (incorrectly) that because a story is removed by time, space, and even told third hand that it becomes less creditable but there is a blind spot in our psyche’s in the factor of three.

“I met a traveler(1) from an antique land(2).

Who said(3):…”

Ozymandias

In Plato’s Dialogues Plato(1) writes that Socrates(2) called three men to meet him. Socrates(2) asked the men about Atlantis Critias(3,) told them of a story he heard from his grandfather(1A) who heard from the lawgiver Solon(2A) who brought tales from Egypt(3A) about Atlantis.

Plato uses the FOAF technique twice. First to give himself credibility (that this meeting happened and these things were said) then again to give the speaker Critias credibility (that the city/country of Atlantis was indeed a real place).

For the rational this is too far removed to be trusted, but for the emotional with ties/respect for Socrates this is only one use of FOAF and likely creditable.

And of course Star Wars opens with

“A long(1) time ago in a galaxy far(2), far(3) away.”

Each modifier here adds distance and with FOAF gives enough credibility to narrative about to crawl across the screen before the star destroyer appears.

Now of course it’s just a fairy tale nod.

“Once upon a time(1), in a kingdom far(2), far(3) away.”

but with less modifiers the story’s required suspension of disbelief is at jeopardy from over scrutiny of the audience. With more modifiers like Plato’s Dialogues the relevance to the target is called into question and the information can be judged objectively on it’s merits.

“A long(1), long(2), like really long(3) time ago, in a far(4) away place, like further(5) than you’ve ever been before in your life far(6).”

This preface will be ignored and the story will have to stand on it’s own merits

Or

“A while(1) back, a few(2) towns from here.”

This story can be investigated. It’s too recent and too close someone else would need to corroborate that the story is true.

The Second Method of manufacturing creditably is through association. This is target specific and what gives you credibility with one group may make you worth skepticism from another.

Is the Professor from Oxford, Harvard, Yale, the ivy league, Any-town College, or Community College.

Those I’ve met who’ve topped out at a High School diploma provide less credibility the higher up the Academic ladder of Prestige one has climbed. But for those with less than a High School Diploma or more the higher up on Mount Olympus one has climbed and degrees authority from the more credible they are.

Is the best selling author recognized by the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Goodreads, or Amazon.

The NYT list is a curated list and lends itself to a higher amount of credibility to those outside the publishing industry. Publishers Weekly list is mostly data driven and objective but there are clear cases of advertisers (cough Disney, big 5) consistently placing high even when there numbers may* not be reflected by Amazon’s sales numbers of the same titles. But Amazon has many different categories and in order to have a best seller author’s may have in the past incorrectly categorized their works and personally bought just a dozen copies to claim the top spot and become a number one best seller. Which is why it ranks lowest in credibility even if the top spot was truly earned for a hard category like Fantasy or Romance, it’s impossible to tell those Amazon bestsellers from Fictional Johnny who listed his fantasy novel under Contemporary Fiction.

-IMPORTANT Aside-

Amazon is currently testing Amazon Author Rank as a replacement for their individual category best selling lists. Which means that going forward if the system will be much harder to game but the damage to their reputation will be persistent. This is a good thing for Amazon’s reputation but a bad thing for upcoming Authors who are now competing in the back pages of for potential readers attention. It means that J.K. Rowling will be the Most Popular Fantasy Author even if she never writes another book in here life. Her work will rank at the top spot for decades to come because if this is how readers are introduced to the fantasy section they may just start from the top and give her eight points over her nearest competitor. Sad times really as independent authors job to get notice just got much harder.

-Aside over-

The last method I’ve found is introduction and vouching.

“Have you met my friend Jane she is a classically trained Pianist.”

Now it doesn’t matter if any of that is true. It doesn’t matter if my and the Target are friends. All that matters is someone has vouched for Jane and her credibility. Even If I am a known liar and Jane looks disheveled and perhaps homeless. What matters is the Jane’s credibility is TWO v. ONE. And the target’s resistance to the group is all that stands in the way of Jane being the an authority of whether Handel’s Messiah can be played with only the left handle.

This is credibility through group authority. Essentially the more people you have one your side the more credible you are. A tactic of politics, Head cheerleaders, and Ceo’s who have more than one assist in entourage. The more people eyes nodding in agreement the higher the credibility of the speaker.

Did you hire a cameraman to follow you around, How about a whole camera crew.

Those are the method’s I’ve learned about Manufacturing Credibility.

TL;DR

I heard it from a friend of a friend that this is true.

As a Harvard professor: “this is true.”

“Meet Jane she’s an authority on the subject and she says that this is true.”

but none of these are in themselves true though they are highly credible.

With love,

HngyHngyHppo

Electric Boogaloo (a short revolution)

Posted on by @HppoTweeter in Uncategorized

Aug 20… Airlines begin to route more flights to Nevada to meet demand

Sept 15 the crowds began to amass

Sept 17 The streets are filled with crowds. Dj’s looking for exposure have began performances from
from open air trailers.

Sept 18(morning) the media sends reporters for the first time those out side of the meme cycle hear about whats going on?

Sept 18(afternoon) The mayor makes a statement from a moving vehicle, the National guard has been called in as a peaceful show of force.

The gathered crowds chant in response “We’re here for the memes.” The DJ’s record and loop the crowds chants.

Sept 18(evening) power to the town has been cut off in an attempt to disperse the crowds

Sept 19 clashes between Antifa and Nazis occur more and more… an off duty airmen got drunk and was caught raping a passed out women in an alley… the Antifa and ‘Nazi’s” spilled into the alley from the bar… they join forces and beat the airmen to death…

This the violence pours over and anyone in uniform is a target…It was reported as the 51 riots

Sept 20th the media attention sparks out rage from gathered masses. 20% of retail business had to close because of lack of employees. Everyone was turned into the news. Would the riot turn into a raid of area 51.

The explosions that brought down the NYSE server farm happened at 9:07 pm

The power transfer stations for NY city, Detroit, and LA where hit at between 9:15 and 10:00 plunging the most populated cities into electrical darkness. As a result cell receipt and the updates of 51 consist of rumors and CB radio relays.

A group calling themselves “the rope” takes responsibility for over 3,000 individual assassinations of bankers, gov’t employees, and multi-national executives.

The last thing on most peoples mind when the 21st broke out was did they raid 51 or not?

400 bank robberies

over 500,000 death from violence across America

4000 individual accounts of arson

With the destruction of the nations financial center, payment processors don’t work.. people are unable to buy food on plastic.

Electric Boogaloo Revolution 2.0 has begun over a meme like this

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This is a work of fiction….. stay safe

wishing you stay safe,

hngyhngyhppo