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Posts by Yzabel Ginsberg

‘Zeke.’ He put his hand on his brother’s head, the way he had done when they were much younger, feeling the softness of his dark hair under his fingers, the warmth of his scalp. ‘Ezekiel. Pup. Look at me.’ ‘I’m… I’m fine. I’ll be fine.’ Yet he still shook so much! ‘You don’t look like you will.’ Wrong, so wrong. And it was true—this place positively reeked, on more than one level. A mumble: ‘I just hadn’t realised it would be tonight already.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Ah—nothing. I’ll be alright, really. Don’t worry.’ Don’t tell me that when you look like you’ve seen Hell. ‘Hey, Pup. Tell you what, I’ll make you a deal—let’s just go look for the way back home. No exploring. And then, we need to talk. How does that sound?’

‘Zeke.’ He put his hand on his brother’s head, the way he had done when they were much younger, feeling the softness of his dark hair under his fingers, the warmth of his scalp. ‘Ezekiel. Pup. Look at me.’ ‘I’m… I’m fine. I’ll be fine.’ Yet he still shook so much! ‘You don’t look like you will.’ Wrong, so wrong. And it was true—this place positively reeked, on more than one level. A mumble: ‘I just hadn’t realised it would be tonight already.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Ah—nothing. I’ll be alright, really. Don’t worry.’ Don’t tell me that when you look like you’ve seen Hell. ‘Hey, Pup. Tell you what, I’ll make you a deal—let’s just go look for the way back home. No exploring. And then, we need to talk. How does that sound?’

"Deal" between Dan and Zeke.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: one of the few scenes with Zeke, in the chapter where things turn badly for him. He's not making much sense to Dan now; it will all make sense later in his videos, though.

14 hours ago 26 1 0 0
Maybe he needed to pay a friendly little visit to one of the Keeper lodges soon, to remind them he was still around, that he hadn’t forgiven them for trying to drive a wedge between him and his twin. And perhaps, just perhaps, they’d volunteer a little bit of information from the mages’ side, to try and appease him. That time when he had given the finger to Arthur Riddle and the Namers, a few years ago, just with a signature on a watertight contract? Absolutely priceless.

Maybe he needed to pay a friendly little visit to one of the Keeper lodges soon, to remind them he was still around, that he hadn’t forgiven them for trying to drive a wedge between him and his twin. And perhaps, just perhaps, they’d volunteer a little bit of information from the mages’ side, to try and appease him. That time when he had given the finger to Arthur Riddle and the Namers, a few years ago, just with a signature on a watertight contract? Absolutely priceless.

"Signature." Dan's been mulling over a few options, and reminiscing along the way.
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2 days ago 17 0 0 0
Without realising it, he had reached for the small enchanted digital camera he always kept around his neck or in a pocket whenever he went out; there went the pictures, in quick succession, his focus immediate and perfectly centered on his subject, for decades of practice never let him down. Tiny Magda, holding this wonderful, magnificent scythe that seemed to weigh no more than a feather between her delicate hands, her eyes filled with a growing sense of wonder at the sight of the shining spectral blade, her frail body standing poised on the backdrop of infinite tracks containing infinite promises of travels, adventures and mysteries.

Without realising it, he had reached for the small enchanted digital camera he always kept around his neck or in a pocket whenever he went out; there went the pictures, in quick succession, his focus immediate and perfectly centered on his subject, for decades of practice never let him down. Tiny Magda, holding this wonderful, magnificent scythe that seemed to weigh no more than a feather between her delicate hands, her eyes filled with a growing sense of wonder at the sight of the shining spectral blade, her frail body standing poised on the backdrop of infinite tracks containing infinite promises of travels, adventures and mysteries.

No topic, but subject.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Dan in the Obverse, snapping pictures of Magda and her spectral weapon.

6 days ago 31 0 0 0
It would take months for the proper fish to catch, for Darrow to feel just enough heat, for Fairchild to smell the faint traces of smoke and grow uneasy, for the fallback to trickle down to Cole, but that was fine. It just meant Magda needed to be a little more patient. He wouldn’t be able to gift her the Children on a silver platter for this Christmas. The next one, though? Depending on Cole’s exact involvement with them. Depending on whether the Triumvirate knew and turned a blind eye, or knew and agreed, or didn’t know at all. Long ago, he went to war for a child. Perhaps it was time again.

It would take months for the proper fish to catch, for Darrow to feel just enough heat, for Fairchild to smell the faint traces of smoke and grow uneasy, for the fallback to trickle down to Cole, but that was fine. It just meant Magda needed to be a little more patient. He wouldn’t be able to gift her the Children on a silver platter for this Christmas. The next one, though? Depending on Cole’s exact involvement with them. Depending on whether the Triumvirate knew and turned a blind eye, or knew and agreed, or didn’t know at all. Long ago, he went to war for a child. Perhaps it was time again.

"Heat"
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Context: Dan can play the long game when it comes to his enemies. He's been placing a few traps in order to neutralise the cult's secret benefactor, and if it takes a year or more, he's fine with this.

1 week ago 16 1 0 0

Thank you! I love playing with liminal spaces too, there's so many symbols and so much meaning to draw from them

1 week ago 2 0 0 0
It took all she had to write the word “cellar” without shaking. Hopefully Dan hadn’t picked up on this, while her mind spiralled down the shaft of all the information she had had to pull—reaching for what lay buried at the bottom, memories of a time not so long ago, when Mother was still alive and they still all lived at the compound, with everything it entailed. The advisors. The ceremonies. The man in white in his white car, coming like clockwork every two weeks with a white briefcase whose contents she had never seen: it was already chance enough that she had noticed him, when she struggled to fall asleep in her own tiny room—the privilege of being the Founder’s child—and looked through the window until exhaustion closed her eyes.

It took all she had to write the word “cellar” without shaking. Hopefully Dan hadn’t picked up on this, while her mind spiralled down the shaft of all the information she had had to pull—reaching for what lay buried at the bottom, memories of a time not so long ago, when Mother was still alive and they still all lived at the compound, with everything it entailed. The advisors. The ceremonies. The man in white in his white car, coming like clockwork every two weeks with a white briefcase whose contents she had never seen: it was already chance enough that she had noticed him, when she struggled to fall asleep in her own tiny room—the privilege of being the Founder’s child—and looked through the window until exhaustion closed her eyes.

"Child"
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Dan asked Magda to draw him a map of the cult's compound, and this made her remember a few other things.

1 week ago 34 0 0 0
A wrought iron railing with a single fate surrounded an open area just under the window. Dan motioned her to follow through the gate and down a narrow set of stone stairs, quickly reaching a door hidden in the shadows of the ground floor. The rain didn’t reach there, and Magda shook off her hood as they came to a stop in the eerie blue halo of a lantern-shaped light hung above the door frame. What, now? Every time she crossed a threshold, something else awaited her, something not of this world, something unexpected.

A wrought iron railing with a single fate surrounded an open area just under the window. Dan motioned her to follow through the gate and down a narrow set of stone stairs, quickly reaching a door hidden in the shadows of the ground floor. The rain didn’t reach there, and Magda shook off her hood as they came to a stop in the eerie blue halo of a lantern-shaped light hung above the door frame. What, now? Every time she crossed a threshold, something else awaited her, something not of this world, something unexpected.

I just have the one lantern here
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Magda's first impressions of the mage-owned bookstore where Dan is taking her.

1 week ago 23 0 1 0

Of course, he knew 😏

1 week ago 2 0 0 0
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Maybe he was sentimental about his first kill just as well! ^^

1 week ago 4 0 1 0
There went the dream and the nightmare together. Losing his brother, while gaining a kid in the process. A strange, fretful kid with little clue about how the world worked, who still refused to set foot outside, yet also listened intently at him, and did her best to follow his instructions when he heaped a pile of modern world implements in her lap. A tablet. A smartphone. A laptop of her own. She had looked at these with equal fascination and wariness, not daring to touch them at first, casting questioning looks his way every time he told her it was her turn now. Her turn to place her first call, input her first contact. Her turn to open a browser and create her first email address—she didn’t even know she could have one or how to actually use it. Her turn to log in to the brand new tablet and configure her very first app.

There went the dream and the nightmare together. Losing his brother, while gaining a kid in the process. A strange, fretful kid with little clue about how the world worked, who still refused to set foot outside, yet also listened intently at him, and did her best to follow his instructions when he heaped a pile of modern world implements in her lap. A tablet. A smartphone. A laptop of her own. She had looked at these with equal fascination and wariness, not daring to touch them at first, casting questioning looks his way every time he told her it was her turn now. Her turn to place her first call, input her first contact. Her turn to open a browser and create her first email address—she didn’t even know she could have one or how to actually use it. Her turn to log in to the brand new tablet and configure her very first app.

I'll have to curb my use of "process" during the editing phase. I like it a little too much.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Dan reflecting upon his first days (well, nights) with Magda.

1 week ago 25 0 0 0

It's a comic within the story. (I hope it's not a real comic out there! I haven't even checked...)

1 week ago 3 0 0 0
Him. The Mountain King. The tall, dark figure with blue stars in place of eyes, cutting a striking pose in his uniform, his curly black hair floating in his back, his feet firmly planted atop that pile of corpses. All the details, too. Not just some basic uniform: one with enough details to show the artist had done their research. Not just random dead bodies, but the ones of his fellow soldiers, comrades and foes alike (double-checking pictures on Wikipedia and a few other pages written by various history buffs proved it). There was a terrifying, overwhelming presence to this character, to his dialogue always in blue text inside black bubbles—the same blue as his eyes—and to the meaning of his words. This kind of foe didn’t die in this one episode, oh, no. He would come back to haunt the heroes many times, if only because he did seem made of the stuff of dreams itself: an actual nightmare, feeding and thriving on all the mental sludge people vomited into the Oneiros when they slumbered.

Him. The Mountain King. The tall, dark figure with blue stars in place of eyes, cutting a striking pose in his uniform, his curly black hair floating in his back, his feet firmly planted atop that pile of corpses. All the details, too. Not just some basic uniform: one with enough details to show the artist had done their research. Not just random dead bodies, but the ones of his fellow soldiers, comrades and foes alike (double-checking pictures on Wikipedia and a few other pages written by various history buffs proved it). There was a terrifying, overwhelming presence to this character, to his dialogue always in blue text inside black bubbles—the same blue as his eyes—and to the meaning of his words. This kind of foe didn’t die in this one episode, oh, no. He would come back to haunt the heroes many times, if only because he did seem made of the stuff of dreams itself: an actual nightmare, feeding and thriving on all the mental sludge people vomited into the Oneiros when they slumbered.

Only 4 instances of "stuff" in here??
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

From when Sam reads the "Dream No More" comics within the story. The Mountain King is a main antagonist in there, and he's staying with her. (Not sure if posted a similar excerpt in the past.)

1 week ago 30 1 1 0
Calum bloody Fairchild, solicitor and favourite Thrall of Ellen bloody Cole. There was no way he could mistake that perfect poise, that impeccable suit, that underlying calm arrogance born not from his own power, but from the master he served. The database search wouldn’t even have been necessary at this point, but perhaps Dan just needed that one remaining piece to admit to himself how truly, fully and absolutely bonkers this whole story was becoming. ‘Fuck you, E. Coli.’ He flung the printed pictures on the floor, watched them scatter haphazardly.

Calum bloody Fairchild, solicitor and favourite Thrall of Ellen bloody Cole. There was no way he could mistake that perfect poise, that impeccable suit, that underlying calm arrogance born not from his own power, but from the master he served. The database search wouldn’t even have been necessary at this point, but perhaps Dan just needed that one remaining piece to admit to himself how truly, fully and absolutely bonkers this whole story was becoming. ‘Fuck you, E. Coli.’ He flung the printed pictures on the floor, watched them scatter haphazardly.

I hate this word, "need." It's absolutely *everywhere* in this WIP 😭
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Dan got the cult investigated. This is the moment when he gets the results, and realises that trampling them = going to war with another vampire.

1 week ago 30 1 0 0
The hint of a playful smile tugging at Dan’s lips. Magda knew that expression, that stance: he was about to teach her something, and it was… thrilling. Thrilling to watch him negotiate, lay down terms she’d never have thought about herself. Not getting it done here. Abiding by the standard terms, through a call from the human world to the Obverse, and yes, this was more difficult now, yet there were ways to circumvent this—having the spirit’s name, for starters. And more: the need for a proper contract. No time limit on her decision making, regardless of the result. No retaliation. Clauses of secrecy, in acceptance and in refusal. The Riddler themself seemed taken aback; perhaps he had expected such savvy from a mage, not from a vampire.

The hint of a playful smile tugging at Dan’s lips. Magda knew that expression, that stance: he was about to teach her something, and it was… thrilling. Thrilling to watch him negotiate, lay down terms she’d never have thought about herself. Not getting it done here. Abiding by the standard terms, through a call from the human world to the Obverse, and yes, this was more difficult now, yet there were ways to circumvent this—having the spirit’s name, for starters. And more: the need for a proper contract. No time limit on her decision making, regardless of the result. No retaliation. Clauses of secrecy, in acceptance and in refusal. The Riddler themself seemed taken aback; perhaps he had expected such savvy from a mage, not from a vampire.

I don't have shortcut, but I have circumvent. That should work?
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Dan negotiating with a Spirit on Magda's behalf.

2 weeks ago 30 3 0 0
For a second, the Hunter just stood there, her body still poised for defence, her brain scrambling to comprehend this new development. The grotesque, ghastly immune system stopped targetting her and the girl, turned as one primordial mind towards the silhouette rising from amidst the rampant chaos; and there was no telling whether that was help or a new enemy, whether she should grab Magda and flee for their lives, or seize the opportunity to run and stab the mechanical heart.

For a second, the Hunter just stood there, her body still poised for defence, her brain scrambling to comprehend this new development. The grotesque, ghastly immune system stopped targetting her and the girl, turned as one primordial mind towards the silhouette rising from amidst the rampant chaos; and there was no telling whether that was help or a new enemy, whether she should grab Magda and flee for their lives, or seize the opportunity to run and stab the mechanical heart.

"Rampant". Spoilerish scene from the end chapters, but it's the only occurrence I've found.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Sam and Magda have to fight alongside each other in the Obverse, but now someone else has invited themselves to the party.

2 weeks ago 30 1 0 0

Wiser words were never spoken! 😂

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0
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I have so many mugs as well. I can't store all my appliances oin my kitchen cupboards because everything is filled with mugs. 😭
I... I have a mug problem, don't I?

2 weeks ago 1 0 1 0
Magda nodded slowly, then reached for the steaming mug—a Dream No More one, depicting Ayo and Ngozi, the twin little girls who wielded the power of lightning and rain, flying hand in hand over the coloured landscape of Oneiros, the land of dreams. Ezekiel’s favourite characters on the heroes’ side, because they, too, were identical.

Magda nodded slowly, then reached for the steaming mug—a Dream No More one, depicting Ayo and Ngozi, the twin little girls who wielded the power of lightning and rain, flying hand in hand over the coloured landscape of Oneiros, the land of dreams. Ezekiel’s favourite characters on the heroes’ side, because they, too, were identical.

So many tea mugs in this story. If you couldn't tell before this is set in the UK, now you know 😂
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

2 weeks ago 28 2 0 0

And reaaaally fast!

2 weeks ago 3 0 0 0

"It's not really a question of belief"
OK that's not ominous at all 👀

2 weeks ago 4 0 1 0
It was scary and lonely and so far removed from the safety of the group, yet the group didn’t feel like home anymore. Vacant stares, peaceful smiles, empty words. The writings she kept on studying, all the little things that didn’t make sense anymore, didn’t match her memories—since when had Telos sent emissaries through the Lost Hour, or told Their converts they must serve by letting Them reap their souls? Magda remembered the old chants and songs, the glory and the ecstasy, but the newer ones didn’t elicit that awe in her anymore, their lyrics twisted, dissonant, as she contemplated them in the secrecy of her mind. And Mother’s warnings: ‘Please, please keep pretending. No one must know. Your father especially mustn’t know, or he’ll kill us.’ Just one year ago, Magda would’ve welcomed her Initiation and a wedding to Achim as the ultimate proof of her god’s love, of Father’s love. Not anymore.

It was scary and lonely and so far removed from the safety of the group, yet the group didn’t feel like home anymore. Vacant stares, peaceful smiles, empty words. The writings she kept on studying, all the little things that didn’t make sense anymore, didn’t match her memories—since when had Telos sent emissaries through the Lost Hour, or told Their converts they must serve by letting Them reap their souls? Magda remembered the old chants and songs, the glory and the ecstasy, but the newer ones didn’t elicit that awe in her anymore, their lyrics twisted, dissonant, as she contemplated them in the secrecy of her mind. And Mother’s warnings: ‘Please, please keep pretending. No one must know. Your father especially mustn’t know, or he’ll kill us.’ Just one year ago, Magda would’ve welcomed her Initiation and a wedding to Achim as the ultimate proof of her god’s love, of Father’s love. Not anymore.

A cult has "converts", right?
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A glimpse into Magda's past.
(Achim is her half-brother btw. 😭)

2 weeks ago 20 2 0 0

I shall be there with you
I drank it once and it was foul
Though to be fair, I'm no fan of sodas and the likes anyway, so...

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0

You know she'll make an appearance at some point now ;)

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0
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I'd actually buy that, for real 😅
I learn from mistakes more than from successes

2 weeks ago 0 0 0 0

Is this box your restocking on Irn Bru? :p

2 weeks ago 1 0 1 0
Bri turned away to the laptop on the counter, opened at present on the Waterstones webpage. Now that the young woman wasn’t paying closer attention to her, Sam stole a glance at the corkboard on the wall behind her, sporting leaflets, articles and other photos pinned haphazardly all across its surface in a friendly mess. A few ads: guitar classes, a student offering to type theses and other manuscripts in exchange for a small payment. A clipping of a magazine article, celebrating the store’s fiftieth birthday, next to a colour photo of people half hidden behind Bri’s shoulder. A postcard depicting a striking blue sea and a beach of glittering pale sand. Several leaflets for amateur plays performed in the area, some already past.

Bri turned away to the laptop on the counter, opened at present on the Waterstones webpage. Now that the young woman wasn’t paying closer attention to her, Sam stole a glance at the corkboard on the wall behind her, sporting leaflets, articles and other photos pinned haphazardly all across its surface in a friendly mess. A few ads: guitar classes, a student offering to type theses and other manuscripts in exchange for a small payment. A clipping of a magazine article, celebrating the store’s fiftieth birthday, next to a colour photo of people half hidden behind Bri’s shoulder. A postcard depicting a striking blue sea and a beach of glittering pale sand. Several leaflets for amateur plays performed in the area, some already past.

My one instance of "beach" (it's all set in London, what were you expecting 😂)
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #DreamNoMore

Context: Sam went into the Full Fathom Five bookstore, as part of her stalking Magda. I may or may not leave this description when I edit this chapter.

2 weeks ago 36 5 0 0

Thank you! I'll keep tabs on that

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0

Hahaha yes!
It's like, "wait, you invited the vampire to your wedding, but now you're stabbing the werewolf? Wha? Why? How?" 😆

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0

At some point I end up very confused when they, actually, try not to make friends with everything that moves😅

2 weeks ago 1 0 1 0

Sort of, I'm in a group where we share and comments on snippets, and a couple of members may be able to have a look at it later too. Though I want to do a first edit pass before anything else (to slash down the word count a little, and implement feedback I have already received).

2 weeks ago 1 0 1 0