Damn how devastating was the reveal?? I absolutely believe they'd keep feeding us garbage to keep hiding a total takeover. Loved Catifa and the shared smokes. I'm going to be thinking about this and the cigarette theme for a while. Great story.
Catifa needs a banner, heck, lots of marketing material. Catifa for president. Haha.
Even though I don’t smoke anymore I think everyone, including myself, would deserve some good smokes in this world. I almost needed one or two while writing it.
I’m glad you enjoyed it and that it will stick with you. This one scared me a little to put down on digital paper. Ha
It was different from your usual stories but I could still pick up on your particular style and it succeeded in feeling very "twilight zone" . Well done!
It paired really well with @A.P. Murphy’s submission.
I had my doubts in the beginning of the story, it’s a major challenge to write this, but I fell under the story’s spell… it’s so totally whacky! But I found myself wondering if you are, in some ways, plagued, like me, by a deep frenzied desire to understand the other side.
I wished we’d seen a tiny bit more into her shriveled heart, maybe loved her a tiny bit more… but maybe that would be another story!
I think a little wackiness helps us all be a bit more emphatic. Because I def struggle understanding the other side but do want to understand and be understanding (as long as they aren’t belligerent assholes) haha.
I agree with you there could be more to dig into with her and honestly even Catifa. I like both these characters though I’m not one to return to stories much.
Catifa!! 😆 So good, man. This was such a fresh take on a very possible future state of the union. Your characters and dialogue were superb. Really fun to read.
I can see now why Sandolore thought your and my stories would be a good back-to-back comparison. In fact her own also has a fair bit of peeking past the backdrop.Perhaps there could be a side-volume to Midnight Vault called Through the Rent in the Veil.
A very interesting adventure in AI-Simulation theory, Nick! I enjoyed it a lot! Not being American I can't really judge to what extent the frantic chaotic division represented here and in the recent movie Eddington are 'realistic' but the degree of dread and panic that results sure seems authentic.
I like the idea of the side-volume. I think we may need to pitch it!
Thank you for reading. As is true in all fiction there are some liberties taken and merged with “truth” but also sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.
Case in point: this particularly bizarre turn taken in the world of right-wing prophet Jordan Peterson, which I’ve just been discussing with my friend Will.
Thought to have conquered his depression by means of the all-meat diet, Peterson fell victim again to deep gloom after drinking organic cider. Then “mold attacked his brain” and he fell into a coma, but there are rumours that he induced the coma to detox from antidepressant dependency, as he had previously done.
Excellent. I could hear the accents, so vivid, loved the metaphoric prose. Phenomenal. This dystopian political story hit home. Loved how it fuckin ended. A damn nice reward.
Incredibly kind words, Edith! Means a lot. Thank you for reading and sharing how it made you feel. If there is one thing I’m very happy about with this story it’s the ending. It still hits for me when I read it.
Yeah that ending is how I feel about it too, I would definitely read this story more than once. Might have to save it, if I see a current headline that makes me want to [redacted] expletive, in this country. Thank you for writing it.
I mean cats are fierce and I have a feeling they are going to annoy our smart robot friends when they come around! Thank you for reading and sharing your lovely note, Garen. I look forward to reading yours soon.
This was a really refreshing political piece that flirts with stereotype but twists us out of it in the end. And Catifa 😹. I enjoyed this, wanting to know where we were going with dear Linda, and I'm glad we landed where we did. Great intrigue and suspense!
Thanks, Bryan. I'm glad it landed for you. It was definitely a part of the story I was nervous about. I wanted to get it to the right spot because if not it would just be a stereotype and well thats not fun or interesting. I look forward to reading yours.
Wow to you too! That was breath-taking from start to finish and, yes, devastating is the word! Part of me thinks it's not satire though. Or rather, when reality itself becomes a satire then we know we're fucked. Or should know.
That use of quick-quick-quick language was perfect. Stylish, pacy, and I am a big cat person, so there. Definitely on her side.
Damn how devastating was the reveal?? I absolutely believe they'd keep feeding us garbage to keep hiding a total takeover. Loved Catifa and the shared smokes. I'm going to be thinking about this and the cigarette theme for a while. Great story.
Catifa needs a banner, heck, lots of marketing material. Catifa for president. Haha.
Even though I don’t smoke anymore I think everyone, including myself, would deserve some good smokes in this world. I almost needed one or two while writing it.
I’m glad you enjoyed it and that it will stick with you. This one scared me a little to put down on digital paper. Ha
It was different from your usual stories but I could still pick up on your particular style and it succeeded in feeling very "twilight zone" . Well done!
You probably feel the same but I feel like every new story I write evolves me and my style, so I wonder what will stick from this for the next one.
Yes, indeed! I am looking forward to seeing little bits of this story pop up in the future :)
What a wild ride!
🎢 thanks for reading!!
It paired really well with @A.P. Murphy’s submission.
I had my doubts in the beginning of the story, it’s a major challenge to write this, but I fell under the story’s spell… it’s so totally whacky! But I found myself wondering if you are, in some ways, plagued, like me, by a deep frenzied desire to understand the other side.
I wished we’d seen a tiny bit more into her shriveled heart, maybe loved her a tiny bit more… but maybe that would be another story!
I think a little wackiness helps us all be a bit more emphatic. Because I def struggle understanding the other side but do want to understand and be understanding (as long as they aren’t belligerent assholes) haha.
I agree with you there could be more to dig into with her and honestly even Catifa. I like both these characters though I’m not one to return to stories much.
Maybe they will show up in spirit though.
Intrigued by the pairing - I must check it out soon!
Yours is in my list next! I’m also intrigued.
I mean… they are very different, but I read them back to back and somehow they both have similar origin points.
Catifa!! 😆 So good, man. This was such a fresh take on a very possible future state of the union. Your characters and dialogue were superb. Really fun to read.
Thanks, Shane! Appreciate you reading it.
the maga matrix, but you added so much more scale, character, and detail than a simple satire requires. i loved this.
Thank you for reading and your extremely kind words, EJ! I tried to put as much as I could into it.
I can see now why Sandolore thought your and my stories would be a good back-to-back comparison. In fact her own also has a fair bit of peeking past the backdrop.Perhaps there could be a side-volume to Midnight Vault called Through the Rent in the Veil.
A very interesting adventure in AI-Simulation theory, Nick! I enjoyed it a lot! Not being American I can't really judge to what extent the frantic chaotic division represented here and in the recent movie Eddington are 'realistic' but the degree of dread and panic that results sure seems authentic.
I like the idea of the side-volume. I think we may need to pitch it!
Thank you for reading. As is true in all fiction there are some liberties taken and merged with “truth” but also sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.
Case in point: this particularly bizarre turn taken in the world of right-wing prophet Jordan Peterson, which I’ve just been discussing with my friend Will.
Thought to have conquered his depression by means of the all-meat diet, Peterson fell victim again to deep gloom after drinking organic cider. Then “mold attacked his brain” and he fell into a coma, but there are rumours that he induced the coma to detox from antidepressant dependency, as he had previously done.
https://factually.co/fact-checks/health/jordan-peterson-mold-brain-infection-evidence-28a291
Yep. This about sums it up.
Excellent. I could hear the accents, so vivid, loved the metaphoric prose. Phenomenal. This dystopian political story hit home. Loved how it fuckin ended. A damn nice reward.
Incredibly kind words, Edith! Means a lot. Thank you for reading and sharing how it made you feel. If there is one thing I’m very happy about with this story it’s the ending. It still hits for me when I read it.
Yeah that ending is how I feel about it too, I would definitely read this story more than once. Might have to save it, if I see a current headline that makes me want to [redacted] expletive, in this country. Thank you for writing it.
There will no doubt be a few more headlines that do that. 🙌🏻
Sadly, yes. I saved it. This will be one of my coping mechanisms. Until I have to light a Molotov cocktail.
😂😂😂. I hope you don’t have to.
I love how much is crammed into this.
Thanks again for beta reading it!! I’m looking forward to reading yours again.
wow...impressive scale there!
nice work Nick! really well realised.
and logically...this is where it could end up...
Oh man, this was a devastating one. Really rich with detail, super believable. And I love that AI is afraid of cats.
I mean cats are fierce and I have a feeling they are going to annoy our smart robot friends when they come around! Thank you for reading and sharing your lovely note, Garen. I look forward to reading yours soon.
What a terrific, twisted political satire, pushing it to a dark extreme in one direction and then offering up a believable reversal. Very nice!
Very kind words, Gregory. Thank you for sharing them with me and for reading the story. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent story, Nick! I didn’t expect the twists and turns. 👏
And thank you for reading.
Thank you! I tried to keep as many surprises as I could without forcing things.
You did a great job!
🙏🏻
Brilliantly done!
Thank you for reading!
This was a really refreshing political piece that flirts with stereotype but twists us out of it in the end. And Catifa 😹. I enjoyed this, wanting to know where we were going with dear Linda, and I'm glad we landed where we did. Great intrigue and suspense!
Thanks, Bryan. I'm glad it landed for you. It was definitely a part of the story I was nervous about. I wanted to get it to the right spot because if not it would just be a stereotype and well thats not fun or interesting. I look forward to reading yours.
Wow to you too! That was breath-taking from start to finish and, yes, devastating is the word! Part of me thinks it's not satire though. Or rather, when reality itself becomes a satire then we know we're fucked. Or should know.
That use of quick-quick-quick language was perfect. Stylish, pacy, and I am a big cat person, so there. Definitely on her side.
Totally masterful, this one.
I am now going for a smoke.
Exhale those carbon monoxide vapors thoughtfully!
And thank you. Thank you!