perelynn: (Default)
The game stopped years ago, but the passion it ignited never waned. I needed closure, so I kept writing about these characters until everything that remained unsaid in the game found its way into the story. Behold the final chapter of the Witchbane series, for those few readers who still remember what it was about.

***

A knock at my door comes as a surprise.

Anybody who has business knocking at my door knows better than just tap randomly. Usually, people use a code. Usually, I can tell who’s standing on the other side without looking through the eyehole.

I tiptoe to the door and look.

My breath catches in my throat. I haven’t seen Hedgehog for three years. Last time we had quite an adventure, followed by quite a lovemaking. But then he went radio silent. I went through all stages of grief - denial, rage, bargaining and acceptance - and gradually came to terms with the fact that I likely wouldn’t see him again. What is he doing here?

When I open the door, my breath catches once again. )

Two days later, a sticky note appears out of nowhere. It has words on it, but even before I read them, I know.

I grin.

The page has turned.


Deirdre Buchanan, ex-consultant in Hexenfluch, portrayed by actress Deniz Çakır.
perelynn: (Default)
Surprisingly, it was not the forest that caused the most adrenalin-rich moments of this chase.

We barely spend any time in the woods, in fact. There are a lot of footprints there, but they are looping and crossing, as if the person who left them was dancing a crazy conga. Having examined the area, Hedgehog sniffs the air and moves confidently forward, following the only tracks that lead away from the place.

Soon, we find ourselves on the white plain of the frozen river. The tracks continue upstream. There are not only footprints anymore. Some of the marks are left by bare hands. Looks like the possessed was moving on all fours, sometimes running, sometimes making giant leaps.

The chase )
***
The aftermath )
***
After this date, Hedgehog disappears.


(Картинка с Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
We find another cottage which is a surprise to me. I would expect the land around here to be quite deserted. Still, it helps our investigation. Things clearly originated here. There is a pentagram drawn in the snow, with Scandinavian runes around it. Droplets of dark blood can be seen at each tip of the star. Red-orange fire is burning bright in the middle of it although all firewood is cinders by now.

There are also tracks. Some of them lead back to the lake, no doubt towards the cottage we just left. One set of tracks leads into the forest.

“These,” Hedgehog says confidently. “Whoever left them was not human.”

The tracks look perfectly human to me: big winter boots, probably belonging to a male.

“If you say so,” I concede.

The forest that swallowed the footprints looks tall and ominous, a wall of darkness against the moonlit hills. It may not be wise to venture there with only the sorcerer for support.

“What are you waiting for?” Hedgehog says, impatient. “Let’s follow them.”
“As much as I’m used to you rushing into danger headlong,” I say coolly, “you should remember that I’m not that reckless. It’s night and it’s winter. Before charging into the forest in pursuit of a monster, I would like some guarantees that I’ll come back.”

This makes the sorcerer grunt.

“Come on,” he pleads in an exasperated voice.
“And the best guarantee,” I press on, relentless, “is calling for reinforcements.”

What are my options? )

“No need to go back,” I say. “Let’s go after Fenrir.”
“FINALLY,” Hedgehog grins.

(To be continued...)


(Картинка с Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
We catch up with the shooter right after she pulls the trigger.

A cottage right in front of us is besieged. A fight is raging inside, and not just a drunken brawl. People there - youngsters, most like, their voices are clear and strong - are fighting for their lives. I can guess who their attackers are. I saw some half-naked silhouettes in the moonlight. If those bodies belonged to humans earlier, they are no longer.

The shooter is a slim female on skis. I don’t know who her mark is, but it’s definitely not one of the zombies. Her rifle is pointed at the big glass front window, where the commotion is the loudest.

When she notices our arrival, she wastes no time shooting us. )

(To be continued....)


(Картинка с Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
Wanna go hiking?
Can’t. I’m in Canada for the next three weeks. Long story.”
Which city?
Toronto.”
Wanna go up north? My friend has a cottage in Killarney. Nice house on a lake, I’ve been there for his stag party. Wanna go?”
Sure. Send me the address.”

***

I like Toronto well enough, a bustling, buzzing city of many nations and cuisines borrowed from all over the world. One cannot argue it’s to be a bit bleak in winter, though. I am told in spring it is charming, and in summer it’s as hot as deluxe hell, but right now I’m just tired of freezing my butt off while having little to feast my eyes on.

The wilderness of Killarney proves to be a totally different matter. Frozen lakes, sleeping forests, rocks festooned with icicles, snow three feet deep.

“Do you see anything?” Hedgehog asks. )

(To be continued...)

The adventurious Scottish redhead:
perelynn: (Default)
Горячие бутерброды, розовые скалы, красивые виды, интересные разговоры - все это наконец накопилось, перелилось через край и синтезировалось в очередное приключение Ёжика и Дейрдре.

И, конечно, грибы. Грибы послужили триггером. А триггеры нас учили ловить и разрабатывать.

***

“Wanna have a picnic? I’ll get hot sandwiches.”

By this time, I’m used to yellow stickies popping out of nowhere with invitations on them. I reply “Yes” without even asking where we would be going. I’m there for fun. Fun, Hedgehog provides.

I do have to drive to meet him. The sorcerer waits for me at the beginning of an obscure trail in the Alps leading up onto the granite hill.

As we are climbing higher, the view gets better and better. The rock under our feet forms a solid plate. I can tell there were times, long ago, when this rock was liquid. Its pinkish-grey color creates a lovely contrast with the greenery of the pine trees, and compliments nicely to the red and gold of maples and birches. The distant lakes reflect the evening sky.

It doesn’t take long for Hedgehog to start pointing at mushrooms. )


(Deirdre Buchanan aka actress Deniz Cakir)
perelynn: (Default)
“What do you have here?” Ingrid asks.

Ingrid )

Here is what Ingrid looks like:

perelynn: (Default)
The next time we hear a voice, it’s right behind us.

Hedgehog whirls around. I raise my pistol. We didn’t expect anyone from this part of the forest. The hunters are still at our slapdash installation, we can hear them talking nervously. How did this one get here?

The new man doesn't look like a hunter. He doesn't look like he came from the forest either, for that matter. Rather, the newcomer seems to have just appeared out of thin air. He is wearing a long shapeless blue robe with a huge pointy hood that hides his face so well only a clean-shaven chin is visible. He looks like a Tolkien fan cosplaying a wizard. I have never seen a real sorcerer dressed like that in my entire life.

Well, that must be the first. )
(to be continued...)


(Photo courtesy of Etsy)
perelynn: (Default)
It’s an experience I can never forget - and don’t usually care to repeat - the sensation of my body mending itself right in the middle of strenuous physical work. I trip, I fall, I roll head over heels, only to jump back on my feet and run further. This crazy flight down the steep slope should have left me with a broken nose, scraped knees and bloodied elbows. It would, if not for the wolf potion.

At some point, gunshots are fired again, signalling that our attackers are now over the hilltop. They are far enough for us not to worry. For now.

We reach for the forest just as I feel the first signs of ravaging hunger. )
(to be continued...)


(Photo courtesy of Flickr)
perelynn: (Default)
“I can come out to meet them,” I say. “I am Hexenfluch.”
“You are a woman,” Hedgehog says darkly, “who just emerged, alone, out of the place where they killed something supernatural. They may shoot you first, and ask questions later.”

I grimace as his words ring true.

Plans and reality )
(to be continued...)


(Картинка с Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
“How about an evening in the mountains? Here is the address of the chalet.”

I frown and smile at the same time. On one hand, it’s quite presumptuous of my Ukrainian lover to suggest I drive for half a day to meet him and to be certain of an answer. On another hand, a weekend in Swiss Alps does sound nice. Frankly, it would be a welcome respite. The integration of π-3 into the workforce is not going as well as one might hope. People are leaving, and the people who are hired in their place have different values. I’m bothered by this, and I want a break.

So, I drive to a minuscule mountain village to meet Hedgehog. As always, seeing him fills me with playful anticipation. The Ukrainian takes me to the chalet where we sit, drink and chat, enjoying the stunning views and each other's company. There is something strange, however. I can tell the Ukrainian is slightly tense. Is he worried? Annoyed?

Before long, Hedgehog asks me to accompany him for a walk. There was a guy he was supposed to meet today, he says, but the man didn’t show up. Hedgehog was waiting for his call all morning. The call never came, but maybe the dude left whatever he brought in a secret place. Hedgehog knows what the object should be, and he knows the place where the man has supposedly stayed. We'll go there together and check. Maybe we'll be able to find the package. The plan is to pick it up and come back.

The walk starts pleasantly enough. Mountain views, excellent weather, a good companion. We soon reach a small shack. Here, shepherds stay during the summer months while cattle grazes on the nearby slopes.

No shepherds here now. The shack looks empty. Something about it gives me chills. I check the pistol in my purse. Hedgehog notices it but doesn’t comment. He is edgy himself.

We enter the shack and my welcome respite turns into my regular work day.

The guy Hedgehog was supposed to meet is dead on the floor. )

(to be continued...)

Here is what the main characters look like.

Deirdre Buchanan )

A Ukrainian sorcerer who goes by the nickname Hedgehog )
perelynn: (Default)
Jokes from the past session. Most of them zombie jokes.

GM: Ingrid, you smell formaldehyde. The kind that you would use.
Alya: Oh! Are these zombies made by me from the future?
GM: No, not you.
Nameless: Your future husband.
Me: It’s a romantic story!

+3 )
perelynn: (Default)
Hexenfluch Headquarters, Berlin, Germany.
April 10th, 2017
10:00

The story of undead in a hole had a continuation.

Ingrid and Roger were examining the captured zombie, and made a notice of its dirty feet. Having sent the dirt to the lab, they discovered that it contained a non-negligible amount of the coal dust. Our analytics ran a search on all the known mines. And, lo and behold, one of the abandoned facilities turned out to be a zombie factory run by necromancers. We raided the mine and even captured some of it owners. The most exciting and unexpected event of the hunt was Mr. Smug, who appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the closest zombie in his vicinity, winked at Ingrid and vanished into thin air together with his bounty.

But this is all just routine (with the exception of, admittedly, Mr. Smug). To me, much more interesting part of the whole ordeal comes later. It is the chat with Shelly that follows these two missions.

We talk about the π-3 )


(Photo courtesy of Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
Wolfegg village, Germany
April 6th, 2017
10:25

It’s hard to tell what about the π-3 puts me off so profoundly. The man is very polite. His manners are carefully neutral. His voice, for the lack of a better word, is always level. He is also quite useful.

I watch with some trepidation how the two undead guards lose their rigid posture and drop gracelessly on the ground after the π-3 stares at them intently for about five minutes. It’s all he had to do. No fighting, no clever tricks. Just staring.

It makes me question the need of bringing the whole crew here. The π-3 seems to be quite capable of handling this mission solo. By the look on the Nathaniel’s face, he is thinking along the same lines.

‘Ten more are still inside,’ the man in black informs us.

Read more... )


(Photo courtesy of Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
Hexenfluch Headquarters, Berlin, Germany.
April 3rd, 2017
09:00

We have a new member in our crew.

Oh, I’m not talking about the rookie. Roger Hamster is a nice enough guy, a tad idealistic, just as the Captain once was. He has a habit of whistling tunelessly, a fidget cube he likes to play with, and a ridiculous name. He is a normal, regular young fellow with his wonts and quirks.

My concern is the man clad all in black, with a black round helmet covering his head and a toned visor hiding his face. We don’t know his name. We don’t even hear his real voice, as it gets artificially distorted by the helmet. The man is a π-3, a freshly trained specialist, highly sensitive to supernatural. He is a product of a secret program Hexenfluch has been running since the organization started. He is our new weapon, no longer hidden.

I don’t like him.


(Photo courtesy of Pinterest)

The new mission )
perelynn: (Default)
Speaking of stories and social contracts. Here is the snippet Victor concocted for me as a payment for my emotional labour described here. Not much plot, lots of drama, cultural hiccups and silly fun. Written down for buddy Alina [livejournal.com profile] be_unafraid to make her smile.

***

Wanna go skiing together?

A smile creeps up on my lips. A wave of mischievous joy raises in my chest. Last time I saw my Ukrainian lover was back in summer, when we were investigating the breeding factory. Every time we part, I know we may never see each other again. Or, worse still, our paths may cross on a mission, prompting us to take each other out. Every meeting just for fun is a bonus.

Sure,’ I reply. ‘Mind you, I’m not a very good skier.

That’s okay,’ comes the answer. ‘I’ll teach you. Is this upcoming weekend okay for you?

I check my calendar.

Should be fine. Where are we going?

Come to the Erzgebirge ski resort. I’ll meet you there. I already have a cabin booked.

Awesome. How much was it? What’s the budget for the trip?

Don’t worry about it.

I appreciate the gesture, but I would prefer to pay for myself.

There is a pause.

Seriously, money is not a problem,’ the new note announces when it arrives five minutes later.

I frown at the yellow stickie. Money is not the best topic for remote discussions. Especially with lovers.

Fine,’ I write. ‘But we’ll talk about it when we meet.

Ok.

Anything I need to bring with me?

Just proper winter sport clothes. If you don’t have any, we can rent you some.

This works. See you on Saturday then.’

See you.’

***
Read more )


(photo courtesy of Pinterest)
perelynn: (Default)
Работала я над “Летней историей”. В поисках броского названия для морских чудовищ пошла бороздить интернет, интересуясь, какие вообще есть аналоги в байках народов мира. Долго ли, коротко ли, наткнулась на псевдо-христианскую статью, и она взорвала мне мозг. Ссылку давать не буду, ни к чему такое распространять. Название для чудовищ взяты не оттуда. Но некоторые цитаты были просто перлами и светочами чистого, дистиллированного бреда, которыми я не могу не поделиться.

Здесь и далее выписки из статьи. Оригинал был обильно пересыпан цитатами из Библии, дабы наглядно показать читателю, что все написанное - истинная правда. Вопросов прошу не задавать. У меня нет ответов, есть только взорванный мозг.

Выписки )
Желтой прессе и не снилось.
***
Из других анекдотов: пошла я на Pinterest подбирать к истории картинку.


(здесь и далее картинки с Pinterest)

И неожиданно.... )

Поглядевши на такое, поневоле задумаешься: зачем вообще писать выдуманные истории? Ведь если речь о том, чтоб изумить мозг до полного онемения, то наши предки это выполнили и перевыполнили. Вон сколько бреда уже придумано до нас!
perelynn: (Default)
(Окончание. Начало тут и тут)

Этой ночью отдыхающие в живописном уголке испанского побережья могли наблюдать странную и тревожную картину. В ночном небе, загораживая луну, висели два вертолета. Лучи прожекторов устремлялись вертикально вниз, пронзая водную толщу. Вода, оливково-серая в свете прожекторов, казалась взбаламученной. По морской глади расходилась рябь от ветра, поднятого винтами. Картина притягивала взгляд, и немало людей, сидящих на террасах или в шезлонгах на темном пляже, наблюдало за вертолетами, гадая, что происходит.

Читать дальше... )


(картинка с Pinterest)

March 2026

S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18192021
22232425262728
293031    

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated May. 15th, 2026 05:54 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios