OneWord #39 - Reporter

The reporter coughed into his microphone, sending a questioning glance at his sound guy for confirmation. The sound guy gave a thumbs up, indicating his approval of the aforementioned cough. The camera guy felt a little left out.

OneWord #38 - Architecture

The architecture was like nothing he'd ever seen. Spires, globes and pathways danced around each other likes snakes, twisting and turning with zero regard for gravity. The colors were blinding; hues of pink and red clashing with acid green and icy blue.

OneWord #37 - Dilemma

The dilemma was thus: If he acted now, he could get the jump on the mouse he'd been tracking for the better part of a day. But if he did, the nearby humans would almost certainly spot him immediately. His red, furry coat stood in stark contrast to the grey, dead husk of the city.

OneWord #36 - Transform

He transformed into a much nicer person when nobody was around. He'd fuss around the house in an apron, humming to himself as he cleaned and cooked. He'd post positive and constructive reviews online; often to the frustration of the Internet People.

OneWord #35 - Stunt

The stunt was one she'd done dozens of times: crash car, get thrown through front window and roll into a crouch. Her heart beat like a hammer against her ribs as she floored it.

OneWord #34 - Leading

Leading Shannon along the trail, Jimmy couldn't help but smile. He'd spent weeks worrying and obsessing over how to approach her. When he'd asked her if she fancied a hike, her face had lit up like a new sun. When she'd said yes, his had done the same.

Ten Minute Challenge #2 - Pliers

    The pliers dropped from Jane's shaking hand, slick with blood and engine grease. Her would-be assailant lay next to her, a telling wound in his right temple. A pool of blood formed around him, mixing with the oil dripping from Betty's engine.

    Jane had been lying beneath Betty, working on patching up a faulty fuel line, when she'd heard someone approaching. She had assumed that it was Tank or Jimmy back from buying supplies.
    'Hey fellas,' she'd called, wiping sweat from her brow and leaving a black streak across it. 'Find anything good?' Someone had grabbed her ankle and yanked her bodily out from beneath the massive vehicle, making her yelp in surprise. She'd looked up at the the heavily built man towering over her, squinting against the harsh glare of the sun. She hadn't been able to see his face.
    'Calamity Jane?' He had asked in a raspy voice.
    'What's it to you?' Jane had replied after a moment of nervous hesitation.
    'I'll take that as a yes,' the man had said before kicking her in the face. If there had been any more power behind the kick, it would probably have broken her nose. It hadn't, but it had still hurt like hell. She'd tried to roll with the attack, but the man had kicked her again and again, and she'd had no choice but to curl into a ball, as kicks and blows rained down on her. Eventually the assault had stopped, and she'd felt a hand grip her hair. The man pulled a bruised and battered Jane to her feet by her hair and forced her to face him. He was a handsome man, she'd thought. Black hair. Blue eyes. Just the right amount of stubble.
    'You should've minded your manners, bitch,' he'd rasped and Jane had felt a cold edge of steel at her throat. She'd lashed out in panic more than anything else, and the pliers she'd still clutched in her hand sank into the man's right temple with the sound of broken bones and scrambled brain matter. He'd blinked in confusion and opened his mouth to say something before his face went slack, and he'd collapsed where he stood.

OneWord #33 - Monitor

The monitor flickered to life, bathing the room in a dull green light. The Overseer stretched and fell into his chair with a yawn. He squinted at the lines of text running across the monitor, fumbling for his glasses with fingers clumsy from sleep.

Jane 4

'Y'got three seconds to get outta here!' Jane called, her voice loud enough to carry to the parked cars. After a moment of loaded silence, a deep male voice answered her.
    'Come out and say that to my face, bi-'
    'Three,' she said, kicking open the door, arm extended, and pulled both triggers on her double-barreled grenade launcher. Two 40mm high-explosive rounds streaked through the air in a graceful arc, and time seemed to slow down. That familiar rush burned in her gut. The moment before detonation was very special to Jane. Every sense was heightened. The calm before the storm squeezed into a heartbeat.

OneWord #32 - Quest

His quest was a grand one, and it had taken up the greater part of his life. He'd traveled all over the world, met people of every age and nationality, vanquished foes of every size. But still his target proved infuriatingly illusive.

OneWord #31 - Calling

He heard the birds calling his name. They circled above him, a swirling cloud of ebony ravens, beckoning him to join the flock.

OneWord #30 - Pile

The pile of stacked bug corpses covered the battlefield like anthills. It hurt just looking at the twisted, broken things. Not for the first time, Jimmy wished he was back home.

OneWord #29 - Base

    The base was under attack. This was nothing new, of course. Frontier base Alpha 3, known as "The Grinder" to those who'd been stationed there, had been under attack for about three years now, Jimmy reckoned. The bugs threw themselves mindlessly at the defenses - automated now, thank God - and were crushed, shot, impaled and incinerated in their thousands. Still they came. An ocean of rage and mandibles.
    Jimmy had long since grown used to the acrid stench of burnt flesh and chitinous plating, but the screams still kept him awake most night.

OneWord #28 - Backspace

He pressed backspace furiously, deleting the words he'd so carefully and painstakingly written just moments before. The footsteps came closer, urging him to greater button-mashing speed.

OneWord #27 - Engine

The engine roared as Jane put the pedal to the metal, and Betty flew across the tarmac like an enraged metal bull. A car full of baddies got in their way and was quickly crushed under Betty's massive wheels.

OneWord #26 - Insect

Insects covered Jake from head to toe. He didn't move. He didn't even breathe. He didn't dare. If he disturbed the swarm, they'd descend upon him in a torrent of pincers, stingers and claws.

OneWord #25 - Disregard

"Disregard the fact that you'd be six feet under right now if it weren't for me," she said. "Wait, no. Don't disregard that. Regard it! I'm the only reason you're alive, mister, and I'll have some gratitude out of you if I have to kill you to get it. Wait, no."

OneWord #24 - Lending

Lending money to people is risky business. If they decide that they don't need to pay you back before the deadline, you might have to break a few kneecaps. Most people hire some muscle to take care of that stuff. Not Jimmy "The Bones" Malone. He lives his life by that age-old axiom: If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.

OneWord #23 - Luggage

The luggage was filled to the brim with bombs. Yes, he'd packed the bags himself. No, he wasn't a terrorist. No, he didn't know where they'd come from. Yes, he was aware explosives weren't allowed on planes. No, he didn't hate freedom.

OneWord #22 - Primitive

The primitive awoke. Reason were burnt away by a raging flood of raw emotion and instinct. His muscles shook and twitched, blood rushing like fire through his veins. Darkness obscured his vision.

OneWord #21 - Outgoing

He was an outgoing man. That is to say, he went out. He met people, and they met him, and some of them were alright. Most weren't. When he went out - outgoing man that he was - he'd always bring a few base necessities: leather gloves, a knife, a garrote and a bottle of water. You know, in case he got thirsty.

OneWord #20 - Tasting

Tasting other people's food sounds like a pretty sweet gig. Most people who hire tasters eat some delicious stuff, and so you do too. When the poison shows up, though, you're gonna feel pretty stupid.

Jane 3

Jane sang softly under her breath, loud enough only for herself to hear. Someone had sung it to her when she was a child, but she couldn't remember who. Somehow she doubted it had been her crack whore excuse for a mother.
    She removed her gun from the holster strapped to her thigh and moved to look out the boarded-up windows. Two black Rolls-Royce - big, flashy and lightly armored - blocked the main road to and from The Grinning Mutt. Four- no, five Taglioni thugs hid behind them. Waiting for her. Fully cocked. Locked and loaded. Ready to blow some holes in Calamity Jane and her crew.
    She cracked open her gun without looking at it, slid in two rounds and snapped it shut with a casual flick of her wrist.

OneWord #19 - Instrumental

"She was instrumental to the success of the mission, colonel. She was the one who warned us about the laser defense system. She was the one who took down the Dreadnought. She knew the codes. She saved your ass."

Anonymous Diary Entry

May 4th, 2032. 


481 days since first infection. 

They named their town "God's Virtue". Stupid name. It made Elly laugh, though, so I guess it's alright.

OneWord #18 - Separate

When they were separate, they were weak. Without the bond, there was nothing to stop a stray arrow or skilled sword from killing them. When they stood back to back, though...