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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Dec 12, 2012 10:54:59 GMT -5
Hi everyone! It's almost the end of the semester. I should be doing homework right about now but I had to come and drop in.. I just want to say I'll be back soon, probably next week. Just wanted to let y'all know.
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 12, 2012 10:55:55 GMT -5
Hi everyone! It's almost the end of the semester. I should be doing homework right about now but I had to come and drop in.. I just want to say I'll be back soon, probably next week. Just wanted to let y'all know. Thanks for the notice, Tiago!
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 12, 2012 16:28:42 GMT -5
I await your return eagerly. Great to see you back!
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Fiona Fanboy
Catastrophic Captain
Klaus' rival for the affections of Fiona Widdershins
Posts: 91
Likes: 2
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Post by Fiona Fanboy on Dec 12, 2012 17:38:23 GMT -5
The world is quiet here, for giving up is never done by a true Volunteer. Glad to see you're living up to that, my fellow chronicler of the Baudelaire Orphans' further misadventures.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Dec 19, 2012 13:58:44 GMT -5
Author's note: I'm technically already on vacations so I'm back! Enjoy the first chapter of TMM! I apologize for the extreme delay. I'll try my best from now on to keep a tight update schedule. Chapter One After a disaster, be it natural or caused by man, it is expected for things to recover slowly. Sometimes, no recovery can be expected at all. Like many who have taken up the life of a volunteer, I have been to, seen, and sometimes even caused my share of disasters. I do not claim to have a perfect record, nor do I deny it. Although sometimes I do wish things had gone differently, there is little point in dwelling in such thoughts. The dam at the down of Deluge Dam had recently been obliterated, a word which here means ‘destroyed cruelly by the plot of a corrupt mayor and an organization of assassins’, and the Quagmire orphans, and their companions Cindry and Cid were stranded right at the entrance of Malaise Mines. The mines were their only possible route out of the Ghastly Gorge, the canyon which was now flooded. The Quagmires and their companions had taken up residence in a shack just outside the mines. There was a supply of canned foodstuffs and some grain which was their source of sustenance, a word which here means ‘their only means to avoid complete starvation’. Quigley Quagmire, the biggest of the triplets, had taken upon himself to do most tasks, as Cid was still in shock. All of Cid’s friends, acquaintances, his house, his life’s work, and his treasure, his relative Flora Flotsam had been washed away by the sheer destructive power of water. Cid ate little and talked even less, sleeping most of the day, and whenever he woke, Isadora, Duncan or Cindry would try to talk to him and make him eat. A week had passed, and the food was at its end. Their only alternatives were to try to scale up the stone walls of the Ghastly Gorge and cross the mountains, or go into the Mines, which were connected to the other side – allegedly – and try their luck. Given their luck so far, they were resistant to both alternatives. But now a decision had to be made, and soon. It was one night, when Isadora, Duncan, Quigley and Cindry were outside, by the campfire they had built, and Cid was inside the shack. They had just finished a frugal meal of thin soup and hard bread, and their stomachs were asking for more. ‘We have to go now.’ Quigley said suddenly. The other three eyed him with surprise. Silence was a constant of late, and they avoided conversations unless absolutely necessary. ‘We can’t stay here anymore. We’ll all die.’ ‘But Cid…’ Duncan began. ‘I know. But it’s been over a week now. We can’t stay here.’ Quigley was right. More than once they had seen helicopters fly over the Ghastly Gorge, the recognizable GW anchor emblazoned upon them. They were fortunate that their location gave them the advantage, but peace could only last for so long. ‘I’ll go talk to Cid.’ Duncan stated, standing up and walking away from the campfire. Out of all the Quagmires Duncan was the one who spent the most time with Cid, who brought him water and food and saw to his well-being. That being said Duncan also frequently made small incursions into the mines with Quigley, and they had found many tools which they had put to good use in various ways, be it fixing the roof of the shack, or any other mean of improving on their living conditions. It was true, however, that they could not go on like that for much longer. Entering the shack, Duncan found Cid sitting up, half-dressed with his cup of unsweetened coffee going cold in his hands. It was a change from the prostrated – a word which here means ‘too depressed to get out of bed’ – position he had been in for so long. ‘Cid.’ Duncan called. ‘We have to enter the mines. It’s either that or starve to death.’ Cid raised his eyes. Without his trademark goggles he didn’t seem much like himself. Cid then stood up and picked up the goggles. ‘How long has it been?’ ‘A week, I think.’ Duncan replied. ‘It seems some apologies are in order…The way I’ve been behaving, it’s…’ the sentence hung in mid-air. Duncan shook his head. ‘It’s understandable. Me and my siblings have all been through our share of disasters, but I cannot imagine what you’re going through. But now is not the time to grieve. We have to go.’ Cid opened a drawer from one of the desks. ‘There’s a map here. It’s a detailed map of Malaise Mines with every twist and turn. I found it the other day when I managed to get up. I’m ashamed of the way I’ve behaved.’ Cid confided. ‘I know.’ Duncan stated while reaching for the map. It was a map that detailed the mines. ‘How old is this map?’ Duncan asked, knowing that Quigley would find it pertinent to know. ‘I don’t know, but it’s probably old. It’s the only map they ever made, too.’ At this point, Quigley, Isadora and Cindry came inside the shack. Their eagerness to leave was easy to read. ‘How are you doing, Cid?’ Cindry asked. ‘I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, I’m tougher than I look right now.’ Cid put on his shirt and straightened his overalls. He run his utility belt with his familiar wrench and a flashlight he’d found somewhere in the shack. ‘Is that a map?’ Quigley noticed the map in Duncan’s possession, and approached it with curiosity. ‘That’s an old map I found, it will help our journey in and out of the mines.’ ‘This Is interesting. There’s an uncharted area here marked with a strange symbol. It seems familiar, but I can’t recall where I’ve seen it before.’ Quigley bit his lip. Isadora was the first to voice concern. ‘Don’t tell me it’s a question mark with an eye, an eye or an anchor.’ Quigley shook his head in denial. ‘No. It’s neither one of those three. It’s pretty weird, although according to this map we won’t have to go through the uncharted area at all. We’ll come across a bridge eventually, a bridge which connects the west and east sections of the mines, but that’s a way’s way from this area.’ ‘We’ll have to be careful then.’ Cid said, combing his blue hair with his fingers and putting on his goggles back on top of his head. ‘The bridge is the only way across the chasm. It’s so deep our miners haven’t reached the bottom in a century of digging.’ After they had gotten ready and organized their remaining supplies, as well as put on miner’s hats with flashlights on them, the mismatched group stood in front of the dark entrance to the Malaise Mines, unaware of the horrors they’d experience inside. At that point in their lives, it was their only alternative, but if it was me, I don’t know what I would have done. Because when Cid, the Quagmire triplets and Cindry entered the elevator that led to the first phase of the mines, they were in for a journey that would change their lives once again, and not for the better.
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Post by Kit's tits kick ticks on Dec 19, 2012 14:45:13 GMT -5
I thought that nothing can make me smile on a day like today. This chapter did.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Dec 19, 2012 14:53:44 GMT -5
I thought that nothing can make me smile on a day like today. This chapter did. That means a lot to me, Anka. I'm glad.
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Post by Dante on Dec 19, 2012 15:19:04 GMT -5
Good to see you're on the fine form I remember, Tiago. The first chapter makes it feel as if the story's been on a bit of a break in-universe, too; we've had a rest from our trials, but we have to go on, and see things through to the end. I look forward to discovering what evil horrors plague our heroes in the mine. I have a few ideas already. They aren't positive ones. Well, why would they be? I'm sure this mine won't be merely malodorous.
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Post by Isadora Is a Door on Dec 19, 2012 16:12:17 GMT -5
YEAH! HE'S BACK!
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 20, 2012 2:00:33 GMT -5
Whoa! The story is nice.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 21, 2012 19:18:17 GMT -5
I'm not sure how I missed this chapter, but I'm elated to have found the story updated. I'm intrigued by the set-up, and in particular just what is waiting for the Quagmires in the mine. Good to see Quigley's affinity for maps put to use, too.
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 21, 2012 21:32:20 GMT -5
Good to see Quigley's affinity for maps put to use, too. He's always useful.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jan 14, 2013 13:26:24 GMT -5
Forgive me dear readers for being utmost inconsistent of late. I've recently gone into MUCH-NEEDED and DESERVED vacations so I've been lax with my writing. I'll try to get as much chapters up as I can, and fast. I'm writing right now!
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Post by Dante on Jan 14, 2013 14:22:41 GMT -5
It sometimes feels like a sin not to be writing, but the vacations can be as important as the work. Good luck, Tiago.
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Post by Tiago James Squalor on Jan 14, 2013 14:38:19 GMT -5
Chapter Two It was only a few minutes after the group had entered the mines that they noticed the smell of it. It was faint but ever present, a nauseous, rancid smell like the Quagmires had never felt before, not even in the proximity of a certain count, just as nauseous and gag-inducing as he could get. The smell was not the worst thing about the mine, however. It was dark, damp, and dreadful, and just as dark, damp and dreadful as the elevator shaft the Quagmires had once been hidden in by the same count. Cid Jetsam, the boisterous engineer, led their group. He had a miner’s hat on, complete with a flashlight. They’d only found three helmets with flashlights at the miner’s cabinets in the mine’s entrance, and Quigley and Duncan had taken both, leaving the other two to Cindry and Isadora. Cid also had grabbed a pickaxe and three extensions of rope, giving two to the girls and keeping the third one. As they proceeded in darkness, the apprehensive group was completely oblivious to the dangers the mine posed. ‘According to the map the second elevator should be ahead. It will take us to the first Phase of the mines. From there it’s a trek in some corridors and shafts until the First Dig, and from then on we can take a mine cart across the bridge to the Second Phase.’ Quigley explained to the others as he examined the map. ‘A mine cart?’ Cindry asked. She was the most nervous of them all, and understandably so. She did not deal well with enclosed spaces in the depths, not since her brief stay in The Great Unknown. ‘Yes. It’s probably one of those man-powered mine carts with swings that we can maneuver to achieve high speed. It should take us across the abyss swiftly.’ ‘Abyss?’ Cindry sounded even more apprehensive, and Isadora took her hand. ‘We’ll be alright, Cindry. We have Cid with us, and my brother is an expert with maps. We’ll be out of the mines in no time.’ Cindry got little comfort from Isadora’s words. She was shaking, nervous, looking into the darkness at all directions as if her mother, the dreadful woman with hair but no beard, Dominique Fulfillment, was lurking, ready to kidnap her again. ‘Look.’ Cid’s voice was heard, and the group looked ahead; Cid’s light illuminated a set of rusty sliding metal door; the elevator to the first Phase of the mines. ‘Great.’ The group hurried with the steps, and as they were about to reach the elevator, a terrifying sound was heard. Their hearts froze for a moment, as they stopped in their tracks. ‘What was that?’ Duncan whispered. ‘It sort of sounded like…a roar?’ Isadora suggested. ‘A roar? What sort of animal produces such a sound? And such a loud sound, no less?’ Cid contested. Cid’s response came as a relief, even if it was a rebuff; he had been in a near catatonic state after the destruction of Deluge Dam and the death of his family, friends and co-workers, of everything he knew. To get a response from him seemed a colossal improvement when days ago he wouldn’t even budge. It seemed like Cid was back, the old Cid, the one the Quagmires had come to admire. ‘I don’t think I want to know what that is.’ Cindry stated. ‘Let’s move ahead. It’s probably the wind, creeping in from openings in the upper levels. I’ve heard wind can produce strange howling noises when pouring in such places as caves and mine shafts.’ Cid’s theory seemed too far-fetched, but it would do no good to stay and ponder over the strange roar they’d heard. It certainly would not get them anywhere, and they went inside the elevator. Cid pressed the button, and after shaking and creaking the contraption began it’s descent. As they went down, the elevator shaft opened up to reveal a vast underground landscape. At the very top, the mine was open, with a few holes letting in some sunlight into the darkness. The abyss below was littered with small, dim, frail flickering lights, probably torches. Some buildings could be seen, what could probably once have been housing for the miners. They could even see the outline of the bridge against the pitch black darkness; a few white lights did well to detach the bridge from the dark. It was the breathtaking depth of the abyss below that alarmed the group of volunteers. ‘Looks like we’re entering the Underworld.’ Duncan joked, in an attempt to break the ominous mood. The Underworld, of course, is how one could refer to Hades, the realm of the dead in greek mythology, where the souls of the departed linger in eternal suffering. The Malodorous Mines was not Hades, but it’s terrors were very much real, as to their utter dismay, the Quagmires and their two companions would discover. Arriving at the bottom did little to improve the morale of the group, yet again the terrifying roar was heard; it sounded like it came from the abyss behind them, a loud, goosebump-raising horrifying roar loaded with fury. They had arrived at a ledge overlooking the abyss, the road ahead was a half-hidden passage down to a lower level, visible even then, where a light pole flickered as if threatening to go dark at any moment. What exactly powered these electric lights was the most bewildering aspect of it all. According to Cid, the mines were abandoned for the most part, and no one ever descended to the lower parts. When they asked, Cid was as clueless as they were. ‘I don’t know. Maybe someone else came down here too? Maybe someone is living here. I don’t know, really.’ Cid had said. The descent to the lower level where the mine cart waited for them was uneventful, but when the group arrived at the bottom, the dreadful roar was heard once again, and this time, the ground shook, and small rocks fell, detaching from the rocky wall above. Everyone had to crouch to avoid falling, as the ground continued to shake. ‘An earthquake?! But how?!” Isadora screamed. A huge rock fell from above crashing in the center of the platform lifting a cloud of dust. When it was over, they all were covered in dirt from head to toe. ‘What the hell is this noise?’ Duncan asked the question currently without answer. But the answer would be known very soon. ‘No point in dwelling on it. The sound is coming from below, and we’re merely crossing the mines. Let’s just avoid going down.’ Cid told them, and they all climbed onto the mine cart. Quigley and Cid would power the swing that controlled the cart’s speed as they crossed the bridge. So far, their journey in the Malaise Mines had been fairly uneventful save for the terrifying roar that came from the deep. Whatever it was, they did not want to know. All they wanted was to cross the mines safely and arrive at the laboratory in one piece. However, the journey ahead was an unfortunate one, marked with grief, despair, and a terrifying truth about one of them, something not one of them had expected. A fact that would change them. For better for worse, that is yet to be written.
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