Tuesday 11 April 2017

A-Z Challenge 2017 - I is for Inglefrith

Welcome to Day 9 of the A-Z Challenge 2017. This month I'm sharing my "Black & White Snippets" - snapshots of some of the characters, places and concepts that populate my forthcoming YA dystopian trilogy, Black & White. There won't be a lot of details or spoilers - just short scenes and vignettes that give you a hint of the world I've created. Today, it's I for Inglefrith.


Inglefrith was at his wits’ end. He’d been searching for Mallinger for a week – so had his other children, the neighbours… Fusterbury was a big place, and although some searchers had ventured out into the wild country, none had dared go too far out of fear of the wolves that prowled there.


Sitting at his modest dinner of spit-roasted rat, he tried to keep his spirits up for the sake of the other kids, but inside every nerve ending tingled with dread. Mal was in the terminal stages of the disease. There was nothing to be done for him, but you needed to be with your family at a time like that. If he’d gone looking for help elsewhere, he wasn’t going to find it. Mal needed to be back here now – but what if it was already too late?

22 comments:

moon said...

I can visualise the sad scene of epidemic and death in Fusterbury in your pithy snippet.
Best wishes,
Moon
https://aslifehappens60.wordpress.com

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Nick - Inglefrith - lovely name ... and yes sometimes we cannot get up and go - we need to be around ... Roasted Rat - no thank you!

Fascinating snippets - I did answer feathering re horses yesterday ... cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/i-is-for-ice-age-art.html

Sophie Duncan said...

Poor Ingelfrith worrying about Mallinger.
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - Dragon Diaries

JeffO said...

mmm--spit-roasted rat--my favorite!

Deepa said...

I really really hope Mal comes back.
i can totally picture a man sitting with a worried face and a pensive smile and kids talking and chattering around him

A Peice Of My Life

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Aw, that's sad. But I love the names you chose.

Michelle Wallace said...

Some unusual and interesting names, Nick.
Spit-roasted rat? Huh? I suppose it fits perfectly into the world you've created.

Darla M Sands said...

Very moving. You have a gift. Thanks for sharing and happy blogging!

http://darlamsands.blogspot.com/

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

Whoa. Tension. Well done.

The Multicolored Diary: WTF - Weird Things in Folktales

Sherry Ellis said...

Inglefrith is a cool name. Enjoyed this snippet!

Jean Davis said...

Mmmmm. Gotta love a good tasty spit-roasted rat. :)

Random Musings said...

Spit roasted rat - there's something you don't see on a menu everyday!
Debbie

Keith's Ramblings said...

Was he, wasn't he? I guess he didn't leave before he finished his rat. I mean, who would?

Another day in Amble Bay!

Nilanjana Bose said...

Great build up of tension there. Hope he finds Mal before its too late.

Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse

John Davis Frain said...

I wanna play Gravball more than ever now, especially if it's a choice between that or enjoying a second helping of rat. Uggghhh.

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

I do hope it turns out Mal has ventured upon the cure for himself and everyone else!
Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

Shalzzzz said...

That's so moving! But I loved the name you chose!
Thailand Travel Stories at Kohl Eyed Me
26 Indian Dishes at Something's Cooking

Anmol Rawat said...

That's an intriguing name as well as an intriguing snippet!

Liz A. said...

Uh oh... But I have a feeling Mal may be on to something.

Anna Tan said...

Ew, rat! =.=

(does it taste like chicken)

JazzFeathers said...

Well, that's creepy. sounds like a dire situation, with external dangers and the diseasse affecting people. Great mood.

@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir

Deniz Bevan said...

Yup, I really like your names. I want to read the stories just for them :-)