Saturday 15 April 2017

A-Z Challenge 2017 - M is for Mallinger

Welcome to Day 13 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 M for Mallinger.


Mallinger hadn’t been content to just sit around and wait to die, as had been the case for so many of his friends and family. There had to be an answer out there, someone who could help. So he’d given himself a week. He had that long, he thought; if he had no luck, he’d return home. He left without a goodbye. They’d only have tried to stop him.

A bar in a more built-up area of the city had called to him. He’d never seen one before. Sitting on one of the roughly carved wooden seats, the old man had bought him a cupful of the eye-watering brew that was distilled out back and told him about the portal.

“Just stand in the right spot, imagine a gleamingly white city, no disease, and you’ll be there.”

“I thought that place was just a fairy story,” said Mal.

He’d given it a shot, not thinking it would work. Worst idea ever. It turned out the likes of him weren’t welcome in Whitopolis, and now he faced dying in jail, with no prospect of seeing his family again.

24 comments:

Carrie-Anne said...

From the frying pan into the fire! I don't envy him.

moon said...

So sad for Mal!
Beautiful snippet, as always.
Best wishes
Moon
https://aslifehappens60.wordpress.com/

Keith's Ramblings said...

Well, that didn't work. What will Mall do now?

Amble Bay's May Fair

Beth Lapin said...

Anyone with a name starting with "MAL" can't have a happy ending!



Affirmations for a Good Life

Darla M Sands said...

Cool! For me, the name 'Mal' brings up memories of the series 'Firefly'. Loved it! Happy Blogging!

http://darlamsands.blogspot.com/

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

ouch.
I want to hear the rest of the story...

The Multicolored Diary: WTF - Weird Things in Folktales

JeffO said...

Sounds days, you just can't get rid of a bomb.

Nilanjana Bose said...

Look before you leap. Mal's in dire trouble now. Won't his family come looking for him? Or help in some way?

Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse

Anonymous said...

Well, would he rather have not tried and never knew? =P

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

C.D. Gallant-King said...

Oomph. Any place called "Whitopolis" cannot possibly be good.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Oh dear Nick - you've sent Mal off on a horror journey ... I hope he comes out in a healthier condition .. hope?! Cheers Hilary - have a good Easter weekend ...


http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/m-is-for-melton-mowbray-market-national.html

Annalisa Crawford said...

Popping in for a brief catch-up - glad I hit M day, Mal's such a great character :-)

Anita Sabat said...

Sorry for Mal.
Hope hope all will be well, Nick.
Have a great Easter weekend!

Ronel Janse van Vuuren said...

Jumping through portals always turns into adventure - even if it looks scary at first :-)

Sara C. Snider said...

Well, bummer. I wonder how Mal will get out of it. These little snippets are intriguing indeed. :)

A to Z 2017: Magical and Medicinal Herbs

Ash said...

Intriguing.. Will go back to check out all your posts now!

Ipsita Banerjee said...

I agree with the last comment by Ashwini Das. Have to go back now!

Debbie D. said...

What a nightmare, to be stuck in such a place with no prospects of getting out. 'Whitopolis' sounds like some White Supremacist's idea of Utopia.

Liz Brownlee said...

Goodness, that seems a bit harsh! I wonder if the barman had something against him?

Liz http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com

PJ said...

You're such a tease, leaving us with so many questions and concerns for Mal - though I think some of it is his own fault.

Pamela @ Highlands Days of Fun

Liz A. said...

Um, wait, what? I think you left some stuff out there.

Jean Davis said...

It would seem the miracle wasn't so great after all. Wonder if he'll get out of there.
Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction

Cathy Kennedy said...

Mal facing his mortality with a bitter twist and no hope of a miracle to save him is truly mortifying. I'm running a bit late but thanks for visiting Saturday's post, Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “M” (Mermaids). Happy a2zjing!

Josie Two Shoes said...

Wow, your writing is definitely intriguing, it makes you want to know more, which is the sign of something well done!

Josie Two Shoes