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Wednesday, 26 April 2017

A-Z Challenge 2017 - V is for Vapourise

Welcome to Day 22 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 V for Vapourise.


In Harmonia, things were neat and tidy to a fault, which was helped by several key scientific breakthroughs. One of those of which the people were most proud was the vapourising technology that dealt with messy and extraneous bodily products. Tears vanished before they hit the ground. People could blow their noses with the same handkerchief an endless number of times, while it remained spotless. General health and sanitation was vastly improved by the toilet vapourisers, which did a great job at taking care of business. Finally – and best of all – once citizens reached the end of a long and happy life, their remains conveniently vapourised upon expiry, leaving nothing but pleasant memories in the minds of their loved ones. After all, a dead body was terribly unhygienic.
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18 comments:

  1. Nilanjana Bose26 April 2017 at 09:15

    Very hygienic, very scary!

    Not to mention that scope for a damsel in distress having her tears wiped by shining knight practically reduced to zero :) tough times for romance writers in Harmonia :)

    Nilanjana
    Madly-in-Verse

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  2. moon26 April 2017 at 09:38

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. moon26 April 2017 at 10:40

    Scary kind of ruthless pragmatism! Brilliant portrayal , as always.
    Best wishes,
    Moon
    https://aslifehappens60.wordpress.com

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  4. Deepa26 April 2017 at 11:34

    I like the concept actually. Its hassle free and best part is using the same hanky. No washing clohes too. Yaay

    Nick, I admire your train of thought *standing ovation for you*

    A Peice Of My Life

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  5. Ronel Janse van Vuuren26 April 2017 at 12:09

    Terrifying and brilliant :-) Happy A-to-Z-ing.

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  6. Sara C. Snider26 April 2017 at 12:28

    I could get used to life in Harmonia. ;)

    A to Z 2017: Magical and Medicinal Herbs

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  7. Jean Davis26 April 2017 at 13:50

    While this sounds very handy, I'm wondering if live people who are considered unhygienic could also end up vaporized with the majority of the population none the wiser.
    Discarded Darlings - Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction

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  8. Darla M Sands26 April 2017 at 15:22

    Ooh, I have mixed feelings about this. Nice piece!

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  9. Hilary Melton-Butcher26 April 2017 at 15:47

    Hi Nick - well this has taken a new direction ... and it certainly seems to have good and bad aspects - cheers Hilary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/v-is-for-vaynol-cattle.html

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  10. H.R. Bennett26 April 2017 at 16:16

    While my mind wandered with the concept of utilization on bodily fluids, I can't decide if I agree with the vapourizing of bodies or not. On the one side, fertilizer. On the other side, they aren't really USED that way anymore with all the embalming we do and there's only so much land...

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  11. Liz A.26 April 2017 at 17:54

    Just so long as they only dispose of dead bodies. And not dead bodies that they helped along...

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  12. Elizabeth Seckman26 April 2017 at 18:26

    Does that mean no more laundry? I'm a fan!

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  13. Click26 April 2017 at 18:38

    Very hygienic but I can't help but wonder if that might have some dark consequences for people committing a murder. Not having a body can make it tricky to prove who did it.

    Cait @ Click's Clan

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  14. PJ26 April 2017 at 22:27

    That would be helpful for all those annoying people that spit on the ground - it would vaporise before it hit the ground. Would people just suddenly disappear in the middle of a group of people if they died of something sudden?

    Pamela @ Highlands Days of Fun

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  15. Keith's Ramblings26 April 2017 at 23:44

    No need for undertakers then, just someone with a feather duster!

    Another day in Amble Bay!

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  16. Josie Two Shoes27 April 2017 at 02:52

    This would be a wonderful scientific development, but then again I see the risk of problematic people being vaporized before their due time, no evidence of the crime remaining! Perhaps I am a bit cynical about Harmonia. When something sounds too good to be true it usually is. :)

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  17. Cathy Kennedy27 April 2017 at 11:24

    Nick,

    Wow, a society of germophobes to a fault in Harmonia! Although it does have its upside. It would be awesome to never have to buy Kleenex and toilet paper again. lol The how vaporizing of a person as soon as they die is a bit creepy, though. Allowing a person to bury or cremate their loved ones is not only a personal thing but helps to close that final chapter and if that's taken away then how does a person move forward? I think it would make the journey harder. Oh well, interesting snippet.

    ~Curious as a Cathy
    Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “V” (Violin & Victorian Women)

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  18. Carrie-Anne27 April 2017 at 22:19

    That's an awesome invention! While I could see it going wrong and hitting the wrong target, it's a great way to curb the spread of disease and infections.

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