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Michael Darvall
Bio
Quietly getting on with life and hopefully writing something worth reading occasionally.
Stories (38/0)
Dancing in the Dark
The mirror showed a reflection that was not my own. The entrapped image swerved past my vision in a blur of crimson and black; two figures locked tightly together in a furious twirling dance, so prominent in the mirror as to be almost upon me. They whirled in violent agitation, every limb seemingly in motion, tearing at each other in a frenzy that somehow never afforded a change in their condition or dress, a rocking, chaotic cacophony of sight that threatened to overwhelm me with only their forms. And that couple was just one of many, a fragment of the vast panoply of dancers in the reflected ballroom, all of them moving with fantastical intensity, their figures shrouded in red and black drapery, their faces masqued in Venetian styles, full-faced and adorned with feathers and glass and metal, but all somehow subdued, as if they were coloured in a minor key. Despite the heavy coverings, there were, among the heaving, feverish movements, occasional flashes of ivory as the couples whipped past; as a cowl slipped back from the forehead, or a cuff rode up briefly on the dancer’s arm, and the contrasting speck of white rang out through the demented red and black and dark gem-metal faces.
By Michael Darvallabout a year ago in Horror
The Walking Man - 1
Every night, at midnight, the purple clouds come out to dance with the blushing sky… for those who have eyes to see them. You can tell who they are, if you’re in the know, they tend to stand out. Ever been in a crowd – say out on the town on a Friday night, or at a party – and you see those odd people who seem to have just… stopped; not talking, not dancing, maybe not moving at all. Often they’re in the crowd but somehow not of the crowd, there’s space around them in the crush, or they’re in that odd corner that no-one else likes to stand in. There’s a fair chance they can See. People usually feel uncomfortable with them, their personal space seems a bit bigger and it can make talking with them… awkward.
By Michael Darvallabout a year ago in Fiction
Salt and Vinegar
The kids were not at school, so it must have been the weekend. But we didn’t get ready to work the cattle, or check the waters, or fix the fences, but instead everyone all piled into one ute: The Boss, the Missus, and most of the kids in the cab, and me and Slick and Badger jumped in the back along with our mate, the Eldest Boy.
By Michael Darvallabout a year ago in Fiction
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. A new anime classic is born.
The Cyberpunk: Edgerunners series – a spin-off from the ARPG Cyberpunk 2077 – continues the evolution and elevation of the Cyberpunk genre into mainstream consciousness with an excellent anime production. It is commonly held that making a movie or series based on a video game is a fool’s errand because fans of the video game feel it’s not true to the source, while non-players are often excluded or repelled by the assumed knowledge required. This is where Edgerunners has the advantage; it is not a story based on a video game, but rather a story set in the same world as the video game and an expansion on the genre. As such it is accessible to both ARPG players and non-initiates alike. And for those with a longer memory, you'll recognize elements of the table top RPG as well.
By Michael Darvall2 years ago in Geeks
The Nebulous Cairns of Bega
Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. My combat instructor says different. She says that, as their face shield shatters and their last breath explodes from their lungs, the moisture freezes into a cloud of pink ice droplets and it spatters across you, pattering on your suit with a sound like rain on a window. Their last scream.
By Michael Darvall2 years ago in Fiction
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