[Nanowrimo] excerpt
Nov. 4th, 2007 01:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
joiedecombat350 words. Blame ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ahumblepen for suggesting "cannibal" as a prompt.
There's a terminal standing open, its casing removed and its wiring and components pulled out and spread over the floor, the guts of eviscerated machinery spilled out and exposed to the air. Half a dozen other bits of electronics lie scattered around it, broken open and recklessly scavenged for their parts to create a Frankenstein's monster of a system, bits of wire patched together and insulated with lumpy layers of electrical tape, circuit boards and components rigged in, ill-fitting and sticking out at odd angles. The mad doctor responsible for this bastard abomination of makeshift engineering sits hunched over it with a screwdriver, grimly prying out another of its vitals and dragging it into the light for inspection.
After a moment it's tossed carelessly away with a hissing sigh of dissatisfaction; it clunks a few times against the floor before it comes to rest amidst an assortment of other technological disjecta membra. "No good. Damn it, that one's shot too."
There are some moments of groping about, but a replacement part fails to conjure itself up from amidst the scattered components, and he swears again and bangs his fist against the frame. "Damn it! Piece of--" A sharp edge of the metal frame splits the skin and his voice breaks off in a snarl as he brings his hand to his mouth, tasting the tang of his own blood. "Oh no you don't," he grumbles, the words muffled around his hand. "Don't think you're going to beat me by giving me tetanus, bitch."
The quick patter of footsteps from across the way stops short. "I think maybe you've been working on that a little too long."
His head comes up and swivels toward her, and his attention fixes almost immediately on the object in her hands. "What's that?" He points.
"Just a notebook..."
"Does it work?"
"...kind of?"
"Well, give it here!" He gestures impatiently, grabbing at the air until she's come close enough that he can snatch the electronic notebook out of her hands and apply the screwdriver with determined, murderous vigor.
ahumblepen for suggesting "cannibal" as a prompt.There's a terminal standing open, its casing removed and its wiring and components pulled out and spread over the floor, the guts of eviscerated machinery spilled out and exposed to the air. Half a dozen other bits of electronics lie scattered around it, broken open and recklessly scavenged for their parts to create a Frankenstein's monster of a system, bits of wire patched together and insulated with lumpy layers of electrical tape, circuit boards and components rigged in, ill-fitting and sticking out at odd angles. The mad doctor responsible for this bastard abomination of makeshift engineering sits hunched over it with a screwdriver, grimly prying out another of its vitals and dragging it into the light for inspection.
After a moment it's tossed carelessly away with a hissing sigh of dissatisfaction; it clunks a few times against the floor before it comes to rest amidst an assortment of other technological disjecta membra. "No good. Damn it, that one's shot too."
There are some moments of groping about, but a replacement part fails to conjure itself up from amidst the scattered components, and he swears again and bangs his fist against the frame. "Damn it! Piece of--" A sharp edge of the metal frame splits the skin and his voice breaks off in a snarl as he brings his hand to his mouth, tasting the tang of his own blood. "Oh no you don't," he grumbles, the words muffled around his hand. "Don't think you're going to beat me by giving me tetanus, bitch."
The quick patter of footsteps from across the way stops short. "I think maybe you've been working on that a little too long."
His head comes up and swivels toward her, and his attention fixes almost immediately on the object in her hands. "What's that?" He points.
"Just a notebook..."
"Does it work?"
"...kind of?"
"Well, give it here!" He gestures impatiently, grabbing at the air until she's come close enough that he can snatch the electronic notebook out of her hands and apply the screwdriver with determined, murderous vigor.
