What lingered for me wasn’t the violence, but the resignation—the way usefulness replaces love, and absence feels almost merciful. The ending lands like a damp room you can’t quite air out. Quiet, unsettling work. As normal Nathan... you've out done yourself!
Well, this was surreal and brilliant! A good mix of unsettling and tender. I've been meaning to check out your work for awhile, and this did not disappoint. I think what impresses me here is the use of small details to really animate the story; to make it feel alive and lived-in: your protagonist collecting Minerva's scales; the opening description eating chicken wings as a point of comparison; the repeated use of "hey sailor" web-names like a motif. Very finely wrought work and well worth a subscribe!
Thanks, PYT. I appreciate the read and the kind words. This was a fun one to write. I don't always do prompts, but I am finding the guardrails give me space to experiment with details in the narrative. I am glad these things added to the story.
You’re very welcome! You’re a superb writer and I really enjoyed this story. I’ll be trying to make time to read some more of your work over the coming week!
That was so sick, uncanny, repulsive, hahahaha and absurd. Very my way of having steaks.
Keep killing dewd!
I'm sure she'll be back.
One day.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for checking it out. I really appreciate it. It was a fun one to write.
I really did.
Substack algorithm is often wrong, but this time it was a bullseye 🐂🎯👁️
You read The Crooked Man And The Big Black Dog so you know.
What lingered for me wasn’t the violence, but the resignation—the way usefulness replaces love, and absence feels almost merciful. The ending lands like a damp room you can’t quite air out. Quiet, unsettling work. As normal Nathan... you've out done yourself!
Thanks, man. I don’t usually do prompts but I am finding them quite enjoyable. I appreciate the read and the kind words.
Well, this was surreal and brilliant! A good mix of unsettling and tender. I've been meaning to check out your work for awhile, and this did not disappoint. I think what impresses me here is the use of small details to really animate the story; to make it feel alive and lived-in: your protagonist collecting Minerva's scales; the opening description eating chicken wings as a point of comparison; the repeated use of "hey sailor" web-names like a motif. Very finely wrought work and well worth a subscribe!
Thanks, PYT. I appreciate the read and the kind words. This was a fun one to write. I don't always do prompts, but I am finding the guardrails give me space to experiment with details in the narrative. I am glad these things added to the story.
You’re very welcome! You’re a superb writer and I really enjoyed this story. I’ll be trying to make time to read some more of your work over the coming week!
Great write. And spooky, too, for today I just launched my audiobook on Substack, Siren. Was I you in another life?
Thanks Gerard. I am looking forward to your Siren series. You know what they say, “there is no such thing as a coincidence.”
Nice work Nathan both structurally and at keeping your voice in thd head of the reader.
It was a fun one to write. Thanks again for reading.
This was sophisticated in the way of subtlety shock.
This was great. I felt like I was right there, having a beer with the dude as he casually told this story. Also gave me ‘Let Me In’ vibes.
Totally. “Let the right one in” “let me in” vibes. I didn’t realize that until after the fact.
Mermaid-meetcute into full-on logistics-of-murder.
Absolutely my lane.