The Dying of the Light (Book 1): End (52 page)
To the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, for graciously lending me their personnel and facilities, though they didn’t know it, and for valiantly protecting all the freedoms and liberties that so many of us take for granted.
Works Cited & Interesting Links
1. Oxford University Press. Oxford Dictionaries Online.
Oxford Dictionaries.
[Online] 2011. [Cited: March 26, 2011.] http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_us1280792?rskey=YYcRnu&result=2#m_en_us1280792.
2. Mangels, John. New Page 0.
CWD.cc.
[Online] April 19, 2004. [Cited: March 26, 2011.] http://www.cwd.cc/plain_dealer_gambetti.htm.
3. MacKenzie, Debora. Prion disease can spread through air.
New Scientist.
[Online] January 13, 2011. [Cited: March 26, 2011.] http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19971-prion-disease-can-spread-through-air.html.
Zombie Ants:
http://www.livescience.com/5631-zombie-ants-controlled-fungus.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42959965/ns/technology_and_science-science/
Mind control by parasites:
http://www.livescience.com/7019-mind-control-parasites.html
Prion Disease:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/prions/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmissible_spongiform_encephalopathy
http://www.mad-cow.org/~tom/prionSP.html
http://www.sciencenewsline.com/medicine/2011011312000025.html
Zombie History:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/bookreviews/davis1.htm
Zombie Walks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_walk
Zombie Foods & Consumables:
http://www.livingwithbloodlust.com/zombie/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKSO7m3-MH8
Excerpt From
The Dying of the Light: Interval
Following is an excerpt from the second book in the Dying of the Light trilogy:
Interval
, coming soon from Jason Kristopher and Grey Gecko Press.
McMurdo Station, Antarctica — 18 BY
I’ve been a prisoner on the ice for 18 years.
18 years, 5 months and 3 days, technically. But who’s counting?
I dogged the hatch tightly as I exited the communications building, ensuring that my safety line was attached, a necessary buffer against the winds this time of year. With gusts up to 50 miles per hour and temperatures as low as —75°F, you didn’t take chances.
By the time I reached Hotel California — the cleverly named main dormitory at McMurdo — I was numb.
That’s what I get for going outside in the winter
, I thought.
Still, someone had to check.
They were all waiting when I opened the inside hatch, standing in their ECW gear or pajamas or even less. Everyone wanted to know. I shook my head, and was not surprised at the fallen faces and disappointed expressions. And somehow scarier, those
without
expression.
Eighteen years without outside human contact will do that to you, I guess.
Ivanovich sidled up. The svelte Russian goddess all of us men — and not a few of the women — had been lusting over wrapped an arm through mine and drew me down the hallway.
“What about my little request?” she asked, running her hands over my chest and arms.
It
had
been a while.
I swallowed and nodded. “Da, tovarisch. I sent your message. We’ll have to wait some time before a response, I imagine…” She interrupted by pulling me in for a kiss, a kiss that promised much more. Even though I knew she’d been through just about every man on the base so far, I hadn’t made it on the list yet… and I wanted the next spot. I was just getting interested when the base alarm went off.
That’s the communications alarm,
I thought.
What the hell
?
“Where the hell is he?” yelled Warner as he ran around the corner, almost colliding with Oksana and I. “Oh, there you are. Mind telling me just what in the hell is going on?” he asked, his face flushed with anger.
“How would I know?”
“You were just in there, Atkins.”
“Everything was fine when I left, I swear!”
“Well, it sure as shit ain’t fine now!” he said, taking a step back and trying to control his anger. At the bottom of the world, it could kill you as fast as the cold, and we all strove to maintain an even keel.
Some were more successful than others.
“Take Sven and get back over there,” he ordered.
“Sometimes I hate that guy,” I said as we took off our outer jackets in the comm building. “What a prick.”
“Yes. But we must work with him. None of us are going anywhere. Let’s see what’s going on with that alarm.”
We moved into the communications room, and I reached over to flick off the alarm as I checked my half of the monitors. “Nothing here. You?” I turned around. “Sven, did…”
Sven stood motionless, staring at a display I couldn’t see. I moved around the tall Swede to check it.
“Holy fuck,” I said, turning back to Sven.
“As you say, Jim. Holy fuck. Now is when I would wish to have working radios.”
“You and me both, brother.” Seconds later, we were racing for Hotel California, leaving the message blinking on the monitor.
“McMurdo Station, this is AEGIS Bunker One. Do you read?”
About the Author
Jason Kristopher was born in Waco, Texas, and spent the first years of his life moving with his family around northern Texas and the Panhandle, including Lubbock. After settling with his family in northern Colorado, Jason spent nearly two decades there soaking up the creative energy and enjoying the beautiful weather, before moving back to Texas ten years ago for ‘real’ work.
Throughout this long journey, Jason continued to write all kinds of fiction, including fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and children’s tales, and even tried penning a poem or two. His family members were constantly invited to read incomplete works; finally, on pain of death, he has finished his first novel, and hopes that their ire will be at least somewhat sated.
Jason currently lives in Houston and enjoys reading, writing, movies, music (live and not), the Houston Astros (winning and not) and the Texas hill country, especially the vineyards.
Contact Jason Kristopher
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Email:
[email protected]
Table of Contents
Works Cited & Interesting Links