Ouch, I think i needed that lung

but my body doesn't think so since I Just coughed it up. I finally gave in and went to urgent care today. I didn't before since the bronchitis/laryngitis were accompanied by a non-productive cough which means it's viral and not really treatable with antibiotics. But last night I was coughing so hard my ears got involved and I'm thinking did a drum just rupture? Hurts like it. Realizing I was getting worse rather than better and thinking hmmmm maybe now I have a bacterial superinfection atop the viral I head to the urgent care. The doctor was...well a bit of a quack really, but the upshot is yeah, sinus infection, bronchitis, laryngitis, ear infection and the beginnings of pneumonia. So now I'm on antibiotics. 11$/Pill they ought to be made of gold.

The mid terms are all turned in, my deadlines are met so I think i'm just going to lay about until I get bored tomorrow.

On a different note, has anyone out there seen the Saiyuki anime. I like the manga but the few reviews i've seen of the anime have not been good. Even on ebay gettting it is expensive so I was wondering, do you like it? Like Bleach, love the manga but i'm so glad I didn't buy the anime. I think it's rather sub par.

Nano stuff

Keep in mind this was all written under the influence of drugs. Figures. The cough medicine did squat to keep me from coughing all night but in the day...i'm in such a fog. If you knew my number I'd tell you to call just for the giggles you'd get.

I'm not a big outliner or what have you for stories. I like to do the Stephen King approach and let them spin. Part of nano will be me finishing up Killian's novel (and if you'd like to see a recap of that let me know). and part will be me working on this. See what you think of the plot and the characters. I'd appreciate it.


Title - Melt into the Wind

Plot Summary - Psychopomps throughout time have been known as the harvesters of souls, helping them to pass from this world to the next. The lesser know exploits involve battling demons to help keep the human world safe. This is the backdrop fro Yukio Acerbi’s story. The psychopomps are the ‘souls’ of deceased teens put into service with the promise of a reward down the road (usually perceived as a release into a happy afterlife). As Yukio often notes, being dead is a whole lot like being alive. They ‘live’ in the Autumn Lands which are rather earth-like. Yukio is housed in The Hall of the Unbalanced (it has a real name but he never refers to it as that) and Logos Hall is his work place.

Yukio and his two partners are sent to Earth to investigate some very mysterious deaths. The assignment comes from Abhy, their Irin, a Wakeful One, a group of beings that guide and order about the psychopomps. They get the feeling Abhy is keeping something from them about this particular assignment

When they get to the latest kill, Yukio is shocked to see Alcine, a girl he had gone to college with and had a massive crush on. Now nearly forty, Al is the medical examiner in charge of the cases of the dead girls. Yukio introduces himself as a psychic on the case in order to interject himself into the investigation in a more active role.

There are only two problems with this. One, the psychopomps aren’t supposed to interact with people they knew in life. Yukio assumed he was safe because its been twenty years since his suicide. Second problem, Yukio realizes the dead are not immune to falling in love.

Characters

Yukio Anthony Acerbi - A psychopomp who committed suicide at age nineteen. He was extremely close to his father who died when he was ten. The stepfather’s abuse eventually triggered Yukio’ suicide. He had been an art student doing fantasy and gothic pieces often featuring dragons, hours glasses and lotus blossoms (all three are together as a distinctive tattoo on his shoulder). psychopomps are marked with their cause of death so Yukio now has lotus blossom ‘tattoo’ on his wrists where he slit them. He’s paired with BB, Blackberry Brandy, a Gabriel Hound, an animal psychopomp who assist the human version. Yukio is an angst king, doesn’t have a cheery outlook, tends to be shy and self doubting. Still practices his art when he gets time. Like all psychopomps he can come to earth in two forms, incorporeal and invisible, or totally human so he can interface with the living. They all have the ability to reach into a dimensional store house and retrieve whatever weapon they think they need for the job.

Alcine - debating on Quattrocchi or Vaccaro as her last name (thoughts?). Called Al by her friends. In the 80's when Yukio knew her she was a purple haired biology/chemistry major, creative and a little wild. As an adult, she’s a medical examiner with a graveyard sense of humor. Believer in the supernatural with a passion for roses and old homes. Drives a ‘59 Cadillac hearse with the license plate ‘Xpired’ (yes silvrethorn I stole your sighting, it was too good not to but i'll relinquish it if you want to use it), tough, in command, occasionally bitchy

Connor - One of Yukio’s companions, originally from Ireland, died from doing on Ecstasy at a rave (his mark of death is a blue X on his tongue) He’s a horny, lazy teen who’d rather be drinking thank working. Cucu, a Cwn Annwyn, is his companion.

Terrel Washington - He was a studious young pre-Law at Columbia who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, shot in the chest during a drive by. (Has a white star death mark on his chest). He remains quiet and studious and would rather be in the library than anywhere else. He tolerates Yukio more than Connor. His companion is a sloppy hound, a Moddy Dhoo who still needs a name.

Lotus Langley - lives next door to Al and is her confidant. Lotus used to be Lawrence, Al’s friend at college and Yukio’s roomie at their frat house. Lotus had a sex change about ten years back. Not sure yet what she does for a living.


The Metamorph - the villain of the piece who needs a better demonic description than that. He’s the manifestation of the hatreds and prejudices of man kind. I’m not yet sure what forms he can take (he is a shape shifter) and what his natural form might be.


now I'm off to drag out the winter clothes and pack the summer ones away...all under the influence. whee