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Andy Elliot (From: Mortiferum Aqua)

Andy works with his partner, Cedric Blythe, and their specialty is demolition. They were hired by a mining company to start a new mine for sapphires in Madagascar. He is fluent in French, which he learned before going to Madagascar, so he could communicate with some of the locals.

Orphaned as a child, Andy grew up in a poor orphanage. He met Cedric there and they weathered the storms brought on by the bullies in school and living in a run-down orphanage. Because of his poverty growing up, he is driven to succeed, so he would never experience such hardship again.

Andy has broad shoulders and is very muscular from labor-intensive jobs. He is tall (about 6’2’’). His chiseled jaw is always covered in a shadow of a beard and his dirty blonde hair seems to always look disheveled. He has striking green eyes that darken when he is angry.

Strengths: Compassionate, Hard Working, Protective, Loyal, Independent

Weaknesses: Not trusting, Pride, Bad Temper, Stubborn

Mortiferum Aqua (Part Two)

Andy covered his ears as the dynamite went off. Dirt rained down around him and he peeked around the boulders he hid behind. Cedric, his partner, slapped him on the back in celebration, a little too hard. He rubbed his sore shoulder as they both walked over to inspect their handy work.

“It looks like one more round should do the trick.” Cedric beamed. “That’s even better than last time!”

“Yeah, it looks like you are right. You ready to place the next batch?”

“I was born ready.” Cedric couldn’t contain his excitement.

They placed the explosives and wound the fuses. Andy click open his lighter and touched it to the string. The sizzle started immediately and both men ran for cover.

The boom reverberated through the valley and Andy eagerly went to the hole. He waved his hand to clear the smoke and gaped at the sight in front of him. The chasm they worked hard at creating was filling with water.

“We must have hit an underground reserve.” Cedric grunted in disappointment.

“This is just great. It will set us back days.” Andy growled.

The smoke continued to clear to reveal the disaster. Andy hung his head, wishing their work hadn’t just doubled.

“Hey, what’s that at the bottom?” Cedric pointed.

Andy took a closer look.

His eyes widened and panic raced up his spine. Without thinking, he raced down to the bottom of the hole. He splashed into the waste-deep water and scooped the unconscious girl into his arms. He waded out of the water and started to climb up the steep incline. His soaked boots made it difficult not to slip and he toppled to one knee. Pain radiated up his thigh and he gritted his teeth. Looking down, he checked to see if the fragile girl had stirred, but she hadn’t. He feared she might already be dead, but he kept climbing.

Confessions of a Fast Food Employee (Muffled Insanity)

Some people are just plain nasty sometimes. I really wish I could refuse service to those who just act noticeably mean, but I have to just smile and take it.

One day, this man drove up to the speaker box in the drive through. I said my customary greeting and waited for the order to start. When I didn’t immediately hear anything, I continued to help the customer at my window.

Sometimes there are too many cars, so the next car in line isn’t all the way to the speaker box. The headset will go off as if someone is there, but no one responds, so the best thing I’ve learned is to try again when the cars have pulled up.

So, I assumed something like that had happened. Just in case, I tried one more time because sometimes people are just slow to open their window and didn’t hear me the first time, but there was still no response. I went back to my work.

Very little time passed and the guy at the speaker box is obnoxiously honking his horn repeatedly. He yells at the speaker box, frustrated that no one had spoken up, when I had. I tried again. He yelled again.

One of my other co-workers tried and he managed to hear her and placed his order. As she tried to repeat his order back to confirm it was right, he sped up to my window and ignored her.

When I eventually opened my window to him, which I was not looking forward to at all, he promptly complained about how muffled our speaker box is. He demanded that we fix it and proceeded to complain at me. I just nodded and acted concerned, but I couldn’t wait till he shut up.

No one else has had problems. He was just one of those people that come through and have to find something to complain about. I don’t care how bad your day has been, there is no excuse to treat people poorly, especially when I am serving you. 

Photography

Gwen Clayton (From: Mortiferum Aqua)

Gwen has an uncontrollable curiosity that has gotten her in trouble many times. She is an archeologist that is widely criticized for her past failures and bad luck. No one will work with her and to recover her career, she finds herself in Madagascar, searching for anything that would give her acclaim in the archeological circles.

Her father was a great archeologist that Gwen looked up to. He took her on many of his trips and she learned everything from him. When she was nineteen and away at college, her father died from a cave collapse and she lost the only parent she had ever known. Her mother left when she was young, but she barely remembered her.

She has an athletic build and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Her strawberry blonde hair is always tied back in a ponytail, but wisps constantly fall into her face and frustrate her. She has green eyes with brown hints and full lips.

Strengths: Curious, Risk Taker, Determined, Intelligent, Perceptive

Weaknesses: Bitter, Insecure, Impulsive

Mortiferum Aqua (Part One)

The water rushed into the tiny cavern. Its cold tentacles hungrily gripped Gwen in its tight embrace. The roar pieced her ears and her screams died on her lips.

The water slammed her against the sharp edges of the wall. She felt the deep gash in her back. Warmth drifted down her legs. She knew it was her blood draining out. It pulled her once more. She sped farther into the dark caves. Her head smashed against the end of the tunnel. Water pummeled her until her lungs had emptied.

She repeatedly gasped for breath, but couldn’t get enough air into her starved lungs. The empty space in the cavern continued to shrink. Before long, she would run out of air to breathe. Hot tears dripped down her cold cheeks. She knew she was about to die.

She took one last gulp of air as the water streamed over her head and utter darkness surrounded her.

Musings of the Smart Girl with Pink Hair and High Heels (Screaming Out)

Voices ring out in enjoyment. I am on the outside just listening. Their laughter mocks me and I wish I could scream until they would leave. I am so sick of them being around.

My ears feel close to bleeding. I can’t stand it.

They are all in the next room, oblivious to my hatred. I just want to be alone in a quiet house, but that is too much to ask. The noise is suffocating me and I need an escape.

Sometimes I wish I could claw off my ears, so I could have the silence I desire. Or I want to scream until my lungs pop. Sometimes I even wish I could bang on the wall until my hands break.

I just want them to go. 

Musings of the Smart Girl with Pink Hair and High Heels (My Plea)

Stop holding me to standards I once could meet. I’m not myself and the more you push me to do the things I once could, the more I will shut down. I hate myself for disappointing people, but I can’t meet your good-intentioned expectations. I’m sick and until I’m better, you are just making me worse.

I’m suffocating under the burden you have placed on me. The more you push me, the less air I have to breathe. The pressure is getting to me and I feel as if I am dying inside because of you.

I know you want to help. You want to fix me, so you give me your unwanted advice. I know your intentions are pure, but it just hurts me. I can’t help how I am. It’s a medical condition that I can change, but you act like there is a simple fix. There’s not.

So, please, just stop. I’m begging you.