SILVER LINING #9
<< #8
How goes life, Cloudheads? I hope this greeting finds you well. Come on now, you all know this chapter is coming, right? I don't want to spell it out or spoil people who don't have a clue yet though. Think back to the events of the previous chapter. What could it all lead to? Heck, even the source of the cloud image used in the header bears a clue!
SPOILER WARNING. Turn back now if you haven't read the chapter.
It's a fever dream. (Yup, @ryivhnn, you got it right!) I really hate it whenever movies or TV series jump into high action, not caring about consequences, and then just explain after that everything was just a dream. Ugh. I really hate that explanation. So, why would I do it even though I hate it, you ask? Simple answer: it's necessary.
Since the dawn of time, human beings need sleep to function effectively. We all know that our brains don't stop working even though we're fast asleep, right? I mean, that's general knowledge, right? Just like the world not being flat, right? Okay. I'm glad we got that sorted. Moving on. Dreams are byproducts of our neurons firing in our brains. Throughout history, dreams have had various interpretations and served wildly different purposes, but really it boils down to brain activity. Now, I don't want to delve deep regarding dreams, as you can find different sources elsewhere on the internet. I don't want to get paid just by copying information * cough * that I didn't even write here on Steemit.
Just to provide a little bit of context, fever can be induced by sustances called pyrogens (yup, just Latin that sh*t and you'll arrive with why it's called that way). Strangely enough, cytokines (Greek this one), which are the immune-signalling molecules that are released by your body when you get an infection, are pyrogens. Wow :o right? So, technically speaking, "fever" is a response by the body when we get an infection. This is actually an explanation I use whenever I talk to my acupuncture patients. (Credits to my family of doctors for drilling me with these kinds of scientific facts ever since I learned how to read)
TLDR: Fever causes us to remember our dreams more vividly because our sleep cycle is more fragmented when we're sick.
With that being said, I said that this is a necessity because we can't have Ledd just up and about walking aimlessly. Also, we can't have a chapter that's all black now can we? Can we? I'm sincerely asking because I suddenly wondered about it. Since I'm writing this using the first-person perspective, I can't just switch perspectives in the middle of the story. Furthermore, since Ledd is human, expect him to have other chapters where he's asleep. I wanted to write him with only 1 hour of sleep, but that would be going overboard. It's hard to strike a balance. Taking all of those factors into consideration, I therefor conclude that sleep is a necessity.
After that brief scientific explanation, don't you feel the need to sleep as well? Don't fight it. Embrace your slumber. Goodnight, sweet prince.
For those of you who are still awake, I just wanted to share (part of) a quote by Stanley Kubrick when asked the question "If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it's worth living?"
Yes, for those of us who manage somehow to cope with our mortality. The very meaningless of life forces man to create his own meaning. Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joie de vivre, their idealism--and the assumption of immortality.
As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in the ultimate goodness of man. But if he’s reasonably strong—and lucky—he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life’s élan. Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining.
The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death—however mutable man may be able to make them—our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfilment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.
I think that rings true not only for Zepp's story, but to all our lives as well. No matter how tough times could be, we must strive forward and be our own beacon of hope. "We must supply our own light."
Thanks for reading! Follow me, @jedau, if you want to live.
Leave this post a feedback, and I'll be sure to return the favor!
Just read Chapter 1 and it was a fantastical journey through an imbalance of reality, memory loss, dream state, uncertainty, restraints, resistance, frustration, feelings of being trapped, tricked, manipulated and controlled. You definitely undersold your novel to me with your last comment, this definitely did not disappoint in the least. I am intrigued by the powers he had once had, especially at full capacity and the extent of his armas. I love the insight from the elders and their wise idioms and phrases that are both rhetorically sound and challenging to keep the mind sharp. There are many things I enjoyed, and the disorganized presentation of the character's thoughts and worries and observations really set the pace of a chaotic internal battle in an external and otherworldly kind of existence that is alien to him. I am looking forward to Chapter 2 to see how the events unfold for Ledd and how he copes with the people who are imposing their will, culture and language upon him, as his trust in his own identity and traditions and memories fade with the exhausting torment. Amazing literary artwork bro, nice genuine and heartfelt approach.
PS: Don't know if you know this, but I just informed @dreemit and @therealpaul, I had released a novel here on Steemit titled "They Didn't See It Beneath Them" about 3 months ago and it's only 12 chapters long. Maybe I will write a sequel continuance of the story, but I believe you would like to give it a glance whenever you have the time to do so.
Woah! Are you telling me that apart from all your talents you also write fiction?? I'm more surprised at myself for being surprised that you have that in your repertoire. You truly are multi-faceted, my brother. Will definitely check that out once I bargain for free time. As of writing, life is currently kicking my ass haha
You really captured the essence of the story perfectly, bro. I know it's not perfect, but everything is intentional. No one is perfect, and I want to channel all of the flaws to make the story relatable. The blurring lines between fiction and reality is a recurring theme here, so expect more of those as you read along. I'm glad you finally found the time to read it, much appreciated! I really hope that the subsequent chapter would live up to the expectations. Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!
Now that I'm completely caught up with @dreemit's novel, and @ezzy isn't posting his lately, and @papa-pepper's chapters are also posted every so often, I'll finally be able to power drive through your chapters, but the end result will be the same lol cause once I enjoy one chapter, which I have so far from you, I'll enjoy all the other 9 easily and play the waiting game for more. But it doesn't mean that the upcoming chapters aren't worth the wait, they indeed are, but I often like it when I have like 30+chapters ahead of me so I can take my time and by the time I'm finished maybe 5-10 more chapters have been posted, or just to read a story that is completely posted.
I guess that's why I started to speak about my novel "They Didn't See It Beneath Them" now again since it's only 12 chapters and fully complete unless I write another continued section like a sequel or something. But yeah would love your insight when you get a chance to check it out. No time pressure.
A lot of things are happening all at the same time these days, and I'm still trying to find some semblance of order in terms of scheduling. Glad to hear about you finding the time to read mine, bro. I'm going to definitely return the favor soon. As for the frequency of the chapters, I'm sorry about that, I've set it to weekly updates. The reason for it is that I wanted to give myself some room to write more stories without too much pressure.
All good bro, definitely no pressure from me at all. Take your time, you cannot rush the writing process. I wouldn't want you to miss an important detail in your story. Time to read now :)
Excited to read your thoughts! :D I really hope it doesn't disappoint..
Indeed you cannot have a chapter that is all black. The sleep chapter with a driving force of a fantastical dream is the perfect insertion reminding us of Ledd's necessity to sleep, especially as he needs to fight back the fever. Deeply thought out quote you have shared also by Kubrick, we indeed need to supply our own light, not only for ourselves, but for those around us still blindly searching in the darkness, unaware of their own ability to become a beacon of hope for themselves and others also. :)
One thing I forgot to mention in my previous reply is about the whispering. In the real world, Zepp often mutters some indecipherable chatter of his own from time to time, much like how babies are. That's my inspiration for the whispers. He feels like he's getting away with it, but really though it's just because others don't have a clue what he's saying. Kinda like how Bruce Willis didn't know he was a ghost in Sixth Sense haha (oops spoiler!)
I thought that quote really captured the chapter perfectly, and I'm glad that you agree :D
I didn't know some of the things above. Thank you for enlightening me! I had always wondered at the vividness of fever dreams and how the memories stick with you.
Well done on a splendid companion piece!!
I wanted to give a different spin with this installment. Since this is just a companion piece, might as well not sticking to a formula while making this. I'm just glad people are very appreciative of this. Thanks for the compliment and the continued support, brother! It
define Earth:DFor those watching at home, googling
define Earthreturns "the world. So, it literally means the world hah! :DDefine earth, lol. That's a good one!
I have my moments :D
Ack!! I have come to this page three times today, but my internet is being a complete Butt!! I can't see the picture, and I really want to see the picture whaaa, lol. I was able to read this earlier, but I coudn't get my vote to register, and I was reasonably sure my comment wouldn't post. But my vote did register now, so fingers crossed. i also want to respond to you in chat. Most likely i will be able to see the picture and respond in chat later tonight when less people are online.
A fever dream! While i knew it was a dream, I have to give it to @ryivhnn for figuring out the fever part :)
Knowing that it was brought on by a fever makes that chapter even more exceptional! In fact i will probably re-read it with the new information in mind.
I had wondered how you were going to handle the sleeping part of the twenty-four hours, and unsurprisingly you found a perfect way to do it!
And again, I look forward to the next part! Also, when i do resolve my internet problems i intend to spend a day reading the material you put on here before i knew you. i'm actually glad in a way that i haven't seen too much of it, it gives me something to look forward to!
Excellent work as always my friend!
EDIT: Finally I got to see the picture, yay! I love it!
I didn't want to just slap the picture in anywhere. That's why I tried my best to insert them in the right fit. I'm so glad that it worked out perfectly :D
I really had a hard time reconciling how to handle the sleep cycle. There was a time when I thought about switching to a different perspective, but I didn't want to diverge from the initial process. I'm so glad that the decision was received well. Only a few more experimental humps and I'm in the clear!
Even through hardships with the internet, you still managed to find the time to leave a comment. That's the kind of unparalleled support that you provide. Thank you very much, my friend :D
I had actually earlier today got done reading your first silver lining, preparing myself to jump into your novel soon I'm excited to see what you present, I didn't comment on it cause it was post over 2 months ago, but since this one has a spoiler in it, I only read the intro and skipped to the comments section and upvoted it anyways. I saw in your first silver lining you said you were using Streemian, do you still use their services? I was gonna sign my wife's account @happyharmonymay up to it, until I saw they required the login details and that made me feel a bit iffy, even though they have the cool future of scheduling your posts and other things.
I've been using Steemian for a while now and it seems there's nothing fishy about them. Seems all good to me.
The service has been pretty impressive so far :D
Maybe I'll try it out, thanks for your input
I always love seeing interaction from users I admire in my comments section :)
Me too, it's pretty cool how that occurs with the interconnections of us all and our posts. I discovered you and built our friendship through @dreemit, which I cherish and am grateful to make such impactful bridges
And, I stumbled upon @dreemit while commenting on @ezzy's story haha!
I do use Streemian still. Their site looks plain, but they seem legit. I follow the @curie and @steemtrail trails so that I add my vote to the curation. Though I use steemvoter to keep up-to-date with the people I support (yourself included)
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it, brother. I hope that it doesn't get too hyped up and end up being disappointing.
Yeah I might use them, thanks for letting me know bro. And yeah I'm sure it will not disappoint, I'll update you soon enough when I jump into Chapter 1 :)
Awesome! I hope you find the service useful, brother :D
Yeah I hope so too, still haven't signed up yet, been too busy lol haven't even been posting often but I'm back now getting on track.
No worries about it, bro. Take your time. Life always takes precedence above all. I'm glad you have your priorities in order.
Haha! I decided I wasn't going to be among the sleepers but right after making that decision, I began to yawn. You should teach me how you did that!!!
I never knew fever makes you remember your dreams better. Would be a nice feature to have regularly minus the high temperature and its other symptoms. Some dreams need to be remembered very vividly!
I enjoyed the style you employed writing this! It was so much fun to read.
Power of suggestion, my brother. Power of suggestion ;) The trick is that you have to overwhelm the senses haha!
Funny story, I once tried to do that without actually having a fever. I tried to induce my dreams by getting my feet colder than my body. Surprisingly, I did end up remembering my dream! :o Unfortunately, the act resulted to a fever, so I guess they go hand-in-hand.
Thanks for complimenting the style! It's so nice hearing such kind praise especially from a fellow writer I admire :D
I will read it when i am home, thus, i resteemed it. You see from one chat session in the comment, we will end up seeing soon. Community! Hope your day goes great! See you soon.
i am still at work doing those call centre stuff. it is tough!
Wow! Thanks for the resteem, pre! I really appreciate it. I'm currently swamped with work as well, so I know how you feel. Hope your day goes great as well, my friend!
Yep, thank you alot!
You're welcome!
Hey @surpassinggoogle, I just posted something today related to A Day In The Clouds, please try and check it out, I'm sure you can definitely appreciate it. https://steemit.com/originalmusic/@verbal-d/m-m-m-29-sliver-s-edge-of-ledd-s-silver-lining-collaborative-art-journey-with-everlove-original-beat
I thought I would share this with everyone who follows the series along with the Silver Lining.
Yet again, yet again. Don't reply , bro :D
From memory, fevers raise your body temp to knock off virii that can't cope with the temp change, unfortunately if they have to raise too high to try to wipe those pesky little invaders out bad things happen XD
Hopefully Ledd's fever doesn't get dangerous D: although that would also make for some even more bizarro dreams and possibly interesting scenarios when he actually wakes up. As well as looking forward to the next instalment I'm also starting to wonder how you're going to resolve everything XD
That's the dilemma I faced here. Even though it would be nice to stay in the dream world for a little bit, where I have all the free reign to write fantastical elements, I need to stay grounded on a realistic schedule.
Now that the second third (oh, words) of the story has kicked off, nerves are kicking in for me as well. I have tons of routes to take the story, so I hope that I choose the right path. Suffice to say, I really hope that it doesn't disappoint XD
Thanks for your continued support, my friend! Your delightful feedback is always highly appreciated :D
They're all the right path :)
Do you have it planned out (even if it is "to some value of planned out" XD) or are you pantsing?
I have a general plan. As with everything, I know the ending and where I want to take the story. Some parts are made up as I go along, but I make sure to tie it in to the overall narrative. I weave it in intricately, if you will :)
That's much more organised than when I used to pants! :D
I live in complete chaos, so organizing disjointed concepts have become somewhat of a forte. I'm just glad it's translating well for people :D