Saturday 2 April 2016

Weekend Writing Warriors - 3rd April 2016

This is my entry for Weekend Writing Warriors. 
If anyone hasn't come across WeWriWar before, you need to go here to see all the extraordinary talent on display.
My snippet this week is again from Impcatcher, and comes from a few lines beyond where we were last week. Tal Djandiss, the eponymous impcatcher of the title, is still in a pitch black cellar, where he has managed to grab hold of the rogue imp he was hunting.

   
The imp was not greatly troubled at being caught. It turned, chortling, and sank its teeth into my arm. Quozacs have more ivories in their mouths than any creature has any right to have. Not that they are unique amongst imps in that respect. The teeth carved through the thick leather of my jacket, and I felt them clamp into my flesh. The pain was appalling, like a dozen snakes biting at once, and I cried out in anger and agony. I twisted desperately, and the back of the brute's head slammed into the pillar near me. For a moment, the impact drove its teeth deeper into my bicep, but it howled in pain in response, mouth opening wide, releasing my arm.

I wasn't going to give it a second chance.


 As always, comments welcome!

42 comments:

  1. Ouch! I wouldn't give it a second chance either. Nice snippet!

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    1. Thanks - and you're right not to give it a second chance!

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  2. Nasty little monster! Excellent snippet, Peter!

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  3. Note to self: Don't get close to a mouthy imp! Great snippet!

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  4. Great description of this nasty little critter!

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  5. Oh for sure, do NOT give that creature a second chance - wow, really felt the character's pain at being bitten. Great snippet!

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  6. An imp bite sounds like a very, very bad thing. Hope he's got some ointment on hand.

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    1. I suspect it's not the first time he's been bitten - he'll have the necessary medicaments to hand.

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  7. Ouch! He needs some more armor. Like those padded leather gloves they use for giving feral cats their shots...

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    1. Good thought - he needs to invest in some!

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  8. The snippet is quite wondrous.. Caitlin has some good suggestions. There's a sense of reality throughout.

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    1. Thanks - and I agree about Caitlin's advice.

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  9. Love how he goes from struggling and crying out against pain of the imp's (nasty-sounding) bite to that last line--not going to give the imp a second chance. What's up for the imp? I hope we get to find out next week!

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    1. Don't worry - the imp's fate will appear next time.

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  10. It seems a nasty little creature and I can sympathise with him not giving it a second chance. Nice, descriptive snippet.

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    1. Most imps are - which is what keeps Tal in business.

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  11. I trust its bite is not poisonous!

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    1. Fortunately, this imp isn't, though a number of them are.

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  12. Great action sequence...and loved the final line, with its determination.

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  13. The comparison to snake bites brought his pain to life, especially since I can't imagine imp bites are particularly clean and antiseptic.

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  14. Reminds me of the many times a black rat snake has expressed its displeasure at being picked up. They usually calm down after that and become very tame.

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    1. I've never handled a rat snake - constrictors, yes, but not anything that bites. Not sure I'd want to!

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  15. i loved this scene. So well done.

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  16. Great snippet. Love the action and the description. My only surprise was that his arms were't better protected. He describes the teeth in detail, so I'm assuming he's come across this type of imp before. Wouldn't he have something to protect his arms? Just a small thought.

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    1. He wasn't expecting to face something as big and nasty - not wise of him.

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  17. Ouch, that's nasty! Clear visuals, your excerpts have been great with that. I bet you had fun writing this.

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    1. Thanks - and yes, this was fun to write.

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  18. Lord, that's one nasty imp! All those teeth...gives me the willies just thinking of it. This guy is good if he can still hang on to the imp through all that. Great snippet!

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  19. Smart idea - not giving it a second chance.
    Tweeted.

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    1. Thanks for tweeting it - much appreciated!

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  20. Love this. My favorite was the line about having more ivories than any creature has a right to. I like this narrator's spunk.

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    1. Thanks! Tal tends to have a sardonic turn of phrase.

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  21. I love his internal voice. And your action writing is outstanding! :-)

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    1. Thanks for the compliment - much appreciated!

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  22. Great action, I could almost feel the pain of the imp's bite thanks to your comparison to snakes biting. I certainly felt relieved that the imp finally let go.

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  23. Great action, I could almost feel the pain of the imp's bite thanks to your comparison to snakes biting. I certainly felt relieved that the imp finally let go.

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