A little fear sharpens the senses, or so I've heard... You have definitely added the element, a little more overt with each episode. I was struck early in this episode with a dark turn of phrase that seems to foreshadow a maleficent presence. In an otherwise upbeat description of the surroundings that Cal notes about the Lodge, you inserted " the glowering foothills and mountains beyond, even the dark, twining arms of both the river and the creek". Now I'm right there with Cal, on a knife's edge of coming panic. Great!!!
Not as overtly present in this part, but I feel like there's a general theme of decay around this narrative. Cal's book decayed via movie adaptation, his career is in decay, the retreat is down to just two people, there's the initial suspicion that Richard is undergoing dementia, Cal's sanity is starting to decay. Not sure how to work this into predicting what happens next.
I will say I was somewhat expecting this chapter to reveal years had passed on Cal while writing, the dust in the prior chapter made me think we were in for a Rip van Winkle type effect. Could still happen with the camp vs outside world with how sealed off it is.
As usual, I am RIGHT THERE with the characters. I can feel the chill and the cold bleak isolation.
Puts me in mind of a place we stayed at near Clearwater in BC. I remember the border patrol officer asking us as we crossed back into the US why on earth we’d visited anywhere up there. It was beautiful. But there was also a point when we were driving into a national park and the warning signs listed all the things you had to have with you in the car before continuing on that road, together with the fact that we hadn’t seen ANYONE at any of the places we visited, and we were the only guests at the motel…which had burned down the previous summer and had just reopened…well, we cut our stay short. It was summer and we’d been to places that got their highest visitor numbers during the winter, but I’m right back there again. Feeling vaguely uneasy for no obvious reason.
Also helping with the vibe is the fact that it’s really cold and we’ve had snow here. Which is totally unheard of at this time of the year in Liverpool. We rarely get any snow at all. We’re right on the coast and sheltered by two lots of mountain ranges so generally the bad weather doesn’t visit, never before January anyway. Brrrr…
I love when you write horror, Sally! I've eagerly been waiting for each new installment.
A little fear sharpens the senses, or so I've heard... You have definitely added the element, a little more overt with each episode. I was struck early in this episode with a dark turn of phrase that seems to foreshadow a maleficent presence. In an otherwise upbeat description of the surroundings that Cal notes about the Lodge, you inserted " the glowering foothills and mountains beyond, even the dark, twining arms of both the river and the creek". Now I'm right there with Cal, on a knife's edge of coming panic. Great!!!
Perfectly expressed! Totally agree.
Gah! 🫣 I need to stop reading this in the dark. 😅
It’s drawing me in. Deeper and deeper
eerier and eerier
Day 1: Establishing Shot
Day 2: "This is fine!"
Day 3: This is not fine.
A-fricking-ddicted. MORE!!
I am reminded, once again, why I cannot start series until they’re completed. The wait is agony.
Not as overtly present in this part, but I feel like there's a general theme of decay around this narrative. Cal's book decayed via movie adaptation, his career is in decay, the retreat is down to just two people, there's the initial suspicion that Richard is undergoing dementia, Cal's sanity is starting to decay. Not sure how to work this into predicting what happens next.
I will say I was somewhat expecting this chapter to reveal years had passed on Cal while writing, the dust in the prior chapter made me think we were in for a Rip van Winkle type effect. Could still happen with the camp vs outside world with how sealed off it is.
I was wondering the same thing… how much time has passed… and now with the unremembered passages… 🫣
As usual, I am RIGHT THERE with the characters. I can feel the chill and the cold bleak isolation.
Puts me in mind of a place we stayed at near Clearwater in BC. I remember the border patrol officer asking us as we crossed back into the US why on earth we’d visited anywhere up there. It was beautiful. But there was also a point when we were driving into a national park and the warning signs listed all the things you had to have with you in the car before continuing on that road, together with the fact that we hadn’t seen ANYONE at any of the places we visited, and we were the only guests at the motel…which had burned down the previous summer and had just reopened…well, we cut our stay short. It was summer and we’d been to places that got their highest visitor numbers during the winter, but I’m right back there again. Feeling vaguely uneasy for no obvious reason.
Great stuff!
Also helping with the vibe is the fact that it’s really cold and we’ve had snow here. Which is totally unheard of at this time of the year in Liverpool. We rarely get any snow at all. We’re right on the coast and sheltered by two lots of mountain ranges so generally the bad weather doesn’t visit, never before January anyway. Brrrr…
So good