rootring
rooted in blogs, linked in a ringINCUNABULI
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On the ring since 2026-05-25
Latest activity 7y ago
76 posts
Brick
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Ice rattled into the frosted tumbler. Then clear, syrupy liqueur, rolling like meltwater over riverstones, louching milky clear where it touched the ice. A thumb and middle...
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“It is a royal sport, Clemensa,” said a dark and sunbaked man. With manicured fingers, he thumbed saboted flèchettes into a squat magazine. Sweat beaded on his forearms and...
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A great map commanded the room. A gridded realm of canvas and ink stretched over continental furniture. Mice in suspenders and shirtsleeves scurried over it, furry titans on...
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“Jorge.” Jorge shifted in his hammock, exhaled fitfully. He wrapped a hand round his sleeping head, hunched his shoulders, dozed on. Beside, the speaker, a short sailor in...
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Brown husks of leaves drifted on the autumn road. Sticky branches shivered above, loosed what cladding they yet possessed to spiral in the bitter wind. Not far over the squat,...
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The pen tapped impatiently. Flecks of dried ink speckled the paper: A contract titled “certificate of employ” in a block face. The tapper, a scruffy, hard-bitten cutter in...
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They stood within a cloud of flies, staring at the stinking hulk of meat. It was the carrion wreck of a cow, splayed on the gore-stained browning pasture. Flies spiraled from...
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A flurry of snow whistled into the pub. Boots clomped on the creaking oak, shedding slush. A gloved hand pounded shut the door, swollen in its frame. “Blimey. The heat’s...
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It was the height of noon. A yellow sun shone heavy on the drover’s lane. It put a shimmering heat in the clay, filled ruts cut by hooves and wagons’ wheels with grubby, liquid...
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A flint snapped in the dark. Greasy flame rippled over the meager kindling. Hair and pine chippings soaked in oil. A startling blaze. “S’bright,” mumbled Dole, squinting. He...
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There was a rapping at the door. Wan eyes peered through faceted glass above the knocker, saw a Butler approach within. The latch turned under a white glove. A long-faced,...
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It was a squally day at sea. Pinprick rain struck from clouds like looming anvils. Nipping wind riled up black and gnashy surf. Miles east, the thin eye of a lighthouse blinked...
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The gate creaked. Rust flaked from hinges stiff from age and wrapping ivy. Small hands pushed into the pitted bars, shoved. There was a huff, an exasperated kick. “Heike,”...
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Eggs popped and squished under the hobnailed toe. Goo and bits of pink embryo ran onto sticks and yellow needles. Under the darkening pines, someone cursed. “Bugger it,...
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The oven door swung wide. Damp, rye heat billowed from within. Knotty hands slid a wooden peel into the depths, produced a gold and crackly loaf. The sweating baker set it on a...
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Something burbled in the seafoam. A shadow swam over rough stone and waving clumps of anemone. A flash of mottled cinnabar flesh darted to cover. Dirty fingers plunged into the...
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In the whitewashed cell, there sat a man alone. He hunched, manacled, at a table set for two. High up the wall, setting sunlight played through iron bars. A crisscrossed beam...
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There was a bump in the road. The stagecoach jumped on its ironclad wheels. Inside, Ewan lolled awake. He straightened and rubbed the crust from his eyes, swallowing dryly....
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Hawthorn had nodded off. The book on his knee, a treatise on early Prolish cave markings, had acted as an effective sedative. Between it and the pressing warmth of the fire,...
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It was a summer night. Cicadas burred from ends of branches. Pixies rolled, tittered in their leafy beds. Silver-limned clouds passed over a porous, bloated moon. The little...
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“This is the first you’ve encountered such a thing, Coroner?” * said the man in white. He adjusted his wide hat, pulled low. Beside him strode a man in a grey apron and rolled...
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With every creaking yaw, the lantern swung on its hook. Its glow played over the Captain’s pockmarked cheeks, slipped through scarred divots and crinkled crow’s feet. He sat,...
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Hawthorn had just tucked into an egg. He had rapped it twice with a butterknife, peeled back the top, and ladled out a goey teaspoonful. Slowly, he daubed the yolk on some...
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With the man’s every step, a flat note tolled. An iron bell bounced round his neck. Faces turned, startled, shuffled away. Stoat turned from the bar, stared, wrinkled her...
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Something slithered in the underbrush. A bobbing shadow pursued it, fast and methodical over duff and scattered twigs. A scaly tail flicked, disappeared under a drift of rotten...
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Hundreds of ribbons fluttered in the summer air. Ribbons, tied to the spikes of a hundred soldiers’ helms. Armored men and women grumbled, queued under the swelter. Rough hands...
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The consortium doors banged open. Noses lifted from oaken counters, distracted from their paper-stamping and coin counting. Three pairs of boots stamped in, trailed mud and...
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Chips of sticky bark scattered on the snow. Hod wrenched his axe from the fir trunk, hoisted it. His shoulders knotted, lifted under furs and wool. Steel bit deep again into...
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The dormitory door opened. Stocking feet pattered in the dark. A rustling of flannel pajamas. A shadow crossed the moonlit window, clutching something heavy in both hands....
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A quartet of rough hands raised fists of wine. Dots of light swam in the cherry liquid, glittered in crystal bowls. “Cheers!” said four voices, thumped the table with as many...