Jarad wakes up, in the middle of the night. He acknowledges the guards, and notices Alexand’s sleeping bag is empty. Her wig is lying beside it, along with the cowboy hat, and Jarad has a bad feeling.
Tag: speculative fiction
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 179: The Journey Part 3
Heyem sits on a bench, holding tightly to her stomach as the cable car swings away from its dock.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 176: Love In A Box Part 5
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 158: Dear Katherine
A ship leaves the port for India in the morning. Most of Alexand’s brigade is scheduled to leave for home. As the commanding officer, Alex has orders to remain in Australia for the second part of the tour. It is night time, and she has finished her duties for the day. She lies in her tent, writing a letter to be brought home to Katherine. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 157: Katherine De Somme Part 6
Katherine waited a week, not expecting to be visited by a future version of Juba Apfvarzian, but after a spate of feeling very sick, there was a knock on her apartment door, and standing there was a man, with dreadlocks, much older than the boy she’d seen performing magic. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 156: Katherine De Somme Part 5
Katherine is taken to Mogadishu, Somalia, by the Guild Master’s General, to observe a young magician called Juba Apfvarzian. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 38: Heyem Merek Part 2
Doctor Heyem Merek, takes pride in her achievements, and likes to be in control of her life. Unfortunately her identical twin sister, Alexand has asked to meet with her at work (on a matter of urgency.) Heyem is nervous about the other lecturers and students learning too much about her background. She has no idea what Alexand wants, but she is going to make every effort to prepare for social war. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 22: Eric Mehmed
Eric Mehmed is a farmer, but dreams about making musical instruments. He has brought up his twin daughters Alexand and Heyem and his son Farokh without his wife, Inajda (As Inajda is in the military). Eric is very passionate about his children’s futures, especially that of Alexand, who shares his obsession for music. For her fifteenth birthday Eric made his daughter a left handed piano. (As he thought this may enable her to play with her strongest hand) Six months after this, the family’s struggle to find food forced Alexand and Heyem to go to India to attempt to find their mother. They took their friends Jarad Vijay and Baio-Yujia Sun with them. Unfortunately the teenagers ended up taking drugs and crashing a stolen military tank into a tree. Alexand was driving, Baio-Yujia died and the children were sentenced to serve in military correction. Eric was devastated. This story features his regrets. He reflects about what life could have been like. He wishes Alexand and Heyem had the same opportunities that his own mother, Edith MehXian had. (She was an opera singer in The Chinese Hall of Excellence.) The future looks bleak for his daughters. (Eric’s story is dedicated to my own father, who was also called, Eric.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 21: Ichitumbu Jalhavi
Ichitumbu is an immortal, from a race of people called The Amanojuko. Chop his arm off, it’ll grow back. He is the husband of Anastasia Merevija, the abducted daughter of Alexand Merek. He spends his life moving from one country to the next, attempting to prevent Alexand and her sister Heyem, stealing Anastasia back from him. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 20: Maria Thamian
Maria Thamian, is waiting to deliver a very important message, to her sister in law, Alexand. Alex is late and Maria’s wife, Heyem is getting impatient. (The story also mentions, The Guild Master’s General and Field Marshal Abouna Panak.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 19: Anum Anzeti
Anum Anzeti has never met a lunatic quite as frightening as the man who claims to be a future version of himself. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 18: The Floating Asylum (One year anniversary special)
Juba Apfvarzian was a good magician. He woke up in an asylum ship, after performing a particularly skilful illusion. Magic can apparently get you into a lot of trouble, in an increasingly intolerant world. Alexand Merek has survived for three years inside the asylum, outliving everyone. She doesn’t know how she has survived, she just wants to be somewhere far away. (This asylum is responsible for the events leading up to issue # 1 of this series.) You can also read The Floating Asylum Parts Two, Three and Four. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 17: Giselle Balsara
Giselle Balsara has a secret. She hides banned books and keeps paintings in her cellar. In a world where books that don’t pop up, will get you put inside The Bad Thing Box, Giselle is taking an incredible risk, sharing her knowledge with her eleven year old daughter, Eldenath. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 16: Farokh Merek
Farokh is thirteen and has just lost his father, Eric, to a heart attack. He is angry with his father for dying and longs for a different life, somewhere better than his homeland. He wants to be like his older sister, Alexand. Nothing will convince him that life in the army isn’t the great adventure he dreams about. The mandarin in the second drawing reads, “Beloved Father.” It was placed there by Heyem in his honour. This story is set a few weeks after issue # 9: The Guild Master’s General. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 15: Rachel McCrimmond-Ferguson
Rachel is no damsel, but sometimes people need help. She has survived an abusive marriage, divorced her husband, and is trying to rebuild her life and her sense of self worth. However, Donald isn’t the most reasonable of wife beaters. He didn’t bargain on meeting The Guild Master’s General, the night he tried to claim back his wife. A dubious Knight in dark sunglasses and a balaclava, intercepted Donald’s plans. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 14: Edith MehXian
In the years before the arts were put inside “The Bad Thing Box,” there were artists and dreamers, musicians and opera singers. Edith MehXian was one of those artists. From the age of seventeen she sang amongst the finest opera singers in The Chinese Hall of Excellence. She came from a poor family, but her skill was so great that she won a scholarship and became one of the most loved singers in the whole of China. This is the story of her final performance. The day her dream ended. Edith was a perfectionist. She wanted people to remember her, flawlessly. (This story is dedicated to one of my childhood heroes, Elizabeth Sladen, who will be missed by many people, some of whom didn’t even know her, but grew up loving Sarah Jane Smith.) Edith MehXian is Alexand and Heyem’s paternal grandmother. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 13: Anastasia Merevija
Anastasia was stolen from her family when she was five, and forced to live as a concubine. From the age of fourteen she has produced children for the Amanojuko Lord, Ichitumbu. The Amanojuko are a race of immortals who have the ability to regenerate. They are no longer human, but Anastasia’s mother, Alexand Merek’s blood, is poison to them and can turn them into ‘What isn’t’. Amanojuko scientists are using Anastasia to attempt to find a cure for the poison in Alexand Merek’s bloodline. Anastasia has no concept of death and therefore no concept of murder. “What wasn’t” is an Amanojuko term for human and “What could be” refers to the potential for Anastasia producing an Amanojuko child. So far she has failed and her husband isn’t pleased. This story also mentions Anastasia’s mirror twin, Ancille Merevija. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 12: Abouna Panak
Abouna Panak’s life is going to change more than he can imagine. He has been left an orphan at the age of ten, but has no time to grieve for his mother’s loss. After he discovered his mother laying in the kitchen, with a suicide note, he was greeted by a very dubious man. Abouna has no other living family. His mother never told him why. The man in the balaclava isn’t responsible for his mother’s death, in fact his mother seemed to trust him. Who is this Guild Master’s General, and why would Abouna’s mother wish for him to travel with him after her death? CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 11: Ancille Merevija
After the murder of her father, and the disappearance of her brother and sister, Ancille Merevija must rebuild her life, with her mother, Alexand. Alexand was on a military mission and returned to find two of her children stolen, her husband murdered and Ancille left for dead. Ancille was badly injured and lost her hearing. When Ancille was strong enough, Alexand took her daughter to her sister, Heyem’s house, to hide from whoever destroyed their family. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 10: Heyem Merek
Heyem Merek has run away from her former life. Her childhood, spent in poverty and her teenaged years in military correction. She is well educated and proud of her achievements. If only her identical twin sister, Alexand would allow her to forget about her past, completely. Things would be a lot less complicated and painful. (Artwork on the wall in drawing 2: by Frida Kahlo, “My Nurse and I.” 1937) This story also features Samuel, Ancille and Anastasia Merevija. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 9: The Guild Master’s General
The Guild Master’s General is a mysterious man, who appears throughout time and place. Not much is known about him, apart from the fact he has created a lot of chaos in the lives of many. This story also features, Alexand Merek. CLICK HERE for next chronological story. A Spanish version is now available, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 8: Inajda Rekaya
Inajda Rekaya (Ee-n-eye-da) is seventeen years old, but has joined the army to support her husband, Eric and twin Daughters, Alexand and Heyem. She doesn’t realise that her decision will not just save their lives, but change the future of her family. Special Thanks to Imran Malik for helping me with translating English to Hindi. (The Hindi reads, “It’s open!”) This story also features, Katherine De Somme. CLICK HERE for next chronological story. A Spanish version is now available, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 7: Juba Apfvarzian
Juba Apfvarzian needs to forget his past. He spends a lot of time taking drugs and drinking with his best friend and fellow drunk Alexand Merek. They met decades ago on a floating asylum ship for the criminally insane. Juba had a wife, Lucy and a son, Ayo, before he went to the asylum. When he was released, he discovered that they had both died of influenza, and he was alone. He and Alexand met up again after her release and discovered that they had a lot in common. Alexand had also lost her wife, Katherine to an unknown virus and her husband Jarad to an unbeatable war. Her son, Sam and daughter, Anastasia had been stolen when they were children. Alexand’s surviving daughter Ancille has grown up and Alexand and Juba spend a lot of their lives trying to run away from bad things. This is one of those days. (A Spanish version is now available to read, translated by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 6: Katherine De Somme
Katherine De Somme is thirteen years old and has been forced to join the army, (by her father Georges) after accidentally killing her younger sister, Lali, in a chemical explosion. Her parents had high expectations of her, but her need to live up to their high standards has resulted in devastation for everyone. Katherine loses everything and everyone, in one horrible night. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 5: Jarad Vijay
Jarad Vijay has spent the past four years, bringing up his son alone, after his wife, Alexand, was taken and placed in an asylum for crimes against the military. Once released she woke from a catatonic state. Six months have passed since she woke. Jarad hoped her recovery would enable him to rebuild their lives as a family. Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple. (Jarad and Alexand grew up together as children. They were forced into the military at a young age. Jarad left, but Alexand remained a soldier. Their lives drifted apart until a series of events brought them back together. They were married after Alexand was widowed. Jarad believes she is still grieving for her dead wife, Katherine De Somme. He is very much in love with her, but this further separation in the form of Alexand’s imprisonment, has done little for their relationship. Alexand is very traumatised by her ordeal inside the asylum and Jarad doesn’t know if he can help her recover from it.) Trivia: Why has Alexand got metal fingers? Answer: Her fingers were severed by a samurai sword, during a mission as a young woman. (See issue 9:) The sword bearer was a man dressed in a black balaclava. He appears throughout time and place. People come to know him as The Guild Master’s General, but know little about him. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 4: Samuel Merevija
This story is set seven months before issue # 1: Alexand Merek, (a week after her release from an asylum). Samuel Merevija is only four years old. His mother was taken from him and his father when he was a baby, but now she has been brought back to their family home, after spending four years in a floating asylum ship. Samuel doesn’t understand why his mother won’t speak. He has made some special things for her to try and bring her back to his world. (Characters from left to right are: Samuel Merevija, Jarad Vijay and Alexand Merek). (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories: Issue # 3: Eldenath Balsara
Eldenath Balsara is an orphan. She doesn’t know who her father is and her mother was put in ‘The Bad Thing Box’ for being ‘evil’. She has a new mother, who is a matron in The House of Plenitude and Mirth. Eldenath has to un-learn the Bad Things taught to her by her old mother, like reading big words and looking at paintings and singing in the shower and listening to music. (See issue: 17) She is about twelve years old here. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories: Issue # 2: Anesidor Sumian
Anesidor Sumian dreams of escaping from a gradually shrinking world and the confines of a disapproving society. Her story begins with a wish and is set over a century before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
Unbound Boxes Limping Gods: Disconnected Stories. Issue # 1: Alexand Merek
Alexand Merek has been released from a floating asylum. She has just woken from catatonia. This story is set fifty years before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore