For those visiting this blog for a while, you may have noticed a story virus popping up every six months or so. Well, it’s been six months since v3, so that means this must be v4.

For those unfamiliar, here’s a recap:

Here’s what I would like to do. I want to create a story that branches out in a variety of different, unexpected ways. I don’t know how realistic it is, but that’s what I’m aiming for. Hopefully, at least one thread of the story can make a decent number of hops before it dies out.

If you are one of the carriers of this story virus (i.e. you have been tagged and choose to contribute to it), you will have one responsibility, in addition to contributing your own piece of the story: you will have to tag at least one person that continues your story thread. So, say you tag five people. If four people decide to not participate, it’s okay, as long as the fifth one does. And if all five participate, well that’s five interesting threads the story spins off into.

Not a requirement, but something your readers would appreciate: to help people trace your own particular thread of the narrative, it will be helpful if you include links to the chapters preceding yours.

There always has to be a start of a story, so here it is.

***

The ground crunched beneath my feet. Besides my noisy footsteps, I heard only the sound of the gentle crackling fire behind me. Its faint orange light lazily revealed my immediate surroundings. Beyond the glow, there was total blackness. I whistled. I took the small rock I had been carrying and whipped it away from me, expecting a thud, crack or plop — but a soft yelp of a cry answered.

***

Please continue this story virus.

I tag:

Randal G
Jess
FranIAm
Freida Bee
Becca
Dr MVM
Bubs
Vikkitikkitavi
Liberality
Some Guy
Doc
Snape
DCup
Chef Cthulhu
SamuraiFrog
Flannery Alden
Megan