#the plagues plague us all

[26]

“Then festering boils did break out upon the skin, and those plagued could not stand against the Lord because of it,” Wade remarks, also staring at Betsy. “Used to be my least favourite plague, the boils and sores.” He starts tossing Raven’s coin from one hand to the other. “But I guess I can’t really say that anymore. Don’t worry – you don’t look anywhere near as bad as me!”

…These characters are all going to need so much love and therapy to recover from the events of this story.

And there’s still so many more terrible things to come mwahaha

Things I did not intend to do today, but needs must:

read through pages upon pages of unpleasant insect research in order to find the unnerving piece I needed to fit my narrative.

The sacrifices I make as a writer.

[24]

Much of this scene with Death (and the subsequent one in a following chapter) will be referenced during upcoming scenes in Chapter 14.

But other things of note:

• Raven’s observational skills are showcased. Unfortunately, shapeshifting is now ‘uncomfortable’…
• Horsemen shadow shenanigans - ‘Warren’s’ is now gone.
• A connection between Death and the scarabs is hinted at again.
• Betsy invokes their word ‘extemporise’ - which in musical terms means ‘to compose or perform music or speech without preparation; to improvise’ - but Death responds with silence.

[26]

Irene’s vision of Kelly (AKA Famine-to-be) offers some insights:

• His symptoms are already escalating: obsessive hunger; lethargy; irritation; shallow breathing - these are common signs of starvation.
• Shadow shenanigans - Kelly’s is split into two. This is thematic of the ‘genetics distribution’ issue which is explored in Chapter 12.
• Reinforcing the man’s negative attitude towards ‘uneducated contractors’ - his belief they’re nothing more than mindless slaves. Now, I wonder why that’s an important opinion to highlight at this point in the story…

[24]

I’m sure the foam residue the locusts have been leaving everywhere won’t cause any problems at all.

Even if Sekhmet is entirely wary of it.

(And I, as the writer, made a vague status update recently about having to suffer through cursed insect research.)

[17]

Some of you have never watched the animated feature ‘Scooby Doo! in Where’s My Mummy?’ – never heard Christine Baranski’s voice acting, when her character Amelia von Butch proclaims, in utmost offence:

“Locusts!”

And that’s a shame, because you’re missing out.