12 Comments
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Siobhan Gallagher's avatar

So is the third nail for the master? :O

I think this is my favorite of yours so far! It's wonderfully creepy and cryptic, never over explains, and the ending leaves us wondering. The imagery is effective too. Although I would recommend trying to pull away from the "Not X, but Y" sentence structure, as it tends to diminish a description's impact. If you don't mind, I'll quote an example to show you.

Also, a confusing bit was I thought Corin and Rina had already lost a digit each. Rina was even described as having a recently severed finger--unless that was an illusion? But then, why the fever?

Hai Dang's avatar

yes yes, they already lost a nail - a finger. Now their hands has three fingers like the one they saw in the tree.

Siobhan Gallagher's avatar

Ahh, because Corin was counting his fingers, and he was counting ten.

Hai Dang's avatar

Shit, will fix. Thank you!!!

Siobhan Gallagher's avatar

Hahaha. Maybe you put it in there just to check to see if I actually read your story. :p

Hai Dang's avatar

This one is my sleep deprived bad lol. Not X, it's Y is the trap.

Siobhan Gallagher's avatar

It did not fade into the wind. It was swallowed.

^^This above I would fix, for more impact: "It was swallowed by the wind."

Hai Dang's avatar

I see hehe. I thought about it before posting and was like.. Hmm, let’s irritate the turnip queen lol.

Chris Swallow's avatar

A really cool read! Kept me invested and questioning. Just enough info to make me care about them and the danger they're in.

Hai Dang's avatar

Thank you for reading <3

Antonio Castellaneta's avatar

“Chasing was loud; this thing was intimate” was such a strong line. The story feels less like being hunted by a creature and more like carrying a debt that has already entered the body and the landscape around it.

Hai Dang's avatar

Thank you so much Antonio. You are the best. <3