Mormeck Interlude: "Dear Pavlov…Your Friend, Komodo"
(Sketch of Komodo avatar confronting little girl; this is why I don't illustrate my own books…)
As I mentioned in a prior post, I made some changes to the Remnant gobbet stuck in our friend, Mormeck's Avatar. Well, just now I also added text to the end of both Entry #16 and Entry #17 because I'd totally forgotten the idea I'd planned to implement once the avatar was traveling—to write letters back to his friend Pavlov. Even if he never posts them, the avatar gets a kind of comfort from the bond created by writing them…and in terms of the narrative, it means there's not only someone the avatar needs to communicate with, but the way the avatar glosses over some events and outright lies about others is a nice counterpoint to the rest of those entries. It also gives the reader some relief from the nastiness of the Remnant bit.
But just so you don't have to keep going back if you've already read those entries, the letter text is also reproduced below.
Entry #16:
Dear Pavlov: I don't know when I will post these letters, or if I will ever be able to, but I have decided to write them anyway…I am well on my way to the Far East and all is well. I had a bit of trouble today when I almost lost my head, but reason prevailed and despite an unexpected encounter with a disagreeable fellow traveler, I am doing well. I hope that you are also well. – Your Friend, K
Entry #17:
Dear Pavlov: I must admit to being more lost than I had expected; this is strange country and although I feel I am making progress, I am also wandering a bit. That fellow traveler I mentioned has been shadowing me and tries to get the locals to blame me for things that he has done. I am not quite sure what to do about him. But, I have still managed to stay clear of soldiers and of anyone else who might not understand me. Today, despite the trouble, I had a moment of absolute clarity when I saw a strange blueish bird rise suddenly from a branch full into the blaze of the sun, and something about it made me unbearably happy. Then it was as before…I hope that you are still holding out, my friend. You must say hello to your bodyguards from me. I still think of them fondly, if for no other reason than their talent at banter. I am writing this by moonlight from high in a tree. I can see for miles from here—I can almost see all the way to the frozen rim of the world. Your friend, K
Mormeck Interlude: "Dear Pavlov…Your Friend, Komodo" originally appeared on Ecstatic Days on October 27, 2011.
