In the fourth chapter of Blackout, Dr. Abbey helps determine the next step that After the End Times will take. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read Blackout.
Chapter Four
- Alaric, you constructed a screening room for Maggie. How. How are you real. I mean, granted, some of it was already there, but still. He rules, y’all.
- I’m fascinated by Grant’s portrayal of Dr. Abbey. She truly does not give a single fuck. She’s openly selfish, she isn’t concerned about being altruistic, and she’s relentlessly honest. She’s in this for herself, and she doesn’t care what you think about her. I like that, and I like that she’s not written to be likable.
- After the blog post that ended chapter three, the entire bit where Shaun admits that Maggie deserves way more credit for giving up her life is really touching. I’m glad that the text openly acknowledges dynamics like this one. Maggie really did give up the very privilege that her money and parents afforded her in order to support her friends. Prediction time! She’ll prove to be very helpful in the future!
- I remember I got in trouble many years ago at church during Sunday school when one of my teachers asked us to name a single living creation on earth that was totally pointless. She said it was impossible because all of God’s creations are holy and necessary. I told her mosquitos weren’t. Now, I wasn’t trying to be a big rude sass mouth, but that’s how it came across. It didn’t help that she didn’t have an actual response to my claim either. Man, I wasn’t even questioning my Catholicism in those days, and I still got in trouble all the time.
- So, as far as I can tell, it’s impossible to stop the spread of Kellis-Amberlee mosquitos. Literally! They have to die out. There’s nothing they can do, right? That’s terrifying, y’all.
- You know, sometimes I forget that Newsflesh is about zombies. Really! We don’t get many scenes with them, and it’s not flooded with violence. So when Grant does put them in the story, they’re a billion times scarier. I was super disturbed reading the description of the images and videos that Dr. Abbey showed the team. Like, these people are hiding away in the middle of nowhere while a huge portion of the United States is trying to avoid the apocalypse. It’s a very strange contrast, you know?
- Oh my god, they’re going to declare Florida as officially lost. Jesus, poor Alaric. His sister is there!
- And cue the SUPER AWKWARD fight that Alaric and Mahir have. Lord, bringing up Georgia as well didn’t help, man. Still, I can’t dislike Alaric for this. The dude has been worrying about his sister this entire time, and now she might be abandoned in a state that will be closed.
- It’s here that Dr. Abbey reveals her plan: She needs something from the team, and in exchange, she will try to get Alisa out. Try. She can’t even guarantee it! This is particularly absurd when we find out what it is that Dr. Abbey wants. SHE WANTS SHAUN TO GO CAPTURE LIVE MOSQUITOS. See, I get that he’s “immune,” but we sure as hell don’t know exactly how this works. What if a mosquito bite could trigger a response in him? My god, this is going to be a disaster, I KNOW IT.
- OH SHIT, ARE WE GOING TO MEET THE MONKEY???
- OH SHIT, A BECKS/SHAUN ROAD TRIP. Oh, the awkwardness, the sexual tension, and Becks saving the day at least four or five times: THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
- Lord, Alisa’s email to Alaric is like being punched in the heart. It’s then followed up by an even more devastating post of Shaun’s where he talks about temporarily fooling himself to believe that Georgia is still alive. This is TOO FUCKING MUCH, y’all.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am going on tour in 2013! There are 27 tour dates spread across the eastern half of North America. Please help suggest venues, offer up a place to crash, and RSVP for dates near you!
- I have begun writing posts in advance to compensate for tour. All commissions are open, and I have listed all upcoming Mark Reads posts that are missing commissions.
- You can also commission me to read bad fic/fiction on ANY Mark Does Stuff Tour date. You can claim a specific date to have a live reading right here.
