Changing Lanes, Chapter 45

[MikeL]

Cliff James has released Ragnorök, Chapter 45 of Changing Lanes.

 

 

Old Norse:

 

Brœðr muno beriaz

ok at bǫnom verða[z]

muno systrungar

sifiom spilla.

Hart er í heimi,

hórdómr mikill

—skeggǫld, skálmǫld

—skildir ro klofnir—

vindǫld, vargǫld—

áðr verǫld steypiz.

Mun engi maðr

ǫðrom þyrma

 

~ From Völuspá, Poetic Edda poem

 

 

English:

 

Brothers will fight

and kill each other,

sisters' children

will defile kinship.

It is harsh in the world,

whoredom rife

—an axe age, a sword age

—shields are riven—

a wind age, a wolf age—

before the world goes headlong.

No man will have

mercy on another.

 

 

 

Loki breaks free at the onset of Ragnarök,

illustration by Ernst H. Walther (1897).

Edited July 14, 2009 by MikeL

[Drewbie]

Goat Tsk Tsk Tsk

the scar will get away with them dying Oh Please let a missile shoot the scar down but I'd love to see brandon and others fight him Aww and Keith did smile about Brian so something might happen if they survive. I declare this a cliffhanger.

[MikeL]

@*~% goat! Where are the matches?

 

 

There will be no sequel; all the good guys are gone. Cliffhanger? Technically not; even the cliff can't hang on. If Cliff James creates a survival scenario, it will be the biggest fairy tale since global warming. Why did I ever start reading this story? Sigh.

 

[Benji]

........................ Holy Shit!!! The mother of all cliffhangers, how the hell is anyone going to survive that! Humm, will the scar really get away with it? I imagine Helen's last thoughts, "Who's going to pay us back our money?" Edited July 14, 2009 by Benji

[TalonRider]

I'm waiting to see what happens between Keith and Brian. We know that both are gay, but Brian doesn't know about Keith. Keith knows about Brian because of the PA system known as the General. Remember back when the two woke up together in bed. Brian had gone to sleep with the grenade in his pants pocket. He jumped out of bed quickly not wanting Keith to get the wrong impression. And so far, Keith has said or done nothing to let Brian know. With the looming disaster, there hasn't been time.

[Phantom]

Well... I caught up on what's going on and all I can say is...

 

Oh boy. There's nothing else I can say i'm just that... well... speechless...

 

Oh boy.

 

Eric

[Zeoanne]

I do hope you have health or life insurance on me!! I almost spit my heart out with that end!!! Oh You ARE EVIL!!!!

With all the rock and ash traveling at such speed plus the resort sinking at such extreme force to the bottom of the sea, where are they going to take refuge??? And, What of Brian? I hope he's going to make it, that the vehicle that was in the tunnel was not theirs! AAARRGGHHH! I must calm down!

[Zeoanne]

@*~% goat! Where are the matches?

 

 

There will be no sequel; all the good guys are gone. Cliffhanger? Technically not; even the cliff can't hang on. If Cliff James creates a survival scenario, it will be the biggest fairy tale since global warming. Why did I ever start reading this story? Sigh.

 

I'm with you Mike! I think I'm gonna need Psychotherapy after this story is finished!

[C James]

I can't stay on line long, due to lightning in the area, but first, I would like to thank MikeL for amphibiously certifying Ragnar

[Conner]

Does this mean there won't be any more pool parties for a while???

[Drewbie]

I can't stay on line long, due to lightning in the area, but first, I would like to thank MikeL for amphibiously certifying Ragnar

[Graeme]

Firstly... a disclaimer: I've seen an early draft of chapter 46.

 

Having said that, I have to agree with MikeL -- this is beyond a mere cliffhanger, as even the cliffs are falling....

 

The term "cliffhanger" derives from old TV dramas, where a damsel in distress would be left hanging from a cliff at the end of an episode. This is more like a few seconds later, after the damsel's grip has slipped and she's started to fall.

 

As an aside, after CJ sent me chapter 45 to beta-read, he sent me another email saying he had forgotten to put two words at the end of the chapter: The End.

 

However, he later decided that the story probably shouldn't end at this point, so he's written some more. There are some clues as to what's going on in this and earlier chapters. When I read through, I picked up on some of them, but not others. I'd be interested in seeing who can work out what happens next.

[MikeL]

I can't stay on line long, due to lightning in the area, but first, I would like to thank MikeL for amphibiously certifying Ragnar

[hh5]

I have to guess that that because of scars - early timing of the eruption - and - changing the dynamics of the blast.

 

 

http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/blog/images/cumbre_vieja.PNG

 

Sure the land slide happen but having a mt st helen several times as worst alters the original blast theory

 

The eruption could have also sent material that would have prevented the tsnami from hitting the resort short of a wipe out

 

If the usa navy and subs were smart - hopefully they where to the west

 

I just hope this is not a story where the bad guy got away

 

But maybe not so - scar has no idea how the blast goes - and - one would not be sure if he didn't get rained with ash and heat

 

some cliff bangger - but one can hope scar blew himself in the path of the helen like blast - i think it should be name helen's furry!!

 

 

if the scar got caught in that path??

 

so tune in the same scarry channel

 

I have yet to see Eric down a whole bottle or two of Taquila and see his furry unleashed on scar.

 

maybe save that for another cj book - if he lets the scar get away or his demise - unknown

[AquariusGuy]

All I could think when I read the chapter was HOLY CRAP !

 

It looks like things hit a bump in the path and if I remember right, isn't everybody good swimmers?

 

The Scar seems to think he got away with it.... but that is to be seen. Maybe he didn't think about all the possibilities and will land up crashing into the volcano.

 

Other than all the drama in the chapter.... it's was a great chapter CJ.

 

Hope Instinct doesn't become Extinct.....

 

Edward

[Pai-kun]

Aaah! This chapter was so GOOD! I mean, I love all chapters, but I really liked this one. So much is happening! I wish I hadn't read it until like next week, so I could read the next chapter too. I wanna know what happens next, cause that's one MAJOR cliffie!

 

That being said, the Scar and Yuri really needs to DIAF. See gif for illustration;

 

 

And I mean REALLY die! Not just lose arms. They need to die. I love-hate the Scar so much.

[D and B]

Well, after that chapter, all I have to say is, it's a good thing that in MY universe, the boys' grandfather shot the Goat!

[Conner]

I can just hear CJ saying, "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...and I'm not even wearing a hat!"

 

I'm predicting that GA will set a new record next Tuesday for most members on-line. Either that or CJ will be the first de-Hosted Author.

 

I'm sure CJ is just giddy right now from the high he's on at this point in the story. He is just dying to post the next chapter while at the same time trying to stretch out the suspence to the max. There's likely to be a few goat-gasims throughout this week.

[Benji]

............The only plausible thing I can see is part of the island splitting apart and far enough away from the volcano, the separation could save our 'heros' from the toxic superheated gas and ash coming at them. Of course the 'shelf' would have to stop sliding completely, creating a smaller tsunami. If the resort is buckling and cracking up, what of the airport? The Scar may have stuck around to long and may not be able to get off the ground. I'm sure his mercenaries will understand, after all they heard the newscast by Helen and the General talking about the three bombs. They saw Yuri set a charge to one of the bombs, and it has to be in the back of their minds staring at only two bombs about the non-returning five men that were with Yuri and Scar. Edited July 15, 2009 by Benji

[Former Member]

WHAT!!! My sleep deprived mind can't process this!!

 

All I can think about is how I'm traveling at the beginning of next week, with no internet!! I'll have to do some research to try and find an internet cafe of something! I can't wait extra days!

 

More coherent thoughts on the chapter after I've had some sleep...

Edited July 15, 2009 by jessiflash

[Bondwriter]

I feel your pain, Conner. I know this is a really bad breach of confidentiality, but here is the quote from a message I exchanged with some being that might, or might not be involved with the writing of the story. This being is prone on having barbecues summoned upon his head. The Rolling Stones made soup out of the head of such creatures, to follow the currently abandoned rock music plot.

 

I was thinking that chapter 45 might be a good place to begin a hiatus

 

Oh, by the way, since I'm immunized from marsupial spines.

The butler did it.

[Graeme]

Oh, by the way, since I'm immunized from marsupial spines.

The butler did it.

Interesting, but I can't think of any marsupials that possess spines. Echidna's are monotremes, not marsupials...

[C James]

Does this mean there won't be any more pool parties for a while???

Umm, does the bottom of the ocean count?

But someone could slip the hint to one of them again if they make it out alive, I can't wait til the next chapter, I can't imagine how they can get out of this mess much.

Speaking of the next chapter... should I post it on schedule, or wait? I think Graeme said something akin to chapter 45 being a nice, calm place with which to begin a restful story hiatus?

Firstly... a disclaimer: I've seen an early draft of chapter 46.Having said that, I have to agree with MikeL -- this is beyond a mere cliffhanger, as even the cliffs are falling....The term "cliffhanger" derives from old TV dramas, where a damsel in distress would be left hanging from a cliff at the end of an episode. This is more like a few seconds later, after the damsel's grip has slipped and she's started to fall.As an aside, after CJ sent me chapter 45 to beta-read, he sent me another email saying he had forgotten to put two words at the end of the chapter: The End.However, he later decided that the story probably shouldn't end at this point, so he's written some more. There are some clues as to what's going on in this and earlier chapters. When I read through, I picked up on some of them, but not others. I'd be interested in seeing who can work out what happens next.

ACK!! Echidna!! How can it be beyond a cliffhanger, when I never even use cliffhangers? Besides, the cliffs aren't hanging, they are heading for the bottom of the sea. I do recall saying something akin to chapter 45 being a good penultimate chapter for the story; at this point, the story could easily be concluded with a short epilogue; the Scar blasting off in his C-130, flying off into the sunset, while Instinct slides to their watery graves at the bottom of the sea, and the unstoppable tsunamis race out to destroy the entire coastline of the Atlantic basin.

Dream on, goat. You have some nerve releasing a chapter like that then claiming I had certified it as being free of cliffhangers. Have you no shame?Thanks, Graeme. I'm glad to see you agree and haven't been corrupted by beta reading for Cliff.

But, you said, and I quote, "Cliffhanger? Technically not" and that is pretty clearly a certification of cliffhanger free. And, it is free of cliffhangers! You so often pointed direly at the volcano and claimed that its threat of eruption is a cliffhanger, but now, no more worries, because it's no longer in doubt; the eruption is underway.

I just hope this is not a story where the bad guy got away

Fear not! It's not as if I've ever written a story where the antagonist rides off into the sunset with a suitcase full of cash.

All I could think when I read the chapter was HOLY CRAP !It looks like things hit a bump in the path

Hrmmm. I think that's a great term, "A little bump in the path". It goes well with my own prefered description of "Perhaps ever-so-slightly tense..."

Aaah! This chapter was so GOOD! I mean, I love all chapters, but I really liked this one. So much is happening! I wish I hadn't read it until like next week, so I could read the next chapter too. I wanna know what happens next, cause that's one MAJOR cliffie!That being said, the Scar and Yuri really needs to DIAF. See gif for illustration;And I mean REALLY die! Not just lose arms. They need to die. I love-hate the Scar so much.

The Scar is definitely one of my favorite characters. True, he's not a nice guy, but he does have his interesting points.

Well, after that chapter, all I have to say is, it's a good thing that in MY universe, the boys' grandfather shot the Goat!

Shot the goat? Awww, who would want to harm poor, innocent me?

I can just hear CJ saying, "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...and I'm not even wearing a hat!"I'm predicting that GA will set a new record next Tuesday for most members on-line. Either that or CJ will be the first de-Hosted Author. I'm sure CJ is just giddy right now from the high he's on at this point in the story. He is just dying to post the next chapter while at the same time trying to stretch out the suspence to the max. There's likely to be a few goat-gasims throughout this week.

What? Me? BTW, one huge shortcoming I have as a writer is in estimating just how many chapters it will take to fill in an outline. For example, for a while, until late last fall, I was hopeful that this chapter, Ragnar

[MikeL]

But, you said, and I quote, "Cliffhanger? Technically not" and that is pretty clearly a certification of cliffhanger free. And, it is free of cliffhangers! You so often pointed direly at the volcano and claimed that its threat of eruption is a cliffhanger, but now, no more worries, because it's no longer in doubt; the eruption is underway.

1. Clever 3-word selection from an entire post.

 

2. The eruption is still underway.

[hh5]

underway. Fear not! It's not as if I've ever written a story where the antagonist rides off into the sunset with a suitcase full of cash.

 

so yer not another Evil-Roy-Slay??? but some one's going say its un-realistic?

 

what are we teaching out kids??

 

not you win some and you lose some??

 

winning or losing - are rare occurrences in life - other than that life is pretty boring and pathetic

 

Hey Darth Vader got away!!! and came back even badder!!

George certainly made a killing at the boxoffice

 

the good guys would think w-t-f at least we can get strike-back or if we strike-out

mmmm Lucas still can smile to the bank

 

hehe CJ make the movies!!!

I need a gay job!!