I love the theatre scenes. Really macabre and grotesque. And the Nutcracker device is such a good way in. So many good details in here. Very well done Garen!
This is so bizarre! Just loving the madness thats oozing out of it all, the rage and frustration and obsession and self destructive addiction. Some great descriptive lines. You really have given us a gift with the prompt ideas and they seem to have opened up some interesting dimensions in the brains of all the writers so far! Well done on every level Garen.
Very spooky. Gave me 'Coroline' vibes with her black, glass eyes. Loved the imagery of a ballerina attached to cables and dancing before an audience of nutcrackers. Thought they might have used their mouths to open and shut for applause 👏 though which would have added an extra layer of nightmare to it. Also liked you used a similar line at the beginning and end regarding the number being better as it was now even. Beautifully done.
I love the nuances of Penny's character. I must admit, I do completely agree with her that round numbers are always more comforting! This really creeped me out and I loved every single minute of it!!
I loved this story but what's more, having dated a ballerina for a good while in my twenties when I was a chaotic madman, this gave me PTSD flashbacks. She'd even injured herself out of the big leagues, when I met her she was dancing for the [redacted] Contemporary Ballet. She had been with the [redacted] ballet but injured herself in the provided townhome during a manic episode and after she was back in good health they didn't renew her contract, so she didn't get to move on to NY or SF. She'd been in ballet since she was 3. She's doing quite well now by all accounts, but she still literally believes that I'm the Devil (this is not a lie. I wish it were, but it isn't.)
She was, and probably still is, a brilliant dancer. But she was also terrifying.
😆 I feel like I channeled your life! I only meant to induce panic via the words not dredge up trauma. Maybe this story needs a content warning if you are or have dated a ballerina.
I was actually having my own panic attack about the ballet content as I am not a dancer. I got all my info from YouTube tutorials and some Google image searches. Glad it passes muster for the most part!
Can confirm, did a great job. Also, seeing Black Swan in theater with a fallen ballerina is very odd. (The movie was spot on for ballet, but the commentary about the extras like "I know them. and them. I danced with him, there, in the background." And the crying through the entire credits breakdown (followed by a very paradoxical in theater blowjob while sobbing for no reason I could figure?! The truth is always, always more fucked up than fiction. To this day I wonder why that happened.) was weird. And Portman did a seriously creepy good job apparently.) Very much had a full on breakdown "I coulda been a contender" moment.
I love the theatre scenes. Really macabre and grotesque. And the Nutcracker device is such a good way in. So many good details in here. Very well done Garen!
Appreciate your kind words, Jon!
This is so bizarre! Just loving the madness thats oozing out of it all, the rage and frustration and obsession and self destructive addiction. Some great descriptive lines. You really have given us a gift with the prompt ideas and they seem to have opened up some interesting dimensions in the brains of all the writers so far! Well done on every level Garen.
Wow, Nick! Thank you so much. I appreciate it!
credit where it's due, my friend 😎
Very spooky. Gave me 'Coroline' vibes with her black, glass eyes. Loved the imagery of a ballerina attached to cables and dancing before an audience of nutcrackers. Thought they might have used their mouths to open and shut for applause 👏 though which would have added an extra layer of nightmare to it. Also liked you used a similar line at the beginning and end regarding the number being better as it was now even. Beautifully done.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I love the idea of the nutcrackers clacking their mouth for applause. Glad you enjoyed the story!
I love the nuances of Penny's character. I must admit, I do completely agree with her that round numbers are always more comforting! This really creeped me out and I loved every single minute of it!!
Thank you so much!! 😊
I loved this story but what's more, having dated a ballerina for a good while in my twenties when I was a chaotic madman, this gave me PTSD flashbacks. She'd even injured herself out of the big leagues, when I met her she was dancing for the [redacted] Contemporary Ballet. She had been with the [redacted] ballet but injured herself in the provided townhome during a manic episode and after she was back in good health they didn't renew her contract, so she didn't get to move on to NY or SF. She'd been in ballet since she was 3. She's doing quite well now by all accounts, but she still literally believes that I'm the Devil (this is not a lie. I wish it were, but it isn't.)
She was, and probably still is, a brilliant dancer. But she was also terrifying.
Anyway, thanks for the panic attack!
😆 I feel like I channeled your life! I only meant to induce panic via the words not dredge up trauma. Maybe this story needs a content warning if you are or have dated a ballerina.
I was actually having my own panic attack about the ballet content as I am not a dancer. I got all my info from YouTube tutorials and some Google image searches. Glad it passes muster for the most part!
Can confirm, did a great job. Also, seeing Black Swan in theater with a fallen ballerina is very odd. (The movie was spot on for ballet, but the commentary about the extras like "I know them. and them. I danced with him, there, in the background." And the crying through the entire credits breakdown (followed by a very paradoxical in theater blowjob while sobbing for no reason I could figure?! The truth is always, always more fucked up than fiction. To this day I wonder why that happened.) was weird. And Portman did a seriously creepy good job apparently.) Very much had a full on breakdown "I coulda been a contender" moment.
Man, my twenties were fucked up.
Congrats on getting a lot of the ballet details right. Did you ever dance or was this just really decent research work?
This was grotesque and wonderful. Great imagery. The way you used the nutcrackers was spot on.
Thank you so much!!
This was totally gruesome and it made me squirm.
I always aim for squirm. 😊 Glad it had that gruesome factor!
Wow absolutely gorgeous and so tragic. I enjoyed this so much!
Thank you!! 🙏
Loved this, Garen! Such a fun and perfect edition to the dark tidings anthology. You've really delivered so much magic with this story.
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much. 😊
Terrifying!
Grimly beautiful, a terrible, wonderful holiday gift!
a horrifying triumph!
Thank you!!
Beautiful !!!
Thank you!! 😊
A danse macabre indeed. I could visualise all of it very clearly. Very well done indeed!
Thank you so much, Evelyn!
Freakishly fun Garen - as always the setting and descriptions are excellent! I really enjoyed the macabre rebirth aspect
Thank you!! 😊
Such a grotesque and strangely beautiful story. The meat hooks, the bloody needle…really powerful imagery
Thank you so much, Shaina!! 🙏