1 page per day — the way it was meant to be

Page 3.

Machine Man (serial)

It was a good hospital; very exclusive. The company spared no expense. Workplace accidents were always a big deal at Better Future—or, rather, it was a big deal that nobody make them into a big deal. Doing what we did, our public image was tightly managed. The last thing the company wanted was a journalist sniffing around, asking about our peculiar death and injury rate.

Also, I think they were worried I might sue. I wasn’t going to. It was my own fault. But I guess these things are never… well, clean cut.

So I got a private room with a view over the Gardens. At dusk the glass skyscrapers on the far side of the park radiated orange fire. At ten each morning, I was bathed by a beautiful nurse. There were all the painkillers I could want. Nobody visited me. It was very pleasant.

3.

Comments

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Mats (#1057)

Location: Turku, Finland, Europe, Earth
Quote: ""The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist knows it." James Branch Cabell via Robert Oppenheimer"
Posted: 5113 days ago

Ooh, first comment, exciting...

I usually read one BOOK per day (when I have the time).
This pace is agonizing...!
It feels like my brain's been amputated every time I get to the end of this feed...
And it's only going to get worse...
Nooooo......the pain, the pain...

Chez (#1819)

Location: Adelaide, Australia
Quote: "- Keep Thinking, Question Everything"
Posted: 5113 days ago

It's so short!!! You're just teasing us aren't you!

Kevin Murray (#3767)

Location: Sydney, Australia
Quote: "You only get one taste and for this gift we are graced"
Posted: 5113 days ago

Couldn't resist throwing in a hot nurse could you Max? Great reading so far though.

AlteraX (#1984)

Location: Portugal
Quote: "My 62 year-old dad is reading Jen Gov. He's an Economist. - 2005"
Posted: 5112 days ago

Ooh, 3 paragraphs... ADHD sufferes start taking your pills! :P

Vanessa Woods (#3725)

Location: Ontario, Canada
Quote: "An optimist sees the glass as half full. A pessimist sees the glass as half empty. A realist knows the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. "
Posted: 5112 days ago

Wow, this just makes me want to read your other books again, like really badly.....this is good, I'm liking it, the pace is agonizing though, but it will test us, only your true fans will survive til the end, it will be quite the epic journey for us...:)

Matt (#808)

Location: AZ
Quote: "The only 3 books I've read in the last few years have been from the Barry Collection"
Posted: 5112 days ago

Liking it so far, think it should turn out to be quite interesting. Have no clue what direction you're going to go with it :)

Jared Squared (#3446)

Location: Boulder, CO
Quote: ""Never turned my back on society, society turned its back on me.""
Posted: 5112 days ago

So much for my theory on a non-accident situation. Better Future is an ironic name for a company where there is a peculiar death and injury rate.

Unibot (#3877)

Location: Southern Ontario, Can.
Quote: ""Why memorize something when you can read it in a book?" - Albert Einstein"
Posted: 5112 days ago

Could use a flashback scene of the "accident" I think. Or at least, I'd like to know about it more.

Or maybe the story is more European, stylish, and never tells us what kind of accident he got into because its not important.

Alan W (#1427)

Location: Spokane, Washington
Quote: "Corgis are like potato chips"
Posted: 5112 days ago

Ohh, are we guessing at where this is going? Cause I have some theories ...

But I'll keep them to myself, that way I can congratulate me if I'm right and Max can't thwart me!

Amber (#3671)

Location: Oregon, U.S.A
Posted: 5111 days ago

"So I got a private room with a view over the Gardens. At dusk the glass skyscrapers on the far side of the park radiated orange fire. At ten each morning, I was bathed by a beautiful nurse. There were all the painkillers I could want. Nobody visited me. It was very pleasant."

So, do I have to actually sever a LEG to get this sort of stuff? How about just a toe, or an eye brow? I would totally wax off one of my eyebrows if this was the result.

M.I.Minter (#347)

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Quote: "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."
Posted: 5111 days ago

I'd like to send you $6.95 now.

I feel like you should send me a note that just says "in you face".

I call dibs on option rights....

nice
job
max

Ian

David (#1848)

Location: Texas
Quote: "Delighted!"
Posted: 5109 days ago

This was a great idea, Max! I am enjoying the story so far!

Sharing the experience of watching this thing unfold--one page at a time--with the universe is a HOOT!.

It is going to get emotional, on this board. I see an infinite number of monkeys, sitting at an infinite number of keyboards, all assigned to red-line and green-light your work. In real time.

You're the coolest, Max. Just so you know.

Donnie (#1282)

Location: Etobicoke, close to where the passenger pigeons used to migrate
Quote: "Mockery is the highest form of flattery."
Posted: 5105 days ago

You mentioned gmail in your last blog post... you have your own label in my account, which was "piled up" at 5 unread messages (I must say, many are in the hundreds).

I usually keep up on what you are doing because you consistently make me laugh, even though I must admit I have never actually read any of your books, I found out about you through nation states when I was talking to a friend about an some idea that occurred to me a long, long time ago and he told me that it sounded a lot like that... so I've got this kind of grudge/crush on you because you seem to live in this weird entangled parallel life to me though you're not nearly as lazy or timid.

Anyway, you're f'ing brilliant... and brave, the format is just right for us ADHD's.

My son was Thomas the Tank Engine for Halloween last year, now I find myself wondering...

Jennifer (#1643)

Posted: 4865 days ago

I don't love it. It is very segmented in an unclear way. I get it, but it just doesn't seem to make sense to jump back and forth between talking about what he wanted to be and how he liked to play when he was a kid, to all of a sudden he is in a hospital. Wouldn't it be more appropriate if maybe the memories/nostalgia (back story) came on as a result of pain meds or something like that? lol. still twisted enough to be you, but then would make sense to dummies like me. :D
Just a thought,
Jennifer

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