¦ dialling in from work station ¦
13:47 GMT, Wednesday 14th Jan, YD+9. Bright sunny skies beyond the tall Napoleonic windows to my right. I’ve just come back from a big old power walk, striding through the ancient roads of Roman Bath, headphones on, the harsh chords and manic vocals of Killing Joke pushing me on. I followed the river to the edge of the protected zone, then skirted up, past one of the flame-thrower towers by the South gate. I love this part of the rivers because there’s no barriers blocking the view of the water… although you have to be clever with your gaze, not let it stray too far to the other side…where the buildings are collapsing into decay, and where sometimes you see Them…silent and mournful, until they detect your movement and then they start that awful screaming (turn headphones right up when that happens).
These walks are a new lunchtime tradition I’ve been building up since getting back last week…initially a way of burning off the excess emotional charge following my bumpy re-entry into the new year. “Trust” by Corrado is playing via random selection through headphones. Yesterday was my first day feeling human again…after my New Year began with me having my spirit ripped out of my chest cavity following news about my mum, and then having a car crash a day later. This was all last week. Since then I’ve been drifting through my days like one of those Things beyond the protected zone. Even the drive out of bath, and the short corridor of risk, passing through the Western DZ, didn’t stir me. I've never seen one of Them this far out, but I think if I did I'd probably ram the poor wretch...hell, my car's already mangled up at the front. Not so sure about cleaning it up after though... reminds me I need to check the Decontamination Note that came through the letter box other week...it's been sitting on the side table for weeks, unread.
Since getting back from Newcastle (Christmas/New Year) I’ve been spending much of my spare time reading Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series (now on book 3). Ignoring everything to do with my writing and other projects; I’ve even been ignoring the stack of personal emails and messages on Facebook… I’ve just wanted to relax, and that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s worked a treat. Yesterday had a Board review of a new site we’re about to launch, which went well… and led to that whole critical period of tension when you start making it live. Massive adrenaline rush. I love this job.
Yesterday also saw me playing new tunes I’d downloaded for my headphones. Four Killing Joke albums – fantastic.
Djr