Both of these introductions to Michael started out fairly earnest as just those- introductions, getting-to-know-yous at the beginning of the book. Started one introduction to Michael, the morning of the first day I'd come up with the concept, to go at the beginning of the book (and also just to get writing at it- a decision that led to the formation of the very blog you're reading, of course.) Started that intro (restarted it because the power blinked out on me and I hadn't saved,) and then-- I realized it was a cool enough concept, a cool enough scene, to warrant expansion on its own.
The introduction I'd started then set aside to go into the start of the second (or whatever) book as the intro there, I started up on a second introduction, which would be his first introduction. But realized, sigh, there's a cool enough plot there to to go into its own book...
Here they are, anyway, the two bits I'd started:
...
The introduction I'd started then set aside to go into the start of the second (or whatever) book as the intro there, I started up on a second introduction, which would be his first introduction. But realized, sigh, there's a cool enough plot there to to go into its own book...
Here they are, anyway, the two bits I'd started:
Supernatural espionage may seem like an odd choice of vocation for a man with the supernatural ability to attract supernatural danger, but Michael kept with it for two reasons: one, he didn't really have a choice in the matter, and two, that supernatural ability to get out of supernatural danger if he wanted. Let's go over the first point: after arriving home late one night, after a long sordid mostly supernatural elements free affair at his day job, he entered his den to find a man whose face was entirely cloaked in shadow sitting in his favorite armchair. The man turned out to be some kind of earthly incarnation of an Elder God, whose true form would cause such madness as to cause not only instant death, but for the mind to implode into some kind of metaphysical black hole that would erase one from existing in the first place. (Though the man's face was cloaked in shadow, Michael decided not to press the point.) The man, introducing himself as Smith since the sound of his true name would also cause insanity and erasure from existence, was of course a Supernatural Threat like the kind that Michael was so good at attracting. He'd come, as most Supernatural Threats did, to settle a debt (the mechanisms of which it is beyond the human mind to comprehend, but Jorge Luis Borges's story “The Lottery in Babylon” may give you a clue.) Michael managed to slip out of it under the stipulation that he now act as a spy for the supernatural government with the shady intentions.
...
Michael had the supernatural ability to be supernaturally attractive to supernatural danger- predators, [prey...?], forces. The reason he'd lived so long is he also had the supernatural ability to supernaturally find a way out of supernatural trouble if he so wished- there's always a way out, but he didn't always wish. For example, Michael was visited a good two or three times a week by visiting succubi, ever since he was 14 years old. He never tried escaping from that. Michael had had hundreds of children by the time he reached 17, and by now he was the father of thousands of kids -- all of whom shared his supernatural ability to attract trouble. They generally didn't present a problem for him- whenever they wanted revenge for their existence, it was the mothers that they set off after for being so foolish as to enter the gene pool with a man with such a truly awful genetic anomaly. There were a couple of times that a child of his decided to track him down instead- which wasn't difficult as his aura is a beacon to those who wish harm, but which turned out to be foolish as the combined auras only served to attract even nastier beings in greater quantities, the aftereffects taking weeks to fully shake. After that, he didn't receive much trouble from his children.
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