Battle in the city. It is as epic as you thought it might be. Still not that most brutal fight scene to this point. The confrontation with Haukter is looming. Thank you for reading my work.

#writing #reading #fiction #books #horror #apocalyptic #shortstory #flashfiction #monsters #bookseries

https://patrickwmarshauthor.wordpress.com/2026/06/05/beware-the-ills-part-47/

Beware the Ills: Part 46

The invaders from the south end of the valley, where the city ends before the open space, are past the civilians rushing towards a melee by the mountain. They’ll form themselves into a streak and cut down the Ills with their arrows and artificial fire. Smart, very smart. There are so many Ills by the mountain, and so many invaders in the valley you can barely see the earth beneath their feet. The civilians, who were originally pinned in that valley, rush back inside the city in massive droves. The ground quakes to the thousands of feet running, charging, and sprinting.

I’m ashamed of their panic.

The invaders are about to fire into the Ills. All the encroachers have been killed beneath the mountains. They were swarmed by the Ill’s writhing green forms and didn’t have a chance. I don’t really remember what I said to their prince, or king, whatever. It must have been something inspiring? I remember Haukter appearing, and our little skirmish, and then running to the river. I remember smashing Haukter’s chest with my hilt.

The crossbows suddenly rattle like a bunch of hollow snakes. They jolt me back to reality. The waves of armored Ills are mowed down by the long arrows. The crossbows crackle in unison, their commanders must have them trained to fire in a timed fashion.

They weren’t this coordinated when they fought me.

The Ills look ready for war. They’re dressed less like articulate beasts. They’re not covered in their typical tattered equipment, but plated and smooth armor, like men. Their weapons aren’t rusted and worn. Their steel looks silver, sharp, and sterile. It’s unfortunate, in their new classy look, that they’re dying at an alarming rate.

The angle of the valley allows the arrows full velocity as they strike. The black-red shields of the Ills can’t hold back their fury. Still, thousands of Ills run forward from the mountains. More arrows though, and open spots start to form in their ranks.

Piles of corpses form.

The invader’s arrows are stopping the Ills from advancing further into the valley. The cold helps the invaders, not a single breath of wind throws their arrows off their mark. I will have to intervene soon, but too much distance separates the Ills from their formations. I couldn’t even survive this swarm of troops. There has to be some sort of break to the battle.

The walking machines lined up between the firing troops. The same formation they used at the river, when Blue and I tore them apart. It’s a bloody memory. The machines shutter and drift to the ground, and howl with the insidious buzzing sound. The metallic thrumming begins in their curved chests. I can already imagine those luminous bubbles growing in their centers like sculptured fire.

The Ills will be completely wiped out.

For some inexplicable reason, I don’t want them to be slaughtered. It’s strange having this concern for them.

The machines fire a buzzing barrage of emerald orbs. They make a high-pitched cackling sound after they release their condensed blaze. The spheres fly straight into the Ill’s massed ranks. Rocks exploded beneath the sizzling light, sending debris into the Ills and leaving their shapes bloody and obscene. Their black blood clouds the snow. The arrows continue to fly at them. Some of the Ills have closely formed their shields together to repel them. The encroachers fire heavily on these clumps, breaking shields and splitting green skin. Ills have lined up behind them, despite the deluge of points, and begun firing arrows back at them with their crude bows.

A poorly shot arrow flies by my head wistfully. They need to adjust their range.

Still, I appreciate their strategy.

The arrows are falling more consistently now. A few of the invaders have fallen with an arrow to the throat or face. The leverage from the high angle of their bows allows the points to pierce their armor. Ills charge out as the crossbows start to pause and quiet in the ranks. The machines stay silent and steaming in the cold. The snow falls silently and deliberately.

It’s good killing weather.

I see the woman towards the center of the formation. She survived what occurred on the lake with Blue. I’m very impressed. I’m sure Haukter’s near the city now. He might be inside the walls in fact. I survived his poison. I shouldn’t underestimate him.

It would be foolish.

A screeching sound carves upward from inside the invader’s formation, as a burst of jade light pillars into the sky in a disheveled line. The machines are priming again. They fire immediately at the Ill’s coming swarms. Everything along the valley explodes in rock and blue fire. No more watching and planning my next move. No more waiting. The city behind me has gone quiet as the Ills and outlanders have killed one another. I must drive the invaders away from the city, even if I can’t kill them all. After they’re gone, I will find Haukter and kill him. I breathe hard and unsheathe my sword and grip its long handle. Something far away inside of me, tells me not to kill.

I fall.

I’m on the invaders before they can turn around, before they can even breathe, before they can hear my cutting sword.

I cut twelve men down on the backside of their formation. They scream and cry beneath my sword swings. I don’t move as fast running along their edges as I could. I want their backside flank to turn to me, to see what I’ve just accomplished. They bite. Men fire at me, but I outrun the majority of their arrows and knock the stragglers away with my sword.

Someone yells, it’s her, she’s transforming within the maelstrom. A few arrows dart towards me from inside the city. Sharp shooters no doubt, I knock them away quickly with my sword. I run towards a machine that hasn’t turned around to face me. The sharp shooters follow, peppering the back of the contraption and lancing the man inside. I pull on the machine and tip it over. As we topple, I stab the handle of my sword where the dials and buttons sit glowing. The gears hum with surprise, and the heart begins to glow. Emerald explosions shatter the formation throwing rock and blood everywhere, leaving a red smear across the ground.

They’ve finally turned to me. All their hundreds of eyes are on me.

The Ills are coming. The empty space between the two armies dwindles beneath the glowing sun. A man runs out from the formation. He dives and swings his broad sword at me. I catch the blade with the gauntlet on my left hand and slit his throat. They circle around me. The man was a decoy.     

Very clever indeed.

I sprint directly into the thick lines of troops. I’m running to the edge where the Ills will meet them shortly. Something moves on my left. It’s too fast to be one of the pawns.

I know it’s her.

I sprint faster to the front. I’m slashing left and right, as men rise and fall against my sword. I hear her scream following me. The front line cannot fail, or else the Ills will overrun them, and they’re outnumbered despite the earlier slaughter with arrows and blasts. I duck beneath a swinging sword and grab one of the men’s crossbows. I smash his face open and watch his blue eyes go different directions.

It distracts me slightly, I sprint again.

I fire the crossbow. A dead man falls on me. I pick him up at his ankles and throw him over my shoulder. I hold him in front of me as I dash. His body shutters a wild amount and becomes intensely heavy with arrows. 

The ground starts to tremble below the metal tempest. The Ills have collided with the invaders, and it’s an outright storm of close combat. More screams, smashes, and the sound of metal grinding on uncooperative skin. I’ve seen my fair share of whirlwind clashing, but never one with this colliding force. I cannot help but feel responsible for the massive battle. I’m unhappy with all these colliding monsters on the footsteps of the Diamond Town.

I’m very unhappy.

I sprint to the south side of the tempest, where the Ills are fewer in number. I have no urge to kill them, but I don’t want to instigate one with my presence and break this unspoken peace. The invaders are completely focused on the Ills. The Ills have the advantage in close combat. They have superior physical strength and numbers. The clacking of swords and shields thunders remarkably. The invaders move into brown armored clusters and lock their shields together. It’s not useful though, the Ills spill over them like a green tide, and crush the men to death underneath.

I can hear her blaring over the bloody din. She’s on the northern edge of the formation, killing Ills left and right with her ridiculous axe. Her howls are high, gurgled, and ear piercing. The blue light from her skin and forced strength glow through the thrashing crowd. She breaks free and loops out of the melee. She’s looking for someone inside the battle. It’s not me either. I’m not hard to spot. She’s going after the prince, the king, and the key to peace.

How does she know?

I’ll be releasing my novel Beware the Ills in segments every Friday. You can find out more about the book right here, or check out Amazon’s info. I love this book. Happy to simply share it. 

Over half of Australia’s bookshops closed within a decade. Should the government help?
“Objects of culture” under “financial pressures”

“Bookshops are the safety vaults for the seeds of our country’s cultural and intellectual life.” Charlotte Wood

"In the past year alone, at least 13 independent bookshops have closed in Australia. Some have operated for decades."

"Fixed book pricing is common in Europe, where books are formally exempted from European Union competition rules, as “objects of culture”. This allows publishers and their distributors to determine the retail price of books."
>>
https://theconversation.com/over-half-of-australias-bookshops-closed-within-a-decade-should-the-government-help-283605
#books #BookShops #culture #reading #writers #regulation ##megastores

Go and support your local independent bookshop!
Image: Seen in Bellingen

11/?
It's not that I haven't been reading/listening - but I've needed comfort rereads and I've been taking online classes.

Third time was the charm for this book - the narrator was excellent. It's listed as a middle school book but I found it engaging and not too young.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
#scifi #MagpieReads #books #reading

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Book Cover for THE LAST CUENTISTA * PURA BELPRÉ HONOR WINNER By DONNA BARBA HIGUERA

12/?
My library hold on The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson finally came through.

I was disappointed in the first few chapters because I thought the author had revealed the entire arc of the story. But I was wrong.

It was well written and moved along at a good clip with occasional interesting twists throughout the story and at the end.

I didn't fall in love with the characters but I'll probably read the next book or two in the series when they come out.

#sff #MagpieReads #books #reading

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Book cover of The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson "Fiendishly charming and clever." Tashi Suri "A labyrinth of a book with a deeply human heart. I'm obsessed." Alix E Harrow

13/?
I know I've mentioned a few times how much I love Victoria Godard and her ever-growing collections of Nine Worlds novels and shorter stories.

I didn't realize she had released a new book in the Greenwing & Dart collection. It was delightful, as usual, and set me up to be excited about the new book that she will release later this month, Bubble & Squeak.

It's possible, even very likely, that I will be rereading that collection and immerse myself back in that world.

Comfort reads in these times of trouble are no small thing.

#VictoriaGoddard
#sff #MagpieReads #books #reading

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Book cover Olive and the Dragon by Victoria Goddard.

14/?
I was so excited to discover that Blair Braverman has an illustrated book out about one of her sled dogs, Leap. It's a sweet story.

One of the few things I truly miss about Twitter is her story time threads about her dogs.
#dogsofmastodon
#uglydogs #BlairBraverman
#childrensbooks
#MagpieReads #books #reading

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Illustrated cover of children's book showing a black and white sled dog puppy leaping over the snow with her human next to a dog sled on the left and all her grown-up dog friends on the right. The Day Leap Soared Words by Blair Braverman Pictures by Olivia When

15 & 16/?

The Witch Road duology by Kate Elliott was an enjoyable read that leaves the possibility of more stories set in this world.

I really appreciate the author's dedication:

"The Witch Roads duology is the book that reignited my love of writing during a rough period when I wondered if I should just quit. I therefore dedicate it to all who persevere even as it may seem easier to give up.
Never give up."

#MagpieReads #books #reading
#sff

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Book cover "An absolute gem of a story." -S. A. CHAKRABORTY on Servant Mage THE WITCH ROADS KATE ELLIOTT

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Book cover THE NAMELESS LAND "An absolute gem of a story!" -S. A. CHAKRABORTY on Servant Mage KATE ELLIOTT -RAJA NANDEPÜ

17/?
Many thanks to @JD_Cunningham for recommending this book.

I honestly don't know how to describe it other than beautifully written, lyrical, intimate, heart wrenching, and 100% worth it.

@kimlockhartga
#MagpieReads #books #reading

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Book cover. Drawing of a Nautilus shell. The text says: the archive of alternate endings. a novel. Lindsey Drager.

18-21/?
A number of people on here have recommended the Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein. I'm glad I listened, the books are excellent, the characters are wonderful, the world building is great, and I enjoyed all of them very much.

There's just one drawback. She published the first book in 1989 and the fourth book came out in in 2004. But the final two books are yet to be ... written? released? published? In any case - not available 😖

If you enjoy a good story and are not attached to having any kind of resolution or completion, other than in your own imagination, I highly recommend.

#MagpieReads #books #reading #scifi #sff #steerswoman

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Book cover: the steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein

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Book cover: the outskirter's secret by Rosemary Kirstein The steerswoman series volume two

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Book cover: the lost steersman by Rosemary Kirstein The steerswoman series volume three

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Book cover: the language of power by Rosemary Kirstein The steerswoman series volume four

22/?
Did I Tell You About the Light?

Although Rosemary Kirstein did not finish the steerswoman series (yet? 🤞), she does have a current Patreon with an ongoing series of letters slowly unfolding into a story told through poems. All kinds of poems. It's beautiful and poignant and stirs my imagination.

#MagpieReads #books #reading #scifi #Poetry
#steerswoman

23/?
Jo Walton has a column in Reactor magazine with what she's reading currently and some extra recommendations.

Cameron Reed's recent release, "what we are seeking" was one that she did not describe at all other than to give high praise. So I borrowed it from the library and just finished. It is something I need to read again in a day or two.

It is difficult for me to describe - yes, there are spaceships, and humans exploring the galaxy, and a continuing relationship with earth, and an exploration of what might happen when radically different cultures are trying to find a way to live with one another, including alien cultures, an exploration of gender and relationships and sexuality. I think it's worth a read.
#MagpieReads #books #reading #scifi

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Book cover: what we are seeking by cameron reed

24/?
I've been reading Michelle Sagara's books for about 25 years. She's prolific - both as Sagara and as Michelle West. I adore her found families, the individual characters, and her maturing over the years as a writer committed to her craft.

This is book 20 in Kaylin's story and book 24 in Elantra. She's beginning to tie some of the many threads together toward a resolution in unexpected and delightful ways.

#MagpieReads #books #reading #sff #MichelleSagara #Elantra

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Book cover: Michelle Sagara, Cast in Blood.

25/?

Just finished listening to Martha Wells new Murderbot Diaries audiobook - Platform Decay.

No spoilers - it is excellent!

#MarthaWells #Murderbot
#MagpieReads #books #reading #sff

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Book cover: Martha Wells, Platform Decay.

26/?
Rarely do I read fiction that isn't speculative - but this book was another recommended by Jo Walton so I tried it. I liked it.

It was a peaceful slice of life about the women in an English Benedictine convent in the mid 1950s through the 1960s. It is definitely a product of its time (published in 1969) but I found it inspiring.
#MagpieReads #books #reading #nuns

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Book cover: Rumer Godden, In this House of Brede.

27/?
Well ... this was a strange, disturbing book. I don't do well with surreal stories - especially living in this unaccountably surreal time.

It's considered a SF Masterwork from the late 80s. Well written, a story stuffed with stories. I ... am not sure if I will read it again - and that's unusual for me.
#MagpieReads #books #reading #sff

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Book cover: RACHEL POLLACK Unquenchable Fire SF MASTERWORKS 'Surrealistic, imaginative, wildly original!' MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY

28/?
I've seen Karen Armstrong's books since I worked as a manager at Barnes & Noble in the early 2000s while I was recovering from Lyme. For whatever reason, I was not ever tempted enough to pick one up and read it.

One of my neighbors recommended the Spiral Staircase the other day so I borrowed it. It was a really good book for me at this moment in time. There's a lot about her inner personal story that I relate to - even though outer circumstances appear to be quite different. And, as the best authors do, she shines a light and a potential pathway of understanding.

I'm not sure I know how to explain it right now but the past three books that I've read all seem to connect with one another. I'm glad I read her, and have borrowed a few other books.
#MagpieReads #books #reading #autobiography #religion

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Book cover: The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness by Karen Armstrong ANCHOR BOOKS

For their first short story collection, "The Wildcraft Drones," author T.K. Rex assembled a collection of sci-fi cli-fi solarpunk stories all set on the same fictional world. To learn more, check out this exclusive interview.
https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-wildcraft-drones-author-t-k-rex/
📖🪐🤖
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
#TKRex #TKRexInterview #TKRexTheWildcraftDrones #TKRexTheWildcraftDronesInterview #Books #Reading #BookTok #ScienceFiction #SciFi #SpeculativeFiction #CliFi #Solarpunk #ShortStories #ShortStory

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For their first short story collection, "The Wildcraft Drones," author T.K. Rex assembled a collection of sci-fi cli-fi solarpunk stories all set on the same fictional world. To learn more, check out this exclusive interview.

Finished reading 10 #books this year, hoping to read 50 by the end of the year.

#book #bookstodon #reading

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Screenshot from the app named openreads showing the number of books read in each month, total number of books read and total number of pages read.

I do my best to keep up with my field as a librarian, and I do read stuff in my field as I can. However, #LIS book prices are pretty much a #crime, which for me, if I am lucky, I can get a title via ILL from a better heeled library, or have to do without.

Pondering this as I get another vendor email promoting their LIS book selection and seeing the prices.

#books #reading #librarians #BadEconomy

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁" 𝗯𝘆 𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻 -

Ever since reading her 𝘕𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢, Stevenson's creative flame has impressed. Here is a graphic memoir of her early career, leaning on mental health challenges along the way.

#books #bookreviews #bookworm #readreadread #tbr #tbrpile #tbrlist #quotes #reading #ndstevenson #lumberjanes #nimona #memoir #thefirenevergoesout #graphicnovel #graphicnonfiction

Take action against book bans in the United States at www.bookbanpetition.us

#library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #lit

Quote from a book:

"...[I]f you cut [man's laws] down, d'you really think that you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"

~~from Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

#books #reading #libertarianism #anarchy #bookstodon

Sad news from the world of the arts.

> Marjane Satrapi, French Iranian artist and author behind ‘Persepolis,’ dies at 56
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/04/middleeast/marjane-satrapi-persepolis-author-dies-intl

#RIP #GraphicNovels #books #reading

Many points of entry into The Nod/Wells Timelines speculative-fiction literary universe exist.

Whether you're a fan of sci-fi, horror, the paranormal, or simply crave unique and thrilling tales that will stay with you forever, there's something for every reader!

https://michaelshotter.com

#specfic #scifi #speculativefiction #sciencefiction #horror #paranormal #thriller #book #books #read #reads #reading #readingcommunity #booksofmastodon #readersofmastodon #whattoread #bookstodon #booktodon #NWT

With summer just a few weeks away, it's the perfect time to follow along with the #ArcticGroundSquirrel, Sik-Sik, in Sik-Sik's Summer, as she takes in the Alaskan wilderness she calls home.

🔗 Purchase your copy: http://dlvr.it/TSsHry
and view more #Alaska photographs from our founder, Connie Taylor, at http://dlvr.it/TSsHs1

#books #reading #nature

🪶Η σημασία στην ομορφιά και την απόλαυση μοιάζει να αφομοιώνεται στην καθημερινή ζωή, όπως οι κόκκοι ενός διαλύματος μέσα στο νερό. | ΒΙΝΤΣΕΝΤΖΟ ΛΑΤΡΟΝΙΚΟ 

[Hellas | Sykia | July 2022]

Αξιοσημείωτα από το βιβλίο του ΒΙΝΤΣΕΝΤΖΟ ΛΑΤΡΟΝΙΚΟ «Η ΤΕΛΕΙΟΤΗΤΑ»

🪶«Στο Βερολίνο δεν είναι έτσι», έλεγαν στους φίλους τους, χωρίς κανένα ίχνος σνομπισμού ή αίσθημα ανωτερότητας, απεναντίας το έκαναν για να τους ενθαρρύνουν να τους ακολουθήσουν. Οι φίλοι τους ονειρεύονταν να τους επισκεφθούν ή ακόμα και να τους μιμηθούν. Και εκείνοι λαχταρούσαν μια αλλαγή που δεν έβρισκαν στη γενέθλια πόλη τους. Και εκείνοι ένιωθαν την ίδια ανάγκη για αφθονία.

🪶Η σημασία στην ομορφιά και την απόλαυση μοιάζει να αφομοιώνεται στην καθημερινή ζωή, όπως οι κόκκοι ενός διαλύματος μέσα στο νερό.

🪶Η αγάπη τους γινόταν μέρα με τη μέρα όλο και πιο βαθιά. Ήταν εραστές, σύντροφοι, οι καλύτεροι φίλοι. Ο δεσμός που είχε γεννηθεί στα φοιτητικά τους χρόνια είχε δυναμώσει χάρη στην περιπέτεια της μετάβασής τους στο εξωτερικό. Τα μικρά παραστρατήματα είχαν συγχωρεθεί ή αποσιωπηθεί. Μέσα από τις καθημερινές δυσκολίες είχαν μάθει να βασίζονται ο ένας στον άλλον.

🪶Στο Βερολίνο, η Άννα και ο Τομ ζούσαν μέσα σε μια φούσκα πιο περιορισμένη και πιο αποκομμένη από εκείνες που μόλις είχαν αρχίσει να δημιουργούνται στα κοινωνικά δίκτυα. Κατά κάποιον τρόπο, είχαν ριζοσπαστικοποιηθεί. Μιλούσαν σπαστά αγγλικά με ανθρώπους που ούτε κι εκείνοι τα είχαν ως μητρική γλώσσα. Ζούσαν σ’ έναν κόσμο όπου όλοι δέχονταν μια γραμμή κόκα, αλλά κανείς δεν ήταν γιατρός, ζαχαροπλάστης, ταξιτζής ή καθηγητής γυμνασίου. Κινούνταν αποκλειστικά και μόνο ανάμεσα σε διαμερίσματα πλημμυρισμένα στα φυτά και σε καφέ με άψογο Wi-Fi. Μακροπρόθεσμα, ήταν αναπόφευκτο να πιστέψουν πως δεν υπήρχε τίποτε άλλο.

🪶Αυτή η ιδέα της βουκολικής απόσυρσης ήταν από την αρχή εμμονή του Τομ, και δεν χρειαζόταν να σπαταλήσουν μήνες και χρήματα σ’ εκείνη την τρύπα για να καταλάβουν πως η αφέλειά τους ήταν αξιοθρήνητη. Στα τέλη του Δεκέμβρη έβρεχε επί δύο εβδομάδες, τις οποίες πέρασαν κλεισμένοι στη μονοκατοικία, κάνοντας άθλιο ύπνο και ξυπνώντας με μια ανυπόφορη ημικρανία που τους προκαλούσε ζάλη και μνησικακία. Τα φώτα του σπιτιού ήταν κιτρινωπά, ανεπαρκή, λες και ήταν πάντοτε σούρουπο. Δούλευαν από ξεχωριστά δωμάτια, ανταλλάσσοντας σχόλια για μακέτες και γραφικά μέσω Slack. Οι δουλειές τους ήταν εξαντλητικές, επαναλαμβανόμενες. Το απεριτίφ των επτά το μετέθεταν για τις εξίμισι, για τις έξι.

🪶Όταν ξαναπήραν πίσω το διαμέρισμά τους, δεν ένιωσαν πως είχαν επιστρέψει από κάποια οδύσσεια, παρά μόνο κουρασμένοι, με ένα σωρό εκκρεμότητες και καθάρισμα να τους περιμένουν. Όπως όλοι, όπως κάθε Απρίλιο στο Βερολίνο, έπεσαν με τα μούτρα στη δουλειά, περιμένοντας την άνοιξη. Εκείνη τη χρονιά άργησε να έρθει.

by SearchingTheMeaningOfLife

Βαθμολογία:

#Bookadict #Bookhoarder #Bookillustration #Bookishlove #Bookishquotes #Bookishsanctuary #Booklover #Bookmania #Booksandcoffee #Bookshelf #Booksofinsta #Bookstagramer #Bookstagramfeatures #Booktoday #Booktube #Lovequotes #MotivationalQuotes #Quotes #Quotes #Quotesilove #Quotesoflife #Thewriterswarmth #Wordpressblogger #book #books #excerpts #σκέψεις #Αξιοσημείωτα #αποσπάσματα #αποφθέγματα #γνωμικά #λόγια #maxims #reading

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