Ficathon: Aftereffects, by Mikey, red cortina

[mikes_grrl]

Title: Aftereffects
Author: mikes_grrl
Rating: Red Cortina for violence
Pairing: gen (really!)
Warnings: Description of a child's attack and murder. It's a brief description, but still...thought I'd be honest and upfront here. And, ANGST.
Word Count: 3,000~
PROMPT: Sam-whumping, an uncomfortable meeting, a flat tire (for slashedsilver).
Summary: Sam never recovers.

Comments

[jean_geanie]

*grabs an EPIC WIN stamp and uses it to cover up all the silly mentions of this fic being a fail in the Author Notes*

One of the things I really love about this is how there are all these tiny details, like the clothes Sam wears and the meaningless sex just being more ways to simplify and numb his life and Sam becoming a vegetarian after having to deal with te violence of a little girl gutted in front of him.

I also love how you make it so blatantly obvious that Gene still hasn't given up on Sam, that he still wants to salvage something of the partnership (and egads I'm using that word in the platonic sense!) they had.

I did have a feeling that Alice Hall was going to become Sam's replacement test card girl but the way you executed it with her being creepy but oddly protective and possesive of him (unlike the TCG who just tormented him) was excellent.

[mikes_grrl]

Thank you! I'm so glad you like it, despite my reservations. I appreciate your comment for detailing some of the things you liked about about the fic; I thought maybe I went overboard with the 'tiny details' but it all seemed to fit, and I was unsure of how Alice Hall would play out. So thanks for telling me! <3

[jean_geanie]

anytime ^_~

[dorsetgirl]

I can only say that it's a good job it's Gen Sam not Gene/Sam, otherwise your name on it would have me ignoring all the TERRIFYING RL issues I'm supposed to be dealing with right now!

I'll read when I come back from hols!

[mikes_grrl]

Oh no! I hope RL eases up on you a bit.

No worries, I'm sure you'll get back to reading fanfic the important things when you get a chance. *hugs, American syle*

[candesgirl]

No, no, just no. This, this is not fail, this is WIN in every area. Mikey, honey, this is just gorgeous and sad and haunting, it has creeped up over my skin and settled there in a way that some fics just can't and don't.

Sam's loneliness and insane ways and tragedy are multiplied by an extreme number by this horrific event, this little girl being raped and beaten and killed in front of him, and he is broken beyond repair, we see that. But also, and here is where the WIN on your part comes into play, we feel it.

And your Gene in this fic, I felt scared and panicked with him, and I felt that little moment of awkwardness that quickly dissipated into an easy partnership and shades of old when he got that flat tire and saw Sam. I saw Sam standing there after the Cortina pulled away and I grieved for them both.

And the end? Creepy but like jean_geanie said, in a different way than the TCG, in a protective and almost loving way. Really, WIN WIN WIN.

[mikes_grrl]

Gosh, thank you so much for that wonderful encouragement! You can tell I'm not sold on this fic, but it is a very nice feeling to know that a reader like you got something good out of it. Thank you!

[mikes_grrl]

Thank you, really, thank you so much. I'm glad there was some kind of triumph here for this fic, really I am.

Neat observation about Sam pulling away; I think maybe you are right, but Sam and his 'guardian' would not quite agree. Alas.

Thank you again for your lovely encouragement!

[gritsinmisery]

Absolutely positively NO FAIL at all. Brilliant, and scary.

[mikes_grrl]

Thank you! I was not aiming for scary, really, but with the ghost and the crazy, it worked out pretty spooky indeed. Thanks for commenting!