Writer Needs Assistance from Microbial Ecologist
Budget: £10 – £20 GBP
Hi,
A bit of an unusual question but one that’s had me stumped for a while now. I’m writing a story (technically a series of interlocking stories that are tied together by an over-arching narrative). However, there is a secondary over-arching narrative which, although it exists within the world of the main story, has no impact on any of the events themselves (Alan Moore’s “Tales of the Black Freighter”, the in-universe comic-book whose stories appear in amongst “Watchmen” seems to be the closest example). It revolves around a character who is a microbial creature but one with a kind of basic sentience, awareness and language (its main mantra being the somewhat crude, “Feed. Fight. F*ck”). It can also perform basic tasks, problem solve, it seems to have some sort of goal (to reach a certain place so it can “leave”) and, even stranger, appears to carry rudimentary clothing and weapons. The intimation is that it’s not of this Earth but I’d like it to interact with some of our earthbound microbes, with those experiences ranging from passive to very aggressive, depending on the microbe involved. My problems are these: what kind of microbes would fit the bill for it to encounter? His location is a little obscured due to the nature of the whole story but anywhere from Britain, Germany, Eastern Europe, China or Russia would work (or even a mix of those as locations are very fluid and unusual in and of themselves in the story). I see the protagonist microbe being thrown from one scenario to the next: in the weave and weft of clothes; on somebody’s skin; being blown by air currents onto a wall and a window and then suddenly carried outside; landing in a puddle; having to negotiate grass or leaves on a tree; you hopefully get the idea. But the scale would turn the most mundane scenario into an epic quest: an office wall would become a series of almost never ending vast, white canyons; the skin on someone’s face a slick, marshland of treacherous holes with hidden fauna (Demodex?), a window would become a terrifying see through barrier leading to a heart-pounding drop, littered with crevasse after crevasse. At least that’s the kind of experience I’m going for. But I really need help in knowing what microbes I could use. Would any be a threat? Could any even be a help (I’ve got the crazy idea that it might be able to capture and ride one!). What microbes would live in what environment? Would there be enough to have an interesting spread in the locations that are available (if it’s a help. Could be sent down a sewer or near the sea)? I know this is an incredibly strange ask but if there’s any one who thinks they may be able to help it would really be tremendously appreciated!
Kindest Regards,
Leigh.
A bit of an unusual question but one that’s had me stumped for a while now. I’m writing a story (technically a series of interlocking stories that are tied together by an over-arching narrative). However, there is a secondary over-arching narrative which, although it exists within the world of the main story, has no impact on any of the events themselves (Alan Moore’s “Tales of the Black Freighter”, the in-universe comic-book whose stories appear in amongst “Watchmen” seems to be the closest example). It revolves around a character who is a microbial creature but one with a kind of basic sentience, awareness and language (its main mantra being the somewhat crude, “Feed. Fight. F*ck”). It can also perform basic tasks, problem solve, it seems to have some sort of goal (to reach a certain place so it can “leave”) and, even stranger, appears to carry rudimentary clothing and weapons. The intimation is that it’s not of this Earth but I’d like it to interact with some of our earthbound microbes, with those experiences ranging from passive to very aggressive, depending on the microbe involved. My problems are these: what kind of microbes would fit the bill for it to encounter? His location is a little obscured due to the nature of the whole story but anywhere from Britain, Germany, Eastern Europe, China or Russia would work (or even a mix of those as locations are very fluid and unusual in and of themselves in the story). I see the protagonist microbe being thrown from one scenario to the next: in the weave and weft of clothes; on somebody’s skin; being blown by air currents onto a wall and a window and then suddenly carried outside; landing in a puddle; having to negotiate grass or leaves on a tree; you hopefully get the idea. But the scale would turn the most mundane scenario into an epic quest: an office wall would become a series of almost never ending vast, white canyons; the skin on someone’s face a slick, marshland of treacherous holes with hidden fauna (Demodex?), a window would become a terrifying see through barrier leading to a heart-pounding drop, littered with crevasse after crevasse. At least that’s the kind of experience I’m going for. But I really need help in knowing what microbes I could use. Would any be a threat? Could any even be a help (I’ve got the crazy idea that it might be able to capture and ride one!). What microbes would live in what environment? Would there be enough to have an interesting spread in the locations that are available (if it’s a help. Could be sent down a sewer or near the sea)? I know this is an incredibly strange ask but if there’s any one who thinks they may be able to help it would really be tremendously appreciated!
Kindest Regards,
Leigh.