Backstory: "The Siege of Peter Marak" (Part 2)

For a long time, I've toyed with the idea of a character who isolates himself into his house as a defense against some sort of threat.  This character would then be approached by someone in dire need, thus presenting him with a choice: Protecting himself and thus sacrificing a bit of his humanity, or trying to help the person in need and then exposing himself to whatever it was that he feared so much in the first place.  After trying to make that idea work in other contexts, I finally found a home for it in "The Siege of Peter Marak."  The dilemma of whether to face his fear or save himself is the driving force of this story.

Backstory: "The Siege of the Peter Marak" (Part 1)

Like "The Alabama Hammer," this is a story that has become one of my pesonal favorites.  Like "Darkest Before Dawn," this is also a story that will need more than one blog entry to thoroughly unpack.  So, without further ado, let's delve into "The Siege of Peter Marak."

I've always been the kind of person who says, "If I'm well enough to drive myself to the doctor, I'm not sick enough to need a doctor."  Whereas I don't have a problem with my wife or kids going if they're sick, I usually will try to treat myself with over-the-counter medicine or even home remedies when I come down with something.  Most of the time, that strategy works out well enough and saves money on co-pays.  However, in late February/early March 2011, I got something that I couldn't shake.  What I thought was just a routine cold steadily got worse and worse, until finally Cindy insisted that I burn a sick day and go to the doctor.

New Story on Fear and Trembling: "The Siege of Peter Marak"

Just wanted to take a minute and let you know that I have a new story up on Fear and Trembling.  The title is "The Siege of Peter Marak," and it's the story of a man with a crippling phobia, faced with a terrible, life-or-death choice.  Here's the link--and the artwork that they used for this one is awesome:

http://www.fearandtremblingmag.com/2011/11/the-siege-of-peter-marak/

Of all stories I've had published so far, I must admit that this is one of my own personal favorites.  I'd really like to get your feedback.  I'm also trying something a little new with this story, in that I allude to another of my works in it, in an effort to "connect" some of my stories.  So please, give it a read, and leave a comment.  I'd really like to hear from you.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS