35,714

Another casting post, this time Samuel, the youngest character in the novel at 15 years old. He's a stowaway from the ship, ending up as one of the only "surviving" members of the crew. I wanted someone young, of course, who could also display an edge. Knowing where the character of Carl is headed in The Walking Dead, I know that the actor portraying him, Chandler Riggs, will have to display a maturity beyond his years, which makes him perfect for Sam. I guess he's going to be typecast as a "Zombie" actor.

"The Arctic Heart ... You will believe a man can die. And then undie. Direct to DVD this August."

My writing pace seems to be a few thousand words a day, which I might want to pick up on if I want to make any serious progress. But it's not for a lack of interest. I'm just tired I guess.

Excerpt:

Far north of the two camps, theirs and that belonging to the once men, Gregory and Denny are pulling themselves along on the ice. Denny has pulled out two of his ribs and uses them to make some leverage in the ice, pulling himself along. Gregory behind him has lost the fingers on both hands and has to use his elbows to pull himself along.

“Keep on, Denny,” he says. “We're making progress. We'll get there, we'll get there.”

Denny continues forward without looking back. It has been a day since they saw the trio of once men and although they know the men will likely return, they keep hope that with each yard they draw closer to their camp and salvation.

Greg begins to hear something behind them. He turns and looks and over the biting wind, he can see three shapes moving toward them. “Fuck.”

Denny looks back to him.

“Keep going!” He yells.

Gregory tries to move faster, but the lack of appendages makes it difficult. Denny stops moving entirely and rolls over onto his back.

Greg looks at him and stops moving as well.

The three once men approach.

“Look at all this progress!” Marcus exclaims. “Seems a shame to undo it all. Oh, well. Grab their legs.”

Thomas and Selvin grab the legs of the two men and they begin to walk in the opposite direction the two desperate men were headed.

“I wonder which of us will grow tired of this first? Us or them?” Marcus asks. Then, to his companions, “Let's go a bit further up this time. Over a couple hills.”

Denny, sliding on his back, looks up at the sky, blue behind a cast of musky gray clouds. Gregory is being dragged face down, the skin of his cheeks and nose steadily rubbing away.