Classics 08 (EP 214) - The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk

[StalinSays]

Update (Monday, September 29th, 2014): Drabbleclassics 8 - The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk
Feature: The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk by Eugie Foster
Drabble: My Hot Spot by Jessica Boughton
Genres: Drabbleclassics Fantasy Horror Strange
Original Episode: 214



Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
Achtromagk shuddered, lost in nightmare images: crimson lightning dotting a wasteland, twilight despair and feeble railings, isolation in a mewling throng. It thrashed and twisted but could not escape, could not stop the unwanted vistas in its mind.

It was silent. And soft. And dark...

Episode Art: David Flett
Returning My Sister's Face by Eugie Foster
This story is a Drabblecast original.

Twabble: “ "Worry not," he said, smiling, "I'm a white wizard!"

...it was only later I realized: Not only was he evil, he was racist. ” by Chris Munroe

[olivaw]

Nice.
I wonder whether Reynardine of Gunnerkrigg Court has similar feelings.

[whatever]

Loved the drabble for this episode: My Hot Spot. I was on my way to work and had to stop for a few moments to stop laughing

[Unblinking]

I loved loved loved this story! Yet another win for the Drabblecast's Lovecraft Month commissioned stories. Good work, Eugie!

And what is it with Drabblecast messing with the image of Teddy Bears, between this and Teddy Bears and Tea Parties?

I loved the reveal as we suddenly realize exactly what shape our demon overlord has taken, and the reveal as we find out why the mom is being such a terror lately. And how each demon's manifested form changes how they experience the world, and therefore what they value in it. The demon has always lived in a world devoid of sensation, and so he initially plans to wreak havoc in that world. Except that the first sensation he ever feels is the pleasant pressure of a little girl's hug, and he realizes that, dammit, that's all he really wants is a little affection. Brilliant.

And, I enjoy examining titles and picking out what makes one title better than another. I REALLY like this title. When you first see the title, it gives a dark Lovecraftian tone with unspeakable horrors, matching the beginning of the story. But once you find out what the actual wish is, for hugs and kisses, then by the end of the story it has a humorous tone, matching the end of the story. And it's extremely memorable because that wish is so wonderfully out of place in the mind of a demon. Loved it.

[eugiefoster]

Unblinking, thanks for the kind words! I'm delighted you enjoyed "The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk." It was great fun to write, and the Drabblecast folks did an A-1 job--as usual. Major snaps to Norm for his fabulous reading!

[strawman]

I just love Eugie Foster. She is some wonderful strange.
And Norm, even better than usual reading and production.
Can't wait for the upgrade on the rest of the site.

Of course, when you're a fractal, the job is never finished.

[eugiefoster]

Aw shucks, thanks, Strawman! "Wonderful strange" is high praise indeed for any writer.

[alhilton]

Adorable! I love Eugie's stories, and she hit this one out of the park.

I'm imagining Ellie years later with her husband or boyfriend - "Honey, do we really have to sleep with your teddy bear?"

Ellie: "Yes, it's important that Bear feels loved. You have no idea how important."

[Seraph]

Goddamn this was a great story !
The thing I liked most was the reversal of the usual Lovecraftian trope. Y'know - 'Insignificant human exposed to the broad alien expanse of the true universe - human goes insane'. Here we had 'eldritch powerful alien transposed into a very small / mundane world, becomes sane / caring'.
Just beautiful.

[Djinndustries]

Agreed, I definitely liked the switch of the traditional trope. I wonder, has there been a Lovecraftian story told from the point of view of the lurkers beyond the veil that describe us as mundane or horrors in our own right? As if their rugose cones were standard issue and our hideous four limbs abominations and iPhones as arcane communication devices.

[eugiefoster]

Alhilton, Seraph, & Djinndustries: Thank you!

Don't know why, but whenever I think of Lovecraftian elder gods, I think soft and huggy. Might be the plush Cthuhlu (like this one: http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/Cthulhu ... 0Large.jpg) sitting by my bed whispering to me in my sleep...

[swamp]

Wow! Unbelievable! Fantastic! What other non-profane explitive can I use to describe this story? I think it may sincerely be my favorite Drabblecast ever, even surpassing "Babel Probe".

Eugie, you have a gift. You are one of the most consistantly great authors I have come to know. I have enjoyed nearly every story of yours that I have read or heard, some more than others, but your batting average is near perfect. This one? Out of the park and halfway across town.

Norm? God of Podcasting! 'Nuff said.

So what did I like about this story? Everything Unblinking said. The reveal as we peice together what is going on, the determination of Achtromagk to fullfill both his and Ellie's wish, the power of love (cue Huey Lewis), the realisitic fear and dread invoked when the mother gets angry, seeing everything from a child's POV, i.e. confusing, scary, etc. Just good, good stuff.

[eugiefoster]

Thank you so much, Swamp! I'm downright giddy at how well my work, and particularly "The Wish of the Demon Achtomagk," has been received by Drabblecast listeners! I shall grow a swollen head. Or possibly a passel of cute, cuddly tentacles.

[Mikes]

I'm going to wade into the lovefest here. This story was just great. It had me laughing out loud at the "Why did you stop?" moment and was just warm a fuzzy all the way through.

Awesome episode, great story and I loved the art, too. I'd wear a tshirt with that on.

[NoNotRogov]

The Mythos as a metaphor for abuse? The Power of Friendship overcoming the tentaventricular heart of an abomination from beyond space/time? I wouldn't expect anything less from the podcast of weird stories for weird listeners.

[tbaker2500]

No point repeating all that'd been said here, 'cause I can't compliment as eloquently as others here. But I bet you I can top where/how the story was listened to.

I was at our local state park doing Geocaching. Lo an behold, but it starts to rain. Being more than 1/2 mile from the nearest shelter, I look at the nearby forest. Hm, no thunder. Dare I take shelter there? Well, I dared. The rain was the thoroughly soaking variety. I had some gadgets with me in a pack, including my iPad. Not wanting it (or me) to get soaked, I dig deeper and deeper into the woods, eventually scrunching up at the base of a big bush under a evergreen under a large deciduous. As long as I didn't move more than a few inches, I stayed pretty dry.

So, to pass the time, I pull out the iPad which happened to be loaded with this story. Ah! Magnifique! The rain took almost an hour to let up, but the whole time I was kept warm thinking of teddy bears.

Bravo, people!

[cinnamon]

I love it.

[Algernon Sydney is Dead]

Very nice! This is now my favorite Lovecraftian story. (It might possibly explain my ex, too. )

"Yes, it's important that Bear feels loved. You have no idea how important."

[nevermore_66]

My little Goddaughter, who is about five years old, has a plush Cthulhu. I bought it for her a few years back, and she was too young to have much of a reaction to it at the time. But now...she LOVES it. I just visited home over my vacation got to witness first hand, how she squeezes the sleeping Old One tight and says, "Cthulhu!" in a little voice. BEST. PURCHASE. EVER.

The best part was seeing her show another little girl Cthulhu, demonstrating how it not only has arms and legs, but tentacles and wings, and the realization on the other girl's face that maybe...maybe her stuffed animal was now found wanting.

I love this story. I love how it's written, to a nigh maniacally envious degree. I can't promise I would not try and eat the brains of the author if I were to run across her...but I can say it would be purely out of love and desire for her powers.

You really captured that stomach tightening dread of being a child in that sort of situation, knowing something is wrong, but not fully understanding it (easily as frightening as the cosmic horrors). An outer god in a teddy bear! Excellent production, and I really dig this week's story artwork too.

[normsherman]

My little Goddaughter, who is about five years old, has a plush Cthulhu.
I just visited home over my vacation got to witness first hand, how she squeezes the sleeping Old One tight and says, "Cthulhu!" in a little voice. BEST. PURCHASE. EVER.

The best part was seeing her show another little girl Cthulhu, demonstrating how it not only has arms and legs, but tentacles and wings, and the realization on the other girl's face that maybe...maybe her stuffed animal was now found wanting.

L.O.V.E. it!!! there's a fun mythos story in that somewhere also.