2. Wild Mustang

Rupert grabbed a cigar and jumped out of the window. It was cool, they were on the main floor. Frank caught up to him in a minute, taking the front door of their office. "Couldn't you just take the door like all socially acceptable people?" he asked. Rupert gave a frown, stared at his partner for a second, and ignored the comment, grabbing his keys. As they went around the corner to the parking lot, Frank once again asked: "And what's with the cigar? I never knew you smoked." As he got to the driver's door of a black mustang 2030 - the finest in the region - Rupert stopped and turned around, lifting his shoulders in confusion. Frank knew. "You need to throw these away Rupe, they are absolutely not stylish. They went out of style when your grandmother was born." To which Rupert simply replied: "Just take your goddamn seat."

They both got in the car. As soon as Frank was sitting in the passenger's seat, Rupert threw a magazine to his face. On the front page, a young sexy lady was shown with a cigar in her mouth. Frank grabbed it out of confusion, and sighed at the sight. Rupert looked at him with a told you so look, and as quick as thunder, Frank pulled the cigar out of his mouth, throwing it outside. "HEY! That's like, super expensive! You can't just throw it away!"

Frank gave no answer and just stared.

After a long pause, Rupert mumbled a fine and gave the pedal a kick.

And like a bullet they were gone, again.

For the most unprofessional adventure of their lives, ever.

1. The Cloak And The Dagger

When the phone rang, Rupert Spring didn't even bother reaching for it. In a matter of seconds, Mister Glorious Private Eye had snatched it up. "Lucidity Investigations, Frank Clearwater speaking." Rupert watched and listened, but as always, his partner's interaction with the unknown caller was cryptic at best. Frank merely reacted to what the person said. Rupert had asked him hundreds of times to buy a projection phone, but noooo. Mid 20th century technology it was. After all, this was about keeping him second in line.

Finally, Frank hung up and reached for his coat and hat.
"Get your gear, Rupe", he said. "We're on a mission."

Dénouement.

...or: unravelling arborescent narrative threads detrimentally interconnected in impervious gallimaufry.

This project is not dead! It's only closed until further notice.

The reason is that the first improvised novel we've been working on has gone overboard with complexity to the point where it confuses the crap out of everybody who tries to read it. It featured four interwoven storylines that we tried to integrate into one overarching plot. Along the way, each of us was coming up with a plethora of ideas, new characters, twists and turns, and we had to construct increasingly elaborate explanations to fit them into the larger context of the plot. Add to this that it was skipping back and forth between the four storylines, and you'll see that losing track was ineluctable. If that was true for the writers, it was sure to alienate any reader.

Feeling that this has become not a story about four characters, but four stories about one character each, we are revamping this project. In the not too distant future, one new story (at a time) will unfold in these hallowed halls of Doomsmile. It shall be straightforward, dark, funny (most probably in a sick way) and exciting. So here it is...

ANNOUNCEMENT 1: Doomsmile will be back with a new storyline.

What we have written so far, however, will certainly not disappear in our trashcans. There are spin-offs in the making, each of which will focus on one character. These "Chronicles" will feature the storylines from the old Doomsmile story, plus new adventures. Links will be added to this site as soon as spin-offs go online.

ANNOUNCEMENT 2: each character will have their own "Chronicles" spin-off.

Click here to see the first edition of Doomsmile (PDF):
It's Doom! Smile! - The First Story.