DUEL with the DEVIL
Viewing comments for Chapter 31 "DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 31"The problem of creating a non-addictive painkiller
19 total reviews
Comment from Neonewman
I knew when the Angel was involved that Brian had O.D.'d. This broke my heart, even though I knew it was coming. It's hard to watch someone sprial out of control. I have a feeling this will be a wake-up call for him.
God bless,
Steve
reply by the author on 02-Sep-2024
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I knew when the Angel was involved that Brian had O.D.'d. This broke my heart, even though I knew it was coming. It's hard to watch someone sprial out of control. I have a feeling this will be a wake-up call for him.
God bless,
Steve
Comment Written 02-Sep-2024
reply by the author on 02-Sep-2024
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It is hard to watch, and difficult for the watchers to do anything to stop it. That has to be a personal decision the drug user comes to on his own when he's finally had enough. Thanks for letting me know how it's affecting you, Steve.
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My pleasure, Jim.
Comment from Rachelle Allen
Oy. That was intense! I feel bad for Daniel, having found him like that. And now Brian's going to have to pay the piper at school, too. The cause of the accident with Kimi will be more obvious now, as well. What a mess. Julia's one of a kind; that's for sure! And Fran's the best sister ever made. He has a lot going for him, so hopefully he can make that work in his favor. xoxo
reply by the author on 30-Aug-2024
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Oy. That was intense! I feel bad for Daniel, having found him like that. And now Brian's going to have to pay the piper at school, too. The cause of the accident with Kimi will be more obvious now, as well. What a mess. Julia's one of a kind; that's for sure! And Fran's the best sister ever made. He has a lot going for him, so hopefully he can make that work in his favor. xoxo
Comment Written 30-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 30-Aug-2024
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Yes, total surprise for Daniel because Brian has never told him his history before (I make that clear in a future chapter.) Brian is very lucky to have Fran and Julia because without them, he might never make it in life.
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Definitely!
Comment from lancellot
Well, we knew he would go back to his old ways since all of this is him telling us how he became a junkie. Given what Julia has been through and now has witnessed, I'm guessing she isn't his wife in the future.
Solid writing.
reply by the author on 30-Aug-2024
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Well, we knew he would go back to his old ways since all of this is him telling us how he became a junkie. Given what Julia has been through and now has witnessed, I'm guessing she isn't his wife in the future.
Solid writing.
Comment Written 30-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 30-Aug-2024
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We shall see.
Comment from T B Botts
Hello Jim,
this was a great chapter. I'm glad that Brian OD'ed. It might have saved his life. I hope that this is the wake up call that he needs to get squared away once and for all. I think that if I were Julia or Fran, I'd always be wondering if he was going to go off the deep end again. Well done.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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Hello Jim,
this was a great chapter. I'm glad that Brian OD'ed. It might have saved his life. I hope that this is the wake up call that he needs to get squared away once and for all. I think that if I were Julia or Fran, I'd always be wondering if he was going to go off the deep end again. Well done.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
Comment Written 28-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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Thanks so much, Tom. I'm very pleased you enjoyed it. You're right about the OD. In the long run, it may have saved his life. And you're also right about Fran and Julia's fears for Brian in the future. I don't know if addictions ever really go away. Maybe you just go into remission from them.
Comment from lyenochka
There's going to be a Part 2? I was hoping he'd get cleaned up really fast. At this point, Julia would have second thoughts about marrying him because he himself realized he would relapse again and bring her down with him. I can't see her mother approving the marriage. Anyway, it's so disappointing that he lied to his professor. Others know that his parents are dead but I guess his prof doesn't. Looks pretty bad for Brian...
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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There's going to be a Part 2? I was hoping he'd get cleaned up really fast. At this point, Julia would have second thoughts about marrying him because he himself realized he would relapse again and bring her down with him. I can't see her mother approving the marriage. Anyway, it's so disappointing that he lied to his professor. Others know that his parents are dead but I guess his prof doesn't. Looks pretty bad for Brian...
Comment Written 28-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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I think you'll especially enjoy Part 2, Helen, because you seem to like sciency stuff, and there will be a fair amount of that in Part 2. Some people may not enjoy that as much, but I will try to keep it interesting, not difficult to understand, have a minimum of jargon, and intersperse the sciency parts with more human interest parts.
It will be much briefer than Part 1 and comprises only 28% of the entire novel. We are near the 2/3 point right now in the story.
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Oh, I know you'll do a great job and look forward to learning some chemistry from you. I always regret not double majoring in a science plus literature. Did you read Wayne Fowler's book about the ant colony? He put a lot of science into it but I don't think the reviewers appreciated his hard work.
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I was reading and reviewing it too. Perhaps there was just a little too much I couldn't really relate to in that story, but it made me think a lot about the best way to present science within a novel and keep it interesting.
I always loved the novels of Michael Crichton. He seemed able to put a lot of understandable science in with an interesting story, and I was never overwhelmed by the sciency parts.
Please let me know if it gets to be too much.
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Okay! I always wanted to know more about chemistry. I was browsing through a botany book and was amazed by the similarity of chemical changes in the way plant digested!
Comment from tfawcus
Another chapter with intense emotional impact. It's a good thing Brian has such a strong support network. How will they manage to save him from himself, I wonder?
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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Another chapter with intense emotional impact. It's a good thing Brian has such a strong support network. How will they manage to save him from himself, I wonder?
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 28-Aug-2024
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It will be a joint effort in which he will be an active participant.
Thanks so much for your great 6-star rating, Tony. I'm very flattered you gave it to both these chapters.
Comment from Pearl Edwards
Yes, you hansled this crisis with Brian well in this chapter, Jim. He needed a wakeup call, and he got one. As in any health issues a good part of our healing is our loved ones around us. Well written Jim
Cheers
Valda
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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Yes, you hansled this crisis with Brian well in this chapter, Jim. He needed a wakeup call, and he got one. As in any health issues a good part of our healing is our loved ones around us. Well written Jim
Cheers
Valda
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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Thanks very much, Valda. I appreciate those 6 stars.
You're right about the loved ones. Brian probably couldn't make it on his own without the support they give him. He's about to find support in someone else too pretty soon.
Comment from royowen
I can understand the title now, another one would be, wrestling with the very foundation of life, or oneself, the source of all weakness and disaster. I should know, except mine was alcohol, less likely to physically die, but addiction is addiction, but I didn't have physical pain, just problems,, but pain pain, whatever form. Beautifully written Jim, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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I can understand the title now, another one would be, wrestling with the very foundation of life, or oneself, the source of all weakness and disaster. I should know, except mine was alcohol, less likely to physically die, but addiction is addiction, but I didn't have physical pain, just problems,, but pain pain, whatever form. Beautifully written Jim, blessings Roy
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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That devil takes many forms, and the only way to win against him is to duel with him head on. It seems like you've done that in your life, Roy. Good for you.
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I stopped blaming him, I was the one choosing the wrong way, God really helped.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Those pills were so good at the beginning, but Brian had never heard of fentanyl as an additive apparently. He made the mistake of thinking, since he was taking the drug anyway, he might as well reward himself with a great trip. Facing Julia and Fran was possibly the worst punishment he could have.
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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Those pills were so good at the beginning, but Brian had never heard of fentanyl as an additive apparently. He made the mistake of thinking, since he was taking the drug anyway, he might as well reward himself with a great trip. Facing Julia and Fran was possibly the worst punishment he could have.
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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Yes! It made him realize he's really blowing it, and he risks losing Julia if he persists. Let's hope he really takes it to heart and that the spinal cord stimulator works well for him.
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
I wonder if Scorch uses his product. I used to know a guy who sold cocaine in the 80s and he never touched the stuff; thought people who did were idiots, just like Scorch.
"Starting tomorrow" . . . how many junkies and drunks have said that. It's such a strong hold that it has on us.
He's going back to the dorm? I figured Fran would insist he come home with her.
Now he begins recovery again:-(
xo
Pam
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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I wonder if Scorch uses his product. I used to know a guy who sold cocaine in the 80s and he never touched the stuff; thought people who did were idiots, just like Scorch.
"Starting tomorrow" . . . how many junkies and drunks have said that. It's such a strong hold that it has on us.
He's going back to the dorm? I figured Fran would insist he come home with her.
Now he begins recovery again:-(
xo
Pam
Comment Written 27-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 27-Aug-2024
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The real Scorch, who this character was loosely based on, and who was in my freshman dorm at college, did use his own product, but then it was mostly weed. He started out as a pretty straitlaced engineering student, but fairly quickly devolved into a druggie once he got away from home. I don't know whatever came of him, as I lost track of him after freshman year.
You picked up on the most salient line of the chapter: "Starting tomorrow...." A common refrain among addicts.
This recovery will be good practice for what is to come later in Part 2 that you've already glimpsed in the Prologue.