Harper Kingsley

Title: Scumbag Billionaire
Author: Harper Kingsley
Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

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He’d been surrounded by the aspect of death for his entire life.

It was part of living in the modern world. To constantly be barraged with misery and death until the brain became inured to it. Violence and vulgarity became something the mind automatically glossed over.

Ames had been so totally engulfed in apathy towards death that his cancer diagnosis had shaken his foundation.

He completely fell apart.

He’d been inured to the concept of death.

He was terrified of dying.

It had taken all his strength to pretend to be all right with his death. He’d given smiles to his family and friends. He’d done everything he could to keep them from seeing his gibbering terror.

He’d dealt with the pain and the indignity himself far, far away. He hadn’t wanted anyone to see him falling apart.

Even after the treatment had failed, he’d kept up the act that he was dying with grace.

His panic and despair were the only things he’d been able to keep for himself as sickness had taken away everything else. No one had thought to let him keep any privacy.

He’d maintained his facade of graceful acceptance right up until the very end. He hoped his loved ones would be able to go on with their lives. He didn’t want to be a negative burden that anyone had to bear.

He hoped that he was remembered fondly.

A bright flame burn out too quick, he thought. There were so many things he’d never gotten the chance to do. He’d gone straight from working hard every day to lying in his death bed. There had been no transition period. Simply the realization that all those chances were gone.

There were so many things … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 009”

Title: Scumbag Billionaire

Author: Harper Kingsley

Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

Ames gathered dry sticks and a mass of brown twigs (?) that he assumed was some kind of moss. At the same time, he also plucked some broad long leaves that he wove together into a pseudo-hat. It wasn’t very pretty, but it was good enough to block the sun.

With his hat on his head, he used the dry moss to make a nest with some small sticks waiting on the side. Then he used some sticks to make a teepee shape over the tinder nest. He was trying to remember everything he had ever seen or read about starting a fire without a lighter.

If he had some string, he would make a bow. Since he didn’t have any, he would have to spin the drill by hand. He wasn’t sure he could spin it fast enough to get a flame, but he had to try.

Water, food, fire, shelter–the basics for survival.

Ames used a rock to scrape the pice of wood he’d chosen to be a fireboard. The wood was about 13 inches long and three inches wide. He struggled to make a small hole in it with the rock and cursed when he hurt his fingers.

By the time he was done, it wasn’t pretty but it was a start. Next he used his rock to strip and sharpen the tips of the sticks he’d chosen to be drill.s. He figured he’d make more than one as he wasn’t completely sure of the strength of the wood.

He rested for a few minutes, knowing he was going to need a burst of strength for the next step. Then he drew in a deep breath, used his foot to hold the fireboard in place, and began … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 007”

Title: Scumbag Billionaire

Author: Harper Kingsley

Story Landing Page: https://kimichee.com/novel-scumbag-billionaire

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CHAPTER TWO

He was still alive a day later. He didn’t know how he had managed such a miracle, but his sheer determination and refusal to die had seen him through the night.

Parched and miserable. Sunburnt and feverish. He’d crawled for what felt like years to reach the shade. Then he’d begun to dig with his aching hands and feet, writhing against the sand until he created a groove for his body to rest.

In his mind, he had imagined that if he didn’t survive he would have dug his own grave. If anyone ever came and found him, they’d have a neatly arranged skeleton to deal with.

He wondered if museums existed in this world he’d found himself in. Imagined his remains pinned to a frame and displayed in a glass case. Idly wondered what the information plaque would say.

Ames fell into a delusion-rich state. Not quite unconsciousness, but nothing that could be described as consciousness either. He drifted in his own mind and he let it happen, relieved to escape from the screaming pain of his own skin.

The sun went down, bringing cool relief. He’d shivered through the dawn to lick the underside of nearby leaves. Ignored the pain of his tongue as he desperately consumed as much dew as he could find, dragging his body from broad-leaved plant to broad-leaved plant.

He survived the night.

Then he fought to survive his second day. Naked and without supplies. Possessing only minimal survival skills. But refusing to give up, not when he’d been given a miraculous second chance at life.

His skin was hot and tight. his lips were dry and crusty, feeling as though they would split and bleed at any moment.

Every bit … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 005”