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

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

Just a few wisps, but it was enough to raise his flagging spirits. To know there was a possibility of making fire as long as he persevered.

– KEEPS WORKING AT IT

– CREATES A FIRE

Once he had fire, Ames knew he was back in business.

Now he needed to figure out how to boil water. Then he had to get hold of some food. Then he could worry about shelter. Comfort. And getting off this island.

=>

While he worked he was able to think.

He could see himself reflected in water. (Wavery, out-of-focus, and definitely not the him he should have been.) He could see his body and feel the differences with his hands.

It had been a long time since he had a healthy body, but this body was not his. Nowhere near his memories.

He was in the body of someone else. He didn’t know who, but he had to wonder.

Had he stolen someone’s body? Had he entered a dead body? Was this a new body created to house his wayward soul?

He knew nothing and he had no way to find out any information.

He didn’t even know if he was still in the world. For all he knew, this was a primitive world filled with magic and miracles. He knew nothing.

He was in an unfamiliar body on an unfamiliar island in a world he knew nothing about.

Ames pushed away the sense of panic and focused on the now. It was the only thing he could do.

Whatever else, survival was the main priority. Everything else was speculation and fantasy until he was able to contact the world off the island.

He focused on gathering food and bettering his shelter. Everything … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 008”

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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He was sunburnt and thirsty. He was worried he was going to die from sun sickness and was waiting for the fever to set in.

In the meanwhile he had to figure out how he was going to boil water. The last thing he needed on top of everything else was a parasitic infection. Even if he wanted nothing more than to shove his face in the mud and slurp up any bit of moisture he could reach.

Using his stick, he levered himself to his feet and ignored the momentary blackness that crossed his vision. He just took a deep breath and held still for a moment, then went to gather wood.

Once he had something to boil water in, he was going to need fire to heat it. Which meant figuring out how to get a fire started.

He had a vague idea of how rubbing sticks together could strike a spark but he had no practical knowledge. When he’d gone camping with friends in the past, they’d had lighters and prepared wood that only needed contact with a single flame to burn for half an hour.

It had been so easy and he’d never thought he’d need to know how to make a fire without a fire starter, but here he was: Naked on a deserted island.

Regrets about shoulda-coulda-wouldas had pretty much become the background music of his life, and he was hearing that old familiar tune playing once again. But how could he know he would end up in a place like this? He’d never even been on a cruise before!

The closest thing he’d come to an “ocean voyage” was occasionally riding on a ferryboat. He’d never been out of sight of the … Read the rest “NOVEL: Scumbag Billionaire 006”

Through a window darkly gazing
At a sight afraid to see
Breathing deep the salted water
Dreaming dreams, of you and me.