Tag: vampires

Hemo Sapiens Versions

Posted in hemo sapiens, homo sapiens sanguinius, Sci-Fi, WritingTagged , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

The Hemo Sapiens project has had my mind and fingers pretty occupied lately. I am a structured thinker, so I need to understand a lot of minutiae as I world-build. One aspect of this world are the inhabitants. As the setting is modern-day earth and the near future, much of this is established and can be left unsaid, but newly introduced characters need some definition, boundaries, and rules. Here, I explore this.

At the highest level, we have genetically engineered embryos that have been cloned in versions, as outlined below: alpha, beta, gamma, and so on. Each successive version has improvements over the previous version.

The first, alpha, version are substantially similar to humans, save for being sanguivorous or rather macro erythrophages or hemophages, to borrow some near terms. Not being, obligatory hematophagous, they only require blood as ancillary nutritional intake.

Hemo sapiens extract blood through their hollow fangs. The blood is processed an metabolised by an special internal organ.

In the accompanying podcast audio recording, I provide addition behind-the-scenes editorialising. This complements the content below. So check it out.

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ridley-park6/episodes/Hemo-Sapiens-Creature-Versions-e28lk0q
Podcast: Ancillary audio for this page content

Versions

Alpha (2022)

The alpha versions of hemo sapiens arrived in 2022 (31 October 2022); They are wholly like humans except they have hollow fangs to extract blood and a specialised internal organ. Without a viable blood source, hemo sapiens exhibit symptoms similar to severe anaemia. 

  • – Baseline with fangs and blood metabolism
  • – Identical lifespan and physiology to humans
  • – No enhanced abilities

Beta (2032) 

  • – More efficient blood processing  
  • – Superhuman strength and stamina if fed enough blood
  • – Accelerated healing and injury recovery
  • – Higher immunity and disease resistance
  • – Improved cognitive abilities and focus
  • – Lifespan increased to 120 years

Gamma (2037)

  • – Enhanced speed, reflexes, and agility
  • – Low light vision capabilities 
  • – Rapid healing of minor wounds
  • – High pain tolerance
  • – Increased lung capacity and breath holding
  • – Resistance to toxins and pathogens
  • – Lifespan increased to 130 years

Delta (2040) 

  • – Significantly extended lifespan to 160 years
  • – Accelerated cellular regeneration 
  • – Ability to ingest limited amounts of non-blood food
  • – Increased strength without added blood consumption
  • – Powerful immune system resists virtually all toxins and diseases
  • – Delayed onset of ageing effects

Epsilon (2042)

  • – Maximum lifespan extended to 200+ years  
  • – Regeneration and healing within minutes even from major wounds
  • – Blood consumption reduced to minimal levels
  • – Near invulnerability to toxins, viruses, and infections
  • – Telepathic communication among Epsilon hemo sapiens 
  • – Extrasensory perception (limited precognition)
  • – Heightened intelligence and cognitive function

Milestones

  • Year 2012 – CRISPR first used to edit genes
  • Year 2017 – Scientist begins early CRISPR experiments on somatic cells
  • Year 2020 – First successful CRISPR germline edits made to embryos
  • Year 2022 – Alpha version hemo sapiens born
  • Year 2032 – Beta version hemo sapiens born
  • Year 2039 – Gen-One Alpha hemo sapiens emerge as Gen-Zero members begin reproducing
  • Year 2037 – Gamma version hemo sapiens born
  • Year 2040 – Delta version hemo sapiens born 
  • Year 2042 – Epsilon version hemo sapiens born
  • Year 2048 – Gen-One Beta hemo sapiens emerge as Gen-Zero betas begin reproducing

Hemo Sapiens: The Unidentified

Posted in flash fiction, hemo sapiens, Short StoryTagged , , , , , 10 Comments
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ridley-park6/episodes/Hemo-Sapiens-The-Unidentified-e28ko1m
Podcast: Audio rendition of this content

“Sweet dreams, my little star. Tomorrow will be as sunny as your smile,” Emily says, leaning down to kiss her five-year-old, Grace. The room’s dim, nightlights casting soft glows on the walls, filling the air with quiet chatter as other parents do the same for their kids. The air smells like warm milk and laundry fresh from the dryer. 

A hush falls as Emily walks back to her bed. The night’s sacred, a calm oasis in a stormy world. Emily sinks into her bed, her mind dissolving into a haze of comfort as sleep takes her.

“Just follow instructions!”

The door splinters open, no warning, just a loud-ass bang. Chaos floods in—uniforms, torchlights, boots stomping. 

“Hands up!” someone shouts, too damn close. 

Emily dives over Grace, blocking the light with her body. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Just follow instructions!” comes the muffled reply.

The room’s a shambles—footsteps, radio talk, kids whimpering. It’s like a nightmare, but she’s wide awake. 

“Mummy, I’m scared.”

Rain mists the courtyard, cold against her fear. Emily’s yanked up, losing her grip on Grace. She scans the place—families clumped together, kids bawling, agents everywhere. More vans pull in, headlights cutting through the rain. 

“What’s your name?” An agent barks.

“Emily. Emily Alpha,” she chokes out.

“Alpha? Like all these?” He waves a hand. “Fucking Alpha reunion here.”

Emily clenches her jaw. They don’t get it. 

“No moving! No talking!” The agent shouts. Silence falls, broken by kids’ sobs. 

“Mummy, I’m scared,” Grace’s voice shakes.

“Me too, baby. Me too.”

“Look, twins?”

“Look, twins?” An agent nudges his mate. Emily passes two women, spitting images of her.

“Twins? Nah. Quadruplets there,” the mate points. 

“Quads? Are you daft? Another pair. What’s happening?”

“Oi, no IDs. And it’s all Alpha and Beta. Science experiment?”

“More like a clone farm.”

Emily’s fists tighten. “Clone farm? Like we’re lab rats?” 

“Mummy, will we be alright?” Grace’s voice is a thin thread.

“We have to be,” Emily murmurs, catching a sibling’s eye. “We just have to.”

The van doors slam shut. Engines growl, drowning out her spiraling thoughts. Darkness inside, darkness out.

“What happens now, Mummy?”

Harsh lights sting Emily’s eyes. She’s pushed along a taped line on the floor, Grace following like a lost shadow. Different uniforms—Immigration, Social Services, nerdy lab coats—are buzzing around, huddled over clipboards and tablets.

“Step here, extend your arm,” an agent instructs.

Emily complies, wincing as a plastic tag is cinched around her wrist—like she’s livestock. 

“No IDs, surnames Alpha and Beta, empty blood bags found,” one agent blurts out.

“Bags of blood? Genetic experiment gone rogue?” another questions.

Grace trembles. “What happens now, Mummy?”

“We get through it, love. We have to.”

“Blood bags and fangs.”

Emily sits across a metal table, a stern interrogator staring back. “I’m on it.” The interrogator puts down her radio.

“Open your mouth,” she orders, leaning forward intently.

“Why?” But Emily complies.

The woman leans in, eyes narrowing. “Fangs? You a vampire or something?”

Incredulous, Emily screws up her face and rolls her eyes. “Vampire?”

“Check for fangs,” the interrogator radios her team.

“We’ve got more here. Same teeth,” a voice crackles back.

“Blood bags and fangs. It’s getting weird,” the interrogator mutters.

Emily feels her spine chill. “We’re not vampires, not experiments, not whatever you think we are,” she snaps.

Weeks go by, more tests, more questions. Emily steals moments with Grace. “Mum, we’ll be alright, won’t we?”

“I don’t know, love,” Emily answers softly. “But we’ve got each other. That’s something.”

Grace studies her mother’s face.

“Some new people have come here, and they want to learn about us and where we live,” Emily says, stroking Grace’s hair. “So we have to go with them for a little while, so they can ask their questions. But we’ll still be together.”

She lifts Grace’s chin gently. “It may feel strange and scary at times. But I’ll be right here holding your hand. And all your aunties and uncles will be close by too. We’re still a family, no matter what.”

Grace’s lip quivers, eyes wide and watery. Emily kisses her forehead. “I know you’re my brave girl. We’ll get through this together, and soon we’ll be tucked back in our own warm beds. But for today, we’ll have a little adventure together. Okay?”

Grace manages a small nod. Emily squeezes her hand, heart swelling and aching all at once. They didn’t understand yet, but someday they would tell their real story.

NB: This was my day today. I ended up with flash fiction rather than a short story. I’ll consider it to be a draft. Perhaps I’ll augment it later. It’s got past midnight, and I am knackered to no end. Can’t even proofread another character. As I’ve noted, short stories are new to me. Evidently, so is flash fiction. It feels a tad short, but I’ll sleep on it. Be that as it may, I am constructing a universe as a foundation for further exploration. Feel free to add comments or constructive criticism.

More Hemo Sapiens

Posted in Book, homo sapiens sanguinius, Short Story, Status Update, WritingTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment

Now I’ve really done it. Distracted myself to no end. No wonder I can’t seem to finish anything lately. My recent foray into Hemo sapiens or Homo sapiens sanginius was only supposed to be a quick diversion to clear my mind. Instead, it’s got me thinking about an entire universe from origin to however-so-many scenarios.

Now I am pondering whether to write some loosely connected short stories or assemble a larger work, like a novel or series. Why not all of the above?

The challenge is that I am more curious than passionate about this, and I’ve got only a fleeting interest. Perhaps. I am no stranger to speculative fiction, but world building is not up my street. And urban fantasy, to the extent that this might be urban fantasy, is not a favoured genre. I’m looking at you, Twilight.

I may simply noodle this for now until I suss out something. Meantime, I may be sharing my thoughts and output here. Please stand by…

Hemo Sapiens

Posted in homo sapiens sanguinius, Short Story, WritingTagged , , , , , 10 Comments

I’m new to writing short stories, but I am an experimental writer always up to a challenge. Here are the opening paragraphs of Homo Sapiens Sanguinius, a phrase I might spell differently each time I type it. The setting is near-future Brighton.

“We’re not vampires,” I spit out, locking eyes with Ray as he scrubs down the bar. The pub’s shoddy lights throw dodgy shadows all over. Smells like a mix of skint dreams and last night’s piss-ups.

Ray sets down another pint, glass tilting in practiced hands. “You alright, Eddie? You look knackered.”

“Am I bloody alright? I’m gutted, mate.” He slides the pint toward me—amber nectar topped with froth. A quick fix, but who’s fooling who?

The telly flicks from some wanker politician to the news. Dr. Sarah Wright’s name crawls across the screen. “Dozens more dead.” My stomach churns.

“Bollocks,” I mutter, necking half the pint. It’s all gone tits up, and what’s everyone doing? Gawping at footie like we’re some sort of joke.

I drain the last of my pint, eyeing the telly again. “Fuckin’ useless, all of ’em,” I grumble, my finger stabbing at the air toward the talking heads. They’re just prattling on, ignoring the shitstorm brewing.

Ray catches my drift, his eyes narrowing. “You reckon they’ll sort it?”

“Sort it? Mate, they’re more clueless than a sodding chav at a wine tasting.” I toss some coins on the counter, enough to settle the tab. “I’m off. This place is doing my head in.”

“Take care, Eddie. And watch your back, yeah?” Ray calls out as I turn to leave.

I push through the door, the pub’s clamour fading behind me. Fresh air hits my face like a wake-up slap. Only it ain’t waking me up from this nightmare.

Just then, I bump into some bloke. “Oi! Watch it, wanker,” he snarls.

“I’ve got bigger fish to fry than dealing with tossers like you,” I snap back, shoving past him.

As I stomp down the pavement, each step heavy with dread and resentment, I can’t shake off the thought: we’re on our own in this mess, no cavalry coming for us. And that thought? It’s bloody terrifying.

Disclaimer: This content relates to a work in progress. As such, details are subject to change or removal.

Homo sapiens sanguinius

Posted in homo sapiens sanguinius, Short Story, Status Update, WritingTagged , , , , , 3 Comments

I thought that I was onto something when I was diverting my attention with a new short story. This story is set in (relatively) near-future Brighton where an emergent species coexist alongside us homo sapiens sapiens. Borrowing from the existing taxonomy, I decided to try homo sapiens sanguinius, bloodsucking, thinking man.

In this story, these people experience a pandemic due to a government experiment gone awry. Any similarities to Covid-19 is purely coincidental. And I’ve got a bridge for sale.

These people are known idiomatically as hemo sapiens and pejoratively as vampires. They are like humans in all ways except they also need to drink blood through their fangs, their only outwardly distinguishing feature. No other vampire lore need apply. Being a new species, mating is iffy, but I won’t address that anyway. It’s supposed to be a short story.

Myself, I am not into vampire stories or urban fantasy, yet here I go–and I’m not sure where it will go. I’m not sure I think in short story. Lots of reductive editing. Time will tell.

If you’ve got any comments to share on hemo sapiens or writing short stories, feel free to leave them below.