God's Fireman

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My name is Alexander. My name was originally Alexsandr. I am of Russian heritage. For three years I lived in comfortable living off of a soviet soldiers income, but I had little understanding of my importance. When I was four years old my whole world changed. I lost my family, my home, my city, and almost my life.

My father was a Russian soldier. He was on guard duty when his life was ended. He was one of the lucky ones, as he died painlessly. My mother had a small kitchen that she cooked from. She survived the initial blast of the reactor meltdown only to die two days later from the radiation poisoning. I had one brother, he was just playing with me near the kitchen when the blast reached our house he was gone. They never found a body.

Now you might be wondering how I survived a nuclear explosion at four years old. Well I think it was Gods mercy. I know it sounds insane, but because of the Chernobyl meltdown, that was the explosion that gives me my powers I have saved many lives and defended my new country, America. I know more confusion, let me explain, I am getting ahead of myself.
Americans came to examine what happened and a young man found me. I was in the ruins of my house living from the little food I had. I was decontaminated and cleared to be adopted by him. He had a young wife and they wanted a child and I was it. It was God watching over me again, because if I discovered my abilities in Russia or the Ukraine I would have been executed. I would have been executed for being the incarnation of Satan.

I lived a normal life until I was 10, but then at 10 I changed. I didn’t really notice but I could touch a hot stove and be unscathed. I thought it was weird but I didn’t tell anyone. Then my mom signed me up for a self defense class. Another landmark in my young life. The teacher was a martial artist named Linus who studied everywhere he could to enhance his skills. The thing was I was his only student. I was a skilled learner I was fast, I had lots of energy.

He offered me a lunch one day I accepted; we had lunch in the studio. I could touch the hot pan without flinching, he thought it was interesting. Then my master lit a match and put it to my hand. I was perfectly fine, no pain no burns. He was amazed; he had only seen that in hands that had been injured and had no more nerves and he knew my hands were fine.

Then he asked me to try to control the fire and I could. My training went half self defense half fire manipulation for five years. I was fifteen when I completed the entire course he could think of. Then he called a friend. His friend had a very private dojo and he trained special apprentices only. His friend said he would try me to see if he would take me in or not.

We then went to the sensei’s dojo. It was only four blocks from my house and three from my school. When I entered the door I was instantly attacked by two assailants I dispatched them easily. We were then greeted by a man in his 80’s.

We shook hands and I was put on the mat to test my abilities. My opponent was a boy. He looked like he could be sitting next to me in school. We spared then I first witness powers other than my own. I felt cold and I saw ice covering my feet so I countered with a simple fire attack. He used an ice shield but it didn’t work. My fire went right through it. The sensei said I passed then he gave me his name. His name was Nolan, no last name.

He agreed to take me on. I trained there for two more years I had mastered my powers, I thought. I could make shields, weapons; armor, fireballs, whatever I want, and then I pushed myself too hard one day. This accounts for another landmark in my young life. My fire had changed to black I pushed myself even harder. I then pushed harder and I received the next “level” of my powers. I had command of blue fire. I stopped there afraid what I might get at the next level without training my two new levels.

I went to Nolan my master. He said I was just tapping power I never had tapped before. I trained for three more years of intense training. By then I had mastered many martial art forms and also mastered my fire manipulation, regular (stage one) black (stage two) and blue (stage three).
I could even hover using gases in the air. I could manipulate fire that already existed or make my own. My stage three fire was so hot I could be soaking wet and light on fire no problem. I could concentrate my fire into the size of a marble and have enough power to vaporize a human being.
By the time I was 18 I had mastered many forms of self defense. All of the forms did not use my powers. When I turned 18 I could be legally taught forms used to kill a human being. That included the Israeli form Krav Maga which is designed to kill with little injury to self and maximum damage or death to your opponent. I then incorporated many forms into my powers. I taught myself how to make a blade from fire deal a fatal blow and dissipate the weapon before anyone could see it. I could make knives and throw them with precision into an assailant’s heart. I imagine the feeling would be like thrusting a scorching knife into someone. I could change direction of the fire weapon with my abilities.
Then I graduated from the school with many combat skills, survival skills, and weapons forms. I was trained in firearms, swords, knifes, hand to hand, and also control of my powers. I went to a normal collage according to my parents wishes. I got good grades and used my powers little. I when to the dojo to exercise every day I could, but not much more that that.

I only had to use my training only once in its designed purpose during my collage years. I was coming home from a brutal math exam and I was mugged by a man who must have been my age. Well he attempted to mug me. I had his arm behind his back and had grabbed his other arm when he tried to grab my wallet. Then I deiced to scare him a little bit. I pushed his arm almost to breaking point then I told him if he ever tried to rob another person I would find him and kill him. I don’t normally threaten people, but like I said it was a brutal exam.

I graduated then the second landmark in my adult life and the future of my career entered my life. I was told in collage to become an officer in the United States Navy. I went into the Navy. I survived boot camp in one piece.

I outshone my comrades. I sergeant saw I was good so I was the example. But because I was so good I was the one on the shortest leash. I was brought up for a self defense demonstration. I told the sergeant I didn’t want to come up but I was forced to. By forced I mean my comrades picked me up and carried me to the mat. I didn’t bother to resist.

He told me to hit him as hard as I could, I having my senses with me I hit him with little force. He then countered and grabbed my attacking arm (right) and tried to put my arm behind my back, but I countered with using my left arm to hit him in the neck. I hit the sergeant right in the neck and was released from his grip. I then when to an attacking position but did nothing. I asked the sergeant if he was ok. He said he was. He said I had nice reflexes. I thanked him.
He said we would go back to the first move and the counter. He said I didn’t need me to practice but to supervise and help the men who were struggling. I did and at one point a recruit was being beaten by another recruit.

The recruit couldn’t counter and his opponent was using full strength. I stopped the assailant and told him to cool down. I then showed the recruit how to counter the attacks. He thought he couldn’t do it, but I convinced him. I asked him what his name was he said Tom. I told Tom my name was Alexander, Alex for short. I bought the other recruit in and told him to go ahead and try Tom now. He tried to hit him with all his force, but Tom countered perfectly and using a move I showed him he was facedown eating the mat. Tom had gotten over his doubt.

We spent 1 week on hand to hand and knife combat. I had to show Tom a lot but he mastered it all. We also learned a lot on demolitions and E.O.D (Explosive Ordnance Disposal.) We ended boot camp and became real sailors. I was put on the carrier USS. John F. Kennedy. Tom and a few other recruits came with me onboard as crewmen. I advanced in rank until I became a full Lieutenant.
I then applied for the Navy SEALs. I thought I would be able to apply my full abilities there. I went though the training and survived. I even made it though Hell Week. Hell Week is where the SEAL trainees have the toughest trials, worst treatment, and little sleep. Most of the trainees drop out sometime during Hell Week. I didn’t buckle at all. The training helped an immense amount.
I graduated as a Navy SEAL soon after. I had earned my “Budweiser” (The Budweiser is the SEALs emblem.) I could unleash my power if I wanted to. I could kill if I was released but I had a slight problem. It showed up during a physical before being declared fit for duty. It was a mandatory decision. I knew then I was in boiling water.

I had a constant temperature of 110, when I wasn’t mad. If I was angry my temperature skyrocketed like a missile. I was always sent to the nurse’s office for a fever during school. I knew why, they didn’t. So I was put on stand by. I knew it was a permanent condition, so I quit. When I realized the military couldn’t use my skills I did the first thing any grown man would do. I got wasted at the O Club had way too much Jack Daniels. You might be thinking he’s Russian why isn’t he drinking Vodka, well that’s because I like American whiskey better. Anyway, I met an old high school and collage friend, Leah. She is landmark number three. We talked, and the more we talked the more we drank, the more we drank the drunker we got. I asked her what she was doing at the O Club. She said she was waiting for another old friend. That friend was her old high school flame, and a bully. His name was Tomas, and he sometimes beat kids at school. I protected them from it, so he made it his life to bother me. He didn’t try to hit me just scare me. I had many thoughts on “scaring” him, but never did. I asked why he invited her here. She said it was to talk about something special about some people at school. I asked if I could be there to make sure he didn’t do anything. She said she would be fine. In high school he got mad and would hit her a lot. So she broke up with him. It near broke her heart to do it, she loved him so much, but after she sent her to the hospital, well you wouldn’t go out with him would you. I comforted her a lot after that but we got though it. We never went out, I wanted to but I couldn’t do anything with her. Between school and training I had no time for a girlfriend. But she said no she didn’t need any help with him, it would be fine. I said I would stay nearby just incase. She was ok with that. She told me he just entered the door. I looked; it was the recruit from boot camp who was attacking Tom. I wondered why I didn’t recognize him then. Then I saw his blond hair was dyed black and he also had a few less pimples. He walked over to Leah’s table, I was two tables down, and sat down. They said hi, hello all that then he said “I have a business proposal for you, and the offer involves a lot of money for you. It will be a bit risky but isn’t any business to an extent.” “Ok” she said “Is it legal because if it isn’t my answer is a no.” “Well if we get it right” he said “we would be above the law.” “I don’t want to be a part of it then.” Leah said. “But with you’re…” he lowered his voice into a whisper, I could still hear though. “But with your powers, my powers, and a few friends’ powers we could do what we wanted.” “So you want to do what you want, when you want to with these powers?” “Exactly” Tomas said. “Now you understand my point.” “Ok but I don’t agree with it. We should help people and get rewarded that way.” “No, we would get a thank you and that’s it. No money no glory just a thanks. What will that buy us, nothing that’s what.” “But” she tried to argue, but before she could say anything else he hit her. That’s were I stepped in. I grabbed his hand. “I give you a small hint, leave her alone you little prick.” “Well, Well look who’s here, Mr. Weakling Protector, what you going to protect this complete stranger.” I look at Leah she shook her head so I didn’t tell him who I was. “Let’s go outside” he said. So we walked outside, and I was instantly covered in water. I knew it wasn’t raining so I looked around. I knew it must have come from him. “What you don’t look surprised that I control water.” I then knew what his power was; I also wondered what Leah’s power was. It was like she read my mind as she transformed into a wolf. I then went straight to my full stage three fire mode. My full stage means I am completely covered in my flames harmless to me, my clothes or anything I want specifically not to be harmed. For instance Leah would be fine even if she accidentally hit by me. It also gives of little light to people other than me in stage two and three. I could see fine. I surprised Douglas when I went full stage three. I probably surprised Leah to but I couldn’t tell on her wolf face. I threw a red hot knife at Douglas. He countered with a lot of water. I diminished the power of the hit. But I still hit him straight in the chest. It didn’t hit anything vital but he looked injured. Then Leah tore at his chest, giving him a massive wound. “Oh hell I get you for this.” Then he disappeared. “Well that was interesting” I said. “Yes it was. I didn’t know you had powers, why didn’t you say something, I mean I should have know much sooner.” “Well I didn’t know you had powers so I would have told you a deadly thing to tell you because you might have gone to the cops, of the military, the government. I could take the cops, I am part of the most elite military team, but the government, if I was made a high enough priority they could take me out, that’s why I didn’t say anything. I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you.” “Look I got to go ok” she said suddenly. “Ok bye” I said a little confused. I left the bar and thought about what had happened on the way back. I realized that there were others with power but they chose to abuse it. So I then swore to defend people from them. My first thought was to get some info on my enemies.
I looked at the first place people look for information, the internet.


Side Notes
Ideas and names

Protagonist Alexander=Typical Hero name means Protecting men
Antagonist Tobias " = Tobiah is his real name means “Yahweh is good” survives same nuclear accident as Alexsander, thought to be dead. Controls string theory, is insane. “Has the base code to the matrix. No delay between writing and activation.”
Leah“Ruler” Controls time, is Thobias's ex and equal in combat.
Erin “Ireland” Controls Snakes, very Irish, took all the snakes from Ireland that is why there is no more.
Douglas "Great River" Controls water

Parenthese is what the name means

Please help give Ideas im running low
Last edited by Overlord on Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.




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Hi, Overlord! Welcome to YWS! It's a great place to get your writing critiqued, but you should critique other's writing as well! When you post a piece of your own work, you should have 2 reviews of others work. It's a 2:1 ratio.

Thanks!

Onto your story.

Wow... this is...long.

Too long.

I'll critique a bit of it.

For three years I lived in comfortable living


Lived in comfortable living? That's repetitive. Say you lived in a comfortable environment. That way there is more variation.

He was one of the lucky ones, He died painlessly.


Decapitalize the second he. You need a word before the second he as well. Try "...., as he died painlessly."


She survived the initial blast


Blast of what?

Okay, so I know it's a bomb. You need to remember: you're readers are stupid. Don't assume we know things about Alexander's life. We are new to the world of your novel. Explain more.

Chernobyl accident


Tell us what that is.

He offered me a lunch one day I accepted; we had lunch in the studio.


Unrealistic. No adult would invite a child to eat with them ALONE unless they were... creepy. You know what I mean.

That's the first bit of your story! PM me when you have those reviews done and I swear I'll review the rest!

Hope this helped,
Sakura
Odi et amo. quare id faciam, fortasse requiris?
nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.
-Catullus, Carmen 85




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As promised!

Eek- it's so long!

I'll go back where I left off.

Then he asked me to try to control the fire and I could. My training went half self defense half fire manipulation for five years.


Whoa. Things are happening much to fast. He controls fire! Wow! Explain. What does he think about it? How did it happen? What is Sensei's reaction? He controls fire? What does it mean? Show me, tell me.

From reading the reast of the story, I think this is a good time to bring in the concept of...

Showing Not Telling

Instead of just telling us what happens, SHOW us.

Example

Take this sentence:

Miyako screamed.

It's boring right?

What about this sentence:

Miyako's mouth was open in a gaing black whole. The whole room was filled with her banshee-like screeching wails.

Which is more interesting?

Back to your story.

I was fifteen when I completed the entire course he could think of. Then he called a friend. His friend had a very private dojo and he trained special apprentices only. His friend said he would try me to see if he would take me in or not.


Again, things are happening much to fast.

We spared then I first witness powers other than my own.


The second sentence is in the present tense.
Rewrite as: We began to spar and I first witnessed powers other than my own.

The sparred.
One again, that is just telling.
Show me the sparring. Show me the opponents weaving, diving. Show me their breathing getting heavy, their pulse quickening! Show me.

My fire went right through it


Ok, did he just burn his opponent to death? Explain.

That included the Israeli form Krav Maga which is designed to kill with little injury to self and maximum damage or death to your opponent.


Maybe Alexander knows the details of Krav Maga but the average reader doesn't.

You might be thinking he’s Russian why isn’t he drinking Vodka, well that’s because I like American whiskey better.


Take that sentence out. It's pointless and the way you worded it sounds amateurish.

She was ok with that.


I personally never say okay in my writing. But when you do, spell it out. O-K-A-Y. Okay? ^_^


“I have a business proposal for you, and the offer involves a lot of money for you. It will be a bit risky but isn’t any business to an extent.” “Ok” she said “Is it legal because if it isn’t my answer is a no.” “Well if we get it right” he said “we would be above the law.” “I don’t want to be a part of it then.” Leah said. “But with you’re…” he lowered his voice into a whisper, I could still hear though. “But with your powers, my powers, and a few friends’ powers we could do what we wanted.” “So you want to do what you want, when you want to with these powers?” “Exactly” Tomas said. “Now you understand my point.” “Ok but I don’t agree with it. We should help people and get rewarded that way.” “No, we would get a thank you and that’s it. No money no glory just a thanks. What will that buy us, nothing that’s what.” “But” she tried to argue, but before she could say anything else he hit her. That’s were I stepped in. I grabbed his hand. “I give you a small hint, leave her alone you little prick.” “Well, Well look who’s here, Mr. Weakling Protector, what you going to protect this complete stranger.”


I can't review this paragraph as a line-by-line because there are too many errors.

Just know this:
Whenever a new person is talking, start a new paragraph.

He countered with a lot of water. I diminished the power of the hit. But I still hit him straight in the chest. It didn’t hit anything vital but he looked injured. Then Leah tore at his chest, giving him a massive wound.


Once again, things are happening much to fast. Give us description!
What is Leah tearing his chest with?

“Oh hell I get you for this.”


Rewrite as: "Oh, hell! I'll get you for this!"

All in All

Allright, is this meant to be a breif memoir before the plot begins? Becasue that's what it sounds like. Everything happens much too quickly. There is also absolutely no description. It makes the story very boring.



This was a good try!

-Sakura
Odi et amo. quare id faciam, fortasse requiris?
nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior.
-Catullus, Carmen 85




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Just to forewarn you, I didn't read the other reviews, so pardon any repeating.

My name is Alexander. My name was originally Alexsandr. I am of Russian heritage. For three years I lived in comfortable living off of a soviet soldiers income, but I had little understanding of my importance. When I was four years old my whole world changed. I lost my family, my home, my city, and almost my life.


I like how you were presenting this, but there were still a few problems with it. First, the first three sentences are quite short and sound a little choppy when I read them. You should try and combine them or something. Also, when you said "For three years I lived in comfortable living off a soviet soldier's income..." This led me to believe he himself was a soldier, which isn't the case. I know you clarify later, but the problem is then you say his world was changed when he was four, which clashes with what I assumed since four is too young for a soldier.

I had one brother, he was just playing with me near the kitchen when the blast reached our house he was gone.

This is a run on sentence. Maybe you could change the last part to "when the blast reached our house, and then he was gone."

Well I think it was Gods mercy.

You mean God's not Gods.

I know it sounds insane, but because of the Chernobyl meltdown, that was the explosion that gives me my powers I have saved many lives and defended my new country, America.

You need another comma after "powers".

I know more confusion, let me explain, I am getting ahead of myself.

Put a comma after "know". And I'd start a new sentence at "let" and combine the sentences to "Let me explain, for I am getting ahead of myself." This sentence combination is more of a preference, though, so which ever feels best for you.

I lived a normal life until I was 10, but then at 10 I changed.

There's a few rules when it comes to numbers in writing. The basic rule is that if you can write the number in two or less words, then you write it, but you otherwise write them as you have above. Since "Ten" is one word, it falls into this category. It get's a little weird though, since numbers like 105, which use three or four words (depending on if you us "and"), where numbers like 10,000 can simply be ten thousand. Well, that's you English lesson for the day! Moving on.

Then my mom signed me up for a self defense class. Another landmark in my young life.

Instead of a new sentence, you want to use a comma.

The thing was I was his only student. I was a skilled learner I was fast, I had lots of energy.

This sentence feels odd to me, partly because it's not grammatically correct. I'd change it to something like, "The thing was, I was his only student, but I was a fast learner and had lots of energy". This is mainly because I've never once heard anyone say "Hey! You're a skilled learner!" It's usually "Hey! Your a fast learner!"

He offered me a lunch one day I accepted; we had lunch in the studio.

I had to read this a good few times to figure out what it meant. Maybe you could say, "He asked if I wanted to have lunch one day, and I accepted; we had..."

I could touch the hot pan without flinching, he thought it was interesting.

I don't exactly know the correct thing to use here, whether it be colon, semicolon, or what have you, but I know for sure it isn't a comma. You should try to recreate the sentence in a way that doesn't need this, possibly using words like "which" to connect them.

I was perfectly fine, no pain no burns.

Another comma after "pain".

Then he asked me to try to control the fire and I could.

I don't think this guy could make such a conclusion after such simple tests. I myself thought he was merely resistant to heat and possibly other things that could hurt him. I think it would be more appropriate for him to actually show by accident or in self defense his ability to control fire. Also, should his ability to control it be that simple? He asked him too, and, with merely the idea in his head, did it. It just seems too easy.

I was fifteen when I completed the entire course he could think of.

The last part of this sentence ruins it. I'd get rid of everything after "course".

Then he called a friend. His friend had a very private dojo and he trained special apprentices only. His friend said he would try me to see if he would take me in or not.

"His friend" gets really repetitive in these sentences. Try using "he" more, or even introduce his name to use.

When I entered the door I was instantly attacked by two assailants I dispatched them easily.

You need a period after assailants.

We shook hands and...

You mean "hand" not "hands".
We spared then I first witness powers other than my own.

You mean "sparred" not "spared". Also, rephrase this as "We sparred, and that was the first time I witness powers other than my own."
I trained there for two more years I had mastered my powers, I thought.

Okay, you do this a lot. You have these run on sentences that aren't connected. You need something like "until" between "years" and "I". This is the last time I'll bring it up, so I'll leave it for you to find the others like it.
I went to Nolan my master.

You need a comma after "Nolan".

He said I was just tapping power I never had tapped before.

What you've got to start looking out for is ways to make your sentences flow better, and you must also try to limit word repetition. For example, here it should be something like "He said I was just tapping power I had never experienced before." It flows better and lacks repetition.
I only had to use my training only once in its designed purpose during my collage years.

Get rid of the first "only".

I sergeant saw I was good so I was the example.

I'll leave you to fix this one, since it's probably just a typo.

I having my senses with me I hit him with little force.

Put commas after "I" and after "me".

I hit the sergeant right in the neck and was released from his grip. I then when to an attacking position but did nothing. I asked the sergeant if he was ok. He said he was. He said I had nice reflexes. I thanked him

These are really short and choppy sentences. Try to combine them some.

Okay, I've got a few more things to say.
1) The last part where you finally integrate dialogue, you don't start new paragraphs at appropriate points. For example, whenever someone new starts to speak, you start a new paragraph.
for example:
"I really like you hat," Mike said.
"Thank you, I like your shoes," Rachel replied.

2) The way you present this story is mostly just a detailed outline, which left me bored throughout most of it. The storyline is interesting, don't get me wrong, but you just outlined it. You're descriptions of people usually don't go farther than how old they are and their gender. Also, you only described your character's surroundings a couple times, and even then they were lacking.
What you've presented here should have, in my opinion, spanned for many chapters. Where you ended would probably be nearing the halfway point of a decent sized book.

3) Because of how quickly you span the years you end up having to info dump on us by explaining his powers, where if you took it at a more normal pace, you wouldn't need to do so as much.

4) Back to the description problem, a place you really need to re-evaluate your descriptions are with Alexander's powers. Just saying "fire dagger" or "Fire shield" isn't enough for me. For example, when icicles or something are shot at him, he can wave his arm across the air in front of him, leaving a streak of flames that melt the icicles. That's basically a shield, but when you simply call it a fire shield I think of a literal shield shape made of fire, which just doesn't look that cool. You can make all these weapons of fire he creates so much cooler by describing how they look and the motions used to create them.

5) You're battles were a little bland, only lasting a few minutes without many interesting actions and descriptions. Things you could do is describe how the people are standing, how they move, if they're sweating, if it's cold outside, how do the streetlamps' light affect the surrounding area, where is the bad, water-controlling guy getting his water from, etc.

As a side note, if that one wolf-girl loved the water-controlling guy, why would she suddenly turn on him without so much as a second thought? I know he beat her, but you said she loved him as well, so wouldn't it be hard for her to attack him? At the very least she would hesitate at the final moment, possibly leading to her getting injured.

Another side note, you should read through this a few times before posting, because there were many, many typos.

Overall your storyline is very interesting and well thought out. It's definitely a good story. The problem is that your outline-like presentation left it lacking and bland. This means the piece could be great, but it just wasn't. With work you could make it stand up to the storyline's expectations, but revising is in order. Good luck, and if you do revise, I would be happy to read it. Just send me a PM.
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Thank you both for helping, I will change as much as I can and try to make the story less boring and yes mikedb1492 it is an out line for the moment, I am going to fix it. Thank you very much.
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All complaints about the blueprint of your story have been answered. However, being born in Russia, I'm sort of insulted at some of the assumptions made in this.

My mother had a small kitchen that she cooked from. She survived the initial blast of the reactor meltdown only to die two days later from the radiation poisoning.

It sounds like she lived slightly far enough from the blast. I'd assume she had about 6-10 SV or 10-50 SV. This shouldn't kill in 2 days, but around a week, or even two. Very few cases achieve more than 50, and I wound assume only the ones directly next to the factory would ever get that.

Americans came to examine what happened and a young man found me. I was in the ruins of my house living from the little food I had. I was decontaminated and cleared to be adopted by him.

You should clarify that the Americans were either helping with the rescue effort or occupying Russia; it's sort of odd just to have Americans pop up from nowhere in Slav territory.

It was God watching over me again, because if I discovered my abilities in Russia or the Ukraine I would have been executed. I would have been executed for being the incarnation of Satan.

Russia is a secular state, and was an atheistic one. If anything, they'd take him in and run some nasty tests or something.

You might be thinking he’s Russian why isn’t he drinking Vodka, well that’s because I like American whiskey better.

Pffffft. He left Russia at 4. He's as Russian as me; as in, not. He shouldn't be able to remember half of the stuff at the time.

Alexsandr makes me wince. It's not incorrect, but it's a pretty bad direct translation of a Russian name. Traditionally, it's Alexei.

EDIT: The mother shouldn't have even been close enough to sustain that much SV; maybe the father could have that amount, but Cheryl was a private ground, houses shouldn't been that close. That explosion doesn't kill instantly, unless the people were crushed. That type of radiation doesn't work that way.



"People should not be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
— V for Vendetta