Trigger Hicks (Patreon)

So the main motivation here was the mind clearing concept. To erase only the parts of the memory and identity that would allow you to "escape" or reconnect with your former life. Couple that with a transformation, not in itself bad, but further erases your identity and forcefully suggest your life going forward. In the original plan I also had elements to further trap the protagonist, to force him to regularly present himself as Trigger Hicks to a new person, to force him to shoot rifle, watch fox news etc. But it became to contrived so I added bittersweet ending instead.

I think I spent most time just rewriting the dialogue over and over. I don't live in USA. I don't really know how flyover country speak sounds like. It ended up being as little as possible, which probably worked to my advantage. I've even gotten compliments for the dialogue, though from someone in UK, so perhaps not the best judge.

When this was just published I got a lot of requests to write a part two to this story, but I just imagine that he takes up farming and is pretty content with it. I did write a few sentences to see if it sparked anything, but no...

Trigger stared out the window of the truck as the landscape went by and tried to think about his past. He knew that the mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell, that Chicago is called the windy city because its politicians talked so much, and he knew all about settling insurance claims. He had no idea where he grew up, went to school and technically still were employed.

Absentmindedly he stroke his bare abs. Chester, the old man driving him to the Johnston farm, had given him a pair of well worn jeans and boots. That was now everything he owned.