If you’ve been following my posts about the town of Hillfort, (imagined for The Smoke Eater), you already know it’s not the kind of place you find on a tourist brochure. This isn’t your sleepy, small-town postcard—it’s a place where loyalties shift, secrets run deep, and a bad decision can get you a funeral before the week’s out.
When I started writing The Smoke Eater, I wanted you to feel that tension in your bones. Many of you have read my previous behind-the-scenes notes on Hillfort—how I built the town’s shadowy politics, the rivalries between police and fire, and the dangerous charm of people like Elijah. But here’s the thing… familiarity doesn’t guarantee survival.
That’s why today’s post is different. This isn’t just a peek behind the curtain—it’s your turn to step into the story. Think of it as a survival stress test based on the kinds of choices my characters face every day. You may think you know how to navigate Hillfort after reading my earlier posts, but let’s see if you actually make it out alive.
Scenario 1 – “You Just Found a Body”
It’s an early morning walk by the river. Coffee in hand, you notice something in the weeds. Not a deer. Not a store mannequin. A body.
Before you can even dial 911, Police Chief Jim Harris appears. He gives you a flat, deliberate look and says:
“Here’s the thing—you didn’t see this. You didn’t find this. You’re going to forget you were ever here.”
Do you…
- Keep your mouth shut and walk away, thinking you’ve just bought yourself some peace.
- Smile, nod, but tell a friend later—because no way you’re keeping this bottled up.
- Refuse and insist you’re calling it in—Harris’s orders be damned.
Returning readers will already guess the odds here: A buys you temporary safety, but it’s never free. B will get back to Harris before sundown, and you’ll wish it hadn’t. C? You just lit a fire that’s going to burn until it finds you.
Scenario 2 – “The Firehall BBQ”
If you’ve read my earlier notes on Dave Fulton, you know the Hillfort Fire Chief isn’t just wrangling hoses and hydrants—he’s juggling secrets.
You’re at the Firehall for a community BBQ when you overhear Dave on the phone. Words like “Drugs,” “not here,” and “don’t let Reid know” slip out before he notices you.
Do you…
- Walk away. You came for the burger, not the drama.
- Linger nearby, pretending to eye the dessert table.
- Step right up and ask him what’s going on.
Seasoned Hillfort watchers can already smell the danger: A keeps you safe but in the dark, B might get you recruited—or silenced, and C… well, direct questions here are like poking a sleeping bear.
Scenario 3 – “A Stranger Named Elijah”
You’ve heard me talk about Elijah before—the man with that unsettling blend of charm and threat. You meet him at the gas station.
“Name’s Elijah,” he says. “You look like someone who understands opportunity.”
He slips you a paper with a phone number and the words: We should talk.
Do you…
- Pocket it and drive off, hoping to be forgotten.
- Tear it up before you even hit the highway.
- Call him later, curiosity gnawing at you.
If you’ve been paying attention to my past posts, you already know: A buys you time, B makes you an enemy, and C… well, that’s how people end up inside these things.
Scenario 4 – “Gunfire in the Night”
You’ve read the stories—nights in Hillfort don’t always stay quiet. This one’s no exception. Shots outside. Two trucks speeding away. A text from an unknown number:
Stay inside.
Do you…
- Lock the doors and keep the lights off.
- Call the police.
- Grab a flashlight and head out to check.
If you’ve been here before, you know A is the safe play, B is… complicated (police aren’t always the safest bet), and C—well, that’s the kind of move that makes for an exciting chapter, but shortens your lifespan considerably.
Why This Quiz for Returning Readers?
If you’ve read my other Hillfort posts, you’ve already peeked into the mechanics of The Smoke Eater—how every choice my characters make has weight, cost, and consequence. But here’s the truth: knowing the lay of the land doesn’t mean you can survive it.
The real question is whether you can keep your head, your integrity, and your pulse when Hillfort starts to close in. This quiz is a way to test that—without the hospital bills.
Writing Hillfort’s No-Win Choices
When I built Hillfort, I didn’t want a clear “right” path. For you long-time readers, you’ve seen me talk about three key pillars in my process:
- Moral ambiguity – Nobody’s completely clean, nobody’s completely dirty.
- Unpredictable consequences – Playing it safe can be dangerous; taking risks can save you.
- Secrets within secrets – The moment you think you know it all, you find out you don’t.
Those elements are baked into these scenarios—familiar to my veteran readers, but still sharp enough to cut you.
Did You Make It Out Alive?
If you’ve been through my earlier posts and still answered cautiously here, you might last your first week in Hillfort. But no one gets to stay neutral forever.
If you went bold, challenged the power players, or dug where you shouldn’t, you probably didn’t make it past midweek—but you earned a dangerous kind of respect.
One Last Thing
If you enjoyed this, The Smoke Eater takes these choices and raises the stakes until the only way out is forward. And for those of you who’ve been following Hillfort’s shadowed streets with me for a while—thanks for sticking around.
You’ve seen the edges. Now it’s time to step inside.The Smoke Eater come out September 28, 2025, and we’ll have a pre-sales link soon.
Ben Lucas 