I need help killing a character...

Lady_of_Myth · May 1, 2009

So in this story I'm writing, I want one of my characters to die, but I don't want it to be instantaneous, just barely long enough for a few last words; I was thinking internal bleeding, but then again I don't know enough about that.

The situation I'm writing is for one character to die in anothers arms sort of thing, yes I know that sounds kind of sappy but I don't care.

If someone was had a fatal stabwound to lets say somewhere in the abdomen how long would it take to bleed out?

So any recommendations/advice would be greatly appreciated!

waylander · May 1, 2009

Sword thrust that ruptures the aorta is pretty quick.
google aortic aneurysm rupture

Cybernaught · May 1, 2009

I think it takes a while for a victim to die by a gut wound. Maybe a puncture to the lungs? They could choke on their own blood, perhaps. There are a few MDs who frequent this board. Maybe one will pop in soon.

Lady_of_Myth · May 1, 2009

I've done more than a fair bit of research on lung injuries and choking on your own blood via that is unlikely.

Aortic aneurysm rupture is a good suggestion, Thanks!

ColoradoGuy · May 1, 2009

A stab wound to the abdomen would work fine for your purposes. There are smaller vessels besides the aorta (but still fairly big) that could make the person bleed out over anywhere from 5-30 minutes (or more) depending upon your plot needs. The person would get very pale, then faint, then die. If you don't want a mess, you could have the knife be sort of long and thin, making a small hole from the outside, so the bleeding could be contained inside the abdomen.

STKlingaman · May 1, 2009

Maybe like Ash in Alien, head nearly cut-off,
oozing white fluids from everywhere.
Then Ripley toasts his A#%, but not before
his final warning.

but then again . . .
this may not work for you.

Barb D · May 1, 2009

Have you seen Signs? I'm thinking about when Mel Gibson's character's wife dies. She's trapped by a car, and if they move the car she'll bleed out. They wait for him to get there so they can say their goodbyes.

Lady_of_Myth · May 1, 2009

Um, no I haven't seen "Signs"

My story is set during medieval times so a car wouldn't work.

JulieHowe · May 1, 2009

Um, no I haven't seen "Signs"

My story is set during medieval times so a car wouldn't work.

Bow and arrow in the neck? The losing party in a sword fight? A poisonous snakebite?

Barb D · May 1, 2009

JulieHowe said:
Um, no I haven't seen "Signs"

My story is set during medieval times so a car wouldn't work.

Bow and arrow in the neck? The losing party in a sword fight? A poisonous snakebite?

Cart rolled on him?

ETA: And Signs is worth seeing. But not right before bed if you're prone to nightmares.

blacbird · May 1, 2009

"Why don't you just shoot him?"

-- Scott Evil

caw

Lady_of_Myth · May 1, 2009

Thanks you have all been extremely helpful and I really appreciate it. I think I will go with stabbing or being shot with an arrow.

dgiharris · May 1, 2009

You can always do some sort of poison. You know, a poison tipped arrow or something to that effect.

There are many poisons that kill in around a minute or so

Mel...

RJK · May 2, 2009

Cart wheel rolls over the victim, ruptures spleen and other internal organs. Victim bleeds to death internally in a given length of time. you can make the time whatever you want by making the cartload as heavy as you need.

jodiodi · May 2, 2009

An aortic rupture or any other artery rupture/cut would be very fast. Death within minutes if no immediate care. Venous wounds take longer to bleed out. Crushing injuries like the one mentioned in "Signs" are also possible. We had a guy in the Train Yards back home that died when caught between a couple of boxcars. His wife had to see him still crushed there because when they pulled them apart he'd die.

Even a heart attack could give a few moments before death or a pulmonary embolus (onset to death, depending on where it's thrown, can be within a couple of minutes).

JrFFKacy · May 3, 2009

Stab wound to the stomach is the slowest 'stab wound' way to die. Cutting the artery in your thigh is one of the fastest ways to bleed out, but if it's a clean cut, there's no reason why you can't bandage or tourniquet, so it might not be a logical way to die if someone's with you. It's when there's no one with you that you die (as it was for our neighbor several years ago when he was running farm machinery by himself).

I need help killing a character...

Lady_of_Myth

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Cybernaught

Decker

Lady_of_Myth

ColoradoGuy

I've seen worse.

STKlingaman

Followed the Red Brick Road

Barb D

Lady_of_Myth

JulieHowe

Spent the night with Jack Daniels

Barb D

blacbird

Lady_of_Myth

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

jodiodi

Reflections of Reality

JrFFKacy

Rookie Firefighter