“ | Jesus, I am in your house. I am in the house of the Lord begging you for death! | ” |
—Brittney in the church |
Brittney Donegal (also referred to as "Brittany" in Monster) is a character first introduced in Hunger. She is almost immortal and is gifted regeneration by the Gaiaphage in Lies. She shares her form with Drake Merwin until Monster, when she becomes a head growing out of his chest.
Description[]
Brittney is one of Edilio's soldiers who was believed to be killed during Caine's attack on the power plant in Hunger. Although she was thought to be dead, and therefore buried, she dug her way out. She has no heartbeat, which suggests that she is not truly alive. She needs no sleep, food, or water. Brittney attended Coates Academy, and was evidently in Jack's history class. However, her little brother Tanner lived in Perdido Beach, so it is likely she lived there too yet went to school at Coates.
- Physical description
Brittney is described to be an overweight teenager with acne. She has black horn-rimmed glasses that overbear her face. She has light brown hair split in two ponytails, and braces that are constantly mentioned in Lies. The braces are also the first thing to appear during her regular transformation from Drake. The braces turn to liquid, leaving Drake/Brittney's teeth looking like metal. After the FAYZ, she becomes a face in Drake's chest.
Power and abilities[]
Brittney has the power of regeneration, rendering her near impossible to kill.
The Gaiaphage used Brittney's immortality (her own power, unlike regeneration which the Gaiaphage and Lana gave to her) and Lana's healing powers to give Drake Merwin a second life, but to do so, it had to put Brittney and Drake together. Thus, the control and form of their shared body oscillates between Brittney and Drake.
Appearances[]
- Hunger
When the power plant was under attack, Brittney did not give up, unlike her co-soldiers. She was determined not to fail Edilio. She waited at the door of the plant's control room. She was ready to shoot Caine, Diana, Drake, and whoever is with them. She shot at the attackers but ended up getting "killed" in the process. However, she doesn't truly die, as her consciousness stays in her body.
- Lies
Brittney having been buried alive, claws her way out of her grave and goes to Orc and Howard’s house and they alert Sam. After that, she presumably turns into Drake, who leaves the house. The Gaiaphage reaches Brittney throughout the book in the form of her dead brother, Tanner, who tells her he is an angel sent from God, and that she needs to kill the "demon", Drake, when really, the Gaiaphage wants her to get to certain locations so that when she turns into Drake, he can do the bidding of the Gaiaphage.
- Plague
As soon as Brittney realizes Drake has escaped from Orc and Howard's basement, she runs away from Jamal to the church, where she begs Jesus to let her truly die. She puts herself back together after Brianna slices Drake into three pieces. Jamal ties her up with Brianna's wire until Drake returns.
At the mineshaft, Brittney is in the presence of the Gaiaphage for the first time. She feels it touch her mind, and comes to a realization that it is the true God, not the one she follows. She helps the bugs lift the rocks out of the mineshaft. She is the first to go to the Gaiaphage, and does so before Drake. It shows her its history and tells her to assist Drake in finding Little Pete.
At the Lake, she explains the Gaiaphage to Sam, and he realizes she is not the kind and innocent girl she used to be. Upon realizing this, he burns her with his light, but isn't able to fully destroy her as the bugs come and attack. After this she runs away. She goes to Coates encounters Astrid who won't let her have Pete, saying Brittney will have to go through her first. Brittney waits for Drake to return, so she can do it instead, however he is unable to as Pete vanishes himself.
- Fear
Brittney and her "body-partner", Drake, continue to serve the Gaiaphage. She refers to the Gaiaphage as the "Lord," as she once referred to her Christian God. She says it is better to have a God which one can see and feel than an invisible God, like her previous one. She is a fanatic follower of this strange God. When Drake is trying to capture Diana, Brittney comes up with the logical idea of weighing herself down with rocks so she can walk underwater to get onto the boat.
Light
Brittney doesn't do much in Light. She helps Drake with his plan, as well as collecting food for Gaia.
- Monster
Brittney's consciousness has finally been overpowered by Drake's, and she has been reduced to a head growing out of his chest. When Drake asks her what the Dark Watchers want, she replies with "Fun".
- Villain
Brittney remains a face on Drake’s chest. He feeds her crackers or biscuits sometimes when she feels like it.
Hero
When Drake is at Astrid's door, Brittney says "Knock knock". When Astrid is talking to Drake, she fake laughs. As Drake and Brittney are being chopped up by Astrid's chainsaw, she says "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild".
Notes[]
- She had a crush on Mike Farmer before being killed and brought back to life. However, when Mike urged her to leave with him, she said "I'd rather burn in the fiery pits of Hell five times over than disappoint Edilio."
- Brittney is one of four avatars Astrid sees when she is sucked into Little Pete's game. Her avatar is neither male nor female and has metal teeth and a whip.
- Brittney went to Coates but lived in Perdido Beach.
- In the Monster trilogy, her name is spelled "Brittney".
Gallery[]
Coates students |
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Caine Soren | Diana Ladris | Drake Merwin | Dekka Talent | Brianna Berenson Brittney Donegal | Taylor | Computer Jack | Bug | Penny Andrew | Frederico | Mallet |