My sister died suddenly on Oct. 24, 2020. I still miss her every day. EVERY DAY. Her husband has remarried. Her kids seem fine. I don't know how they are doing it.
I heard a song today and immediately thought, "I have to send this to her!" And then burst into tears, cried for 10 minutes, just wrecked. I can't get to that place that others have gotten to. They say, "Oh, she would have loved this song" and put heart emojis and smiley faces and angels.
I don't think I want to get to that place. My life is grey without her. I have no one. I'm just waiting for it to be over.

Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
He was back at Smiley’s taproom with a petite brunette dangling from his arm, the young signal operator whose acquaintance he’d made while assigned as a liaison officer with the Exploratory Corps. There he was, all big and stiff in his brand-new dress uniform, trying desperately to impress someone who was astronomically more attractive than him and making a priceless ass of himself.
“So,” she purred, eyeing him over the rim of her glass, “Tell me again about the surface. What’s it like wandering up there above all us wee mortals?”
“Erm,” Rene cleared his throat, feeling a hot flush creeping up his reddening neck, “It’s, uh, quite remarkable really. Simply fantastic.”
Having run out of things to say, Rene took a snootful of his drink in an attempt to sharpen his wits. It was so hard to focus with her hanging onto his every word like this.
“Ooh, you make it sound so exciting,” Deborah had tittered. Or was it Devorah? Her name had gotten lost in the fumes of fermented honeydew clouding up his brain. Perhaps another sip would jog his memory. Rene downed the horrid swill and coughed as it burned its way down his throat and up his nostrils.
“Would you look at the state of him!” someone guffawed, slapping Rene on the back, “Cool as cucumbers under fire when there’s a hundred dirty Amits breathing down our necks, but prop him up next to a lass and he goes completely to pieces.”
“Ah, piss off,” Rene said fondly. He turned to see Lethway sitting next to him flanked by two buxom blondes, an Amit axe buried deep in his neck.
“I’m only saying. You’ve got to keep your head on your shoulders, man,” Lethway said, as his own tumbled off sideways and hung on by a flap of gristle, “We’ve got a long night ahead of us with our fine lady friends here. It wouldn’t do for you to be sleeping on the job.’
“Why, Lethie my dearest. I’m sure Mr. Louvoture has the…stamina…to keep up,” the brunette said demurely, batting her eyelids at Rene, “Go on. You were telling me about how amazing it is up there.”
“Yes,” Rene puffed out his cheeks and marshalled his scattered thoughts, “It’s like this, see…how can I put it? Words can hardy do it justice.”
“Try me,” Deborah/Devorah said, tugging at his arm with her warm hands. The girl was practically throwing herself at him no matter how badly he was fumbling the ball. Rene my lad, if you don’t make it tonight you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life, Rene thought to himself.
“Alrighty then,” Rene said, deciding to risk everything by gaze deep into her eyes, which if the romance novels were to be believed, were windows into a woman’s soul. She had very pretty irises, all velvety and shining with something bordering on hero-worship.
“When you’re topside and the suns go down beyond the hills, and the clouds weep tears of crimson as the sky rolls over into a bowl of stars holding all the universe above you, it feels like…like…” Rene trailed off.
“What?” she whispered into the hush that had settled over the bar.
“Well, it feels a little like this,” Rene said softly, leaning in for a kiss. Her lips tasted his, the tip of her tongue quivering with longing. She drew him into her embrace, gripping him around the waist and pressing into him.
Awfully forward, these girls from Mound Sierra, Rene thought with some alarm. Not that he was complaining. They spent an eternity entwined like this, the whole taproom cheering and egging them on.
“Woof!” Rene broke away to catch his breath, “Is it me, or is it getting hard to breathe in here?”
“Shut up and kiss me again,” Devorah/Deborah said impatiently, wrapping a leg around his and holding him tight. Rene put a hand on her thigh and found that she was surprisingly hairy for a girl. Feeling a little repulsed at this he tried to peel himself away, but found that he couldn’t move any of his limbs.
“Mmph. Hmmgh!” he mumbled, his voice muffled by her insistent mouth. He cocked an eyebrow over her shoulder at Lethway, who’d just propped his head back up onto its stump.
“Cheers, big fellow!” Lethway tipped a glass in his direction and downed his glass in one gulp, the drink trickling out of him through a large bullet hole in his chest.
“I hate it when that happens,” Lethway said, staring sadly at it. He looked back up at Rene and said: “Oy! What did I tell you about falling asleep on the job. Isn’t it about time you got moving, trooper?”
“Not yet,” Devorah/Deborah sighed, kissing his neck, “First he has to tell me how much he likes my eyes. You do like my eyes, don’t you?”
“Why, of course darling—” Rene began. But then she pulled back to look him in face, and the words curdled and died on his lips.
Gone was the petite brunette in her oh-so-short skirt, replaced by a furry, many-eyed freak with quivering mouthparts. In an instant Smiley’s taproom was torn away to reveal the awful truth of his current circumstances: he was hanging upside down from a tree and caught in monster’s deadly embrace. He was trussed up by his legs which had gone completely numb, and his wrists were bound together by loops of silk that felt as strong as steel chains. Yelling incoherently, Rene started wriggling like a worm on a hook. The creature tightened its hold and pressed its fangs against his throat, delicately avoiding piercing the skin while looking at him through its row of eyes.
It was a warning. Rene wisely heeded it and stopped struggling. After a long moment the monster let him go, although they both continued to dangle upside down. Rene stared at its face in horrid fascination. He saw now that it had four eyes on its flat, squarish face, the centermost pair dwarfing the two ancillary ones on either side of them. In the place of a lower jaw it had four vertical mouthparts, the shorter ones in the middle tipped with curved fangs while the rest functioned like antennae, moving constantly with little taps and clicks, its grotesque head nodding along with them.
Rene thought the motion was reminiscent of a person’s lips as they mumbled, and he had a disturbing suspicion that the monster was trying to talk to him. The fact that he was still alive also lent credence to this theory. After all, if Amits were intelligent lifeforms, why couldn’t this one be as well? Hoping against hope, he stammered out:
“I—I don’t understand. I’m afraid I can’t speak your language. Haven’t got the equipment for it. See?”
Rene bared his teeth at it in a forced smile, tying show it what he meant. But the monster recoiled from him, pushing off the trunk behind him and leaping back some twenty meters away from him. It alighted on a tangle of creeper vines and hung there in all its awful majesty, eyeing Rene through its four unblinking orbs. It had ten appendages including its stubby antennae, each of them ending in a three-clawed hand. Its shoulder and thigh muscles were enormous, though its potbellied torso was as round as a wagon wheel, sporting a disgusting hump of flesh on its back. No doubt it contained even more musculature to support its powerful limbs, which at the moment were bunched up and ready to spring.
He had startled it, Rene realized. His own mouth was probably just as alien and repulsive to its sensibilities as its physiology was to him. Before he could derive some small satisfaction from that, more of the monsters emerged to join the first, darting out of the shadows with an unnatural, jittery motion. They moved in stops and starts, periods of immobility interrupted by burst of blinding speed, here one moment and gone the next.
“It shpeaksh…” Rene heard someone say in a voice somewhere between a dry croak and the gurgling of a water pipe. Rene looked around for the source of the voice and was shocked to find that it was issuing from the largest monster, the one reclining on the vines like some misshapen ape. He couldn’t believe his own ears. It was speaking Fleet cantish, mangling its way through the words somehow despite the total absence of a jawbone.
“Gallivant?” another queried with clearer pronunciation.
“No blade-wing, thish,” the leader clicked its palps thoughtfully, “Too shoft. Too schtupid. Came from the fire giant. Dropped a sheed pod, it did, like a tree in the wind. The sheed shpun a web and floated. Down, down, down.”
“Shoft like a grub,” agreed the smallest monster somewhat belatedly. A frothy substance with the consistency of saliva dripped from its fangs. It took a step towards Rene, stiffening all over. Before he could even blink it had launched itself through the air directly at him. In the same instant the leader also leapt, slamming bodily into its subordinate and throwing it to the ground.
“No,” the leader rasped, letting the other monster limp away having been suitably chastised, “Questions firshht. The fire giant. Are you itsh hatchling?”
It was staring at Rene when it said this. Rene thought quickly. It was a binary question and he felt that his life hung in the balance, the odds being even either way. Heads or tails? From what he’d heard it was clear that the only thing keeping him from lining the stomachs of these monsters was their abiding curiosity. They had witnessed the Divine Engine and his impromptu ejection from it, and they were under the impression that it had been a living thing and that he was its offspring. It followed that the best thing to do was to maintain their interest in him for as long as possible while he thought of an escape plan. Heads it was, then. Rene said:
“Yes. Yes, I am its ‘hatchling’.”
He glanced around until he found his sword where he had left it leaning against the buttress root, still in its sheathe next to the survival kit. If he could just reach down and grasp it in his hands…
“Good,” said the abomination, “And know you the secret of itsh power?”
“Of course,” Rene said, slowly and surreptitiously stretching out his arms, reaching for the sword hilt with all his might.
“Good, good,” the abomination crooned. There was a blur of motion and the leader materialized in front of him, their faces inches apart. It seized him by the hairs and yanked him close.
“Then I, too, will know its inner workingshh. Once I open your head and drink deep from your mind.”
Should have gone with tails, Rene thought as it lunged for him.
Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

You can have absolutely any reasoning or story behind the MV(s) you're talking about (feel free to share it if you want).
Here are some of mine :)

• D.D.D. by The Boyz - seeing them smiling and so tiny has me in my feels lol also the song is v happy (also the dance break at the end omg Changmin)
• Chi Mat Ba Ram by Brave Girls (BB Girls) - I just think that summer & BB Girls are an inseparable pairing
• Snap Shoot by Seventeen - not technically an MV, but I love everything about this video and Mingyu making it makes the whole thing extra special
• D N D by Apink - if you enjoyed Queen of Tears, you'll have to watch this vid (I just love seeing Apink together) 10/10 chill, happy song with heartwarming lyrics
• TOUCH by NCT 127 - Yuta's smile!!!!! And the lightheartedness of the song ofc also: Yuta's smile!!!
• Autopilot by Purple Kiss - I love this song so much that the MV could've been a visual of a rubbish bin and I'd still love it, but I'm especially glad that it's clips of the girls having fun
• Do or not by Pentagon - the members are so smiley, the song is great and the MV is charming
• Smooth Sailing by cignature - it's smooth, smooth sailing, good, good feeling also the girls smiles are gorgeous
• Hello Future by NCT Dream - how can one not love the MV for one of the best songs released in K-pop?
• Feel my rhythm by Red Velvet - if I could live in a fantasy world, it'd be this one (with the FMR EP as my life playlist)
• Footprint by Astro - I wasn't able to revisit this Ddoca in a while, but now when I do I smile so much :)

Excited to see some of your MVs that bring a smile to your face :)

I got the most important surprise of my life this morning! I (F/31) found out I am expecting my first child! Although I've always known that I wanted to be a mother, I never imagined that dream coming true. I had been informed by a doctor (a urologist, I think) that I had ovarian cysts during an ultrasound quite a while ago. I was pretty young at the time (late teens, early 20s?) and I was convinced that I had PCOS. Unfortunately, I really let that go to my head and convinced myself I would never be able to get pregnant. Fast forward to earlier this year. After being nudged by a few people close to me, I decided to make an appointment with my gynecologosist to have things checked out. She ordered me an ultrasound, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out there were no longer any cysts! I started using the Flo app to track my periods, which is something I had never really done before. I felt like I was still having a hard time determining when I was ovulating, though. Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to order some Clearblue digital ovulation tests. I used the Flo app to help me determine when I should start testing. The first time I tried, I got a "low fertility" result. I tried again about 3 days later and got a flashing smiley face, which indicated high fertility, but not quite peak yet. Never in a million years did I think I would conceive that fast. I am on cloud 9!

1er-Abi for Ale!
Abitur preparations and exams are way too strenuous, we demand the reintroduction of the Notabitur: Students are tested on the board for half an hour at the beginning of June, and the solutions are published beforehand on TikTok. Spelling: “It doesn’t matter” (Kretschmann, Greens). Then: chill.
Short-haul flights? Stay allowed!
But only for birds and insects. And for Commission President vonderLeyen so that she can continue to fly between Brussels and Strasbourg. And for Taylor Swift.
Limiting manager salaries
Die PARTEI demands that manager salaries be limited to 50,000 times a worker's wage: No manager is worth more than 50,000 times more than any worker. (Excluding bonuses, of course.)
A nuclear bomb for Europe
We called for the construction of a German atomic bomb back in 2019, long before Joschka “Asshole” Fischer and Katarina Barley. Since we are always one step ahead of the dubious major parties, we are now calling for the construction of TWO atomic bombs.
Beer price cap
Die PARTEI is committed to an EU-wide beer price cap (0.5 L: 3 euros). And a kebab price cap (with everything: 3 euros). And a menu price cap (beer + kebab with everything = 5 euros). In preparation: wine and schnapps brake. And rent control. Or a decline in rent prices, because the rents are far too high.
Elite promotion
Bologna, Bachelor, Master? Become history. We feel strongly about the educational ideals of the European European intellectual history is more committed than to the exploitation interests of European industry. Students should study for 15 semesters in peace and have time to become politically and socially interested. Note: If you're under 30, you should avoid regular work!
Two-state solution now!
Die PARTEI is the only party that has always sincerely advocated a two-state solution: two Germanys (East and West) are better than one Germany.
Abolish privacy!
The EU collects our data, it wants to read our chats and emails, and record our faces everywhere. The idea is good: We demand the disclosure of patient files and emails and sex stuff from all politicians. And only from them.
Hostile non-state actor
Unfortunately, we have to close Amazon due to sustained market failure. Or at least list them as a tax terrorist organization: In 2021, the losers generated a record turnover of 51 billion (EU) and a loss of 1.2 billion (but only at the tax headquarters in Luxembourg, smiley!). Tax claim: 0 billion
Drugs
The consumption of alcohol, cannabis and hand cheese with music is legal. We don't care about drugs, because of us you can drink whatever you want. (Except for the stuff that Volker Beck takes. That destroys the inside of your head.)
Nobel Peace Prize winner EU
The EU is preparing a war economy in which not only citizens themselves but also their private property can be confiscated. We are for it. However, we should start with the 27 EU commissioners, some of whom have assets worth two, three or four-digit millions.
Values-based foreign policy
European foreign policy should be based on relevant values: euro, dollar, ruble, deutschmark. Anyone who continues to claim that German and European foreign policy cares about something else will be locked up for morally liberated performative activism (looking at you Baerbock!).

Australia is a country of abundant sunshine, but the skin of most Australians is better adapted to gloomy England than the beaches of Brisbane. The country’s predominantly white population has by far the world’s highest rate of skin cancer, and for years the public-health establishment has warned residents about the dangers of ultraviolet light. A 1980s ad campaign advised Australians to “Slip, Slop, Slap”—if you had to go out in the sun, slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The only safe amount of sun was none at all.
Then, in 2023, a consortium of Australian public-health groups did something surprising: It issued new advice that takes careful account, for the first time, of the sun’s positive contributions. The advice itself may not seem revolutionary—experts now say that people at the lowest risk of skin cancer should spend ample time outdoors—but the idea at its core marked a radical departure from decades of public-health messaging. “Completely avoiding sun exposure is not optimal for health,” read the groups’ position statement, which extensively cites a growing body of research. Yes, UV rays cause skin cancer, but for some, too much shade can be just as harmful as too much sun.
une 2024 Issue
SCIENCE Against Sunscreen Absolutism Moderate sun exposure can be good for you. Why won’t American experts acknowledge that?
By Rowan Jacobsen Tanned skin with pale smiley face drawn on it Illustration by Gabriela Pesqueira. Source: Dimarik / Getty. MAY 10, 2024 SHARE & GIFT SAVE Listen to this article
00:00
14:49
Listen to more stories on Curio
Australia is a country of abundant sunshine, but the skin of most Australians is better adapted to gloomy England than the beaches of Brisbane. The country’s predominantly white population has by far the world’s highest rate of skin cancer, and for years the public-health establishment has warned residents about the dangers of ultraviolet light. A 1980s ad campaign advised Australians to “Slip, Slop, Slap”—if you had to go out in the sun, slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The only safe amount of sun was none at all.
Explore the June 2024 Issue Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
View More Then, in 2023, a consortium of Australian public-health groups did something surprising: It issued new advice that takes careful account, for the first time, of the sun’s positive contributions. The advice itself may not seem revolutionary—experts now say that people at the lowest risk of skin cancer should spend ample time outdoors—but the idea at its core marked a radical departure from decades of public-health messaging. “Completely avoiding sun exposure is not optimal for health,” read the groups’ position statement, which extensively cites a growing body of research. Yes, UV rays cause skin cancer, but for some, too much shade can be just as harmful as too much sun.
It’s long been known that sun exposure triggers vitamin D production in the skin, and that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased rates of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, osteoporosis, and many other diseases. It was natural to assume that vitamin D was responsible for these outcomes. “Imagine a treatment that could build bones, strengthen the immune system and lower the risks of illnesses like diabetes, heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure and cancer,” The New York Times wrote in 2010. “Some research suggests that such a wonder treatment already exists. It’s vitamin D.” By 2020, more than one in six adults were on that wonder treatment in the form of daily supplements, which promise to deliver the sun’s benefits without its dangers.
une 2024 Issue
SCIENCE Against Sunscreen Absolutism Moderate sun exposure can be good for you. Why won’t American experts acknowledge that?
By Rowan Jacobsen Tanned skin with pale smiley face drawn on it Illustration by Gabriela Pesqueira. Source: Dimarik / Getty. MAY 10, 2024 SHARE & GIFT SAVE Listen to this article
00:00
14:49
Listen to more stories on Curio
Australia is a country of abundant sunshine, but the skin of most Australians is better adapted to gloomy England than the beaches of Brisbane. The country’s predominantly white population has by far the world’s highest rate of skin cancer, and for years the public-health establishment has warned residents about the dangers of ultraviolet light. A 1980s ad campaign advised Australians to “Slip, Slop, Slap”—if you had to go out in the sun, slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The only safe amount of sun was none at all.
Explore the June 2024 Issue Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
View More Then, in 2023, a consortium of Australian public-health groups did something surprising: It issued new advice that takes careful account, for the first time, of the sun’s positive contributions. The advice itself may not seem revolutionary—experts now say that people at the lowest risk of skin cancer should spend ample time outdoors—but the idea at its core marked a radical departure from decades of public-health messaging. “Completely avoiding sun exposure is not optimal for health,” read the groups’ position statement, which extensively cites a growing body of research. Yes, UV rays cause skin cancer, but for some, too much shade can be just as harmful as too much sun.
It’s long been known that sun exposure triggers vitamin D production in the skin, and that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased rates of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, osteoporosis, and many other diseases. It was natural to assume that vitamin D was responsible for these outcomes. “Imagine a treatment that could build bones, strengthen the immune system and lower the risks of illnesses like diabetes, heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure and cancer,” The New York Times wrote in 2010. “Some research suggests that such a wonder treatment already exists. It’s vitamin D.” By 2020, more than one in six adults were on that wonder treatment in the form of daily supplements, which promise to deliver the sun’s benefits without its dangers.
But sunlight in a pill has turned out to be a spectacular failure. In a large clinical trial that began in 2011, some 26,000 older adults were randomly assigned to receive either daily vitamin D pills or placebos, and were then followed for an average of five years. The study’s results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine two years ago. An accompanying editorial, with the headline “A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation,” noted that no benefits whatsoever had been found for any of the health conditions that the study tracked. “Vitamin D supplementation did not prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease, prevent falls, improve cognitive function, reduce atrial fibrillation, change body composition, reduce migraine frequency, improve stroke outcomes, decrease age-related macular degeneration, or reduce knee pain,” the journal said. “People should stop taking vitamin D supplements to prevent major diseases or extend life.”
Australia’s new guidance is in part a recognition of this reality. It’s also the result of our improved understanding of the disparate mechanisms through which sunlight affects health. Some of them are intuitive: Bright morning light, filtered through the eyes, helps regulate our circadian rhythms, improving energy, mood, and sleep. But the systemic effects of UV light operate through entirely different pathways that have been less well understood by the public, and even many health professionals. In recent years, that science has received more attention, strengthening conviction in sunlight’s possibly irreplaceable benefits. In 2019, an international collection of researchers issued a call to arms with the headline “Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/06/sun-exposure-health-benefits/678205/

Share how blessed or not you are by Lord Smiley Face! Lomen! This is the place where you can express how lucky you got with your rolls or how much our Lord Smiley Face frowned upon you. You did donate gold and eat your bell peppers... right???
Remember, you can post screenshots (only 1 per; reply to your comment to add more) directly into the comments by tapping the image icon.

I’ve figured out the song that corresponds to the faces but I have no clue where I’m supposed to play it. Even just a nudge in the right direction would be very helpful.
Also I’ve collected all the eggs and am about to do the tasks involved with that in case it’s related to something I haven’t gotten to yet.

[JUNE]
Week 1, June 2001
________________
[1.6 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “EIGHT MAN MAYHEM”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The Championship Committee make Flair an offer
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,586
Overall Rating 58
Kevin Nash and Booker T exchanged words to end the show
Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair beat Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett and Mike Awesome
Gene Okerlund spoke with Vampire and Goldberg
Dustin Rhodes beat Curt Hennig
Buff Bagwell beat Bam Bam Bagwell
Yoshihiro Tajiri & Sting beat Kanyon and Lex Luger
Sabu beat Jim Duggan
A confrontation between Sting, DDP, Lance Storm, Rena Mero and Mike Awesome
Sabu and Rob Van Dam were with their manager Bill Alfonso and Gene Okerlund
Bobby Henan and Kanyon addressed Lex Luger ahead of their match at Great American Bash
Vampire & Goldberg beat 3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
Shane Helms, Lizmark Jr, Rey Misterio Jr, Super Crazy, Volador Jr beat Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666, La Parka, Vilano V and Masato Tanaka
Lance Storm beat Hugh Morrus
The Championship Committee (Arn Anderson, Steamboat, Piper, Funk) and WCW President offer Ric Flair a spot on the Championship Committee. He turns it down to focus on his and Dustin Rhodes WCW Tag Title match at Great American Bash
[DARK] The Mamalukes beat Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo
◆Show Notes
Cash, Jamie Knoble, Big Vito and Johnny Ace were fined due to behavioural incidents.
Curt Hennig was injured in his match (out 16 days)
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was rated 0.11 with 82,885 viewers with 1,316,070 views overall.
◆Roster Changes
Jim Duggan was released from his contract, a cost of $103,200 to the 2001 budget
Johnny Ace was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Jimmy Hart was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Miss Jones was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Ernest Miller was released from his contract, a cost of $78,600 to the 2001 budget
Don Callis has agreed a one year per show handshake deal with no downside.
Dory Funk Jr has agreed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Harley Race has a greed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Fit Finlay has agreed a one year per show handshake deal with no downside.
Larry Zbyszko has agreed an ongoing per show handshake deal with no downside.
Scott Hudson was released from his contract at no cost to the budget
Week 2, June 2001
________________
[7.6 ROAD TO GREAT AMERICAN BASH!!] “WHOSE NEXT?”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The final stop before the Bash
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,601
Overall Rating 61
Goldberg beat Masato Tanaka
Kevin Nash and Booker T discussed their World Title match at Great American Bash
Diamond Dallas Page and Sting Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas
La Park and Rey Misterio trash talked each other
Booker T, KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark), Rob Van Dam and Sabu beat Kanyon, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell and The Steiner Brothers
Vampiro beat Big Vito
A video promoted Legacy (Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes)
Fit Finlay beat Hugh Morrus
Jamie Noble beat Elix Skipper
Bobby Henan and his client Kanyon confronted Lex Luger
Kevin Nash beat EZ Money
Director of Talent Acquisition spoke with Stacey Keibler and her client Vilano V, Don Callis and his client Damien 666
Konnan, Billy Kidman, Rey Misterio Jr, Silver King and Tajiri beat Vilano V, Damien 666, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome
There was an confrontation between Goldberg and Vampire and Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett.
Gene Okerlund is joined by Tajiri, James Mitchell and Buff Bagwell to discuss their Great American Bash match.
Goldberg is getting ready backstage
The show opened with Sabu/RVD and the Steiner Brothers fighting backstage.
[DARK] Alex Wright, Bam Bam Bigelow, Norman Smiley and Lash Leroux beat Mike Jindrak, Mike Sanders, Evan Karagais and Shannon Moore
[DARK] Super Crazy beat Sean O’Haire
◆Show Notes
Stevie Ray was fined for a behavioural incident.
◆[GREAT AMERICAN BASH]:”ALL MATCHES CONFIRMED!”
Booker T v Kevin Nash - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Diamond Dallas Page v Lance Storm
Sting v Mike Awesome
Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas v Goldberg & Vampiro
Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair v Rob Van Dam & Sabu v Scott & Rick Steiner v Kronik - WCW Tag Team Titles
Buff Bagwell v Tajiri
Lex Luger v Kanyon
Shane Helms v Chavo Guerrero Jr v Billy Kidman v Super Crazy- WCW Cruiserweight Title
Rey Misterio Jr v La Parka
TV Title Battle Royal
◆Show Notes
WCW Nitro’s TV rating was 0.11 with 86,294 viewers with 1,377,515 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Jeremy Borash was released from his contract at a cost of $33,600 to the 2001 budget.
Billy Gunn has agreed a six month per show agreement with no downside.
Steve Corino has agreed a one more handshake per show agreement with no downside.
[13.6 A NEW!] “WCW Great American Bash Live On Pay Per View”
[Oasis Hall, CA] Turn Up The Heat
◆”Big Bang” Pay Per View
Oasis Hall, CA with 8,633 in attendance
Overall Rating 63
Post Match Booker T and Nash shook hands.
Booker T beat Kevin Nash to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title
Steiner Brothers beat Legacy (Flair and Dustin Rhodes), Rob Van Dam & Sabu and Kronik to become the new WCW World Tag Team Champions (fall at second defence)
Diamond Dallas Page beat Lance Storm
Gene Okerlund interviewed Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes about the WCW Tag Team Title match tonight
Rey Misterio Jr and Kevin Nash bumped into each other backstage
Sting and Mike Awesome went to a double DQ
Sting was getting ready backstage
Vampiro & Goldberg beat Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett
DDP ran into Lance Storm backstage
Yoshiro Tajiri beat Buff Bagwell
Kevin Nash spoke about Booker T ahead of the main event
James Mitchell and his client Tajiri confronted Buff Bagwell ahead of their match
Rey Misterio Jr beat La Parka
Mike Tenay caught up with Booker T ahead of the Main Event.
Super Crazy beat Shane Helms, Billy Kidman and Chavo Guerrero Jr to become WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Kanyon beat Lex Luger
The Championship Committee (Arn Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk and Roddy Piper) with WCW President Eric Bischoff present Fit Finlay the Championship belt
30 Man Battle Royal for the TV Title: Fit Finlay wins, Masato Tanaka made the most eliminations with the final four being the debuting Steve Corino and Billy Gun alongside Konnan.
[DARK] Lash Leroux beat Kid Romeo
◆Show Notes
Yang and Hugh Morrus were fined due to behavioural incidents.
◆Business Notes
WCW Great American Bash had a buy rate of 0.10 (54,714 buys)
WCW Great American Bash was shown internationally with a TV rating of 0.11 (86,151 views) with 150,637 viewers overall.
Week 3, June 2001
________________
[21.6 WCW LIVES ON!] “THE FALL OUT FROM LAST NIGHT”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Tag Main Event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,791
Overall Rating 60
Kevin Nash and Goldberg carried on their disagreement
Steve Corino and Jeff Jarrett beat Goldberg and Kevin Nash after a miscommunication from Goldberg and Nash
Bobby Heenan with Kanyon confronted WCW World Champion Booker T.
Booker T, Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Vampiro beat Kanyon, Shane Douglas, Lance Storm and Mike Awesome by DQ
Billy Gunn beat Bryan Clark
Rey Misterio beat Rick Steiner
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger
Fit Finlay beat Alex Wright to retain the WCW World TV Title (first defence)
Team Canada (Mike Awesome & Lance Storm) and Sting, Diamond Dallas Page have an in ring confrontation.
Goldberg is walking backstage
Vampiro cuts a promo on Curt Hennig
Ric Flair beat Vilano V
Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Terry Funk
Ric Flair discusses his match with Vilano V
Championship Committee members Terry Funk and Roddy Piper are confronted by Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell
[DARK] Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro’s TV rating was 0.11 (87,155 viewers) with 1,375,028 overall.
◆Bash at the Beach ~CARD SO FAR
Booker T v Kanyon - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
Vampiro v Curt Hennig
Lance Storm v Sting
Diamond Dallas Page v Mike Awesome
Week 4, June 2001
________________
[28.6 WCW LIVES ON!] “STEINER AND RHODES DO BATTLE”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] More matches are made for the Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,761
Overal Rating 60
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Diamond Dallas Page beat Booker T and Masato Tanaka for the WCW United States Heavyweight Title, with Kanyon watching on
Goldberg beat Lex Luger
Cash, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666 and La Parka beat Jamie Knoble, Great Sasuke, Yang and Kaz Hayashi
Champion Committee members Arn Anderson & Roddy Piper were in the Control Centre hyping up Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas and Tajiri v Super Crazy matches set for Bash at the Beach
A confrontation between Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) and Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger)
Steve Corino, Billy Gunn, Curt Hennig and Fit Finlay beat Hugh Morrus, Bam Bam Bigelow, Air Paris and Sean O’Haire
Kevin Nash and Goldberg then brawled in the back
Yoshihiro Tajiri & Kevin Nash beat Super Crazy & Vampiro
Bobby Hennan and Kanyon talked trash of WCW World Champion Booker T
Rick Flair & Dustin Rhodes come face to face with Steve Corino & Billy Gunn
Rey Misterio Jr beats Mark Jindrak
A video recaps the feud between DDP/Sting and Lance Storm/Mike Awesome
Kronik beat Big Vito & Johnny The Bull
Video plays showcasing Rob Van Dam & Sabu
[Dark] Kanyon beats Norman Smiley
◆Show Notes
Jamie Knoble suffered a grade 1 groin strain, he will be out for 2 days
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro rating 0.11 with 86,167 viewers with 1,379,409 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Sean O’Haire requested and was granted his release, he departs at no cost to the budget.
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Bash at the Beach (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue $2,2m ⬇️ $300k
Wages ($2,68m) ⬇️ 220k
Of Which Are Terminations (215k) ⬇️ $172k
Loss ($3.5m) ⬇️200k
Performance ($1.3m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $7,4m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam w/Bill Alfonso
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso
Shane Helms - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) - WCW World Tag Team Champions
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
The Mamalukes (Big Vito & Johnny the Bull)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Chris Harris
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Masato Tanaka
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 10 Months
Ultimo Dragon - Broken Arm - 56 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
Don Callis
Dory Funk Jr
Harley Race
Fit Finlay
Larry Zbyszko
Out
Jim Duggan
Johnny Ace
Jimmy Hart
Miss Jones
Ernest Miller
Scott Hudson
Jeremy Borash
Sean O’Haire
Summary
5 signings and 8 departures
[JULY]
Week 1, July 2001
——
◆Bash at the Beach ~MORE MATCHES CONFIRMED
Booker T v Kanyon - WCW World Heavyweight Title
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
Vampiro v Curt Hennig
Lance Storm v Sting
Diamond Dallas Page v Mike Awesome
Flair & Rhodes v Billy Gunn & Steve Corino
Super Crazy v Tajiri - WCW Cruiserweight
Konnan & Rey Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
Totally Buff & Kronik
[1.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “THE BRAIN IS OUT FOR BOOKER T”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Huge one on one matches scheduled
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,782
Overal Rating 54
Booker T and Kanyon w/Bobby Henenan closed the show in the ring.
Rob Van Dam beat Steve Corino
Mike Tenay interviewed DDP, Sting, Lance Storm, Mike Awesome and Reno Mero.
Kanyon beat Dustin Rhodes
Yoshihiro Taijiri, Sting and Super Crazy beat Billy Gunn, Shane Douglas and Jeff Jarrett
Control Center segment promoted Steiner Brothers v Rob Van Dam & Sabu, Vampiro & Curt Hennig, Super Crazy v Yoshihiro Taijir and Vilano V v Bam Bam Bigelow for Bash at the Beach
Ric Flair beat Mike Sanders
Diamond Dallas Page beat Curt Hennig
Rey Misterio Jr & Konnan beat Totally Buff (Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell)
Goldberg and Kevin Nash bumped into each other backstage
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) tussled on the microphone with Steve Corino & Billy Gunn
Goldberg beat Vilano V
Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas went face to face with Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr
Rick Steiner beat Sabu
[DARK] AJ Styles beat Volador Jr
[DARK] Vampiro beat Chris Harris
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was shown to a rating of 0.10 with 80,029 viewers with 1,252,174 viewers overall.
◆Talent Relations
Norman Smiley's current contract is set to expire at the end of July. He has now agreed a per show handshake agreement with no downside.
◆Roster Changes
TAKA Michinoku has agreed a three month per show handshake agreement with no downside. His WWF contract is set to expire at the end of the month.
Big Vito has been released from his contract at a cost of $45,600 to the 2001 budget
Johnny the Bull has been released from his contract at a cost of $30,000 to the 2001 budget
Chris Harris has been released from his contract at a cost of $16,200 to the 2001 budget
Week 2, July 2001
——
[8.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “FOUR SUPERSTARS MEET IN THE MAIN EVENT”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Plus... Flair v Booker T
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,748
Overall Rating 58
Goldberg beat Lance Storm, Goldberg and Rob Van Dam in a non-title match
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Promo with Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Rena Mero, Diamond Dallas Page and Mike Awesome
Booker T beat Ric Flair in a non-title match
Bam Bam Bigelow, Vampiro and Kevin Nash beat Curt Henning, Vilano V and Fit Finlay
Goldberg is getting ready backstage
Rey Misterio Jr beats EZ Money
Vampiro confronts Curt Hennig
Shane Douglas & Jeff Jarrett beat Yang and Kaz Hayashi
Mike Awesome beat Masato Tanaka
Control Centre segment with Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Goldberg, Steve Corino, Vilano V and Bam Bam Bigelow
Goldberg and Kevin Nash come face to face
Rey Misterio Jr & Konnan confront Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas
Rick Flair v Kanyon v Sting ends in a no contest with interference from Mike Awesome and Sabu
Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner fight with Sabu & Rob Van Dam
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) fight with Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger backstage
Scott Steiner and Rob Van Dam open the show with promos in the ring
[DARK] Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Chavo Guerrero Jr
[DARK] Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger) beat Norman Smiley and Hugh Morrus
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was rated 0.11 with 83,270 viewers with 1,321,854 views overall.
Roster Changes
Brazo de Platino has agreed a per show agreement with no downside.
Week 3, July 2001
——
◆News
WCW will once again go on the road from August, no longer taping Nitro exclusively at the Hard Rock Cafe & Casino in Las Vegas.
Alex Wright & Hugh Morrus are set to debut as a new heel team 'Futurewave'
Essia Rios turned down an approach from WCW and extended his WWF contract
Masato Tanaka has one month remaining on his per show handshake contract, he has indicated he wishes to leave
◆Roster Changes
Tommy Dreamer has agreed a one year per show handshake agreement with no no downside.
[13.7 WCW LIVES ON!] “THIS IS NO DAY AT THE BEACH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] Two huge main events
◆”Bash At The Beach” Pay Per View
Toyota Sports Centre, CA in front of 8,418 people
Overall Rating 66
Goldberg beat Kevin Nash
Booker T beat Kanyon to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title (third defence)
A video hypes up the Goldberg v Kevin Nash main event
Kevin Nash is seen getting ready backstage
Golderbg is seen getting ready backstage
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat The Steiner Brothers to become the WCW World Tag Team Champions (fall at first defence)
WCW President Eric Bischoff and Championship Committee Member Terry Funk meet with Bobby Heenan and his client Kanyon ahead of his World Title challenge
Diamond Dallas Page beat Mike Awesome to retain the WCW United States Heavyweight Title (first defence)
Sting beat Lance Storm
Kevin Nash speaks to Gene Okerlund about his match with Goldberg
Yoshirio Tajiri beat Super Crazy in a match for the WCW Cruiserweight Title by count out, Crazy retains the title
Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, Rob Van Dam meet with WCW President Eric Bischoff and members of the Championship Committee Terry Funk, Arn Anderson and Roddy Piper ahead of their WCW Tag Team match
Vampiro beats Curt Hennig
We see a promo video on Sting
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) beat Billy Gunn & Fit Finlay
Bam Bam Bigelow beats Vilano V
Head of Talent Acquisition Dusty Rhodes announces Steve Corino will not perform tonight, Billy Gunn will now team with Fit Finlay to take on Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes
Curt Henning and Vampiro ran into each other backstage
Totally Buff (Buff Bagwell & Lex Luger) beat Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
WCW World Champion Booker T was seen backstage
Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr beat Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
[DARK]Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
[DARK] Billy Kidman beats Chavo Guerrero Jr
◆Show Notes
Arn Anderson was reprimanded for a behavioural incident.
◆Show Notes
Steve Corino's contract expired the morning of the show, no agreement could be made.
◆Roster Changes
Steve Corino's contract has expired and has departed WCW.
◆Business Notes
WCW Bash At The Beach received a pay per view buy rate of 0.12 with 61,931 buys
WCW Bash At The Beach was shown internationally with a rating of 0.12 with 90,010 views with 162,518 viewers overall.
Week 3, July 2001
——
[21.7 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “TAG CLASH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The fall out from Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,762
Overall Rating 59
To close the show DDP, Sting, Booker T, RVD and Sabu challenged The Steiners, Team Canada and Fit Finlay to an Elimination Tag match at Fall Brawl.
Diamond Dallas Page & Sting beat Curt Henning & Billy Gunn
Sting and DDP were seen backstage walking to the ring
Goldberg beat Jeff Jarrett and Konnan in a triple threat match
Goldberg and Nash went nose to nose backstage
Fit Finlay beat Shane Helmes to retain his WCW World Television Title (second defence)
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) crossed paths with Don Callis and his client Damien 666 and La Parka
La Parka, Chavo Guerrero Jr, Damien 666, Vilano V bear Lizamark Jr, Brazo de Platino, Jamie Knoble and Great Sasuke
Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes cut a backstage promo
Dustin Rhodes beat Masato Tanaka
Sting/DDP and Team Canada (Lance Storm/Mike Awesome), Booker T, The Steiner Brothers and Rob Van Dam went at it in the ring
Scott Steiner beat Bam Bam Bigelow
Rey Misterio Jr beat Sabu
Rob Van Dam beat Cash
Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Booker T and Fit Finlay crossed paths backstage
Vampiro bumped into Vilano V and his manager Stacey Keibler backstage
[DARK] Lance Storm beat Yoshihiro Tajiri
◆Show Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 85,945 viewers with 1,327,423 viewers overall.
Week 3, July 2001
——
[21.7 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “TAG CLASH”
[Hard Rock Cafe & Casino] The fall out from Bash at the Beach
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in front of 1,771
Overall Rating 59
A video plays confirming the Goldberg v Kevin Nash rematch is set for Fall Brawl
Booker T beats Jeff Jarrett to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title (defence four)
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dustin Rhodes) beat Kanyon & Billy Gunn
Booker T is getting ready backstage
Kevin Nash beats Shane Douglas
Sabu & Rob Van Dam are attacked by The Steiner Brothers
Booker T and Fit Finlay talk to WCW President Eric Bischoff
Rob Van Dam & Sabu beat Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright)
A highlight reel of Diamond Dallas Page and Sabu was shown...they'll meet next week!
Goldberg beat James Storm
Funk, Rhodes, Flair, Vampire and Dustin Rhodes challenge Totally Buff, La Parka, Vilano V and Damien 666 to an Elimination match at Fall Brawl
Goldberg is seen backstage
Fit Finlay beat Konnan to retain the WCW Television Title (third defence)
Vampiro and Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) beat Curt Hennig & Totally Buff (Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell)
Jeff Jarrett and Shane Douglas talked backstage
Bam Bam Bigelow beat Mark Jindrak
Diamond Dallas Page beat Scott Steiner, La Parka and Tommy Dreamer to retain the WCW Unites States Title
WCW President Eric Bischoff and Championship Committee Members Terry Funk & Arn Anderson confirm Super Crazy will defend his WCW Cruiserweight title at Fall Brawl against Yoshihiro Tajiri and one other!
[DARK] Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo beat Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was broadcast with a rating of 0.11 with 86,713 views with 1,328,284 viewers overall.
◆Bash at the Beach ~MORE MATCHES CONFIRMED
Goldberg v Kevin Nash
ELIMINATION TAG: Mike Awesome, Lance Storm, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Fit Finlay v Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Sabu, Rob Van Dam and Booker T
ELIMINATION TAG: Dustin Rhodes, Ric Flair Dusty Rhodes, Terry Funk and Vampiro v Buff Bagwell, Lex Luger, Damien 666, La Parka, Vilano V
Super Crazy v Yoshihiro Tajiri v ???
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Fall Brawl (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue 1.9m ⬇️ $300k
Wages ($2,47m) ⬇️ 203k
Of Which Are Terminations (91,8k) ⬇️ $123k
Loss ($3.3m) ⬇️200k
Performance ($1.4m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $6m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Brazo de Platino
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Shane Helms -
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Tommy Dreamer
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay - WCW World Television Champion
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Masato Tanaka
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
TAKA Michinoku
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 9 Months
Ultimo Dragon - Broken Arm - 25 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
TAKA Michinoku
Brazo de Platino
Tommy Dreamer
Out
Big Vito
Johnny The Bull
Chris Harris
Steve Corino
Summary
3 signings and four departures
Week 1, August 2001
——
[1.8 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “BACK TO THE MID-ATLANTIC”
[Greenwood Civic Center, SC] Icons collide in the main event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Greenwood Civic Center, SC in front of 2,188 people
Overall Rating 63
Kevin Nash and Sting go to a non-contest when Goldberg runs in
Ric Flair beat Curt Hennig
Gene Okerlund interviews Rob Van Dam & Sabu and The Steiner Brothers
Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Vampiro, Dusty Rhodes all out Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell.
Diamond Dallas Page beats Sabu to retain the WCW United States title in his third defence
A hype video plays promoting Goldberg v Kevin Nash at Fall Brawl
TAKA Michinoku is confirmed as the third person in the WCW World Cruiserweight Title match at Fall Brawl
Goldberg, Booker T and Vampire beat Fit Finlay, Lance Storm & Mike Awesome
Rob Van Dam beat Jeff Jarrett
WCW President Eric Bischoff meets Mike Awesome, Lance Storm and his manager Rena Mero
Yoshihiro Tajiri beat Billy Kidman
Championship Committee member Terry Funk deals with The Filthy Animals, Jeff Jarrett, Shane Douglas and Kanyon. A 3 v 3 Match is set for Fall Brawl.
Bam Bam Bigelow, Jamie Knoble and Kronik (Bryan Clark & Bryan Adams) beat Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell, Shannon Moore and Evan Karagais
Rey Misterio Jr beats Shane Douglas
Nash arrives at the building
Sting is backstage
Kevin Nash v Sting is set for tonight's main event
[DARK] TAKA Michinoku beat Chavo Guerrero Jr
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 86,806 viewers and 1,377,944 viewers overall.
◆Roster Changes
Mr Aquila has agreed a three month per show handshake agreement with no downside.
Week 1, August 2001
——
[8.14 ROAD TO FALL BRAWL!] “ACTION AT CENTER STAGE”
[Ceenter Stage, Atlanta] Icons collide in the main event
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Center Stage, Atlanta in front of 1,050
Overall Rating 65
Goldberg beats Buff Bagwell
Goldberg is heading to the ring
Booker T , Diamond Dallas Page & Sting celebrate in the ring before Mike Awesome, Lance Storm and Fit Finally interrupt
Booker T , Diamond Dallas Page & Sting beat Fit Finlay, Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas
Legacy (Ric Flair & Dusin Rhodes) beat Chavo Guerrero Jr & Cash
Kevin Nash beat EZ Money
Tommy Dreamer beats Masato Tanaka
A video plays hyping Rob Van Dam & Sabu v The Steiner Brothers
Lex Luger beats Lash Leroux
The Steiner brothers cut a promo on Rob Van Dam & Sabu
Control Center segment promoting Super Crazy v Tajiri v TAKA Michonoku, Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr v Jeff Jarrett & Shane Douglas at Fall Brawl
Rob Van Dam and Sabu beats Kevin Karagias and Shannon Moore
Kevin Nash hypes his upcoming match with Goldberg
TKA Michinoku, Mr Aquila and La Parka Damien 666, Lizmark Jr and Yoshihiro Tajiri
Ric Flair is joined by Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes before La Parka, Damien 666 and Don Callis interrupt.
Curt Hennig beat Norman Smiley
Bam Bam Bigelow beat James Storm
Vampire beat Mark Jindrak
Announcers confirm Ric Flair will be speaking later in the show
[DARK]Scott Steiner beat Billy Kidman
◆Show Notes
Volador Jr was fined for poor backstage behaviour.
Lex Luger suffered a Olecrannon Fracture and is out for 24 days.
◆Business News
WCW Nitro received a 0.12 TV rating with 90,880 viewers with 1,447,334 viewers overall. The most watched Nitro since the reboot.
◆Roster Changes
Franklin Foley has signed a two year contract with a cost to the 2001 budget of $8,800
Franlin Foley has joined M-Pro on a 12 month excursion at a cost of $13,2000
Masato Tanaka's contract has expired and he has departed WCW.
[8.20 FALL BRAWL!] “IT'S A BRAWL LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE”
[Norfolk, Virginia] Teams collide
◆”Fall Brawl” Pay Per View
Norfolk Scope Arena, Virginia in front of 10,859
Overall Rating 65
Kevin Nash beat Goldberg
Goldberg left his locker room to head to the ring
Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, Sabu, Rob Van Dam and Bill Alfonso celebrated backstage
A video played hyping the main event
Diamond Dallas Page, Sting, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Sabu defeated Fit Finlay, Team Canada and Steiner Brothers in an elimination tag match.
Yoshihiro Tajiri defeated TAKA Michinoku and Super Crazy to win the WCW Cruiserweight title (
Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk had a heated debate backstage
The Filthy Animals (Billy Kidman, Konnan and Rey Misterio Jr) defeated Jeff Jarrett, Kanyon and Shane Douglas in an elimination tag match
Kevin Nash was getting ready backstage
Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes and Terry Funk beat Buff Bagwell, Billy Gunn, Vilano V, Damien 666 and La Parka in an elimination tag match. Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk had a miscommunication in the match.
The team of Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes, Vampire and Terry Funk hung out backstage
Gene Okerlund interviewed Yoshihiro Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell
Bam Bam Bigelow beat Curt Hennig, Tommy Dreamer and Chavo Guerrero Jr
Futurewave (Hugh Morrus & Alex Wright) & Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark) beat Elix Skipper, Kid Romeo, Shannon Moore & Evan Karagias in an elimination tag match
The announcers put over the main event of Goldberg v Kevin Nash
The team of Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Scott Steiner, Ric Steiner, spoke to Gene Okerlund
Silver King, Air Raid (AJ Styles/Air Pairs) beat Cash, EZ Money and Christopher Daniels
◆Business Notes
WCW Fall Brawl's buy rate was 0.12 with 61,932 buys
WCW Fall Brawl was shown and received a 0.12 TV rating to international audiences, 90,378 viewers with 163,339 viewers overall.
Week 3, August 2001
——
[8.20 WCW NITRO!] “No.1 Contenders Tournament”
[Punta Gorda, Florida] Who will face Booker T, next?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Charlotte Harbour Center, Florda in front of 2,000 (SUPER NO VACANCY!)
Overall Rating 65
Show closed with a promo video hyping Booker T v Fit Finlay
Kevin Nash challenged Goldberg to a third match.
Fit Finlay beat Rob Van Dam to become the new World Heavyweight Championship No.1 Contender
Booker T & Goldberg beat Curt Hennig and Billy Fun
Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes have unfinished business with La Parka and Damien 666
Fit Finlay beat Jeff Jarrett in a semi final match of the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Team Canada (Lance Storm & Mike Awesome) beat Yoshihiro Tajiri & Vampiro
Gene Okerlund interviewed new WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri and his manager James Mitchell who spoke about their win over Super Crazy
Championship Committee Members Terry Funk and Roddy Piper tried to cool things over with Director of Talent Acquisition Dusty Rhodes.
Jeff Jarrett beat Diamond Dallas Page in a No 1 Contenders Tournament Match
Fit Finlay beat Ric Flair in a No 1 Contenders Tournament Match
Rob Van Dam defeated Scott Steiner in the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Kevin Nash and Goldberg are backstage; an argument breaks out
Sting and Kevin Nash went to a no contest when Goldberg, Lance Storm and Goldberg all interfered, both men are eliminated from the No.1 Contenders Tournament
Goldberg arrives at the building, he's not happy
◆Show Notes
Volador Jr was fined for poor behaviour backstage.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro's TV rating was 0.11 with 86,481 viewers with 1,375,613 viewers overall.
——
[8.20 WCW NITRO!] “No.1 Contenders Tournament”
[Omaha, Nebraska] Who will face Booker T, next?
◆”WCW Niro” TV Show
Omaha Civic Aud Mancuso, NE in front of 1,541
Overall Rating 65
Goldberg & Fit Finlay beat Booker T & Yoshihiro Tajiri and Kevin Nash & Super Crazy
Mike Awesome beat Brian Adams
Goldberg was getting ready backstage
Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk crossed paths
Diamond Dallas Page beat Mike Sanders
Scott Steiner beat Dustin Rhodes
Kanyon beat Konnan
Billy Kidman & Rey Misterio Jr beat Cash & EZ Money
Rob Van Dam beat Rick Steiner
Sting and Reno Mero were backstage
Ric Flair and Dustin Rhodes crossed paths with La Parka and Damien 666
Scott Steiner and Rob Van Dam went face to face
Vampiro beat Tommy Dreamer
◆Show Notes
Konnan was fined for poor backstage behaviour
Booker T suffered compound frontal bone fracture and was initially set to be out for a year. Surgery was unable to produce a significant improvement and he'll now be out for over a year.
◆Business Notes
WCW Nitro was shown to a TV rating of 0.12 with 91,046 viewers with 1,484,015 viewers overall.
◆Breaking News
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T will be out for over a year. This news comes as the company is rumoured to have made a seven a fourth month of $1m+ losses.
//END OF MONTH REPORT
◆Company Info
Size Small, second in the world
Next Event Wrestle War (pay per view)
TV Shows: WCW Nitro (Monday)
◆Financial Summary
Revenue 1.8m ⬇️ $100k
Wages ($2,2m) ⬇️ 100k.
Of Which Are Terminations (13k) ⬇️ $78,8k
Loss ($3.2m) ⬇️100k
Performance ($1.3m) ⬇️ 100k
Reserves $4.6m
◆Active Roster
[FACE]
Singles
Alex Wright
Bam Bam Bigelow
Billy Kidman w/Tygress
Booker T - WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Brazo de Platino
Diamond Dallas Page
Goldberg
Great Sasuke
Hugh Morris
James Mitchell
Jamie Knoble
Kevin Nash
Konnan w/Tygress
Lash Leroux
Lizmark Jr
Norman Smiley
Rey Misterio Jr w/Tygress
Rob Van Dam - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Sabu w/Bill Alfonso - WCW World Tag Team Champion
Shane Helms -
Silver King
Sting
Super Crazy - WCW Cruiserweight Champion
Tommy Dreamer
Vampiro
Volador Jr
Yoshiro Tajiri
Tag Teams
Air Raid (AJ Styles & Air Paris)
Kronik (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
Legacy (Dustin Rhodes & Ric Flair)
Jung Dragons (Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
[HEEL]
Singles
Buff Bagwell
Cash
Chavo Guerrero Jr
Christopher Daniels
Curt Hennig
Damien 666 w/Don Callis
Elix Skipper
EZ Money
Fit Finlay - WCW World Television Champion
James Storm
Kanyon w/Bobby Henan
Kid Romeo
La Parka
Lex Luger
Mark Jindrak
Mike Sanders
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner w/Midajah
Shane Douglas
TAKA Michinoku
Ultimo Dragon
Vilano V w/Stacy Keibler
Tag Teams
Team Canada (Lance Storm w/Rena Mero & Mike Awesome)
3 Count (Evan Karagias & Shannon Moore)
◆Unavailable
Sid Vicious - Leg Break 8 Months, 2 weeks
Booker T - Frontal Bone Fracture - 1 year, 2 weeks
Great Sasuke - 6 days
Lex Luger - 4 days
◆Personalities
Arn Anderson - Member of the Championship Committee
Eric Bischoff - OwnePresident
Dusty Rhodes - Director Talent Acquisition
Roddy Piper - Member of the Championship Committee
Ricky Steamboat - Member of the Championship Committee
Terry Funk - Member of the Championship Committee / Part Time Wrestler
Larry Zbyszko
Paisley
Mike Tenay
Stevie Ray
Tony Schiavone
Gene Okerlund
[IN/OUT]
In
Franklin Foley
Out
Franklin Foley (Excursion)
Masato Tanaka
Summary
1 signing and 2 departures
//- EXECUTIVE NOTES //-

• I am using a TEW 2016 data converted to TEW 2020, it has a lot of issues mainly around personality attributes, everyone - even the most godly person seems to have a hard drug issue or cause issues. This really impacted the moral (0%) and therefore hurt my initial shows. I'm not a fan of playing around with data during a save but it was required to make it playable.
  
• Despite slashing the wage bill with $700k in terminations, and signing replacements on per show deals my basic wage has not changed dramatically, only about $100k.
  
• One unintended consequence of slashing the wage bill has been a massive reduction in Merchandise. I'm making $750k less than my first month. While my live event merchandise sales have increased, I'm $775k down on worker sales.
  
• As one of the few that did watch WCW in 2000, I am surprised you start as small (made even harder by being based South West). Also Hogan was still under contract with WCW until 2002 (just sitting at home), on this data he starts unemployed. Having said that, if he was on your wage bill the challenge would be even harder.
  

Warning: This is extremely long
I am writing this because I need to make it known my love for this girl. And there needs to be something in the world that shows my love. All the hours of sleep I have lost for this girl, who I will call Eve, were for naught and I need there to be something tangible of what we had. This is my story of her.
I first met Eve at a volunteer event for an see organization we both went to, 4 days of 5 hours of volunteering. I thought she was beautiful and I wanted to ask her out. As we were leaving on the very last day I asked. I told her I enjoyed talking to her and thought she was cool, I asked if she would want to hang out sometime. I was elated. I thought she had given me her number romantically. I was so happy that day, I had never felt such joy. I was potentially going to be in a relationship with this amazing and beautiful woman. I texted her that night, and we talked some. The next day I asked her on a date, if she wanted to go to a local aquarium with me. She told me that she had a boyfriend. My soul was crushed, I felt myself die a bit. I physically felt my joy leave, everything was gray again. I had fallen in love with her over the simple act of her giving me her phone number. I have longed for female connection and affection for so long that even a slight show of something that could be considered as romance made me adore her. And that shows how fucked up I am. I made some more small talk, nothing much. I tried to play it off as “oh yea that’s cool”, perhaps I could salvage a friendship for now, and wait until she did not have a boyfriend. I asked her if she wanted to do paintball for my Birthday, she couldn’t because her sister got injured as a kid from it. For the next 3 months I mourned. I was sad, I had fallen in love with this beautiful girl, but could not even attempt to be with her. Then in November I saw her at another event, I was so scared. I was too afraid to make contact with her. I saw her and was terrified, of scorn, of disgust. I was embarrassed. She walked past me once and I said hi, as a friend, but no response, perhaps she did not hear me. I avoided her for the next few hours. Eventually during a raffle at the end we made eye contact. It was very brief, barely a second. I looked away so fast. She was so breathtaking. Now I knew that she knew I was there, and she knew I knew she was there. I went home without any more contact. The next months were the same, sadness. Mourning the relationship I (thought I) almost had. Every day I thought about her. Every single day. Not 3 hours could pass without her crossing my mind. At night I would look at her on Instagram. Look at her pictures, it was nothing creepy, I just admired her beauty and longed for her. I saw her boyfriend, he was ugly and fat. I do not mean to be rude or hate, but she could do better. I am ugly, but I take care of myself, I was jealous of him. One day she posted her Junior prom pics with him, she was so beautiful. One day when I went to admire her pictures, I noticed something. She had taken his name from her bio, and deleted all her posts. They had broken up. I was elated, perhaps I had a chance. I needed to see her again, establish connection. I went to an event where she was going, I saw her, I tried to find a chance to say hello but we were all so busy and split into different groups, I didn’t get a chance. As the event ended it was late. It was dark and in a not desirable area of town, Eve was leaving and my mom was going to accompany her to her car and called me over to accompany her. I walked out and was with them, Eve was so beautiful, her smile made me melt inside. We made some small talk between the three of us as we walked for a minute or two, and then she got in her car and left. I was angry at myself and my situation, I should have talked to her more, put myself out there. I was beating myself up for it the rest of my time there and the ride home. But when I got home I was overjoyed, while I drove Eve had texted me. She said it was nice to see me at an event again, with a smiley face. We talked for a bit, texting back and forth. I was so happy to be talking to her again, and SHE initiated it. Mind you this is on the 8th of February. For the next week or so we texted, not a ton. She was busy, however I have noticed she uses that as an excuse to not reply, more on that later. Come Valentine’s Day it was nearing Junior Prom at my school, I had dreams of bringing her to it. I was hoping to try and do something in person with her and some friends over the weekend, where I could ask in person. However, on Valentine’s Day she posted on her Instagram story a gift she had received from a secret admirer. I was scared I would lose my opportunity, now I had competition. This rushed me. I called her that evening, I told her I wanted to ask in person but saw her story and felt rushed, i asked if she wanted to go to our Junior prom with me. She said that she wasn’t sure, and wanted a few days to get back to me. A few days later she responded, she could not go. She said that she was talking to someone else pretty seriously and didn’t want to go for that reason. I accepted this with grace, I respect her decision. Exactly one month later I ran into her at an event. We talked a bit, we worked by each other this time. She mentioned when we talked with some others as a group that she was going on a spring break trip to California. After the event ended and we had gone home I texted her later that evening. I said it was nice seeing her, and I hoped she enjoyed her break. She responded, I was scared she wouldn’t. Throughout all of this I have held an underlying belief she is weirded out by me, or wants me to screw off, I had asked her out twice, maybe I am just a creep to her. But she did respond. We talked for the next few days, she still took a long time to respond, over 12 hours usually. I get you’re busy, but let’s be honest, everyone checks their phone in that time. On the morning of break when my family was driving off for ours I got a text from her. She sent me sunrise pics from her trip she was on, and said she would send some more. We texted back and forth a bit then, and she said I should send her pics of my trip. I was so happy, she had sent me pictures and asked I send some. While they weren’t pictures of HER, they were still beautiful sunrise pics, and SHE sent them to me first. Over the course of spring break we talked, there was a large time difference so most of it was sending picture, asking or telling something, and responding to previous texts. But one day we were both sat down and we texted back and forth for a straight hour. She was giving me her time and attention, I felt as if she enjoyed talking to me. When break ended however it changed. She took more and more time to respond, hours to days. She said she was busy, but I knew the truth, you can check your phone over the course of 2-3 days and respond. I felt hurt and confused. She has given me so much time and we had talked so much over break but now I was being ghosted. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wrote her a long text, telling her how I felt about her and what we had going on. How she was the most beautiful woman in the world and how I love talking to her, and also how I was getting mixed signals for her. She responded and told me that at first she was texting for friendliness but began to like me as we talked, she said she would text me before her friends and that must mean something subconsciously. She was flattered and admired my persistence in asking her out, now she was open to going out with me to test the waters. I was overjoyed. However I am moving overseas, about 3 months from when this happened, and I told her that. Very unfortunate that when I get my chance it is cut short. We talked more, and planned a date. She never did tell me why she didn’t respond. It was wonderful, we talked a lot. Of course it was awkward at times, but it got better as it went. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was breathtaking, she had makeup on, but she looks even prettier without it. We talked about all sorts of things, and it all made me like her more. Same passion we wanted to go to college for, both love animals, both believe the same stuff. When the date ended, we went our separate ways. That has since been the last time I have seen her. When I got home she texted me she had a good time, I was so incredibly happy to see that. I hadn’t weirded her out, she hadn’t found me too unattractive to date. One day I posted a pic of me after winning a sports championship along with some others of my team on my story. I have never posted a pic of myself because I am self conscious, this was the first. She viewed my stories, and the only one she gave a like was of me. That made me feel so special, she liked the picture of ME. I was happy, we were still texting, she still took a while to reply, usually a day, but I was happy because I was going on dates with her. During the midst of planning a second, she stopped replying for a few days. When I was touring a college I got the message. She had felt nothing romantic on our date, only platonic. She enjoyed it she said, but felt no feelings for me. She wanted to go out again to solidify these feelings, and give me another chance but because I was moving she didn’t want to potentially start a relationship we would end in 2 months. She said she didn’t want to lead me on. I was heartbroken. I love her. This was the final nail in the coffin, it was over. We would not work out. I replied to her, said thank you for the honesty and wished her luck with life. I have been left on read. I don’t expect anything else, but a reply, a thank you for understanding, anything would be nice. I don’t want it to end. Any connection I can have with her I wanted. I don’t understand, I thought she liked me? While she did say she thought she had feelings, I understand that she may have changed how she felt after going out, but why would she do what she did? Why would she tell me she had a good time it she didn’t think it would work? I feel as if that just got my hopes up. It put me under the impression she liked me too. And why would she like my picture if she did not LIKE me? I am confused m, and I am sad. My situationship with her is done, and any contact is as well. I miss her, I want to be with her. I don’t understand what to do now. For the past year she has been my purpose. I have improved myself for her, cried for her, tried at life for her. Now I have nothing, no purpose. How can I go on when I have no purpose. She was my driving factor for all I did. I am empty now. I write this because I need people to know. I cannot let all I felt for her go unknown. I need to express my love for her somehow, it must be known, it not to her then to you all. I can not let all we had, even if it was really nothing for her and to outside perspective, it was so much to me. And a message I leave for her, if by some miracle she stumbled upon this and recognizes these events. Eve, I love you. I know that it is not reciprocated. I am sorry for loving you, when we together had so little. You are the most beautiful girl in the world, your heart is pure and your mind is sharp. Although I can not be with you I hold no hard feelings. I am not angry, because your feelings are valid, even if they are not what I wish you felt. I hope whatever happens to you in life you excel. I hope you find someone you love that loves you like I do. I will never forget you. Thank you for the chance you gave me, and your honesty and clear communication. Goodbye.

anybody else read it as a smiley face the first few times

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dead in the next 24 hours.
Whether that's the Costella family, or whatever this is, I'm not sure.
The police are taking forever, and part of me knows they're either refusing to believe me, or RC got them too.
I'm holed up on our school bus, so I've got nothing better to do.
I want to tell you about my team.
We met in our sophomore year.
Strangers standing outside the club room.
Levi was the freckled brunette who wouldn't stop talking about Game of Thrones.
Sunny, a pretty redhead, told him to shut up.
Tom, a sandy blonde, nodding his head to music corked in his ears.
I just wanted to be part of a club, and get away from my overbearing mother.
I won't say it was a perfect start. Our school was lacking in funding, so anyone could join, which made us more of a Quiz Club. I had some serious anxiety, so I stayed on the sidelines for a while, watching, rather than taking part.
It's not like we actually talked to each other initially. The first few weeks, we played Jeopardy, and attempted to find more members to cement us as an official Academic Decathlon club.
Unfortunately, though, it was just the four of us.
Which made it extremely hard for us to be taken seriously.
According to Google, Academic Decathlon teams were made up of nine members, placed by their GPA.
Our principal laughed at us, but he did let us become official.
Which was out of pity, I assumed.
The club was assembled, and we started meeting up after school.
Sort of.
Sunny barely showed up, and Levi didn't take anything seriously, preferring to spend the time telling us about his weird family turf-war.
Our principal dumped us in a tiny classroom with a resident rat living under the floorboards.
There was barely enough room to move, and the four of us crammed together for three hours was less than appealing.
Still, though, I wanted to be part of a club.
I had grown up with parents who were obsessed with board games, so I was pretty good at general knowledge questions. Our club room was too small for anything else but three desks (Sunny and I shared one) and a whiteboard we had to shove through the door.
But, again, we didn't start as an Academic club.
It was more akin to Story Time Club.
Arriving late on my third day, armed with quiz cards from home, I found Tom and Sunny completely mesmerised by Levi’s storytelling skills, drowned in shadow.
They didn't even turn the lights on.
I strictly remember squeezing next to Sunny, and hearing the words, “But there was so much blood all over the floor, and my Mom told me to go upstairs and hide under the bed…”
Sitting in front of them was Levi, perched on a desk, his legs swinging, a whiteboard marker between his teeth.
Sometimes he'd get up, and illustrate parts of his story.
It sucked that his drawings were all stick people.
I won't go into full details of his life, but Levi grew up as part of a family who had… interesting methods of making a living. I had seen the guy’s father multiple times when we hung out at his place, and, yeah, my friend’s family definitely had Soprano vibes.
Levi’s Draw My Life was nothing to do with the club, but it did bring us closer.
Even if, at that point, I was considering leaving.
But it's not like it was easy to walk away from these guys. It's like finding your soulmates. Levi wasn't the only one with an interesting life. Sunny Lang was an ex kpop trainee, who was kicked out for being too fat, which led her to develop a severe eating disorder, and a hatred for her own body.
Sunny explained her family were originally from Boston, her mother growing up in Korea.
She signed up for an idol agency focusing on creating a new girl group, and had gotten all the way to the final stages, before being kicked for her weight. Sunny told us her story with a smile, though there was a hollowness in her eyes I couldn't ignore. The other girls were judgemental bullies, and the idol diet and brutal regime almost killed her.
Sunny lived in a tiny apartment with 9 girls, who would tear each other apart for a chance to debut. Sunny said all the other girls debuted, and when we (not so patiently) asked for names, she shrugged, admitting she signed an NDA that prevented her spilling the beans.
What she did say, was the K-pop idol is a product, not a person– and are made and moulded into a product.
She had zero interest in throwing her humanity away to become a manufactured doll.
So, one of us was the son of an underground family, and the other was an ex idol.
Tom was an aspiring horror writer with a famous older step-brother.
His story times were usually, That one time I went to the Met Gala.
When it was my turn to reveal my story, I told them the only interesting thing about me.
I could smell when something bad was going to happen.
They laughed, but I was being serious.
When I was a kid, I smelled my mother’s brain tumor.
I remember it smelled like curdled milk.
I asked Mom why her head smelled of mouldy milk, and Mom laughed and said it was her shampoo.
It was actually a grade two tumor growing inside her brain.
Thankfully, the tumour was found quickly and removed.
Growing older, I became sensitive to smell. The little girl choking on the bus smelled of singed wood, and the old man crossing the road stunk of gasoline.
In the fourth grade, my classmate Alex Castor smelled of lemons all morning.
I sat behind him, choking on the stink all the way through class.
Ever since I met him, Alex had always smelled… off.
It was a distinct smell I could never understand, and as the days and months and years went by, that smell morphed into a subtle orangey musk that was so strong I had to cover my mouth and nose. Then, he smelled like lemons.
During Recess, I watched Alex fall off of the jungle gym, straight onto his head.
Alex Castor was dead before the paramedics arrived, my panicked teacher attempting CPR when his brains were leaking out of his ears.
The school claimed it was an accident, but Alex would have been fine if the jungle gym wasn't built on solid concrete.
I told my team members this, and Levi was sceptical.
“You can smell bad things?” He said, his lips curved around his milkshake straw. In the early days, we hung out in the local bar. It's not like we were allowed inside, but Levi could get us in anywhere.
I was squeezed between Tom and Sunny, while Levi took the seat opposite us. I couldn't help noticing our waitress was insisting on free milkshake refills, her frantic eyes glued to Levi.
I had zero idea why. Levi Costella was about as intimidating as a fruit fly.
Wearing a white shirt with a popped collar, a leather jacket thrown over the top, Levi was giving rebellious Harvard student, rather than son of a crime family.
Leaning forward, he raised a brow, clearly not believing me.
“So, you're like a stink psychic?”
I shrugged, sipping my own shake.
“Sure.”
I wasn't planning on telling him the club room smelled off on our first day.
Once we actually started the club, Levi surprised us as the smartest member, and getting to know him further, I came to the realization his family were infamous in our town.
However, his parents hid it well. Lucy and Michael Costella were the owners of a popular ramen store in our town, hiding under the facade of two successful business owners. The Costella’s were an attractive family.
Lucy was a sophisticated brunette with a lipstick smile, Michael, a handsome fluffy haired man who looked like he modelled glasses.
The two were fiercely protective over their youngest son, not so casually reminding us behind grinning smiles, that if anything happened to Levi, we would automatically be involved in the family.
I mean, they did laugh and say, “We’re joking! Look at your little faces!” when Sunny went deathly pale. But there was definitely truth behind their words.
Being Levi’s friend was… challenging at first.
Tom and I were in his room studying for finals, and an alarm went off, flooding Levi’s room in red light.
I had zero idea where it was coming from, but it locked all the doors and windows, forcing the Costella residence into temporary lockdown. Levi didn't seem fazed, casually mentioning his parents were taking care of it.
He had a whiteboard set up in his room, and was standing in front of it, cramming all of our textbook notes into one easily digestible drawing.
Levi wasn't just smart.
He was Ivy League smart, so we had struck gold with him.
His family were questionable, and yes, sometimes I did fear for my life, but as the more time we spent at his house, the Costella household became a second home. We got used to the alarms.
I just brought along ear plugs.
I wish I was writing this post about Levi’s family, and sure, they are a factor in what is going on right now, but I want to preface this by saying the events below involve the 2024 scholastic decathlon final in our town with the school’s listed:
Starbrook High School.
Ratcliffe High School.
Please note, the incident that took place last night was immediately covered up, and all phone footage was destroyed. Our town is mostly out of the way, and does not show up on Google searches.
We also have our own version of the academic decathlon, which is a more town-level competition, due to lacking funds. The four of us were desperate to start competing with our schools.
So, we started taking things a little more seriously.
We got a coach.
Mr Hanes, who was hesitant at first.
In his words, “You will hate me as your coach.”
He started by recruiting more members, announcing, “If you want to be taken seriously as an actual club, then I'll be taking the reins from now on.”
He did, and with our teachers guidance (and sometimes brutal honesty), we reached a level where we could start competing with other school’s in town. Now, none of us knew this, but Mr Hanes was obsessed with winning.
So, club meetings were twisted into two hour study sessions with no talking, followed by Mr Hanes Jeaprody, which was Jeaprody, without the actual fun.
We were quizzed multiple times, answer cards and practise questions quite literally thrown directly in our faces.
I hate to admit this (I really hate to admit this) but Mr Hanes’s tactics worked. Sure, we had been mildly brainwashed by our slightly unhinged coach, but with Levi Costella, we destroyed our competitors. Like I said, our town held their own version of the academic scholastic decathlon, but it was pretty much the same, with some changes.
Ten subjects. Language and Literature, Math, Social Science, Economics, Art, Music, Interview, Speech, and Essay.
Unlike the official Decathlon, ours was more like a game show, with the ability to be knocked out if a team member answers a question wrong. Whoever answers the most questions correctly wins. Team meet ups were either tests, study sessions, or quizzing each other.
Which leads me to last night.
The finals were held in the reigning champions, Ratcliffe High School’s, auditorium.
And we were about to win our town’s Scholastic Decathlon 2024 Championships.
Well…I was knocked out in the music section. Standing next to my coach who I was sure was going to asphyxiate from excitement, I could smell the sudden potent stink of lemon. I tried to ignore it at first, but the more questions my team were answering correctly, the smell got worse, suffocating my senses.
This wasn't just lemon. The stink was like a burning, singing smell trickling into my nose and the back of my throat.
It was stronger than what Alex smelled like.
This was suffocating, drowning my thoughts.
“Are you okay, Cassandra?”
Mr Hanes nudged me when a Ratcliffe girl was struggling to answer a question, only for Sunny to jump in with the answer. “You look quite pale.”
I nodded, forcing a smile.
My gaze was on the Ratcliffe coach, a scary looking blonde woman, whispering in one of her student’s ears.
The Ratcliffe kid freaked me out. He was way too tall, dark blonde hair, and bulging eyes I swear were not blinking.
His gaze was glued to Levi, who wore a smug grin.
There was a smaller girl next to the Ratcliffe kid, a Macbook balanced on her knee. Every so often, he leaned into her, the two of them in deep conversation.
“I'm just nervous.”
I jumped when Ratcliffe scored a point, their side erupting into cheers.
During the break, we had a mini team meeting.
Sunny rushed to the bathroom to freshen up, and I noticed a Ratcliffe girl with a bouncing ponytail following her.
Ignoring our coach’s speech, I joined the two girls in the corridor, that lemony scent hanging thick in the air.
I caught them in an awkward position.
The Ratcliffe girl had her fingers pinched between the material of Sunny’s dark blue shirt bearing our school’s name.
Sunny looked confused, her lips parted like she was going to yell.
Ponytail dropped her hand, suddenly, with a nervous laugh. “Oh! I'm so, so, sorry,” she gushed. “You had, like, the biggest spider crawling on your back.”
Sunny caught my eye, shooting me a reassuring smile.
“Thanks.” She made sure to keep her distance. “Uh, where's your bathroom?”
The Ratcliffe girl nodded down the hallway. “It's just down there. I'm going there too if you want me to show you?”
Sunny motioned for me to go back to the auditorium. “Uh, sure! That'd be great!”
I did try to follow them, only for Sunny to cough loudly.
I took the hint, reluctantly heading back into the auditorium.
My team was hyping each other up, Levi in the centre, sweating through his team shirt. He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I can't do this,” He groaned. “Ratcliffe High is known to play dirty, man. They're unbeatable.”
“In what way do they play dirty?” I asked, joining them.
Levi gulped down water, shrugging.
“I dunno! They're already trying to distract me with the stink eye.” The boy narrowed his eyes at a grinning Ratcliffe kid who, after noticing our stares, jumped to his feet, waving at us.
“Hey guys!”
“That's Harry Cartwright, the son of the Cartwright family who tried to kill my parents in the third grade.” Levi mockingly waved back. “As you can see, their kid is a fucking sociopath.”
Huh. I wasn't expecting the smiley kid to be the mobster’s son.
Harry Cartwright was not what I expected.
Unlike his team members, he was the only one in casual clothing, a short sleeved white shirt and jeans, a pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head.
Tom went pale.
“Fuck.” He hissed. “He’s one of you? Then those bastards will have a reason to play dirty, right?”
Levi shrugged, averting his gaze. It was the first time I saw his eyes darken, like he was subtly telling the boy to back off.
“The Cartwright’s have been trying to buy our land for a while,” he muttered. “I wouldn't put it past them to use the Decathlon as a way to attack.”
“Attack?!” April, another member of our team, hissed. “Like, attack attack?”
Mr Hanes grabbed the boy, resting his hands on Levi’s shoulders. “Ignore them,” he said. “Hey. Look at me.”
Levi did, raising a brow.
“You're losing that spark in your eye, young man.”
“Spark?”
Our coach nodded. “Look at me, kid.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “I am looking at you, Mr Hanes.”
The man was shaking. I was guessing his whole career (or coaching career) was on the line.
“They know they're losing, Mr Costella.”
Hanes shook the boy, squeezing his shoulders. “You are being positive and Ratcliffe doesn't like that. They want you to be nervous. They want to make you second guess yourself and lose confidence. Don't let them get into your head.” he smiled, giving the boy a playful shove. “Kick their asses.”
“Exactly!”
I didn't realize Sunny was back from the bathroom.
The faint smell of lemons had followed her. I noticed a wet patch on her shirt collar, though she was quick to smile at me, admitting she'd spilled water down herself. Sunny wrapped her arms around Levi, squeezing him into a hug.
She hung on for a little too long, Tom dragging her away with a laugh. “Good luck, all right?” she backed away, ruffling his hair. “We’ve got this!”
When I hugged Levi good luck too, I had to resist covering my nose.
The smell of lemon was unbearable, just like fourth grade Alex.
But it wasn't as potent as earlier.
I vaguely remembered the smell starting to fade once Alex’s body was being carted away on a stretcher.
Following my captain through the crowd, I was right. The smell was less suffocating. Before he went back to the stage, I grabbed the back of his shirt.
The material was soaking wet.
“How are you so wet?” I said, swiping my hands on my shirt.
“Huh?”
I shook my head. “Never mind. Do you remember what I told you in sophomore year?”
Levi settled me with a confident, but nervous smile. “Thaaaat you're scared of clowns?”
“No. I mean the boy who smelled of lemons.” I gritted out.
Levi surprised me with a laugh. “What are you talking about?”
Something ice cold trickled down my spine.
Levi did know what I was talking about. He brought up my stink sense a day earlier in front of his parents, and I had to cover his mouth to shut him up.
Leaning close, I whispered in his ear. “You stink of rotten lemons.”
He nodded slowly, pulling away. “Uh… thanks?”
I bit back a hiss of frustration. “No, you don't understand what I'm saying–”
“Starbrooke High School,” The host announced. “Can all members please return to the stage.”
Levi held up his hand for a high five.
“Can we do this later?” He winked. “I'm kinda busy carrying this spelling-bee on my back right now.”
I nodded shakily, high fiving him, and letting him jump back onto the stage.
Before his words hit like a tidal wave, ice cold water slammed into me.
Spelling Bee?
Slowly making my way back to the stands, Levi’s mistake was circling around my head. He did win a spelling bee, but that was in middle school.
Thankfully, the smell of lemons was gone when I returned to my seat.
Mr Hanes handed me a soda. “Chill out, Cassandera, it's just a game.”
He could talk. The guy was on his fifth coffee.
Mr Hanes was not chilled out in the slightest.
Surprisingly, the event went well. I was half expecting my team to be crushed by the rafters, or caught in a blaze started in the crowd. But we were doing well. No, we were winning.
Reaching the climaxing round, Sunny choked against a smug Ratcliffe boy, joining me on the sidelines.
Levi answered the next question with a confident smile.
We were winning, but Ratcliffe could still catch up with a miracle.
The second to last question was to Ratcliffe, and it was general knowledge.
”Where on the human body would one find the *orbit?*
I knew the answer, and so did Levi, his lips breaking out into a smile when the Ratcliffe boy was hesitating, eyes wide.
Our school’s buzzer went off, Levi slamming his hand down.
Bzzz!
The host turned to our team. “Starbrooke, can I have your answer?”
Levi nodded, shooting our team a victory grin.
“It's…!“ He opened his mouth to answer, his jaw slackening suddenly.
The boy’s shoulders slumped.
“Uh… “
“Um…”
“Huhhhhh…”
Levi inclined his head, blinking, his eyes glazing over. There was a sudden, hollow vacancy that sent chills down my spine. It was like someone had reached into his skull, and yanked out his brain, leaving a shell in his place.
To my confusion, our team captain frowned at his buzzer like he'd never seen one before. He pressed it, exploding into child-like giggles.
Bzzz!
The audience laughed along nervously.
Tom nudged me. “What the fuck is he doing?”
Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz!
Levi’s entire body was slumped, his hand slamming down on the buzzer.
I caught something pooling down his chin.
“Is he… drooling?” I whispered.
Mr Hanes looked mildly horrified. “Has he been drinking?
“Levi?” Tom spluttered. “Drinking?!"
Whatever we were watching, however, was definitely influenced by… something.
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz!
“Young man, that is not a toy!”
The host wasn't amused. “Starbrooke High School, I need an answer from you,” He nodded to Levi, who was pressing the buzzer, his smile growing.
“Once again,” The host backed away, like Levi was contagious. “Where on the human body would one find the Orbit?”
Levi cocked his head, lips parted.
His gaze found the overhead lights, and he winced, his lips curling into a frown.
“Starbrooke High School!”
Levi jumped, tipping his head back and blowing a raspberry. “Palm tree?”
The audience laughed, and I started feeling nauseous.
Across from us, I could see the twist of a smirk on the Ratcliffe coach’s lips.
Bzzz! Levi slammed the buzzer again giggling.
“Starbrooke High School, if your team member continues to act like this, I will be forced to disqualify all members.”
Our captain stopped, gaze glued to the host, his hand creeping towards the buzzer, like it was a big red button.
The audience loved it, laughing like they were watching a sitcom.
“He wouldn't.” Tom whisper-shrieked.
The auditorium was silent for a moment, awaiting Starbrooke’s response.
Levi stuck out his tongue, slamming his hand down.
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz–
When Tom dragged Levi away from his podium, a Ratcliffe girl hit her buzzer.
“Starbrooke High School, you are disqualified,” the host announced. “Ratcliffe High School, do you have an answer?”
It was Ponytail who nodded with a grin.
“The answer is the eye socket! The Orbit is part of the eye socket!”
“That is the correct answer.” The host was distracted, his eyes glued to Levi.
“Ratcliffe High School wins.”
Levi jumped when the Ratcliffe wide erupted into cheers.
His eyes were wide, clinging onto the buzzer for comfort.
Next to me, our coach looked like he was going to faint.
I barely noticed Ratcliffe’s victory, too busy watching our team captain, who was Harvard bound, tipping his head back and smiling at the ceiling like a new-born baby. Tom dragged the stumbling boy over to me, his mouth twisted.
“This was Ratcliffe, right?” He hissed, shaking our captain, who was struggling, squirming in his grip.
“Did they put something in his drink?!” He prodded Levi. “Hey! What did they do to you?!”
Still, though, drugging his drink didn't make sense.
Levi never left the auditorium, and kept his water bottle with him the whole time.
How did they even manage to slip something into his drink in the first place?
Did I smell our competitors drugging him?
Sure, intentionally inebriating my teammate was morally wrong and illegal, but why could I smell lemon?
“I doubt it was Ratcliffe.” Sunny squeezed next to me. “I've been watching them. They're harmless.”
“Then how the fuck do we explain this to his parents?!” Tom whispered, grappling with Levi, who was fighting to get back to the buzzer.
When Tom let go of him, he dropped onto the floor, crawling over to his podium. It was like watching a child.
Who was determined to piss off the adults.
Levi jumped back to instead feet, his gaze was glued to the host, a smile curved on his lips, when he slammed the buzzer again.
Bzzz!
“Someone, please remove the Starbrooke boy from the stage!”
I was embarrassed, our whole team ducking our heads as our captain was forcibly removed from the podium.
Mr Hanes grabbed Levi, pulling him off of the stage.
I expected our coach to be mad at him, but I think the teacher was more worried, a phone pressed to his ear while he forced the boy into a sitting position.
No, I don't think it's influence from alcohol, I could hear his conversation.
Levi kept trying to get up, mesmerised by the buzzer. The teacher was firm but gentle. “Hey. Sit down, all right? Keep still.” He went back to his phone call, gently prying Levi’s eyes open.
From what I can see, there's nothing wrong. He's just kind of…
Mr Hanes swiped his own hands on his jeans. ... wet?
Team Ratcliffe came over to rub it in our faces, though I was still tuned into our coach’s hissed whispering.
Water? No, I don't think it's water. It smells… no, I haven't told his parents…
“You guys did awesome!” Ponytail's voice was sugary sweet. Too sugary.
She held the 2024 trophy, bearing a satisfied smile. I noticed the Ratcliffe members were surrounding Harry, like guards.
“Better luck next time, okay?” She held out her hand, her eyes twinkling.
“No hard feelings?”
“Control your dog.” Harry said, amused eyes flicking to Levi, who was once again sprinting back to the fucking buzzer. His eyes had visibly darkened, lips curled into a triumphant smile.
Harry Cartwright was watching Mr Hanes chase our team captain like it was his own personal entertainment.
I had to look away before I died of second hand embarrassment.
“What did you put in his drink?” Tom demanded. “Weed? Edibles?” the boy attempted to shove Harry, only to be pushed back. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
Harry’s smile didn't waver. “Like I said. Control your mut.”
When the Ratcliffe team walked away, our red faced coach struggling with Levi, who was behaving progressively more erratically, informed us we were longer welcome inside the school.
Tom suggested calling an ambulance, but our coach was hesitant.
We all knew who Levi’s family were.
On the way out, Tom matched my stride. He was frowning at our team captain struggling to walk.
The way he was acting was already eyebrow raising.
But walking at an angle and being unable to stand up straight was worrying.
“I don't think they drugged his drink.” Tom muttered.
We pushed through the doors out of the school, and I revelled in the cool night air grazing my cheek. “If they did, he would be acting out of it, right? So, what's the deal with him acting like–”
“A child.” I finished for him.
“Yeah.” Tom leaned closer. “Do you think this has something to do with their turf war?”
I slapped at a bug creeping across my cheek.
Levi fell over again, this time bursting into giggles.
“Almost definitely.”
Levi was right about Ratcliffe playing dirty. I didn't realize how dirty until we were on the losers bus home. Levi was in the seat next to me, and the kid hadn't moved since we left Ratcliffe, his eyes wide, lips pulled into a dazed grin.
Bzzz!
The noise startled me from slumber. I was drooling, my head pressed against the window. Outside, the sky was pitch dark, and squinting through the glass, I couldn't get a bearing on where we were. I thought I was hearing things, but when I sat up, I heard it again.
Bzzz!
It was close.
Leaning over the boy, I glimpsed a smear of scarlet on his headrest.
I choked on my next words.
“Tom.”
Tom was in front of me, listening to music.
He didn't reply, his head of dark blonde curls nodding to the beat.
“Levi.” I managed to get out. I prodded him, and his head lolled into his shoulder. “Hey. Can you… sit up?”
Bzzz! Bzzz!
When the boy didn't move, I gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him forward myself, something contracting in my stomach.
I don't know how long it takes for your mind to fully register something, but my body was already reacting.
Levi’s seat was infested with bugs, eating their way through the upholstery. I was aware of my body moving back. I threw up, instantly, screaming into my hand.
The back of my best friend's skull resembled a deflated soccer ball, what was left of his brain leaking from his skull where a swarm of skittering bugs chewed their way through brain tissue, metallic legs scratching the curved, pearly white of the base if his skull.
Levi’s head hung, his body flopping into mine.
But his eyes were still open, lips still stretched into a smile.
Blood ran in thick rivulets from his nose and ears.
Bzzz!
I could see them, black writhing dots alive in his eyes, wriggling movement under his skin.
“Tom!”
I jumped up, stumbling into the aisle, my stomach heaving.
And it was only when I was on my knees, swiping bile from my lips, when I realized the others weren't reacting.
Tom wasn't moving.
I pulled an Airpod out of his ear, a long, slithering string of pink attached to the end.
There was a stray bug skittering across his hand, his face starting to twitch and writhe.
Moving back, I checked myself over, my hands shaking.
Head.
Shoulders.
Hair.
Clawing through it, my breath was stuck in my throat.
Arms.
Legs.
Feet.
Mr Hanes was slumped against the window, a reddish froth bubbling from his mouth.
Sunny.
I started towards the back of the bus, but all I had to see was her bowed head, half of her skull chewed through.
Sunny was in a far more deteriorated state, her face had been ripped through, a skeletal smile glinting in the dim.
The thick black smear on the window next to her was moving.
When I screamed for the driver to stop the bus, he ignored me.
If anything, he stamped on the gas.
I moved forward to shake him, before glimpsing a bug creeping down his face.
Calling 911, the operator laughed at me.
“Bugs are eating your friends.” He said. “Do you know the penalty for calling with bullshit pranks?”
The bus didn't stop, so I stayed at the front, while the bugs took over the back, eating through my teammates.
After four hours, I risked leaning over the seat next to Tom to check on Levi.
They were eating him.
Chewing all the way through skin, muscle and bone.
I tried to stop the bus, but the driver’s hands were tightly wrapped around the wheel.
Another hour, and blood was seeping down the aisle, crawling with bugs.
Levi was gone, and in his place, a buzzing skittering pile of bugs, that I thought were going to move to a second victim, maybe burrowing into the seats.
But, no.
These things began to tremble, replicating.
Building.
Slowly, nothing became static, and static became muscle.
Then bone.
Then flesh.
When a body began to slowly form, moulded from the dead boy, I stumbled back.
These things weren't eating Levi Costella.
They were rewriting him.
…
Edit: I'm still on the bus. I'm 99.9% sure that I'm infected with whatever this thing is. I can't stop fucking itching.
I keep picking them off me but they won't stop. This bus isn't going to stop until I'm like the others.
…
Edit 2:
I can feel them chewing into my skull. They're in my ears. I keep spitting them out. Please, someone get them off of me. Help me. I don't want to die at 17.
Edit 3:
Still alive. Still breathing. Maybe they're leaving me alone????? I think I'm okay. There is a pile of bugs at my feet, but they're crawling off of me.
Edit 4:
Levi really wants to go home. Like, he just told me he REALLY wants to go home. He's got a gift for his parents.
~~Edit 5 :) ~~
Levi is next to me right now, an odd smile on his face.
The bugs are not finished building him yet, but he'll be ready soon.
We will be ready soon.
Your son says hello! He is a wonderful boy, is he not?
Mr and Mrs Costella, I cannot wait for you to meet him.
He is our greatest achievement, and rest assured, you will give us what we want.
Warm regards.
The Cartwright's.

why do trig and global history when you can contribute to your ado addiction? she’s all over my notes… ado note adomination?? please don’t mind the smiley faces in the first photo my friend likes to sabotage my notebook with those haha

Can someone help me find a wall with little smiley and frowny faces on it? I know I saw it at some point in my play through and I feel like I’ve searched everywhere and cannot find it again. I’m not talking about the 8 faces in a circle, this one is 8 faces in 2 rows of 4. If someone remembers where that is and can just give me a general direction I would appreciate it, thanks!

So my capital city has been at 99% happiness for over a week now. I have no red roads, everything is covered by police, fire and health, I have plenty of power, water, sewage, and trash services….all of my residential buildings have pretty green smiley faces. Can anyone think of another reason I’m not at 100% ?