According to my understanding, this subreddit is meant for fictional horror stories. I've seen many authors there who advertise their books and openly state that their stories are literary fiction, such as Blair Daniels. That's why I don't understand why my fictional story was removed, even though it was told in the first person.
Over 70 years ago, something ominous made its home in our woods
My name is Milena and I'm currently 83 years old. I'm here to tell you an old, strange story, which will also be quite lengthy, so consider yourselves warned. Frankly, this is a story best told at night, where the boundaries between reality and the realm of legend blur, and the faces of listeners are illuminated by the flickering glow of the bonfire. But well, we live in the age of internet. Yes, I know, you're not here to listen to an old person's kvetching. Let's move on to my story then.
My parents lost their lives in the Auschwitz concentration camp when I was only 2 years old. I didn't remember them, so even though I envied other children for having parents, I couldn't really miss them. I was raised by my grandparents in a remote village, nestled near the woods somewhere in Poland. Life was quite simple there. I was an unproblematic kid, and I gladly lent my hands to assist my grandparents in tending to their flock of chickens and cows. I had a small group of good friends, with whom I used to play outside for hours, exploring nearby fields and woods. That was, until the woods became a forbidden zone. Because strange things started to happen in our once calm, boring village.
It began with the disappearance of a man simply known as Wiesiek, a figure both familiar and shadowed. He was a middle-aged man, often seen intoxicated and without a permanent home, occasionally taking refuge in people's sheds without asking for permission. We all heard certain rumors about him. Apparently, during the Soviet occupation, he was labeled an 'enemy of the state' and subsequently deported to Siberia. After spending some time there, he was eventually granted amnesty and returned to our village a couple of years after World War II concluded. However, he seemed different upon his return, never quite the same as before. Some speculated that the harsh experiences had taken a toll on his mind, as he often rambled about strange creatures straight from the darkest folk tales, which were supposedly lurking in the Siberian taiga. Most people avoided him. It's sad, but I can't say that anyone was devastated by his disappearance. He didn't have any family, and no one seemed to care about his fate, whatever it may have been. The police were involved, of course, but we never heard of any resolution.
However, it was a different story with Krystyna. As a young, beautiful mother, she had garnered the care and concern of many. So when she, too, vanished, the entire community mobilized in search of her. The woods became the focal point of their efforts. Yet, all that was ever unearthed was a single shoe belonging to her, discovered deep within the forest, far from the beaten paths frequented by nature enthusiasts and mushroom pickers. Some people speculated that there was a bear or a pack of wolves residing somewhere in our deep, beloved woods. While not entirely implausible, such animals typically leave traces of their presence behind, yet none were found. Then, a strict ban on playing in the forest and its immediate vicinity was imposed on us kids.
Over the next few months, two more people went missing: a teenage boy and an elderly woman. They too were last seen in close proximity to the woods, which had now fallen out of favor with us. None of them were ever found, despite the intense efforts of our community and the less intense efforts of the authorities. I wondered about the origins of the strange rumors that started circulating in our village. Who started them, and why? Was it because Wiesiek disappeared first? Maybe some people took his stories more seriously than they were willing to admit. You see, it was the '50s, and our village was nearly forgotten by everyone, even by God himself. Many folks lacked education, and some couldn't even read. Back then, everyone was deeply religious and superstitious. As a child, I caught snippets of conversations that gave me a vague sense of what people of our village were thinking about all this. It might seem silly now, but it didn't back then.
One night, I overheard my grandparents' conversation. My grandpa was telling my grandma about something he heard at the only bar in our village. Apparently, the men were out hunting when they stumbled upon strange symbols carved into the trees, filled with a red substance. My grandma immediately started reciting "Zdrowaś Mario, łaskiś pełna...", a well-known prayer meant to shield her from all evil. Later, my best friend, a girl named Kasia, told me that her parents were once discussing the discovery of multiple traces of bonfires spotted in the woods. Then, there was the thing that stirred my imagination the most, making it difficult for me to fall asleep for a long time. One Sunday after mass, while I was waiting outside the church for my grandparents, I overheard a conversation between three elderly women. One of them lived very close to the edge of the forest. She mentioned that due to her struggle with insomnia, she often sat by her open window at night, breathing in the fresh air and listening to the sounds of nature. Several times, she heard something that immediately made her shut the window and hide under her quilt. It was a prolonged, high-pitched scream that pierced the ears, rising rapidly before abruptly cutting off. She described it as sounding like the call of some demonic entity summoning its brethren. After a moment of silence, all three of them simultaneously crossed themselves, shook their heads, and went their separate ways.
With those and a handful of similar clues, my friends and I were able to piece together the haunting picture: Wiesiek was right after all. A sinister presence lurked in the depths of the Siberian taiga, and it followed Wiesiek to our village. It claimed him first, along with the other missing souls, to satiate its hunger. During long, warm summer evenings, we sat around a bonfire and reminisced about the stories of dark mythological creatures that our parents and grandparents had once told us. There was Licho, a one-eyed creature resembling an old, gaunt woman. It was said that it wanders the world, seeking places where people live happily, only to bring upon them all sorts of misfortunes, hunger, poverty, and diseases. When someone deceives Licho, it follows them, always behind their back, glimpsed out of the corner of one's eye, relishing in tormenting its victim. We all agreed that it's something that could've happened to Wiesiek. Or perhaps he was seized by a strzyga, a female demon with bird-like talons, feeding on blood. We could have speculated for hours, devising theories, each more drastic than the last. While it was obviously tragic that people had vanished, the circumstances were somehow...exciting. At least for us kids. Something was unfolding—something mysterious and sinister—and it ignited our imagination. Filled with anxious anticipation, we waited to see what would happen next.
But...nothing happened. No one else disappeared. Time passed, and gradually, the villagers began to forget. For those who lost their loved ones, the pain lingered, of course. Yet, as the years went by, the wild theories faded into distant memories, becoming more absurd as we grow older and smarter. When I was 18, I left my home village to pursue education. Life under the communist regime was difficult. Most people were poor, and there were no prospects for young people eager to achieve something greater. So, like many other Polish people, I decided to emigrate. I would occasionally visit my grandparents, but after they passed away, there was nothing that drew me back to Poland. I had made new friends and started my own family in Sweden. I lost contact with my childhood companions.
However, as one grows older, distant memories begin to resurface. Childhood becomes an idealized realm of happiness. Sentimentality blooms, beckoning a yearning for the embrace of ancestral grounds. For this reason, I decided to visit my home village. Considering my age, it was likely to be the last time I would tread upon those old paths, embrace the flavors and scents once intimately known to me, and hear the melody of my native language. And as I thought, so I did. I spent a week in Poland during what was supposed to be a month-long stay, when a quite unexpected encounter occurred. I was slowly strolling through the village, which I could barely recognize anymore, when suddenly, from behind me, I heard an old, frail voice:
"Milena? Is that you? I heard that you came back..."
I turned around and saw an elderly, hunched woman with a flowery scarf on her head. I locked eyes with her weathered, wrinkled face, adorned with large, piercing blue eyes. A wave of sudden recognition washed over me.
"Kasia? No way!" I exclaimed, taking her fragile body into my arms.
She invited me into her modest home, where we spent several hours sharing stories about the most significant events from our long lives. I won't bore you with the details, but I'll mention that unfortunately, Kasia's life turned out to be much less fortunate than mine. She never left our village. Later, like old women often do, we delved into the treasure trove of our oldest childhood memories.
"Do you remember those missing people from the '50s? That darn Wiesiek. We couldn't believe it." She spoke with a voice brimming with disapproval, her head gently shaking in disbelief.
I didn't understand exactly what she was referring to. I hadn't been interested in the affairs of my village after emigrating, but I remembered that particular time and our wild speculations. So I asked her to elaborate. The story I heard from her made my hair stand on end.
No, no more disappearances occurred, and as I mentioned, the incident faded from the community's memory. Until the '90s came. It was autumn. A man was working in the forest, chopping wood, when suddenly, from the somber depths of the forest, emerged a strange, unfathomable figure. It was a very old man, incredibly dirty, dressed only in a hastily woven cloak of branches and leaves. Madness lurked in his eyes. He walked bent over in half, as if in great pain. When he saw the woodsman, he only managed to wheeze a plea for help before losing consciousness. As you've probably guessed, it was Wiesiek. He was taken to the hospital, and then questioned by the police in the presence of a psychiatrist. His tale was as fantastical as it was unsettling, and it made headlines, so I'm surprised it never reached me before.
The doctors concluded that Wiesiek was suffering from a severe mental illness. His affliction reached its zenith during his exile in Siberia, where he endured constant starvation in addition to being forced to work beyond human strength. He was plagued by dreadful visions of strange, ancient figures inhabiting the taiga, peering out from behind trees, whispering maddening, crimson secrets into his ears. These creatures spoke of an old era when they coexisted with humans, bestowing peace upon their worshippers in exchange for regular offerings of blood. Yet, with the advent of Christianity, the offerings ceased, and their wrath was awakened. They were hungry with a primal, insatiable appetite, intolerant of defiance. Wiesiek believed that upon leaving Siberia, the haunting visions would subside. His hopes proved to be in vain. His demons pursued him, ever more resolutely demanding restitution for centuries of neglect, wrought by faithless humanity. He attempted to drown out their voices with alcohol, but it proved futile. Thus, one day, he resolved to heed their call. He fled into the unexplored depths of the forest, where he crafted a makeshift shelter for himself and plotted to make his first sacrifice. Krystyna's abduction was not difficult. She was alone in the forest, gathering wild berries, when she was struck unconscious by a heavy branch and dragged to his new lair. Then, following the instructions echoed by alien voices in his twisted mind, he sacrificed her body in the intricate, blood-soaked ritual. The ceremony also included carving specific symbols into the bark of trees and filling their lines with the victim's blood. Well, this accounted for one of the rumors I had heard in my childhood.
Unfortunately for our village, the yearning of the ancient beings did not cease. They wanted more. So Wiesiek obediently provided two more victims, believing that his suffering would finally end, and the voices would fall silent. To his astonishment, after the third sacrifice, he was finally left alone. But his relief was tinged with darkness, as he was made to understand clearly that the hunger had been only temporarily satisfied. It was not the end.
However, there was one demon that never left his side: the consuming sense of guilt. He chose to remain in the woods, recognizing he no longer belonged among ordinary folk. He sustained himself by foraging from the forest's abundant resources. While winters could be harsh, they were no worse than in Siberia. He lived for many years, relatively undisturbed. Why did he decide to emerge from his hiding spot after so long? His explanation was straightforward: the voices, the terrifying creatures—they had returned, seeking his assistance once again. He asserted that he would rather be confined to a psychiatric hospital for the remaining short span of his life than be forced once again to harm another human being. He passed away a few months later.
Well, although this whole story was so shocking, it still made some sense. Minds ravaged by illness possess the capacity to interpret reality through a lens divergent from that of sound minds. Sometimes, this leads to terrible crimes. This was neither the first nor the last instance of its kind. That's exactly what I thought when Kasia finished speaking. And I probably wouldn't have given this matter much more thought if it hadn't been for one thing.
When night fell and I returned to my rented room, I decided to spend a few moments on the balcony, letting the warm, summer air envelop me. The village was settling into sleep. It seemed so peaceful and idyllic. Ahead of me, I could see the forest, still standing despite the passage of time and human activity. A light breeze rustled the treetops. I closed my eyes. Then, carried by the wind, came words spoken in a clear whisper. As a matter of fact, it was one word, repeated over and over, unmistakable from any other:
Krew
Krew
Krew

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Recently got back from an incredible 19 days in Japan. I’m really feeling the post-Japan blues now, but writing about the trip and sharing what I learned feels like a nice way to honour the memories I made.
I (35M) travelled to Japan with my partner (41M) from Canada. We were there from March 26 to April 13 - these dates were “chosen” for us because we were attending a wedding in Tokyo. We got to wear hakamas, walk in the procession at Meiji Jingu, and observe a Shinto wedding ceremony first-hand.
We did the Golden Route + Kanazawa, however, many travelers have already written about this route so I’ll try to offer new stories to interested readers instead.

About us and high-level trip summary:

• Our entire itinerary consisted of: Tokyo (+ trip to Kawaguchiko), Hakone, Osaka (+ trips to Himeji and Nara), Kyoto (+ trip to Hiroshima), Kanazawa (+ trip to Shirakawa-go), and then Tokyo again for the final night in Kichijoji.
• Stayed at a total of 7 hotels and made good use of the luggage delivery service. Usually took 1 day, but sometimes 2, so plan ahead.
• We got the JR West All Area Pass, which let us go to Hiroshima, Himeji, and Kanazawa from Osaka/Kyoto (plus a few other small trips). Not only was this worth it for us in terms of monetary value, but the built-in flexibility came in clutch i.e taking the train at our leisure and feeling much less stress over seat reservations or waiting in line. I used this website to help me determine which pass to get: https://www.japan-guide.com/railpass/
• As mentioned earlier, we attended our close friends’ wedding in Tokyo, which took place at Meiji Jingu and Meiji Kinenkan. It was a truly special and once-in-a-lifetime event. Being photographed by the sightseers at Meiji Jingu was also an interesting experience!
• We went out on weekend nights and checked out the popular places in Shinjuku Nichome (i.e the gay village). While they were fun, you need to dig deeper to find the places that make Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods around the world.
• Did not make a lot of food reservations because we read how easy it was to find good food around every corner. We found this to be largely true and ate well on our trip (including many konbini meals and bento boxes on the train), but we look forward to diving deeper into the culinary world on trip #2.
• One of my favourite phrases was: Nani ga oishii desu ka? It means ‘What is tasty here?’ and is like asking the restaurant for their recommendation. I never got a bad result with this question.
• The ryokan, onsen, and kaiseki from our 1 night stay in Hakone were all amazing. It was probably our favourite room and meal on the trip. We would certainly return to Hakone and stay 2 nights next time.
• Saw a geisha performance in Kanazawa that was geared towards visitors and it was so fun and fascinating. My partner got to play taiko drums with a geisha!
• The big tourist must-sees were nice, but I’ll fondly remember all the times we just wandered the streets, witnessing small slices of other people’s lives.
• Kichijoji ended up being our favourite area of Tokyo.
• I planned this trip meticulously, but many items still ended up falling through or needed to be re-arranged due to various reasons (fatigue, sickness, timing mistakes). I think you will need to make peace with this and be prepared to be flexible with your plans, outside of pre-booked reservations.

Detailed report:

Before the flight

There were a few things we did before the trip began to help us out:

• Picked up a Wise card, allowing us to withdraw cash without paying extra fees. The fees can really add up.
• Reserved a pocket wifi router for pick-up at Narita.
• Made reservations for popular activities, namely the Ghibli Museum and USJ Express Pass.
• Adjusted our bodies to the new timezone a few days before our flight using an app called Timeshifter.
• Installed the Japan Travel by NAVITIME app, which I preferred over Google Maps when it came to anything involving the shinkansen.
• Watched Perfect Days, a meditative film that follows a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. It got us even more excited for Japan, plus the washrooms featured in this film are real and inspired us to look out for them in real life!

Landing in Japan

• After passing through customs, we picked up the pocket wifi router we had reserved. There are multiple drop-off locations, so you can pick up at one location and drop off at another. We chose the plan that gave us unlimited data for 3 weeks and it was worth it.
• I wanted to get our IC cards, but the line at the JR ticket office was so long that we just opted to buy individual tickets to take the Keisei Access Express. If you are going to be staying near any major metro stations (Ueno, Tokyo, Shinjuku, a few others), you can go there for your tickets because the lines seem to be shorter and you’ll ideally be rested by then.
  • I got my IC card at Ueno Station. On the ground floor, at the JR travel centre, you can line up for the Suica. However, I really wanted the cute Pasmo Passport instead. It took some asking around, but we eventually found the ticket office in the metro station, which is underground and had no line at all. We showed our passports and picked up our Pasmo cards without issue. It’s cash only.
• I also purchased an eSIM from Airalo. It was my first time doing so and I found the process fairly straightforward. I only got 3 gigabytes of data, which was for situations where I might find myself separated from my partner (who held onto the pocket wifi). Ended the trip with over 1gb remaining.
• On our first night, we wandered and found some restaurants in the alleyways behind our train station; we ate delicious ramen for around ¥800. It’s true what they say about your first night being a write-off, however, so don’t expect to do much else.

A note about the trains and ticketing system

I loved taking the shinkansen, they were so comfortable and predictable. The ticketing system, however... that’s a different story entirely. I think everyone just has to go through it like a rite of passage. I also couldn’t get SmartEx to work, which would’ve saved us a lot of hassle.
Regarding the JR West pass, I learned that you can’t make online seat reservations with it after you pick up the physical pass. You must use a specific machine or visit a ticket desk. To use the machines, find the ones with the green head boards and then select the option that mentions using a ‘discount ticket’ or something like that. Insert your pass and choose the destination and train you want to take. You’ll then get your pass back along with the printed tickets. Fortunately, there’s usually an attendant there to help you out.
I will miss having bento on the train while watching the scenery pass by (and listening to Fujii Kaze, haha).

March 26 - 28: A gentle introduction to Japan.

Places: Asakusa, Akihabara, Ueno, Ginza, and Chiyoda
Hotel: Route-Inn Grand Tokyo Asakusabashi
We chose this area because it was budget-friendly and gave us easy access to all the places we planned on visiting. A lot of people recommend staying in Asakusa, but we found Asakusabashi to be even quieter and cheaper.
Highlights:

• Itoya Ginza is a stationary lover’s paradise. Each of the ten floors is immacuately curated, filled with beautiful things to look at and use. If that wasn’t enough, a nature-inspired soundtrack plays the entire time to really put you in the mood. I picked up a Shupatto bag and liked it so much (great design and durability) that I went back and bought a few more as gifts.
• I found a place called the Okuno Building and it felt like a hidden gem for anyone who’s into art and architecture. Try to time your visit with when Room 306 is open: https://room306project.tokyo/about-en/
• Stepping outside of Tokyo Station, you feel small and the grandeur of Tokyo really hits you. Across the station in the building with the Beams store, there’s an observation deck that offers a gorgeous nighttime view of the area. There’s also a food hall with a great energy and vibe.
• About 10-15 minutes walk north of Akihabara station is an artisanal market tucked away beneath the train tracks. It was quiet and cute with a lot of interesting shops. Many handmade giftable items to be found: https://www.cntraveler.com/shops/tokyo/aki-oka-artisan
• I had a reservation for the Final Fantasy Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara - it was something I had wanted to do for a long time, though it felt underwhelming in the end. The food and drinks were photogenic, but forgettable. There are a number of cafes like these around and I imagine the gimmick is similar in each (at least, the ones run by Pasela Resorts). Still, no regrets!

Notes:

• Most of the hotels we stayed at did not allow use of stairs except in emergencies. This was usually fine, but during one busy morning rush we waited a ludicrously long time to get down from the 4th floor! We became acquainted with a charming Japanese woman as a result of waiting for the elevator, so there was a silver lining.

March 29 - April 3: Unforgettable memories made over a weekend.

Places: Shinjuku, Shibuya, teamLab, Kawaguchiko, and the wedding
Hotel: Yuen Shinjuku
Atmospheric hotel. Situated on a quiet street in Shinjuku while remaining within walking distance to all the fun places. Onsen on the top floor with amazing city views.
Highlight: The wedding

• To prepare for the wedding, we had a fitting at a kimono rental shop (Vasara) along with some friends. The men in the group wore hakamas, which are like trousers reserved for very formal occasions. Wearing a kimono and hakama was interesting - there’s a lot of tucking and wrapping under those robes, forcing you to stand straight while also having your organs squeezed in. But damn did we feel and look good in them, haha.
• The wedding itself was one of the most gorgeous and well-organized weddings I’ve ever been to and I’m still in a bit of awe. It began in the early morning with a Shinto ceremony at Meiji Jingu. The ritualistic garments worn by the bride and groom as well as the attendants were beautiful. After conducting the tea ceremony in a semi-private reception area, we gathered into a two-column procession and slowly walked to the main ceremonial site deeper within Meiji Jingu, led by a priest and two shrine maidens. Everything was solemn and immaculate. You can read about what these ceremonies are like online, but there were a lot of rituals, rules, and even audience participation e.g. standing, sitting, clapping, and drinking sake. Being photographed by hundreds of people while walking to and from the ceremonial site was also something I didn’t think I’d ever get to experience - I imagine this is what a celebrity feels like!
• The reception afterwards was at Meiji Kinenkan and followed a more familiar Western reception format, with an MC, music, multi-course meal, and live performances (including mochi pounding and spectacular Japanese Bollywood dancers) - but no dancing for the participants, haha. There was also an after-party at an Indian restaurant in Shibuya and it was a much more casual and colourful affair.

Highlight: Nichome

• Nichome - one could easily miss this entire neighbourhood during the day, but boy does it come alive at night. We visited most of the major bars: Eagle, Eagle Blue, Dragon Men, Arty Farty, etc. What immediately struck me about those places was how similar they felt to bars back home i.e Toronto. There were lots of foreigners and the vibe and music reminded me of our own bars. It’s still a fun time and you can meet other travellers if you put yourself out there.
• When I said that one needs to dig deeper to find what makes Nichome stand out from other gaybourhoods, I was referring to the hundreds of tiny bars in the basements and upper levels of the buildings all around Nichome. To really get something out of this experience though, you need to either: i) speak Japanese, or ii) be accompanied by someone who can speak Japanese. I was lucky to fall into the latter group and had a few nights of uproarious karaoke, bantering with drag queens, and intimate conversations with bar staff.

Other highlights:

• teamLab Planets was mind-blowing and I highly recommend anyone go at least once. The less you know about it, the better. The area around teamLab Planets (which includes the famous Toyosu Market) was also pleasant to walk around. In fact, we had a picnic by the water with a clear view of the Tokyo skyline.
• I find malls in Asia to be on another level and the one we visited - Shibuya Parco - was no exception. There was a large terrace on the top floor with expansive views of the city and the basement housed an impressive food hall with a wide range of cuisines. The floors in-between had many unique offerings as well, even if only to window shop.
• We found one of the washrooms from the film Perfect Days, the one in Nabeshima Shoto Park. The exterior was incredibly designed, though the interiors were just fine. The park also houses a tranquil pond that was nice for a stroll around and the neighbourhood itself was enjoyable to walk through.
• Got my hair cut at a place called Assort Tokyo with English-speaking hair stylists - shout out to Yutsuki who gave me one of the best cuts I’ve ever had!
• Karaoke Manekineko is prevalent in Japan and we had the fortune of going to one with our Japanese friends. It was fun, affordable, and equipped with all our favourite songs (both Japanese and English). Indulge in the bottomless drink machines - their corn soup is a best seller and after trying it myself, I can see why!
• Seeing Mt. Fuji in person is an out-of-this-world experience - pictures don’t do it justice. However, the popular places we visited (Chureito Pagoda, northern shore of the lake) were extremely busy despite the lack of cherry blossoms e.g. the queue to access the observation deck at Chureito was 1 hour long. Getting around Kawaguchiko also wasn’t easy or cheap - the buses were packed and unpredictable and taking a taxi across town cost us a pretty penny. If I were to return, I’d get a private tour guide or just stick to the not-famous places and aim to be there in the early morning.

Notes:

• We switched hotels from Asakusabashi to Shinjuku and it was worthwhile to do so. We valued being able to walk to and from the bars, especially at night after the trains close
• I made the mistake of thinking we could get tickets on the express/direct train to Kawaguchiko the day before - nope. You should book these early. We took the shinkansen to Otsuki and then from there took a local train the rest of the way.

April 3 - 7: Embracing the calm after Tokyo.

Places: Hakone, Osaka, Himeji
Hotels: Mount View Hakone and Onyado Nono Osaka Yodoyabashi
The hotel in Hakone was itself the highlight. This one was a bit higher up in the mountains, but still easily accessible by bus. Top-notch hospitality and amenities. Our Osaka hotel was also comfortable and had an onsen and was located in a convenient area - not in the thick of things, but close to the important metro lines.
Highlights:

• I wish we stayed longer at our Hakone ryokan. Their kaiseki dinner and breakfast were exquisite. The private onsen consisted of two large basins for our exclusive use with a view of an illuminated bamboo grove. That said, I think you could choose any 3+ star ryokan in Hakone and have a stellar time. The town was calm and charming; it was especially haunting with the light rain and mist when we were there.
• We took a bus that went directly from our hotel all the way to Odawara, where we caught the shinkansen to Osaka. Unlike at home, where riding the bus feels like a chore, I felt that taking the various transport options in Japan was an experience unto itself - always something to see and admire outside the window.
• Osaka’s nightlife was vibrant, though we preferred Shinsekai over Dotonbori if only because the former was way less crowded. I also went out to Doyamacho (Osaka’s gay district) on my own, which seemed tiny in comparison to Nichome. I visited the newly opened Eagle Osaka and met a Canadian expat; it was fun to hear stories about being gay in Japan from people who’ve lived there for a long time.
• Sunset at Osaka Castle with all the sakura was magical. The crowds were minimal here. My favourite shot to take was a close-up of the flowers with the castle in the background.
• My partner was very keen on visiting USJ and getting the Express Pass - I’m glad we did that because we got to experience (almost) everything we wanted to. Super Nintendo World was the absolute gem of USJ: going there felt like going to another dimension.
• Right outside USJ is a large shopping and restaurant complex. There’s a place on the fourth floor called TAKOPA Takoyaki Park and what a joy it was - pick any of the restaurants here, order a combo meal, and let your taste buds soar.
• Himeji is an easy day trip from Osaka and the famous castle is a straight walk down from the station. It was very picturesque - definitely visit the gardens while you’re there.

Notes:

• My partner started to feel unwell at this point of the trip, so we had to slow down our pace and also reshuffle a few itinerary items.

April 7 - 10: Sakura, temples, and museums.

Places: Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima
Hotel: TUNESTAY Kyoto
A modern hotel that also feels like a hostel with its communal amenities and young vibe. Rest assured, the rooms are private and include your own bathroom. Minutes away from Kyoto Station and situated on the same street as the sightseeing buses.
Highlights:

• The sakura were now in full bloom and made for magnificent strolls around Kyoto’s famous districts, but like all other famous sites, they are best enjoyed early. We got up early for Philosopher’s Path and it was breathtaking and tranquil, just as we imagined it to be. It started to get crowded i.e noisier after 9am.
• The 10th floor of the Isetan building at Kyoto Station is a dedicated food hall, with one side being just ramen shops. Very yummy and very short lines!
• I read about how emotional the Hiroshima Peace Museum made people feel, but I still wasn’t prepared for the sheer gravity of it once we were there. I can only describe the experience as powerful and poignant. Certainly take your time to go through and read the cards on the exhibits. It was one of the rare places we visited that was both busy and quiet.
• Visit Okonomi-mura for delicious Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and good vibes. It’s another food hall, but one that feels much more down to earth and gritty.
• We happened to stumble upon a night market at Murayama Park in Kyoto. The cherry blossoms were at their peak; they looked especially splendid under the glow of the lanterns. There were food stalls aplenty and we ate to our heart’s content: grilled fish, fried yam rolls, bamboo on a stick, and barbequed meats. Several restaurants and tables were set up in the middle of the park so you could sit down for a meal and some drinks while partaking in hanami. People were in very good spirits and we ended up chatting to a young couple sat next to us, where we bonded over our shared love for Howl’s Moving Castle and all things Ghibli. I’ll remember this particular night very fondly.

Notes:

• It’s possible to visit Nara on route from Osaka to Kyoto or vice versa. That’s what we did and we just stored our luggage at the station in Nara.
• It makes more sense to go to Hiroshima from Osaka - not only is it closer, but our JR West Pass did not include shinkansen travel between Osaka and Kyoto (even if we were riding on the same train going from Osaka to Hiroshima). We only did it this way because our original plans were changed due to my partner’s change in health status.

April 10 - 12: Winding down and enjoying small city life.

Places: Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go
Hotel: Hotel Kanazawa Zoushi
Our second favourite hotel of the trip. We had the warmest reception here, with complimentary tea and dango provided at check-in. The room was very comfortable, while the bathrooms were surprisingly spacious.
Highlights:

• Everyone comes here for Kenrokuen and... yeah, it’s an absolutely stunning garden, dressed in wide swathes of pink thanks to the pretty cherry blossoms. Having said that, we noticed other areas of the garden weren’t as lively because the plants had not yet flowered. I think coming here when you know certain flora will be in season will make for a more memorable experience.
• Right next to the gardens are the Kanazawa Castle Ruins, also home to some gorgeous blossom-lined paths. It was way less busy here, as if people didn’t realize they could walk another few minutes to this beautiful location.
• On the surface, Higashi Chaya looked similar to the historic districts in Kyoto. We primarily went there for the Geisha Evenings in Kanazawa performance held at Kaikaro Tea House and it ended up being one of our favourite highlights of the entire trip. Lady Baba is a fabulous host and storyteller; the two hours we spent here flew by, filled with laughter, music, and cultural learnings.
• Omicho Market feels a lot more like a real food market than Nishiki and smells like the sea. We enjoyed some huge oysters here and grilled scallop and octopus skewers.
• We dined at Gen-zae-mon on the recommendation of a local who worked at Kaikaro. It’s a cozy izakaya in downtown Kanazawa serving plenty of scrumptious regional specialties. Try asking the service staff for their recommendations if you’re overwhelmed by the menu options.
• Shirakawa-go was quaint, almost like being transported to a different era. The entire village is easily traversable by foot and it’s worthwhile to visit at least one of the historic houses that have been converted into a museum. If you can climb to the top of the observation deck, you’ll be rewarded with a serene lookout of the entire village. That said, I don’t think spring is the optimal season for Shirakawa-go to shine; I think any other season would colour it better, because it was still grey and barren when we went.

Notes:

• I mistakenly thought we could get tickets for the highway express bus from Kanazawa to Shirakawa-go last minute... nope. Thankfully, our JR West pass let us ride the shinkansen at no additional cost to Toyama, where we caught the bus there - and that bus was mostly empty. It only added about 30 minutes more to our travel time.

April 12 - 13: One more outing in Tokyo’s most desirable neighbourhood.

Places: Kichijoji, Haneda
Hotel: Tokyu REI Kichijoji
Standard hotel with few frills, but great price and location. We chose it because it was a last minute decision to switch from Akihabara to Kichijoji for our last night.
Highlights:

• I’m glad we stayed in Kichijoji for the last day of our visit. Walking the streets of this neighbourhood was exactly what we envisioned a peaceful Tokyo to be like and there was much to please the senses. It just felt like the whole package - picturesque, relaxed, easy to get lost in, and bustling to a degree that felt exciting without being overwhelming. The Internet claims that Kichijoji is the most desirable neighbourhood in Tokyo; I definitely believe that now.
• Ghibli Museum was delightful and I’m a big fan of the “no indoor photography” rule. The attention to detail was incredible. Treat yourself to a walk in Inokashira Park before or after your visit. It was late afternoon when we went and the park was filled with young families and students playing after-school sports. It just felt like a pinnacle “slice of life” moment.
• My very fashionable friend (the one who got married) said Kichijoji is her favourite place for consignment shopping and we saw plenty of those stores here. A bit deeper into the residential parts of Kichijoji is an artisanal market and cafe called Sippo: it was filled with one-of-a-kind goods at reasonable prices and everything was made in Japan. I know there are a lot of great shops in Tokyo, but this one stood out to us and we would certainly return on future trips.
• We hopped on an airport shuttle bus from Kichijoji Station to Haneda. No reservations, but the bus was only a quarter full. We gave ourselves three hours at Haneda and still felt like we ran out of time - lots of great shops for last minute gifts (including an Itoya outpost!) Take note that the higher rated restaurants are located outside of the security gates.

Now that some time has passed since departing Japan, the emotions that swept over me in that country have left a deep impression. Like a reminder of what I’m chasing after in this life, Japan excited me, fulfilled me, and left me wanting more. I know that being Japanese in Japan is an entirely different experience, but I still yearn to experience even just a sliver of that life.
Thanks for reading and I hope you got something out of this trip report. If you’re interested in seeing some of the photos I took on this trip, I’ve shared them on my Instagram account, which is the same handle as my Reddit username.

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THUNK!!
I slammed both of my fists hard against the barrier.
THUNK!!
Its surface remained unyielding, unshaking, completely still and deaf to my plight.
THUNK!!
My mind struggled against the panic that ate and nibbled away at the corners of my consciousness.
THUNK!!
My eyes darted back and forth across the entirety of the surface of the pool, all in a desperate attempt at finding any signs of weakness, any signs of vulnerability within this gods-forsaken spell.
Any signs of a potential way out.
THUNK!!
My muscles began to ache.
THUNK!!
My lungs began to burn.
THUNK!!
My hands scrambled across the smooth and tantalizing fragile underside of the barrier. Those fists continued their relentless assault against the offending obstacle.
THUNK!!
Until finally, it clicked.
As in a moment of unexpected clarity, I saw it — waves.
My struggles had managed to cause the formerly calm and still waters to slosh around just enough for waves to form on the surface.
That was when it dawned on me.
The barrier wasn’t flush against the surface of the pool.
It couldn’t be, if that much water was allowed to slosh beneath its unyielding blockade.
Which meant there was an air pocket, or at least, small instances of them between the sloshing of large enough waves.
And so I forced myself up, kicking my legs calmly, just enough to keep me afloat, before poking my nose through what was effectively barely an inch of headroom between the barrier and the water.
I inhaled a massive lungful of air, through a waterlogged nose, and in a space just barely enough for me to do so.
Which was a struggle, both physically, and mentally.
As it took every ounce of my mental fortitude, my training, my forced calmness not to gasp for air with my mouth.
That would’ve spelled assured death.
Those lungfuls of air, and a newly clarified mind, was enough for me to notice one of two things.
One, being the finer details within the manastreams, and several inlets and outflows of those streams I could use to my advantage.
The assailant in question was good, but still a novice at keeping his spell integrity clean.
Two, being the nature of the assailant themselves.
Or rather, himself.
As I could just about make out the outlines, and then the full form in vivid detail, of the perpetrator in question.
A steely gaze and a barely restrained snarl were my instinctive reactions to the cocksure bull. These pointed reactions were met with a despicable grin, but without the manafield inflexions I would’ve expected of him.
Another stone in the current of mana seemed to pull the bull from his gloating however, as I felt the distinct presence of someone else arriving on scene.
The arrival of this interloper seemed to stir a look of annoyance on the bull’s features, as he gave me one final snarl, and an uncharacteristic glare of worry, before leaving to deal with the newcomer to the scene; removing himself from my line of sight and towards the new arrival.
But I could care less about that right now, as my mind switched to focusing on that first point, prompting me to take another, final, lungful of air, before submerging and darting across to the other side of the pool.
This was where the spell’s weakest point was.
And this was where I’d make my final gambit.
I dove back down, against my instincts, to the deepest section of the pool.
Then, I closed my eyes, focusing on siphoning the rich and latent streams around me.
Before finally—
Whiiiiirrrrrrr… KA-CRACK!!!
—Unleashing it all in a concentrated beam of mana. A feat that would’ve been utterly blinding to the manasenses, that shattered the invisible barrier that kept me prisoner, and that resulted in the water itself to shoot out in a massive jet of highly-compressed streams that chipped and cracked the fresco lining the dome above me.
This massive glut of water quickly came crashing down almost immediately after, utterly crushing the seats closest to that side of the pool, flattening it under its weight and eviscerating it as a result of the haphazard magical after effects that came naturally as a result of this barely-regulated channel-then-release form of brute-force magic.
A magic that would’ve probably barely made a dent on the same barrier back at home.
But that here? In the Nexus?
Was practically supercharged.
I found myself standing at the bottom of the pool now.
Not because of any intent to remain underwater.
But simply because there was no water to be had at the bottom at this point.
As almost every last drop was now scattered across the gymnasium and perhaps even down the hallway given the sheer volume that’d been displaced.
Everything in my body told me to lay down and rest, as my chest heaved, hungrily taking in the fresh air around me.
My instincts screamed at me to stop, especially after an entire workout, a near-drowning, and what amounted to the casting of a powerful spell.
But I didn’t.
What fueled me now was a newfound rage that caused me to not only stand there in defiance, but that also compelled me to take the next appropriate step.
Counterattacking, and dealing with the assailant.
Without warning, and without any hint of intent, I crouched… then leaped out of the twenty foot swimming pool, crossing my right arm across my chest and calling upon my dagger in one fell swoop, before landing well past the lip of the pool with my blade fully drawn into that of a greatsword.
It was there, with the blood of battle coursing through my veins, and the breath of rage wailing against my lungs, that I was met with the bull; who was standing cowardly down the hall, poised to leave.
We locked eyes once more.
This time, on completely different playing fields.
No longer did he maintain that look of unbridled cockiness, or a sense of superiority.
Instead, there was fear within those eyes.
And a manafield that felt clouded and shrouded, as if he was hiding and masking those feelings beneath that layered shell.
A second passed.
Then, I ran.
Four different spells were cast in rapid succession.
The first, was an enhancement to my speed.
The second, was an enhancement to my grip.
The third, was an enhancement to my agility.
And the fourth, was the most visible.
An enhancement to my blade, as it burst into flames just before I struck the bull’s side…
Only for it to be met with a resounding — CLANG!! — as the bull seemed to summon some form of armor throughout his entire form.
But that didn’t deter me.
In fact, the defensive posture, and the fear in his eyes was the panacea to the humiliation incurred upon me.
In short, it only fanned the flames of my response.
As I began striking harder, faster, and bolder.
CLASH!
Again.
CLANK!
And again.
CLANG!
And again.
Until finally…
CRRSHHHH!
The curved manasteel of his breastplate gave way to a hard bash from my pommel, forcing the bull back, where he staggered and heaved.
We both stood there now, tired and breathless.
The fuel that was rage started to wane somewhat.
But it was clear in spite of that, the blow I landed on the beast was significant enough to leave him still on the defensive; something that surprised yet irked me to no end.
“Well?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED, RUNT?!” I yelled even louder, my voice resonated deep with its enhancement via latent mana.
The bull didn’t reply, not even with some empty platitudes of peace or a denial of the whole situation.
In fact, all he did was to begin channeling even more mana, moving into a fighting stance befitting of his superior size, but not so much to his species’ natural advantage.
“Let’s finish this like men, you petulant beast!” I all but snarled out, keeping my sword trained, and my posture ready.
Ping made the first move.
But that move wasn’t all what I’d expected.
As a sharp disruption in the manafield caused both my manasight and my eyes to become blinded by a headache-inducing light, and a loud high-pitched nausea-inducing sound.
This took me completely off-guard, prompting me to swing wildly towards the offending party—
Only for that strike to simply bounce off of the wall behind him with a resonant CLANG!
It took a few more moments for my senses to fully recover, and by the time it did, I was left with nothing.
Nothing but a door that had been left hastily ajar, and what appeared to be bootprints that ran through and down the hall towards the main stairwell.
The dishonorable thing had escaped.
I couldn’t help but to feel conflicted following that, as my sword continued to remain raised, and my body poised for another attack.
It was the battle-blood that still ran through me, that refused to let me rest.
In fact, the sudden and abrupt end to the battle had more or less exacerbated this feeling of restlessness.
As it was one thing to have an enemy die or surrender… it was another thing entirely to have them retreat; even if there was an assurance of victory.
Because there was a sense of assurance when it came to death or surrender. You knew for a fact that the enemy had been properly dealt with.
Dead or in chains, there was peace with knowing they were neutralized.
Retreat, and a successful one at that, left me uneasy and tense with worry.
It was a feeling that was… difficult to truly work through.
And it was a feeling that had in many instances left me feeling hollow.
Still, it was a feeling that my father had oftentimes helped to frame as one thing only — dishonor.
And the shame that would come from that, would hurt more than the most chronic of injuries, or the most disastrous of wounds.
For dishonor, and cowardly dishonor at that, was the heart-maimer.
It might start small, but eventually, any warrior worth their name will succumb to its effects.
Auris Ping might’ve gotten away with a few superficial injuries. But it’s the injury of his actions that will eat at him from this point onwards.
At least, that was what I was attempting to placate myself with as I moved to lower my sword, before transforming it back into its resting dagger-sized state.
It was around this time, as the battle-blood induced vitriol was cresting its peak, and as my body began to step down from that heightened battle-ready state, that I finally took note of a series of noises from within the gymnasium proper.
It was almost assuredly from the unknown interloper, who I’d myopically overlooked as a result of the rage-fueled retribution.
So without sheathing my blade, I began walking down the hallway towards the now-soaked room that was the gymnasium; towards what appeared to be another student and one that took me only a few seconds to recognize.
It was one of Qiv Ratom’s peers.
The small rodent-like creature struggled to stand on both of his legs, as if still dazed and recovering from the massive downpour of water, or perhaps some other injury if that bruised arm was anything to go by.
“Prince Havenbrock?” The small, hamster-like thing, barely half a head taller than Ilunor, spoke with a polite, cordial, and strangely affable tone of voice. One that was at complete odds with the usual terseness of most of the student body upon encountering me on a good day. Which was nothing to say of me in my battle-ready state. “A-are… are you quite alright?” He continued, the nervousness was palpable not just through his tone of voice, but by the obvious stressors in his manafield, and the smell of anxiety that was difficult to control to anyone not of lupinor heritage. “Do you require any healing assistance?” He quickly added with a sense of concern. Whether it was genuine or not, was anyone’s guess at this point.
“I’m alright.” I managed out, or rather, huffed out in a fit of exhaustion. “I appreciate the offer though, Prince…” I paused, realizing now that outside of Qiv and Airit, the two others in their peer group were practically enigmas to me. I blamed this not on myself or my reluctance to associate with the rest of the student body, but on the circumstances that prevented our group from truly integrating into the year group proper. “I am afraid I haven’t quite caught your name yet.” I admitted politely; desperately trying to claw myself back to civility.
“Ah! That’s quite alright! It’s certainly more than justifiable given…” The orange and white-furred being paused, gesturing around him. “...the recent circumstances. It would be entirely unfair of me to expect you to remember my name when we haven’t even been properly introduced, my dear fellow!”
It was around this point that the strangely dressed prince took a deep bow, almost befitting of Ilunor’s more theatrical tendencies.
“I am Prince Rostario Rostarion the XXI, son of His Benevolence King Rostario Rostarion the XX, Herald of the Nine Rivers, Beholder of the Writ of Transitions, and tenth in line for the throne of the Crita.” He spoke in an almost whimsical manner, straddling the line between the overzealousness of Ilunor’s propensity for noble norms, and a more idealistic interpretation of Expectant Decorum.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance at last, Prince Rostario Rostarion the XXI.” I spoke politely, matching the Crita’s bow, and holding it for just as long. “I just wished it had been under more… auspicious circumstances.”
“Oh nonsense! As we say in our realm, any day we meet a friend is a good day!” He beamed out, maintaining that smile throughout it all. “As a matter of fact, I doubt there’s ever such a thing as an unfavorable day to meet a friend. Which, once again, given recent happenings, may be as much a matter of courtesy as it is a matter of practicality.” Those latter words set off a few alarm bells in my head, which prompted me to address him now with less pleasantries and more in the way of practical matters.
“If I may ask, Prince Rostarion… what exactly are you doing here?”
The small thing blinked rapidly at that question. “Well, to be entirely honest Prince Havenbrock, I was here for perhaps the exact same reasons you were here.”
I looked the rodent-like prince up and down, noting his… less than typical attire, one that most certainly did not forego typical Nexian sensibilities as my own outfit had done, but that was definitely not your typical dinner attire.
“I mean no disrespect when I ask you this, Prince Rostarion, but would you genuinely have me believe that you were here to utilize the gymnasium’s facilities?”
“That is exactly what I am implying, Prince Havenbrock.” The little thing nodded with a smile. “However, I wasn’t necessarily intending to utilize it in the manner in which you perhaps assume.” He finished that sentence off by gesturing to a pile of now-ruined flotation artifices of some rubbery consistency. One resembling a round pastry, one resembling an ottoman, and another being a container that he quickly opened to reveal a deluge of snacks and beverages. “I was intending on using the pool for aquatic therapy, if you understand my meaning.”
There was a pause as I needed a moment to connect the dots.
“So, you were here, to simply lounge atop of the pool.” I concluded.
“A bit eccentric and skirting the line of expectant decorum, but it is one of my lesser known pastimes, yes.” The prince admitted with what I could only describe as an open look of abashment, one that when paired with his puffy fur, and harmless disposition, put me in mind of what Emma must have seen and felt with the foxes of the library.
“Of course.” I acknowledged with a nod. “And I am assuming that this pastime of yours was rudely interrupted when you arrived and encountered-”
“That vile bull?” The Crita’s features scrunched up, yet not once did I feel an ounce of threatening posture from the small creature, as even that attempt at a scowl looked more like a pup attempting to emulate a snarl. “I had arrived just as he seemed to be busy casting some sort of a barrier spell above the pool. At first, I assumed this to be a sort of jab at my character, and so I confronted him about the indirect assault on my leisurely intent. However, no sooner did I realize the severity of the situation, did the bull push me to the wayside, right before you managed to break free of your undue entombment, or thereabouts.” The little thing paused, before shaking his ‘head’ from side to side. A remarkable feat, for it was difficult to tell where his head started and where his body ended given the puffy fur that ensconced him in an almost spherical shape. “A truly sordid affair if I do say so myself, Prince Havenbrock.” He continued, meeting my gaze with that of a friendly, empathetic stranger. “In any case, I wouldn’t want to keep you here for much longer than necessary. This turn of events has been tiring enough for the both of us.”
“Indeed, this truly was unexpected, to say the least.” I responded plainly, lacking the energy to really engage with any of this more than I could at this point.
Not a moment later did two disruptions in the manastream occur simultaneously, as it seemed as if we both had the same idea of quickly switching from our leisurely attire back into our regular clothes.
“I do hope you weren’t hurt by the bull though.” I quickly added, my more courteous and civilized sensibilities returning to me now that the blood of battle had subsided from my veins.
“Oh, the vile thing merely pushed me. A truly despicable act of brutish savagery befitting of the common beast, but nothing that could hold a candle to the transgressions imposed upon you today, Prince Havenbrock.” The Crita replied politely, as we began making our way out and through the gymnasium’s long corridor, and back towards the castle’s winding pathways. “In any case, it is… comforting in a sense, Prince Thalmin — to have someone civilized to talk to following those brutish acts.”
“You flatter me, Prince Rostarion.” I replied reflexively.
“To be quite frank, I did have my reservations on the content of your character prior to this meeting. However, upon finally being acquainted, I can see now that those reservations were entirely baseless. It is clear that in this game of appearances, that the strong and self righteous can oftentimes overrule those who are genuine of heart. Today’s events have, in a sense, served as an unwelcome but necessary wakeup call, one that validates my fears over Lord Ping, and invalidates my concerns over your character, Prince Havenbrock.”
“And what might those concerns over Lord Ping be?” I replied curtly, deciding to go along with his narrative, if only to hear him out.
“That Auris Ping may not be averse to brutish acts of subterfuge to undermine the peer groups he deems to be a threat to his ambitions. It’s quite obvious to me the reasons why he went after you of all people.” The little thing paused, as if giving me a window to reply.
Which I did.
“Go on?”
“Your newrealmer’s little stunt on the last emergency assembly, Prince Havenbrock. The man was humiliated in front of the entire year group as a result. The newrealmer has essentially made an enemy out of him from there on out. There’s now, effectively, a target painted on each and every one of your peer group’s backs.” Rostario cautioned, prompting me to narrow my gaze on the otherwise harmless-looking hamster.
“I thank you for sharing your observations with me, Prince Rostarion… but please, what point do you wish to make here?”
“The matter I wish to address, Prince Thalmin, is that the man has elevated himself from a nuisance to a palpable danger. And if he’s willing to go to these lengths to correct for past slights, there’s no telling what may happen as we push forwards through the year, especially following the house choosing ceremony coming up this weekend.” The little thing reasoned, before shifting his gaze to a more thoughtful and empathetic one. “Seeing as my group has consistently occupied the top three positions in terms of points so far, it stands to reason that the bull’s ire will soon be drawn to us. And whilst Lord Qiv Ratom is indeed a wise and capable leader, he is only one man, with three other peers to work with.”
“You’re proposing an alliance, then?” I cut through the fat of the hamster’s reply, prompting the man to, thankfully, nod in acknowledgement with no further pleasantries involved.
“I wouldn’t be so brazen as to call it an alliance outright, Prince Havenbrock. I moreso wish to make it clear that my own group harbors no ill sentiments towards your own, and will continue to do so, if only to ensure that we may at least live in peace whilst at war against this brutish menace. Alliances, and future agreements, can come later. Right now, I only wish to extend a hand of goodwill, nothing less.”
It was around that point that we both paused at the foot of a set of stairs, marking the junction in which we needed to part ways.
“I will… consider it, Prince Rostarion. If Auris Ping continues to play the role of a nuisance, and a dangerous one at that, it would be in the best interests of both of our two groups to maintain a working peace. Regardless, I sincerely hope the man does not prove to be a menace to you, as he was to me.”
“I appreciate the kind sentiments, Prince Havenbrock.” He nodded, right before we parted ways.

Dragon’s Heart Tower, Level 23, Residence 30, Living Room. Local Time: 23:20 Hours.
Thalmin
I arrived at an eerily dead dormitory once more, the lights within the public spaces acknowledging my presence with a tastefully choreographed glow.
I hesitated for a moment as I walked past Emma and Thacea’s room, considering whether or not the matter of Ping should be best reserved for the morning, or if it was prudent to address it now.
This hesitation lasted a few moments, before I started noticing a distinct string of conversations from within, answering my concerns of whether the pair were still awake.
“Sorry for saying this Thacea, and I’m not implying that you are but… could you be careful with your talons. I’m afraid it’ll-”
“I assure you, Emma. Your instructions were extensive and your demonstrations were in-depth enough for me to handle this aspect of the operation.”
I took that opportunity to knock on the door, leading to a series of hurried footsteps towards it. And as the door opened, I noted a distinct lack of Emma, prompting me to put two and two together. “I apologize if I’m interrupting anything.” I announced. “I’m assuming you two are in the middle of your em-redd experiments?”
“That is correct, Thalmin.” Thacea nodded.
“Ah, well, maybe we can talk about this another time-”
“No, no. If there’s something urgent, it is best to state it outright.”
I let out another sigh, before I leveled my eyes once more, preparing for the long winded explanation ahead.
…
Twenty-five Minutes Later
…
The reactions from Thacea, and even Ilunor, were practically about what I expected. With a measured and appropriately sympathetic look of concern from the former, and a somewhat amused yet annoyed look of acknowledgement from the latter.
It was Emma however, who’d exited the tent moments after I arrived, that truly gave me pause for thought.
It was, naturally, difficult if not impossible to read the earthrealmer’s reactions. Her armor served as a barrier not only for the features most readily readable to the average observer, but also to the most seasoned of conversationalists, as everything from her facial features through to her nonexistent manafield were blocked.
The only thing that anyone could truly work off of, was her speaking mannerisms, and what feeble attempts at exaggerated body language she could muster through sheer will and determination; and even those were encumbered.
Yet despite that, and all the encumbrances involved, I could feel the palpable shock and outright rage that seethed within her. As I could only imagine the features of a lupinor with little to no reservations on maintaining the guise of civility, snarling beneath that helmet of hers.
“Thalmin.” Emma continued, restructuring her response, in a tone of voice that struck a certain chord within me. “Let me ask you this again. Did he hurt you?”
“I am unharmed, Emma.” I responded immediately.
“Good.” The armored earthrealmer responded compassionately, before effortlessly returning to that seething and outraged persona. “Because if that walking prime rib dinner had done anything…” She paused, as if taking the time to ponder all the possible means of violence at her disposal…
But instead of saying anything outright, she instead remained silent.
That silence, and a lack of any definitive threat, spoke louder than any descriptive rant ever could.
Moreover, the sheer emotion behind her voice prior to that ominous silence was enough to compensate for all of her armor’s encumberances, and then some. A fact that resonated deeply with the lupinor within me.
As unlike the Nexian propensity for layering intent beneath decorum, Emma seemed poised to simply make herself known when she needed to.
“I… appreciate those sentiments, Emma.” I acknowledged with a deep nod. “But I believe the fact I managed to defeat him in combat, or at least, prompted him to flee like a complete coward; is proof enough I can handle myself. Though… I am certainly not averse to a brother or sister in arms to join in the fray.”
This seemed to lighten Emma’s spirits somewhat, as she placed a hand on my shoulder, shaking it about.
“This begs the question…” Thacea finally interjected, after a few moments of deep and serious thought. “What could be Ping’s true gambit here?”
“To posture and potentially send a message? Like a thug or a bully I guess?” Emma offered.
“The fact remains we don’t necessarily know how far he would’ve taken this, a fact which would very much define, or redefine the intent behind this attack.” Thacea countered, prompting me to reply in no uncertain terms.
“Believe me, Thacea. If you were there, you’d know he was serious in his intent.”
“I do not discount the traumatizing events, Thalmin. I… simply wish to ascertain just what his angle is. Because from my vantage point, this attack seems brazenly-”
“-idiotic.” Ilunor chimed in.
Prompting the avinor princess to simply dip her head in acknowledgement. “-foolish, but that is likewise an appropriate descriptor.”
“Maybe he is just that dumb?” Emma offered up once more. “He’s hot-headed, and clearly angry from the whole library card incident. So maybe just like any other hot-headed bully, he’s going after the ones he thinks he can handle, alone, and without backup.”
“I could see that.” I acknowledged.
“The simplest answers are sometimes the ones that turn out to be true.” Thacea acknowledged. “However, given the complexities of the Nexus, we shouldn’t discount more elaborate possibilities.”
“Mal’tory.” Ilunor suddenly blurted out darkly. “It’s his class tomorrow, isn’t it? And the Academy isn’t suspending his classes either. Now, this may seem improbable, if not outright impossible… but I believe the lack of any changes to the academic roster means that whatever damage you inflicted on him, Emma… could not have been enough to kill him outright; at least not permanently. Which means that maybe, just maybe, he recovered sometime today, and has recruited Auris to his own aims.”
That theory hit me hard, prompting me to turn towards Emma with a worried expression. The silence from the otherwise chatty earthrealmer was enough to clue me in to her state of mind. And the anxiety welling within her, especially when it came to what was up ahead tomorrow.
“That’s a possibility.” Thacea acknowledged. “Perhaps, in light of you becoming an intrinsic aspect of the library’s games, Ilunor — you’ve effectively become immune to the man’s machinations. Thus, Mal’tory is now looking to target either me or Thalmin, in order to replace us with a more pliant student.”
“We won’t know anything, nor can we come to any conclusions.” Emma finally interjected. “But there’s only one way to be sure, and only one way we can rule that possibility out.” The earthrealmer paused for a moment, making an attempt to crane her head to meet each of our gazes. “We need to resume the library’s mission as soon as we can, and we’ll start by infiltrating his office.”
“After we assess the situation in tomorrow’s classes.” Thacea urged. “We will see, definitively then, the state of the man, and from there — we continue our quest against the black robed professor.”
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(Author’s Note: Thalmin manages to escape from the clutches of this vile attack and we are introduced to a character that's only been touched upon once during the introduction of Qiv's group all the way back in the early chapters! :D Rostario Rostarion the XXI is certainly quite a character, and he's definitely going to be playing more of a role as things progress! I'm opening up the roster of characters of the other main peer groups we're dealing with, and I think this is the first of Qiv's group we're finally seeing expanded upon! Beyond that, we also get to see how Thacea's helping with the MREDD experiments, helping to slot foods into the MREDD on her side of the tent while Emma stays inside monitoring things! And of course, we get to see how this might all tie back to our favorite black robed professor, whose classes are due to be taught on the next school day! I hope you guys enjoy! :D The next Two Chapters are already up on Patreon if you guys are interested in getting early access to future chapters!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 78 and Chapter 79 of this story is already out on there!)]

BC Canada WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE BUZZER ( Vol. 4, Number 17) April 28, 2024 Public Transit: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow For more information check Facebook page " we ride public transit Vancouver " on X (Twitter) see NathanDavidowi1 , email to [nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com](mailto:nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com)Read Reddit transit & TransLink for a complete Weekly Alternative Buzzer ( WAB )as well as many real transit stories from real riders.Read condensed WAB on Linkedin under Nathan DavidowiczPlease continue to send your stories and I will publish them
.1. News From BC and About BC Transit & TransLink :Here are some news articles about the TransLink 2024-2033 Investment Plan . The Plan does not provide details like in previous plans prior to the failed 2015 Transit referendum.The 2024 Investment Plan produced by transLink has many problems.,Many previous plans since 1999 were never fully implemented.,Many of the proposed projects will not be implemented until 2025 or laterhttps://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/04/26/translink-2024-investment-plan-approved-lack-consultation-davidowicz/ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-approves-stopgap-plan-to-increase-2024-bus-service https://globalnews.ca/news/10450106/translink-funding-plan-approved-2024 https://voiceonline.com/translinks-2024-investment-plan-to-address-critical-overcrowding-approved/ https://x.com/TransLinkNews/status/1783932092436434962YouTube Video of the TransLink joint meeting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNV\_J-ANno4 36.7 minsA New Transit Petition for South Vancouver by MLA Michael LeeWe need to complete the grid system of bus routes in Vancouver. 20 missing links.Passengers should not have to walk more than 300 m ( 5 minutes ) to the nearest bus stop.South Vancouver has a density of around 10,000 people per square km. A new Crosstown bus on 57th Ave will improve accessibility to lots of destinations between Dunbar and Champlain Heights.https://www.change.org/p/demand-better-transit-now-stand-up-for-south-vancouvepsf/sharehttps://dailyhive.com/vancouvemla-south-vancouver-new-57th-avenue-bus-route-canada-line-stationsHandyDART Petitionhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-end-the-use-of-taxis-to-fill-handydart-service-and-bring-operations-in-house/Teens ( 13-18 ) For Free Transit allover BChttps://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024/04/22/Youth-Calling-For-Free-Public-Transit-BC/In Washington State US it is mandated by the government.King George SkyTrain Station Closure: https://www.translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/03/31/six-week-closure-king-george-skytrain-station-johnston/ATU wants more washrooms and better schedules.https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783874082410545355 https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865759174930941 Vancouver Island Rail got 15,000 names petitionhttps://x.com/WarrenSkaalrud/status/1783996477146279952 Free webinar May 9, 2024 on BC Fed Connecting BC 10 year transit planhttps://x.com/CJusticeVic/status/1783994575163375756 https://bcfed.ca/connecting-bcPossible Transit Strike? ATU 134https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1782515927382217212https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/highway17ravineway Saanich shoots down creating bus-only lanes to UVic on McKenzie Avenue this year https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/saanich-shoots-down-creating-bus-only-lanes-to-uvic-on-mckenzie-avenue-this-year-7350515 Free Ship Rides in North Vancouver: https://theshipyardsdistrict.ca/event/fleet-weekend https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/grassroots-group-demands-better-public-transit-in-okanagan/ar-AA1nK4Q5 All BC Transit buses in Victoria have now been outfitted with new and improved bus tracking https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/04/all-bc-transit-buses-in-victoria-have-now-been-outfitted-with-new-and-improved-bus-tracking/ https://www.bctransit.com/new-ondemand-transit-service-starts-sunday-2024-04-25/ https://www.bctransit.com/free-transit-for-youth-week-in-penticton-and-summerland-04-24-2024/ https://www.bctransit.com/take-the-bus-for-boogie-the-bridge-04-25-2024/ https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/180455/translink-targets-20-corridors-bus-priority-investments-tackle-congestion/? https://www.translink.ca/news/2024/april/translink%20identifies%2020%20corridors%20that%20need%20bus%20priorityYouTube Video of the TransLink Mayors Council meeting April 25, 2024:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlZO7au2JU 40.9 mins2. Transit Safety- Pedestrian Safety : Petition 10,000+ names :https://www.change.org/p/make-bc-translink-buses-and-skytrains-safer (10,380 names)Video of attack on bus driver:https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865337496404244 https://x.com/ATUComm/status/1783861124338753624 Vision Zerohttps://x.com/Lucyincanada/status/1783845496794288580 https://x.com/VisionZeroYVstatus/1783687440211050752Bellevue Police Announce Dedicated Light Rail Unit for Safetyhttps://downtownbellevue.com/.../bellevue-police.../https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/23/the-brake-why-we-cant-end-violence-on-transit-with-more-policeNew Halifax road safety plan includes better data, targeted projects https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-road-safety-plan-includes-better-data-targeted-projects-1.7185556 https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/04/128471-transit-riders-face-highest-safety-risks-these-10-states 3. Alon Levy, RM Transit, RftV, Marco Chitti, RFC, VTPI, RE(a) https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/04/23/frequency-in-units-of-distance/(b) Frankfurt: The Birthplace of The LRT (and Much More) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_BFcI-BEGk18.3 mins https://reecemartin.ca/2024/04/23/albertans-cities-need-to-learn-from-vancouvers-transportation-and-torontos-mistake/ (c) https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/skytrains-daddy-the-krauss-maffei-transurban-maglev-2/(d) I support roundabouts slip lanes, but for buses only https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854123927883813https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854886087454900https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1782434532920377818(e) Bayview Station Ottawa: https://otrain.railfans.ca/station/bayview-station https://x.com/RailFansCanada/status/1782362776301645990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBtz3yQw7Cg(f) VTPI & BIT www.vtpi.org https://www.vtpi.org/documents/public.phphttps://betterislandtransit.ca/ (g) Did You Know Czech Railways Are This Good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBroMoqE2RY 13.5 mins4. Transportation news articles & videos from various media:(a) Montreal/QuebecQuebec wants better transithttps://x.com/Lecavalier_C/status/1783531875526406230https://x.com/C_Savard/status/1783242642987315554 https://x.com/ThomasGerbet/status/1783143908198760728 Transit trips up among seniors since Montreal introduced free fares https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/transit-trips-up-among-seniors-since-montreal-introduced-free-fares Greater Montreal public transit fares to increase an average 3% on July 1, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/news/10453634/greater-montreal-public-transit-fares-increase-july-1/ https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/former-snc-lavalin-executive-sentenced-to-prison-term-in-bridge-bribery-case-5637236 REM: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/highly-complex-work-delays-rem-completion-to-west-island-north-shore-1.6859883 (b) Toronto/OntarioTransit users deliver oversized "fund evasion " ticket to Finance Minister Chrystia Freelandhttps://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783509039659258083 https://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783482689426768030 https://stevemunro.ca/2024/04/27/king-street-transit-priority-corridor-update-may-2024/ Almost nobody believes Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this year: https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/nobody-believes-toronto-eglinton-crosstown-lrt-open/ https://go.hitachirail.com/l/993992/2024-02-26/lq6dm/993992/1708950907UkiZAcn0/Better_Connected_Report___Toronto_16.9.pdf Petition urges Transit Windsor to halt bus route relocation, despite city's plan to proceed: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/petition-urges-transit-windsor-to-halt-bus-route-relocation-despite-city-s-plan-to-proceed-1.6859161 https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/regional-council-passes-motion-to-temporarily-bring-back-night-transit-route/amp/#GO Transit set to change most bus schedules, several routes to see reductions: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/22/go-transit-new-bus-schedules/ Matt Elliott: TTC’s Bloor-Danforth line is on track for slower, less reliable service. Blame Justin Trudeau:https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/ttc-s-bloor-danforth-line-is-on-track-for-slower-less-reliable-service-blame-justin/article_ea80cee8-00be-11ef-98ab-670687661094.html (c) Other CanadaHalifax Transit Ferryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yki-ceE5gYA 15 minshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/transit-union-ferry-cancellations-staffing-1.7181181 Sask. : https://panow.com/2024/04/22/para-transit-service-gets-funding-boost/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-capital-tranist-plan-april-2024-1.7182975 (d) USATransit Unplugged Episode 300 https://gothamist.com/news/mta-plans-to-turn-on-congestion-pricing-tolls-june-30 https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/ceremony-launches-brightline-wests-high-speed-link-to-las-vegas/66384.article https://www.railjournal.com/passengehigh-speed/work-starts-on-brightline-west Has the US finally figured out how to do high-speed rail? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427647-has-the-us-finally-figured-out-how-to-do-high-speed-rail/ Houston-Dallas bullet train can be done in 10 years: Amtrak: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/texas-bullet-train-amtrak-19411731.php The future of Amtrak Cascades – Seattle Transit Blog: https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/04/21/the-future-of-amtrak-cascades/ https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/25/talking-headways-podcast-details-of-development-reform-in-minnesota-part-1 https://www.rtands.com/passengecommittee-passes-bill-to-establish-passenger-rail-for-colorado/ https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-04-24/legal-showdown-threatens-to-end-austins-light-rail-plans?s=03 Light rail addition in Houston a parallel to what's coming with the METRO Blue Line Extension in Twin Cities https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/news/local/houston-parallel-coming-with-minneapolis-blue-line-extension Does Chicago Need A New Transit Agency? Watchdog Pitches CTA Merger Into State-Run System https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/26/does-chicago-need-a-new-transit-agency-watchdog-pitches-cta-merger-into-state-run-system/ MTA’s free bus service program to end this year https://pix11.com/news/transit/mtas-free-bus-service-program-to-end-this-yea NYC Transit's New Operations Planning Chief Wants To Fight 'Ghost Buses' - Streetsblog New York City: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/19/new-york-city-transits-new-operations-chief-wants-to-bust-ghost-buses NJ Transit fare hike: Corporations should pay transit fee: https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/2024/04/24/nj-transit-fare-hike-corporations-should-pay-transit-fee/73414208007/ Seattle Levy Proposal Lowers the Bar on Public Transit Investments https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/04/25/seattle-levy-proposal-lowers-the-bar-on-public-transit-investments/ Mobility is entering a new age of innovation. We examined regional trends across the world to explore the complex changes that could transform the sector by 2035. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-mobility-evolves Active mobility versus motorized transport? User choices and benefits for the societyhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721057053The ABC of mobility:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001272 Seattle: https://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1ceqihk/oc_sound_transit_current_and_under_construction/#lightbox How People get around : Mode Share on Weekdays, North America is over 90% by carshttps://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1cbt6yq/this\_chart\_highlights\_north\_american\_car\_culture/? How trains linked rival port cities along the US East Coast into a cultural and economic megalopolis: https://theconversation.com/how-trains-linked-rival-port-cities-along-the-us-east-coast-into-a-cultural-and-economic-megalopolis-228502 MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a 'Grave' Mistake: Advocates - Streetsblog New York City https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/24/mta-plan-to-run-brooklyn-queens-train-line-on-city-streets-a-grave-mistake-advocates https://pix11.com/news/local-news/these-nyc-subway-stations-have-public-restrooms/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-will-soon-have-high-speed-rail-could-it-eventually-reach-san-diego/ Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Amtrak https://www.railwayage.com/passengetransit-briefs-metrolinx-amtrak/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/bay-area-rapid-transit-bart-improve-accessibility-riders-with-disabilities/713773/ Nashville: https://x.com/TransitCentestatus/1782041131850641693 The Atlanta Streetcar: Will it get better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygkh0DKbCIM 11.7 mins (e) Internationalhttps://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/saturday-variety_0633295122.html https://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/sunday-variety_01377718469.html https://labornotes.org/2024/04/bus-drivers-strike-climate-activists-57-german-cities https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/news-and-views/hollands-electric-trains-now-100-percent-wind-powered https://www.hitachirail.com/english-better-connected-global-attitudes-to-public-transport/ https://www.railjournal.com/signalling/siemens-to-upgrade-copenhagen-s-bane-network-to-driverless-operation/ https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/is-it-time-to-take-monorails-more-seriously/ https://blackpooltram.blogspot.com/2024/04/manchester-200-years-of-bus-1824-to.html https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-articles/177722/arriva-trains-uk-generative-ai-passenger-experience/ https://www.financialexpress.com/business/express-mobility-world-earth-day-harnessing-public-private-partnerships-in-urban-mass-mobility-3463892/ Sydney: https://www.transportist.net/p/improving-both-transport-efficiencyTram for Bikes: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1858754997936043?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v Over half of global commutes are by car: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-global-commutes-car.html The incredible train line that will connect world's biggest landlocked country to the sea: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1888985/train-line-addis-ababa-massawa-railway-spt French commuters to benefit from free public transport to Luxembourg: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/04/23/luxembourgs-free-public-transport-to-be-extended-across-french-border-with-new-commuter-sc Europe's Megaproject to Replace Russian Railways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQ4v0Y2FfM 11.3 mins

BC Canada WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE BUZZER ( Vol. 4, Number 17) April 28, 2024 Public Transit: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow For more information check Facebook page " we ride public transit Vancouver " on X (Twitter) see NathanDavidowi1 , email to [nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com](mailto:nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com)Read Reddit transit & TransLink for a complete Weekly Alternative Buzzer ( WAB )as well as many real transit stories from real riders.Read condensed WAB on Linkedin under Nathan DavidowiczPlease continue to send your stories and I will publish them
.1. News From BC and About BC Transit & TransLink :Here are some news articles about the TransLink 2024-2033 Investment Plan . The Plan does not provide details like in previous plans prior to the failed 2015 Transit referendum.The 2024 Investment Plan produced by transLink has many problems.,Many previous plans since 1999 were never fully implemented.,Many of the proposed projects will not be implemented until 2025 or laterhttps://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/04/26/translink-2024-investment-plan-approved-lack-consultation-davidowicz/ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-approves-stopgap-plan-to-increase-2024-bus-service https://globalnews.ca/news/10450106/translink-funding-plan-approved-2024 https://voiceonline.com/translinks-2024-investment-plan-to-address-critical-overcrowding-approved/ https://x.com/TransLinkNews/status/1783932092436434962YouTube Video of the TransLink joint meeting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNV\_J-ANno4 36.7 minsA New Transit Petition for South Vancouver by MLA Michael LeeWe need to complete the grid system of bus routes in Vancouver. 20 missing links.Passengers should not have to walk more than 300 m ( 5 minutes ) to the nearest bus stop.South Vancouver has a density of around 10,000 people per square km. A new Crosstown bus on 57th Ave will improve accessibility to lots of destinations between Dunbar and Champlain Heights.https://www.change.org/p/demand-better-transit-now-stand-up-for-south-vancouvepsf/sharehttps://dailyhive.com/vancouvemla-south-vancouver-new-57th-avenue-bus-route-canada-line-stationsHandyDART Petitionhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-end-the-use-of-taxis-to-fill-handydart-service-and-bring-operations-in-house/Teens ( 13-18 ) For Free Transit allover BChttps://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024/04/22/Youth-Calling-For-Free-Public-Transit-BC/In Washington State US it is mandated by the government.King George SkyTrain Station Closure: https://www.translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/03/31/six-week-closure-king-george-skytrain-station-johnston/ATU wants more washrooms and better schedules.https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783874082410545355 https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865759174930941 Vancouver Island Rail got 15,000 names petitionhttps://x.com/WarrenSkaalrud/status/1783996477146279952 Free webinar May 9, 2024 on BC Fed Connecting BC 10 year transit planhttps://x.com/CJusticeVic/status/1783994575163375756 https://bcfed.ca/connecting-bcPossible Transit Strike? ATU 134https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1782515927382217212https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/highway17ravineway Saanich shoots down creating bus-only lanes to UVic on McKenzie Avenue this year https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/saanich-shoots-down-creating-bus-only-lanes-to-uvic-on-mckenzie-avenue-this-year-7350515 Free Ship Rides in North Vancouver: https://theshipyardsdistrict.ca/event/fleet-weekend https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/grassroots-group-demands-better-public-transit-in-okanagan/ar-AA1nK4Q5 All BC Transit buses in Victoria have now been outfitted with new and improved bus tracking https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/04/all-bc-transit-buses-in-victoria-have-now-been-outfitted-with-new-and-improved-bus-tracking/ https://www.bctransit.com/new-ondemand-transit-service-starts-sunday-2024-04-25/ https://www.bctransit.com/free-transit-for-youth-week-in-penticton-and-summerland-04-24-2024/ https://www.bctransit.com/take-the-bus-for-boogie-the-bridge-04-25-2024/ https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/180455/translink-targets-20-corridors-bus-priority-investments-tackle-congestion/? https://www.translink.ca/news/2024/april/translink%20identifies%2020%20corridors%20that%20need%20bus%20priorityYouTube Video of the TransLink Mayors Council meeting April 25, 2024:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlZO7au2JU 40.9 mins
2. Transit Safety- Pedestrian Safety : Petition 10,000+ names :https://www.change.org/p/make-bc-translink-buses-and-skytrains-safer (10,380 names)Video of attack on bus driver:https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865337496404244 https://x.com/ATUComm/status/1783861124338753624 Vision Zerohttps://x.com/Lucyincanada/status/1783845496794288580 https://x.com/VisionZeroYVstatus/1783687440211050752Bellevue Police Announce Dedicated Light Rail Unit for Safetyhttps://downtownbellevue.com/.../bellevue-police.../https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/23/the-brake-why-we-cant-end-violence-on-transit-with-more-policeNew Halifax road safety plan includes better data, targeted projects https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-road-safety-plan-includes-better-data-targeted-projects-1.7185556 https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/04/128471-transit-riders-face-highest-safety-risks-these-10-states 3. Alon Levy, RM Transit, RftV, Marco Chitti, RFC, VTPI, RE(a) https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/04/23/frequency-in-units-of-distance/(b) Frankfurt: The Birthplace of The LRT (and Much More) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_BFcI-BEGk18.3 mins https://reecemartin.ca/2024/04/23/albertans-cities-need-to-learn-from-vancouvers-transportation-and-torontos-mistake/ (c) https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/skytrains-daddy-the-krauss-maffei-transurban-maglev-2/(d) I support roundabouts slip lanes, but for buses only https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854123927883813https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854886087454900https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1782434532920377818(e) Bayview Station Ottawa: https://otrain.railfans.ca/station/bayview-station https://x.com/RailFansCanada/status/1782362776301645990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBtz3yQw7Cg(f) VTPI & BIT www.vtpi.org https://www.vtpi.org/documents/public.phphttps://betterislandtransit.ca/ (g) Did You Know Czech Railways Are This Good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBroMoqE2RY 13.5 mins
4. Transportation news articles & videos from various media:(a) Montreal/QuebecQuebec wants better transithttps://x.com/Lecavalier_C/status/1783531875526406230https://x.com/C_Savard/status/1783242642987315554 https://x.com/ThomasGerbet/status/1783143908198760728 Transit trips up among seniors since Montreal introduced free fares https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/transit-trips-up-among-seniors-since-montreal-introduced-free-fares Greater Montreal public transit fares to increase an average 3% on July 1, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/news/10453634/greater-montreal-public-transit-fares-increase-july-1/ https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/former-snc-lavalin-executive-sentenced-to-prison-term-in-bridge-bribery-case-5637236 REM: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/highly-complex-work-delays-rem-completion-to-west-island-north-shore-1.6859883 (b) Toronto/OntarioTransit users deliver oversized "fund evasion " ticket to Finance Minister Chrystia Freelandhttps://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783509039659258083 https://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783482689426768030 https://stevemunro.ca/2024/04/27/king-street-transit-priority-corridor-update-may-2024/ Almost nobody believes Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this year: https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/nobody-believes-toronto-eglinton-crosstown-lrt-open/ https://go.hitachirail.com/l/993992/2024-02-26/lq6dm/993992/1708950907UkiZAcn0/Better_Connected_Report___Toronto_16.9.pdf Petition urges Transit Windsor to halt bus route relocation, despite city's plan to proceed: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/petition-urges-transit-windsor-to-halt-bus-route-relocation-despite-city-s-plan-to-proceed-1.6859161 https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/regional-council-passes-motion-to-temporarily-bring-back-night-transit-route/amp/#GO Transit set to change most bus schedules, several routes to see reductions: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/22/go-transit-new-bus-schedules/ Matt Elliott: TTC’s Bloor-Danforth line is on track for slower, less reliable service. Blame Justin Trudeau:https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/ttc-s-bloor-danforth-line-is-on-track-for-slower-less-reliable-service-blame-justin/article_ea80cee8-00be-11ef-98ab-670687661094.html (c) Other CanadaHalifax Transit Ferryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yki-ceE5gYA 15 minshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/transit-union-ferry-cancellations-staffing-1.7181181 Sask. : https://panow.com/2024/04/22/para-transit-service-gets-funding-boost/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-capital-tranist-plan-april-2024-1.7182975 (d) USATransit Unplugged Episode 300 https://gothamist.com/news/mta-plans-to-turn-on-congestion-pricing-tolls-june-30 https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/ceremony-launches-brightline-wests-high-speed-link-to-las-vegas/66384.article https://www.railjournal.com/passengehigh-speed/work-starts-on-brightline-west Has the US finally figured out how to do high-speed rail? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427647-has-the-us-finally-figured-out-how-to-do-high-speed-rail/ Houston-Dallas bullet train can be done in 10 years: Amtrak: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/texas-bullet-train-amtrak-19411731.php The future of Amtrak Cascades – Seattle Transit Blog: https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/04/21/the-future-of-amtrak-cascades/ https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/25/talking-headways-podcast-details-of-development-reform-in-minnesota-part-1 https://www.rtands.com/passengecommittee-passes-bill-to-establish-passenger-rail-for-colorado/ https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-04-24/legal-showdown-threatens-to-end-austins-light-rail-plans?s=03 Light rail addition in Houston a parallel to what's coming with the METRO Blue Line Extension in Twin Cities https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/news/local/houston-parallel-coming-with-minneapolis-blue-line-extension Does Chicago Need A New Transit Agency? Watchdog Pitches CTA Merger Into State-Run System https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/26/does-chicago-need-a-new-transit-agency-watchdog-pitches-cta-merger-into-state-run-system/ MTA’s free bus service program to end this year https://pix11.com/news/transit/mtas-free-bus-service-program-to-end-this-yea NYC Transit's New Operations Planning Chief Wants To Fight 'Ghost Buses' - Streetsblog New York City: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/19/new-york-city-transits-new-operations-chief-wants-to-bust-ghost-buses NJ Transit fare hike: Corporations should pay transit fee: https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/2024/04/24/nj-transit-fare-hike-corporations-should-pay-transit-fee/73414208007/ Seattle Levy Proposal Lowers the Bar on Public Transit Investments https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/04/25/seattle-levy-proposal-lowers-the-bar-on-public-transit-investments/ Mobility is entering a new age of innovation. We examined regional trends across the world to explore the complex changes that could transform the sector by 2035. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-mobility-evolves Active mobility versus motorized transport? User choices and benefits for the societyhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721057053The ABC of mobility:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001272 Seattle: https://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1ceqihk/oc_sound_transit_current_and_under_construction/#lightbox How People get around : Mode Share on Weekdays, North America is over 90% by carshttps://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1cbt6yq/this\_chart\_highlights\_north\_american\_car\_culture/? How trains linked rival port cities along the US East Coast into a cultural and economic megalopolis: https://theconversation.com/how-trains-linked-rival-port-cities-along-the-us-east-coast-into-a-cultural-and-economic-megalopolis-228502 MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a 'Grave' Mistake: Advocates - Streetsblog New York City https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/24/mta-plan-to-run-brooklyn-queens-train-line-on-city-streets-a-grave-mistake-advocates https://pix11.com/news/local-news/these-nyc-subway-stations-have-public-restrooms/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-will-soon-have-high-speed-rail-could-it-eventually-reach-san-diego/ Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Amtrak https://www.railwayage.com/passengetransit-briefs-metrolinx-amtrak/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/bay-area-rapid-transit-bart-improve-accessibility-riders-with-disabilities/713773/ Nashville: https://x.com/TransitCentestatus/1782041131850641693 The Atlanta Streetcar: Will it get better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygkh0DKbCIM 11.7 mins (e) Internationalhttps://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/saturday-variety_0633295122.html https://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/sunday-variety_01377718469.html https://labornotes.org/2024/04/bus-drivers-strike-climate-activists-57-german-cities https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/news-and-views/hollands-electric-trains-now-100-percent-wind-powered https://www.hitachirail.com/english-better-connected-global-attitudes-to-public-transport/ https://www.railjournal.com/signalling/siemens-to-upgrade-copenhagen-s-bane-network-to-driverless-operation/ https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/is-it-time-to-take-monorails-more-seriously/ https://blackpooltram.blogspot.com/2024/04/manchester-200-years-of-bus-1824-to.html https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-articles/177722/arriva-trains-uk-generative-ai-passenger-experience/ https://www.financialexpress.com/business/express-mobility-world-earth-day-harnessing-public-private-partnerships-in-urban-mass-mobility-3463892/ Sydney: https://www.transportist.net/p/improving-both-transport-efficiencyTram for Bikes: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1858754997936043?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v Over half of global commutes are by car: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-global-commutes-car.html The incredible train line that will connect world's biggest landlocked country to the sea: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1888985/train-line-addis-ababa-massawa-railway-spt French commuters to benefit from free public transport to Luxembourg: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/04/23/luxembourgs-free-public-transport-to-be-extended-across-french-border-with-new-commuter-sc Europe's Megaproject to Replace Russian Railways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQ4v0Y2FfM 11.3 mins

BC Canada WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE BUZZER ( Vol. 4, Number 17) April 28, 2024 Public Transit: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow For more information check Facebook page " we ride public transit Vancouver " on X (Twitter) see NathanDavidowi1 , email to [nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com](mailto:nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com)Read Reddit transit & TransLink for a complete Weekly Alternative Buzzer ( WAB )as well as many real transit stories from real riders.Read condensed WAB on Linkedin under Nathan DavidowiczPlease continue to send your stories and I will publish them
.1. News From BC and About BC Transit & TransLink :Here are some news articles about the TransLink 2024-2033 Investment Plan . The Plan does not provide details like in previous plans prior to the failed 2015 Transit referendum.The 2024 Investment Plan produced by transLink has many problems.,Many previous plans since 1999 were never fully implemented.,Many of the proposed projects will not be implemented until 2025 or laterhttps://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/04/26/translink-2024-investment-plan-approved-lack-consultation-davidowicz/ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-approves-stopgap-plan-to-increase-2024-bus-service https://globalnews.ca/news/10450106/translink-funding-plan-approved-2024 https://voiceonline.com/translinks-2024-investment-plan-to-address-critical-overcrowding-approved/ https://x.com/TransLinkNews/status/1783932092436434962YouTube Video of the TransLink joint meeting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNV\_J-ANno4 36.7 minsA New Transit Petition for South Vancouver by MLA Michael LeeWe need to complete the grid system of bus routes in Vancouver. 20 missing links.Passengers should not have to walk more than 300 m ( 5 minutes ) to the nearest bus stop.South Vancouver has a density of around 10,000 people per square km. A new Crosstown bus on 57th Ave will improve accessibility to lots of destinations between Dunbar and Champlain Heights.https://www.change.org/p/demand-better-transit-now-stand-up-for-south-vancouvepsf/sharehttps://dailyhive.com/vancouvemla-south-vancouver-new-57th-avenue-bus-route-canada-line-stationsHandyDART Petitionhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-end-the-use-of-taxis-to-fill-handydart-service-and-bring-operations-in-house/Teens ( 13-18 ) For Free Transit allover BChttps://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024/04/22/Youth-Calling-For-Free-Public-Transit-BC/In Washington State US it is mandated by the government.King George SkyTrain Station Closure: https://www.translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/03/31/six-week-closure-king-george-skytrain-station-johnston/ATU wants more washrooms and better schedules.https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783874082410545355 https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865759174930941 Vancouver Island Rail got 15,000 names petitionhttps://x.com/WarrenSkaalrud/status/1783996477146279952 Free webinar May 9, 2024 on BC Fed Connecting BC 10 year transit planhttps://x.com/CJusticeVic/status/1783994575163375756 https://bcfed.ca/connecting-bcPossible Transit Strike? ATU 134https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1782515927382217212https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/highway17ravineway Saanich shoots down creating bus-only lanes to UVic on McKenzie Avenue this year https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/saanich-shoots-down-creating-bus-only-lanes-to-uvic-on-mckenzie-avenue-this-year-7350515 Free Ship Rides in North Vancouver: https://theshipyardsdistrict.ca/event/fleet-weekend https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/grassroots-group-demands-better-public-transit-in-okanagan/ar-AA1nK4Q5 All BC Transit buses in Victoria have now been outfitted with new and improved bus tracking https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/04/all-bc-transit-buses-in-victoria-have-now-been-outfitted-with-new-and-improved-bus-tracking/ https://www.bctransit.com/new-ondemand-transit-service-starts-sunday-2024-04-25/ https://www.bctransit.com/free-transit-for-youth-week-in-penticton-and-summerland-04-24-2024/ https://www.bctransit.com/take-the-bus-for-boogie-the-bridge-04-25-2024/ https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/180455/translink-targets-20-corridors-bus-priority-investments-tackle-congestion/? https://www.translink.ca/news/2024/april/translink%20identifies%2020%20corridors%20that%20need%20bus%20priorityYouTube Video of the TransLink Mayors Council meeting April 25, 2024:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlZO7au2JU 40.9 mins2. Transit Safety- Pedestrian Safety : Petition 10,000+ names :https://www.change.org/p/make-bc-translink-buses-and-skytrains-safer (10,380 names)Video of attack on bus driver:https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865337496404244 https://x.com/ATUComm/status/1783861124338753624 Vision Zerohttps://x.com/Lucyincanada/status/1783845496794288580 https://x.com/VisionZeroYVstatus/1783687440211050752Bellevue Police Announce Dedicated Light Rail Unit for Safetyhttps://downtownbellevue.com/.../bellevue-police.../https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/23/the-brake-why-we-cant-end-violence-on-transit-with-more-policeNew Halifax road safety plan includes better data, targeted projects https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-road-safety-plan-includes-better-data-targeted-projects-1.7185556 https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/04/128471-transit-riders-face-highest-safety-risks-these-10-states 3. Alon Levy, RM Transit, RftV, Marco Chitti, RFC, VTPI, RE(a) https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/04/23/frequency-in-units-of-distance/(b) Frankfurt: The Birthplace of The LRT (and Much More) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_BFcI-BEGk18.3 mins https://reecemartin.ca/2024/04/23/albertans-cities-need-to-learn-from-vancouvers-transportation-and-torontos-mistake/ (c) https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/skytrains-daddy-the-krauss-maffei-transurban-maglev-2/(d) I support roundabouts slip lanes, but for buses only https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854123927883813https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854886087454900https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1782434532920377818(e) Bayview Station Ottawa: https://otrain.railfans.ca/station/bayview-station https://x.com/RailFansCanada/status/1782362776301645990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBtz3yQw7Cg(f) VTPI & BIT www.vtpi.org https://www.vtpi.org/documents/public.phphttps://betterislandtransit.ca/ (g) Did You Know Czech Railways Are This Good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBroMoqE2RY 13.5 mins4. Transportation news articles & videos from various media:(a) Montreal/QuebecQuebec wants better transithttps://x.com/Lecavalier_C/status/1783531875526406230https://x.com/C_Savard/status/1783242642987315554 https://x.com/ThomasGerbet/status/1783143908198760728 Transit trips up among seniors since Montreal introduced free fares https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/transit-trips-up-among-seniors-since-montreal-introduced-free-fares Greater Montreal public transit fares to increase an average 3% on July 1, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/news/10453634/greater-montreal-public-transit-fares-increase-july-1/ https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/former-snc-lavalin-executive-sentenced-to-prison-term-in-bridge-bribery-case-5637236 REM: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/highly-complex-work-delays-rem-completion-to-west-island-north-shore-1.6859883 (b) Toronto/OntarioTransit users deliver oversized "fund evasion " ticket to Finance Minister Chrystia Freelandhttps://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783509039659258083 https://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783482689426768030 https://stevemunro.ca/2024/04/27/king-street-transit-priority-corridor-update-may-2024/ Almost nobody believes Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this year: https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/nobody-believes-toronto-eglinton-crosstown-lrt-open/ https://go.hitachirail.com/l/993992/2024-02-26/lq6dm/993992/1708950907UkiZAcn0/Better_Connected_Report___Toronto_16.9.pdf Petition urges Transit Windsor to halt bus route relocation, despite city's plan to proceed: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/petition-urges-transit-windsor-to-halt-bus-route-relocation-despite-city-s-plan-to-proceed-1.6859161 https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/regional-council-passes-motion-to-temporarily-bring-back-night-transit-route/amp/#GO Transit set to change most bus schedules, several routes to see reductions: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/22/go-transit-new-bus-schedules/ Matt Elliott: TTC’s Bloor-Danforth line is on track for slower, less reliable service. Blame Justin Trudeau:https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/ttc-s-bloor-danforth-line-is-on-track-for-slower-less-reliable-service-blame-justin/article_ea80cee8-00be-11ef-98ab-670687661094.html (c) Other CanadaHalifax Transit Ferryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yki-ceE5gYA 15 minshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/transit-union-ferry-cancellations-staffing-1.7181181 Sask. : https://panow.com/2024/04/22/para-transit-service-gets-funding-boost/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-capital-tranist-plan-april-2024-1.7182975 (d) USATransit Unplugged Episode 300 https://gothamist.com/news/mta-plans-to-turn-on-congestion-pricing-tolls-june-30 https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/ceremony-launches-brightline-wests-high-speed-link-to-las-vegas/66384.article https://www.railjournal.com/passengehigh-speed/work-starts-on-brightline-west Has the US finally figured out how to do high-speed rail? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427647-has-the-us-finally-figured-out-how-to-do-high-speed-rail/ Houston-Dallas bullet train can be done in 10 years: Amtrak: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/texas-bullet-train-amtrak-19411731.php The future of Amtrak Cascades – Seattle Transit Blog: https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/04/21/the-future-of-amtrak-cascades/ https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/25/talking-headways-podcast-details-of-development-reform-in-minnesota-part-1 https://www.rtands.com/passengecommittee-passes-bill-to-establish-passenger-rail-for-colorado/ https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-04-24/legal-showdown-threatens-to-end-austins-light-rail-plans?s=03 Light rail addition in Houston a parallel to what's coming with the METRO Blue Line Extension in Twin Cities https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/news/local/houston-parallel-coming-with-minneapolis-blue-line-extension Does Chicago Need A New Transit Agency? Watchdog Pitches CTA Merger Into State-Run System https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/26/does-chicago-need-a-new-transit-agency-watchdog-pitches-cta-merger-into-state-run-system/ MTA’s free bus service program to end this year https://pix11.com/news/transit/mtas-free-bus-service-program-to-end-this-yea NYC Transit's New Operations Planning Chief Wants To Fight 'Ghost Buses' - Streetsblog New York City: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/19/new-york-city-transits-new-operations-chief-wants-to-bust-ghost-buses NJ Transit fare hike: Corporations should pay transit fee: https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/2024/04/24/nj-transit-fare-hike-corporations-should-pay-transit-fee/73414208007/ Seattle Levy Proposal Lowers the Bar on Public Transit Investments https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/04/25/seattle-levy-proposal-lowers-the-bar-on-public-transit-investments/ Mobility is entering a new age of innovation. We examined regional trends across the world to explore the complex changes that could transform the sector by 2035. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-mobility-evolves Active mobility versus motorized transport? User choices and benefits for the societyhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721057053The ABC of mobility:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001272 Seattle: https://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1ceqihk/oc_sound_transit_current_and_under_construction/#lightbox How People get around : Mode Share on Weekdays, North America is over 90% by carshttps://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1cbt6yq/this\_chart\_highlights\_north\_american\_car\_culture/? How trains linked rival port cities along the US East Coast into a cultural and economic megalopolis: https://theconversation.com/how-trains-linked-rival-port-cities-along-the-us-east-coast-into-a-cultural-and-economic-megalopolis-228502 MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a 'Grave' Mistake: Advocates - Streetsblog New York City https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/24/mta-plan-to-run-brooklyn-queens-train-line-on-city-streets-a-grave-mistake-advocates https://pix11.com/news/local-news/these-nyc-subway-stations-have-public-restrooms/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-will-soon-have-high-speed-rail-could-it-eventually-reach-san-diego/ Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Amtrak https://www.railwayage.com/passengetransit-briefs-metrolinx-amtrak/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/bay-area-rapid-transit-bart-improve-accessibility-riders-with-disabilities/713773/ Nashville: https://x.com/TransitCentestatus/1782041131850641693 The Atlanta Streetcar: Will it get better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygkh0DKbCIM 11.7 mins (e) Internationalhttps://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/saturday-variety_0633295122.html https://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/sunday-variety_01377718469.html https://labornotes.org/2024/04/bus-drivers-strike-climate-activists-57-german-cities https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/news-and-views/hollands-electric-trains-now-100-percent-wind-powered https://www.hitachirail.com/english-better-connected-global-attitudes-to-public-transport/ https://www.railjournal.com/signalling/siemens-to-upgrade-copenhagen-s-bane-network-to-driverless-operation/ https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/is-it-time-to-take-monorails-more-seriously/ https://blackpooltram.blogspot.com/2024/04/manchester-200-years-of-bus-1824-to.html https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-articles/177722/arriva-trains-uk-generative-ai-passenger-experience/ https://www.financialexpress.com/business/express-mobility-world-earth-day-harnessing-public-private-partnerships-in-urban-mass-mobility-3463892/ Sydney: https://www.transportist.net/p/improving-both-transport-efficiencyTram for Bikes: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1858754997936043?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v Over half of global commutes are by car: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-global-commutes-car.html The incredible train line that will connect world's biggest landlocked country to the sea: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1888985/train-line-addis-ababa-massawa-railway-spt French commuters to benefit from free public transport to Luxembourg: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/04/23/luxembourgs-free-public-transport-to-be-extended-across-french-border-with-new-commuter-sc Europe's Megaproject to Replace Russian Railways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQ4v0Y2FfM 11.3 mins

BC Canada WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE BUZZER ( Vol. 4, Number 17) April 28, 2024 Public Transit: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow For more information check Facebook page " we ride public transit Vancouver " on X (Twitter) see NathanDavidowi1 , email to [nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com](mailto:nathandavidowicz2@gmail.com)Read Reddit transit & TransLink for a complete Weekly Alternative Buzzer ( WAB )as well as many real transit stories from real riders.Read condensed WAB on Linkedin under Nathan DavidowiczPlease continue to send your stories and I will publish them.
1. News From BC and About BC Transit & TransLink :Here are some news articles about the TransLink 2024-2033 Investment Plan . The Plan does not provide details like in previous plans prior to the failed 2015 Transit referendum.The 2024 Investment Plan produced by transLink has many problems.,Many previous plans since 1999 were never fully implemented.,Many of the proposed projects will not be implemented until 2025 or laterhttps://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/04/26/translink-2024-investment-plan-approved-lack-consultation-davidowicz/ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-approves-stopgap-plan-to-increase-2024-bus-service https://globalnews.ca/news/10450106/translink-funding-plan-approved-2024 https://voiceonline.com/translinks-2024-investment-plan-to-address-critical-overcrowding-approved/ https://x.com/TransLinkNews/status/1783932092436434962YouTube Video of the TransLink joint meeting:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNV\_J-ANno4 36.7 minsA New Transit Petition for South Vancouver by MLA Michael LeeWe need to complete the grid system of bus routes in Vancouver. 20 missing links.Passengers should not have to walk more than 300 m ( 5 minutes ) to the nearest bus stop.South Vancouver has a density of around 10,000 people per square km. A new Crosstown bus on 57th Ave will improve accessibility to lots of destinations between Dunbar and Champlain Heights.https://www.change.org/p/demand-better-transit-now-stand-up-for-south-vancouvepsf/sharehttps://dailyhive.com/vancouvemla-south-vancouver-new-57th-avenue-bus-route-canada-line-stationsHandyDART Petitionhttps://actionnetwork.org/petitions/petition-to-end-the-use-of-taxis-to-fill-handydart-service-and-bring-operations-in-house/Teens ( 13-18 ) For Free Transit allover BChttps://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024/04/22/Youth-Calling-For-Free-Public-Transit-BC/In Washington State US it is mandated by the government.King George SkyTrain Station Closure: https://www.translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2024/03/31/six-week-closure-king-george-skytrain-station-johnston/ATU wants more washrooms and better schedules.https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783874082410545355 https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865759174930941 Vancouver Island Rail got 15,000 names petitionhttps://x.com/WarrenSkaalrud/status/1783996477146279952 Free webinar May 9, 2024 on BC Fed Connecting BC 10 year transit planhttps://x.com/CJusticeVic/status/1783994575163375756 https://bcfed.ca/connecting-bcPossible Transit Strike? ATU 134https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1782515927382217212https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/highway17ravineway Saanich shoots down creating bus-only lanes to UVic on McKenzie Avenue this year https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/saanich-shoots-down-creating-bus-only-lanes-to-uvic-on-mckenzie-avenue-this-year-7350515 Free Ship Rides in North Vancouver: https://theshipyardsdistrict.ca/event/fleet-weekend https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/grassroots-group-demands-better-public-transit-in-okanagan/ar-AA1nK4Q5 All BC Transit buses in Victoria have now been outfitted with new and improved bus tracking https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2024/04/all-bc-transit-buses-in-victoria-have-now-been-outfitted-with-new-and-improved-bus-tracking/ https://www.bctransit.com/new-ondemand-transit-service-starts-sunday-2024-04-25/ https://www.bctransit.com/free-transit-for-youth-week-in-penticton-and-summerland-04-24-2024/ https://www.bctransit.com/take-the-bus-for-boogie-the-bridge-04-25-2024/ https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/180455/translink-targets-20-corridors-bus-priority-investments-tackle-congestion/? https://www.translink.ca/news/2024/april/translink%20identifies%2020%20corridors%20that%20need%20bus%20priorityYouTube Video of the TransLink Mayors Council meeting April 25, 2024:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlZO7au2JU 40.9 mins2. Transit Safety- Pedestrian Safety : Petition 10,000+ names :https://www.change.org/p/make-bc-translink-buses-and-skytrains-safer (10,380 names)Video of attack on bus driver:https://x.com/ATU_134/status/1783865337496404244 https://x.com/ATUComm/status/1783861124338753624 Vision Zerohttps://x.com/Lucyincanada/status/1783845496794288580 https://x.com/VisionZeroYVstatus/1783687440211050752Bellevue Police Announce Dedicated Light Rail Unit for Safetyhttps://downtownbellevue.com/.../bellevue-police.../https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/23/the-brake-why-we-cant-end-violence-on-transit-with-more-policeNew Halifax road safety plan includes better data, targeted projects https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-road-safety-plan-includes-better-data-targeted-projects-1.7185556 https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/04/128471-transit-riders-face-highest-safety-risks-these-10-states 3. Alon Levy, RM Transit, RftV, Marco Chitti, RFC, VTPI, RE(a) https://pedestrianobservations.com/2024/04/23/frequency-in-units-of-distance/(b) Frankfurt: The Birthplace of The LRT (and Much More) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_BFcI-BEGk18.3 mins https://reecemartin.ca/2024/04/23/albertans-cities-need-to-learn-from-vancouvers-transportation-and-torontos-mistake/ (c) https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/skytrains-daddy-the-krauss-maffei-transurban-maglev-2/(d) I support roundabouts slip lanes, but for buses only https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854123927883813https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1783854886087454900https://x.com/ChittiMarco/status/1782434532920377818(e) Bayview Station Ottawa: https://otrain.railfans.ca/station/bayview-station https://x.com/RailFansCanada/status/1782362776301645990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBtz3yQw7Cg(f) VTPI & BIT www.vtpi.org https://www.vtpi.org/documents/public.phphttps://betterislandtransit.ca/ (g) Did You Know Czech Railways Are This Good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBroMoqE2RY 13.5 mins4. Transportation news articles & videos from various media:(a) Montreal/QuebecQuebec wants better transithttps://x.com/Lecavalier_C/status/1783531875526406230https://x.com/C_Savard/status/1783242642987315554 https://x.com/ThomasGerbet/status/1783143908198760728 Transit trips up among seniors since Montreal introduced free fares https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/transit-trips-up-among-seniors-since-montreal-introduced-free-fares Greater Montreal public transit fares to increase an average 3% on July 1, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/news/10453634/greater-montreal-public-transit-fares-increase-july-1/ https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/former-snc-lavalin-executive-sentenced-to-prison-term-in-bridge-bribery-case-5637236 REM: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/highly-complex-work-delays-rem-completion-to-west-island-north-shore-1.6859883 (b) Toronto/OntarioTransit users deliver oversized "fund evasion " ticket to Finance Minister Chrystia Freelandhttps://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783509039659258083 https://x.com/ttcriders/status/1783482689426768030 https://stevemunro.ca/2024/04/27/king-street-transit-priority-corridor-update-may-2024/ Almost nobody believes Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open this year: https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/nobody-believes-toronto-eglinton-crosstown-lrt-open/ https://go.hitachirail.com/l/993992/2024-02-26/lq6dm/993992/1708950907UkiZAcn0/Better_Connected_Report___Toronto_16.9.pdf Petition urges Transit Windsor to halt bus route relocation, despite city's plan to proceed: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/petition-urges-transit-windsor-to-halt-bus-route-relocation-despite-city-s-plan-to-proceed-1.6859161 https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2024/04/25/regional-council-passes-motion-to-temporarily-bring-back-night-transit-route/amp/#GO Transit set to change most bus schedules, several routes to see reductions: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/04/22/go-transit-new-bus-schedules/ Matt Elliott: TTC’s Bloor-Danforth line is on track for slower, less reliable service. Blame Justin Trudeau:https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/ttc-s-bloor-danforth-line-is-on-track-for-slower-less-reliable-service-blame-justin/article_ea80cee8-00be-11ef-98ab-670687661094.html (c) Other CanadaHalifax Transit Ferryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yki-ceE5gYA 15 minshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/transit-union-ferry-cancellations-staffing-1.7181181 Sask. : https://panow.com/2024/04/22/para-transit-service-gets-funding-boost/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-capital-tranist-plan-april-2024-1.7182975 (d) USATransit Unplugged Episode 300 https://gothamist.com/news/mta-plans-to-turn-on-congestion-pricing-tolls-june-30 https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/ceremony-launches-brightline-wests-high-speed-link-to-las-vegas/66384.article https://www.railjournal.com/passengehigh-speed/work-starts-on-brightline-west Has the US finally figured out how to do high-speed rail? https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427647-has-the-us-finally-figured-out-how-to-do-high-speed-rail/ Houston-Dallas bullet train can be done in 10 years: Amtrak: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/texas-bullet-train-amtrak-19411731.php The future of Amtrak Cascades – Seattle Transit Blog: https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/04/21/the-future-of-amtrak-cascades/ https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/04/25/talking-headways-podcast-details-of-development-reform-in-minnesota-part-1 https://www.rtands.com/passengecommittee-passes-bill-to-establish-passenger-rail-for-colorado/ https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-04-24/legal-showdown-threatens-to-end-austins-light-rail-plans?s=03 Light rail addition in Houston a parallel to what's coming with the METRO Blue Line Extension in Twin Cities https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/news/local/houston-parallel-coming-with-minneapolis-blue-line-extension Does Chicago Need A New Transit Agency? Watchdog Pitches CTA Merger Into State-Run System https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/26/does-chicago-need-a-new-transit-agency-watchdog-pitches-cta-merger-into-state-run-system/ MTA’s free bus service program to end this year https://pix11.com/news/transit/mtas-free-bus-service-program-to-end-this-yea NYC Transit's New Operations Planning Chief Wants To Fight 'Ghost Buses' - Streetsblog New York City: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/19/new-york-city-transits-new-operations-chief-wants-to-bust-ghost-buses NJ Transit fare hike: Corporations should pay transit fee: https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/2024/04/24/nj-transit-fare-hike-corporations-should-pay-transit-fee/73414208007/ Seattle Levy Proposal Lowers the Bar on Public Transit Investments https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/04/25/seattle-levy-proposal-lowers-the-bar-on-public-transit-investments/ Mobility is entering a new age of innovation. We examined regional trends across the world to explore the complex changes that could transform the sector by 2035. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-future-of-mobility-mobility-evolves Active mobility versus motorized transport? User choices and benefits for the societyhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721057053The ABC of mobility:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024001272 Seattle: https://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1ceqihk/oc_sound_transit_current_and_under_construction/#lightbox How People get around : Mode Share on Weekdays, North America is over 90% by carshttps://www.reddit.com/transit/comments/1cbt6yq/this\_chart\_highlights\_north\_american\_car\_culture/? How trains linked rival port cities along the US East Coast into a cultural and economic megalopolis: https://theconversation.com/how-trains-linked-rival-port-cities-along-the-us-east-coast-into-a-cultural-and-economic-megalopolis-228502 MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a 'Grave' Mistake: Advocates - Streetsblog New York City https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/04/24/mta-plan-to-run-brooklyn-queens-train-line-on-city-streets-a-grave-mistake-advocates https://pix11.com/news/local-news/these-nyc-subway-stations-have-public-restrooms/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-will-soon-have-high-speed-rail-could-it-eventually-reach-san-diego/ Transit Briefs: Metrolinx, Amtrak https://www.railwayage.com/passengetransit-briefs-metrolinx-amtrak/ https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/bay-area-rapid-transit-bart-improve-accessibility-riders-with-disabilities/713773/ Nashville: https://x.com/TransitCentestatus/1782041131850641693 The Atlanta Streetcar: Will it get better? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygkh0DKbCIM 11.7 mins (e) Internationalhttps://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/saturday-variety_0633295122.html https://publictransportexperience.blogspot.com/2024/04/sunday-variety_01377718469.html https://labornotes.org/2024/04/bus-drivers-strike-climate-activists-57-german-cities https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/news-and-views/hollands-electric-trains-now-100-percent-wind-powered https://www.hitachirail.com/english-better-connected-global-attitudes-to-public-transport/ https://www.railjournal.com/signalling/siemens-to-upgrade-copenhagen-s-bane-network-to-driverless-operation/ https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/is-it-time-to-take-monorails-more-seriously/ https://blackpooltram.blogspot.com/2024/04/manchester-200-years-of-bus-1824-to.html https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-articles/177722/arriva-trains-uk-generative-ai-passenger-experience/ https://www.financialexpress.com/business/express-mobility-world-earth-day-harnessing-public-private-partnerships-in-urban-mass-mobility-3463892/ Sydney: https://www.transportist.net/p/improving-both-transport-efficiencyTram for Bikes: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1858754997936043?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v Over half of global commutes are by car: https://phys.org/news/2024-03-global-commutes-car.html The incredible train line that will connect world's biggest landlocked country to the sea: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1888985/train-line-addis-ababa-massawa-railway-spt French commuters to benefit from free public transport to Luxembourg: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/04/23/luxembourgs-free-public-transport-to-be-extended-across-french-border-with-new-commuter-sc Europe's Megaproject to Replace Russian Railways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQ4v0Y2FfM 11.3 mins

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Part 1
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/16hw52t/i_worked_as_an_iceroad_trucker_in_russia_along/
Part 2
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/16k0p69/i_worked_as_an_iceroad_trucker_in_russia_along/
Part 3
https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/16l0n4k/i_worked_as_an_iceroad_trucker_in_russia_along/
The space around the hut looked totally dead. I didn’t see a single blade of grass or even a weed to mar the smooth, black earth. It looked so dark in the shadows of the forest that the legs and the hut seemed to hover over an abyss. The door, painted a blinding white, contrasted heavily with the rest of the stocked logs and twigs that composed the ancient-looking hut.
A set of rickety wooden stairs led up to the door. I went first. There was no railing, and with each step I took, I was afraid I would fall right through the stairs. But they were stronger than they looked and nailed tightly to the beams underneath. Without hesitation, I flung the door open, and saw a nightmare laying beyond.
A child’s body roasted on a spit over the raging fire in the fireplace, giving off a smell of cooking meat and woodsmoke that mixed with the rosemary, parsley and other herbs sprinkled over the body. I saw lampshades made of human skins, covering black candles that flickered and sputtered as the wind came in from outside. In the corner, a little girl crouched in a cage, a cage that was only big enough for a dog. She couldn’t stand up, and cried constantly. When she saw me, her eyes widened.
“Please, help me!” she screamed. “She’ll be back any moment! Get me out of here!” She looked like the spitting image of Irina, and I wondered if they were identical twins.
Yakov grabbed a knife from his pocket, going over to the cage and looking closely at the lock. He flicked it open, and began feverishly pulling at the ancient-looking padlock that held the cage closed. It didn’t seem nearly as secure as a modern deadbolt, and I wondered how many years the old witch had possessed it. I walked over to the window and looked outside- and my heart jumped into my throat.
Outside, I saw Baba Yaga getting out of what looked like a flying pestle as it slowly lowered itself towards the ground. It stood about four-feet-tall, enough to hide Irina inside if it came to it. The wood looked beautiful, like smooth mahogany, perfectly fit together without cracks or gaps of any kind. It had strange runes burnt into the exterior. The writing was not Russian, or any Slavic language I knew.
She had a mortar as tall as herself. She had her hands wrapped around the dark wood of the mortar, using the flaring, wide end on the bottom to push herself up and over the wall of the pestle. She had extremely thin legs, like those of a skeleton. They looked like two iron bars wrapped in skin.
I looked closer through the window, squinting to try to make out every detail. I wondered if she used that mortar and pestle to grind up the bodies of children, to prepare their bodies for a meal. I saw dark stains on the bottom of the mortar, dark red and soaked deeply into the wood. I figured that answered my question.
She put the mortar back inside, then turned and looked directly inside the hut. Her eyes met mine, one blind and staring, one filled with intelligence and fury. I ducked away, hoping she hadn’t seen me.
“Hurry up, hurry up,” I said, turning to go help Irina and Yakov. “She’s coming! She’s got a flying barrel, too.” I saw they nearly had the lock broken by this point. It was fairly flimsy and ancient-looking, and Yakov had a folding knife which he used to pry it loose. Realizing there was nothing I could do to speed up the process, I ran back towards the window.
Baba Yaga was gone. She wasn’t standing next to her mortar and pestle anymore. In fact, her mortar and pestle was gone too.
A moment later, a deafening cacophony exploded across the hut as the roof collapsed inwards, covering us thin branches, thatch and straw.
***
I found myself on the floor, unable to remember where I was for a moment. The cold steel of the gun was still gripped tightly in my hand. Then I heard crying and screaming, and it all came rushing back to me. I pushed some boards off of myself, feeling blood run down over my forehead. I felt weak. The fireplace on the other side of the room gave off some light. I saw the ceiling had collapsed, and as I looked up, I saw the full moon illuminating the cracked and ragged edges of the ruined roof.
A gunshot rang out, very close by, and I heard a guttural cry of pain and surprise. I ran towards the sound, and after pushing a few beams from a section of collapsed wall to the side, I made a path towards Yakov and Baba Yaga.
Yakov stood only a few feet away, and had just shot her in the neck at point blank range. Thick, black blood ran down her tattered rags of clothing, staining the coarse brown cloth and making it cling to her skin. She screamed in rage, opening her mouth wide and showing many sharp, yellow teeth, running forwards towards him and tackling him.
I pushed some more rubble out of the way and ran forwards, the gun still clenched in my hand. Baba Yaga used her shark-like teeth to bite Yakov over and over in a space of mere seconds. He squealed like a pig being slaughtered, an inhuman wail that made me want to cover my ears and look away. Without thinking, I raised the gun and fired.
The shot hit her in the shoulder and came out her chest. With a grunt, she fell sideways onto the ruined floor. I saw with horror that the wound in her neck was stitching itself closed before my eyes. Whatever dark magic had made this creature had clearly given her superhuman healing abilities. I wondered how we should kill her, if possible- whether multiple gunshots to the head would do it or not. I had a creeping suspicion it would not be so easy.
I saw Yakov writhing on the floor, his face a mess of torn flesh and gore. His nose was missing and pieces of his cheeks, lips and foreheads had deep slices, leaving flaps of skin hanging over his face. I started to run to him but he shook his head vigorously.
“Get the girls!” he said through a mouth full of blood, choking, his sounds coming out strange, maybe due to the bites that had split his lips and taken part of the top one.
Instead, I began to walk over to Baba Yaga, planning to put the pistol to her head, point-blank, and pull the trigger. But the ruins of the thick hut door creaked open at that moment, and I turned, stunned at what I saw.
Across the pile of torn beams and splintered boards, I saw the creatures I had told Yakov about, the ones I had seen next to the empty car stained with blood. They had hidden in the woods, saying, “Please help me,” over and over in a perfect, parrot-like fashion. And now they had come- the same pure black eyes, thin bodies and sheet-white skin. They looked like cancer patients, without a shred of fat on their bodies, totally hairless and alien, lacking sex organs or nipples, ears or noses. But they were much faster than their emaciated condition would suggest and they began to rush in, pushing some of the rubble aside and approaching where Yakov and I stood.
I looked from Baba Yaga to the newcomers quickly, my mind racing. She looked up, a sensation of pain in her one good eye, the other flat and white, but her face lit up when she saw who had just arrived.
“My servants, my sweet children,” she said in a deep, cooing voice, “you knew your mother was in trouble and came, didn’t you? You always know, always. That makes you so beautiful to me. You’ll always be mine.” I turned back to Baba Yaga, meaning to finish her off, but she sat up rapidly and grabbed my wrist, twisting. I cried out in pain and the gun went flying, settling under debris and rubble. I smelled smoke, and to my horror, realized the fireplace had ignited some of the ruined beams.
Baba Yaga pushed me back, and I went flying into the wall, my wrist swelling and burning. In the corner, I saw Irina helping her sister out of the cage. The fire caught the old, brittle wood as if it were soaked in gasoline, and I saw with horror that soon, it would cut off the escape route for Irina and her sister. Groaning, I got up quickly.
Yakov had reloaded and began shooting at the creatures that approached him. Baba Yaga stood up slowly, still dripping black blood on the floor, looking much weaker than before. I counted that as a blessing, though I didn’t think it would last. Whatever dark magic kept this monster alive was more powerful than a flesh wound, apparently.
I had to choose between helping Irina or getting the gun, and I saw no choice. I dived into the rubble where I had last seen it, feeling splinters and nails poking into my skin. A few pierced my arms and legs through my clothes, and I felt sticky trickles of blood soaking them. I ignored the pain of my hand, the throbbing migraine I still had from the concussion and now this new insult to my body. The adrenaline helped, but I knew that, if I survived this, I would be sore and cut for weeks.
The black-eyed creatures ran at me, and one grabbed my leg as I ducked and felt around furiously in the dark for the pistol. The fire kept spreading, giving me slightly more light through the crooked beams and collapsed roof, and I saw a glint of metal in the dim illumination. Just as the creatures pulled me out, I grabbed frantically, feeling the cold grip of the gun against my hand. Turning around quickly, I fired without aiming, shooting point-blank at the creatures standing there. One got hit in the chest, a splatter of the same black blood as Baba Yaga’s staining the wall behind it. I missed the other one, and it lunged, snapping with its twisted, yellow teeth, going straight for my throat or face. Without thinking, I fired again, and the shot went through its nose holes, disintegrating the front of its face and sending a dark spray of blood out behind it. It fell on me.
I struggled, pushing the body off. All I could smell was smoke now, and I began to choke and sputter. I looked around wildly, but the smoke had grown thick, and I could barely see a few feet in front of me. I looked for Irina and her sister, moving towards where I had last seen them, but quickly gave up and started calling out.
“Irina! Get her out of there, now! We have to go!” I said. I felt a small hand thrust into mine, and thinking it was Irina, I pulled, running towards the door.
I ran straight into Yakov, who was choking on the smoke. I looked into his eyes and gasped.
His face was a mask of blood. Only two dark eyes peered out from the destroyed flesh below. He kept spitting blood as he coughed. Without thinking, I pushed him towards the door, continuously pulling the little girl behind me. More creatures stood there, but we shot the ones on the stairs, and the others retreated away, galloping on all fours like some strange animal. They looked back with hatred, their eyes black and shining. They ran towards the gate, which was now open. I wondered if one of them had a key.
Turning around, I saw the hut had turned into a blazing inferno. To my horror, I saw I did not hold Irina’s hand, but her twin sister’s.
“Where’s Irina?” I asked, panicked, and then the screaming started from the hut. The floor began to collapse, chunks of molten wood falling between the dead, skeletal chicken legs that held up the hut. LIke something from a nightmare, I saw Baba Yaga stumbling out, her skin melting, her hair on fire, her one good eye still peering out from the mask of burning flesh. Her shrill, ear-splitting shriek echoed through the forest around us, and I heard another, quieter scream start coming from the hut. It sounded like a little girl.
Without thinking, I began to push Yakov and Irina’s sister out of the gate, praying for Irina’s safety, but knowing that the only thing she could hope for was a quick death from suffocation. No one could survive that inferno. She was right when she said we shouldn’t have come here, but I had forced her, and now she was dying- or dead.
We ran out into the woods, following the trail back to the truck. Yakov kept stumbling and falling.
“I can’t go on much longer,” he said. “I think I’m dying. She really did a number on me. I feel light-headed… I think I might pass out soon.”
“That’s just the blood loss,” I said, reassuring him but not believing it. “Once we get you to a hospital, you’ll be fine. You just need some stitches. It’s… not as bad as it looks.” He laughed, a sarcastic, bitter sound.
“Don’t lie to the dying,” he muttered. And just as the truck came into sight, the black-eyed creatures came galloping silently out of the woods on all fours, a dozen of them, surrounding us. They didn’t blink or show any emotion, but as if a signal had been given, they swarmed us all at once.
I began shooting, having refilled the chamber with bullets from my pocket, but there were too many. I cleared a path towards the truck, shooting five in the chest, aiming for center mass. Yakov began to fire, but many of his shots missed as blood streamed over his face and eyes, and soon, we were both out of bullets.
I grabbed the little girl and ran towards the truck as Yakov held his place, roaring with blood-lust and excitement, pulling out a folding knife from his pocket.
“Come on!” I screamed, but he just smiled.
“Goodbye, friend,” he said as the creatures jumped on him, and he began stabbing and fighting in his last moments, cutting at their throats and faces as they ate him alive.
***
I took Irina’s sister to a hospital and told the police about everything that had happened. They looked at me like I was a madman. The little girl corroborated my story, but they just dismissed it as the imagination of a child. Nonetheless, they went out to the site and found Yakov’s body. They ruled that he had been mauled by animals. There were, after all, many bears in the area.
They also followed our footsteps into the woods, but said they found no hut, no fire, no clearing. They said the footsteps just stopped suddenly, as if we had been abducted by a UFO. The hut had gone, and so had Baba Yaga.
After that day, I finished my route, sold my truck and made plans to move out of Russia forever. I had seen enough.
But still, I wonder what else lies in those woods- what other secrets remain to be found.

I don't have any particular question to answer but as I am describing the story you can point out some pointers for me !!!
I Live in eastern side of India, only child of my parents.from the very beginning I went through some I will not say traumatic but rather very upsetting childhood. The upsetting situation caused by my mum like pointing out negativity in almost every aspects of daily life and household though there was no monetary or any other kind of problem and my dad who was small government employee always remain silent and became work alcoholic. So all the unnecessary tantrums created by my mom started bursting upon me and I kind the feel helpless and detached.
I was a good student throughout the school also love extra curricular activities but I started to walk in a very wrong way from the very early high school days as I started watching porn just for curiosity as just the age of 13. My studies showing a slow but gradual decline probably there was no turning back for me and my parents.
In 9 standard in our school at about age of 14 a girl was admitted at our class. She was not local residing around 30 km from our local household. I fall in love at first site with her but could not tell for one year. And after 10th standard I finally proposed her and within 2 days she accepted my proposal and the main ruining of my life just started on that day.
I managed everything from friends to studies but the main priority was her. Now a days when I look back I can now see the red flags Which I ignored back then. After the relationship started the she became the whole world for me. I single handedly manage studies friends but she was the top priority. Now my grades were declining gradually and fast but I didn't notice. Back them our area was very rural and the people were not friendly and love marriage was not just a common thing those days. So i told her to hide our relationship in public but within few weeks all the locality knows about me and her. I also told her not to call at residential phone ( it was 2006 and I just got a Nokia 1100 for me but she always use her residential phone) but despite being told such she called me at my home when it was Sunday and my dad picked up. She talked to my father very smartly for the very first time and asked to come at my home which was absurd. My dad got furious and warned me but I ignored and letter she said it was just for fun. Despite of this we were dating furiously and having physical relationship within 2 years of relationship on a regular basis basically in my home and she even spends some whole nights with me and her parents doesn't even bother.
About her family she has her parents along with elder brother (now a college professor ) and an elder sister (housewife).She always said that she also got some family problems like me and their elder brother were very rude and career oriented so both the sisters avoid him as much as possible as he had some anger management issues ( that what she told me)
My dad got sick on 2007 and died on 2008 because of kidney failure when I was in the second year of the college and again my mom opted for lump sum amount in exchange of dying in harness. She got the lump sum the pension and all other fixed deposits. My result of college don't get so good for these all kind of obstacles but she maintained good result go to the best professor where I managed seat for her and even spends regular nights in my rented mess. I did not got admitted to masters as I had low scores but she managed to a non reputed University and completed his masters while I am doing some petty jobs. She even got a school job by my professors recommendation for one year of contract.
At the last phase of contract she applied for another school job for a different region but in our local area which can be contacted by bus or train but around 50 km from our household. And just after joining the school the summer vacation starts and she started to pressurize me for getting married. I was also sitting for government exams doing some tuitions but just denied forcefully about the timing of the marriage. Then this was the biggest red flag ever which I missed ( fate may be) she not just pressurized but also in a conference call with some closest friends she said i was traitor and leaving her even after 8 years of physical relationship though I did not say or mean that ever as she was the one and only girl in my life and I planned the rest of my life with her and even she known it very well. So when this kind of arguments started I can smell fume and without any jobs or stable future we got married in a local Mandir and after that day the registry was done and we started our married life just as the age of 23.
On the marriage date she got to her home ( as she was staying at her friends home for last 15 days) got a car, packed all her books and clothes and just left while her parents were watching silently.
As I said previously my mom was always dissupported as I say she started acting hostile towards the new bride. She was working then on the school and came home at the weekends. At first she said she had to get married as her parents are pressurrising her and she cannot stay two months long summer vacation in the newly made hostel. But when I got there as the new husband I saw that this was not the boarding rather it was a two stories house just like our own home where some board members family live on upside and my wife as a tenant at their house but I did not make that huge issue in our newly married life.
In my life I am kind a losing something in my mind. Always kind of introvert didn't landed on any good jobs no love from parents but got my High school sweetheart as my first love and wife but I was not happy as there is something fishy happening around. When outside I can feel my friends also started avoiding me a bit and at home there was always some tensions. Also preparing for government jobs and doing tuitions and these tensions were draining me out and for the very first time I started smoking weed which became addiction to a certain extent.
In 2017 she got a government job while I got rejected at the very last step but didn't bother me too. Then I thought that all the problems will be solved as the income got permanent and became 4 times but I was severely wrong.
She got the government job in the local area so started meeting some new people in her workplace also in another branch offices. And their comes to 2/3 people ( two local seniors and an outsider lady colleague, sort of) whom she brought to our home just for introduction. The lady colleague was living then in a rented flat in our area. My friends sometimes saw them both walking around the area and they started questioning to me about the second lady with my wife as they said her body language is not so good ( you know what boys are trying to say )as they are guessing so they suggested to prevent my wife from the attachment with her but this time she refuses.
Also another 10 years senior came to our home for introduction started coming regularly for his only daughters tuition and became elder brother as she said she got no connections with her parents which was a lie and started giving daily household items like foods grocery's as payment of tuition. Then I can smell something very much wrong is going on. While all these things going there were another pressure started upon me. As i was open book to each and everyone, everyone knows about the weed so do she. So she started asking for a child as we were both 30 and for the last time I protested and told her that please give me another 2 years as parenthood is a lifetime job but rather she says you didn't do anything in last 7 years so another 2 years will be futile too but our age was crossing the limits 🥲 so let's just try. She probably thought that the weed made me in capable of having child and now I guess she was also not ready but on July 2020 she gave birth to a beautiful daughter. The lock down started from March 2020 and she was 6 months pregnant and this so called elder brother started helping with all his money and power. She already bought Big fridge AC washing machine geysers and lots of other things despite of my gentle refusal. Now even the pathology guys came to home collect blood and send the reports to us.
Just after 2 months having the baby she started planning to get some good wooden furniture for home basically pure Shagun cots with box which will cost around 1.5 lakh rupees. And said this will serves the purpose of hot daughters marriage too & brought both of those and said my senior paid this and said you can repay me later. I remained silent as I started one year back and just observing everything. Just after some days of rice ceremony that man started awkward messaging to my wife. When she showed to me I called and abused him and in return he started blackmailing and told to repay him asap. We repaid him just the day after the incident happened and then I started questioning her for the first time in my life. Every night was a quarrelly night. She said she did not recognise that that person had kind of bad intentions but I refused to believe that then for the very first time she started to open part by part that why was I called her for physical relationship from the very first time, I also replied that you were not a kid so why would you had came!!! She also told that she only went to the university for making career not for me. The situation getting harder and harder and my maternal house came and escort her to my maternal house and then to her house for the deescalating the situation but the got even worse.
We were separated for 2 months then I got a good job outside my state and she came back with the daughter and said now everything is okay and she will cooperate in all things. But I still was disturbed asking myself some more questions about us so I moved out to my new workplace and within 3/ 4 months I started figuring out everything about our relationship as this was a very first opportunity for me to connect and deal with the real world outside my comfort zone. And I am getting information from my hometown buddies and even from my home that she was going to her father's house on a regular basis almost daily and spending time at outside frequently even once she came to home at around 11:30 at night but my mom remained silent but informed me. Also some other guys told me that she was riding a bike which someone but I did not informed her about these.
When I came home I could see and also feel a definitely changed person in front of me. My computer table was dirty as hell and it was 4 months before when I left the house. At a Relaxation session she started bragging about her parents that they were in so much pain blah blah blah then I asked can I get my wedding rings bracelets watches and she furiously replied I I could not bring that matter now to my parents.
I left for my workplace again and now over the phone she started to pressurize about money as she bought a TV of 20k so I have to pay 10k atleast where as my salary was just 15k at that time so I strongly refuses then she told I can re pay it even after 10 years 🥲.
The whole picture was getting clear to me day by day. After the second term I left the job and came back home to find the new job which would be two months late. Now I can definitely feel some weird feelings when she was got around me. At the very last day of our physical relationship I suddenly questioned her that did anyone see you naked other than me ( actually it was a old story she told me that in the private school when she was in the boarding at night when she was showering some guy tried to stock but with the some sounds she got warned and heard someone escaped ) and I felt like her world stopped as she reacted and then I reminded her about this incident and she showed some relief expressions which answered my all my questions about her.
I left for my new job again and told her to stay with the daughter in our first floor while I I would be at the ground floor with my mother. We stop talking through phone but just after one month she messaged me and asked me to send rs 3000 right now for some home water purifier purpose. I strictly denied that and after 2 or 3 days at a night duty when I was alone and fully drunk and stoned I called her and told that I was not giving a single penny to her. Then for my utter surprise for the first time she replied violently that she will kick me out from my own house and also inform the police that I smoke weed as SHE GOT A VIDEO FROM OUR OWN HOUSE WHERE I SMOKING A JOINT AT THE TERRACE 🤯.
From that moment I knew something really wrong was happening at home and I had to get back there is asap. I returned to my home after 2 months of that incident and found out that last time when she got away for 2 months all the first floor was wide open but this time all the things were locked with separate locks. When she turn from workplace I asked to give my guitar and computer back to me but she refused and told that I have to came to my family to get that. I sent my mom and now she said the same video thing with some new allegations that I tortured her punched her broke her bangles etc which I could not imagine off. Also one of my friend told me that she got another senior who gave her to the idea of that weed video and he was also 40 year old male and she also spend time with the person even bunking Her own work.
As my mind said I am started searching for legal advisors as the situation seemed very drastic to me And also applied a small lock in the first floor when she was in the office as she can go in or out but cannot lock as I set a lock.
On 20 December 2022 the morning before I install the lock she came down and started threatening me and my mom that he will call the police if I did not open the lock. I told her to do so and instead of police she called some local committee members. They came within 10 minutes and to my utter surprise those guys started not just threatening but even tried to assault me, but I did not open the lock so another local community came and then they started behaving more aggressively. My mom informed the police and her parents came along and started residing on our first floor.
Around 15 days after the incident suddenly one police officer came to my house threatened my mum and me without any proper documents and asked to leave the matter and live peacefully with her. I finally got a criminal lawyer and filed a FIR against her and her parents. Within 3 days she again got the committee got a transport got all her fridge AC washing machine TV computer electric boards tube lights fans and moved in a nearby housing complex. And just after that day I got a call from my lawyer that me and my mom where charged against IPC section 498 and 5 other subsections.
We applied for bail but the bail got rejected several times as there are two false proofs one is a medical report from a local government hospital mentioned that the mom and the daughter attacked and bitten buy me and my mum and we both are addicts 🥲. Also another one from the second local committee stating those same false facts. Also she really had that weed video that she showed to all committee that's why they became so much furious even after knowing me better than her.
However our lawyer did their best and granted bail for both of us but told that for the drug charge I maybe barred from meeting my daughter. In that time she again charged with false attempt to rape case but this time with no proof. Now some of my friends started searching and they got some fishy information from the past that she was a very tricky girl,already broke a relationship before me, had a very quirky past, very over smart also provocating also one of the false proof brought by a very close and common friend of US actually a friend of her.
When I don't know that what to do suddenly one of my friend caught her with another common friend of US wondering around a guest house few kilometers away from here with hand in hand. For the very first time I got my hands on some pics and videos about her characteristics and I immediately retaliate back and within 2 months that so called friend who was with her called me over the phone and started asking to meet my wife and daughter. I cursed him properly and after 15 days I got a mutual divorce pray from her.
Last week when I go to the court for the mutual divorce again to my utter surprise I saw that the first senior ( who became elder brother and give lakh rupees ) came with her for this event. But the judge did not came and the day is now one month later. I came back home and found out that the elder brother is coming to her flat in our locality on a regular basis at noon where is the common friend who has hand in hand with her is going to date with her once or twice in a week. Also there were some another divorcee guy in their office with whom she might get married in near future.🙏🏽
I don't know how I described the whole situation but I don't have any particular question.
I just want to know about some particular thoughts opinions about the incident?????

Hello, for my creative writing class I am asked to write a 10-to-15-line poem based on a significant event from my hometown inspired by the style of an author that I like (Charles Bukowski) I have to include specific names of people and places, which I personally don't like the way it makes it sound, but again this is for an assignment and as I am very new at writing I probably do need the criticism. I am posting it here for peer review. Thank you. Echoing Farewells Sleep washed away by pouring rain, can't miss the plane,
Neon lights on Rio Street dim, like a bar after last call,
Silenced by thoughts crashing louder than any storm.
At Tacuba’s Coffee, the bitter brew shadows the past,
Pedro, lost in its dark taste, his silent gaze
carries untold wounds of a father left behind.
Taking Reforma as we head to Juarez Airport,
Mexico City's roar, now a whispering ovation.
Farewells at IHOP feel heavier with each hug.
Alfonso grasps my hands, the last to say goodbye;
Grandpa's laughter always made me smile,
I wish I had known this was the last time.
As the Independence Angel grows small, the city is left behind,
like my family and childhood, swallowed by the clouds.
Flying in the darkening sky, the storm quiets, echoing our last goodbye.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/ThrowRAIndecisiveHus posting in relationship_advice and TrueOffMyChest
Concluded as per OOP
2 updates - Long
Original - 3rd April 2023
Update 1 - 10 November 2024
Update 2 - 11th March 2024
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1 New Update
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Thanks to u/snarkaluff for finding this update
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Husband responds - 22nd April 2024
Husband OOP is u/ThrowRAIdontevenk
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My (23F) husband (25M) asked for a divorce, then changed his mind hours later
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Background: we've been together for two years, married for one. We're both in our early twenties.
The night of the bullshit we'd had an argument about the distribution of chores that I think triggered it. I thought it wasn't fair that I was doing the majority of the housework, on top of being a full time student at university and having a job. He seemed to think the chore distribution was fair and that I was overreacting. We came to a solution after all the bullshit I'm about to tell you about occurred, but essentially I was feeling overwhelmed and unheard and he was feeling stressed and confused as to why I thought this was a problem.
Later that night we're discussing the situation again, and I express how it feels like he's not listening to me and how distant he's been lately. Then he says there's a reason for the distance and I ask him to tell me why. He says that he thinks we moved too fast, he doesn't know who he is, and he wants a divorce. He says he cares about me, but doesn't love me. And that he's been feeling this way for a while.
Now, I've promised myself since years ago that I would never try to make someone stay with me if they don't want to. So, as much as this hurt, I said okay. I cried, he cried. I did ask if he wanted to try couples therapy before divorcing but he said no. We decided to sort out details in the morning, I grabbed some blankets to sleep on the couch and he went upstairs to bed.
In the midst of my sitting on the couch crying and looking up apartments, what felt like hours later, I hear him get up and come to the living room. He sits down next to me and just says "I fucked up so bad".
I freeze when I hear this, because I've barely processed the reality of what just happened and I can already see where he's going next. I ask him to elaborate and he says he doesn't want a divorce, that he doesn't know why he said that and he's feeling the most regret he's ever experienced in his life. He says that he realizes he fucked up and I don't have to take him back.
At this point I've experienced so much emotional whiplash that I've completely numbed out. I'd already cried all the tears I could. Now was just sitting there next to my sobbing husband and saying I'd take him back even though I'd barely processed the fact that he'd wanted to divorce me. I told him I wanted couples counseling and for him to get individual therapy and he agreed. I've asked him about individual therapy in the past but he never wanted to until now.
It's days later now. I've gone through all the stages of being mad at him, depressed that my marriage almost ended, insecure about myself, accepting the reality, feeling love for him, feeling numb. Cycling through all these emotions over and over again at random. We're searching for a couples counselor but a lot of them have wait-list right now. So in the meantime I just want to know, if anyone has been in a similar situation: does it get better? Does the trust ever come back? I feel like I can't trust him at all now. When he touches me I freak out sometimes because that's not the comforting feeling I'm used to when he touches me, it's the feeling like he's suffocating me.
I want to be here for him and help him through whatever mental shit he's going through. But this has been affecting my work and my school, I left my dream school for him. I can't just keep prioritizing him above everything else when he clearly doesn't do the same for me. And yet until now he was doing the same for me, he's always been so sweet buying me flowers making dinner going out of his way to make time for us. And before you scream abuse please know I've been in abusive relationships before and they felt nothing like this. He's not like those guys this is the first time he's ever done something like this. I just don't know how we can recover. Any advice about how to get through this would be appreciated.
Tl;Dr: husband asked for a divorce then changed his mind hours later. I don't know how to ever trust him again
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Comments
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pbd1996
Personally, I think you need to be single and work on yourself. If you got married a year into your relationship, that means you were engaged within just a few months of knowing him. Now you’re sobbing over this man and taking him back in the same breath/two hours after he said it was over. Also, just because he regrets what he said doesn’t mean he didn’t mean it. There was definitely truth behind his statement “we got married too fast.” There seems to be a lot of co-dependency in this relationship on both sides.

OOP: I think you might be right, it really fucking hurts..

OboesRule
Yep, it will hurt, but it won’t be forever. You need to focus on you, he needs to grow up more.
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Unfair_Finger5531
In my experience, if he will do that once, he’ll do it again and again and again.
hideousfox
Yeah dude pulls divorce when confronted about CHORES.
PatchEnd

• "hubby will you take out the trash?"
• "screw you, DIVORCE ME!"
• "hubby will you pick the kid up from day care?"
• "screw you, DIVORCE ME!"

yeah....i can see ol'boy dropping divorce for everything! You don't drop divorce until the last possible breaking point.
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I feel trapped in my marriage and I can't tell anyone - 8 months later
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Eight months ago my (23F) husband (25M) asked for a divorce, then changed his mind hours later. We went to couples therapy and individual therapy (though he quit his individual therapy after just a couple sessions claiming he'd look for a new therapist and never did). We've worked through a lot of our issues, we've become better partners to each other. But despite all our improvements my mind keeps going back to that moment.
I find myself constantly monitoring his emotions, looking into his eyes to try to see if he's still in there or if they're vacant like they were that day. I completely shut down around his friends because I saw the text conversation he had with his best friend the day of and how they shit talked me. My husband swears his best friend doesn't hate me but I don't believe him. I live my life in constant fear that today is going to be the day he changes his mind again and leaves me. I've become obsessive about saving money in my personal account so that if he does leave I'll be okay. I find myself apologizing for everything, making myself small. I hate this version of myself. I feel like a coward.
Last night we had a fight about it because I asked for reassurance and he got upset. He said he's been trying so hard but that no matter what he does it feels like it will never be good enough. And honestly, he might be right. He really has been trying so hard and has been such a good partner these past few months, but I can't get what he did out of my head.
I've tried to explain so many times in so many ways how much what he did hurt me and how it's going to take time to heal. His response last night, "good people make mistakes, get over it". So I decided that the pain of bringing it up again and again and hurting him in the process wasn't worth it. I told him I'd stop talking about it and try to forgive him. I feel like I've just made the ultimate betrayal to myself.
I stopped individual therapy a bit ago to save money, but the combination of last night plus the fact that I feel compelled to post on reddit about this probably means I should go back. I fantasize about going back to my dream school, running away, just leaving all of this behind. I hate that I gave up my dream life for a man who maybe doesn't even want me and that I'm stuck playing the part of the good quiet wife who shuts up for the sake of protecting his image. I hate what I've become. It's hard to see a way out.
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DrunkenSnorlax
So, what I'm reading here, is that though your husband has done so much work and improved so much for his marriage... He cannot consider your side of.. The marriage. Because a marriage is between two people, two partners, it takes more than just one side. It doesn't sound like he's improved as much as he thinks he has. If he cannot be assed to have a conversation with you about it, that's where the bar is for your marriage. Especially after he instigated this crater in the road and has 'worked to fix it.'

OOP: To be fair to him, it's probably hard for him to feel like he can't fix what he did. I'm not the only one hurting in this. I keep trying to talk about it with him to try to work on fixing it, but it just seems to make him upset and he says it doesn't help anything.

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Update - 1 year later from original post
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One year ago I (24F) made this post asking for advice on how to continue with my relationship after my (now-ex) husband (26M) betrayed my trust by telling me he wanted a divorce out of the blue and then changing his mind just a couple hours later.
As stated above, he is now my ex. Those of you who said that he would repeat the same behavior again, you were right. On New Years Day 2024 he said he wanted a divorce, packed a bag and left to a motel, then came back hours later. I'll admit, I was a wreck that day. I asked him if this was just going to be like last time and he said no. I asked him if he felt mentally okay and he said he felt fine. I got on my knees and begged this man to stay (not my proudest moment) and he looked at me with empty, vacant eyes and just left.
I was in tears for a couple hours, but then I opened this app to try to distract myself and saw he had made a (now-deleted please don't go looking for his account) post on the divorce subreddit about how he left me and felt bad but didn't regret it. Then I went from depressed to furious. I called my landlord and told him that I was getting a divorce and needed his help in changing the locks. My landlord was very understanding and helped me do so.
A few hours later I heard a knock on the door and when I opened it my ex-husband was standing there, I didn't even get a chance to tell him to leave because he immediately collapsed into my arms sobbing. The first coherent words to come out of his mouth were "you're not gonna take me back are you?"
Reddit, I would love to say that I rejected him right then, but I didn't. Even after all of this I was still hooked into his web of manipulation. So instead I sat down with him and had a long discussion about how much he hurt me, how in the middle of working to rebuild the trust that had been broken between us he completely destroyed any progress that had been made and found a way to make that distrust even worse. I don't remember the details of what he said, but he always knew what to say to get me to feel sorry for him.
The night ended with me saying I would take him back. He was smiling, saying he'd never felt so hopeful, he wrote me a love poem that night for the first time in years. Meanwhile I had never felt so broken, and I told him that after he said he felt so hopeful. He shrugged it off and said I'd feel better in the morning. I did not, in fact, feel better in the morning.
During the next few days while I was trying to pick myself back up, study for finals, and continue going to work as if nothing was wrong, he went back and forth every day on whether or not he loved me, whether or not he wanted to be married to me. He said he thought he loved the idea of being a husband more than he loved me.
My last straw was when I reached out to one of his childhood friends, who I had interacted with a few times and though I could trust to be honest with me, and asked him if he had ever noticed any red flags in my ex-husband's behavior in his past relationships or behavior towards women in general.
This friend assured me that he had never noticed anything of the sort. I thanked him and asked if he could please not tell ex-husband I asked that since I was afraid of what he might do. When my ex-husband came home from work that day I could immediately tell he knew. He opened the front door so forcefully.
He sat down on the couch next to me, told me he knew, and said in a low and almost growling tone of voice "But I know you didn't mean any harm by it". I was frozen in fear and couldn't say anything, but then he grabbed my face and turned my head to look at him and his eyes looked so cold, and he said again "You didn't mean any harm by it right?". I nodded and forced myself to answer "right".
And I knew in that moment this man would kill me if I didn't find a way out of this relationship, if I didn't kill myself first with how bad my mental health was getting after dealing with him insulting and belittling me day after day. I was genuinely starting to spiral into a dark place I hadn't been to in years.
The next day while he was at work I packed a bag, wrote a note telling him I'm leaving and that I want his stuff out of the house when I get back, left the note on the counter with my ring and spent the night at my mom's.
It is an uncontested divorce, filing by mail, and should be finalized in April. I started the paperwork at my mom's house that first night of separation.
Since ending my relationship I have gone to therapy and realized just how abusive and manipulative my ex-husband was. I also understand how broken he is, but being mentally unwell is not an excuse for abusive behavior. What he did to me was abuse and I'm not afraid to say that anymore. I have reconnected with old friends and made new ones.
I have started doing things that I love again, things he never wanted me to do like wearing red lipstick or eating mint-flavored things and going to concerts. I've realized I never want to be married again. I've discovered my polyamorous identity and have begun to explore this side of myself. I have plans to move out of my hated hometown that he had dragged me back to. I feel so much more joy, freedom, and self-love than I ever did when I was in a relationship with my ex-husband.
I won't be using this account anymore after this, as I have no need to. But I want to thank this community and the other reddit subs that I've participated in. If I had never made my original post I don't think I would have realized just how awfully my ex-husband treated me. Thanks to the support of hundreds of voices telling me I deserved better, I realized how true that statement was. I deserve better, and now I have better.
I also want this update to be a beacon of hope to anyone who has found themselves in a similarly emotionally/verbally abusive situation: life is so much better when you leave. There is hope, there is light on the other side of the pain.
Thank you again Reddit. I am finally free.
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Comments
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indiajeweljax
That friend of his a fucking low-down dirty scoundrel. I’m so glad you’re out of this situation. And how exhausting is your ex? It’s so weak and pathetic, breaking up and getting back together day after day. I wish him the life he deserves.
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zidey
I'm gonna maybe say something that might sound wrong but bare with me. The friend did OP a MASSIVE favour. If he hadn't told the ex husband she called, it may have been a while before OP saw that scary side of the ex and for all we know he may later down the line have snapped and hurt her, this way she saw it and got out physically unharmed.
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Material-Paint6281
Damn, it looks like you've joined the "He's not abusive" to "Update: He is abusive" club. I'm glad you're free now. Hope you have a great life.
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**New Update*\*
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Husband's response - 1 month later
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I know I'll probably come off as the villain but I need to get this out. I destroyed my marriage and I still don't even know why.
I'm in my twenties, so is my ex-wife. We had this fast summer romance, it was my first relationship that ever got serious. She wanted to go to college in another country, and I didn't want to lose her so I said I'd go with her. Maybe that's where I first fucked up. Turns out getting a work visa when you don't know the language is pretty much impossible, and so the only way I could go with her was if we got married. She asked if I would marry her, and I said yes. At the time I thought we would be getting married someday anyways, so why not shorten the timeline a bit. I really did love her, I want to emphasize this because my actions later on admittedly did not reflect that. We had a small wedding, I've never been one for fancy things and she said she'd rather spend the money on our future than some elaborate party.
She spent months searching for an apartment for us in the country she'd be studying in but ultimately we had to decide on her going alone first when the school year started and me staying in our home country while she continued to search for a place for us to stay. This was rough, and honestly I couldn't stop imagining her finding someone new or going out to college parties the way all the movies show and finding someone she wanted more than me. It's always been an insecurity of mine, especially because she's bi and some things she'd say sometimes made me wonder if she'd like being with a woman more.
Long story short she ended up getting sick and we decided she should come back home and continue her studies here. She got really depressed after coming back home. She didn't want to go out because she didn't want to run into people we knew, she felt like she'd failed in her goals. I tried to help her get back on her feet, but she was just so in her head and I just couldn't stand it sometimes. Something had shifted then. She got angry with me a lot, we'd get into fights and I hated it because I'm not a person who gets angry, ever. She said I didn't do my fair share of chores, got upset whenever I'd spend too much time gaming and not enough attention on her, it was like I had to be this perfect picture of me she had in her head otherwise I was a monster.
One night it got really bad. I had said I was going to do the dishes and I honestly just forgot, I was going to do them after one more round of COD with the boys but I forgot and as we were going to bed she turned and saw the dishes in the sink and started screaming at me. I was already tired and I had work in the morning and honestly couldn't be bothered. She stomped downstairs and did them and I'm pretty sure she intentionally made as much noise as possible so I couldn't even sleep until she was done.
The next day while I was at work I decided I was done, it was like some sort of switch just flipped in my brain. I didn't want to go on being treated like this, I'd seen this kind of stuff play out with my own parents and I didn't want to be miserable like them. So when I got home I sat her down and told her I wanted a divorce. She seemed surprised which I thought was strange because from my end it seemed like we were both unhappy. She took it pretty well though, we had a long conversation about our feelings and stuff and decided that I'd take the bed and she'd take the couch and we'd sort out details in the morning. She asked if I was sure, if I wanted to try therapy first, and I was so sure that this was what I wanted. It was rough, laying upstairs in our bed I was still able to hear her sobbing, but I was so sure this was what was best for both of us.
Then I don't even know how to describe it, it was like a switch flipped in my head again and I started imagining what my life would be like without her, the morning coffees and kisses, the way she always remembered my birthday (my family forgets every year), her constant encouragement, seeing her smile, then my mind flashed to how broken she looked when I told her we were done and I cannot even begin to describe the stab in the heart I felt when I realized I had just hurt the person I loved most in this world. I knew I couldn't live without her, and I'd do anything to make her smile again.
So I went downstairs, it was still late at night I don't know how much time had passed, and watched her try to wipe away her tears and try to look put together as I sat down next to her. I didn't even know what to say. The first thing I could think of was "I fucked up so bad". She set down her laptop and I saw it was open to some apartment search site. She asked me what I meant and I told her I still loved her, that I didn't know why I said everything that I did and I don't deserve any sort of forgiveness but could we please try again. And this saint of a woman held me in her arms as I broke down crying and forgave me. She said she wanted couples therapy which I instantly agreed to, I would have agreed to anything she wanted if it meant staying together.
The next day was rough, she was starting her new job (I had terrible timing I know), and she wouldn't even undress in front of me, she went into the bathroom to change clothes. There was no kiss goodbye before work, no kiss hello after, she wouldn't even look me in the eyes. This went on for a while. It was a full week before she let me have sex with her. And things did slowly start to get better. But she was never fully the same. The fun loving woman I fell in love with was gone, it's like the light in her eyes had gone out. I tried everything I could, I went to the therapy sessions, I bought her flowers, planned date nights, went out of my way to get her favorite chocolate, listened to the books she wanted about emotional labor and I even created a chore chart so the housework could even out. And some days she'd be fine but there were a lot of nights when I'd wake up to hear her crying in bed next to me.
If I tried to comfort her she'd just push me away and say she was fine, so at some point I stopped trying and just lay there and listen to her trying to stifle her sobs and wonder how many nights she was doing this. Other times she'd get angry, any mistake I made she'd always find a way to tie it back to how I "abandoned" her. It was like nothing I could ever do would be enough, I'd always be the monster who made her feel unloved. One of the worst gut punches was when I realized she'd changed her phone background from a photo of us to a bunch of photos of her friends. I asked her why she changed it and she said she just felt like it. My background stayed as a picture of her until the very last day.
After months of this back and forth trying to please her, and one too many nights of listening to her crying in bed, I looked through her phone and saw something she'd written about how she felt trapped in our marriage. The next day I told her I wanted a divorce, that I knew she was unhappy and I was too and this is what was best for both of us. I went further this time, packed a bag and went to a hotel, turned off my location. She acted different this time. The first time she was calm, self-assured, said she wasn't going to beg for me. But this time was different, she was hysterical, literally got on her knees begging me to stay. It was really unlike her, I was honestly a little worried for her safety. But I left anyways. Hopped online, told the boys it was over, tried to distract myself with gaming because it's the only thing that keeps me sane. Eventually I logged off and just lay in the hotel bed listening to music trying to fall asleep, and a song came on that meant something to our relationship and it was like something broke in me, I couldn't stop crying.
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I ran to the car and drove back home sobbing and speeding I'm not sure how I didn't crash. When I got there I tried to unlock the door and the key wouldn't fit, she'd changed the locks already. I had to knock on the door of my own home and the waiting seemed to last forever. I know it sounds pathetic but as soon as she opened the door i just collapsed into her, I was crying so much I nearly hyperventilated. She was standing really still, she didn't say anything and her arms were flat by her side and I could tell she wasn't going to take me back his time. After I pulled myself together I saw a bunch of trash bags by the table and knew it was probably my things. I asked her if she'd take me back, she hesitated for a while before saying she'd have to think about it. We had a long talk, a good talk, about our whole relationship and everything that had happened. Somehow I managed to convince her that we could give another try. I had gone from feeling so empty that morning to feeling so hopeful by the nighttime, I felt like this time really would be different, I started writing again, she even let me have sex with her that night rather than waiting a week like last time. She said she felt broken and was saying some scary shit about wanting to kill herself but she's always been a bit melodramatic so I knew she'd come around. I fell asleep dreaming of a better life for us.
But the next few days were hell. I woke up realizing that after I'd fallen asleep she'd put her clothes back on and slept on the floor. She would barely eat, everything she did seemed robotic, and every night I'd have to pull her away from the knives and pills because she kept saying things about how she didn't want to live. One night it got really bad, she was crying in bed as usual and when I asked her what was wrong she started begging me to kill her, saying I was a coward for "killing her soul and leaving her body here to suffer". I was really scared for both of us. I managed to talk her down somehow, and the next morning I came home to a note on the counter saying she was staying at her mother's and she wanted me out of here by the weeks end. She left her ring on the note so I knew she was serious, and honestly I was just glad it wasn't a suicide note. So I took the rest of my things and left.
We've interacted a few times since then to get papers sorted, and now the divorce is final. From what I can tell she seems happy, I guess she's moving soon and maybe has a new guy I can't tell, I try not to look at her things.
For the life of me I can't figure out why I did it. She's telling people I was abusive, maybe I was. My father seems to think I'm in the right which makes me feel icky because he's a misogynist prick. I loved her, I really did. And I'm starting to realize just how much she did for me. My apartment's a mess without her, my life's a mess I keep forgetting shit because she's not here to remind me, I have a toothache but keep forgetting to make an appointment because she was always the one to do that and I don't even think I have dental insurance anyways, I miss my dog, I miss her, I miss having someone to come home and vent to and she was always so understanding of me. I took her for granted. And now she's off to some foreign country probably fucking her ex or something and I'm stuck here away from my family and friends working my ass off in a 9-5 with nothing to show for it.
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Comments
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taorthoaita
So, you were shite with chores, don’t know if you have dental insurance, and can’t make your own appointments. You played with ‘the boys’ on video games, which would normally be fine, except it sounds like you made her into your mother so you sound like an immature teen that needs to be told to get off his ass to contribute to the house.
lesliecarbone

"I have a toothache but keep forgetting to make an appointment because she was always the one to do that and I don't even think I have dental insurance anyways"

It's a beautiful thing when weaponized incompetence backfires.
Few-Ad5700
Lol so you move out and your apartment is a mess and you're incapable of making your own dentist appointments? Sounds like she dodged a bullet. She'll be thriving without having to babysit her "partner".
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Husband OOP: I want to point out that I did start contributing more after she told me. I just didn't realize how much she was doing.

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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.

So a Eastern Catholic sent these 2 videos (see comments for clips) of multiple Orthodox Bishops like Archbishop Isidoros, etc. Coming out and saying the Holy Fire is naturally lit and a Patriarch blesses the fire.
Hagiotaphite Archbishop Theofanis said in a video posted 5 years ago: "The Holy Fire belongs to the ceremonies. So you see where the Church places it: where it belongs. Ceremony!. This ceremony takes place at all the Churches. In the night the light turn off right? And then we light fire? This used to take place right here as well. In the Ancient Church. Right? The same thing took place. Just in the Holy Sepulchre the ceremony stengthens faith more. So that was the tradition in the Ancient Church. Then the crusaders arrived and distored the truth. They turned this ceremony into a miracle to subjugate the people. Its a natural fire blessed by the Patriarch".
And apparently archbishop isidoros said: "We deceive the believers letting them believe that it is a miracle. This is unacceptable, and does not reflect well on us.", and he even said he lit the candle and the Patriarch blessed it.
Like, the first half of the Archbishop's statements were helpful, but not the last part. The Armenian priest that attended 3 ceremonies (in the video) that "God doesn't do things on demand," and that's pretty much what the Archbishop was saying. The Greek Archbishop Theofanis says "the church fathers didn't preoccupy themselves with it", (meaning it's a minor ceremony.).
But think of the Eucharist. It is of purely natural origin, it's bread and wine. The Holy Spirit, blesses it, and it is Christ. Similarly, Holy Water starts of normal water, it is blessed and becomes Holy. He's saying it's the same with the Holy Fire. Theologically, that makes sense. (Which is what Theofaris is saying I think).
What should we think of this? I dont know who to believe. I still believe in the eyewitness testimonies (peoples torches lighting on their own, etc.) Even Archbishol Theofaris says their personal miracles they witnessed are fake... which I disagree with and that is too far.
Please help. Im a little worried and have alot of anxiety right now. Idk what to think, who to believe etc. Please help. This isnt to say its not possible, but then why do bishops say its not from God?. I dont get it... even thoigh it would still theologically be correct, but wouldnt it be bad the bishops played along with it? (Theofaris says some clergy lied).
I got alot of anxiety right now, if someone can give your thoughts on this, and advice to me that would be nice. I keep thinking about this.. I now have alot of anxiety. If you guys can help me and share your thoughts id appriciate it. 🙏❤️
Thanks in advance.

According to some catholics on catholicism reddit:
"It appears that it is a symbolic candle-lighting ceremony that someone mistook for a miracle. The clergy of the Holy Sepulchre for whatever reason ran with that story, and now their successors are having a very hard time talking their way out of the pious fraud that they inherited."
"It was denounced as a fraud by Pope Gregory in the 13th century. I'm honestly not sure if that makes it the binding "official" stance, but it's likely why the West has generally ignored it.".
Why don't the Catholics believe it is real? Whats the response to this?.
Do Catholics not believe miracles happen outside the Catholic Church? Any Byzantine Catholics?, do you guys believe in Holy Fire?.
I personally believe its real from other eyewitness stories. But there is "claims" some Clergy have came out and said its "fake".