Funny animals using symbols

(MAIN QUESTION.)
So... since I was probably 14 (I am 16, turning 17 in July), I've been walking and jogging at night for three hours. I go to a boarding school for about 9 months a year and what I've been noticing is that people that I've known since I was a freshman have been asking me if I had been losing weight and I tell them I haven't because almost monthly, I always weigh myself and I either keep my weight or lose probably about five pounds at most lol. So, in summary, since September, I've been weighing 345 lbs but people are asking if I had been losing weight but I haven't. Granted, I am because like I had stated, I walk around a lot during after hours but I hadn't really lost weight, I just wanted to ask if it was "Normal" in a sense or if it was just them trying to be nice.
(SECOND QUESTION)
So over the summer, I am going to at least try to lose 50 lbs because I have made a bet with a friend that each and every pound I lose, he has to pay me a dollar. What my question is if it is Better to go on an OMAD diet or continue my walks but go three times a day and to workout. (Morning, Afternoon and Night.) I am also aware of the risks of both. I might try to make it harder on myself, by that I mean in the middle of the summer which is probably sometime in July, I might try to walk to a "Gathering Place" that my people use to celebrate the birthday of my small town. The distance from my town to their is about 30 to 20 kilometers (18 to 12 miles) but the road there is pretty rough by vehicle, I also might have to deal with animals such as wolves or bears. While doing that, I will probably try to put some heavy gear to make it more difficult and painful but that one is still up to debate. So, in summary, which is better?
The OMAD diet
Walking and working out 3 times a day (Morning, Afternoon and Night)
The twenty kilometer hike (Possibly back) while wearing heavy gear

It is a man, old and scraggy. He wears a jacket that lays over the red plaid button shirt and blue jeans. He wears an old baseball cap and a pair of glasses. He yelled something to Dad, holding his hands up like he was pleading, although we couldn’t hear it over the truck engine. They talked, but we couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“Hey, what are they saying”, I asked, while petting Matt’s hair, calming him. The old man then put his hands down and came close to Dad in a cautious way. They seem to start having some kind of conversation.
“I don’t really know, hopefully, something good”, Mom answered. They talked for a little while, with daylight beginning to disappear, giving us a sense of dread, and making me more worried about what weird creature was going to show up. Eventually, the old man turned and pointed toward what I think is the northeast. They then shook hands and walked back to their respective vehicles. “What’s going on”, Mom asked as Dad got into the truck.
“Well, our new friend here invited us to dinner at his farm”, Dad replied.
“Does he have supplies?”
“Well, he says has supplies for us to make the journey.”
“Should we even trust him? We just met h-”
“Relax, he’s just an old man, living alone at his farm, feeding his cows. What could go wrong”, Dad countered. The old man then entered the truck that was running and drove slowly, expecting us to follow him.
“Alrighty then, but we have to be cautious”, Mom said, with her suspicions of the old man. We then followed the old truck along the dark, frozen road. It just feels like something is going to show up along the road, but nothing happened. Matt did eventually stop crying, but he is still upset about the Joe escape thing.
“Where are we going”, Matt lamented, with the prior series of events in mind.
“I guess somebody is offering us dinner”, I answered.
“Why can’t we just go home?”
“It’s only going to be a stop, like a hotel. After that, we go to our new home, I guess”, I said, taking another look at Matt and cradling to comfort him. “It’s going to be okay.” I stared out into the darkness. I looked to the sky from the window and I faintly saw something in the clear, dark sky, lit up by the waning moon. They were brilliant, green auroras that defy the bright moon, dancing across the sky like ribbons in the wind. The truck eventually took a right-hand turn into another road, with us following suit. I can see a bright, orange light emerging from a patch of tree. When we passed by, it seemed it was a house, at a farm, burning in a massive flame.
“I guess those people aren’t so, uh, lucky”, Dad said, taking a quick look at it before looking at the road. Passing by, we went on and continued to follow the old man’s truck. We passed onto another intersection until he turned into a driveway to what I believe to be his farm. Going into the driveway, I can see an old house, along with a dilapidated farm further away, barely visible by the headlights. The old man parked by the house, where there were a few other trucks there. We parked alongside the truck and we got out into the cold, near-silent night.
“Welcome to sanctuary, where all are welcome”, the old man bellowed. This is the first time I’ve heard his voice. Matt was the last to get out of the truck, slowly and clumsily climbing out of the truck.
“What’s your name”, my Mom politely asked the old man.
“Oh, I guess your husband didn’t tell ya. My name is Steven, but you can call me Steve”, the old man said, with some crackling in his voice. “I am very proud to host a dinner for you and your family”, he continued. “What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Oh, my name is Janice”, Mom replied, quite pleased at his politeness.
“Hello, Janice, and what are their names”, Steven asked, pointing to me and Matt.
“That’s my daughter Kate and my son Matt”, Dad said to Mom.
“Oh, what wonderful names for a couple of beautiful children you have”, Steve grinned. “Come, it is dangerous out here.” We followed him to the house, which looked like it had seen better days. He entered through the double-set door, the first a solid door and a screen door behind. Entering the house, it smelled like what you’d expect, old man. Looking onto the floor is made of glossy wood and walls with cracks, likely caused by the earthquake. It is dark in there, lit by candlelight from many candles, yet it’s fairly warm here. I don’t know why we went into the house, but Dad was right, Steve is just a lonely, old man. Matter of fact, there seems to be nothing wrong here, other than the cracks in the walls. “Sorry, the power went out. Had to resort to the candles. I knew my wife would come in handy”, Steve explained as he took his coat off. “Oh, supper will be ready right away. Had to use the fireplace to cook. Also, can you take your boots off?” We took our boots and set them aside. We went into what seemed to be a living room, with dusty old-style furniture.
“So, where do we sit”, Mom asked.
“Oh, well, follow me”, Steve commanded, leading us to the dining room, with a long, wooden table and six wooden chairs, along with their corresponding old-fashioned plates, glasses and cutlery, lit up in the candlelight. We noticed that everything on the table was covered in a thin veil of dust. “My apologies, the recent shocks dropped a bit of dust on the table”, he explained as he noticed us looking at the plates and moved into another room nearby. “Take your seats if you like.” We all settled onto the chairs, and blew off our plates of the dust settled there.
“When will we eat”, Matt impatiently said.
“Once Steve comes out with the food”, Mom answered. Matt sat there with a tired look on his face. Dad seemed to be in a better mood than before and it looked like he wanted to start a conversation.
“Hey, should we talk about something”, Dad asked. I then see Steve with a bowl and a silver plate.
“Here we go, may not be much, but at least it’ll fulfil the soul”, Steve said, smiling when he served us mashed potatoes and meatloaf. “So, shall we pray?” That came unexpectedly, as we are not too religious, but we were in his house and gave us shelter and food.
“Sure, we can do that”, Mom said and we all bowed our heads and put our hands together. Steve cleared his throat
“Thank you, Lord, for this good food to feed the soul in these hard times. I shall pray, in the name of the Lord and Jesus Christ, that these hard times shall be over, so we can get on with our lives. Amen.” We raised our heads and grabbed whatever food there was onto our plates. “Oh, there’s no gravy, so we have to deal with bare potaters and meatloaf.”
“Oh, not to worry. Thank you for the food”, Dad thanked Steve. We began to eat the food once we got it sorted.
“So, what brings you here”, Steve asked.
“Well, there is an evacuation order in effect for this area, so we had to go to Regina”, Dad explained, with Steve taking in every word. “So, we came from Strasbourg, we tried going south towards Regina, but we hit an obstacle in the way and we had to take another route, leading us here.”
“And we encountered a few odd things along the way”, Mom added.
“Huh, interesting. What do you guys think is going on”, Steve inquired.
“By the things we saw, we have no idea. Dinosaurs, devil dogs, hell pigs, the whole deal. I shouldn’t forget the earthquake. They told us a pipeline leak caused by the earthquake”, Dad clarified to Steve.
“Hmm… is that so”, Steve wondered. “Wonder what I think is happening? The Rapture is happening. Do you know how the Bible tells us of the end times? Good people sent to be with God and his kingdom, the rest here to suffer the Hell unleashed by Satan.” By this point, he was beginning to rant, but we couldn't stop it as we all began to feel tired and powerless. “So, the Devil will send his demons in the form of these illusions so that they can torment the sinners. It is happening, it is-” Steve manically continued as I drew towards blackness and his voice becoming less coherent. My vision is now all black.
I saw those same lights, but more rapidly than before. I then emerged onto the same clear sky, but something felt different. I can smell something in the air. I can smell what seems to be chemicals in the air. Looking down, I was terrified. Dark, grey rock in the shape of ropes and folds, similar to those I saw of lava flows on a volcano in pictures. This went on as far as the eye could see. I can see no tree this time, just the cooled lava everywhere. I then walked, feeling every bump and crag. I thought I walked forever until I heard a rumbling sound and woke up.
I am in total darkness. It is cold and it smells like cow manure. I tried to move my hand, but it seemed to be bonded behind my back by a rope. I tried to move my feet, but they were also bound by rope to the legs I tried to speak, only to realise my mouth was agape by a cloth in my mouth. I heard shuffling nearby but I could not see. It was then shone in light when Steve entered the door, holding a candle, revealing all of us in the same situation. I then can see what we are in. We are in that same wooden dilapidated barn we saw earlier and seems to be more damaged than the house, wood creaking can be heard.
“These sedatives are more effective than I thought. Maybe I should use them more often”, Steve smoothly explained, like he’s some kind of agent and began pacing. “Wonder why you are here? Well, I wondered the same thing to myself, why didn’t God take me to his heaven? When I first heard of the government telling us of those evacuation plans, I thought it was that, a leaking pipe. I began to notice things I couldn’t believe myself, at least at first. Earthquakes, weird creatures showing up, people disappearing, the whole spiel. I connected the dots. The Rapture is happening, for sure, but why me? Why was I the one left here on this Earth”, Steve calmly ranted, pacing around the barn, but it seemed to sound crazier and angrier the more he paced. “I thought I had lost my way. I’ve been unfaithful to God and his son. But, I realised that God always has a plan and he left me on this Earth to serve a purpose. I wondered what my purpose was until I had a moment.” He then stopped in place and calmed down. He turned to look at Mom with accusing yet crazed eyes.
“I’m supposed to keep the sinners here in line, to earn a place in God’s kingdom, or suffer in Hell. I know you are a sweet woman, Janice, but your treachery with Satan is over and I am going to do what’s right.” Mom then looked at all of us, with assuring eyes like that of an innocent yet caring mother we all know knew. I began crying and trying to speak through the cloth, but I was helpless to watch by. “Forgive me, Father, for what I am going to do.” He then pulled a knife from his pocket and plunged it into Mom’s neck with no mercy. I looked away once he did that, trembling, with tears pouring out and my vision glazed and I fell limp. I could see my brother tearing up, but he did not look away. I can hear Dad behind me, with his screams of agony and anger covered by the cloth. It felt like I was in slow motion, taking in every moment.
I then heard the chair, screeching as Steve dragged the chair containing Mom’s lifeless body towards the door, leaving behind a trail of blood. I couldn’t bear to see my mother like this. I shut my eyes very hard and hoped it would go away. The door then shut, leaving us alone with a candle, fearing what would come next. I stared at the candle, seeing it dance in the flames like a woman dancing in the darkness. Is this how it’ll end, I thought. End up dying to this sick man? My Mom was killed in front of me. I sobbed with that thought, then I began to think about the inevitable death of me. I hope there’s something after I die. Maybe I’ll see Mom again.
It was silent for a while, nearly no sound other than our moans. Dad seems to be fidgeting at the back of his chair, rocking it slowly. Looking past him, I shuddered at the glistening pool of blood, where Mom was last alive, could be my fate. I then see Dad release his arms from the back of the chair and remove the cloth from his mouth. He silently stood up and bent down to untie his legs from the chair legs. He then went to me and removed my cloth.
“H-h-how did you do that”, I silently wept, fearing that Steve would show up at the door and kill us all.
“My binding is loose. The old man probably took a liking to me”, Dad whispered. “I should remove your binds.” He untied them, releasing me, doing the same for Matt. “Now, we need to be quiet.” We then walked, quietly, along the painfully creaking wood in the near dark, following the blood trail, glistening in the candlelight. We cringed and dreaded each sound we made and watched the door in case it began to creak open. A few silent steps later, we made it to the door and we slowly opened it so as not to make any noise. What was revealed to us is nothing new, other than the blood trail continuing in the snow directing towards the back of the barn. “Okay, Kate, Matt, you guys run to the truck.”
“What about you”, I sobbed.
“Don’t worry about me”, Dad responded, giving me his keys and forcing them into my hand. “If I’m not back in a few minutes, leave. Don’t look back, take care of your brother, okay? I love you, no matter what happens.” He then kissed me on the head and ran to follow the blood trail. We quickly walked towards the black truck, stranded there for maybe hours. Getting closer, freedom is getting closer. When we got to a fair distance to the truck, I heard footsteps behind me and, the next thing I knew, I was knocked over to the ground into the hard snow on my face. A hand turned me over to give me a glimpse of a crazed Steve, his eyes wilder than before.
“Oh, yes, trying to escape”, he bragged. I looked at him, frozen in fear, like a deer in headlights and he caressed my face with his bloodied blade. “You do have a pretty face, but I’m afraid you are just one of Satan's creations, made to pull me to lust.” He then raised his knife in the air when a familiar side emerged, out of the blue.
Joe came and bit him in the arm that was holding the knife. Steve screamed in agony the moment he realised what happened. He shook Joe off and stood up to stand his ground. I stood up as Joe hissed and walked around the crazed being he wounded, not in fear but in aggressiveness. “Is this one of your pets, demon”, Steve screamed as Joe came in for another attack, but Steve countered that with a slash to the snout. Joe then ran away, whining, into the darkness. This sequence of events gave me the chance to enter the truck on the driver’s side. I had some trouble starting it, besides this is my first time driving a truck.
Steve menacelily walked towards the when Dad came barreling and tackled him to the ground. Dad was on top when he went limp. I finally put the keys in the engine turned it on and backed out, with memory serving me the instructions on such a vehicle. Steve pushed Dad’s body and stood up, but by that time, we left the farm.
“Turn back, we have to get Dad”, Matt cried, but I was very emotional, accepting what happened. I felt that, without my parents, I feel… useless.
“Dad’s dead”, I screamed at Matt and he began gagging uncontrollably in tears. I began to feel sorry for him. “Sorry, I, I don’t know.”
“It’s okay”, Matt sniffled. “I guess Mom and Dad are dead anyways.” It was silence for a few more minutes, tears welling in our eyes.
“Hey, our parents are in a better place”, I said, trying to make the situation positive.
“But we are stuck here, without them? Don’t we deserve to go to a better place?”
“Don’t say that”, I huffed and I paused for a bit. “I know we are in the, uh, right place now. Let me tell you something, once we get to Regina, I will take care of you, no matter what life throws at us.”
“What about Joe”, Matt asked.
“He’ll be fine. He probably found his girlfriend already.”
“Hey, don’t you have a boyfriend?”
“I, uh, I don’t have one. That I know of”, I spoke, bringing me back to Sam, remembering that she’s the only friend that I ever knew, and I left her. Without her, I felt alone, no one would ever relate. I began to tear up. “I don’t have any friends. I am alone,” I sobbed.
“What do you mean? I’m your brother!” I looked at Matt, and smiled, happy that he acknowledged that we were in this together.
“Thank you”, I thanked him. I slowly stopped on the road, just to hug Matt hard, crying my eyes out. We then heard what sounded like an elephant in front of us. We looked up to see a walking snow-covered brown fur wall with four pillar-like legs in front of us. Its curved tusks gleaned in the light and the eyes reflected in the light. The furry trunk waved around like a searching snake from a tree. We both knew what it was.
“Hey, look at that, a woolly mammoth”, Matt said, excitement running through him. At this point, we weren’t surprised.
“Yep, that is a woolly mammoth”, I added. The mammoth turned to us on the road, seemingly confused about where it was. It looked at our truck and seemed to growl, like an elephant. We are starting to realise this thing is becoming aggressive.
“Uh, should we move”, Matt asked. I remembered hearing something about standing your ground in case of an encounter with an elephant. I hoped it would work for a bigger, furrier version of one.
“No, we have to stand our ground.”
“But, it’ll attack u-”
“Trust me!” I then honked my horn and it backed up. It then rushed, then stopped, a mock charge. Eventually, it moved out of the road, disappearing into the darkness. We sighed in relief.
“That was close”, Matt sighed. I then continued to drive in the night, headlights leading the way. The road is bumpy, as noticed by every ditch and peak we hit, but surprisingly, Matt was fast asleep. I began to get comfortable driving and used to the road by that point. It was silent for a while until we hit a smaller intersection. That is when the truck shut down, completely and stopped. I tried the gas many times but with no effect. There is no light, nothing. It is near-darkness here, shone only by the moonlight.
“Shit”, I yelled, desperate to turn the truck on without much success. Matt woke up, confused.
“What happened”, he yawned.
“The truck turned itself off. I can’t get it back on”, I fretted and at that moment, Matt was just as panicked as I am.
“Why?”
“I-I don’t know. One moment, we were driving, another it just-”, I quavered, when I heard something rustle in the distance. We stood still, hoping whatever it was didn’t find us. I looked around, hoping to see something in the moonlight. I then see a long, walking animal. It looked like some sort of alligator at first, except for a dinosaur-like head. Once I strained my eyes to the darkness, my fear levels rose as I could see it walk on its hind limbs, with its forelimbs dangling nearly touching the ground.
It was wandering around on the road when I heard a near-crocodilian growl at Matt’s side of the truck. Another of those creatures appeared, seemingly looking into the window like a hungry bear, giving us a chance to see its scaly head. Its exposed alligator teeth gleaned in the light like knives, but more terrifying was the eye. Its serpentine pupil shone brilliantly in the light like eyes in the dark. It then ducked down, gave a hiss, and moved towards the other one. A few more showed up and formed a group.
“What should we do”, Matt asked. “Should we stay?” I looked around, hoping for another way to escape them without them noticing. I further strained my eyes and mentally mapped out the area. There is a cemetery on my right-hand side, a grain bin storage yard on my left and a series of trailers on the other side of the highway, which is ahead of us, from the storage area. There, I see a series of white, storage buildings, something we can go to and wait it out inside.
“Okay, so slowly open the door”, I instructed Matt. The click of the doors opening cringed us. We looked at the group, but there was no response from them. We then, as slowly as we could, opened the door and stepped out. Still no response. Matt then quietly ran to the other side, towards me. “Okay, we are going into the storage yard and go to the other entrance”, I said, pointing to the other right-hand corner. I wanted to get as far away from these things as possible before making a safe crossing. “Then, we cross the highway on the other side, run into the buildings and stay there for the night. Are you ready?”
“I guess”, he whispered, looking at me in fearful doubt.
“We are going to do this”, I whispered back. We then silently ran over, having to rely on our night-adapted eyes, to the corner, walking past the bins. We made it and nothing behind us so far. “We’re good so far.” We then crossed the road and noticed nothing. We noticed a tanker truck, leaking some sort of fluid across the road. I easily recognized it as fuel, based on its distinctive, sickly smell. I wouldn’t be worried about it if it weren’t for a collapsed light pole that is somehow still flickering with electricity near the area where the fuel would be flowing. We quickly avoided the fluid when I froze to see the group of the walking alligators, running towards us. “Run!” Matt tried to run, but one of those things appeared and clamped its jaws at the back of his neck. He yelped in pain and it took him down to the ground. “Matt”, I yelled, helplessly watching as the creature tore into him.
Matt reached out his arm before the others came to him, then a flash of fire came. At this point, I knew what happened, but I couldn’t even think before it exploded. It blew me towards the building, far away. I was knocked out for a few seconds before I regained consciousness, groaning in pain on the ice. I noticed something especially painful just below my chest. I reached towards the area with my hand. I pressed on it, more painful than ever and raised my hand, only to see blood, brightened by the fire. I realised I was wounded, maybe by shrapnel made by the explosion.
I looked toward where the truck was and all I saw was a blaze. Those things weren’t there, at least. I also noticed something else, too, there’s no Matt. I tried to look around for something, some sort of sign of my brother within the fire, but I saw none. I then wept, realising I had failed. I have failed to keep him safe. I have failed to give him a better life. I failed him as a sister. I could’ve done better. The thoughts poured in as tears glazed my eyes. At that moment, I failed to look around me.
I noticed a dark thing beside the blaze. I thought it was Matt, preparing to greet him back, even though I knew he couldn’t survive the explosion. The image became clearer and clearer as I noticed it was one of the walking crocs that, glazed by the fire, was coming towards me.
“Just kill me”, I screamed, preparing to painfully die to meet my maker. The creature was about to attack me when something large, silent as the wind, came charging and clamped down its massive jaws, filled with conical teeth on the hapless creature and raised it. The crocodile struggled before going limp with a crunch within its strong jaws. The big, dark and scaly monster that it is towered over me and is as long as a bus, possibly longer. Its large legs are a contradiction to its small arms that hide beneath its scarred, bulky body.
It turned to look at me with an oddly bird-like expression, revealing in the firelight numerous scars from battles I could never know and looked at me with its beady bird-like eyes, breathing out wisps from its nostrils like a dragon in the cool air. I recognized it as a creature I know too well, a T. Rex. I breathed heavily and sickly, looking at the thing, nearly expecting me to drop the body and go after me. Instead, it simply walked away, carrying its bloody prize with it, and steadily retreated into the darkness.
I then lay down in agonizing exhaustion on my back, thinking of the next step of action like I'm on a suicide mission I would never come back from. I looked in the direction of the graveyard and had one thought. I guess I am dying. a graveyard will do. I struggled to stand up, noticing my blood-soaked clothes and felt a broken left leg. I grasped my wound, limping step by step and enduring the sharp pain while shaking in the cold. Every step I took, I remembered all the memories, good or bad, that I had with my parents. My brother. My friends. My family. I eventually reached the cemetery and slouched at a tree.
“Guess I’m joining you, guys”, I said, speaking to the snow-covered gravestones, only to hear something. A familiar sound of chirping emerged and, lit by the blaze, it was a sight I can hope for. “Joe, what are you doing here”, I depressingly cheered as Joe went to me and curled up in my lap as if he were a cat. I noticed the new-found scar he had on his little snout, but I paid no mind as I petted him. “I guess you came back. Thank you so much for what you did”, I thanked him, not expecting such a loyal creature would be with me, comforting me, to the end, like what my mother used to do when I was a newborn. I heard another noise, this time a deep rumble.
I thought it was another earthquake coming, but it got louder the closer it got to me, becoming more animalistic only felt small vibrations I barely felt. Joe stayed put, oddly enough, as T. Rex, different from the first one, came. It walked towards us until it stopped short of us. It began to produce a low-pitched, bird-like purring, attracting Joe. I realised something, that this T. Rex is Joe’s parent. He joined the rest like him, whom they showed up and all chirped around.
The grown Rex then brought its snout closer to me, not to kill me, but to look at me. It did not reveal its teeth and was still purring. I put my hand out and its nose came close to it. It rubbed it against my hand and started to pet its cold, scaly skin as it breathed through its nose and put it on my chest. I rested my head on it before it pulled away. It gave out a hiss, but I knew it wasn’t that of a threat, but more of a thank you for bringing its small, sometimes immature, child home.
That gave me relief, as it felt like I at least did something for once. They walked away, along with Joe, towards the darkness amongst the gravestones in the cemetery. I glimpsed one last desperate look at Joe before walking beside his parent. I looked up at the sky and I could see all the stars, twinkling, and the dancing green auroras. I began to feel limp and felt the cold embrace of death coming over me, tears pouring out of my eyes. The sky then grew brighter and brighter, the stars faded into the light and I could see my family welcoming me to a new home. It then slowly went black, darker than a cave.
You would think this is the end of me. It wasn’t, or else I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I eventually woke up in a hospital in Regina. I was told I was rescued by a team that transported me while I was in a coma. The doctors said I was very lucky to be alive, as the shrapnel narrowly avoided my vital organs. After that, I was adopted into a new family, but I was only with them for a couple of years before finding a new job and moving out.
As for Sam, I don’t know what happened to her. I would like to think she is safe, somewhere else. As for my family, I think of them all the time. I was in a depressive period right after that. Eventually, over the years, I accepted that they were gone and went to a better place. For Joe, I would like to think he is all grown up, like his parents, and becoming the king of the jungle. I hope we meet again.
As for the evacuated area, it wasn’t some pipeline rupture that caused an evaluation, but an anomaly, with the exact reason not known. There are excuses for the claims of weird stuff going on in there, from disease to chemicals, to eventually a previously unknown geological event, but I saw through it all.
You may ask how, it's because I've been there. Take it or leave it, this is the story I have. As the decade came by, cover-ups were made to hide it, even walls were put around it. Since the incident, the exclusion zone grew from a mere 80 kilometers in diameter to 460 kilometers in diameter, emptying entire cities of the likes of Regina and Saskatoon. I had to move to North Battleford, by the recommendation from the same government covering it up, making me think that time will tell before the floodgates of truth open.
The anomaly didn’t have a name initially, however, over the years, everyone agreed on one name in particular: The Saskatchewan Anomaly.

Essay ahead. TW: Animal abuse, child abuse and neglect, fire, and mention of illicit substances. Please don't read this if you are highly sensitive. You might not sleep tonight.
My mom ran a puppy mill starting when I was about 9. Until I was 24 I worked for her, her dog grooming and breeding businesses. Toy breeds. At one point we have over 200 dogs and the same amount of puppies, but when I left she had about 50 of each. She was a narcissist and I was trapped trying to make things better for the puppies. She also used money to control me. Starting at around 13 and maybe earlier, I stayed up with puppies some nights, getting up every two hours to feed them and turn the heating pad back on. I have narcolepsy now, and I often wonder if messing up my sleep schedule so young contributed to it.
We were selling these puppies for $600-$2000 but she told me we couldn't afford better equipment to take care of them. A lot of the money went down my dad's throat, up his nose, in his veins, and in his brain. He's gone now, passed before he reached 50.
I've seen parvo and other viruses run through her kennel due to bad decisions. My mom lamented each time about the amount of money she lost, not at the horror of the death. I've held countless puppies in my bra and in my hands as they breathed their last breath. I've seen puppies and fully adult dogs be thrown in the trash with the dog shit. I watched in utter heart break as weak puppies pushed aside by their mother's were removed and left alone to squeak and squeak until they squeaked their last breath. I always picked them up and comforted them. They didn't squeak and cry so much if I was holding them next to me. The end was easier if I was with them. So I stayed. And died tiny deaths with them.
I've seen more dog fights than I care to think about. Dogs torn apart by other dogs then throw in the trash. Even now, part of my consciousness stays awake at night because I have to be able to hear if there is a fight in the kennels. I don't live there anymore. This definitely contributes to the narcolepsy.
About 4 months ago her kennel burned down. My grandmother and medium support needs autistic cousin saved as many as they could, but the three of them saw the kennel burn and the dogs with it. Less than half survived. I will never forgive my mother for owning the mill that allowed such a horrific thing to happen. It was due to improper wiring and having so much wood. Wooden runs in a wooden building. I will never let go of how much she has hurt my cousin. He is precious and loves those animals.
This has also caused a rift in my family. My uncle was the one who told me that day, and when I called him back he told me that he couldn't comfort my cousin because he was my cousin's dad. I lost it on him. I watched this man neglect his son during my childhood and immediately pawn him off on my grandmother the night my grandfather died. My mom basically raised my cousin because he was so neglectful. The neglect got to me and I made sure he knew it was his decisions that led to this, but that's not what my family heard.
My brother also texted me that day to tell me to call my grandmother. I was trying to reel my emotions in and not make any of this more difficult on her, as I was ready to do not nice things to my mother. When I explained this, my brother decided that that was the straw that broke the camels back and went no contact with me very abruptly after an unnecessarily mean message. I didn't know there were any straws on the camels back, being as he lives states away and has since he was 21. The words in his message made it clear that he thought very poorly of me for a long time. We aren't even 30 yet, but you really only get one time to tell me I don't contribute anything to the world and mean it before you are cut from my life forever. I thought I would have my brother until near the end.......
This has, predictably, been wildly painful for me. I'm cleaning out infected wounds that tell me that products have feelings or that I can't be sad over puppy death. I hate that my brother didn't free himself of my mother's influence and get out of this empathy crushing system we were raised in. I worry about his husband often.
The silver lining, if there is any, is that my family was bad for me and now I've gotten out. I've got a slew of disabilities that they blamed me for, but I don't have to be there anymore. I'm happily married to the amazing man I've been with since highschool and we have a house of our own with two pets. I'm cleaning the wounds, been going to therapy since I was 18, and know that I need to get my psyche cleaned up so I can live a happy, fulfilled life. It's a process, but I've made a lot of good progress. If you made it this far, thanks internet stranger. It's a long, painful read.
Be good. Be safe. Have fun. You deserve goodness.

This song has a chorus which repeats the lyrics “ I think I’m ready to blow” the singer is a male and has a very similar voice to enon and the strokes singers and cage the elephant . Some words I can remember go along the lines of “ Someone please stop me cause I’m ready to blow. No one can stop me cause I’m ready to blow!” And the singer gets more animated and flips his cadence ance to give off a funny and wacky vibe to his voice.
There’s a part where the base and guitar have a second of solos followed by the singer getting louder and going “ F you!” Two second bass bridge “ makes sense!” Two second base bridge “ Forget your lovers!”.
The song starts straight off the bat with this really cool alternative base and beat and the singer going “ woah ” with a reverberated tone to the voice making it sound a tiny bit electronic and cool continuously. The lyrics follow that same cadance but has a more natural voice.
This is all I can remember. Also please note that I don’t have a perfect memory of the lyrics exactly but could be the same or just sound similar to what I suggested. Sorry can’t give a voice recording either. It’s been eating at my ear for a month I need a Reddit messiah to save me thankyou!!!

Hi!
A fundamental tip every player comes to know about the game in general and not just for Riven, is cursor placement, as it is always best to keep the mouse near the champion-model in order to be able to quickly adjust our movement, skillshot placement, and more.
THE RIVEN PLAYER in particular, must click on the ground between Q-casts to cancel the animation, so as to be able to quickly re-auto the opponent again and again. So the closer your cursor is to your opponent AND you, then the smaller the distance is between the ground-click spot and the opponent, thereby lessening time spent dragging the mouse around. A lot of players combat this by using the "attack-move" right after click the ground in order to nullify the time needed to drag the mouse (or at least significantly reduce it if they use "attack-move on cursor"). However, the attack-move, can sometimes be a little finnicky, especially if you're fighting in a big minion wave and/or your opponent has high mobility.
My actual and personal Tip, after having used the latter option for quite some time, and experiencing moments of frustration due to inconsistencies with the attack-move (skill issue), is this:
Instead of using the attack-move completely, I have lowered the in-game cursor size to the smallest possible, and simply click on the ground after Q-cast, and then on the opponent directly. What this does is reduce the time needed to move the mouse from the ground back to the opponent significantly, due to my cursor having a smaller "hitbox". After practicing in this way for a bit, I quickly found that this is the best alternative for me. The only downside, is that it requires better mouse precision from the player without erratic movements that are otherwise compensated with the use of "attack-move".
Bonus: I also tried practicing to avoid un-needed mouse clicking when doing a combo, in order to better understand the exact outcome of my mouse inputs, and ONLY clicking EXACTLY when and where necessary. As a former ADC main, this is extremely hard to get used to, but it has 100% helped me.
Thank you for reading, and have fun!

I'd like to start selling sprites, bg's, text faceplates, etc. They could be used for anything honestly, but I'd like to give games in mind.
Is there any way I could universally keep this in mind? I may be doing more detailed models, but they'd all be 2d as I don't have time to learn 3d modeling. For sure pixel art and then eventually illustrations, all can be animated and or just have the sprite frames available individually for the dev to choose how to use them. Like maybe sizes of backgrounds and sprites, if there's a certain amount of frames to keep in mind, guides with suggestions on how many frames to make a breathing/resting/jumping animation, if I should just make blank body bases so the dev can design the outfits and faces, etc.
Would something like RPG Maker (is that the name?) be good to use to look for base assets to give me an idea of how to model sprites etc?
If my idea won't work please let me know and I'll go back to just making PNGtubers and Twitch emotes 😂 Thank you! My job pays ass and I really need to fill my portfolio and figured making assets would be a win win! If it matters, it would not be full rights, meaning 5 different people could download the same sprites. Not sure about it I'd require credit etc.

I have a 5 yr old GSD/mallinois mix. He was a rescue and about a year old when we first got him. We got him right shortly before COVID lockdown and I freely admit that he is more dog than I should have tackled. I had GSDs before and he was presented as “GSD mix”, the mallinois part was highly downplayed. We are backpacking/hiking people and would regularly put on 20 miles in a weekend and it was hard for me to imagine we wouldnt be “enough” for a dog. The first two years were literally blood, sweat and tears and almost ended in my divorce. He was a nightmare on a leash and reactive to EVERYTHING. He was also bitey and would never settle in the house, running from window to window barking at everything. We live in the middle of the northwoods, 45 min from anything and there is plenty to bark at. At the time, my husband worked from home and wouldnt kennel him or cover the windows when Strider couldnt be supervised. We spent $3,000 putting in a fenced area that really isnt big enough but is all we could afford. I worked with a few different trainers and each helped in their own way. I could barely walk him for more than 30 min at first because we would both get frustrated trying to teach him not to pull. It was even more frustrating because the outdoors is my stress relief and I felt like I had lost my outlet. He wouldnt even sit down outside for the first year. Long story short (sort of) -5 yrs later I love my dog endlessly but it breaks my heart that I dont think he will ever be off leash. I have taught him to ignore small animals, other dogs, bikes, you name it. But deer are going to kill me. I have trained wait and leave it. At a dog park, he rarely leaves my sight and always comes back to find me (but nearest dog park is an hr away) I can put a piece of ham in front of his nose and leave the room and he will not touch it until i come back. He sits for meals and to go out any door. I taught the “place” command and he will go to his bed and stay (although he will protest alot if he feels he is missing something. I taught him “gentle” and can get him completely tearing around the house and he will drop when I say “down”. I have actually gotten him to the point most of the time that if there is a deer, I say SIT NOW and he will. Then I yell jackpot and he comes back for treats scattered on ground. But deer are non stop here. Most mornings, I walk out the door and there is at least one in the yard. “Neutral” training ground s hard to find. He is more food motivated than he used to be (a steak wouldnt have distracted from a deer for first two years) but he really isnt that big on toys. Plays for about 5 minutes and gets bired - tug, flirt poles, balls, you name it. He has gotten away from me on a long lead because even watching him so close, he has taken off like a shot with no warning, He also intermittently wants to chase large trucks. He gets at least two hours of walks weekdays and generally about three on weekends plus 30 min yard romp and meals out of puzzle toys. I tried bike jouring but he almost killed me. We are at a point that I am thinking of trying it again. I work at home and he does happily sleep most of the time if there are no trucks or deer around. i just want so bad for him to have the best possible life and I often feel that he would have been better off with someone who could have given him better training, Im sorry this is so long and rambling but any thoughts on what i can do with him for more stimulation or work safely towards off leash in my environment would be awesome.

Off the top of my head I can think of Jordan Peterson, who used animal research, psychoanalysis, evolutionary psychology mixed with myth and anthropology to justify certain views of his own such as capitalist neoliberalism (because competition has positive effects, we should encourage economic competition to make society better) and even semi-fascism (low IQ people are 'less human' due to lack of functional capabilities)
There are probably much more such figures but I can't think of much at the moment.
The point is that, the broad research scope of psychology leads to its practitioners often committing the is-ought fallacy / naturalistic fallacy and I think that's one reason psychology doesn't have a good public image.
There could also be a problem when ideal psychological conditions are defined by functional capabilities in society, a reverse scenario to the is-ought fallacy as described above. Conformity to social norms is often cited by psychologists as a parameter of 'psychological maturity'. For example, a mature person should just use coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of high working hours as claimed by some, even though it's a social problem in the first place.

Recently I became aware that my boyfriend of three years has not in fact stopped watching porn. He has this instagram account that he used to post memes on as well as hentai or straight up porn. He hasn’t posted on it in a while (3 years) but he does sometimes go on the account. That account is one big trigger for me. He still follows plenty of inappropriate accounts, and I did go through the accounts he followed and saw him liking things he KNOWS would make me upset.
WHY WHY WHY? Why did he like the things he liked? WHY. I cannot understand why and it is driving me insane. Who does he think he is? Why is he STILL doing this? I DONT GET IT. I am so extremely disappointed, not in him, but the fact that I was right about him. God how I wish I was in the wrong and he really wasn’t doing anything, but we can’t always get what we want.
You sit there and you tell me you aren’t doing anything that would hurt me….YET YOU ARE. OUT IN THE OPEN.
I have wanted him to delete the account for a long time and he just always says he has too many posts on there and doesn’t want to delete them. I know the real reason is because he doesn’t want to get rid of his hidden porn/hentai stash he has saved on it. The account serves no purpose and he says he only goes on it to get anime pictures….🤨 once again I have seen the things he liked today and he is 100% lying.
I have yet to bring this up as I don’t want to do it over the phone because he will not give me a good answer. What are some things I should say when I bring this up to him in person? What are some good phrases to use to make it hard for them to deny it? I don’t even know where to begin.
He’ll most likely just shutdown and act annoyed like I’m his mom getting onto him for doing something. How does he expect me to be happy and stay with him when he can’t even do something that would improve our relationship? I just don’t understand him. At all. I would do anything for him. Yet he can’t do the bare minimum for me. If this conversation does not improve anything, I’m afraid it’s time for us to finally part ways. He has been so adamant that he has changed…yet once again his actions speak louder than his words, and I am left feeling completely confused and lost.

Species: Dog
Age: 13.5
Sex/Neuter status: Female / spayed
Breed: Beauceron / shepherd mix
Body weight: 50lbs / 22.7Kg
Clinical signs: Nonambulatory tetraparesis
Hi there. This morning, my elderly dog got up like normal, helped me get the kids ready for school, had her breakfast, and laid down for her after waking up nap, as one does.
Around 1130am, I went downstairs to wake her and take her out to do her thing. Usually I need to clap loudly or snap to get her attention, as she doesn't hear very well anymore. She got up with her normal grunts, and made it about half-way to the door (about 8-10 feet), and then collapsed.
She has fallen before, as she has pretty bad arthritis in the hips, and is on a daily dosage of carprofen. However, this wasn't a slip, she just dropped like a rock.
I go to try and help her up, but she will barely use her legs and won't stay up without help. I called my vet, and I had an appointment set to show up within the hour.
During this time, she was alert and didn't seem to be in any pain I could tell that was obvious. It's not obvious with her anyways, but she wasn't even panting heavy. Took treats fine, wanted pets, but just couldn't walk.
I have a younger dog who wanted to play while she was resting and waiting, and he started barking, which got her barking and she attempted to run to us. She got up, and fell immediately. Before I could rush to her, she got up again, and wobbled her way to us about 10 feet away and collapsed again. This was the last time I saw her walk on her own.
When We get to the vet, he does a couple physical tests, and tell us it's most likely a ruptured / herniated disc, and would need to go to the animal hospital / specialty services to further diagnose her. So, we take her there, and see her for 5 or so minutes and came to the same conclusion, stating her nonamulatory tetraparesis could be disc related, but couldn't rule out neoplasia, or even a vascular episode. She said it was PROBABLY herniated disc related, but wouldn't know unless we did an MRI, and said the disc issue would be best case. If it was cancer, there isn't much they could do for her age.
They aren't willing to do an MRI unless we agree to surgery, as they would just perform it while she was still under from the MRI, and even still, the MRI by itself is about $4,000....the surgery in total is $8,000-$9,000.
We were told since it's affecting all four legs, and because of her age and her bad case of arthritis in her hips, even if the surgery went well, recovery would be very, very hard on her. This was also the same reasoning she gave us that she isn't a good candidate for a medicinal route (I'm guessing anti-inflammatories and steroids?)
As of now, we have an appointment set up for an in-home euthanasia tomorrow evening, and were prescribed 15mg Codeine every 8 hours to keep her comfortable until then. Obviously we are grasping at straws, and know the end is near....but, is there ANY chance a medicinal route COULD work? She doesn't seem like she's in pain, and I don't know if this is something that would just be prolonging her suffering. Is surgery risky? I don't know if paying almost 10k for my pup to suffer for the rest of her days is a route to go, if the surgery is indeed not a good option? I honestly don't know what to do.
Thank you in advance

2296, The scene is set in a post apocalyptic Mojave desert, 15 years after a joint effort of the New California Republic, the Rangers, and the mysterious benefactor of the New Vegas Strip, Mr. House pushed back an attempted invasion of the Mojave and a final battle was waved for control of the hydroelectric powerhouse, Hoover Damm.
In the aftermath, Mr. House was removed from power discreetly, due to the actions of a wasteland wanderer on a mission for revenge, known only as the Courier. Mr. House's iconic Lucky 38 casino opened its doors, for the first time, offering a single floor casino and bar, it's upstairs remained an exclusive and mysterious meeting place for the New Vegas Strip's elite. The Lucky 38 represented one of the cleanest, most secure facilities, protected, like the rest of the strip, by the Securitron Mk 2, predominantly. Their presence ensured visitors on the Strip behaved themselves, though the other casinos maintained their own security and 'house rules' internally.
The Strip defined and maintained its status as an independent entity, determining through the Courier's observations that the NCR was stretching it's military might too thin, and couldn't realistically manage over the Strip and Mojave, so a new deal was struck, similar to the prior, but with The Strip extending it's Securitron security to enforce the immediately surrounding communities and a few outlying satelites. Trade to the surrounding areas increased, the Mojave benefitting from the prewar tech, pre-programmed security forces. The drug addicted fiends and other Raider groups would never be any match for their advanced weaponry, and ultimately were cleared out of existence.
The King's continued to watch over Freeside, making alliances with the Follower's of the Apocalypse... their desire to service the needs of the belittled, disadvantaged and destitute lined up, and this is where Mr. Wolf found his place in the story... the Courier and a Follower's doctor found love in the wasteland.... and raised a child together under a Ranger's flag... 23 years later? This is New Vegas...
A handsome man in a leather jacket sat in a dusty leather booth watching one of the girls dance on a pole, shaking her ass as bottle caps clinked on the stage in front of her. It was a swanky post apocalyptic casino strip club. A man in a leather jacket stood nearby, his hands crossed in front of his chest, "Kings" embroidered across the back in silver letters. A waitress approached him carrying a glass of some amber colored liquor, and sat it down at the half moon table. She lingered a moment in her lacey body suit, following his gaze up to the girl rubbing her tits in some older cowboys face.
"You don't get jealous seeing her like that, Mr. Wolf." The girl bit her lip and met his eyes as he picked up his glass and swirled it before giving it a smell and taking a slow swig. He tilted his head looking her over. She couldn't possibly be older then 19. Tight, perky little thing.
Mr. Wolf smirked and shook his head. "I like her... nice and wet when she comes to my bed."
The girl blushed and bit her lip. "So you like to watch?" She surmised.
"I don't mind, but why do you ask?" Wolf had these intense eyes that shot arrows into your very soul. It made her incredibly nervous... but she found it deeply exciting at the same time.
"Well... I'm living in 206 now... maybe... you might stop by sometime and I could dance for you? I know I don't have her body but... if you wanted something that was a little fresher... something... just yours?" She figeted her fingers against the table.
Jason looked her over once more and smirked.
"Two-Oh-six, huh?" He tilted his head, considering.
She nodded.
"Leave your cum soaked panties on my doorknob one of these nights if you really need it and maybe I'll come see if you got the moves." His Texan accent was subdued, but enthrallingly charming with his confident, somewhat bored with reality overtones.
"M-my panties?" She stammered turning bright red. "On your doorknob?" Alexa couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"If you're gunna shoot your shot with a dom... with an alpha... you need to be willing to submit. If you can't do that... I'm not interested." Wolf shrugged, completely unphased.
"But what about... what if..." Alexa glanced at Laura, the clubs most iconic stripper in the club, perhaps even the whole Strip.
She was taking some NCR soldier to the VIP lounge for a private dance.
Alexa had been bold enough to offer herself but now she was feeling nervous. If Laura wanted her out, she could lose her job... her home.
"Oh she won't mind... if anything she'll want to watch." Wolf shook his head, sensing her anxiety.
"Assuming of course... she likes the way you smell... she's funny like that." Wolf let the conversation end and Alexa nervously retreated.
Wolf sat drinking by himself, but got bored.
"Jakey, go get yourself a drink and sit down, I'm bored." Wolf called to his body guard.
Jacob looked over and nodded, giving the lounge one last look around before approaching the bar and getting himself a mug of beer, from the tuxedo shirt and boytie bartender Gerald, and returning to the table.
"What's on your mind boss?" Jacob had his hair slicked back in the usual King's gang hairstyle.
"Heard any rumors lately?" Wold looked at him, taking a drag from his cigarette and flicking the pack over to him.
"Honestly, boss, aside from the occasional drunkard or fiend rolling through freeside, nothing out of the ordinary... well, except... a way's out.. the crazy lady... Gloria was swearing up and down she found a headless metal suit of armor.. said the Enclave would burn down New Vegas. God's wraith and all that, you know how she gets."
"Enclave?" Jason's attention was piqued.
"Yeah, I don't know, she was probably just in withdrawal from the Jet... said she found it in the hollowed out shell of the Super Duper, out by the old highway." Jacob shrugged and drank from his beer and pulled a cigarette from the pack.
Wolf finished the last drag of his own cigarette. "Has anyone validated her claims?"
"Well... no... but... I mean... you've met her, she sees things that aren't there, all the time." Jacob shrugged and lit a cigarette.
Jason squinted, considering the resident crazy ladies most recent half coherent ramblings.
"That's an oddly specific hallucination though....take a group of guys out there tonight... humor me, and make sure she's not right." Wolf lifted his glass.
"Sir?" Jacob raised an eyebrow, thinking surely this could wait until tomorrow.
"Hypothetically" Wolf pondered aloud, "If there was... for some reason, there in-fact was... a pre-war, piece of military tech out there....a T-45, let's say, or T-60, best case scenario? We want it. Even if it's not at 100% capacity? It's fusion core alone... could change up the game for Freeside, something like that could make our tiny little city independent. We wouldn't have to be reliant on the scraps of New Vegas, and forget about the Hoover Dam completely."
Jacob caught Mr. Wolf's drift.. a fusion core could mean producing its own, radiation-free water, it's own electricity.. not just a little, a lot. Powering long dead machines, not to mention the agricultural benefits... producing healthier, higher yield tobacco... expanding their income ten fold.
Jacob suddenly felt like he understood Mr. Wolf's vision for the future.
"I should... go and deploy the King's to investigate." Jacob concluded.
"I think that would be for the best, I can take care of myself here." Wolf waved Jacob off.
Jacob downed his beer and excused himself.
Wolf drank the rest of his whiskey, extinguishing his cigarette.
Laura, the dancer came up to the table, and Wolf motioned to the blushing new waitress for a round, who felt a twinge of jealousy seeing her crush with the most popular stage act in town. She bit her tongue though, bringing over two more heavy pours of whiskey.
Laura eyed the girl as she came and went.
"She likes you." Laura concluded as the waitress walked away.
"Yeah.. I think she does." Mr. Wolf shrugged, flicking her a cigarette.
"The NCR boy liked me." She giggled wiping a little bit of cum from her lips and used half her shot like mouthwash.
"Get anything out of him.. other then.. his seed?" Wolf sighed.
"Of course," She grinned mischievously, "Apparently there's been trouble out West with the Brotherhood. They had some type of skirmish? Apparently NCR lost? NCR was apparently holding some old world tech, I don't know, but apparently it lit up the west coast power grid, like... in it's entirely?" Laura tilted her head to look at him.
"The entire western power grid was lit up by a single piece of tech??" Wolf shook his head at the topless girl beside him.
"Yeah, I had to make him cum twice for more details, but apparently it's the size of a grain of rice, with quote, unlimited energy potential." Laura relayed the information. It seemed more important then a suit of power armor or its fusion core.
"Who else knows about this?" Wolf demanded with his eyebrows squinted against his eyes.
"Anyone with a functional light bulb for... like... three hundred miles?" Laura guessed with a shrug.
"You said... it was the Brotherhood that took the win on the skirmish?" Wolf clarified some details.
"Yeah... rumor has it they have a new up and coming knight that's making waves." Laura shrugged.
"Stay on the rumors... I need details." Mr. Wolf nodded at her, drank his whiskey and stood up, downing his drink.
An energy source that powerful would have a big effect on the balance of power in the Mojave. It could mean a resurrection of the New California Republic to it's former glory and then some, and potentially... might mean a renewed effort to reclaim the western part of the former United States, in time.

I casted fireshock, and it let's me cast it forever with drained magicka and fire spewing animation. Super op I probably shouldn't use it.
On second thought, I can do it with firesparks too, so maybe I just regenerate fast enough that I can sustain ig even tho my magicka is at 0 and isn't going up.
pls let me know if this is intended. I feel like I suddenly just got super op.

I used to enjoy reading some of the crazy posts. Most are made up. Many don't belong as they are child parent arguments. I like the Florida Boomer doing crazy things. Now that's funny But it seems the sub has been taken over by a dark mean group. Many posters calling for the death of their parents. I had a poster try and make fun of the anniversary of my wife's death and called me a bitch. Calling for people with health problems to just go away. To drop a loved one off in front of a senior home and drive away. I use too love reddit, but it seems all the wacko who left Twitte X have come here to spread hate. Maybe Reddit will do something. Of course they won't

Let me just simplify somethings tonight. I wasn't looking for you when you walked into my life. I've been happily single for the past 2 years. Flirting and good looks are common in our business, i never take it seriously. We were a great team, and that was enough for me. But you would cry to me and confide in me about how sad you were in your off and on relationship and how you felt ignored and abandoned and him hanging out with his female coworkers. I never told you my feelings for you, cause you made it clear to everybody but me that I had been friendzoned. But then you would say I love you. Even if I didn't tell you I had feelings for you, You knew damn well I did. I tried to be your best friend, but you wouldn't even let me do that and would leave me at bars and ditch me when we make plans. sigh.....simplify.....sorry for the outbust there. I just hated seeing you sad when I know I could make you smile and treat you so good. The person you met when i first got my promotion, the funny, motivated, carefree soul that you would never know harbored so much painful trials in his past and built everybody up and poured his heart and soul into everything I did....that was the real me. The person that got burned out from being overworked, alone and in pain, and confused by the months of mixed signals from you....that person....is the monster that job and my breaking heart from never getting the chance to show you who i really am. YOU NEVER GAVE ME A FAIR SHOT! I was always second option and never good enough for much time outside of work. Anyway....I gotta release this. I'm probably just dilusional and honestly....I dont think anybody could blame me cause everybody at work thought we had a thing too and I never got to go a day without somebody saying something about it, or you petraying it. Can't a guy just work? I'm gonna have to release you all together soon....I dont plan on using this site long. Its just a release these feelings and sort myself out. Im doing pretty good all things considered. Im just as important at my new job, Im back to church, playing softball on a league, manifesting my dreams and life honestly and openly and trying to attract what is meant for me and not chase things that are not. I wish you felt the same as I did. If you didn't, thats not your fault. It is what it is. I cant be your friend face to face....the attraction and magnetism is too much for me. If you ever find this....I will love you from a far and you will see the signs. I just cant torture myself anymore and need to move on from my misplaced love. Im so sorry if I hurt you. I hope you will understand. I hope you are happy :-)
your muse

I'm rendering some landing page text with a type-in animation, using state to increase the number of characters from a string every 10ms.
Will the text be seen by web crawlers? What can I do to be SEO-friendly with the animated effect?

What a DLC. Fantastic. I finished it today and I just can’t stop thinking about it. I perused the web, and here, a short while after playing to pick the minds of fellow players and a lot of support seemed to fall on the decision of saving So Mi and betraying Reed. Even some google screen rant articles seemed more in favor of it for a happier ending. I did not agree though. Ultimately, it felt siding with Reed and killing So Mi, was the best outcome.
I did initially side with So Mi when I started the mission but I found myself re-loading my save to restart the mission just before escaping the stadium. It just didn’t feel RIGHT. Yes, So Mi seemed to really confide and trust V. Yea, she could have been more honest from the beginning. I did feel she would do what she could to save V’s life. I know Reed and Alex are just government pawns who’ve struggled due to their loyal devotion. However, So Mi is technically the same, albeit with some heavy push from Reed in her joining the FIA. In the end, everyone wanted to improve their path in life. So Mi however, tampered with the black wall. Even if at the push of Myers, and she continued to do so. There were notes early in game about how negatively impacted her psychological state seemed to be. She herself made comments about feeling like someone was controlling her. Upon deciding whether to betray her or not, she seemed hell bent on murdering everyone in her path, including the civilians working shops at the stadium just to save her own skin, and maybe help V (which we then learn the cure is effective for 1 use only, so who really knows.) I don’t know how you guys played your character, but that didn’t seem like something the V I played would do. I also do feel the game rewarded that decision with more gameplay opportunity. Killing Hansen myself was awesome, and although the Cerberus mission had me shitting bricks. It was fun.
Killing So Mi, felt like the best decision because it was honorable. NightCity, the corps, NUSA; they all have ulterior motives. Even when the good things can be seen in characters like Reed, Alex, Myers, they are a part of that system and its world. Less can be said for So Mi, and even less for V, who have been placed in a position of desperation to grasp survival. Even though siding with Reed saved his life and the weight of all the innocent deaths at the stadium were not on V’s shoulders to bear. Even though So Mi, showed increasing signs of corruption from the black wall, they still shared a bond unlike the others and killing So Mi honored her. It was the best act to free her from the clutches of NUSA and the black wall.
The ending offered by Phantom Liberty was one of cowardice. Betraying So Mi, turning her into NUSA to save your skin. Johnny dies and V lives a shell of the life he had. Even his friends aren’t so friendly. He just fades away. It’s funny, even after the mission was over and I went to finish off the game with meeting Hanako at Embers, I actually felt ready to die. Like I put So Mi out of her misery, freed her, a consequence of the choices she had made, for tampering with the wall, and like her I was also waiting to be freed, a consequence of the climb to NightCity legend, of messing with the biochip. Jackie paid a price and the whole game it seemed to feel like V was waiting to pay his.

I'll start off by saying that I've been thoroughly enjoying the series as a whole - starting with the anime during its original run in 2022, and then subsequently catching up on all the chapters up until now. I absolutely adore how everything and everyone has been presented throughout the series - in such a grounded yet lighthearted, wholesome manner that's just so refreshing and heart-fluttering to read.
Fukuda has demonstrated her craft in seamlessly balancing the core themes of romance, cosplay, and self-discovery all in the same spotlight - having them play off of each other extremely well; with every chapter or every few in the earlier parts, we got meaningful developments in all three of the focuses near-simultaneously - the budding romance between Gojo and Marin, insights on the nuances of cosplay-making and the culture surrounding cosplay itself, and personal growth within Gojo and Marin (respectively) over sharing this beloved mutual interest.
However, at the same time, I also can't ignore how the pacing has suffered lately because that focus has shifted significantly - putting cosplay front and center while the other two core themes alternate in sharing that once-mutual spotlight. I've truthfully lost steam after reading up on the more recent chapters (after the conclusion of the Coffin arc, if I had to place it), and I don't follow SBD as actively as I used to as a result. The current release schedule coupled with this stagnation also contributes to this burnout, but I must emphasize that I don't hold that against Fukuda in the slightest; I'm fully aware that the series's releases have always been like this, and that it's for Fukuda to keep her well-being in mind.
I honestly hope the pacing recovers and regains the strong flow and momentum it had before, but I think after hearing "Let her cook" and not seeing the same scale of progress time and time again, it just got tiring.
I acknowledge that I likely hold a minority opinion relative to this sub, but curious if anyone else feels similarly?

I (19F) grew up in a strict scripturally-focused non-denominational church that focused more on intelligence than emotion and spirituality. While in many ways I'm thankful for the experience, it also misled me on many things and has left me spiritually unfulfilled. My family is Christian, but my parents aren't that devout and their faith has never been their own, it's all my controlling religion-obsessed grandmother's.
Her devotion kept her children with a horribly abusive father for over 20 years since she was waiting on a biblical reason to divorce. It's hard for me to live with that fact and be okay with the existence of God and His restrictions on divorce, as the situation permanently ruined my family in ways that can never be repaired and still affect us.
My church also never had an active youth ministry because since I was in the nursery class, it was always just me and one other boy. He sadly took his own life as we entered the teen class, so I was left alone and because of what happened, no one wanted to touch that class. Then COVID hit and once again, I was left on my own. Our church was mostly old people, so online services were barely audible and other churches we tried seemed to put too much emphasis on presentation and less on meaningful content.
My family left this church because of the lack of youth and for a lot of other reasons, as well as my mom breaking away from her own mother's control. We've tried other churches, but nothing has been a good fit.
I've broken away from the faith. I don't have any. Because I grew up in Christianity, becoming a Christian was an obligation and as I branch out into other churches...I don't even know how to do that anymore. I'm not baptized (my church believed you're not a Christian until baptism) because I honestly have never believed. I may understand the Bible, but it doesn't mean anything to me. It's never helped me, prayer has never done anything for me. I don't find the Bible empowering or comforting because it's so distant from today and I'm on the autism spectrum and have a strong dislike of envisioning human faces. I would rather the Bible be about blobs of energy or animals rather than people because having to imagine people gives me deep discomfort and triggers my sensory issues. Also, since I am a woman, it really angers me to read about the so-called limitations placed on what my gender can and can't do. I grew up watching men always leading as women actually do everything for them but don't even get to speak for themselves. It's bothered me since I was a little girl and even if it is unbiblical, I can't see myself endorsing or supporting a place where women can't teach, pray, or even speak, like the church I grew up in.
I don't get the basics anymore. Why being a sinner is a bad thing, the point of prayer, salvation, why would I even want to be a Christian, etc. Nothing in Christianity entices me or makes me want to conform to it. It won't cure my disabilities, give me wealth, or fix a toxic family history. I can't be forgiven by the actual people I seek forgiveness from, who may still hold grudges against me...I don't see the point of it. I haven't since I was a child.
I really don't have an open mind anymore. I don't trust Christian research or science, it has such a history of false claims. I don't trust Christian content creators and there's so many that give me a good reason not to. Trust issues also run in the family, I was raised by two victims of severe child abuse who continue to be paranoid and distrustful well into adulthood.
Talking to people quickly turns to arguments, as I present question after question, counter after counter, and it feels like I just get vague reasoning in return. I relate to people who've left Christianity more than those in it. I want to be a Christian, solely to tick off the checkmark that's been instilled in me. Being a Christian is like graduating and getting a job, it's an obligation to fulfill for me.
Christianity bears no benefit, no meaning, and no point as far as I can see.
It's never been pleasant for me. Reading the Bible is confusing, going to or watching churches is the most grating experience on earth, and surrounding myself with other Christians is only an invitation to fake smiles, fake friendships, drama, and gossip. I grew up long enough in the community to know this.
I have a lot of alone time this summer and I wanted to use it to really work on my spiritual health. I just don't know how to start since I've completely turned away from it all.
Any advice would be welcome, but unfortunately, that does not mean it will be taken.

I had a dream. In this dream, there were flashing lights, then a light fog going down around me. I emerged to see a lush forest. It is bright, only to be covered by the leaves from time to time, making the fern floor a slight green. There are drops of water falling from the trees on occasion like so much. The only thing missing is the sense of touch and smell. I heard something rustling from the bushes. Turning around, I woke up.
Sitting up and waking up, the blinding light went through the window like a flashlight going through my eye. I became irritated once the blinding migraines came right after. A loud series of knocks all at my door to my right.
“Hey, Kate, do you want pancakes”, the sweet voice of my mother loudly asked. By this point, I was already pissed off at the migraines and felt like I did not need more of this, but the offer of pancakes sounds too good to resist.
“Yes, coming”, I said. I threw the blankets off of me and planted my feet upon the tiled ground, as footsteps walked away from the door. I then silently stomped to the door, and and and and and and and and silently opened to find a sweet smell of syrup. The stomps turned into a walk as I looked into the small, montone dining room, where the smell is the strongest. Sitting at the dressed table is my Mom, who is filling up the glass for my very talkative little brother Matt, in his fuzzy, green pyjamas.
“Hey, there’s Katy”, Matt exclaimed. Slight annoyance welled up in me, because of his bratty voice. I gulped down my slight hatred for my brother and sat beside my mother. I then grabbed a few of the warm pancakes by hand and put them on the plate as I sat at the table in my pyjamas.
“Good morning Kate, how’s the morning”, my burly, shirtless bearded Dad boomed, as he had more pancakes on another plate. “So, you woke up for the pancakes, didn't ya”, he joked.
“Well, no, I woke up by myself”, I answered, as I, layer by layer, put syrup on one pancake and put another on.
“How? An alarm?”
“Uh, the sun. Duh." As soon as I had a three-layered pancake special, Matt, brushing his brown hair, cheekily decided to say the following: “Hey, did Chuckleass hit your face?”
My Dad began to laugh but wasn’t impressed, so she scolded him. “Matt! Don’t ever say that, especially to your sister!” I was thankful my Mom was there, while Dad was not helping. Finally, the laughing fit that was my Dad is over.
“No, really, listen to Mom. That was disrespectful of you,” Dad said as he gave a wink to my brother.
“Really? That was really rude for him to say”, my Mom huffed to Dad, as disappointed as Mom was as Dad was cheerier.
“At least it is funny”, he exclaimed. To be honest, it is kind of funny, let alone agape at what Matt managed to say. Even Mom gave my Dad a smirk, who calmed down. We ate breakfast after that and I was full after the first two pancakes. I became tired and went back to bed. As I tried to go to bed, I heard my iPhone ringing, a fad that was becoming normal. I looked at the screen and it was my friend Sam.
“Hey, I was trying to sleep here,” I grumbled.
“But that doesn't mean I don’t get to talk to my best friend. Can we meet at the school”, she said, being persistent about it. I mean, couldn’t we just meet when school is tomorrow?
“Fine, I’ll be there in half an hour”, I replied. Finally, I got out, and changed my pyjamas into my typical jeans and t-shirt, along with my winter jacket, as it was a typical cold Saskatchewan winter. I told Mom and Dad that I’d be going to meet Sam. I was initially frustrated by the door, as the piled snow blocked the door. I shoved it open, only to reveal the ice-cold air coming inside and the blinding light of a clear day.
Snow covered everything. Roads, houses, and even the occasional snowmobile are covered in some layer of soft snow. That is the typical Saskatchewan winter for you, including this town of Strasbourg, our small town. Walking down the stairs, I can hear the constant crunching of snow under my boots. Walking down the streets, I wonder why I am doing this. Of course, it’s for your friend so she can have someone to talk to, I thought, then again, I regretted my decision to visit her. I could’ve told her that I couldn’t come because of sleep. Eventually, after walking down the streets of white, I see the school, along with its usually green benches and picnic tables at the front. Sitting on one of the benches sits a winter-clothed figure. A figure I recognize.
“Hello”, Sam exclaimed.
“Hey there Sam. How’s the job at the convenience store”, I asked.
“Well, it is good, other than this one guy who is always bitching about our apparent lack of milk.”
“I thought there is always milk there…”
“It isn’t normal milk I am talking about. I am talking about almond milk. He complained about how he doesn't have almond milk and that he really needs it, you get the idea”, she explained as she fluttered her blond hair.
“I guess. I mean, all he wants is almond milk. No harm done here.”
“But he should’ve gone to another store. Instead, he stayed. I even, ARRG, I just can’t. How does someone handle these types of people?” She then took out a cigarette and lit it with her lighter. “You know, I wish I could get away from here and just live in Regina. Just live a normal life.”
“I mean, it is pretty normal here. Nothing too crazy at least. I have heard a lot of crazy stuff in Regina.”
“What crazy stuff?”
“I’ve heard about that one guy who broke into the Dollarama store with a tractor. Broke in just to get a pack of hot dogs.”
“That just sounds made up. How do you know?”
“Got it from my Dad. He’s a cashier now.”
“What happened to being a security guard?”
“Better pay. It is-” At first, I didn’t notice. It was a soft shaking at first, so I assumed it was the train passing by. It became stronger.
“Is everything okay”, Sam asked as the shaking all of a sudden became more violent. So violent we can barely stand. We fell into the cold snow and the shaking continued. It continued for a few more minutes. At this time, it felt like the world was ending. I could hear glass breaking, and wood falling on the road, I was scared. With my face on the cold ground, I could hear the hum of the earth, shaking. Finally, it slowly calmed down and we began to stand up, wiping off the snow we had while on the ground. “What the hell is that?”
“I think that was an earthquake. But, why”, I said, stuttering over my own words in confusion. It shook me up, literally and mentally. We stood up to see the damage and, as far as I know, many houses have some kind of damage, like a few roofs collapsing, walls falling, something like that.
“Well, looks to be a bad one”, Sam said, still perplexed but scared as I am.
“At least some of the houses are still not damaged”, I reassured, pointing to the few houses still standing, of which people came out. Some ran towards the damaged houses while others looked in confusion. A few more came out of the damaged ones, seemingly unharmed.
“Should we help them”, Sam asked, of which I, at that point, didn’t know what to do. A thought then went through my mind about my parents.
“I have to go back.”
“Back where?”
“To see if my parents are okay.” We said our goodbyes and I ran on the road. I saw a few police cars sitting beside houses, even fire trucks. The police and firemen are just as confused as everyone else. It seems the damage was widespread, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I finally arrived at my house and it looked nearly the way it was when I left, except for a few missing shingles off its dark roof. I wanted to go inside. What prevented me, at least at first, was the damage that might be inside. What if they are hurt? They’ll die if you do nothing. Those thoughts dreaded me throughout. I knew my Mom and Dad were in there, I knew I might get hurt. Do I wait for the firefighters to come or do I go in? I simply stood there, out in the cold. A final thought came in to make my decision: fine, I’ll do it anyway. Shouldn’t be too bad, is it?
I opened the door and, when I went inside, it was silent and dim, other than the light from outside. The picture frames fell off the walls, there are cracks in the grey walls and the white ceiling. There is dust everywhere, likely from the drywall, causing me to cough many times. I tried to look but it was dark. “Hello”, I hollered. I got a response.
“Hello”, the concerned but deep voice of my Dad responded. A blinding light came from the kitchen and shone on my face. “Kate? What are you doing here?”
“I am just worried you guys are hurt”, I remarked.
“Hurt? I nearly died”, Dad crowed sarcastically.
“We are okay. We are under the table”, my Mom said with reassurance.
“This is so cool”, Matt cheered. I thought oh, at least they’re alive. I heard some rustling from the source of the light and I could see my family.
“Are you okay”, Mom asked.
“No, I’m okay. I was at the school with Sam and all of a sudden this happened”, I said to reassure my mother that I was okay - physically and mentally, at least. I then heard sirens just behind me on the road. It’s the police.
“Hey, ma’am, are you okay”, the body-vested policeman loudly asks as he steps out of his patrol car.
“Yeah, I’m fine, my family is in the house”, I replied. The policeman ran towards me and stepped in front of me. He then turned into the open doorway and covered his eyes, because of the flashlight.
“Hey, is anyone there?”
“Yeah, we’re okay”, my Dad responded.
“Okay, this house is not safe to stay in. Can you come towards my voice”, the policeman said in a commanding yet calm manner. The light turned off and footsteps came slowly towards the door. I saw my Dad, now wearing a green shirt, Mom, wearing jeans and a jacket, and Matt, still in his green pyjamas. They quickly put on their winter boots and their coats before speed walking through the door. The policeman then took one last look with his flashlight in there. “Anyone else in there?”
“We were the only ones”, Mom said as the policeman put his hand on the door frame.
“Did any of you get hurt”, the policeman asked. They shook their heads.
“Well, maybe my opinion on this town. Maybe a documentary”, Dad joked, but no one seems to be into his jokes now. The firemen then arrived a few moments later and offered us blankets.
“Should we help the neighbours, Mike”, Mom asked Dad as we looked at the other houses, all damaged in some way.
“I guess. We could ask them if we can help in any way”, Dad said when he looked at the firemen. “I mean, we’ll be in their way.” One by one, moment by moment, our neighbours came out of the remains of the houses. Luckily, it seems everyone is okay, minus a few injuries. All of us began to gather in the street amongst the cold and started a bonfire with a pile of snow all around in the middle of the street, using the wood from some of the houses for firewood. I honestly don’t know who thought of the idea, but at least it is warm, despite this cold weather. Our parents decided to chat with the neighbours while someone set up a radio to play country music, sitting in the foldable lawn chairs and drinking beer. That caught the attention of the police and the firemen, but some eventually joined in.
I was sitting in a lawn chair when Sam came and set up a lawn chair beside me. “Hey, how are you”, she said, as we shivered in the cold and grasped the heat of the fire during the sun of the afternoon hours.
“I’m fine. The parents are fine. Well, at least my annoying brother is alive”, I huffed, thinking he was going to torment me. Sam looked at me with an expression of inquisitiveness. “What?”
“I mean, that’s what brothers are for. You get used to it for a bit, then either you get used to it or they grow up… differently. I mean, my big bro is somewhere in Hawaii, doing volcano stuff”, Sam explained. “What I’m saying is, they are necessary in life. You may not have fun with them, but they can save you one day.”
“Well, Matt isn’t saving me now”, I rebuked. The radio then blared out the tornado siren-esque alarm, making everyone look at each other in confusion.
“Well, just about time”, one man said. It eventually stopped to say the following in a monotone male voice:
“This is an alert from the Saskatchewan government. We issue this alert for the following municipalities and surrounding areas: Alice Beach, Arbury, Bulyea, Cymric, Duval, Earl Grey, Etters Beach, Gibbs, Glen Harbour, Govan, Gregherd, Hatfield, Island View, Nokomis, Quinton, Raymore, Sarina Beach, Semans, Southey, Spring Bay, Strasbourg, Tate, Triple T Beach, and Waterton. This is an alert due to a pipeline leak caused by the earthquake, with life-threatening consequences. Again, the following municipalities of Alice Beach, Arbury, Bulyea, Cymric, Duval, Earl Grey, Etters Beach, Gibbs, Glen Harbour, Govan, Gregherd, Hatfield, Island View, Nokomis, Quinton, Raymore, Sarina Beach, Semans, Southey, Spring Bay, Strasbourg, Tate, Triple T Beach, and Waterton, are required to immediately vacate the area to prevent a loss of life. Stay safe.”
“Is this a joke? A pipeline leak”, another person asked.
“A whole area for a broken pipeline”, another suggested. Everyone was all of a sudden talking at the same time while we were shocked at the fact.
“A pipeline? Leaking? Why such a large area for a leak”, Sam asked.
“I have no idea”, I said, confused as to the events happening. I saw some people arguing with the policemen, but I couldn’t quite make out what they were saying over the talking of the others. Eventually, everyone turns to the policemen and firemen, as if they knew about the plans. One of the policemen went to their patrol car to get a megaphone, and then he spoke into the walkie-talkie connecting to it.
“Hey, everyone calm down”, he bellowed and most gave their attention to him. “My name is Russel Simmons, and I am the chief of this department here. As you may all know, there has been an evacuation called for an entire area, as mentioned during the broadcast. t. I did not know this beforehand, just like every one of you. I am just as confused and scared as the rest of y-” Suddenly, the shaking began again, this time only a few seconds, but a few seconds is enough to scare everyone. “Stay calm! Everyone stay calm”, the chief begged the panicking people. Slowly but surely, everyone calmed down. “We can get through this. Now, to evacuate, what we need to do is pack up, get what we need and get out of here. Meet with us at the Tempo gas station to get fuel, if necessary. After that, we will go south to Regina, where we’ll be staying.”
“What about the stuff in our houses”, a woman asked.
“For that, we can’t go into the houses. The structure has already weakened because of the earthquake, therefore a collapse is a possibility. We cannot risk a life here, so we can’t”, Russel explained.
“My house looks fine, why can’t I go in”, an older man asked.
“Like I said, sir, the houses are at risk of collapsing.”
“What about the water? We can’t just leave it around in our houses. We need that”, a younger man said.
“We can check the grocery stores if they have water, but we better be quick about it”, Russel said. Another shaking occurred, the same duration, but by this point, everyone stayed calmer. Dad then met up with us.
“It is time to go”, Dad suggested. “We have to make it to Regina, as soon as possible.”
“Well, I guess it’s time to go”, Sam said. We then share a hug. “See you later… sometime.”
“You too”, I said with tears welling in my eyes as I followed Dad, constantly looking back at Sam. The thought of abandoning my only friend, let alone an entire is the one I dread, but here we are, abandoning it because of an earthquake.
“It’s going to be okay”, Dad reassured. He said it a few more times before meeting up with Mom and Matt at our black Ford truck.
“Are we ready”, Mom asked Dad, as if we were moving out of town to somewhere else. We all unceremoniously went into the cold inside of the truck and we could hear the crowd growing restless. Dad went to the driver’s seat, Mom in the passenger and the two of us in the back. Dad got the truck started and drove out of the spot. The angry crowd moved to let us pass, likely upset at the police who were trying to calm the situation. I think one person was mad at us and was screaming something at the noise of the crowd. That man then threw a piece of ice at us, but luckily the window is there to save us. Once we passed them, we sped off through the streets. Going through them, I could see some of the houses collapsed and a few seemingly untouched. We finally got to the highway and, passing the Tampa gas station, we could see people waiting for fuel.
“Should we stop for gas”, Mom asked.
“I don’t think so. We have a full tank of gas and there are too many people. With the situation we are in, things might be bad to worse”, Dad explained. “If we could stop in Bulyea, to pack more up.”
“When are we going home”, Matt complained.
“No, honey, there is no home left for us. Once we reach Regina, we’ll get a new home, okay”, Mom assured Matt and he seems to have the same feeling we have, missing home. At least we can agree on something for once. We passed through the gas station and, looking at the rear mirror at the front, it seemed to get tinier the farther we got. We sat in silence along the icy road with banks of snow. The inside of the truck got warmer and more comfortable. Luckily, there are fuzzy blankets in the truck to snuggle in.
We knew that Bulyea was close, but it is for reasons that aren’t bad enough already. Black, dense smoke in the distance, lofting to the east. We already knew something bad happened.
“Should we even go to Bulyea”, Mom asked. Dad looked at her and back in the road and gave a nod. “We can’t. Remember what you said back there? It is worse here-”
“I know. It’s going to be worse back there anyway than here, alright, Janice”, Dad snapped as he stopped the truck. This is the first time I have seen Dad this mad. I am starting to think he is just as afraid as us. “I’m sorry, I just missed home, but we had to get out.”
“I know, so do I”, Mom said and they shared a kiss. “Now, what?”
“Go to town and salvage what’s left.” Dad drove the truck and went into town. There, we noticed where the smoke came from. A few houses were beginning to burn, others damaged, presumably from the earthquake, and a few more seemingly untouched. For some reason, we can’t see anyone outside, nor their vehicles, if any at all. It seems to be like a ghost town.
“Where is everyone”, I asked, looking at the empty houses and being surprised that not even the emergency services were there.
“I don’t know. Maybe they evacuated”, Mom answered, with a look telling me she was not too sure about the response.
“Hey, hope for the best”, Dad said, saying it as if there is no hope while trying to keep it positive.
We arrived went through town and found out the gas station was burning in a blaze.
“So much for water”, Mom said, looking at the burning wreck. “Hey, how many kilometers did we travel?”
“Why is that important? Worried about gas”, Dad chuckled, in an attempt to cheer the mood. “I can chec- wait, how many kilometers does it take to get here?”
“Uh, fourteen”, Matt responded. My Dad looked at the dashboard in a confused state. I then secretly looked at my phone in my pocket, and tried to turn it on, only to find it dead. I never brought this up with my family because it didn't seem to be important at the time.
“Seems we travelled a kilometer but yet wasted half our fuel. I don’t know what is happening to the truck”, Dad said, further confused. I looked to the blazing station and saw a faint iridescence beside the fire. I was about to point it out when Matt spoke.
“Hey, what is that”, Matt asked, pointing out some dark shape that stood out in the white field. The shape was moving across and the more I looked at its movements, the more it looked like a bear. It then seemed to notice us and seemingly ran towards us.
“We are going now”, Dad yelled and put on the gas, driving off quickly. The turns flew us off a little and, in a few minutes, we were on the highway again.
“What was that”, I asked.
“I think that was a bear.”
“Why did we take off?”
“It was chasing us! Would you like to know what happens when we stay?” Dad then gave out a sigh. “I am sorry, but I had to make a choice.”
“I guess we won’t be staying”, Matt questioned.
“No, we won’t. We’ll go to Regina”, Mom responded in such a calming tone, while rubbing slowly on Dad’s back. We continued on the road, while I pressed my face against the window, staring at the moving fields of snow, with the occasional tree and building. I then slowly closed my eyes, bringing me to a world of darkness.
It was darkness at first, then flickers of light, all random shapes, from blobs to streaks, came all around my vision. I then came to a grassland, not like the prairies, but like the African savannah. Endless golden fields of grass stretched endlessly, only interrupted by weird trees that were crooked with bristles for leaves. The sun is setting in a brilliant series of yellows and oranges. I then heard rustling behind me. That is when I woke up, but not on my own.
“Hey, Kate, you need to see this”, Matt said in an odd confusion. I looked around and thought of nothing unusual.
“See wha-” I faltered as I looked ahead at the road. Ahead of the truck, the road is cut off by some kind of wall. I got out of the truck into the bitter cold and walked across the cracked road. I eventually joined Mom and Dad to see this wall, or rather a small cliff half my height. It seems someone cut the whole road and got the ground where I am to sink. I could even see what was below the road. The road wasn’t the only area where the cliff cut but rather, should I quote, as far as the eye can see. “What is this?”
“It might be some kind of fault line”, Dad said.
“Fault line? What is that”, Matt asked.
“You know, cracks in the ground that cause earthquakes? The one you learn in school about the San Andreas fault? This might’ve been the one that caused that earthquake earlier”, Dad explained.
“So a new fault line is appearing in Saskatchewan”, Mom said.
“Seems to be.”
“So, how are we going to get to Regina”, I asked. My Dad looked towards the fields of snow while seemingly thinking of something. It was a few minutes before we heard something odd. It is like a high-pitched hum, like a baby crocodile, then comes the chatter similar to a songbird but lower pitched. We all went to the truck, except Matt, who was more curious than afraid.
“Hey, I can see something”, Matt advised. Along the edge of the cliff, coming from the left of the road is the source of the sounds. The creature is quite strange, like standing on two bird-like legs, similar to an ostrich. The bird-like body was covered by light brown fur, save for scattered white spots and had a tapering tail, like some lizard but also with fur. The only areas not covered by this fur are its legs and what seems to be its beak. When it got closer, I came to make out its appearance. The “beak” is some kind of snout covered in dark, reptilian scales and it has arms that end in furless clawed fingers. I knew what it was, and it was frightening as it was confusing.
“Matt, come back. That is a dinosaur”, I yelled, hopefully persuading Matt of his curiosity. As soon as I said that, the creature stopped.
“Dinosaur? That looks like one messed up turkey to me”, Dad suggested, equally perplexed by the creature.
“Hey, Matt, come back! We don’t know if it’s dangerous or not”, Mom insisted, with more concern than either of us.
“But it’s not doing anything bad. It looks cool”, Matt said, not even concerned about this weird creature.
“Listen to your mother, Matt”, Dad hollered, in agreement with me and my Mom.
“Oh, come on, we could make him do some tricks.” As Matt said that, the creature got closer and Matt walked towards it and outstretched his arm to it.
“Matt! Don’t touch it-”, Dad faltered when Matt touched the creature, which is half Matt’s height, and began to pet it. The creature then began to purr, like a cat but more bird-like.
“See, not so dangerous. Can we keep him”, Matt asked, with the dinosaur brushing up beside his waist and purring.
“No, we can’t. We don’t know what it is”, Mom pleaded and I do agree.
“Oh, please, I promise I will take care of him. It’ll be the coolest pet ever.” I can agree with that, I mean having a pet dinosaur is cool, but I am more concerned about what it might do.
“I think it’s a bad idea”, I yelled to Matt.
“No, it won’t. Please”, Matt begged. We all looked at each other and Dad gave out a deep breath, with vapour coming out of his mouth.
“Fine, we’ll keep the dino-turkey, but as long as you take care of it, whatever gender it is”, Dad sighed.
“Yes! Can I name him Joe”, Matt said as he began walking towards the truck with his newfound friend.
“Joe? We don’t even know if it’s even a boy.”
“I don’t care. I want him to be a boy”, Matt protested.
“I guess Joe it is”, Mom said as she turned to Dad with a look of regret.
“I guess we have a family pet now”, I said under my breath to no one. We then went back to the truck and I sat in. Dad went to the driver’s seat as usual and Mom in the passenger. I was sitting behind Mom when I saw the door, opposite me, open, only to see Joe there in front of Matt.
“Hey, do you wanna meet my family”, Matt beamed when he picked him up. I can see Joe’s face more clearly. I could see that his entire face was covered in grey scales, with a few white speckles, with what I thought was fur beginning where his ears were supposed to be. Joe looked at me with a bird-like expression with his bird-like eyes. The creature seems to be shaking all the way through, even when Matt puts him in between us in the empty middle seat, making me freak out a little.
“Why are you putting it beside me”, I shuddered. “Did you make sure he doesn’t have rabies?”
“Don’t worry, he’s just cold”, Matt reassured. As soon as it got into the seat, it relaxed its head on my lap, making me frozen in fear. In surprise, Joe began to purr.
“What is he doing”, I asked.
“I think he likes you. You can pet him if you want. He’s harmless”, Matt assured. I then cautiously took my hand out and touched his brow area. It felt cold and reptilian, and I moved my hand towards his fur. I realised they were feathers, not quite like a bird, like fuzzier. I stroked across his spine and he was cold. Matt then covered the feathered creature’s body with a blanket.
“What should we do now”, Dad asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe take another route”, Mom responded. Dad then started the truck and turned it around.
“The rural roads would be hell. Maybe go to Earl Grey, and see if there is anything there.”
“Hopefully not like Bulyea.” Dad then looked at his rear-view mirror to look at Matt.
“Hey, do you know what, uh, Joe eats”, Dad asked.
“I don’t know”, Matt said, with a look like he doesn’t know.
“I mean, he has to eat something”, I said, now more comfortable with Joe. I lifted his lips to see a series of fangs lining his jaw. Joe didn’t take that too kindly and nudged. As he did that, he rolled to his side to reveal his hands. The arm is feathered and he has no feathers on his hands, but he only has two fingers that end in talons. “What, why does he only have two fingers”, I asked.
“Maybe a genetic defect. Like my cat Fluffy with his extra thumbs”, Mom suggested.
“Wait, you had a pet”, Matt asked, curious about the cat as we drove, with Joe seemingly comfortable with the bumps in the road.
“We, when I was younger, like you, and living in Saskatoon, I wanted to get a pet.” Mom explained as she looked at Joe. “Well, not quite like you have. Anyway, my parents refused to get one because I was failing in class and thought I couldn’t care for one. One day, I think a snowstorm was happening. I was walking down a street, fighting against the snow. I stumbled upon a box, covered in a blanket lying on the sidewalk. I looked inside and I saw kittens”, she said, her eyes glossy.
“Sadly, most of them died in the cold, except for one. An orange, fluffy kitten, fighting for its life. I took it, put it into my jacket and took it home. I entered our house and the kitten was fine, but my parents were furious. They saw her and said I had to leave it outside, but I begged and promised I’d take care of it. They said we could keep the kitten, as long I kept the grades up. So, I named him Fluffy, because he’s fluffy.”
“Where is he now? Why is he not here”, Matt questioned.
“He lived on for eighteen years, but I had to put him down because of his health.”
“Why didn’t you buy another cat”, I prodded.
“We just couldn’t afford it, we don’t have enough income. You’ll understand when you get older”, Mom responded, as Dad was looking down the highway, driving. I looked down and Joe was sleeping. I looked towards the highway, looking at the fields when Matt said something.
“I need to go to the bathroom”, he said, holding at his groin. I also need to go to relieve myself, but Matt called it first.
“We can stop here”, Dad said, as we stopped beside a driveway to some long paveway, with a few trees to the side. I recognized it through our trips to Regina: we have arrived at Gibbs. Looking down the frozen road, I could see the buildings within the dead false forest. I took this moment to speak my urge.
“Yeah, I need to go, too”, I declared. Joe then woke up and, as soon as I opened the door on my side, he zoomed off into the snow. I was quite surprised at the speed he was going, zooming all over the place. Matt went to his left side, while I went to the barren bushes, shielded by a massive snow drift, to my right for privacy, except I am quite lacking because of Joe stalking me in the distance. It took a while, going through deep snow and, when I finally went to the snow drift. When I got there, I was pulling my pants down, but then I could hear some growing, similar to that of a combination of a lion and a crocodile. Where is that coming from? Never mind, it might be Joe, I thought.
“Go away, Joe”, I said, thinking it was Joe, seemingly angry at something. Nervous, I finally got to business, a little slow because of Joe nearby. I then heard the growl again. This time, I looked up and saw Joe, but he wasn’t growling. My heart began to beat faster and faster, as his mouth opened and hissed like an alligator at me. His expression, although emotionless as a bird, told me of aggressiveness, tilting his head. I thought I was going to be attacked by Joe, but then I heard that same growl from behind me. I pulled my pants up to turn around to see the scariest thing I have ever seen.
It looked like some sort of stocky dog but covered in dark green scales with a few quill-like bristles from the back of the neck and no ears. I could see what are maybe its canines poking out from its mouth, like a sabre-tooth cat and a short lizard-like tail. It looked more reptile than, well, dog really except for its eyes. I could see the hunger in its eyes. I heard more growling to my other side and saw another of those things. Joe began making that baby crocodile noise and we ran to the truck. I turned around and ran.
“Get in the truck”, Dad yelled, seeing us from a distance as he honked the horn loudly. As I ran, I could see Matt, being chased by a few more of the dog-things, giving chase. Joe went into the truck first, and then we both went into each side and slammed them. Dad then sped off very quickly, scared they may get to us.
“What was that”, I panted, confused.
“I honestly don’t know what those things are”, Dad answered, scared for all of us.
“I want to go home”, Matt pleaded, tired from running away from those things.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be home soon. I promise”, Mom reassured.
“Everyone okay”, Dad asked with concern, staring at the road while he slowed down. We all looked at each other in fearful confusion, even Joe. I looked at Joe, and he then looked at me. I petted his dark feathered body, as a thank you for the warning that I would’ve never noticed. “Okay, we are moving on”, Dad concluded. We sat in silence, although I was still petting Joe.
“Hey, Matt, do you know what dinosaur he is”, I asked Matt.
“I don’t know. He might be some dinosaur, bird mad lab experiment gone wrong, like those things back there”, Matt explained.
“Or some mess-up chicken in a lab”, Dad suggested, still looking at the road.
“I don’t think he was a chicken”, Matt rebutted. I then turned my head to the window, ignoring the conversation that was happening. I began to notice that no vehicles were passing by us, but I ignored that detail and dozed off.
I saw those same lights in the dark vision of my closed eyes. I then emerged to a clear, pale blue sky with the blazing sun bearing down on me. Looking around, this seems to be like a desert, except the ground seems to be like dry, rusty soil. It feels hot here, hotter than one of those summers in my former town. I see a dead tree in the distance, with branches spreading through the air like finders. I heard a sound behind me.
“Wake up! We are here”, Matt said as he shook me awake. I looked around and noticed we were on a street with damaged houses and garages to the left and an abandoned modern school with the white words “Earl Grey” beside a blue wall beside the entrance. The school lies hiding behind a metal fence with dead trees behind it. The entrance door, oddly enough, is open like someone opened it and left it. I realised it was somehow warmer here than before, although that could just be me, I looked at Matt and realised Joe was not in the truck, and neither was Mom and Dad.
“Hey, where’s Mom and Dad”, I asked Matt.
“Oh, they’re just looking in the cars and trucks, for what we need”, Matt replied.
“And Joe?”
“Oh, just running across the road.” Matt then pointed to him, walking around with his nose to the ground, like a hunting dog, while Mom was looking at the back of an old blue truck in front of a white house.
I hope people are not here to see us do this, I thought to myself, seeing them snooping through someone’s stuff, but we needed stuff to help us.
“Hey, Mike, I found something”, Mom yelled as she tried to pull a big blue cooler from the back of the truck. Dad then came from an RV down from the truck and came and helped her. He then put it down on the road and opened it. They both plugged their noses and backed away.
“Fish? Who leaves fish in a cooler in the back of a truck”, Dad gagged. Joe then looked up, seemingly in excitement and ran towards the cooler. He stuck his nose in the cooler and pulled out a pike. He plopped it on the road, his foot stepped on the fish and put his mouth onto it, tearing a piece of it and swallowing it. “At least somebody likes rotten fish”, Dad rasped.
As we looked in surprise, we could hear something from the school. The minute we heard it, a loud boar-like roar came out from the school. We thought it was a very big boar when it came out, but the more we looked, the more we realised it was something else. Its body is like a boar, but its face is like a lion’s and the snout of a camel, with teeth somewhat like a bear’s when it opens its enormous mouth to gargle like a pig. Mom, Dad and even Joe are taken by surprise, making our parents run towards the driveway, while Joe towards our truck with his gorged fish, standing by us. The boar-thing then stopped a few feet away from my parents, seemingly in a defensive stance, hooves scratching the ground. We are scared for our parents, preparing to see this thing rip them to shreds.
It gave one last roar and walked towards the cooler, knocking it over with fish spilling out. It stuck its snout in the fish and swallowed one down. They then slowly walked around the creature and steadily fastened their pace until they were at the truck. We all quickly got in and Dad backed up quickly.
“What the hell was that”, Mom panicked.
“I don’t know, a pig from hell”, Dad responded. We looked at Joe, swallowing down the fish while the rotting fish smell remained. It looked at us in confusion, as we were. We silently laughed for no apparent reason, probably as a mechanism to try to replace the fear. We then heard a shaking in the truck, startling us. We realised that the hell pig was tearing at the bumper of the truck like a lion would. Dad hammered the horn, making the thing back up in surprise. Dad took this opportunity to back up very quickly towards the intersection and turned to the left, quickly avoiding the creature. We sat in silence, except for Joe who was chirping.
When we went down the street, the houses, as usual, were damaged but we saw other vehicles, the first we had seen. Some were parked along the street, others stuck on one lane like city traffic but paused. Weirdly enough, there are no people in the vehicles, nor anyone outside. Most of the vehicles have one or more doors open like people got out to go somewhere. We drove past all the vehicles in the other lane. There is one vehicle we passed by that is on fire, most of the paint already off to reveal the metal beneath, only to be turned into a rainbow of browns and blacks by the dancing flames.
“What. Happened. Here”, Mom slowly asked, as confused and terrified as us. We had a feeling of dread, seeing all the abandoned vehicles.
“That’s the least of our worries. We should be looking for supplies”, Dad responded.
“Hey, how much do we have”, Mom asked Dad, worried about using up the fuel.
“Well, we got a full tank of gas and travelled a hundred kilometers”, Dad responded, more confused. “Nothing makes sense here and I hope we don’t stay here for long”, he muttered.
Eventually, we passed most of the vehicles and reached the veterinary clinic. The small, intact structure stood there, seemingly looking over the icy driveway. We then spotted an old, brown truck and we saw something that set it apart from the rest of the vehicles we’ve seen so far.
“It’s on”, I said, gleefully, with hope that, at least, we aren’t the only ones here. The headlights beamed brightly, and we realised it was getting dark. We also noticed that the street lights aren’t turning on.
“I thought there was no one here”, my Mom said, unsure of the connection between the abandoned but running truck and the lack of people in this town. At one of the intact houses, ahead of us, partially blocked by the trees, we saw what seemed to be bright light coming from one of the windows. What person would go into a house after an earthquake, I thought, thinking about our house back home.
“Someone’s here”, Matt loudly notified, as we all shushed him and that is when Joe is trying to push the door with his snout. “What is he doing?”
“Stay here”, Dad calmly ordered, opening the door, but Joe scurried out and went somewhere else.
“Hey, come back”, Matt called out, with no success. Joe eventually disappeared into the night, never to be seen. Matt then had tears welling up in his eyes like he was about to cry. I hugged him to comfort him.
“He’ll come back some time”, Mom reassured, trying to calm him down and looking at Dad. Dad nodded and grabbed a flashlight that was equipped in the truck. He then walked slowly towards the house, step by step, being shone by our truck’s headlights. He looked back at us and put his hand up when the light in the house moved. It seems to move towards the front door of the house. Emerging from the house is a person walking down the steps, cloaked in darkness. Dad then took a few steps back as the figure came. Finally, the figure stepped into the light.

The older generations are the most republican (https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/09/age-generational-cohorts-and-party-identification/) and they are getting replaced by younger more democratic generations due to aging obviously. The gop is already struggling in 2024 so i think they are pretty fucked in 2032 if the party even exists then, depending on the 2028 results. i dont think the 2 party system is dissapearing anytime soon unless a once in a lifetime extremely charismatic figure on the level of hitler can convince people to vote for other parties. the new “right wing party” will be where the democrats are now and the new “left wing” party will be the most anti-capitalist party that america has ever had elected. i think as capitalism starts to get extremely absurd, like clean air becoming a product which i legitimately think it will be, and buisnesses fighting to keep a 5 day work week even though so many people want a 4 day work week and there is data to back it up, anti-capitalist views are going to get a lot more common. and generations born after the fall of the soviet union arent as opposed to leftism. the new party will use a goat as their animal.