I’ve only been eating food in cans, and frozen food, luckily i’m vegetarian so i haven’t had to worry about any meat. I usually eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and i have stopped ever since the warning happened. My parents are still eating all the normal things and not taking any extra precautions which is really annoying me, because if they get it they could pass it to me. And if i get it that’s the end of me i physically can not let it happen to me. My Dad keeps calling me “silly” and saying if you get it you get it but he just doesn’t understand my fear. I just can’t believe the uk have announced this and haven’t told us what the food is?!?! Like what the actual hell?!?! I just want to leave this country right now because i just don’t feel safe eating or drinking anything. I keep checking for updates every hour and there’s nothing new? Anyways if anyone has any ideas on what is safe to eat id really appreciate it :)

Initial Setup:

Placement: Choose a cool, well-ventilated spot for your fridge freezer. Avoid placing it near heat sources like ovens or direct sunlight.
Removal of Packaging: Carefully remove all packaging materials, including any tape or stickers on the fridge freezer's interior and exterior.
Cleaning: Before using, wipe down the interior shelves and drawers with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Allow everything to dry completely before plugging in the appliance.
Levelling: Most Logik fridge freezers come with adjustable feet. Use them to level the appliance for proper operation and door closure.

Operating Your Logik Fridge Freezer:

Temperature Control: Most Logik models have a temperature control knob or digital display inside the fridge compartment. Refer to the user manual for specific settings based on your needs and climate. A colder setting is ideal for hotter weather.
Fridge Compartment: Store most food items here, keeping raw meat on the bottom shelf to avoid dripping onto other foods. Utilize vegetable crisper drawers for fresh produce.
Freezer Compartment: Freeze meat, fish, and other items best suited for frozen storage. Pre-cool cooked food before placing it in the freezer.

General Tips:

Door Closing: Ensure the fridge freezer door closes properly to maintain cool temperatures. A faulty seal can lead to inefficient operation and higher energy bills.
Defrosting: Some Logik models might be frost-free, but if yours requires manual defrosting, consult the user manual for instructions on frequency and proper defrosting techniques.
Filling and Organization: Don't overload the fridge freezer, as air circulation is crucial for maintaining proper temperature. Strategically organize food items for easy access and to prevent spoilage.
User Manual: Refer to the user manual that came with your specific Logik model for detailed instructions, features, and troubleshooting tips.

Safety Considerations:

Electrical Safety: Plug the appliance directly into a properly earthed electrical outlet. Avoid using extension cords.
Food Safety: Always follow recommended food storage guidelines to prevent bacterial growth and potential foodborne illness.
Maintenance: Regularly clean the interior surfaces and door seals to prevent mold or mildew growth.

By following these steps and referencing your user manual, you can effectively use your Logik fridge freezer in the UK. Remember, proper placement, temperature control, and organization are key to optimal performance and food preservation!

Yesterday I was in A&E after feeling extremely dizzy, anxious and hyperventilating after eating a meal (wholewheat pasta, with cheap frozen meatballs - which now looking back tasted quite sweet and was quite processed). This is the third time ever I’ve had this happen to me and all three episodes have happened within the last month since I’ve moved out on my own.
I last made a post on here that I had this same experience after eating a meal with a lot white rice and a little meat. I also had the same experience after I had eaten a very sugary dessert. I was told by people in this sub that what I was experiencing is reactive hypoglycaemia so I know that’s what’s going on.
When I arrived A&E with these feelings they did a finger prick that read that my blood sugar was at a 5.1, then they tested it a bit later (normal needle blood test) and said it was at a 6.6 - I had not eaten within this level change but about 45 minutes had passed. I’m not sure what much this means but it sounds like quite a significant drop. Although they reassured me that I was medically I was okay, and the finger prick can be a bit inaccurate but that both times it was within normal range. All my other blood tests came back normal though I was very dehydrated- I was given fluid and I when I was stable, I went home.
The last A1c blood test I had, in December I was at a 5.8, and I have been at a 5.8 since 2021. I’ve cleaned up my diet massively and for the last 2 years I’ve been eating a clean/non-inflammatory, high protein and complex carb diet - with treats rarely . I ate a lot of healthy home cooking when I was living with family, never ordered takeout but even when I did have something high carb (like a burger with chips or white rice) or high in sugar (sugary iced coffee, slice of cake, cookies etc) it NEVER affected me like this.
I was going to the gym a couple of months ago and noticed that even if I would eat I’d get VERY hungry right after but no shaking/dizziness etc. Eating more seemed to help a bit in those moments but I’d get hungry again, and after a while my body got used to it.
As I said I moved out exactly a month ago and all this started. The changes I have noticed in the last month (personal and diet wise) since this started:

I’m sleeping less, at home I used to get 8/9 hours, now I struggle to get 6/7
I’m more stressed and have worse anxiety (I also have an anxiety disorder)
Eating less fruits and snacks (I used to snack on healthy fruits or dried fruits, protein yogurt, rice cakes etc)
l’m not doing my 16:8 intermittent fast anymore
Drinking less water
Feeling more tired and weak generally
Eating no vegetables
More sugar cravings

I know this isn’t good and I didn’t realise I was doing these things until I wrote it all down today. I don’t know if any of these things can affect blood sugar or make it more likely to have the reactions I am, so please go easy on me if it’s obvious what’s causing this sudden change lol
Aside from this I have regular cycles within normal range, not overweight, normal hormone levels. I have tried myo-inositol in the past and it gave me a similar reaction to what I’m having now- shaky, anxiety, dizziness etc.
Every doctor seems to think it’s not serious and believes that it’s stress/lifestyle or diet related; saying that I need to drink more water and eat more fruits and vegetables. But none have said anything about blood sugar or reactive hypoglycaemia
I’m truly terrified. I live on my own now so I’m even more scared. I’ve seen some people talking about how they’ve fainted! While know that most of you aren’t doctors and PCOS affects everybody differently but I would really appreciate any advice of what things you’ve done that has helped with your similar experiences or experiences of reactive hypoglycaemia. I’m a young woman (24) and I just want to live long and be healthy, but this is depressing me.
I need to know how I can make this stop and what I can do when I start having these symptoms. Thank you

The sources of carbohydrates you choose to eat are essential, as some are healthier than others.
The sources of carbohydrates in the diet are more relevant than the amount of carbohydrates in the diet (high or low).
Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source. You can find Carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains.
Carbohydrates are found in sweeteners such as sugar, honey, and syrup, and foods with added sugars such as candy, soft drinks, and cookies.
Rather than adding sugars or refined grains, try to get most of your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and whole grains.
Carbohydrate-rich meals are an essential component of a well-balanced diet.
Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted into energy for biological functions and physical activities.
Bread, beans, Milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn, and cherry pie are just a few carbohydrate-rich foods.
Carbohydrates come in a range of shapes and sizes. Sugars, fibers, and starches are the most common and abundant types.

What are Sugars?

Simple carbohydrates include sugars. Your body readily breaks down simple carbs. As a result, blood sugar levels swiftly spike and then fall.
You may rush energy, followed by exhaustion after eating lovely meals.
Furthermore, sugar restriction is necessary to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Sugary foods and drinks also contain more calories, leading to weight gain.
In addition, Refined and sugar-sweetened foods, such as white flour, desserts, candies, juices, fruit drinks, soda pop, and sweetened beverages, should be avoided.

What is Fiber?

You can get fiber from plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and wholegrain products. Animal products, such as dairy and meat, are devoid of fiber.
Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that is good for you. Your body cannot break down fiber. The majority of it is absorbed into the intestines, where it stimulates and aids digestion.
Fiber also helps control blood sugar levels, decrease cholesterol, and keep you fuller for longer. Examples include Beans and Legumes, Fruits, nuts and seeds, vegetables, etc.

What Are Starches?

Starches are a type of carbohydrate that is both simple and complicated. Many (but not all) starches fall under this category. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Complex carbohydrates take longer for your body to break down.
As a result, the blood sugar levels are maintained, and fullness is kept for longer.

Food Sources of Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates, especially sugar, are the main source of carbohydrates for most of the world's population, and they come from plant-based food sources.
You can find carbohydrates in several natural meals and pre-prepared or processed foods.
Furthermore, Carbohydrates are classified based on their chemical structure, with monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides being the three most well-known types.
Read on as we talk about some of the sources of carbohydrates for the different types of carbohydrates.

Monosaccharides

This is the simplest form of carbohydrate, including glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Glucose

Glucose is one of the sources of carbohydrates that we can get from Honey, golden syrup,
Dried fruits such as dates, currants & figs. Also, you can get small amounts in some fruits (grapes and dried apricots), vegetables (sweet corn), and Honey. In addition, they can also get them from Manufactured foods such as juices, cured hams, pasta sauces.

Fructose

This is another source of carbohydrate that is a monosaccharide that you can get from Honey, Dried fruits such as apples, dates, and sultanas. Also, Fruit jams, chutneys, barbecue & plum sauce, gherkins, sun-dried tomatoes, Breakfast cereals made from whole wheat, oats, and fruits Fruits in cans, such as pineapple, strawberry, and plum, Fresh fruits such as grapes, apples, pear, kiwi, and banana.

Galactose

Galactose is one of the different sources of carbohydrate that is a monosaccharide; this simplest compound can be derived from taking Flavored yogurts or with fruit pieces added, Lactose-free Milk, Instant coffee granules, and ground black pepper.

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are complex sources of carbohydrate that can be broken down into simpler monosaccharides, and they include:

Sucrose

Sucrose is one of the sources of carbohydrates that you can get from sugar cane and sugar beet. Also,
table sugar manufactured foods such as cakes, cookies, and dark chocolate. In addition, Sweet root vegetables such as beetroot and carrot

Maltose

Maltose is one of the carbohydrates that you can get from Barley and malted wheat, Bread, bagels, cereals, energy bars, Molasses, malt extract, and Beer.

Lactose

You can get lactose from Milk, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, condensed milk, milk products, frozen yogurts, cottage cheese, evaporated milk, goat's milk, and ice cream.

Trehalose

This is one of the sources of carbohydrates that are not common. You can get them from Edible fungus and mushrooms, Seaweeds, lobsters, shrimp, honey wine, and beers.

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides can be broken down into starchy and non-starchy carbohydrates.
You can get the starchy form from Cereal foods, cornmeal, pretzels, flours, oats, instant noodles, pasta, rice, potato, corn—also, small amounts in other root vegetables and unripe fruit.
However, the non-starchy forms include Fruit, vegetables, and wholegrain cereals.
Furthermore, this article will not be complete without breaking down some of the sources of carbohydrates in a more straightforward and eye-catching way.
Familiar food sources of carbohydrates include:

Grains e.g. bread, pasta, noodles, cereals, rice and crackers,
Fruits e.g. apples, mangoes, melons, bananas, berries, and oranges
Dairy products, such as yogurt and Milk
Legumes, including dried beans, peas, and lentils
Snack foods and sweets, such as cakes, candy, cookies, and other desserts
Juices, regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks that contain sugar
Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and peas

Hi I was wondering if I could get some inspiration from this sub. I'm thinking of a good dinner for me and my ten year old. Something healthy, colorful and flavorful. My kitchen is limited and my time is somewhat limited depending on my two months olds mood.
Here's what I have to cook with ( ten inch skillet, medium saucepan/pot, microwave, convection oven-long story)
Here's my meats: Frozen Salmon filets, skinless cod, apple wood smoked bacon, chicken thighs (but I was gonna save those for chicken tacos but I have to run to the store for a few ingredients for that. I may break down and just do that to be honest)
Canned veggies: corn, green beans, peas, collard greens, carrots
Miscellaneous: canned chicken broth, tomato soup,broccoli cheese and cream of mushroom I'd love to get rid of, prego meat sauce, soy sauce, buttwr of course, sweet cream butter i need to get rid of, lots of eggs
White Rice, Mac and cheese
Worst case I'll have some ideas for throughout the week as it's summer and I want some variety for what my kid and I eat. Thanks in advance!
I'm not opposed to buying more ingredients

Hi,
I have some supplements that I later learn that they shouldn't be taken for an extended period time or I'm currently allergic to (but will not in the next few years). These supplements will expire in the next year or two. I wonder if putting them in the freezer (below freezing temperature; 32 Fahrenheit or 0 Celsius) would extend their potency by many years (5-10 years is good) like we could keep frozen meat for many years. Has anyone ever done it? Please share your experience and thoughts. Thanks.

I have a limited means of cooking (ten inch skillet, small convection oven type thing, and a regular sized sauce pot), microwave of course
Meats: salmon filets, cod filets, chicken thighs, frozen beef, bacon (in my freezer)
Veggies: corn, green beans, carrots, corn , collard greens, chicken broth (canned)
White rice, Mac& cheese
Sauces (prego meat sauce, sloppy Joe sauce)
A few condiments/spices
I'm thinking something fun and healthy but kid friendly, but like, will look nice and grown up (for me)

Is your GE freezer not keeping your food frozen solid? If you've noticed that your ice cream is more like a milkshake or your meats are thawing prematurely, it's crucial to address the issue promptly. At TheKitchenApplianceDad.com, we understand the importance of keeping your freezer running efficie ........
Read More

Watermelon seeds, carrot greens, strawberry tops, and potato peels come to mind. But there's probably a lot more that most of us don't even know about yet. I'm trying to learn more, and have a more complete list and better understanding, and to stop wasting these opportunities for better nutrition. Sometimes the most nutritious parts are discarded. Why miss out on the extra nutrients? Why waste the foods that we already have right in front of us? Why cut out nutritionally valuable parts?
Apparently there may be ways of utilizing avocado and mango seeds, for example; but I don't know the details.
What about winter squash skins? Are they nutritious? And there are the seeds.
Probably a good blender would enable more utilization. Adding carrot greens to smoothies and soups would be just one example.
For mest eaters, there are highly nutritious organ meats, which are probably the most nutritious components, more so than the usually selected muscles. And there are fish heads, and fish head soups.
Ways of making these elements more palatable would be helpful. Fish heads — even whole frozen fish heads — for example, can be completely and finely blended with a Vitamix or an equivalent blender, and then used in soups and various other dishes.
Squirrels apparently single out the nutritious inner "nut meats" inside the wild plum pits, and leave behind the sugary stuff that we eat.
What else is there?

H:

WEAPONS
AA25250 AB
AA251P AD
AA2515c GG
AA2515c UGL
AA40pad25 Drill
AriE15rs 10mm SMG
B2590 LR
B40ws25 Ripper
B50c50bs combound bow
FE25 GG
F2515c AD
IE15c Gatling gun
IEI15c Railway
IInerLucky AD
I2525 ULR
Jun2550bs Fixer
Med2515rs Flamer
MedE15c.50 Cal MG
TS2550bs LR
TS2515bvcc LR
TS2525 UGL
TS50c50drwa AB
Q2515c Pump shotgun
Q50vhc1A AD
Q50vhc250drwr PS
Q50c15r PS
Q50c25 .50 Cal MG
ARMOR
Ass/StCav CE LA
Ass/StFCWR Marine armor LA
Ass/AP/WWR Urban scout RA
Ass/AP/Sent Marine armor RA
Ass/AP/Sent Ultracite RL
Ass/AP/Frozen CE CP
Ass/Hazmat/Sent CE CP
Ass/Luck/bs50 CE CP
Ass/Perception/sent CE CP
OE/Charisma/FCWR CE CP
OE/Stbs50 CE CP
OE/Poison/FCWR CE CP
OE/AP/WWR T-60 right arm
Uny/Endurance/AWR Marine armor RL
Uny/AP/JWR Sturdy raider RL
APPAREL
Forest asylum uniform
Glowing blue devil
Winterman mask
AID
About 3000 ll3
About 500 berry mentats
about 200 leaders
About 300 small guns
MISC
About 8000 bobby pins
PLANS
Alien plans
Mothman plans
Meat week plans
W:
Groll commando offers (AA, B, Q)
Groll armor like Uny/AP or INT/WWR or FCWR or SENT CE/Scout/Marine pieces
Rare apparel, also fas masks
Mags, bobbleheads or bobby pins
Adds with weapons/apparel like LL3&leaders&small guns welcome. I'm willing to bundle as well if the offer is good enough. No caps!
Thanks for reading!

Hi all! I'm fairly new to the whole sous vide thing but I'll be traveling and here's my situation:
I can only eat meat I can only bring cooked meat I'll be in transit for about 18 hours before I can put it in a proper freezer
I won't have a sous vide at my final location, but I want to bring sous vide food I can reheat when I'm there. What is the best way to do this?
I bought a bunch of ground beef and made them into 6oz patties, which I froze to IQF and then vacuum sealed.
So in terms of cooking... what time and temp will make them safe for travel but also reheat-able later? And can I freeze them again after sous vide for while I'm in transit or will this like ruin the texture/flavowhatever?
And can I do something similar with steaks or roasts or beef brisket or anything else?

My dog loves her raw chicken necks and cages. We had far too many roosters so we killed them for dog food. She won't eat their raw meat, we have even frozen, thawed and offered her it and she guards it, licks it but will not eat it. My other dog eats it just fine

An elk quesadilla sounds delicious, and a great way to highlight elk meat
The sweet tea at a soul food/southern restaurant is expected to be overly sweet
His renovations on many places look very bland and lack character. Not every restaurant needs to be a modern looking gastropub
There is nothing wrong with fusion restaurants (ex. Indo-Chinese). They can produce some of the best and unique meals.
Ranch on pizza is incredible and is common to see in the midwest
He gets irrationally mad when a dish is named after an area (ex. Yucatan scallops), when its just a quirky and fun way to name a meal.
It was extremely rude and unprofessional when gordon crashed that restaurant owners cooking class in Florida (forget the name of the restaurant) and acted like a dick
When done right, frozen food can be delicious and quality
Although the way that that one restaurant grilled lettuce for a salad is strange, grilling veggies like lettuce for a salad can actually be incredible
Sometimes customers are expecting frozen/low quality cheap food and theres nothing wrong with that (ex. its kinda expected that an inn in the middle of Idaho or a dive bar is not going to have fresh chicken wings)
Hiring a "temporary" professional chef is not helping the business really, you are just delaying the closure (unless they help with the hiring process when they leave)
Some (if not most) of the owners of these establishments are lost causes from the beginning, and no matter what advice you give they will not listen. Ramsay should encourage them to sell instead of leading them on into thinking they can be successful owners
He needs to understand that the kitchen staff in most (in the US at least) restaurants are paid minimum wage and/or don't speak english well. Creating a menu that is uncomplicated and easy to understand so that the head chef doesn't need to be there 24/7 is how most restaurants become successful.

Hey all, so yesterday for dinner I ate these chicken tenders that you get at Sam's Club. They come frozen in a box, but the chicken is not precooked, it's raw. So you have to make sure it's cooked to a proper temperature.
I always air fry them at 370F for 26 minutes, and they always come out perfect. I also check every tender with an instant read meat thermometer.
Last night I made a batch like I usually do, and each tender was reading above 200F. I let them sit for like a half hour before I ate them though, because I got caught up in doing something else.
I bit into one chicken tender that was fairly thick, and ate one bite, then the next bite in the middle was stone cold.
I spit it out, and it did look cooked, but ever since then, I have been worried I ate under cooked chicken.
How long does it take for Salmonella poisoning to start? I ate them last night around 9:30pm, and it's currently 8pm the next day.
Ever since I woke up today though, I have had some gas cramps, slight dizziness, a mild headache, and some acid burning sensations in my stomach, and when I go to the bathroom. No D*, but I felt like I was going to have some before.
I drank a big alkaline water last night, and took 2 charcoal pills as a precaution, but I'm still nervous about this.

It's getting to the time I need to answer this question for myself. I have frozen shrimp in my freezer from when I used to eat meat. Something about wasting food makes me uncomfortable; it could be with growing up poor and not liking to see perfectly good food get shucked in the bin. I mean, what are the alternatives? I stopped eating meat before I got to eat the shrimp and I don't even think I can donate it. Thoughts?

“Before I met the Savior, I was a worthless piece of garbage, barely a human being,” Lovebug droned at the front of the enormous room. Lovebug was a monster of a man, two-hundred and fifty pounds of hard tattooed muscle. Like myself, he was a high-ranking member of the Church.
His flat gray eyes scanned the room with a fanatical gleam. I sat in the first row, watching and waiting. Followers of the Savior would tell their stories, how the Savior had reached down and lifted them out of sin and filth to bring them up to the divine. The bright fluorescent lights overhead droned on with a low hum. Thousands of men crammed together in seats or stood at the back of the room.
The Savior taught only two commandments: to murder is holy, and to die for the Savior is the highest bliss. An army of warriors followed the Savior, knights on a holy crusade, priests who wouldn’t hesitate to burn the foul bodies of any witches or demons we encountered. I thought of myself as a knight for the holy king, our Savior, the mouthpiece of the eternal.
“Now, it is like the hand of God has reached into my heart and loosened all the knots there, the knots of anxiety and fear and uncertainty.” He raised his black, military-style rifle into the air for emphasis. “I never realized the true nature of reality before- the fact that we are living in a simulation where the final battle of good versus evil is playing out before our very eyes. And I will be on the side of the good, until my dying breath. I will be on the side of the Savior and of God!”
The crowd roared and clapped. Men got to their feet, sweating heavily in the boiling hot conference room. I felt the surge of energy pass through me like a tidal wave, the pure confidence and iron will of truth. Lovebug lumbered down off the stage as the Savior came out from behind the red curtains, walking with the straight spine of a soldier. He wore a silky black robe that fluttered softly around him, the hood pulled back.
The Savior had horrific burns running the length of his body. His arms had melted folds of keloid scars visible all the way to the tips of his fingers. His scalp had also melted, and the Savior had no hair except for his eyelashes and eyebrows. But the fire that had nearly killed him had spared his face, an aristocratic visage with ferocious green eyes like those of a cat. That face seemed like it had been sculpted out of marble by DaVinci himself, the high cheekbones jutting out over a chin so sharp that it looked like it could have hammered nails into boards. He stared out at the crowd for a long moment, his gaze unblinking.
“The final battle has begun,” he said in a low voice, no more than a whisper. Yet, in the deathly silence of the hall, his words rang out loud and clear. “Those in charge of this illusory world know that we see them. We see them very well, how they hide behind the curtain. They control the world economy, the justice system. Every government, whether they call themselves communist, authoritarian or democratic, is no more than a puppet in their dancing fingers.
“When anyone tries to stand up and lead the masses of suffering people towards freedom from slavery, they are vilified by the mainstream media, brought up on false charges or killed, their bodies staged to look like a suicide. Look what they did to Jesus, and for what? For telling people to love God more than their rulers? And those who speak out today are also crucified, murdered in prisons or killed by their governments. Truth is the most precious commodity, after all. It is one that can only be purchased with blood.
“So what can we do? How can we fight against such evil?” There was a quiet muttering among the pale, frozen faces that stared up at the stage with adoration and love.
“We can fight it by using their own weapons against them!” the Savior said, his voice rising in speed and pitch. He raised his fisted hands to his chest, accentuating each syllable with a back and forth stab of his hands. “Fight fire with fire, and pay back blood with blood! The only thing these global terrorists understand is greater levels of force. We must show them death on a scale they have never before imagined.” I felt nervous as the Savior delivered his message. I saw other men shuffle anxiously in the crowded auditorium, most of them having high-caliber rifles slung around their shoulders.
I felt the rising violence and bloodlust in the air like electricity before a lightning storm. At that moment, I knew we would all have to fight before too long.
***
The Savior called me and Lovebug back to his office after the speech had ended, sending his squirrely assistant over to deliver the hand-written note in the Savior’s blocky, copperplate handwriting. For a long moment, I simply watched the crowd filtering out of the doors, heading back towards the complex where all the holy soldiers of the Savior lived. Feeling dissociated and light-headed, I followed behind the massive muscular form of Lovebug, the heavy weight of the M16 bouncing against my chest. We pushed through the blood-red velvet curtains, winding our way past stage equipment and down a hallway of pure marble.
Mystical paintings similar to those of Alex Grey covered both walls, showing the inside workings of the human body through art. It was as if the painter had X-ray vision and could see the heart chakra and the countless thin vessels that spiderwebbed up to the crown. But, unlike Alex Grey’s hopeful depictions of mysticism, these showed men and women being burned alive, crucified, decapitated or strangled. Dark colors composed the paintings: the dark blue of a suffocating face, the clotted red of an infected stab wound, the black of death. They captured the essence of struggle perfectly.
The Savior’s office had a thick mahogany door with silver engravings of leaves and vines running the length of it. At the top stood a single staring eye with twelve wavy tentacles emerging from the perimeter of it- the symbol of God, who the Savior had seen personally. God would sometimes speak through the mouth of the Savior, always during times of great tribulation or suffering. Lovebug knocked at the door. The Savior’s deep voice echoed out faintly.
“Come in.”
We entered slowly, the sprawling desk of the Savior filling half of the room. He sat in a comfortable chair behind it, reclining. On the walls behind him, he had pictures of Jesus, Saint Stephen, Gandhi, Hitler, Jim Jones, Shoko Asahara and others who he taught had fought against the world elites and been killed for it.
The Church of the Final Rapture was not a church in the conventional sense. The main teachings didn’t revolve around the divinity of Christ or the nature of original sin. What the Savior taught was far more profound- an illusory or simulated world where every single person could become their own Christ, could awaken to the truth and perform miracles, but only if they believed fully and followed the Savior.
“Sit down, please,” he said in his gravelly voice. “I have a mission I would like to discuss, and you two are the only ones competent and loyal enough to carry it out.”
***
“There is another anomaly spreading,” the Savior said, staring between me and Lovebug with his fanatical emerald eyes. “It is located in a rural part of the United States, in a town called-” he glanced down at the sheet of paper in front of him- “Frost Hollow. Supposedly, there are black-ops sites located nearby, secret alphabet agencies experimenting with magnetic distortion systems and creating rips in the fabric of spacetime with micro-wormholes.
“I don’t think it is much of a leap to say that the anomaly was likely started, either intentionally or unintentionally, by the government, as part of their research. The Cleaners would like to control that power, after all. They have been sending their men after it for years like sheep to the slaughter, expending billions of dollars researching it. If they and the US government end up being able to control the creation and spread of anomalies, they will use it to enslave the world. There is no question about it in my mind.” He leaned forwards towards us, his eyes growing cold.
“There is only one path forward I can see. We need to spread the anomaly, make it become unstable so the demons of Hell contained within it can spill out onto the real world. Perhaps it will awaken the downtrodden masses enough to begin the final revolution. We must fight terrorism with greater terrorism, and violence with greater levels of violence. For this mission, I am sending the two of you into Frost Hollow.
“Your job will be to find the Titan or Titans and lead them out to the border of the anomaly. These are horrendous beasts- indeed, the Church has seen them before. They are nearly impossible to kill. I want you two to go inside, bait it and have it follow you back to the edge, beyond the veil.”
“What’s a Titan?” Lovebug asked, his eyes flicking left and right nervously. The Savior stared at him stonily for a long moment. Then his eyes rolled back in his head, showing only the whites. All the blood seemed to drain from his face. His teeth chattered, his mouth opened, and through it, God spoke, the words pouring out like crashing stones. The voice did not sound anything like the Savior’s. It sounded much deeper, more mechanical, more alien somehow.
“I see you very well. I saw you when you were no more than a blood clot in your mother’s body. I see you even as corpses, rotted, putrefying, crawling with scavengers and insects. I see everything, every moment of time. But, in the anomaly, there are things I cannot see. For this, my holy ones must go forth.
“In the center of Hell, you will find a rose, a bird and a stone. These will be your salvation, if salvation can be found at all. Go with the blessing of Yaldabaoth.” The voice cut off abruptly, the silence deafening. I could hear my own heart pounding in my ears.
The Savior’s eyes came back down, looking confused and uncertain. His pupils were dilated and he was sweating heavily, even though it was cool and air-conditioned back here in his private office. We stared at each other across the table, a no-man’s land that protected me like a shield. For there seemed to be something dark in the Savior along with the light, and I didn’t know if any man could contain that power.
But there was no question of disobeying. Within the hour, Lovebug and I were on one of the Church’s private jets flying to the town of Frost Hollow.
***
The gently rolling hills of Frost Hollow loomed below us as the plane circled the small dirt airstrip in the middle of some cow farms. I looked up at Lovebug, trying to judge his stony expression. He had done many years in prison before joining the Church and finding salvation, even being the leader of one of the gangs. I knew he wasn’t afraid of violence. He had never told me what he did, what tortured him so much.
The Savior had told us much secret knowledge- how to find a Titan, a massive, bloated abomination that could come into being only within an anomaly, a combination of many rotted body pieces fused together in some sort of hellish black magic. The Savior had spies around Frost Hollow and the surrounding towns who had been monitoring the anomaly, watching the unstable gateways leading in and out and mapping them as best they could. We would be given a fast car, plenty of weapons and some body armor. I had no idea how nightmarish the journey would become, however.
“I’m driving,” Lovebug said as we descended the steps. A man in a black suit with the symbol of the eye and tentacles pinned on his black button-up shirt pulled up with a Mercedes AMG-One. It was a sleek, silver thing of immense luxury and power. The craftsmanship made it look like a work of art. I sighed, keeping my finger nervously on the trigger of my rifle as I glanced around the strange, empty town.
“If this thing won’t outrun a Titan, then nothing will,” I said, trying to break the tension. I looked at the speedometer, seeing it went up to 220 miles an hour.
“Damn fucking right,” Lovebug growled as we slid into the futuristic-looking leather seats. The engine turned on like a softly purring kitten. The GPS automatically turned on as well, the soft robotic voice leading us toward one of the more stable portals to the anomaly.
Lovebug sped down the empty forest roads of Frost Hollow, going twice the legal speed limit the entire way.
“The speed limit is only for the lowest common denominator,” Lovebug said pedantically, waggling a tattooed finger for emphasis. The GPS said we would reach the gateway to the anomaly in five minutes. Based on Lovebug’s speed, I thought it would be more like two. “Someone who actually knows how to drive and isn’t drunk or high can easily do 80 in a 40. Easily.” I glanced nervously at the speedometer, realizing he was going over 100 miles an hour now. The sports car hugged the tight corners of the winding forest roads with absolute precision.
“Turn right onto Snake Island Road Extension in five hundred feet,” the robotic female voice. Lovebug slammed on the brakes a few seconds later, the tires skidding and locking up. We looked around frantically, seeing no streets anywhere except the one we were on.
“What the hell?” Lovebug asked. The night was crawling in by now, the darkness covering the forests like a curtain. I squinted, looking at the thick grove of trees on our right, scanning it back and forth over and over. After a few seconds, I realized there was an overgrown dirt path there with no sign. It was nearly impossible to see at night, however, and calling it a road was somewhat of a joke.
“Oh, damn,” I said. “They should’ve given us an SUV.”
***
According to the GPS, our destination was only a thousand feet down Snake Island Road Extension. The low clearance of the Mercedes was a problem as Lovebug tried to navigate the flooded forest path. Deep tread marks flooded with black, stagnant water marked the entirety of Snake Island Road Extension. But ahead, the headlights illuminated something unusual.
Cutting straight across the trees and brush like a razorblade was a shimmering wall of translucent energy. It reminded me of a mirage, curving upwards in wavy spiral patterns. I could see through it easily, but it gave everything a dark, sinister covering. The forest seemed to be in constant motion as the grayish light distorted it.
“Look how huge it is!” I said in awe, staring up at the starry sky. The flat wall rose up seemingly forever, disappearing in the cold void of infinite space. Lovebug slowly ambled the car towards the anomaly, trying to keep the Mercedes from getting stuck with its low clearance.
“You ready for this, man?” Lovebug asked in a quavering voice as we inched towards the anomaly. It was only seconds away now. He grabbed my shoulder. “This is it. Remember the commandments.” I closed my eyes, concentrating my heart on the Savior’s words. Dying for the good is the highest bliss, he had told us.
“Let’s do this,” I said, my eyes flying open from my silent prayer as the hood passed through the anomaly. It disappeared in front of our eyes. We could see the forest on the other side, but the Mercedes looked like it was going through some sort of teleportation portal, being ripped apart layer by layer and sent somewhere else. Lovebug nervously grabbed my hand.
“For the Savior and for the Good,” he whispered as we passed through.
***
I heard screaming and wailing, full of agony and unimaginable horror, like the screams of those burning in Hell. My vision went white. A carpet of morphing dark colors covered everything as the shrieking intensified, until I thought my eardrums would explode.
“Stop!” I cried, feeling the pressure in my head like a splitting migraine. “Stop screaming!” I started kicking, punching, trying to get away.
“Calm the fuck down!” someone whispered, slapping me hard across the face. Stunned, I looked up, seeing Lovebug holding me down in the seat. He was covered in sweat, his face a blank mask of terror. “Don’t scream. There’s things outside that are looking this way.” I blinked fast, my senses coming back to me. I felt like a man waking up from surgery, confused and disoriented, my memories only returning in small trickles and drops.
We were sitting in the Mercedes on a road that looked like it had been made of human skin. The headlights showed the ragged patches of pale, leathery flesh sewn together with black thread. The road disappeared ahead of us in a straight line. The land here looked as flat as Kansas. Like a mirror world, it had houses and restaurants and churches lining both sides of the road, but they were all wrong.
The stone church looked like it was constructed of some kind of red volcanic rock. Baphomets and upside-down pentagrams covered the outer walls, engraved deeply into the glossy surface. Mutilated bodies covered the front lawn, impaled, crucified, skinned alive or burned at the stake. Hundreds of men, women and children lay dead in front of the Satanic temple.
Overhead, the sky bubbled and frothed with red clouds and constant explosions of blue lightning. Like missile flashes, the lightning illuminated the world around us, shining brightly before going dark. The incessant strobing gave the entire place a kind of circus freakshow vibe.
Many of the homes looked like they had been constructed from bones and covered in human skin, like some sort of hellish teepee. Arm and leg bones wrapped in razor-wire formed the pillars. Grinning skulls lined the top of the flat, rectangular roofs, thousands of bleached human heads staring down.
Staring out of the dark doorways, I saw gleaming, silvery eyes. They loomed eight or nine feet in the air on spidery bodies. Their limbs looked as thin as bones, jet-black and dull. The only color from these still revenants was from their unblinking eyes and grinning mouths, where teeth like those of a dragonfish jutted out. Every pair of eyes on that street was fixed intently on the Mercedes, the sick rictus grins on their alien faces never faltering.
“Jesus Christ, I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling weak. “I thought I was in a nightmare for a minute there.” Lovebug shrugged his massive shoulders.
“Yeah, I felt it too, though I came out of it a lot faster than you did,” he said, glancing over at the Satanic church as we passed. It had protective black spikes rising high into the air all around it. The broken body of a child who had been burnt at the stake stood in front of the gates like a death omen, his small, withered hand holding a black rose. Lovebug choked, retching. He nearly rolled down the window, until his eyes met the silvery ones of a nearby abomination.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, looking closer at the church. On top of the roof, I saw an enormous statue of a black raven, its wings spread as if it were flying. It had three gleaming, silvery eyes embedded into the dark rock.
“That boy just reminds me of my son,” Lovebug whispered glumly, inching along the streets.
“I didn’t know you had a son,” I said, surprised. Lovebug had never mentioned a family. He shrugged.
“I don’t. Not anymore. I killed him. I got drunk and high one night back when I was selling drugs. Fell asleep in the living room with a lit cigarette and burned down the whole house. I killed my wife and son, burned them. They sent me to prison, but what did that matter? The prison up here is far worse.” He tapped the side of his temple.
I was about to say something, but at that moment, many things happened at once.
***
Lovebug was staring at the corpse of the child when an inhumanly long arm reached up from the side of the car. It had fingers like spikes, as sharp as a knife and twice as long as normal human fingers. I gasped, a warning shout welling up in my throat, but the hand came smashing down into the driver’s side window and grabbed Lovebug’s neck.
The window exploded in a shower of safety glass, shattering like brittle bones. Lovebug’s scream was cut off as he was dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the car. I swung open my door, leaping out and bringing my rifle around.
The Cheshire Cat grin of the abomination never faltered as it held Lovebug in front of its body like a human shield, holding him by the neck above the ground. Lovebug’s legs kicked and squirmed, his face turning blue as he slowly suffocated. His eyes bulged from their sockets, panicked and rolling, uncomprehending in their total animal panic.
I flicked on the laser sight. It danced over the ground, flashing over the body of Lovebug and the abomination. But I couldn’t aim for its torso or face, as I would probably hit Lovebug in the process. It was far too close.
I aimed for the monster’s thin, skeletal feet, the black toes twisting over each other like the roots of a tree. The gunshots rang out as a deafening counterpoint to the thunder blasts.
The monster gave a hissing gurgle as two bullets caught it in the right ankle. The creature seemed bloodless, and only dust and ashes rolled out of the exploded insectile flesh. It tried to skitter away, but its destroyed ankle caused it to fall forward, throwing Lovebug.
His body rolled across the road, the soft leather that looked like it was made from tens of thousands of human skins. Gasping, his lips still showing a faint blue cast, he struggled to crawl away.
I saw furtive movement from all around us. The creatures in the houses and doorways were moving forwards, drawn by the bloodshed or noise. Hundreds of glowing, silvery eyes surrounded us. I sprinted forward, dragging Lovebug to his feet.
“The church,” I hissed. “It’s the only place.” Still pulling the weak, confused Lovebug behind me, we staggered towards the black gates. They opened with a shriek of rusted metal.
***
The creatures stopped at the gates to the blood-red church, simply staring at us like statues. They didn’t even seem to breathe, their lidless eyes never blinking, the silvery glow never fading.
“I think this is the place we’re meant to go,” I whispered as we made our way towards the massive pointed doors. “When God spoke to us, he said something about a stone, a bird and a rose, that we would find the Titan through that.” I pointed back at the burnt body of the boy. “He’s holding a rose. On top of the building, there’s a bird. And the church is all stone. Maybe this is the place where God wanted us to go all along.”
“Maybe,” Lovebug muttered through heaving gasps, still grabbing at his bruised neck. “God, this hurts. It feels like I got hanged.” Side by side, we pushed open the doors to the Satanic church and walked inside.
***
Row after row of pews stretched out in front of us. Thousands of black candles were set up all around the perimeter of the enormous chamber. They sputtered and flickered constantly, throwing dancing shadows in every direction.
A small pair of bright eyes glanced up at us from under one of the nearby pews. I nearly jumped out of my skin, pointing the rifle at them and yelling.
“Show yourself! Come out now, or I shoot!” Lovebug looked at me, confused. He hadn’t seen it. But a few heartbeats later, a little girl crawled out, her eyes big and blue, her body an emaciated wreck. She wore ripped strands of what looked like leathery human skin to cover herself, tied together with black string. In one small, grime-streaked hand, she held a half-eaten raw mouse.
“Please, don’t kill me,” she said in a small voice. “I’m Emma. My mommy and daddy got dragged away and I’m scared.” I felt sick and weak looking at this small victim. I reached down and helped her up.
“I wouldn’t hurt you,” I said, kneeling down to her level. “I thought you were one of the bad guys. This is Lovebug, and I’m Jack.”
“This isn’t part of the mission, man,” Lovebug said nervously. “What are we supposed to do with her?”
“Well, we can’t just fucking leave her here,” I whispered back. “We need…” But I never got to finish that thought. Because, at that moment, the church woke up.
***
A red glow started at the front of the chamber, the altar where the priest would have stood and given speeches or holy communion. Here, they had a podium that looked like it was carved from a single block of obsidian. Reflected in it, I saw the screaming faces of people burning in Hell, grinning demons ripping off strips of human flesh and spiraling waves of flames, all sculpted by an artist who was able to capture the most miniscule details of agony and torture.
I looked around, realizing Emma had gone. I hadn’t seen her scurry away and hide, but her absence gave me a feeling of crushing dread in my chest.
“Lovebug, something’s wrong,” I whispered, still staring up at the altar. I heard a floorboard creak behind me. I glanced back just in time to see a man wearing full SWAT gear. I caught the flash of a pistol coming down, the butt aimed at my forehead. I heard the cracking, felt the immense pressure and pain. For a few moments, I swam in the currents of consciousness, trying to stay awake, but then the blackness crept in and stole me away.
***
I awoke suddenly, my hands tied so tightly behind my back that I couldn’t feel my fingers. I felt sick and wanted to throw up. I quickly choked those feelings back down. I tried to shake my head, to clear it, but that just brought jolts of pain like electricity shooting through my skull. Nearby, I heard a gunshot, then another.
“Bring it, fuckers!” Lovebug screamed in an insane voice. The explosion of a grenade rocked the building, and I smelled choking black smoke. I opened my eyes, seeing three men in SWAT gear laying dead, their bodies scattered haphazardly around the chaotic scene. One wall of the church had blown outwards, the stone still sending out gray wisps of wavy smoke into the air. I looked at my partner, seeing he had a bullet hole in his left arm and another one in his stomach. He was bleeding heavily, but the adrenaline and insanity seemed to keep him afloat- for now, at least.
I saw something walking towards us from the stage. It looked like a small boy, but black shadows spiraled up around his chest and face, translucent and shimmering darkly. He looked about five or six, his skin pale and smooth. As Lovebug’s face grew slack and distant, the boy abruptly erupted into flames.
“Don’t kill me again, Dad,” the small boy whispered in a hoarse voice choked with pain. The flames rose from his head and skin, melting his flesh, blackening it. Drops of boiling fat dribbled off his nose and chin. “Don’t send me to the dark place again, Dad…” He continued creeping closer to Lovebug, moving like a lion stalking an antelope.
“I didn’t know!” Lovebug cried, his face going paler. Tears streamed from his eyes as the rifle trembled wildly in his shaking hands. For a long moment, he looked torn, the finger tightening on the trigger as sobs escaped his chattering lips.
“Kill it, Lovebug!” I screamed. “Don’t let it get to you!” But as he dropped the rifle and knelt before the small boy, I knew it was too late.
The shadows spun faster and faster around the burning, dying body of the boy. He gave a scream of soul-shattering agony, reaching out to a small hand towards Lovebug.
“Help me!” the boy cried. Lovebug hesitated before bringing an arm up to take the boy’s hand.
“I missed you, Robbie,” Lovebug said before his fingers brushed the boys. The boy lunged forward, grabbing Lovebug’s hand with an iron grip. I saw Lovebug’s eyes widen in shock and surprise. A moment later, I heard the bones in his hand grinding together before breaking with a sound like snapping tree branches. The boy’s eyes darkened into jet-black orbs, the melted lips splitting into a sadistic grin.
“I missed you, too,” the thing hissed as its right arm changed, melting and reforming into something black and blade-like. The insectile limb swung forward in a blur, coming straight at Lovebug’s heart. He gave a panicked squeal a moment before it hit, trying to pull away with all of his considerable strength, his face turning chalk-white as the shattered bones in his hands ground together.
I closed my eyes, rolling away, trying to undo the knots that held my hands in place. Lovebug must have been greatly outnumbered. He would never have let that man tie me up. I heard the sounds of tearing meat and crunching bone nearby. Lovebug’s final breaths gurgled through the air, but I still kept my eyes closed, not wanting to look.
I felt a small tickle on my wrists, then heard a little voice next to my ear.
“I’ll get you out of here,” Emma whispered. I waited a few moments, then I heard the ropes snap. I looked back, seeing her holding a piece of sharp, broken glass in one tiny hand. In her other, she had the car keys. I wondered how she had gotten them, the little pickpocket.
“Thank God,” I said, rubbing my wrists. I looked around for my rifle, seeing it was laying next to the body of one of the SWAT guys. I wondered who these men were. I crawled towards it slowly, not wanting to draw attention.
“Don’t move another step,” a voice growled behind me. I glanced back, seeing the small boy, his features morphing into those of a demon. Curving horns spiraled from his temples. His jet-black eyes stared down at me with hatred and coldness. “You’ll follow your friend who killed my servants. His soul will stay alive forever within my body, a sickly thing wrapped up in an eternal shriek.”
“Fuck you,” I cried, lunging for my rifle. Emma disappeared behind a pew, running on all fours without looking back. I spun as I hit the ground, turning the barrel towards the morphing face of the shape-shifter. Its jaw unhinged, a snake-like tongue flicking out as it flew through the air towards me. Hollow fangs dripping clear venom grew from its mouth in a heartbeat, elongating and sharpening before my very eyes.
I fired twice, the bullets entering through its mouth and coming out the back of its head. Its flesh disintegrated in an instant, the body turning into light, gray ashes that disappeared in the breeze. Breathing hard, I waited, wondering if it was all over.
I heard a rumbling far below me, as if an earthquake were starting. A moment later, the church floor exploded upwards, sharp rubble and splintered boards flying in every direction.
***
“It’s coming!” Emma screamed, running over and grabbing my hand. I lay there, shell-shocked and unmoving for a long moment. In hindsight, the girl was a natural born survivor with much sharper reflexes than me. It was likely the only reason she survived as long as she had.
“The Titan,” I whispered grimly, trying to pull myself up to my feet. But it was like trying to walk on a heaving, sinking ship. Parts of the floor collapsed down into a seemingly never-ending abyss beneath us.
Near the stage, I saw hundreds of long, pale arms pulling something bloated and monstrous out of the ground. It was a Titan, and no explanation can ever convey the true horror of that thing.
It looked like countless human corpses had been melted together, fused into a ball with sagging, boneless chests, deformed faces and millions of writhing maggots. It groaned and gurgled with many lungs, exhaling a rotting, sulfurous breeze that made me want to retch. A soft susurration of many pained, muttering voices continuously emanated from the Titan.
“Emma, run!” I screamed, but she was already sprinting back towards the front door of the church. I backpedaled, afraid to look away from the creeping monstrosity, the juggernaut of rotting flesh moving towards us.
I heard the Titan closing the distance as I sprinted through the front door. The abominations with the silver eyes still slunk around the gate, blocking the car. I raised the rifle, firing blindly at the creatures, careful not to hit the little girl.
“Go to the car!” I screamed at Emma, feeling around for the keys. As the abominations saw the Titan, those still alive scattered, moving in a blur back into the shadows and homes of this rotten place.
The Titan broke the front wall of the church, sending splinters of red stone flying in every direction like bullets. It groaned and gurgled faster, its sickly cries more insistent. I ran to the Mercedes, starting it up and pressing the accelerator to the floor. I pulled a U-turn, heading back to the border of the anomaly.
***
The engine roared, the car bucking like a wild stallion as it pressed me and Emma back into our seats. But the creeping Titan continued gaining speed behind us, and for a few seconds, I feared we would be crushed to death under its massive weight.
The anomaly shimmered ahead of us. I crashed through it at two hundred miles an hour, skidding wildly as the Mercedes hit the dirt road. I nearly flew into a tree. I managed to right it at the last second, pulling onto the paved street as the Titan broke through behind us.
It followed us out. It’s in the real world now.

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