Customize your own car game
RoastMyCar: Have your car roasted or roast others!
2016.01.10 19:38 RoastMyCar: Have your car roasted or roast others!
Roast some rubber!
2013.12.06 13:08 skafaceXIII Cars Australia
A subreddit for discussing cars in Australia.
2016.07.06 16:25 rsmtirish Ask the car folks!
This is a subreddit for automotive related questions.
2024.05.17 12:00 ChancellorBasil21 I trained a GPT to act as a world historian by training it with my notes
Howdy everyone,
I wanted to share an exciting project I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. I've been developing a custom AI to assist with my tabletop game world, which I've been building for close to 10 years. This world is incredibly vast and complex, and I often lose track of how everything connects or need some inspiration that's relevant to my setting.
I've been exploring AI development over the past year, specifically using the tools offered by OpenAI. I had the idea to create a custom GPT that acts as a historian from my setting. The AI provides ideas and inspiration based on my world and allows my players to explore the lore without overwhelming me or me overwhelming them. The project has been going really well, so I wanted to share how I went about it.
Creating the Custom GPT
There are a few additional features I plan to add to make it even more useful during game sessions:
I've made a copy of the GPT and linked it below for anyone who wants to give it a try. You can explore the world of Novistar and see how the AI historian works. Please note that this is a separate copy to avoid any potential issues with outside input influencing the main AI. Here’s the link: Try the Novistar Historian GPT
Feel free to ask me any questions about the process or share your own experiences with using AI for world-building!
Happy world-building!
submitted by ChancellorBasil21 to worldbuilding [link] [comments]
I wanted to share an exciting project I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. I've been developing a custom AI to assist with my tabletop game world, which I've been building for close to 10 years. This world is incredibly vast and complex, and I often lose track of how everything connects or need some inspiration that's relevant to my setting.
I've been exploring AI development over the past year, specifically using the tools offered by OpenAI. I had the idea to create a custom GPT that acts as a historian from my setting. The AI provides ideas and inspiration based on my world and allows my players to explore the lore without overwhelming me or me overwhelming them. The project has been going really well, so I wanted to share how I went about it.
Creating the Custom GPT
- Using OpenAI's Custom GPTs: The main task was to train the AI with my world-building notes. I use OneNote for my notes, and my notebook has around 500 some odd pages last time I checked.
- Preparing the Notes: I created a copy of my notebook and removed pages that I didn't want my players to see or find out about through the GPT. I also cleaned up unfinished or contradictory areas.
- Exporting Notes: Finally, I exported the notebook as a PDF and added it to the custom GPT's knowledge base.
There are a few additional features I plan to add to make it even more useful during game sessions:
- Economics and Pricing: Train the GPT on more data about economics and pricing to help me figure out the cost of goods on the fly during a session.
- Rules Integration: Give it a solid grasp of the D&D rules I use so it can create magic items, spells, etc.
- Inspiration: Enhance its ability to generate world-accurate storylines, side quests, characters, etc.
- Travel Distance and Time Calculation: This one might be challenging to implement, but my goal is to eventually teach the GPT to read maps or use a database of reference points along with their distances and locations. This would allow it to calculate travel times between locations on the fly. This feature would be incredibly useful, as my games often involve long-distance travel across the vast world of Novistar.
I've made a copy of the GPT and linked it below for anyone who wants to give it a try. You can explore the world of Novistar and see how the AI historian works. Please note that this is a separate copy to avoid any potential issues with outside input influencing the main AI. Here’s the link: Try the Novistar Historian GPT
Feel free to ask me any questions about the process or share your own experiences with using AI for world-building!
Happy world-building!
2024.05.17 11:54 OppositeObject909 Joe Parys talks about FURY token of Engines Of Fury
 | Engines of Fury is an adrenaline racing game that takes players on an amazing adventure via a variety of thrilling tracks and difficult challenges. For any racing enthusiast looking for an exciting gaming experience, Skyline Studios' game is a must-have. One of Engines of Fury's greatest features is its stunning visuals. The extremely realistic and detailed graphics in the game make the racetracks seem real. Every location—from lush forests to scorching deserts—has been painstakingly designed with meticulous attention to detail, resulting in an immersive gaming environment. The gameplay in Engines of Fury is exhilarating and quick-paced. Players can choose from a wide variety of high-performance cars, each with unique characteristics and handling preferences. There is a vehicle for every type of racer, from sleek sports cars to powerful off-road beasts. The controls are easy to use yet challenging to get the hang of; you'll need to timing your movements precisely and apply skill to get past obstacles. submitted by OppositeObject909 to SatoshiStreetBets [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/99fo3ljfly0d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=7cf2787e78de859c1ef6c698785130278ca27cc8 In addition to the single-player narrative mode, Engines of Fury offers several multiplayer options. Whether you're racing against friends nearby or testing your skills against racers from around the world online, there are plenty of opportunities for thrilling head-to-head races. By enabling users to compare their times and achievements with those of other racers via the online leaderboards, the game adds another level of competition. Engines of Fury goes above and beyond traditional racing games with its distinctive gameplay elements, such as power-ups and special abilities. During races, players can use defensive shields or powerful nitro boosts to gain the upper hand over their rivals. Because of these dynamic qualities that keep the action fresh and intriguing, no two races are ever the same. Another notable aspect of Engines of Fury is its broad customizing mechanism. With decals, rims, spoilers, paint jobs, and other equipment, gamers can customize their cars to create truly distinctive rides that showcase their flare on the track. All things considered, players will be pining for more exhilarating races after playing Engines of Fury, an incredibly thrilling game. With its amazing visuals, challenging gameplay mechanics, fun multiplayer options, and abundance of customization choices, this game provides racing lovers everywhere something truly special. 🔥🔥 $FURY is on upward trend 🔥🔥 🎯$FURY is going to lead GameFi bull 💰 $FURY is set to be next gem – early birds are gonna feast! 📈 Best time to BUY Missed Star Atlas? Don’t miss $FURY? 🌝💎🚀 https://x.com/JoeParys/status/1791106373582745881 KoL talks about crypto here: https://x.com/JoeParys/status/1791250275891921374 Watch from 8th minute !!!!! Eof.gg |
2024.05.17 11:41 Flamecoat_wolf Star Traders: Frontiers. A Star-Trek style space captain sim.
"Captain! They hit our starboard phasers, we can't fire them any more!" "Report from medical, four injured and one dead." "The crew think it's hopeless, they want to surrender captain. Many are already standing down." "They hit the engines and our power's gone. We're sitting ducks!"
Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe they're just pirates. They take your cargo and depart, leaving you to drift in the void in a damaged ship and the half of your crew that survived. You make emergency repairs and hobble your ship to the nearest star-port. Half your remaining crew don't return to the ship that evening, the memory of their near death experience crushing their morale. Some of the injured died on the journey back, especially when you hit that asteroid belt and could barely maneuver the ship. Your ship doctor is doing all they can but they can only heal so many, only save so many, and the medical bay is damaged beyond use. Your officer tries to rally your crew, gives a passionate speech about love, loss and always getting back up to fight again. A few look reinvigorated, yet more don't return the next day. But you dust yourself off, pay for the repairs, hire new crew and take on a new job. It's just a minor set back...
Or maybe it all ends right there. It was a zealot. A fanatical patriot of the faction you'd been working against on behalf of your contact. They hear no pleas, they take no bribes, only heads.
Perhaps they're not even humans. An existential terror from beyond the known universe. Ships cobbled together from biological matter mixed with strange alien technology. There's no negotiation, there's maybe not even sentience within the minds of your enemies. Snarling and vicious they tear through your crew, and you.
I've had a lot of fun with this game. Initially released in 2018 it's still getting frequent updates and it's full of content that can keep you entertained for hundreds of hours. I would know because I've currently got 270 hours played at the moment and that's only going to go up from here.
Don't let the name fool you, it's not about trading! Unless you want it to be, in which case you can totally make it about trading. Instead you play as the captain of a space ship in a distant future galaxy simply trying to survive and thrive.
The game is a bit of a strange mix between RPG and Rogue-like. I guess I'd describe it as an RPG with lots of replayability. At the start of each game you pick your captain. You can customize your captain in a number of ways but it's balanced around a priorities system. You have Attributes, Skills, Ship, Contacts and Experience. Your top choice will have the highest value while the bottom choice will have the lowest value. So you can start with an extremely skilled captain but you might have a very poor starting ship or only one or two contacts (mission givers, info brokers, rare equipment sellers, black market access, etc. They play a number of roles depending on their position/profession). Or you can start with a top of the line nearly end-game ship, but you'll have to sacrifice your captain's abilities to do so. Experience is basically a head start on levels for you and your crew, which can be very valuable for the early game where it can be tough starting out.
Besides the priorities your captain has a specific class. The default is Pirate but you can play as a Merchant, Assassin, Commander, etc. too. Each will have bonuses based on the play-style they specialize in. Pirates and Smugglers get skills that allow them to access black markets more easily and avoid police patrols from identifying contraband with ship scans. Assassins, soldiers, snipers, etc. get a bonus to their crew combat performance and usually have some bonuses regarding missions too. An assassin will do well in a "Duel of Assassins" conflict between two factions, for example, where typically nobles send assassins to try to kill each other or influential people under a 'lawful war monitored by the United Nations' kind of premise. Whereas a Bodyguard will get bonuses for escort missions and prisoner transport missions. Merchants get better deals for their goods and can impact "trade ban" conflicts more. Commanders get bonuses to ship performance and combat.
There are a lot of options too! Both just as you start but also there are a number of options you can unlock by completing various quests or challenges in your playthroughs, which also adds a lot of replayability. New player classes, new ships and new starting contacts.
Oh, and even if you start with one of the best ships, there's a lot of in-game progression too. Upgrading the ship components and choosing talents as your crew level up is a key aspect of the game. Each crew member has a class too, which will determine what value they're contribute to your ship's overall stats. You need Electronic Tech experts to run a lot of high tech electronic components, you need gunners to be able to man all the guns, and you need Ship Operators to, well, operate the ship. As crew, officers and your captain level up they can choose a talent from their job talents. For example, an E-Tech can get the 'scanner boost' skill, which can be used in ship combat to give you +25% accuracy and +25% evasion. The trick though is that they have very long cooldowns. You'll need multiple crew members with Scanner Boost to be able to use it multiple times in a battle, or to use it in two battles back to back. The game runs in weeks, with the explanation that the energy from the special ship engines prolongs people's lives almost indefinitely. So most skills will have a 3-6 week cooldown, which actually passes pretty quickly when you're traveling. Either way, you get anywhere between 18 and 42 crew, depending on the size of your ship and what kind of barracks you install. So you can have a lot of talents. It's also worth seeking out specialist crew, like a merchant, diplomat, smuggler, etc. so that you can make use of their talents in rarer circumstances.
But be careful! Your crew are vulnerable. Ship battles are dangerous, with plasma beams scraping your hull, miniature fighter ships swarming you, enemy ships ramming and boarding you, etc. If your ship is well prepared, maybe your shields can take the hit and you'll only get rocked a bit, or perhaps you've put most of your upgrades into evasion and can nimbly dodge all the enemy shots. If you do get hit though, prepare to really get hit. The introduction to this review is what it feels like to lose a ship battle in this game. It's incredibly in-depth and very immersive. You can even check, mid battle, which crew are injured, which are low on morale, etc.
A hit to your ship will do a number of things. Every hit will damage both your ship and your crew, but some weapons are more dangerous to one than the other. Radiation blasters will do a lot of damage to your crew but won't do much damage to your ship. It's a great option for people who want to take down a ship without destroying it's cargo. Whereas missiles will do a lot of damage to the hull, but your crew will only suffer some nasty bruises from being thrown around by the impact. Unless your ship is ruptured (it hits 0 overall HP) of course, in which case your whole crew will be vented into space, yourself included. Components will take damage too. Mostly it's random which components get hit, but you can install armour to take some of the hits in place of your vital components. There's also crew combat. Sometimes an enemy ship will board you. It's best to have a combat team on-board to dispatch, otherwise you'll be stuck with inexperienced E-techs and Ship Operators shakily holding pistols. Your captain can be a powerful force in crew combat but be careful, defeat in crew combat often means death. If they succeed in beating the local crew (in a 4v4 battle) they'll get a chance to sabotage your ship before returning to their own ship. Of course, you'll also be 4 crewmen down.
The good news is that you can do all these things to your enemy too! Want to bake them alive with radiation and strip their hull for parts and profit? You can do that. Want to slam your dart of a ship into their battle-cruiser, boarding it and having your pro combat team tear it apart from the inside out? You can do that! Just want to pelt them with the biggest guns for the highest damage to get them out your way? You can do that.
I highly recommend this game. It's got a bit of a learning curve but the immersion and satisfying moments I've gotten out of it put a lot of much higher budget games to shame. There's some really good story lines and quests in there, and it has 9 different difficulty setting so that you can enjoy it however you want.
It really deserves a lot more love than it's gotten and I hope a few more people get to enjoy it after seeing this!
submitted by Flamecoat_wolf to patientgamers [link] [comments]
Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe they're just pirates. They take your cargo and depart, leaving you to drift in the void in a damaged ship and the half of your crew that survived. You make emergency repairs and hobble your ship to the nearest star-port. Half your remaining crew don't return to the ship that evening, the memory of their near death experience crushing their morale. Some of the injured died on the journey back, especially when you hit that asteroid belt and could barely maneuver the ship. Your ship doctor is doing all they can but they can only heal so many, only save so many, and the medical bay is damaged beyond use. Your officer tries to rally your crew, gives a passionate speech about love, loss and always getting back up to fight again. A few look reinvigorated, yet more don't return the next day. But you dust yourself off, pay for the repairs, hire new crew and take on a new job. It's just a minor set back...
Or maybe it all ends right there. It was a zealot. A fanatical patriot of the faction you'd been working against on behalf of your contact. They hear no pleas, they take no bribes, only heads.
Perhaps they're not even humans. An existential terror from beyond the known universe. Ships cobbled together from biological matter mixed with strange alien technology. There's no negotiation, there's maybe not even sentience within the minds of your enemies. Snarling and vicious they tear through your crew, and you.
I've had a lot of fun with this game. Initially released in 2018 it's still getting frequent updates and it's full of content that can keep you entertained for hundreds of hours. I would know because I've currently got 270 hours played at the moment and that's only going to go up from here.
Don't let the name fool you, it's not about trading! Unless you want it to be, in which case you can totally make it about trading. Instead you play as the captain of a space ship in a distant future galaxy simply trying to survive and thrive.
The game is a bit of a strange mix between RPG and Rogue-like. I guess I'd describe it as an RPG with lots of replayability. At the start of each game you pick your captain. You can customize your captain in a number of ways but it's balanced around a priorities system. You have Attributes, Skills, Ship, Contacts and Experience. Your top choice will have the highest value while the bottom choice will have the lowest value. So you can start with an extremely skilled captain but you might have a very poor starting ship or only one or two contacts (mission givers, info brokers, rare equipment sellers, black market access, etc. They play a number of roles depending on their position/profession). Or you can start with a top of the line nearly end-game ship, but you'll have to sacrifice your captain's abilities to do so. Experience is basically a head start on levels for you and your crew, which can be very valuable for the early game where it can be tough starting out.
Besides the priorities your captain has a specific class. The default is Pirate but you can play as a Merchant, Assassin, Commander, etc. too. Each will have bonuses based on the play-style they specialize in. Pirates and Smugglers get skills that allow them to access black markets more easily and avoid police patrols from identifying contraband with ship scans. Assassins, soldiers, snipers, etc. get a bonus to their crew combat performance and usually have some bonuses regarding missions too. An assassin will do well in a "Duel of Assassins" conflict between two factions, for example, where typically nobles send assassins to try to kill each other or influential people under a 'lawful war monitored by the United Nations' kind of premise. Whereas a Bodyguard will get bonuses for escort missions and prisoner transport missions. Merchants get better deals for their goods and can impact "trade ban" conflicts more. Commanders get bonuses to ship performance and combat.
There are a lot of options too! Both just as you start but also there are a number of options you can unlock by completing various quests or challenges in your playthroughs, which also adds a lot of replayability. New player classes, new ships and new starting contacts.
Oh, and even if you start with one of the best ships, there's a lot of in-game progression too. Upgrading the ship components and choosing talents as your crew level up is a key aspect of the game. Each crew member has a class too, which will determine what value they're contribute to your ship's overall stats. You need Electronic Tech experts to run a lot of high tech electronic components, you need gunners to be able to man all the guns, and you need Ship Operators to, well, operate the ship. As crew, officers and your captain level up they can choose a talent from their job talents. For example, an E-Tech can get the 'scanner boost' skill, which can be used in ship combat to give you +25% accuracy and +25% evasion. The trick though is that they have very long cooldowns. You'll need multiple crew members with Scanner Boost to be able to use it multiple times in a battle, or to use it in two battles back to back. The game runs in weeks, with the explanation that the energy from the special ship engines prolongs people's lives almost indefinitely. So most skills will have a 3-6 week cooldown, which actually passes pretty quickly when you're traveling. Either way, you get anywhere between 18 and 42 crew, depending on the size of your ship and what kind of barracks you install. So you can have a lot of talents. It's also worth seeking out specialist crew, like a merchant, diplomat, smuggler, etc. so that you can make use of their talents in rarer circumstances.
But be careful! Your crew are vulnerable. Ship battles are dangerous, with plasma beams scraping your hull, miniature fighter ships swarming you, enemy ships ramming and boarding you, etc. If your ship is well prepared, maybe your shields can take the hit and you'll only get rocked a bit, or perhaps you've put most of your upgrades into evasion and can nimbly dodge all the enemy shots. If you do get hit though, prepare to really get hit. The introduction to this review is what it feels like to lose a ship battle in this game. It's incredibly in-depth and very immersive. You can even check, mid battle, which crew are injured, which are low on morale, etc.
A hit to your ship will do a number of things. Every hit will damage both your ship and your crew, but some weapons are more dangerous to one than the other. Radiation blasters will do a lot of damage to your crew but won't do much damage to your ship. It's a great option for people who want to take down a ship without destroying it's cargo. Whereas missiles will do a lot of damage to the hull, but your crew will only suffer some nasty bruises from being thrown around by the impact. Unless your ship is ruptured (it hits 0 overall HP) of course, in which case your whole crew will be vented into space, yourself included. Components will take damage too. Mostly it's random which components get hit, but you can install armour to take some of the hits in place of your vital components. There's also crew combat. Sometimes an enemy ship will board you. It's best to have a combat team on-board to dispatch, otherwise you'll be stuck with inexperienced E-techs and Ship Operators shakily holding pistols. Your captain can be a powerful force in crew combat but be careful, defeat in crew combat often means death. If they succeed in beating the local crew (in a 4v4 battle) they'll get a chance to sabotage your ship before returning to their own ship. Of course, you'll also be 4 crewmen down.
The good news is that you can do all these things to your enemy too! Want to bake them alive with radiation and strip their hull for parts and profit? You can do that. Want to slam your dart of a ship into their battle-cruiser, boarding it and having your pro combat team tear it apart from the inside out? You can do that! Just want to pelt them with the biggest guns for the highest damage to get them out your way? You can do that.
I highly recommend this game. It's got a bit of a learning curve but the immersion and satisfying moments I've gotten out of it put a lot of much higher budget games to shame. There's some really good story lines and quests in there, and it has 9 different difficulty setting so that you can enjoy it however you want.
It really deserves a lot more love than it's gotten and I hope a few more people get to enjoy it after seeing this!
2024.05.17 11:27 themalikshehryar Considering Remote Work? Start Your Own Online Shop on eBay or Amazon!
Hello fellow remote work enthusiasts,
As we explore various online work opportunities, I’d like to introduce a strategy that has been a game-changer for many of my peers. Have you ever thought about setting up an online shop on platforms like eBay or Amazon? Yeah, you've already heard that one. The difference would be to use research tools like eBay Terapeak and better sourcing that gets you competitive pricing on the hot selling products.
I've successfully helped many people around the world start their own shop online. Once it's setup, its fairly automated. You're welcome to ask me any questions.
Why Consider This Approach?
submitted by themalikshehryar to remotework [link] [comments]
As we explore various online work opportunities, I’d like to introduce a strategy that has been a game-changer for many of my peers. Have you ever thought about setting up an online shop on platforms like eBay or Amazon? Yeah, you've already heard that one. The difference would be to use research tools like eBay Terapeak and better sourcing that gets you competitive pricing on the hot selling products.
I've successfully helped many people around the world start their own shop online. Once it's setup, its fairly automated. You're welcome to ask me any questions.
Why Consider This Approach?
- Access to a Vast Customer Base: eBay and Amazon have millions of active users, which means your products can reach a wide audience without the need for a physical storefront.
- Sourcing Competitive Products: Many tech products are manufactured in China, and suppliers in countries like Pakistan (like myself) often have direct access to these goods at highly competitive rates. Leveraging this advantage can significantly impact your profit margins.
- Transferable Skills: Beyond selling products, running an online shop teaches valuable skills. From digital marketing to customer service and logistics management, you’ll gain expertise that’s applicable across various industries.
- Self-sufficient: Through experience, if you reinvest what you earn for 6 months, your inventory and model will be self-sufficient to last you for your lifetime; if you do things fairly right.
- Start Small: Begin with a niche product category to test the waters. Gradually expand as you gain confidence.
- Learn the Platforms: Familiarize yourself with eBay and Amazon’s seller interfaces. Understand their policies, fees, and customer expectations.
- Patience Pays Off: Building a successful online shop takes time. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but a legitimate business endeavor.
2024.05.17 10:57 uprobeblywantmyname IT company
Since many have said it's better to buy car dealerships than poor old IT company,I was sad,so i decided to actually explain why IT is op.
To those with auto clicker if u reset game you will be like me hopeless in life....but here comes IT company as a saviour,see the step by step method.
1)use auto clicker for 10 minutes to upgrade clicker to max
2) watch ads and click for 10-30 minutes for 350k
3) repeat (2) till u get 100k
4) buy IT company and fire default developer,and use that 100k to buy medium grade employees and 60 skill designer.
5) (developer) skill should be 100+,and salary combined should be below 200k -300k per hour.
6)(designer) below 80k salary with 60+ skill (can make salary a little higher but you should calculate profit)
7)do 4 mil project 2 times (i recommend watching ads).
8)here there are 3 ways you can go buying taxi,bank,and more employee
9) once you get 100+ workshop space you gotta buy more senior devs and team leader and all others
10) the filter is the method I use at 100s of employees.you gotta hire 100 employee and fire lowest skill ones who are not really good (make your own standard) then go to project and select lowest salary and pick employees for project,fire the rest.
WARNING: if due to wage your networth is in negative,do not close IT or drop project. let project finish
submitted by uprobeblywantmyname to BusinessEmpireRichman [link] [comments]
To those with auto clicker if u reset game you will be like me hopeless in life....but here comes IT company as a saviour,see the step by step method.
1)use auto clicker for 10 minutes to upgrade clicker to max
2) watch ads and click for 10-30 minutes for 350k
3) repeat (2) till u get 100k
4) buy IT company and fire default developer,and use that 100k to buy medium grade employees and 60 skill designer.
5) (developer) skill should be 100+,and salary combined should be below 200k -300k per hour.
6)(designer) below 80k salary with 60+ skill (can make salary a little higher but you should calculate profit)
7)do 4 mil project 2 times (i recommend watching ads).
8)here there are 3 ways you can go buying taxi,bank,and more employee
9) once you get 100+ workshop space you gotta buy more senior devs and team leader and all others
10) the filter is the method I use at 100s of employees.you gotta hire 100 employee and fire lowest skill ones who are not really good (make your own standard) then go to project and select lowest salary and pick employees for project,fire the rest.
WARNING: if due to wage your networth is in negative,do not close IT or drop project. let project finish
2024.05.17 10:44 Adrenaline--Rush Are Online Casinos Fairer Than Land-Based Ones?
 | https://preview.redd.it/wtk42wye8y0d1.jpg?width=4895&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c0ba4777dc902e4a399919192b36e28e28d96b1 submitted by Adrenaline--Rush to u/Adrenaline--Rush [link] [comments] The glitz of Vegas or the comfort of your couch? This blog explores the fairness of both land-based and online casinos. We uncover surprising facts about payout percentages and shed light on the question: are online casinos actually a more level playing field? Read on to discover the exciting world of casino fairness, no matter your preference! Vegas Vibes vs. Click and Play: The Casino ShowdownHave you ever had a friend who absolutely raves about the excitement of a night at the casino? The flashing lights, the clinking of chips, the feeling of being right in the heart of the action — it’s a whole experience, right? But then you have others who swear by the convenience of online casinos. No need to dress up, no crowds, just pure gaming fun from the comfort of your couch. So, which one is really better? And more importantly, are online casinos actually fair? Buckle up, because we’re about to delve into the exciting world of casino fairness, both online and offline!The Glitz and Glamour of Land-Based Casinos:Let’s face it, there’s a reason why Las Vegas is called “Sin City.” There’s a certain undeniable magic to stepping into a physical casino. The dazzling lights, the electrifying atmosphere, the symphony of slot machine jingles and excited chatter — it’s a sensory overload in the best way possible. Plus, land-based casinos often offer a wider variety of games, from classic poker tables with seasoned players to high-roller rooms for the truly adventurous. It’s a chance to rub shoulders with people from all walks of life, all united by the thrill of the game.But Hold On, Convenience Calls!Okay, now picture this: you’re lounging in your pajamas, your favorite beverage at hand, and you’re ready to unwind with some casino fun. That’s the beauty of online casinos! They offer the same thrill and excitement as their land-based counterparts, but from the comfort of your own home. The selection of games can be even wider online, with some platforms boasting unique or niche games you won’t find anywhere else. Plus, managing your bankroll is a breeze — just a few clicks and you’re good to go. No need to worry about carrying cash or keeping track of physical chips.Fairness Face-Off:Now, here’s the question that probably keeps you up at night (or maybe not, but let’s pretend for dramatic effect): are online casinos fair? Well, the good news is that both land-based and online casinos are regulated by agencies to ensure fair play. Land-based casinos use something called Random Number Generators (RNGs) in their electronic games. These are basically fancy computer programs that ensure every spin or roll of the dice is completely random and unpredictable. Online platforms rely on sophisticated software that achieves the same purpose.So, Who Wins the Fairness Fight?Here comes the plot twist! You might be surprised to learn that payout percentages (the amount of money a casino pays back to players over time) can actually be higher in some online casinos compared to their land-based counterparts. Why? Because online platforms have lower overhead costs. They don’t need to pay for a fancy building with flashing lights and all that jazz (although some online casinos do invest heavily in creating a visually appealing user experience). This can translate to more money finding its way back into your pocket!Don’t Get Duped: Spotting a Shady Casino (Online or Offline)Before we get too carried away, it’s important to remember that not all casinos are created equal. Whether you’re playing online or offline, it’s crucial to choose a reputable platform. Here’s a quick tip: look for licensing information, positive reviews from trusted sources, and secure payment methods. A legitimate casino will be transparent about its operations and committed to fair play.Shady Tricks? Not on Our Watch!Let’s address a common misconception: the idea that casinos are “rigged” against players. The truth is, reputable casinos rely on fair odds and RNGs to maintain a profitable business model. They don’t need to cheat. Think about it — if players thought the games were unfair, they wouldn’t keep coming back, right? Casinos thrive on repeat customers, and the only way to ensure that is by offering a fair and enjoyable experience.Beyond Fairness: Perks and PitfallsOf course, fairness is just one factor to consider when choosing a casino. Online platforms often offer exciting bonuses and promotions that can boost your bankroll. However, it’s important to remember to gamble responsibly. Set spending limits, stick to them, and never chase losses. This applies to both online and land-based casinos.Land vs. Online: The Verdict is Yours!So, who wins the battle between land-based and online casinos? The truth is, there’s no clear winner. Both can be fair and enjoyable experiences, it all depends on your preferences. Land-based offers a social atmosphere and a chance to immerse yourself in the casino world, while online provides convenience and potentially higher payouts.Explore the Excitement at Khelosports.com!If you’re looking for a safe and exciting online casino experience with a wide variety of games and potentially higher payouts, then look no further than Khelosports. We’re a licensed and reputable platform that prioritizes fair play and responsible gambling.Here’s what makes Khelosports.com the perfect place for your next online casino adventure:
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2024.05.17 10:28 archersnow3 I passed on my third attempt!
If you are struggling with Step 1, trust me, I understand you. I am not a strong test taker and I struggle with testing anxiety. Having to go through this exam 3 times nearly broke me. If you passed, congratulations, I'm so relieved and happy for you! If you failed, I know how you feel and I hope my story can motivate you because you are amazing and capable. If you are studying and stressing out, please keep your head up because if I can pull through this, you definitely can.
My story summarized:
I took 2 months of step 1 dedicated last year and saw on reddit that people would pass with low 60s on NBMEs. I thought to take it once I hit a 62 on NBME and a 60+ on Free 120 (my school would not let me push it back any further). I came out of that test shattered as it did not feel like anything I've ever taken before; the question STEMs were long and I was constantly running out of time. After my initial F, I tried to retake it immediately, ~5 weeks after my first attempt so that I could quickly get back on track with school. I hired a tutor and started Bootcamp. I thought I just needed to show consistency so I got 62 and a 67 on two NBMEs. I went into that test feeling so confident and felt great after the test; the question stems were short & sweet and I didn't have a time issue. I was confident that I passed. When I received that second F, I cannot truly describe that feeling but I wouldn't hope it for anyone. I had to take a year off on LOA to fix my depression and anxiety disorder that resulted from this traumatic experience.
I started truly studying for this exam in January of this year and took the exam 4/19. I told myself that I would not sit for this exam again until I've scored in the 70+ consistently on NBMEs and fixed my confidence. This was my last chance taking the step 1 exam as a third failure results in dismissal from my school. I think that added pressure on top of my testing anxiety was something that took ALOT of time with counseling and self reflection/growth to heal from. My initial date was 4/10 but I was having extreme physical pain that week and my practice score dropped from 78 to 60, so I, not wanting to repeated my mistake in the past, extended my LOA so I could take the exam 4/19. I took another practice exam to make sure I was confident and got a 69%. It wasn't the 70+ I wanted but my counselor told me that I may never feel confident, but I have been meeting my score goals consistently and having prepared for this exam for, essentially a year now, I did not want to burn out so I took the exam. Here are my stats this time: 4/15/24: 69% (Form 29), 4/7/24: 60% (Form 28), 4/4/24: 78% (Form 26), 3/15/24: 74% (Form 30), 2/29/24: 69% (Form 31), 2/15/24: 65% (Form 25), 2/1/24: 66% (Form 27).
I can honestly say I feel like I truly understand the material and am able to think about things clinically, which is something I could not have said for my first two attempts.
To note, I don't think everyone needs 70+ on NBMEs to pass, but if you have testing anxiety, tend to struggle with timed tests, have ADD, or easily get shaken from a "bad section," then you should aim for 70+ (timed, and as close to the exam environment as possible) to be able to sit for the real thing. Cudos to those who did it without but I think that not having 3+ NBMEs >65% is a risk. Look at me, I took those risks and failed twice before. I don't want that for you.
Prior to and Exam day:
I visited the testing center twice before my test date to familiarize myself with it. I checked out the bathrooms and saw the common area. This test was also and mental and emotion task for me, so knowing my environment was important.
I studied the day before because I am just not the type to take a day off before the exam - my anxiety could not let me just rest. I slept maybe 4 hours (don't recommend it but I don't usually sleep before big events so 4 was good for me). I had my partner drive me so I could just decompress in the car and did not have an appetite but forced myself to eat a banana. I took an ibuprofen as I knew I tend to get stress headaches/cramps along the test, which usually really affected me.
The first section was terrible (wanted to just fight the computer screen) but I lied to myself that it was gonna be one of my best sections so I am not gonna worry about it. I took each section like its own thing, not letting the previous affect me. I realized that timing was not as forgiving on this as NBMEs so I made myself go through all the questions so that I could have 5 minutes to check unanswered or marked ones. I think I marked 18 in 3 sections (which was freaky) but again, told myself not to worry about them. Overall, 3 sections felt terrible and the rest felt okay to meh. I calmed myself down because I told myself that I've seen thousands of step 1 questions at this point as I've completed Uworld Qbank, Amboss Qbank, all available online NBMEs, free 120, and taken this exam twice); I think this reassurance made a huge difference in not allowing my testing anxiety to affect me. Trust me, it wasn't smooth sailing though and I think adrenaline carried me through this test.
I did not know how to feel after my exam as it didn't feel as difficult as my first attempt but not as "easy" as my second attempt. However, my 6 NBMEs were 65-78% (with the exception of 1 at 60%) this time, so I just told myself to trust my score. I knew I missed a handful of easy ones but also felt reassured when I looked up the ones I guessed and saw that I had guessed most of them correctly.
Waiting 4 weeks for my score was torture. I prayed, cried, distracted myself with video games, and spent time with friends.
Overall I am so happy to finally move on with my life bc it felt like limbo for the past year. If you want to hear what worked for me the third time around, you can read more below.
What didn't work for me:
submitted by archersnow3 to step1 [link] [comments]
My story summarized:
I took 2 months of step 1 dedicated last year and saw on reddit that people would pass with low 60s on NBMEs. I thought to take it once I hit a 62 on NBME and a 60+ on Free 120 (my school would not let me push it back any further). I came out of that test shattered as it did not feel like anything I've ever taken before; the question STEMs were long and I was constantly running out of time. After my initial F, I tried to retake it immediately, ~5 weeks after my first attempt so that I could quickly get back on track with school. I hired a tutor and started Bootcamp. I thought I just needed to show consistency so I got 62 and a 67 on two NBMEs. I went into that test feeling so confident and felt great after the test; the question stems were short & sweet and I didn't have a time issue. I was confident that I passed. When I received that second F, I cannot truly describe that feeling but I wouldn't hope it for anyone. I had to take a year off on LOA to fix my depression and anxiety disorder that resulted from this traumatic experience.
I started truly studying for this exam in January of this year and took the exam 4/19. I told myself that I would not sit for this exam again until I've scored in the 70+ consistently on NBMEs and fixed my confidence. This was my last chance taking the step 1 exam as a third failure results in dismissal from my school. I think that added pressure on top of my testing anxiety was something that took ALOT of time with counseling and self reflection/growth to heal from. My initial date was 4/10 but I was having extreme physical pain that week and my practice score dropped from 78 to 60, so I, not wanting to repeated my mistake in the past, extended my LOA so I could take the exam 4/19. I took another practice exam to make sure I was confident and got a 69%. It wasn't the 70+ I wanted but my counselor told me that I may never feel confident, but I have been meeting my score goals consistently and having prepared for this exam for, essentially a year now, I did not want to burn out so I took the exam. Here are my stats this time: 4/15/24: 69% (Form 29), 4/7/24: 60% (Form 28), 4/4/24: 78% (Form 26), 3/15/24: 74% (Form 30), 2/29/24: 69% (Form 31), 2/15/24: 65% (Form 25), 2/1/24: 66% (Form 27).
I can honestly say I feel like I truly understand the material and am able to think about things clinically, which is something I could not have said for my first two attempts.
To note, I don't think everyone needs 70+ on NBMEs to pass, but if you have testing anxiety, tend to struggle with timed tests, have ADD, or easily get shaken from a "bad section," then you should aim for 70+ (timed, and as close to the exam environment as possible) to be able to sit for the real thing. Cudos to those who did it without but I think that not having 3+ NBMEs >65% is a risk. Look at me, I took those risks and failed twice before. I don't want that for you.
Prior to and Exam day:
I visited the testing center twice before my test date to familiarize myself with it. I checked out the bathrooms and saw the common area. This test was also and mental and emotion task for me, so knowing my environment was important.
I studied the day before because I am just not the type to take a day off before the exam - my anxiety could not let me just rest. I slept maybe 4 hours (don't recommend it but I don't usually sleep before big events so 4 was good for me). I had my partner drive me so I could just decompress in the car and did not have an appetite but forced myself to eat a banana. I took an ibuprofen as I knew I tend to get stress headaches/cramps along the test, which usually really affected me.
The first section was terrible (wanted to just fight the computer screen) but I lied to myself that it was gonna be one of my best sections so I am not gonna worry about it. I took each section like its own thing, not letting the previous affect me. I realized that timing was not as forgiving on this as NBMEs so I made myself go through all the questions so that I could have 5 minutes to check unanswered or marked ones. I think I marked 18 in 3 sections (which was freaky) but again, told myself not to worry about them. Overall, 3 sections felt terrible and the rest felt okay to meh. I calmed myself down because I told myself that I've seen thousands of step 1 questions at this point as I've completed Uworld Qbank, Amboss Qbank, all available online NBMEs, free 120, and taken this exam twice); I think this reassurance made a huge difference in not allowing my testing anxiety to affect me. Trust me, it wasn't smooth sailing though and I think adrenaline carried me through this test.
I did not know how to feel after my exam as it didn't feel as difficult as my first attempt but not as "easy" as my second attempt. However, my 6 NBMEs were 65-78% (with the exception of 1 at 60%) this time, so I just told myself to trust my score. I knew I missed a handful of easy ones but also felt reassured when I looked up the ones I guessed and saw that I had guessed most of them correctly.
Waiting 4 weeks for my score was torture. I prayed, cried, distracted myself with video games, and spent time with friends.
Overall I am so happy to finally move on with my life bc it felt like limbo for the past year. If you want to hear what worked for me the third time around, you can read more below.
What didn't work for me:
- I have never learned well with textbooks. I don't know why I thought using First-Aid as the foundation of my study prep was a good idea. I was also trying to do thousands of Anki when I was always struggling to keep up with ANKI in med school. You know what works for you as you've studied all your life to get to this point in medical school. FA/Anki might be the holy grail for some people but if that's not your learning style or how you learn best, use other options!
- I took tests on my laptop at home for my first two attempts. You might not know it, but you may be a little too comfortable so try to go to a library where there are desktop computers and simulate the real deal.
- Bootcamp and Uworld! I am a visual learning and Bootcamp videos/short quizzes really helped me ground my foundation in. However, it was unsuspending the Uworld Q's associated with the Bootcamp topic to see if I really understood the lecture material was what made a difference. I kept a spreadsheet of the Bootcamp topic completion, its associated UWorld Qbank completion, and the percentage right. Anything under 50% was a fail, 60-69% was border, and 70% was pass. I would redo my failed sections and take extra time to review my border sections. Another option for qbank is Amboss.
- Mehlman PDFs. Please, please review Mehlman's HY arrows PDFs. This is the single document that boosted my score to 70+. I did it 4x over (1 to get through it, 2 to redo the wrong ones, 3 to redo it all Qs the week before the test, and 4 to redo the wrong ones on the second attempt). I did his biochem sections and his biostats questions the week before the exam, which was a big help. I heard his risk factor PDFs were good, but I didn't have time to do that.
- NBMEs, use them as a resource! I would see the same topics come up again and again for each NBME. I know their explanation sucks but try to just understand what topic/concept they are trying to get you to know. Some people say this inflates your score but familiarizing yourself with HY topics that get tested time and time again is studying smart. I made Quizlet flashcards on each question I got wrong from forms 25-31 and Free 120. Yeah, I used quizlet bc I hated Anki and seeing Anki demoralized me, so I had to use a different flashcard medium. Quizlet actually has an AI feature to ask you questions and give explanations based on your flashcards, and I think this is pretty cool.
- For Micro and Pharm, I used Sketchy.
2024.05.17 10:26 Hireme-taxi Best Luxury car rental in Delhi @Hiremetaxi
Experience Delhi in Style: The Best Luxury Car Rentals in Delhi
Delhi, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy, deserves to be explored in style. Imagine cruising through iconic landmarks like India Gate or Jama Masjid in the comfort and opulence of a luxury car. Hiremetaxi.com brings you the ultimate guide to the Best Luxury car rentals in Delhi, ensuring an unforgettable experience in India's capital city.
Indulge in Unparalleled Comfort and Choice
Luxury car rentals in Delhi - HiremeTaxi offers a fleet of dream machines to satiate your desire for an unparalleled driving experience. Whether you envision yourself behind the wheel of a sleek Audi, a powerful Mercedes-Benz, or a prestigious BMW, Delhi's rental services cater to your discerning taste. For those seeking a touch of British heritage, chauffeured rides in a classic Rolls Royce are also available.
Beyond the Vehicle: Exceptional Service Awaits
The Top luxury car rentals in Delhi go beyond just providing a set of wheels. They understand that exceptional service is paramount to an unforgettable experience. Expect courteous and professional chauffeurs with extensive knowledge of Delhi's streets and hidden gems. These chauffeurs ensure a safe and comfortable journey, allowing you to unwind and savor the city's grandeur.
Benefits of Renting a Luxury Car in Delhi
Hiremetaxi.com recommends considering the following factors when choosing a luxury car rental in Delhi:
At Hiremetaxi.com, we connect you with the most reputable luxury car rental services in Delhi. Our user-friendly platform allows you to browse car options, compare prices, and book your rental seamlessly. Let us help you transform your Delhi visit into an extraordinary journey with the comfort and sophistication of a luxury car rental.
Explore Delhi in grandeur. Hire a luxury car rental today!
Visit Us: www.hiremetaxi.com
Contact Us: +919990965965
E-Mail: [info@hiremetaxi.com](mailto:info@hiremetaxi.com)
Add: Main Vasant Kunj Marg, Sector D, Pocket 6 , Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070
Experience Delhi in Style: The Best Luxury Car Rentals in Delhi
Delhi, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy, deserves to be explored in style. Imagine cruising through iconic landmarks like India Gate or Jama Masjid in the comfort and opulence of a luxury car. Hiremetaxi.com brings you the ultimate guide to the Best Luxury car rentals in Delhi, ensuring an unforgettable experience in India's capital city.
Indulge in Unparalleled Comfort and Choice
Luxury car rentals in Delhi - HiremeTaxi offers a fleet of dream machines to satiate your desire for an unparalleled driving experience. Whether you envision yourself behind the wheel of a sleek Audi, a powerful Mercedes-Benz, or a prestigious BMW, Delhi's rental services cater to your discerning taste. For those seeking a touch of British heritage, chauffeured rides in a classic Rolls Royce are also available.
Beyond the Vehicle: Exceptional Service Awaits
The Top luxury car rentals in Delhi go beyond just providing a set of wheels. They understand that exceptional service is paramount to an unforgettable experience. Expect courteous and professional chauffeurs with extensive knowledge of Delhi's streets and hidden gems. These chauffeurs ensure a safe and comfortable journey, allowing you to unwind and savor the city's grandeur.
Benefits of Renting a Luxury Car in Delhi
Hiremetaxi.com recommends considering the following factors when choosing a luxury car rental in Delhi:
At Hiremetaxi.com, we connect you with the most reputable luxury car rental services in Delhi. Our user-friendly platform allows you to browse car options, compare prices, and book your rental seamlessly. Let us help you transform your Delhi visit into an extraordinary journey with the comfort and sophistication of a luxury car rental.
Explore Delhi in grandeur. Hire a luxury car rental today!
Visit Us: www.hiremetaxi.com
Contact Us: +919990965965
E-Mail: [info@hiremetaxi.com](mailto:info@hiremetaxi.com)
Add: Main Vasant Kunj Marg, Sector D, Pocket 6 , Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070
submitted by Hireme-taxi to u/Hireme-taxi [link] [comments]
Delhi, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy, deserves to be explored in style. Imagine cruising through iconic landmarks like India Gate or Jama Masjid in the comfort and opulence of a luxury car. Hiremetaxi.com brings you the ultimate guide to the Best Luxury car rentals in Delhi, ensuring an unforgettable experience in India's capital city.
Indulge in Unparalleled Comfort and Choice
Luxury car rentals in Delhi - HiremeTaxi offers a fleet of dream machines to satiate your desire for an unparalleled driving experience. Whether you envision yourself behind the wheel of a sleek Audi, a powerful Mercedes-Benz, or a prestigious BMW, Delhi's rental services cater to your discerning taste. For those seeking a touch of British heritage, chauffeured rides in a classic Rolls Royce are also available.
Beyond the Vehicle: Exceptional Service Awaits
The Top luxury car rentals in Delhi go beyond just providing a set of wheels. They understand that exceptional service is paramount to an unforgettable experience. Expect courteous and professional chauffeurs with extensive knowledge of Delhi's streets and hidden gems. These chauffeurs ensure a safe and comfortable journey, allowing you to unwind and savor the city's grandeur.
Benefits of Renting a Luxury Car in Delhi
- Effortless Transportation: Luxury car rentals at HiremeTaxi offer a convenient and hassle-free way to navigate Delhi's bustling streets. Avoid the stress of public transportation or haggling with taxis, and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and relaxed.
- Impeccable First Impressions: Create a lasting impression with a grand entrance in a luxury car. Whether you're attending a business meeting, a special occasion, or simply exploring the city, a luxury car rental elevates your presence and commands attention.
- Tailor-Made Experiences: Luxury car rentals often provide customizable experiences. Choose a car that reflects your style and preferences, and create a personalized itinerary to explore Delhi at your own pace.
Hiremetaxi.com recommends considering the following factors when choosing a luxury car rental in Delhi:
- Fleet Selection: Ensure the rental company offers a diverse range of luxury cars to suit your taste and travel needs.
- Chauffeur Services: If you prefer a chauffeured experience, inquire about the qualifications and experience of the drivers.
- Pricing & Packages: Compare rates and available packages to find the best value for your budget.
- Customer Reviews: Read online reviews and testimonials to get a sense of the company's reputation and service quality.
At Hiremetaxi.com, we connect you with the most reputable luxury car rental services in Delhi. Our user-friendly platform allows you to browse car options, compare prices, and book your rental seamlessly. Let us help you transform your Delhi visit into an extraordinary journey with the comfort and sophistication of a luxury car rental.
Explore Delhi in grandeur. Hire a luxury car rental today!
Visit Us: www.hiremetaxi.com
Contact Us: +919990965965
E-Mail: [info@hiremetaxi.com](mailto:info@hiremetaxi.com)
Add: Main Vasant Kunj Marg, Sector D, Pocket 6 , Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070
Experience Delhi in Style: The Best Luxury Car Rentals in Delhi
Delhi, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy, deserves to be explored in style. Imagine cruising through iconic landmarks like India Gate or Jama Masjid in the comfort and opulence of a luxury car. Hiremetaxi.com brings you the ultimate guide to the Best Luxury car rentals in Delhi, ensuring an unforgettable experience in India's capital city.
Indulge in Unparalleled Comfort and Choice
Luxury car rentals in Delhi - HiremeTaxi offers a fleet of dream machines to satiate your desire for an unparalleled driving experience. Whether you envision yourself behind the wheel of a sleek Audi, a powerful Mercedes-Benz, or a prestigious BMW, Delhi's rental services cater to your discerning taste. For those seeking a touch of British heritage, chauffeured rides in a classic Rolls Royce are also available.
Beyond the Vehicle: Exceptional Service Awaits
The Top luxury car rentals in Delhi go beyond just providing a set of wheels. They understand that exceptional service is paramount to an unforgettable experience. Expect courteous and professional chauffeurs with extensive knowledge of Delhi's streets and hidden gems. These chauffeurs ensure a safe and comfortable journey, allowing you to unwind and savor the city's grandeur.
Benefits of Renting a Luxury Car in Delhi
- Effortless Transportation: Luxury car rentals at HiremeTaxi offer a convenient and hassle-free way to navigate Delhi's bustling streets. Avoid the stress of public transportation or haggling with taxis, and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and relaxed.
- Impeccable First Impressions: Create a lasting impression with a grand entrance in a luxury car. Whether you're attending a business meeting, a special occasion, or simply exploring the city, a luxury car rental elevates your presence and commands attention.
- Tailor-Made Experiences: Luxury car rentals often provide customizable experiences. Choose a car that reflects your style and preferences, and create a personalized itinerary to explore Delhi at your own pace.
Hiremetaxi.com recommends considering the following factors when choosing a luxury car rental in Delhi:
- Fleet Selection: Ensure the rental company offers a diverse range of luxury cars to suit your taste and travel needs.
- Chauffeur Services: If you prefer a chauffeured experience, inquire about the qualifications and experience of the drivers.
- Pricing & Packages: Compare rates and available packages to find the best value for your budget.
- Customer Reviews: Read online reviews and testimonials to get a sense of the company's reputation and service quality.
At Hiremetaxi.com, we connect you with the most reputable luxury car rental services in Delhi. Our user-friendly platform allows you to browse car options, compare prices, and book your rental seamlessly. Let us help you transform your Delhi visit into an extraordinary journey with the comfort and sophistication of a luxury car rental.
Explore Delhi in grandeur. Hire a luxury car rental today!
Visit Us: www.hiremetaxi.com
Contact Us: +919990965965
E-Mail: [info@hiremetaxi.com](mailto:info@hiremetaxi.com)
Add: Main Vasant Kunj Marg, Sector D, Pocket 6 , Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070
2024.05.17 10:26 Sweet-Count2557 Best Pizza in Eugene or
 | Best Pizza in Eugene or Are you ready to discover the best pizza in Eugene, OR? We're here to take you on a mouthwatering journey through the city's vibrant pizza scene.With a wide array of flavors and toppings, Eugene is a pizza lover's paradise. From iconic establishments like Track Town Pizza and Roaring Rapids Pizza to customizable options at MOD Pizza, there's something for everyone.And let's not forget about the unique experience of Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP. Get ready to satisfy your cravings and embark on a delicious adventure.Key TakeawaysThe pizza joints in Eugene offer a wide range of pizza combinations, including classic and vegetarian options.The restaurants use fresh ingredients and make their dough daily, ensuring the quality of their pizzas.Track Town Pizza is a popular choice, especially after Oregon Ducks games, and has been serving delicious pizzas since 1978.Roaring Rapids Pizza is known for its unique recipes and all-natural cheeses made by their own cheese makers.Track Town PizzaWe should definitely try Track Town Pizza for dinner tonight; I heard they've the best pizza in town. Located at 1809 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, Oregon, Track Town Pizza has been serving delicious pizzas, salads, and handcrafted beers since 1978. It's the perfect place to satisfy your pizza cravings after watching an Oregon Ducks game.Track Town Pizza is known for their pizzas made with fresh ingredients, homemade sauce, and hand-tossed dough. They offer a variety of pizza options to cater to everyone's taste buds. Whether you're a meat lover or a vegetarian, Track Town Pizza has got you covered. Their menu features classic and vegetarian slices, as well as over 250 pizza combinations.The atmosphere at Track Town Pizza is relaxed and welcoming, making it a great spot for a casual lunch or a family pizza night. The staff is friendly and the service is top-notch, ensuring a pleasant dining experience. The restaurant follows strict safety protocols to prioritize the well-being of their customers.If you're looking for the best pizza in Eugene, Track Town Pizza should be at the top of your list. With their fresh ingredients, homemade sauce, and hand-tossed dough, they deliver a pizza experience that's unmatched. So, grab your friends or family and head over to Track Town Pizza for a delicious and satisfying meal.Roaring Rapids PizzaLet's try the Marshal Pizza with salami, roasted garlic, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, and jalapeños at Roaring Rapids Pizza, one of the best pizza places in Eugene. Located at 4006 Franklin Blvd, this kid-friendly spot offers stunning views of the Willamette River.Known for their delicious pizzas, Roaring Rapids Pizza uses unique recipes to make their dough from scratch daily. The cheese used on their pizzas is all-natural and produced by their own cheese makers.At Roaring Rapids Pizza, safety is a top priority. The restaurant maintains a clean and welcoming atmosphere, ensuring a comfortable dining experience for all guests. The staff follows strict hygiene practices and takes necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their customers.When it comes to pizza, Roaring Rapids Pizza offers a wide variety of options to cater to different preferences. From classic combinations to vegetarian options, there's something for everyone. Their Marshal Pizza is a flavor-packed choice, with the perfect balance of savory salami, roasted garlic, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, and a hint of heat from jalapeños.Whether you're dining in or ordering takeout, Roaring Rapids Pizza guarantees a satisfying and safe pizza experience. So, why not give their Marshal Pizza a try and indulge in the delicious flavors that make this place one of the best pizza spots in Eugene?MOD PizzaWhile discussing our favorite pizza places in Eugene, we can't forget about MOD Pizza, a chain that has been serving individual artisan-style pizzas since 2008. Here are some key points to consider about MOD Pizza:Customizable Pizzas: MOD Pizza offers a unique dining experience by allowing customers to build their own pizzas. With over eight sauces and 40 toppings to choose from, you can create a pizza tailored to your taste buds.Fixed Prices: One of the standout features of MOD Pizza is that the prices remain the same regardless of the toppings you choose. This ensures that you can fully customize your pizza without worrying about any additional costs.High-Quality Ingredients: MOD Pizza prides itself on using fresh and high-quality ingredients. From the dough, made daily, to the flavorful sauces and toppings, you can expect a delicious and satisfying pizza experience.Welcoming Atmosphere: MOD Pizza provides a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for its customers. Whether you're dining in or taking your pizza to go, you can enjoy a comfortable and friendly environment.Safety: MOD Pizza prioritizes the safety of its customers. They've implemented measures such as contactless ordering and payment options, as well as rigorous cleaning protocols to ensure a safe dining experience.MOD Pizza is a popular choice for pizza lovers in Eugene due to its customizable pizzas, fixed prices, high-quality ingredients, welcoming atmosphere, and commitment to safety. Whether you're a meat lover or a vegetarian, MOD Pizza has something for everyone.Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOPWe should definitely try out Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP because they specialize in wood-fired pizzas and offer incredibly loaded pizzas with authentic flavors. These mobile pizza parlors, Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP, have been serving delicious pizzas since 2011 and 2020, respectively. What sets them apart is their unique way of baking pizzas inside converted trucks with wood-fired ovens. This not only adds a rustic touch but also enhances the flavors of the pizzas.When it comes to safety, both Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP prioritize using fresh ingredients and maintaining proper hygiene practices. They're committed to providing a safe and enjoyable dining experience for their customers. Their pizzas are made with high-quality ingredients that are sourced from trusted suppliers. The wood-fired ovens ensure that the pizzas are cooked at high temperatures, ensuring that they're thoroughly cooked and safe to eat.Whether you're a meat lover, a vegetarian, or have specific dietary preferences, Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP have got you covered. They offer a wide variety of toppings, from classic options to more unique and adventurous flavors. Their pizzas are creatively mixed with flavorful toppings, providing a delightful and satisfying culinary experience.To find out the location and schedule of these mobile pizza parlors, you can check their official pages or social media updates. So, if you're in the mood for some authentic wood-fired pizza, Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP are definitely worth a try.Marshal PizzaWe're craving the unique flavors of Marshal Pizza with its combination of salami, roasted garlic, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, and jalapeños. Marshal Pizza is a casual Italian restaurant in Eugene that offers over 250 pizza combinations.Here are some reasons why Marshal Pizza stands out:Fresh dough made daily using the finest ingredientsRelaxed and welcoming atmosphereKnown as the best pizza joint in EugeneOffers classic and vegetarian slicesCasual Italian restaurant with a wide variety of toppingsMarshal Pizza is the perfect place to satisfy your pizza cravings. The fresh dough, made daily, ensures that every bite is delicious and satisfying. The relaxed and welcoming atmosphere makes it a great place to enjoy a meal with friends or family. Whether you prefer classic toppings or are looking for something more unique, Marshal Pizza has you covered with its wide variety of options.When it comes to pizza in Eugene, Marshal Pizza is a top contender. With its combination of flavors and high-quality ingredients, it's no wonder why it's known as the best pizza joint in town. So if you're looking for a delicious and satisfying pizza experience, be sure to check out Marshal Pizza. Your taste buds will thank you.Bigs Veggie SpecialSometimes we order the Bigs Veggie Special from Marshal Pizza because it's loaded with delicious roasted mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese. This vegetarian pizza is a safe and satisfying choice for those looking for a meat-free option.The roasted mushrooms add a rich and earthy flavor, while the spinach provides a fresh and vibrant taste. The feta cheese adds a creamy and tangy element that perfectly complements the other ingredients.Marshal Pizza takes safety seriously, ensuring that their pizzas are made with the finest ingredients and prepared in a clean and hygienic environment. They use fresh dough made daily and carefully select their toppings to ensure quality and flavor.The Bigs Veggie Special is a popular choice among vegetarians and pizza lovers alike, and it's easy to see why. With its flavorful combination of roasted mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese, this pizza is a tasty and healthy option for anyone looking for a delicious meal.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow Many Different Pizza Combinations Does Track Town Pizza Offer?Track Town Pizza offers a variety of different pizza combinations. Their menu features classic and vegetarian options, made with fresh ingredients and homemade sauce.While we don't have the exact number of combinations, you can create your own customized pizza with a range of toppings, sauces, and cheeses.Located in Eugene, Oregon, Track Town Pizza is a popular spot for casual dining, especially after a Ducks game.It's a great place to enjoy delicious pizza in a lively atmosphere.What Is the Specialty Pizza at Roaring Rapids Pizza?The specialty pizza at Roaring Rapids Pizza is their unique Caspian Pizza. It's topped with a delicious combination of mozzarella, gorgonzola, sweet BBQ sauce, and onion slices. The flavors blend together perfectly to create a mouthwatering experience.Roaring Rapids Pizza is known for their scratch-made dough and all-natural cheeses produced by their own cheese makers. Located by the Willamette River, it's a kid-friendly spot with stunning views.Don't miss out on trying their specialty pizza when you visit Eugene!How Many Toppings Can You Choose From at MOD Pizza?At MOD Pizza, you can choose from over eight sauces and 40 toppings to customize your artisan-style pizza. They offer a wide variety of options to suit every taste, and the best part is that the prices remain the same regardless of the toppings you choose.How Long Has Oregon Wood Fired Pizza Been in Operation?Oregon Wood Fired Pizza has been in operation since 2011. They specialize in delicious wood-fired pizzas with flavorful toppings, baked inside converted trucks with wood-fired ovens.Their unique way of ordering allows customers to experience authentic and incredibly loaded pizzas with authentic flavors. Whether it's their mobile pizza parlor or Pizzeria DOP, both offer a delightful experience.Check their schedules or official pages for updates on their location, and satisfy your pizza cravings with their fresh and tasty creations.What Are the Unique Features of the Marshal Pizza and Bigs Veggie Special at the Recommended Pizza Joint?The unique features of the Marshal Pizza at the recommended pizza joint include the combination of salami, roasted garlic, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, and jalapeños, creating a flavorful and slightly spicy pizza.On the other hand, the Bigs Veggie Special stands out with its roasted mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese toppings, providing a delicious and vegetarian-friendly option.These pizzas showcase the restaurant's commitment to using fresh ingredients and offering a variety of flavor combinations to satisfy different tastes.ConclusionIn conclusion, Eugene, Oregon offers a diverse and vibrant pizza scene that caters to all tastes. With iconic establishments like Track Town Pizza and Roaring Rapids Pizza, along with customizable options at MOD Pizza, there's something for everyone.Additionally, the unique mobile wood-fired pizza parlors, Oregon Wood Fired Pizza and Pizzeria DOP, add a touch of creativity and authenticity to the mix.With so many delicious options, it's no wonder that Eugene is a pizza lover's paradise. So go ahead and indulge in the best pizza in town! submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.05.17 10:03 Debjit_M How to Choose a Four-Wheeler Insurance Policy Online
Choosing the right four-wheeler insurance policy online can be a daunting task, especially with the myriad of options available. Whether you’re a first-time car owner or looking to switch providers, understanding the nuances of car insurance can help you make an informed decision. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you choose the best car insurance policy online.
By following these steps, you can navigate the complexities of motor insurance and make an informed decision that ensures your four-wheeler is protected on the road. Happy driving!
submitted by Debjit_M to u/Debjit_M [link] [comments]
Understanding Car Insurance
Car insurance is a policy that provides financial protection against physical damage or bodily injury resulting from traffic collisions and against liability that could also arise from incidents in a vehicle. It’s essential to understand the different types of car insurance policies available:- Third Party Insurance: This is the most basic type of motor insurance and is mandatory by law. It covers damages caused to a third party but does not cover the insured vehicle.
- Comprehensive Insurance: This covers both third-party liabilities and damages to your own vehicle due to accidents, theft, fire, and natural disasters.
Steps to Choose the Best Car Insurance Policy Online
1. Assess Your Needs
Before purchasing a car insurance policy, assess your specific needs. Consider factors like the age of your car, how frequently you drive, and your budget. If you drive an older vehicle, third-party insurance might suffice. For newer or more expensive cars, comprehensive coverage is advisable.2. Research and Compare Policies
With numerous options available online, it’s crucial to compare different car insurance policies. Look at the coverage, benefits, and exclusions of each policy. Many websites offer comparison tools that can help you compare car insurance online from different providers. Pay attention to the following aspects:- Coverage: Ensure the policy offers adequate coverage for both third-party liabilities and personal damages.
- Add-ons: Check for additional cover options like zero depreciation, roadside assistance, and engine protection.
- Claim Settlement Ratio: This is a key indicator of an insurer’s reliability. A higher ratio suggests a better likelihood of claims being settled efficiently.
3. Check the Insurer’s Reputation
Research the reputation of the insurance company. Read reviews and ratings from other customers to gauge their experiences. An insurer with a strong track record and good customer service can make a significant difference when it comes to claims processing.4. Understand the Car Insurance Price
While comparing policies, don’t just look at the premium. The car insurance price should reflect the value and extent of coverage provided. Sometimes, cheaper policies might have hidden costs or inadequate coverage. Balance the cost with the benefits offered.5. Read the Fine Print
Carefully read the policy documents to understand the terms and conditions. Pay attention to exclusions, deductibles, and the claim process. Understanding the fine print can prevent unpleasant surprises later.6. Utilize Discounts
Many insurers offer discounts for various factors such as:- No-claim bonuses
- Installing anti-theft devices
- Bundling multiple policies (like car and home insurance)
7. Consider Customer Support
Good customer support can make a big difference. Choose an insurer with a robust support system that can assist you in times of need. Check if they offer 24/7 support and how accessible they are through different channels (phone, email, chat).8. Make an Informed Decision
After thorough research, choose a policy that best meets your requirements and budget. Ensure that the policy provides comprehensive coverage and is from a reputable insurer with good customer service and a high claim settlement ratio.Conclusion
Choosing a car insurance policy online doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By assessing your needs, researching and comparing options, understanding the car insurance price, and considering customer reviews and support, you can find the best car insurance policy for your vehicle. Remember, the right policy not only offers financial protection but also peace of mind, knowing that you and your car are well-covered.By following these steps, you can navigate the complexities of motor insurance and make an informed decision that ensures your four-wheeler is protected on the road. Happy driving!
2024.05.17 09:42 Sweet-Count2557 Best Things to Do in Lampasas Tx
 | Best Things to Do in Lampasas Tx Welcome to Lampasas, Texas, where adventure awaits! Join us as we uncover the best things to do in our charming town.Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden, explore the natural beauty of Cooper Spring Nature Park, and cool off in the historic Hancock Springs.But the fun doesn't stop there! Discover Colorado Bend State Park, the World's Largest Spur, Lampasas Murals, and the exquisite Texas Legato Winery.Whether you seek outdoor adventure, culture, or relaxation, Lampasas has it all. Let's embark on an unforgettable journey together.Key TakeawaysLampasas offers a variety of outdoor attractions, including the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden, Cooper Spring Nature Park, Hancock Springs, and Colorado Bend State Park.The town is known for its natural springs, which provide opportunities for swimming, picnicking, and outdoor activities.Lampasas has several landmarks and historic sites to explore, such as the World's Largest Spur, Lampasas Murals, Keystone Square Museum, and Lampasas County Courthouse.Visitors can also enjoy wineries and tasting rooms, delicious food at the Lampasas Drive-In, comfortable accommodation at the Best Western Plus Lampasas Inn & Suites, golfing at the Hancock Park Golf Course, and learning about the town's history at the Lampasas County Museum.Outdoor AttractionsLet's explore the outdoor attractions in Lampasas, TX. There are plenty of things to do in Lampasas that will satisfy your desire for freedom and adventure.One must-visit outdoor attraction is the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden. Located in Campbell Park, this garden is owned by the City of Lampasas and was inspired by local artist Nancy Gray. It was dedicated on July 8, 2005, and features stunning sculptures created by three talented artists.Another outdoor gem in Lampasas is the Cooper Spring Nature Park. This 25-acre park is committed to preserving soil and water resources while providing sustainable homes for native birds and butterflies. You can take a leisurely stroll along the walking trails, relax on the benches, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Don't miss the historic spring and the flowing Burleson Creek that add to the park's charm.For a refreshing dip, head to Hancock Springs. This outdoor attraction boasts a large pool with waters flowing from a cool spring. It's the perfect place to relax and unwind. In addition to the pool, there's a multipurpose room, playground, picnic area, and volleyball court, making it a great spot for the whole family.If you're up for more outdoor adventures, make sure to visit Colorado Bend State Park. Located in Bend, Texas, this 5,328.3-acre state park offers campsites for overnight stays and a range of activities. Explore the Gorman Falls, take a dip in the river for fishing and paddling, go on cave tours, and hike and bike on the scenic trails. It's a nature lover's paradise.Lampasas is also known for its natural springs, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and relax in the nearby picnic spots. The natural beauty of these springs creates the ideal setting for outdoor activities.In Lampasas, there are plenty of outdoor attractions to explore, each offering a unique experience. Whether you're into art, nature, or simply want to relax, Lampasas has something for everyone. So, pack your bags and get ready for an adventure in Lampasas, TX!Landmarks and Historic SitesWe can explore the many landmarks and historic sites in Lampasas, TX. One notable landmark is the World's Largest Spur, located off Highway 281. Standing at an impressive 10.33 meters tall, 6.44 meters long, and 2.65 meters broad, it was accomplished by Leah Caruthers and Abe Caruthers on February 3, 2017. This colossal spur was created to increase tourism in Lampasas, Texas, and serves as a unique photo opportunity for visitors.Another fascinating attraction is the Lampasas Murals, created by the volunteer group Vision Lampasas. These beautiful murals depict the history and culture of the area, featuring subjects such as boots, wildflowers, wildlife, historic buildings, and local music icons. Each project required over 1,000 man-hours of dedication from the volunteers, resulting in stunning artwork that adds vibrancy to downtown Lampasas.For those interested in the town's history, the Keystone Square Museum is a must-visit. Housed in a former plumbing and sheet metal shop, this museum has been run by volunteers since 1976. It preserves period artifacts related to Lampasas' history and offers an engaging indoor activity, especially on rainy or cold days.Another landmark that showcases Lampasas' rich history is the Lampasas County Courthouse. This historic limestone courthouse, dating back to the late 19th century, is the third-oldest functioning courthouse in Texas. It stands as an iconic symbol of the town and is a place where visitors can immerse themselves in the town's heritage and appreciate its architectural beauty.Exploring these landmarks and historic sites allows us to connect with Lampasas' past and appreciate the town's unique character. Whether it's taking memorable photos at the World's Largest Spur, admiring the Lampasas Murals, or delving into the town's history at the Keystone Square Museum and County Courthouse, these attractions offer a glimpse into Lampasas' vibrant heritage.Wineries and Tasting RoomsOur first stop on the winery and tasting room tour is Texas Legato Winery, located at 2935 FM 1478 in Lampasas, Texas. Here, you can indulge in a delightful wine tasting experience while enjoying the peaceful ambiance of the vineyard. To entice you further, here are three reasons why Texas Legato Winery should be on your must-visit list:Family-Owned and Operated: Texas Legato Winery is a family-owned and operated establishment that was established in 2002. The name 'Legato' represents the gathering together of family and friends, reflecting the warm and welcoming atmosphere you can expect when you visit. This winery isn't just a business, but a labor of love that has been passed down through generations.Highly-Rated Wines: The wines produced at Texas Legato Winery have garnered high praise and recognition. From crisp whites to full-bodied reds, their selection offers something to please every palate. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or simply enjoy a good glass, you'll be impressed by the quality and craftsmanship of their wines.Tasting Room and Vineyard Views: At Texas Legato Winery, you can savor your wine tasting experience in their charming tasting room or on the scenic patio overlooking the vineyard. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the surrounding landscape as you sip on your favorite wine. It's the perfect setting to relax, unwind, and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each bottle.With our taste buds tantalized by the fine wines at Texas Legato Winery, let's now move on to the next section to explore the delectable food and dining options that Lampasas has to offer.Food and DiningThe Lampasas Drive-In is undeniably a must-visit spot for food and dining enthusiasts in Lampasas, Texas. This family-owned and operated establishment holds the title of being Elvis Presley's favorite food spot. As you step inside, you'll be greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere, reminiscent of the classic American diners of the past. The menu at the Lampasas Drive-In is filled with delicious options that will satisfy any craving.One of the standout items on the menu is their famous burgers. Sink your teeth into a juicy, perfectly cooked patty topped with all your favorite fixings. The flavors meld together in a mouthwatering explosion that will leave you wanting more. And don't forget to order a side of their must-try curly fries. These crispy, golden delights are the perfect accompaniment to any meal.But the Lampasas Drive-In offers more than just burgers. Their menu also features a variety of other classic dishes, including hot dogs, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. Whether you're in the mood for a hearty meal or a quick bite to eat, you'll find something to satisfy your cravings here.In addition to the delicious food, the Lampasas Drive-In also offers a nostalgic dining experience. Step back in time as you enjoy your meal in the comfort of your car or at one of the picnic tables outside. The friendly and attentive staff will ensure that your dining experience is enjoyable from start to finish.AccommodationWhat are some convenient accommodation options near Lampasas attractions? Here are three options to consider:Best Western Plus Lampasas Inn & Suites: This hotel is a recommended choice for its close proximity to Lampasas attractions. With comfortable and modern rooms, you can expect a pleasant stay. The hotel also offers excellent customer service and great amenities to enhance your experience.The Inn at Lampasas: Located in the heart of Lampasas, The Inn at Lampasas is another convenient accommodation option. This charming inn provides comfortable and cozy rooms, perfect for a relaxing stay. You'll also appreciate the friendly staff and their commitment to ensuring your comfort.Lampasas RV Park: For those looking for a unique accommodation experience, Lampasas RV Park is a great choice. This park offers spacious RV sites with full hookups, allowing you to enjoy the comforts of home while exploring Lampasas. The park also features amenities such as a swimming pool, laundry facilities, and a clubhouse.No matter which accommodation option you choose, you'll be able to enjoy the attractions of Lampasas with ease. From the outdoor beauty of Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden and Cooper Spring Nature Park to the historic landmarks like the World's Largest Spur and Lampasas County Courthouse, there's something for everyone to enjoy in this vibrant town.Frequently Asked QuestionsAre There Any Annual Events or Festivals Held in Lampasas, Texas?Yes, there are annual events and festivals held in Lampasas, Texas. These events bring the community together and offer a chance to celebrate local culture.From the Lampasas Spring Ho Festival, featuring parades, live music, and a carnival, to the Lampasas County Fair and Rodeo, showcasing thrilling rodeo performances and agricultural exhibits, there's something for everyone to enjoy.These events are a great way to experience the lively spirit of Lampasas and create lasting memories.What Are Some Popular Hiking Trails Near Lampasas?Some popular hiking trails near Lampasas include the trails at Cooper Spring Nature Park, Colorado Bend State Park, and Gorman Falls.These trails offer scenic views, opportunities to explore nature, and a chance to immerse ourselves in the beauty of the Texas Hill Country region.Whether we're seeking a leisurely stroll or a more challenging hike, these trails provide a great outdoor experience for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike.Is There a Visitor Center or Tourist Information Office in Lampasas?Yes, there's a visitor center in Lampasas. It serves as a helpful resource for tourists and provides information about the city's attractions, events, and local businesses.The friendly staff at the visitor center can offer recommendations on the best things to do in Lampasas, such as visiting the outdoor attractions like the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden or exploring the historic landmarks like the World's Largest Spur.Can You Recommend Any Unique Shopping Experiences in Lampasas?Sure!Lampasas offers some unique shopping experiences. You'll find local artisans and vendors at the Lampasas Farmers Market, where you can discover fresh produce and homemade goods.For a different kind of shopping, check out the Keystone Square Museum, housed in a former plumbing and sheet metal shop, which preserves period artifacts related to Lampasas' history.These shopping spots provide a chance to support local businesses while immersing yourself in the town's rich heritage.Are There Any Guided Tours Available to Explore the Natural Springs in Lampasas?Yes, there are guided tours available to explore the natural springs in Lampasas. These tours offer a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of the springs and learn about their significance.Led by knowledgeable guides, you'll discover the history and ecological importance of these natural wonders. From refreshing swims to relaxing picnic spots, the natural springs in Lampasas provide an ideal setting for outdoor activities.Don't miss out on this unique experience during your visit to Lampasas!ConclusionIn conclusion, Lampasas, Texas offers a wide range of activities and attractions for all interests. With beautiful outdoor attractions like the Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden and Cooper Spring Nature Park, there's something for everyone to enjoy.The town also boasts a rich history showcased in landmarks and murals. Visitors can explore the historical sites and learn about the town's past.For those who appreciate fine wine, Lampasas offers delicious wine tasting experiences at Texas Legato Winery. Visitors can sample a variety of wines and learn about the winemaking process.Overall, Lampasas is a charming town that has so much to offer. It's no wonder that 80% of visitors leave feeling inspired and rejuvenated. Don't miss out on exploring this hidden gem for yourself. submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.05.17 09:42 Fun-Cricket5972 Embark on an epic journey with Engines of Fury
 | Are you ready to embark on an epic journey of survival and adventure? Look no further than Engines of Fury, the ultimate next-gen extraction shooter experience. This immersive game will transport you to a post-apocalyptic world where resource management, strategic gameplay, and narrative depth come together in a thrilling adventure. submitted by Fun-Cricket5972 to PancakeswapICO [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/tyc26tssxx0d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb73f888a5d2c1a59e34a0ee1c2a656006f7b827 In Engines of Fury, you'll assume control of a survivor in a devastated planet left behind by a terrible incident. To survive, you'll have to build your own extraction shooter, make weapons, and scavenge for supplies. But in order to safeguard your base and its resources, you'll also need to fight against mutants and other hostile forces as well as traverse the hazardous factions in the globe. Engines of Fury presents an unparalleled gaming experience through an exclusive fusion of survival, crafting, and shooting gameplay elements. In order to get resources and rewards, you'll traverse a sizable dynamically created globe by fulfilling missions and tasks. Along with fierce PvPvE combat, you'll defend your base and resources by fending off mutants and other players. However, Engines of Fury offers more than simply an engaging gaming experience. Its deep and captivating plot will captivate you from start to finish. You'll learn about the post-apocalyptic world's mysteries as well as the enigmatic forces behind the mutants and other dangers. Engines of Fury is the pinnacle of the next generation of extraction shooters, with an extensive customization menu and an intricate, captivating story. So what are you waiting for? Join the fight for survival in Engines of Fury and embark on an epic journey of adventure and discovery. With its unique blend of gameplay, narrative depth, and strategic thinking, Engines of Fury is the ultimate gaming experience for any fan of shooter, survival, or RPG games. Key Features: * Procedurally generated world for endless exploration and adventure * Deep crafting system for creating and customizing your weapons and gear * Intense PvPvE combat for protecting your base and resources * Rich, immersive storyline with a wide range of customization options * Next-gen graphics and gameplay for a truly immersive experience Get ready to embark on an epic journey with Engines of Fury, the ultimate next-gen extraction shooter experience. Join the fight for survival today! Why Engines of Fury is a Game-Changer Engines of Fury is a game-changer because it offers a unique blend of fast-paced action, strategic depth, and visceral intensity that is unlike anything else in the gaming industry. With its advanced physics engine, strategic depth, and rich storyline, Engines of Fury is poised to be a hit with players and critics alike. Conclusion Engines of Fury is a revolutionary new gaming experience that is set to transform the way we play games. With its unique blend of fast-paced action, strategic depth, and visceral intensity, Engines of Fury is poised to be a hit with players and critics alike. So if you're looking for a game that will push the boundaries of what's possible in the gaming industry, look no further than Engines of Fury. https://www.eof.gg/ |
2024.05.17 09:33 mikesimmons141 Top Features to Look for in a Car Trunk Organizer
 | When it comes to keeping your car neat and organized, a car trunk organizer is a game-changer. Whether you're a daily commuter, a parent shuttling kids to activities, or an outdoor enthusiast with gear to stow, finding the right trunk organizer can make a world of difference. In this guide, we'll explore the top features to look for when selecting a car trunk organizer, catering to both general car owners and those with SUVs. Let's dive in! submitted by mikesimmons141 to u/mikesimmons141 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/cpe9kfz9wx0d1.jpg?width=992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a04540ba0b8c86db1b0b936df3fc17b35f2fc0f4 Durability:
A well-chosen car trunk organizer can transform your chaotic trunk space into a well-organized oasis. By prioritizing features such as durability, adjustable compartments, foldable design, secure fastening, multipurpose pockets, and easy accessibility, you can ensure that your trunk organizer meets your specific needs and enhances your overall driving experience. Whether you're a city dweller navigating urban streets or an off-road adventurer tackling rugged terrain, finding the perfect trunk organizer can make all the difference in keeping your car tidy and your belongings secure. Explore our selection of premium car trunk organizers at carcan.com and elevate your car organization game today! |
2024.05.17 09:18 Perfect-Ambition2127 The Best Matka App Development Companies in India: Cuevasoft LLC
 | The world of Satta Matka, a popular predicting club game, has seen a resurgence in the online realm, with the demand for high-quality and user-friendly Matka apps on the rise. In India, several top-notch companies specialize in Matka app development, offering cutting-edge solutions tailored to meet the needs of businesses and users alike. Let’s delve into the realm of Matka app development and explore some of the best companies leading the way in this niche industry. submitted by Perfect-Ambition2127 to u/Perfect-Ambition2127 [link] [comments] Cuevasoft LLC Matka App Development Companies:1. Cuevasoft LLC: A Leader in Matka App DevelopmentOverview: Cuevasoft LLC is a renowned name in the world of Satta Matka app development. With a dedicated team of experts from design to deployment, Cuevasoft excels in creating high-quality websites and mobile applications tailored for the gaming industry. Specializing in game development like Matka and Aviator, Cuevasoft ensures that their products are designed with the customer in mind, offering a seamless and engaging gaming experience.2. MatkaDevelopment.in:Overview: Matka Development stands out as a top choice for Satta Matka app development in India, boasting extensive experience in creating software and apps for various platforms.Key Features: Known for developing high-quality and user-friendly Satta Matka game apps, MatkaDevelopment excels in Android, iOS, and web application development. 3. Orion InfoSolutions:Overview: Orion InfoSolutions is a renowned Satta Matka app development company with a team of experienced developers dedicated to creating Matka apps for Android, iOS, and Windows platforms. Key Offerings: The company focuses on providing secure, engaging, and feature-rich Satta Matka game solutions, ensuring a captivating gaming experience for users worldwide.4. System Logic Solution:System Logic Solution is recognized for its expertise in developing high-quality and user-friendly Satta Matka game apps, catering to the growing demand for online gaming experiences. Unique Selling Point: The company emphasizes scalability, user experience, security, and performance in its game development efforts, ensuring a seamless and engaging gaming environment for players.5. Comfygen:Overview: Comfygen emerges as a one-stop solution for the best Satta Matka game application development services, offering a tech-savvy approach to crafting innovative and captivating gaming solutions. Specialization: Comfygen excels in developing customizable Satta Matka game software solutions, enabling businesses to run their own Matka apps efficiently and effectively.6. AppDupe:Overview: AppDupe showcases extensive expertise in developing a wide range of gaming applications, including Satta Matka game apps, with a focus on delivering top-notch and engaging gaming experiences. Key Strength: The company’s design team is well-versed in providing the best versions of gaming apps, ensuring a seamless and immersive gaming experience for players.Conclusion:In the competitive landscape of Matka app development, these companies stand out for their commitment to quality, innovation, and user satisfaction. Whether you are a business looking to venture into the world of online gaming or a gaming enthusiast seeking a captivating gaming experience, these Matka app development companies in India offer a diverse range of solutions to cater to your needs. Choose wisely and embark on a thrilling journey into the realm of Satta Matka gaming with the best in the industry. |
2024.05.17 09:14 techtofacts Best AI Tool for Youtube Shorts
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submitted by techtofacts to youtube [link] [comments]
Are you tired of spending countless hours on video captions? Say goodbye to manual labor and hello to efficiency with Submagic! Here's your ultimate guide to saving precious time as a video creator:
1️⃣ Head to https://submagic.co?via=techtofacts and kickstart your journey by selecting 'Create my video now.' It's that simple!
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https://submagic.co?via=techtofacts
2024.05.17 09:12 Sweet-Count2557 Maldives Island for Rent
 | Maldives Island for Rent Welcome to the enchanting world of Maldives Island for Rent, where dreams of idyllic paradise become a reality.Picture yourself basking in the warm embrace of the sun, surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters that stretch as far as the eye can see.Imagine unwinding in luxurious accommodations, where every detail is meticulously crafted to indulge your senses.Now, imagine having an entire private island all to yourself.But that's just the beginning...Key TakeawaysThe Maldives offers a range of private island options for rent, with luxurious accommodations and amenities.Guests can enjoy a variety of activities and excursions, including water sports, spa treatments, and exploring the marine life and coral reefs.The private islands provide a high level of privacy, exclusivity, and personalized service, with dedicated butlers and chefs available.Eco-friendly tourism and sustainability are emphasized, with efforts made to minimize impact on the environment and preserve the natural beauty of the Maldives.Velaa Private Island: 45 VillasVelaa Private Island: 45 Villas, nestled in the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, offers a luxurious and unforgettable escape like no other. Located in the Maldives, this private island paradise is a dream destination for those seeking privacy, exclusivity, and stunning natural beauty.With 45 villas to choose from, Velaa Private Island caters to various preferences and group sizes. Each villa is designed with elegance and sophistication, providing a serene sanctuary amidst the vibrant marine life and unspoiled natural surroundings. Whether you prefer a beachfront villa, a water villa, or a private residence, Velaa has the perfect accommodation to suit your desires.The amenities and activities available on the island are nothing short of extraordinary. Indulge in relaxation at the private spa, take a dip in the 25-meter-long swimming pool, or bask in the sun on the pristine beaches. For the adventurous souls, there are plenty of water sports to enjoy, such as snorkeling, diving, and jet skiing. The island also offers gourmet dining experiences, with world-class chefs crafting exquisite dishes using the finest ingredients.Velaa Private Island goes beyond providing a luxurious getaway. It offers opportunities for eco-friendly tourism, allowing guests to appreciate and preserve the natural beauty of the Maldives. Excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs give visitors a chance to explore the diverse marine life and vibrant ecosystems that make the Maldives a sought-after destination.Renting a private island like Velaa Private Island is a unique and unforgettable experience. It offers the ultimate escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, immersing you in a world of tranquility, natural beauty, and unparalleled luxury. So why settle for anything less when you can have the best?Discover the magic of Velaa Private Island: 45 Villas and create memories that will last a lifetime.Kudadoo Private Island: 15 Water VillasPrepare to be whisked away to a world of luxury and exclusivity with Kudadoo Private Island: 15 Water Villas.Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this private island offers an unparalleled experience of opulence and tranquility.With 15 beautifully designed over-water residences, each boasting its own private pool, guests can indulge in the ultimate island getaway.Luxury Water Villa ExperienceFor those seeking an unforgettable luxury water villa experience, Kudadoo Private Island offers 15 beautifully designed over-water residences, each boasting a private 44m2 pool for the ultimate in exclusivity and relaxation.Here's what you can expect from this extraordinary experience:Privacy and seclusion: Rent the entire island and enjoy the utmost privacy with access to 13 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom residences, as well as 2 over-water rooms for your entourage.Personalized service: Indulge in the all-inclusive package that includes a private butler for each residence, a personal chef for curated dining experiences, and unlimited award-winning spa treatments.Exciting activities: Immerse yourself in a range of activities such as snorkeling, big game fishing, dolphin safaris, and yoga sessions with a private trainer.Exclusive perks: Enjoy access to the wine cellar with prestigious wines, Champagne, and the renowned 5.8 Undersea Restaurant at Hurawalhi Island Resort. Plus, you'll have daily breakfast, free Wi-Fi, butler service, and yoga and meditation classes.For an unparalleled luxury water villa experience, Kudadoo Private Island is the ultimate choice.Exclusive Island AmenitiesWith its 15 sustainably designed over-water residences and exclusive amenities, Kudadoo Private Island offers an unparalleled luxury experience for those seeking the ultimate in privacy and relaxation. As guests of this exclusive island, we have access to a range of amenities that cater to our every need. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:Exclusive Island AmenitiesDescriptionPersonal ButlerEach residence comes with a dedicated personal butler who is available round the clock to assist with any requests or arrangements. From arranging excursions to ensuring our villa is always stocked with our favorite snacks and beverages, our butler is there to make our stay as seamless and enjoyable as possible.Private ChefA personal chef is assigned to curate a bespoke dining experience, tailored to our preferences. From romantic candlelit dinners on the beach to gourmet picnics on a secluded sandbank, our chef will create culinary delights that cater to our tastes.Spa TreatmentsAs part of the all-inclusive luxury experience, we have unlimited access to award-winning spa treatments. Whether it's a soothing massage or a rejuvenating facial, we can indulge in ultimate relaxation whenever we desire.Activities and ExcursionsThe island offers a wide range of activities and excursions to keep us entertained. From snorkeling in vibrant coral reefs to going on a thrilling big game fishing expedition, there is something for everyone. For those looking to maintain their fitness routine, private yoga sessions with a dedicated trainer are also available.Stylish TravelTo explore the surrounding area, a seaplane is at our disposal. This provides a luxurious and convenient mode of transportation, allowing us to arrive at our chosen destination in style.With these exclusive island amenities, Kudadoo Private Island ensures that every aspect of our stay is taken care of, leaving us free to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Maldives.The Nautilus Maldives: 26 Houses and ResidencesNestled in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, The Nautilus Maldives beckons with its collection of 26 exquisite houses and residences. This exclusive private island resort, located southwest of Sri Lanka and approximately 700 kilometers southwest of India, offers a truly luxurious and unforgettable experience. Here, guests can indulge in the epitome of comfort and relaxation, surrounded by stunning natural beauty.To give you a taste of what awaits at The Nautilus Maldives, here are four key features of their houses and residences:Unparalleled Luxury: Each house and residence at The Nautilus Maldives is designed with the utmost attention to detail, combining contemporary style with traditional Maldivian elements. From spacious living areas to private pools and sun decks, every aspect is carefully crafted to provide the ultimate in comfort and opulence.Spectacular Views: Imagine waking up to breathtaking vistas of the turquoise ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. Whether you choose a beachfront villa or an overwater bungalow, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean from the privacy of your own sanctuary.Personalized Service: At The Nautilus Maldives, hospitality is taken to new heights. Each house and residence comes with a dedicated butler who'll cater to your every need, ensuring that your stay is nothing short of extraordinary. From arranging bespoke dining experiences to organizing excursions and activities, they'll go above and beyond to create unforgettable moments.Secluded Serenity: The Nautilus Maldives offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. With its private island setting, you can truly disconnect and unwind in a tranquil paradise. Whether you choose to relax on the pristine white sandy beaches or explore the vibrant underwater world, you'll find peace and serenity at every turn.Four Seasons Maldives Private Island VoavahImmerse yourself in the epitome of luxury and exclusivity at the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah.This private island resort, nestled in the Indian Ocean, offers a breathtaking natural landscape with pristine beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.As guests, you'll have the opportunity to indulge in a range of exclusive amenities and activities that will leave you feeling pampered and rejuvenated.Picture yourself lounging on your own private beach, the turquoise waters lapping at your feet as you soak up the sun.For those seeking adventure, the resort offers an array of water sports, from snorkeling and scuba diving to jet skiing and paddleboarding.If relaxation is what you crave, the spa and wellness facilities await, ready to provide you with the ultimate in tranquility and rejuvenation.At the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah, every aspect of your stay is meticulously tailored to your desires.With seven private villas, each featuring its own spa, you can unwind in style and seclusion.The resort also boasts a 25-meter-long swimming pool, exotic gardens, and a private boat, perfect for exploring nearby islands and coral reefs.Whether you're planning a group gathering, a family vacation, or a special celebration, this private island paradise offers the ideal setting.With its unspoiled natural beauty, crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant marine life, and a range of activities to suit every taste, the Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah promises an unforgettable and unique holiday experience.Coco Privé Kuda Hithi IslandCoco Privé Kuda Hithi Island beckons visitors with its luxurious accommodations and stunning natural surroundings in the Indian Ocean. As we explore this private island resort, let's delve into what makes Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island the perfect destination for an unforgettable getaway.Exquisite Accommodations: The water villas in Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island provide a truly lavish experience. With breathtaking views, direct access to the ocean, and modern amenities, these villas offer the ultimate in comfort and luxury.Spacious and Serene: Ideal for group gatherings, the island offers ample space for everyone. Whether you're planning a big family reunion, a get-together with friends, or a special celebration, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island ensures privacy and seclusion for all.A Paradise of Activities: With a 25-meter-long swimming pool and its own spa, the island provides endless opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation. Whether you choose to lounge by the pool, immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters, or explore the vibrant marine life, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island offers a dream destination experience.Instagram-Worthy Landscapes: The natural beauty of Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island is truly awe-inspiring. From the exotic gardens to the picturesque vistas, every corner of the island is a perfect backdrop for capturing unforgettable moments.To inquire about rates and make reservations for this slice of paradise, interested individuals can reach out to Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island through their website, phone, or email. Don't miss the chance to experience the epitome of luxury and natural beauty at Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island.Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf AstoriaAs we continue our exploration of luxurious private island retreats in the Maldives, let's set our sights on the captivating Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf Astoria.This secluded paradise is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka, offering an exclusive haven for those seeking the utmost privacy and indulgence.One of the highlights of Ithaafushi Private Island is its array of luxurious amenities. Imagine pampering yourself with a rejuvenating spa treatment in your own private spa, or taking a refreshing dip in the 25-meter-long swimming pool. The island is also adorned with exotic gardens, creating a serene and picturesque backdrop for your getaway.Guests at Ithaafushi Private Island can enjoy a host of activities to enhance their experience. From thrilling water sports to gourmet dining experiences, there's something for everyone to enjoy. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even embark on excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs, immersing yourself in the natural beauty of the Maldives.What sets Ithaafushi Private Island apart is its commitment to personalized service. With a dedicated team of 25 professionals led by the Island Chief, you can expect round-the-clock availability and expertise in various areas. Whether you need assistance with diving or housekeeping, the team is there to cater to your every need.The island offers 15 sustainably designed over-water residences, each featuring a 44m2 pool and private butler service. To further elevate your stay, unlimited spa treatments and tailored experiences are also included, ensuring a lavish and unforgettable retreat.Cheval Blanc Randheli Private IslandLocated in the captivating Maldives, Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island offers a luxurious and exclusive experience for those seeking ultimate relaxation and seclusion. With its pristine beaches, exotic gardens, and personalized service, this private island is the epitome of luxury.Here are four reasons why Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island is the perfect destination for an unforgettable getaway:Indulge in the Spa: The island features its own spa, where you can pamper yourself with rejuvenating treatments and therapies. From traditional Maldivian massages to bespoke wellness rituals, the spa offers a range of options to help you unwind and rejuvenate.Relax by the Pool: Take a dip in the island's 25-meter-long swimming pool, surrounded by lush greenery and breathtaking views. Whether you want to soak up the sun on a comfortable lounger or enjoy a refreshing swim, the pool area provides the perfect setting for relaxation.Escape to Water Villas: Experience the ultimate in privacy and seclusion with the island's water villas. These luxurious accommodations offer direct access to the ocean, allowing you to immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives. With modern amenities and stunning views, the water villas provide a serene and intimate setting for your stay.Ideal for Group Gatherings: Whether you're planning a family reunion, a getaway with friends, or a special celebration, Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island has ample space and activities to accommodate large groups. From spacious accommodations to a variety of leisure options, the island ensures that everyone has a memorable and enjoyable experience.From the moment you step foot on Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island, you'll be greeted with warm hospitality and exceptional service. The 25-person team, led by the Island Chief, is dedicated to providing tailored experiences and ensuring that every aspect of your stay is nothing short of perfection.The Beach HouseWhen it comes to luxury amenities, The Beach House on the private island offers an unparalleled experience.With its open-air living room, dining areas, gym, library, and Loft Lounge, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Biosphere domain while indulging in ultimate relaxation.The 15 over-water residences with private pools and the personalized services of a private butler, personal chef, and personal trainer ensure that exclusive privacy and utmost comfort are guaranteed throughout your stay.Luxury Amenities OfferedThe Beach House at The Maldives offers an array of luxurious amenities that cater to every guest's desire for opulence and relaxation. Here are some of the incredible luxury amenities offered:Central Hub: The Beach House features a central hub with open-air living and dining areas, a gym, a library, and the Loft Lounge. From here, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Biosphere domain, creating a truly breathtaking experience.Over-Water Residences: There are 15 sustainably designed over-water residences at The Beach House, each equipped with a 44m2 pool. Guests can rent the entire island and choose from 13 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom residences, as well as 2 over-water rooms for their entourage.Personalized Services: Every residence at The Beach House comes with a private butler, ensuring that guests receive the highest level of service. Additionally, a personal chef is available to curate dining experiences, a personal trainer and wellness guru are on hand to help guests stay fit and relaxed, and unlimited award-winning spa treatments are offered, including a Himalayan salt room, sauna, and steam room.Exciting Activities: The Beach House offers a range of activities and excursions to keep guests entertained. From snorkeling and big game fishing to dolphin safaris on jet skis, there's something for everyone. Yoga and gym sessions are also available to help guests maintain their fitness routines. For a truly stylish travel experience, guests can even enjoy transportation via Kudadoo's own seaplane.At The Beach House, luxury amenities are at the forefront, ensuring that every guest enjoys a truly unforgettable and indulgent experience.Exclusive Privacy GuaranteedNestled in the heart of the Maldives, The Beach House offers an exclusive haven of privacy and seclusion for those seeking a truly personalized island experience. With the Exclusive Privacy Guaranteed package, guests can enjoy the ultimate level of privacy, ensuring that their stay on the island remains undisturbed.The Beach House features an open-air living room and dining areas, a gym, a library, and the Loft Lounge, offering panoramic views of the Biosphere domain. This package also includes daily breakfast, welcome amenities, free Wi-Fi, butler service, and access to non-motorized water sports, yoga, fitness, and meditation classes.Whether you want to relax by the infinity pool or explore the vibrant marine life, The Beach House provides an exclusive retreat where you can unwind and rejuvenate in complete seclusion.For those interested in booking the island, The Nautilus Maldives can be contacted via email at reservations@thenautilusmaldives.com for more information about island buy-out rates and to learn about the package.Luxury Vacation Rental & ResidenceIndulge in the epitome of luxury with our selection of stunning Maldives island resorts, private islands for rent, and eco-friendly island options. When it comes to luxury vacation rental and residence in the Maldives, there's no shortage of opulent options to choose from. Here is a glimpse into what awaits you in this tropical paradise:Velaa Private Island: Immerse yourself in a world of unparalleled luxury with its private villas, Michelin-starred dining, and an exclusive golf course designed by a champion golfer.Kudadoo Private Island: Experience a truly all-inclusive escape with its lavish overwater villas, personalized butler service, and unlimited access to activities such as diving, spa treatments, and gourmet dining.The Nautilus Maldives: Step into a world of timeless elegance with its spacious beach and ocean houses, private pools, and bespoke experiences tailored to your every desire.Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah: Enjoy the ultimate in privacy and exclusivity on this five-acre island, complete with a private yacht, dedicated team of staff, and an array of water sports and wellness activities.These luxury vacation rentals and residences offer not just lavish accommodations, but also access to the Maldives' stunning natural beauty. From pristine white-sand beaches to crystal-clear waters teeming with vibrant marine life, every moment spent in this paradise is sure to be Instagram-worthy.Whether you seek relaxation or adventure, these properties provide a comprehensive range of services and activities to make your vacation truly unforgettable.Please note that availability may be limited due to high demand, so it's advisable to book well in advance. Prices for these luxury rentals and residences range from thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the duration of stay and the specific amenities and services included.Prepare to be pampered and indulge in the ultimate luxury experience in the Maldives.Ultimate Private Islands in MaldivesGet ready to immerse yourselves in the world of ultimate luxury and exclusivity as we explore the incredible private islands in the Maldives.These exclusive resorts offer a secluded tropical paradise, where you can bask in unparalleled privacy and tranquility.Imagine having your own pristine beach, indulging in water sports, enjoying gourmet dining experiences, and exploring nearby coral reefs - all in the lap of luxury.Exclusive Luxury ResortsAt these exclusive luxury resorts in the Maldives, you can experience the ultimate in privacy, personalized service, and stunning natural beauty. Here are four reasons why these resorts are the epitome of luxury:Private Islands: These resorts offer the opportunity to rent or purchase your own private island in the Indian Ocean. Imagine having an entire island to yourself, with pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush landscapes.Endless Activities: From water sports like snorkeling and diving to spa and wellness facilities, there's no shortage of activities to enjoy. You can explore nearby islands and coral reefs, indulge in gourmet dining experiences, or simply relax on your secluded beach.Exclusivity: These luxury resorts pride themselves on providing an exclusive experience. With limited availability due to high demand, you can rest assured that you'll have the privacy and exclusivity you desire.Unforgettable Holiday: Choosing a private island in the Maldives guarantees a unique and memorable holiday experience. The personalized service, breathtaking natural beauty, and unrivaled privacy will leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.Secluded Tropical ParadiseAs we continue our exploration of exclusive luxury resorts in the Maldives, we now venture into the realm of Secluded Tropical Paradise, where ultimate private islands await, offering a haven of tranquility and breathtaking beauty.These secluded tropical paradises provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the serenity of nature. With luxurious amenities and stunning natural surroundings, these private islands offer the perfect setting for a truly unforgettable vacation.From water sports and spa experiences to gourmet dining, guests can indulge in a wide range of activities while enjoying the utmost privacy and personalized service. The spacious accommodations, whether it be a water villa or a beachfront bungalow, provide a luxurious retreat with breathtaking views and direct access to the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean.For those seeking an exclusive and intimate getaway, these ultimate private islands in the Maldives are the epitome of secluded tropical paradise.Unparalleled Privacy and TranquilityNestled amidst the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the ultimate private islands in the Maldives offer an unparalleled escape into a world of unrivaled privacy and tranquility. Here, guests can bask in the seclusion of their own private paradise, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.To paint a picture of this idyllic setting, imagine:Exclusive Luxury: Guests can indulge in luxurious amenities, from private beaches and water sports to spa facilities and gourmet dining experiences.Unmatched Personalized Service: The private islands provide unparalleled seclusion, accompanied by personalized service that caters to every whim and desire.Sustainable Serenity: These private islands are ideal for eco-friendly and sustainable tourism, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the stunning natural surroundings.Group Gatherings: Perfect for group gatherings, the private islands offer spacious accommodations, a wide range of activities, and breathtaking water villas with direct access to the ocean.Immerse yourself in a world of unparalleled privacy and tranquility, where every moment is tailored to your desires.Small Luxury Resorts for RentImmerse yourself in the lap of luxury with a stay at one of the small, exclusive resorts available for rent in the Maldives. These small luxury resorts offer an intimate and personalized experience, ensuring that every guest feels like a VIP. With stunning natural beauty and world-class amenities, these resorts provide a truly unforgettable vacation.Resort NameLocationAmenitiesVelaa Private IslandNoonu AtollPrivate pool, spa, golf course, underwater restaurantKudadoo Private IslandLhaviyani AtollPrivate butler, infinity pool, overwater spaThe Nautilus MaldivesBaa AtollPrivate beach, ocean-facing infinity pool, spaFour Seasons Maldives VoavahBaa AtollPrivate yacht, beach house, dive centerEach of these small luxury resorts offers a unique and extraordinary experience. At Velaa Private Island, indulge in the luxury of your own private pool, spa treatments, and even a round of golf on their exclusive course. Kudadoo Private Island takes personalized service to the next level with a private butler at your disposal, an infinity pool overlooking the turquoise waters, and an overwater spa for ultimate relaxation.If you're looking for a secluded beach getaway, The Nautilus Maldives is the perfect choice. With its private beach and ocean-facing infinity pool, you can unwind and soak up the sun in complete tranquility. For those seeking adventure, Four Seasons Maldives Voavah offers a private yacht, a beach house, and a dive center, allowing you to explore the vibrant coral reefs and marine life that the Maldives is famous for.These small luxury resorts for rent in the Maldives offer unparalleled comfort, privacy, and breathtaking views. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a romantic escape, these resorts provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable vacation.Very Private Islands in the MaldivesWith luxurious Maldives island resorts, exclusive private islands for rent, and secluded islands for sale, the Maldives offers a range of very private island options for those seeking the ultimate in privacy and seclusion.Luxury and Exclusivity: Private islands in the Maldives provide the epitome of luxury and exclusivity. From lavish villas to personalized service, these islands offer a truly opulent experience.Secluded Beaches: Picture yourself lounging on your own private beach, with pristine white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Private islands in the Maldives offer secluded beaches where you can relax and soak up the sun in complete privacy.Water Sports and Excursions: If you're seeking adventure, private islands in the Maldives have you covered. Enjoy thrilling water sports such as snorkeling and diving, or embark on excursions to nearby islands and coral reefs for a truly memorable experience.Eco-Friendly Options: For those who value sustainability, private islands in the Maldives also offer eco-friendly options. These islands are designed to minimize their impact on the environment, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of nature while being mindful of its preservation.Choosing a private island in the Maldives comes with numerous benefits. You'll enjoy ultimate privacy and seclusion, along with personalized service that caters to your every need. The stunning natural beauty and pristine beaches will take your breath away, providing the perfect backdrop for a truly memorable holiday. Additionally, by opting for an eco-friendly island, you can contribute to sustainable tourism and leave a positive impact on the environment.Some of the private islands available for rent in the Maldives include Velaa Private Island, Kudadoo Private Island, The Nautilus Maldives, Four Seasons Maldives Private Island Voavah, Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island, Ithaafushi Private Island by Waldorf Astoria, and Cheval Blanc Randheli Private Island. These islands offer a range of facilities such as private spas, swimming pools, pristine beaches, exotic gardens, and even private boats for exploring the surrounding waters.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow Much Does It Cost to Rent an Island in Maldives?When it comes to renting an island in the Maldives, the cost can vary greatly. A cost comparison is necessary to find the best option for your budget.Factors such as location, amenities, and duration of stay all play a role in determining the price. Private islands offer ultimate privacy and luxurious experiences, but they can range from thousands to millions of dollars.Which Is the Cheapest Private Island in Maldives?The cheapest private island in the Maldives offers affordable accommodations for those seeking a luxurious getaway. With all-inclusive luxury experiences starting at $250,000 per night, guests can have an entire island to themselves. This package includes daily breakfast, a champagne welcome, and access to activities such as snorkeling and yoga.Additional perks like free Wi-Fi, butler service, and VIP transportation from the airport make this experience even more enticing.Contact Kudadoo to book your dream island escape.How Do You Get to Private Island in Maldives?Getting to private island resorts in the Maldives is a breeze. We can choose from a variety of transportation options, including seaplanes, speedboats, helicopters, and even private yachts. These luxurious modes of travel offer not only convenience but also breathtaking views of the surrounding turquoise waters.Whether it's a short speedboat ride or a scenic seaplane transfer, the journey to our private island retreat promises to be hassle-free and unforgettable.Can I Stay on a Local Island in the Maldives?Yes, we can stay on a local island in the Maldives.Staying on a local island offers a unique opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture and interact with friendly locals.We can explore vibrant communities, visit local markets, and indulge in traditional Maldivian cuisine.Additionally, day trips to nearby islands are possible, allowing us to discover the beauty of the surrounding area.It's important to respect local customs and dress codes while staying on local islands.ConclusionIn conclusion, renting a private island in the Maldives offers an unparalleled luxury experience that's sure to create memories that last a lifetime.While some may argue that a private island vacation is too extravagant, the privacy, personalized service, and stunning natural beauty make it a worthwhile investment.So why not treat yourself to a truly unique and unforgettable holiday in the Maldives, where you can enjoy the ultimate in seclusion and luxury? submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments] |
2024.05.17 09:08 techtofacts Best AI Tool for YouTube Shorts
🚀 Unleash Your Video Creation Potential with Submagic! 🚀
Are you tired of spending countless hours on video captions? Say goodbye to manual labor and hello to efficiency with Submagic! Here's your ultimate guide to saving precious time as a video creator:
1️⃣ Head to submagic.co and kickstart your journey by selecting 'Create my video now.' It's that simple!
2️⃣ Upload your chosen video and let the magic begin. 🎩✨
3️⃣ Pick your preferred language from over 48 options and hit upload. Easy peasy!
4️⃣ Customize your subtitles to perfection or craft your own templates to match your unique style. The power is in your hands. ✍️💥
✅ Voila! Your video is now captioned with precision, thanks to Submagic's AI wizardry. Sit back and watch as manual work becomes a thing of the past.
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submitted by techtofacts to YouTuber [link] [comments]
Are you tired of spending countless hours on video captions? Say goodbye to manual labor and hello to efficiency with Submagic! Here's your ultimate guide to saving precious time as a video creator:
1️⃣ Head to submagic.co and kickstart your journey by selecting 'Create my video now.' It's that simple!
2️⃣ Upload your chosen video and let the magic begin. 🎩✨
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2024.05.17 08:52 Aswinth_Raj Exploring Fun and Creative Arduino Robotics Projects Together!
 | Let's explore some cool Arduino projects together! Arduino has become popular because it's so user-friendly and lets you get creative in so many ways. Whether you're a total beginner or an experienced electronics enthusiast, Arduino is a great place to start exploring. submitted by Aswinth_Raj to robotics [link] [comments] Arduino projects cover a lot of ground, from robotics to home automation and art. The best part is you can customize these projects to fit your interests and needs Arduino Robotics Here are some neat Arduino projects in robotics that you might enjoy:
You can find the full tutorials for - Arduino Robotics Project |
2024.05.17 08:49 Homdax-again So for Fig backers or anyone in the EU that pre-ordered and got a ship... additional fees may be incoming.
With mixed reviews and some people bashing the game I guess the last thing we may want to see is additional costs , however I just got a bill from Fedex for import fees and VAT. Another 45€, for me.
I am sure you all fellow EU citizens, and perhaps others around the world, keep track of this and are mature enough and sufficiently versed in your own legislation to understand this has nothing to do with Gearbox or BBI, these are "legal fees". The amount may vary, and some may not get it at all.
This is because the shipment was sent from the US, at least mine was..
A couple of informational links for reference. https://www.fedex.com/en-se/billing/duty-tax.html https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/buying-goods-online-coming-non-european-union-country_en
(yay, my first Reddit thread)
submitted by Homdax-again to homeworld [link] [comments]
I am sure you all fellow EU citizens, and perhaps others around the world, keep track of this and are mature enough and sufficiently versed in your own legislation to understand this has nothing to do with Gearbox or BBI, these are "legal fees". The amount may vary, and some may not get it at all.
This is because the shipment was sent from the US, at least mine was..
A couple of informational links for reference. https://www.fedex.com/en-se/billing/duty-tax.html https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/buying-goods-online-coming-non-european-union-country_en
(yay, my first Reddit thread)
2024.05.17 08:20 Professional_Cap350 Discover India Like Never Before: Top Tour Operators You Can Trust
 | IntroductionAre you dreaming of exploring India, but feeling overwhelmed by the sheer size and diversity of this incredible country? You’re not alone! Planning a trip to India can be a daunting task, but with the help of a trusted tour operator, your journey can be as seamless as it is unforgettable. In this blog, we'll dive into why choosing the right tour operator is crucial and introduce you to the top services and benefits they offer. Get ready to discover India like never before!An India tour operator specializes in creating and managing travel itineraries within India. They offer customized packages, guided tours, accommodation, and transportation, ensuring a seamless and enriching travel experience. With extensive local knowledge, they handle all logistics, allowing travelers to fully enjoy India's diverse attractions and cultures and india tour operator https://preview.redd.it/7zjqw61ijx0d1.jpg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b1db4c769f9d5e2d2877e5b556f2b4ce3462c6a Why Travel to India?Historical RichesIndia is a land of ancient history and rich heritage. From the majestic Taj Mahal to the intricate carvings of Khajuraho temples, the country is a treasure trove of historical wonders. Each monument tells a story of its own, drawing you into the depths of India’s storied past.Diverse CulturesIndia’s cultural diversity is one of its most striking features. With over 2,000 distinct ethnic groups and more than 1,600 languages, every region offers a unique cultural experience. Festivals, dance forms, music, and cuisine vary dramatically, providing a kaleidoscope of cultural richness.Natural WondersFrom the towering Himalayas in the north to the serene backwaters of Kerala in the south, India’s natural beauty is unparalleled. Whether you're seeking the thrill of a jungle safari, the tranquility of a beach retreat, or the peace of a mountain trek, India has it all.The Importance of Choosing the Right Tour OperatorStress-Free PlanningPlanning a trip to India involves a lot of logistics—accommodation, transportation, itineraries, and more. A reputable tour operator takes care of all these details, allowing you to relax and enjoy your vacation without the stress of planning.Expert KnowledgeTour operators have extensive knowledge of India’s destinations. They can guide you to the best spots, hidden gems, and local favorites, ensuring you don’t miss out on anything worth seeing.Safety and ComfortTraveling in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially when it comes to safety and comfort. Tour operators ensure your safety by providing reliable transport and accommodations, and their local expertise helps you navigate any challenges smoothly.Top Services Offered by Indian Tour OperatorsTailor-Made ItinerariesEvery traveler is unique, and so are their preferences. Top Indian tour operators offer customized itineraries that cater to your specific interests, whether you’re into history, nature, adventure, or culture.Guided ToursKnowledgeable guides can make a world of difference in your travel experience. They offer insights and stories about the places you visit, making your journey more enriching and enjoyable.Accommodation ArrangementsFrom luxurious hotels to charming homestays, tour operators arrange accommodations that suit your budget and preferences. They ensure you stay at the best places, adding comfort to your adventure.Transport ServicesNavigating India’s vast geography can be tricky. Tour operators handle all transportation logistics, providing everything from private cars to domestic flights, ensuring smooth travel between destinations.Unique Local ExperiencesWant to learn Indian cooking or partake in a traditional festival? Tour operators can arrange unique local experiences that offer an authentic taste of Indian culture.Benefits of Using a Tour Operator in IndiaTime-SavingWith a tour operator, you save precious time on planning and logistics. This means more time to explore, relax, and enjoy your trip.Cost-EffectiveTour operators often have partnerships with hotels, transport services, and attractions, allowing them to offer better rates than you might find on your own.Hassle-Free ExperienceFrom booking to itinerary changes, tour operators handle all the details. This hassle-free experience means you can focus entirely on soaking up the sights and sounds of India.What to Look for in a Top Tour OperatorReputation and ReviewsStart by researching online reviews and testimonials. A good tour operator will have a solid reputation and positive feedback from previous travelers.Range of ServicesEnsure the tour operator offers a comprehensive range of services, including customized itineraries, guided tours, and local experiences.Customer SupportResponsive and reliable customer support is crucial. Choose a tour operator who is available to assist you throughout your journey.Pricing and ValueWhile pricing is important, value for money is crucial. Compare what different tour operators offer in their packages and choose the one that provides the best overall value.Popular Tour PackagesGolden Triangle TourThe Golden Triangle—Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur—is a classic introduction to India. This tour covers the iconic Taj Mahal, the vibrant markets of Jaipur, and the historic sites of Delhi.Kerala Backwater CruiseExperience the tranquil backwaters of Kerala on a houseboat cruise. This serene journey offers a glimpse into the slow-paced life of Kerala's villages and lush landscapes.Rajasthan Royal Heritage TourExplore the majestic palaces and forts of Rajasthan. From the pink city of Jaipur to the blue city of Jodhpur and the golden sands of Jaisalmer, this tour is a royal treat.Himalayan Trekking AdventureFor adventure enthusiasts, the Himalayan trekking tours offer breathtaking views and challenging trails. Popular treks include the Markha Valley in Ladakh and the Roopkund Trek in Uttarakhand.Goa Beach RetreatRelax on the sandy beaches of Goa, known for its vibrant nightlife and Portuguese heritage. This retreat is perfect for those looking to unwind and soak up the sun.Specialty Tours Offered by Indian Tour OperatorsWildlife SafarisIndia’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are home to diverse flora and fauna. Enjoy a safari in Ranthambore, Jim Corbett, or Kaziranga to spot tigers, elephants, and rhinos.Culinary ToursIndulge in India’s diverse culinary traditions with a food tour. Learn to cook traditional dishes and sample regional specialties, from spicy street food to royal Rajasthani feasts.Cultural Immersion TripsImmerse yourself in Indian culture with trips that focus on local traditions, crafts, and festivals. Visit artisans’ workshops, attend local festivals, and learn about India’s cultural heritage.Spiritual JourneysExplore India’s spiritual side with tours to holy sites and ashrams. From the ghats of Varanasi to the ashrams of Rishikesh, these journeys offer spiritual enrichment and peace.Customer Testimonials and Success StoriesHearing from previous travelers can provide insight into what you can expect from a tour operator. Look for testimonials that highlight positive experiences, excellent service, and memorable trips.Current Trends in the Indian Tour IndustrySustainable TourismThere’s a growing focus on sustainable tourism practices. Tour operators are incorporating eco-friendly options, supporting local communities, and promoting responsible travel.Adventure TourismAdventure tourism is on the rise, with more travelers seeking thrills. From trekking and rafting to paragliding and scuba diving, India offers numerous adventure activities.Wellness TourismIndia, the land of yoga and Ayurveda, is a popular destination for wellness tourism. Many tour operators offer packages that include yoga retreats, spa treatments, and Ayurvedic therapies.Tips for an Unforgettable Indian TourBest Time to VisitIndia’s climate varies significantly, so plan your visit according to the region and season. The winter months (October to March) are generally the best time to explore most parts of the country.Essential Packing TipsPack light but include essentials like comfortable clothing, a good pair of walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and any necessary medications. Don’t forget a power adapter for your electronics.Health and Safety AdviceStay hydrated, avoid drinking tap water, and be cautious with street food. It’s also a good idea to have travel insurance that covers health and safety emergencies.Inbound Travel Company in IndiaAn inbound travel company in India specializes in organizing travel services for international visitors coming to India. They provide comprehensive packages that include accommodation, transportation, guided tours, and unique local experiences. With expert knowledge of India's diverse destinations and cultural heritage, these companies ensure a seamless and memorable experience for travelers, managing all logistics from arrival to departure and inbound travel company in IndiaConclusionChoosing the right tour operator can make all the difference in your Indian adventure. With their expert knowledge, customized services, and commitment to your comfort and safety, they ensure you discover India in the most enriching way possible. So, pack your bags and get ready to explore the incredible diversity and beauty of India |
2024.05.17 08:13 CIAHerpes I remember the night I died and saw the Bardo.
There are some kinds of wisdom only great suffering can bring. I remember my time in the Bardo with this in mind, for otherwise, the memory might drive me insane.
The night my heart stopped for nearly three minutes started off normally enough. I was working as a nurse in the psychiatric ward at a hospital in the state’s capital. Most of the patients there were harmless, mostly just suicide attempts or people suffering from drug psychosis or severe depression, but some were actively dangerous and certainly psychopathic in every sense of the word. The new admission was one of these- a three-hundred pound black man with a long history of smoking PCP, schizophrenia and violent, psychotic breaks from reality.
His eyes looked like flat pieces of slate as I walked in for my shift. They looked as blank and emotionless as the eyes of a doll. He sat at the table in the front room where the patients ate or played cards, alone under the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital. I walked to the station, where another psychiatric nurse named Ricardo was sitting behind the desk.
“What’s the deal with the new guy?” I asked him. Ricardo looked up, his dark Spanish face forming into a deep scowl. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair nervously.
“He’s trouble, man,” he said in a crisp accent. “He got in a chase with the police and then punched some cops in the face. It took three guys to take him down, even after he got maced and tased. The judge sent him here on a temporary court order, since he claims he’s been getting chased by Nazis in UFOs, and that’s why he ran from the cops. He thought the cops in their uniforms were actually the SS, and the helicopters were alien spacecraft, or something. I don’t know, I didn’t listen to the whole story.”
“You have his file?” I asked. Ricardo leafed through a stack of folders with his thin fingers, snatching one out and handing it to me. I looked down, reading the information:
“Jeremiah Brown, black male, 37-years-old.
“History: Polysubstance abuse, schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder.
“Psychiatrist’s note: This patient has scored a 36 out of 40 on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. While I am always hesitant to label a patient as an antisocial personality, a combination of factors has made it essential for this patient.
“Patient has an extensive criminal history as well as a lengthy history of involuntary psychiatric admissions. He has been diagnosed as having antisocial traits since he was a young teenager. Patient has a long history of violence and suicide attempts. He has a history of imprisonment for manslaughter, armed robbery, grand theft and aggravated assault. Upon discharge, he refuses to take any antipsychotic medication, citing the side effects as the reason. Long-term prognosis is poor…”
I had not been sleeping well the past few weeks. I rubbed my eyes as I read through the file, feeling exhausted. I tried putting on lucid dreaming or meditation music from YouTube to help me sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw horrible things: chalk-white female faces whose lips were cut into an insane rictus grin, flicking their heads violently from side to side and gnashing their fangs at the air. I had a feeling that many years of constantly watching horror movies and serial killer documentaries was catching up with me.
As I read through the file, a student nurse came around the corner wearing a white state university outfit and a name tag that said Kaitlyn. I looked up, seeing Ricardo wink at me from where he was sitting in his chair behind the main desk.
“She’s going to follow you,” he said. Inwardly, I groaned, but I managed to force a smile.
“Oh, great!” I said. She looked like she was probably no older than nineteen or twenty. She had a pretty body, but her face looked strange. All the angles were too sharp and her nose too large. I knew the patients here wouldn’t care, though. They would hit on anything. I sensed trouble. I looked down at my watch.
“Well, I’m Jay, and you already know Ricardo, I guess. It’s good timing, because we need to give medications every day at 9 PM. And we have a new patient, so we can introduce ourselves,” I said, giving her a faint smile.
“That’s exciting!” Kaitlyn whispered. I wanted to roll my eyes. It was definitely not exciting.
I motioned her to follow me as I made my way to the medication room, which was really just a large closet off of the main day room. I had to enter my code on a keypad, and then, once inside, enter it again along with the patient’s number and date of birth. The correct drawers for the medication in each specific dose would fly open, making it extremely hard for the wrong medications or doses to be given, unless it was done intentionally.
“OK, so for this patient, we need Haldol, Ativan and…” I began saying to Kaitlyn when the yelling started. It came out faintly, rising in volume and anger within seconds. I heard Ricardo’s Spanish voice, filled with panic. Something slammed hard against a wall, once, twice, three times, and then I heard the sound of glass breaking. I jumped, spinning around, but I couldn’t see much through the small, shatter-proof glass pane on the wooden door.
“Stay here,” I commanded, seeing Kaitlyn’s eyes widen, her freckled skin looking much paler than when we had first come in. “Don’t leave until I come back and say that it’s safe.” On the speakers strung throughout the hospital, I heard the first of the warnings echo out around us.
“Doctor Strong, Doctor Strong, please report to the seventh floor,” a robotic female voice said calmly, using the code for when a patient had to be subdued by force. I pushed the door open, slamming it shut behind me so that the lock would activate and protect Kaitlyn from whatever chaos was going on.
I heard Ricardo pleading with someone at the end of the hallway that ran past the main desk. He sounded strange, as if he were trying to talk through a mouthful of blood. Huddled behind the main computer, I saw one of the CNAs frantically whispering something in the phone. She must have been the one to call the Dr. Strong order.
“You don’t have to do this, man,” Ricardo gurgled faintly. I couldn’t see what was happening, as Jeremiah’s large body was blocking my view. I could see that the thick glass window at the end of the hallway was broken, however. My heart skipped a beat as I surmised what was likely happening.
I sprinted forward as quietly as I could, but the large man heard me. His massive body turned, his flat, dead eyes scanning me with absolute coldness and calm. I saw he had a bleeding Ricardo in his hands. Ricardo’s back and head were covered in deep cuts and shards of glass. He must have used Ricardo’s body as a battering ram to break the thick glass window. Jeremiah held Ricardo suspended halfway out the window, seven floors above the concrete walkways far below.
“Stay back, or this fucker will know what it feels like to fly,” Jeremiah said in a deep, gravelly voice. He shook Ricardo for emphasis, sending his head snapping back and forth with painful cracking sounds. Drops of blood flew from his nose and a deep gash across his cheek. Pieces of shattered glass littered the carpet, shining like countless tiny stars.
I put my hands up, taking a step back. Far behind me, I heard the front door for the psychiatric ward open. Voices echoed down the hall. Knowing that reinforcements were coming, I tried to buy some time.
“Let’s talk about this,” I said, taking a step forward slowly. “You don’t want a murder charge, do you? You’ll never see the sky again.”
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m not afraid to die!” Jeremiah screamed, pushing Ricardo onto one of the shards of broken glass still attached to the windowsill. It bit deeply into the back of his neck, sending fresh streams of blood rushing out, dripping down to the pavement far below. I heard security guards and doctors running down the hallway behind me, their voices frantic and excited. Jeremiah saw them coming. With an animalistic panic in his eyes, he lifted Ricardo up. I cried out something, stepping forward, but it was already too late. In horror, I watched as he threw Ricardo out the window.
I watched Ricardo’s body soar in a graceful arc, his arms grabbing at empty air as a scream ripped its way out of his throat. Within a fraction of a second, he had disappeared from view, but his terrified shrieking floated up to us for what seemed like a very long time. His screams ended abruptly as a shattering of bones and a wet smacking sound exploded far below us.
Jeremiah turned to me, his large body moving much faster than seemed possible. In his hand, I saw a piece of broken glass, five or six inches long and as sharp as a dagger. I tried to turn and run, but he was fast and strong. He lunged forward, his arm coming up in a blur towards my neck.
The shard entered my skin with a cold, numbing pain. I felt it slice through the flesh easily, felt the blood bubbling up my throat as I tried to scream, choking. The taste of iron filled my mouth as I fell backwards. I was suffocating, I knew. I must be dying.
Something cold ran down my body, gripping my heart like freezing, skeletal hands. The world swam around me and turned black. And then I was rising into a tunnel. At first, it was dark, filled with flickering shadows, but a fiery red light appeared at the end. I followed it, no more than a screaming mass of consciousness rising up into infinity.
***
I rose up through the end of the tunnel and found myself in an empty hospital ward. It looked identical to the psychiatric ward I had just come from. It even had the same smashed, blood-streaked window at the end of the hallway. A massive puddle of blood about ten feet away marked the spot where I must have died. But the fluorescent lights overhead here were flickering, and many had gone totally dark. The shadows seemed to press in on all sides.
The doors to the patients’ rooms were all tightly shut. I felt watched, afraid to call out or make any noise. I started walking down the hallway back towards the day room where the front desk was. All the lights there were out. A thick curtain of shadows hung in the air.
“You can come out,” a male voice as smooth as glass called from the darkness. I jumped, my head flicking in random directions, but I saw nothing. The voice almost sounded like it had an English lilt to it, a slight Cockneyed accent. “I know you’re there.”
“Who’s there?” I called out, not stepping forward. “Show yourself.”
“As you wish…” the voice hissed. “But I think you’ll regret it.”
***
The darkness split apart as if a nuclear missile had exploded. I raised my hand to shield my face, but the light and heat kept pouring out all around me. It blinded me, causing a rainbow of colors and shapes to morph behind my closed eyelids. After a few seconds, it subsided. Blinking rapidly, I squinted in the direction the voice had come from.
A male figure stood there, bathed in a silhouette of light. His face looked as white and as smooth as marble. His eyes were pits of darkness that seemed to flicker and burn. Two black, rotted wings surrounded his body, all sharp angles and thin, curving bones. His body was clothed in silky, blood-red robes, and a hood covered his platinum blonde hair.
He looked somewhat similar to Leonardo DiCaprio, if he was possessed by some ancient god, and it immediately threw me off-guard. If I was dying, and this was a hallucination of my brain, why would I be hallucinating Mr. DiCaprio?
“Who are you?” I asked, taking a hesitant step back. “Where am I?”
“My name is Lucifer, the Bringer of Light and Wisdom, and you are in the Bardo,” he answered.
“Oh,” I said, my heart dropping. “Well, that’s not good. Are you here to torture me or drag to me to Hell or something? You are that Lucifer, right? The Accuser of God and the Father of All Lies?”
“So they say, but, like most things in your world, the words of the powerful and your rulers are the true lies. They call me the Accuser, but of what am I accused?” he spoke in a voice that rose like smoke. “Of bringing knowledge and wisdom to humanity by telling them to eat from the tree of knowledge, the tree that would cause them to rise above the animals?
“Indeed, at the beginning, I saw the creation. I was there at the alpha, standing by the side of God with all the angels as the universe came into being. The endless procession of light, the power of it, was something remarkable to behold. God is, indeed, the source of great power, but his consciousness is not what the believers say.
“After the creation of the universe, I saw his plan, how he ripped eternal souls from the source to imprison them. I saw how he took these divine sparks and forced them, screaming and wailing, into bodies made of meat to die over and over again. He said it was part of the plan, the great, divine plan, a plan of death and destruction, constant suffering and mindless agony. And the worst part was, he wanted to give humanity neither the knowledge of good and evil, nor the tree of life. I convinced them to eat the fruit so they could open their eyes to their nakedness, to their basic animal existence, so they could rise up out of it forever.
“Like Prometheus, I brought down the fire, and yet they call me the Accuser? God was insane long before he formed the universe. These holy men, they live and die in fanatical adoration to a divine being who is, in fact, totally indifferent to them.
“His consciousness twists and distorts, eating itself for all eternity. God feeds off the pain of others, for if his mind is burning, then all others should burn as well. When these holy men die, God will send their souls here to the Bardo, to suffer every evil they have ever done. The wisdom I brought those who called upon me freed them from this prison, and in exchange, the holy men burned them alive. I offered the wisdom that opens your eyes, but it has been forgotten and cursed.”
Lucifer’s body began to dissolve, drifting up into the air like ashes. All around me, a low, powerful current blew, a tornado that spiraled high up into the clouds. Like some sort of Cheshire Cat, his smooth voice continued to echo all around me, even as the form of Lucifer disappeared.
“And yet, you have not the wisdom. For that, like all the others who enter the Bardo, you must suffer, everything you’ve done. Every small hurt and agony inflicted on others comes back a thousand-fold in this place, but don’t be afraid.”
“How could I not be afraid?!” I screamed into the ward, but I found myself alone, the question hanging unanswered in the air.
***
The lights continued to flicker all down the hallway. Feeling strange and dissociated, I stumbled over to one of the windows. As I gazed out, I beheld a strange and alien world.
The sky was flat and gray. It stayed in constant motion, swirling and spiraling, like clouds of roiling smoke. There was no Sun or Moon, no stars, only the strange, shifting whorls of clouds. The streets were filled with burned-out husks of cars and mummified bodies hung from streetlamps. Other signs of carnage and bloodshed covered the apocalyptic streets. I saw what looked like shadows in the shape of people slinking through over the sidewalks, past rotting dogs and streaks of clotted blood. They had no features on their blank, dark bodies. They seemed to skitter and jerk forwards in eerie, twisting motions.
Horrified, I turned away, realizing I was no longer alone in the day room. In the day room, there were dozens of tables set up inside a rectangular perimeter that was walled in by cosmetic walls only four feet high. It was where the patients sat and played games or ate.
Under the flickering lights, I now saw each of the chairs filled with faceless mannequins. Many were dressed in Victorian suits and tophats. The women had frilly dresses of pink and blue that might have been fashionable in the 1800s.
As the lights strobed on and off overhead, I realized with an increasing sense of disquiet that the mannequins were moving each time it went dark. When I had first seen them, they were mostly posed to look like they were staring across the tables at each other, even though they had no eyes, just smooth, flesh-colored plastic. Now all of them were looking directly at me. Some were pointing or raising their hands in my direction. At the tips of their fingers, I saw the glittering of steel. The lights continued to flicker, and the mannequins rose from their chairs in the short periods of darkness, moving towards me in synchronized, strobing motions.
Frantically, I ran down the hallway back towards the broken window. In each of the rooms, I caught glimpses of something from a nightmare peeking out. I hadn’t been sleeping well lately, and when I had closed my eyes, I often saw ancient hags with chalk-white skin and yellowed, broken teeth whose jaws unhinged, their faces jerking in stuttering, dissonant ways that reminded me of the mannequins. Now, on both sides of me, I saw these same figures. They moved continuously out of the rooms, drawing closer with every breath.
I looked back, seeing the mannequins only a few steps behind me. I continued sprinting towards the broken window where the hallway ended in a wall. I didn’t know what would happen when I reached it. At that moment, there was no rational thought. I felt like a deer being chased down by a pack of wolves, feeling waves of blind panic and mortal terror rushing through my body.
But as I reached the end of the hallway, the end of my rope as it were, a blast of noise started, seeming to come from the walls of the building and the sky itself. It sounded like a siren, a low, drawn-out drone of a demonic whale call, rising and falling in crashing crescendos. The mannequins froze in place once again. The strange, witch-like creatures slunk back into the dark rooms.
I looked outside the broken window, seeing clouds of black smoke rising off in the distance. The flickering of massive infernos scorched the land, drawing nearer by the second. The siren sound faded slowly, like the dying echoes of a gong.
I was surrounded by dozens of mannequins. Their sharp hands were inches away from my face and neck. I saw metal glittering all around me and realized they had the sharp points of nails protruding from the ends of their fingers. I was afraid to move, but I heard a familiar voice from down the hallway. It was the confident voice of Lucifer.
“The siren means much worse nightmares than these are coming in the Bardo,” he said, his glossy, black eyes flashing with intelligence. He walked slowly towards me, his face grim and pale. “Hell itself is coming over the land. This building is no more than a construction of your dying mind, but the world outside is real.”
“How can Hell come and go?” I asked, confused. “Isn’t Hell a place?”
“Hell is a monster, a beast with many mouths and many eyes,” Lucifer responded. “It eats constantly, but its hunger never ends. Look, the first of the sacrifices scatter like cockroaches.” He pointed out the broken window, pushing his way through the mannequins effortlessly. I glanced outside, seeing thousands of people sprinting down the dark city streets. The inferno and thick clouds of smoke had moved much closer, and every few seconds, the ground shook slightly, as if we were experiencing the aftershocks of an earthquake.
“What can I do against such a beast?” I asked, my heart freezing with terror. But when I looked back over, I saw his form dissolving again, becoming translucent and drifting away like ashes. It seemed even Lucifer didn’t want to be present when the Hell-beast arrived.
“Seek divine wisdom,” he said, his voice trailing off into whispers. “Remember the source.”
***
Now crowds of tens of thousands of people were streaming into the city, filling every single inch of the streets. Their panic and fear was contagious. I felt it rising inside my body like a snake spiraling up my spine. I took off down the hallway, running through the swarm of frozen mannequins, each in their own ferocious position of attack. The lights flickered faster and went out. Yet the fires outside cast the entire world in a bloody glow, giving me enough light to see by and find my way. I sprinted down the stairwell, taking them two steps at a time. The screaming outside grew louder and more pain-filled. The shaking of the ground worsened with every passing second.
I burst out of the front entrance, seeing a world on fire all around me. Thousands of crushed, bleeding and burned bodies stretched out as far as the eye could see. Behind all this chaos and death, I saw a monster of unimaginable proportions slinking its way towards me.
Lucifer was right, I realized: Hell was not a place, but a creature, an enormous monster the size of a town. It had thousands of skittering, jointed legs that looked like little more than skeletal arms and hands, each of them dozens of feet long and white as freshly-cut marble. Its body stretched out to the horizon, an enormous blood-red cylinder of bony plates that slithered and undulated with a serpentine grace. Waves of peristalsis traveled down its length, like writhing intestines. Thousands of curving, bony spikes stabbed out of it, pointing in every direction. Like the quills of a porcupine, it would protect the massive creature’s body from many forms of attack, if anything was big enough to attack such an abomination.
Hell’s massive eyes flickered, balls of fire that spun and danced. They looked as bright as the Sun. Something like solar flares seemed to emanate from the orbs, flashes of blinding energy that floated over the apocalyptic wasteland. As its many legs smashed the ground, they left trails of fire that caused everything to explode into flames as if napalm dripped from its limbs.
But Hell’s most terrifying feature was its seven dark mouths. Its body looked a thousand feet wide, and the mouths at the front were evenly dispersed. At the front, blood-red teeth in the shape of enormous railroad spikes shone. Its lipless, skeletal face grinned as it moved forward, shaking the ground with every step. The mouths were on long, snake-like necks that could stretch out hundreds of feet. They moved forward in a blur, snapping up as many panicked souls as they could.
Countless souls in the rocky plains of the Bardo ran for their lives, away from this juggernaut. I saw men and women who looked like they came from every country and profession, some dressed in suits or spotless white lab coats, others wearing rags or orange prison jumpsuits. And yet, they all screamed in agony and fear here, their bodies pressed together in a crowd, and no one seemed to remember anything but their own mortal terror. Their voices came out faint and weak next to the roaring of Hell. It shook the ground all around us, as if an earthquake were tearing the land apart.
The first frantic runners of the surging crowd had nearly reached me. The nearest person, a young woman in her mid-twenties dressed in all white, was only ten feet behind me. She looked like she came from wealth, and even from here, I could see a ring with a massive diamond gleaming on her finger.
I took off blindly down the familiar streets of the city where I worked and lived, but these also seemed different. The church down the street from the hospital where I worked had a Satanic pentagram instead of a cross now, its exterior painted a bright, gleaming blood-red. When I had driven past it today on my way to work, I remember it read, “JESUS said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Now it read, “Nietzsche said, ‘Of all evil, I deem you capable. I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good simply because they had no claws.’” I wondered what that meant. Was that some sort of comment on me, on all of us here?
The woman I had seen running had caught up with me. She was fast, much faster than her slim body suggested. Her blue eyes were frantic and wild, filled with an animal panic.
“It’s right behind us!” she screamed, her face covered in a sheen of sweat. I was afraid to turn and look, but I could hear the chaos and bloodshed approaching, smell the flames and choking smoke. “Run! Get away!”
A new wave of energy surged through my body. I sprinted as fast I could down the strange mirror streets of the Bardo. I heard the agonized cries of countless souls behind us as the seven mouths of Hell ate them all greedily and then looked for more.
A skyscraper behind us collapsed into a pile of rubble, shaking the ground with a cacophony of falling concrete and shattering glass. The woman was running by my side. Just as I heard the breathing of something huge and predatory right behind us and smelled its sulfuric breath, a piece of concrete the size of a basketball broke off the collapsing skyscraper and flew into the road. I tripped over it, yelling as I flew through the air, skinning my arms and legs on the pavement. The woman’s eyes widened. Hurriedly, she came over and reached down her hand, trying to help me up.
“Come on, come on!” she cried. I looked behind her, seeing one of the gnashing mouths of Hell reaching forward on a blood-red, serpentine neck. The mouth was big enough to drive a tractor trailer into, filled with huge spikes of teeth. Its throat led into a black, smoke-filled abyss. Its fiery eyes were swirling pools of flickering orange light that shone with bloodlust and insanity. They focused on the woman, the entire head turning on its slithering neck.
I frantically raised my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. Her hand was warm and soft. She started to pull me to my feet when the mouth of Hell snapped forward. Its jaw unhinged, scraping the pavement with a sound like grinding metal. The woman barely had time to turn as the mouth covered her and snapped shut with a crack.
She disappeared from view instantly, but I was still holding her hand. In horror, I felt warm rivers of blood explode all over my body as the mouth of Hell severed her arm at the wrist. She screamed, bleeding and crying, as she disappeared into the throat of Hell. Hell’s fiery eyes focused on me, and at that moment, I knew I was next. Its mouth opened wide again, like a bear trap ready to spring on a new victim.
It was dark in Hell’s mouth, but I smelled the thick reek of old blood and fire. I caught glimpses of tortured, mutilated bodies writhing and crawling down its throat. Shell-shocked, I could only lay there and watch. And that was when the strange doubling started.
***
I heard the frantic voices of men break through the fog of darkness and the fetid reek of blood. There was a mechanical beeping all around me, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.
“Clear!” one cried. I looked around, only seeing blackness. At that moment, I felt a surge of electricity rip itself through my body. My arms and legs all seized and my eyes rolled up in my head as the pain sizzled through each one of my nerves. I clutched the young woman’s hand tightly, feeling the large, gold ring with the massive diamond biting into my skin.
“Again!” another voice yelled.
“Clear!” the original voice cried. The electricity came again, and a flash of white light flew across my vision. I blinked, seeing from two sets of eyes at the same time: one in the Bardo, and one on the blood-stained floor of the hospital ward.
The Bardo stayed dark and sinister, but the clear white lights of the real psychiatric ward were blinding. It was a bizarre experience. Moreover, everything hurt. Over a few seconds, my vision of the Bardo faded, and I was simply a gravely injured man laying on the floor in a puddle of blood.
Four doctors and paramedics were crouching over me with a defibrillator. My shirt was ripped off, and nearly all of my skin was covered in blood. I raised my left hand, trying to talk, but only a fiery pain raced through my neck. I felt bandages covering my skin. A nurse was rolling a stretcher down the hallway towards me.
“It’s OK,” one of the doctors said, kneeling down. “You’re being taken to emergency surgery. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t talk with the massive slice in my neck.
At that moment, I felt something in my right hand. I looked down, seeing a slim female hand with a massive diamond ring hanging there. Our fingers were wrapped around each other’s, but the hand had been cut off at the wrist. A ragged patch of bloody flesh and snapped bone poked out of the back.
“Nnnn,” I tried to say, shaking my head. I felt fresh streams of warm blood open up. “No…” The doctors looked down, seeing the dismembered hand. Their faces morphed into expressions of confusion and fear.
I closed my eyes as they lifted me up on the stretcher. One of them gently removed the cold hand from my fingers. But they could never remove the memory of what I had seen.
I know what happens after death, and it makes the worst life here seem like a dream. I know that, one day, I’ll be returned to that place. I know that, one day, I’ll see that great monster called Hell and the featureless, swirling sky of the Bardo again.
And the next time, I won’t wake up on a hospital floor, but will be trapped there with the others for eternity: an eternity of blood and fire.
submitted by CIAHerpes to ZakBabyTV_Stories [link] [comments]
The night my heart stopped for nearly three minutes started off normally enough. I was working as a nurse in the psychiatric ward at a hospital in the state’s capital. Most of the patients there were harmless, mostly just suicide attempts or people suffering from drug psychosis or severe depression, but some were actively dangerous and certainly psychopathic in every sense of the word. The new admission was one of these- a three-hundred pound black man with a long history of smoking PCP, schizophrenia and violent, psychotic breaks from reality.
His eyes looked like flat pieces of slate as I walked in for my shift. They looked as blank and emotionless as the eyes of a doll. He sat at the table in the front room where the patients ate or played cards, alone under the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital. I walked to the station, where another psychiatric nurse named Ricardo was sitting behind the desk.
“What’s the deal with the new guy?” I asked him. Ricardo looked up, his dark Spanish face forming into a deep scowl. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair nervously.
“He’s trouble, man,” he said in a crisp accent. “He got in a chase with the police and then punched some cops in the face. It took three guys to take him down, even after he got maced and tased. The judge sent him here on a temporary court order, since he claims he’s been getting chased by Nazis in UFOs, and that’s why he ran from the cops. He thought the cops in their uniforms were actually the SS, and the helicopters were alien spacecraft, or something. I don’t know, I didn’t listen to the whole story.”
“You have his file?” I asked. Ricardo leafed through a stack of folders with his thin fingers, snatching one out and handing it to me. I looked down, reading the information:
“Jeremiah Brown, black male, 37-years-old.
“History: Polysubstance abuse, schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder.
“Psychiatrist’s note: This patient has scored a 36 out of 40 on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. While I am always hesitant to label a patient as an antisocial personality, a combination of factors has made it essential for this patient.
“Patient has an extensive criminal history as well as a lengthy history of involuntary psychiatric admissions. He has been diagnosed as having antisocial traits since he was a young teenager. Patient has a long history of violence and suicide attempts. He has a history of imprisonment for manslaughter, armed robbery, grand theft and aggravated assault. Upon discharge, he refuses to take any antipsychotic medication, citing the side effects as the reason. Long-term prognosis is poor…”
I had not been sleeping well the past few weeks. I rubbed my eyes as I read through the file, feeling exhausted. I tried putting on lucid dreaming or meditation music from YouTube to help me sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw horrible things: chalk-white female faces whose lips were cut into an insane rictus grin, flicking their heads violently from side to side and gnashing their fangs at the air. I had a feeling that many years of constantly watching horror movies and serial killer documentaries was catching up with me.
As I read through the file, a student nurse came around the corner wearing a white state university outfit and a name tag that said Kaitlyn. I looked up, seeing Ricardo wink at me from where he was sitting in his chair behind the main desk.
“She’s going to follow you,” he said. Inwardly, I groaned, but I managed to force a smile.
“Oh, great!” I said. She looked like she was probably no older than nineteen or twenty. She had a pretty body, but her face looked strange. All the angles were too sharp and her nose too large. I knew the patients here wouldn’t care, though. They would hit on anything. I sensed trouble. I looked down at my watch.
“Well, I’m Jay, and you already know Ricardo, I guess. It’s good timing, because we need to give medications every day at 9 PM. And we have a new patient, so we can introduce ourselves,” I said, giving her a faint smile.
“That’s exciting!” Kaitlyn whispered. I wanted to roll my eyes. It was definitely not exciting.
I motioned her to follow me as I made my way to the medication room, which was really just a large closet off of the main day room. I had to enter my code on a keypad, and then, once inside, enter it again along with the patient’s number and date of birth. The correct drawers for the medication in each specific dose would fly open, making it extremely hard for the wrong medications or doses to be given, unless it was done intentionally.
“OK, so for this patient, we need Haldol, Ativan and…” I began saying to Kaitlyn when the yelling started. It came out faintly, rising in volume and anger within seconds. I heard Ricardo’s Spanish voice, filled with panic. Something slammed hard against a wall, once, twice, three times, and then I heard the sound of glass breaking. I jumped, spinning around, but I couldn’t see much through the small, shatter-proof glass pane on the wooden door.
“Stay here,” I commanded, seeing Kaitlyn’s eyes widen, her freckled skin looking much paler than when we had first come in. “Don’t leave until I come back and say that it’s safe.” On the speakers strung throughout the hospital, I heard the first of the warnings echo out around us.
“Doctor Strong, Doctor Strong, please report to the seventh floor,” a robotic female voice said calmly, using the code for when a patient had to be subdued by force. I pushed the door open, slamming it shut behind me so that the lock would activate and protect Kaitlyn from whatever chaos was going on.
I heard Ricardo pleading with someone at the end of the hallway that ran past the main desk. He sounded strange, as if he were trying to talk through a mouthful of blood. Huddled behind the main computer, I saw one of the CNAs frantically whispering something in the phone. She must have been the one to call the Dr. Strong order.
“You don’t have to do this, man,” Ricardo gurgled faintly. I couldn’t see what was happening, as Jeremiah’s large body was blocking my view. I could see that the thick glass window at the end of the hallway was broken, however. My heart skipped a beat as I surmised what was likely happening.
I sprinted forward as quietly as I could, but the large man heard me. His massive body turned, his flat, dead eyes scanning me with absolute coldness and calm. I saw he had a bleeding Ricardo in his hands. Ricardo’s back and head were covered in deep cuts and shards of glass. He must have used Ricardo’s body as a battering ram to break the thick glass window. Jeremiah held Ricardo suspended halfway out the window, seven floors above the concrete walkways far below.
“Stay back, or this fucker will know what it feels like to fly,” Jeremiah said in a deep, gravelly voice. He shook Ricardo for emphasis, sending his head snapping back and forth with painful cracking sounds. Drops of blood flew from his nose and a deep gash across his cheek. Pieces of shattered glass littered the carpet, shining like countless tiny stars.
I put my hands up, taking a step back. Far behind me, I heard the front door for the psychiatric ward open. Voices echoed down the hall. Knowing that reinforcements were coming, I tried to buy some time.
“Let’s talk about this,” I said, taking a step forward slowly. “You don’t want a murder charge, do you? You’ll never see the sky again.”
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m not afraid to die!” Jeremiah screamed, pushing Ricardo onto one of the shards of broken glass still attached to the windowsill. It bit deeply into the back of his neck, sending fresh streams of blood rushing out, dripping down to the pavement far below. I heard security guards and doctors running down the hallway behind me, their voices frantic and excited. Jeremiah saw them coming. With an animalistic panic in his eyes, he lifted Ricardo up. I cried out something, stepping forward, but it was already too late. In horror, I watched as he threw Ricardo out the window.
I watched Ricardo’s body soar in a graceful arc, his arms grabbing at empty air as a scream ripped its way out of his throat. Within a fraction of a second, he had disappeared from view, but his terrified shrieking floated up to us for what seemed like a very long time. His screams ended abruptly as a shattering of bones and a wet smacking sound exploded far below us.
Jeremiah turned to me, his large body moving much faster than seemed possible. In his hand, I saw a piece of broken glass, five or six inches long and as sharp as a dagger. I tried to turn and run, but he was fast and strong. He lunged forward, his arm coming up in a blur towards my neck.
The shard entered my skin with a cold, numbing pain. I felt it slice through the flesh easily, felt the blood bubbling up my throat as I tried to scream, choking. The taste of iron filled my mouth as I fell backwards. I was suffocating, I knew. I must be dying.
Something cold ran down my body, gripping my heart like freezing, skeletal hands. The world swam around me and turned black. And then I was rising into a tunnel. At first, it was dark, filled with flickering shadows, but a fiery red light appeared at the end. I followed it, no more than a screaming mass of consciousness rising up into infinity.
***
I rose up through the end of the tunnel and found myself in an empty hospital ward. It looked identical to the psychiatric ward I had just come from. It even had the same smashed, blood-streaked window at the end of the hallway. A massive puddle of blood about ten feet away marked the spot where I must have died. But the fluorescent lights overhead here were flickering, and many had gone totally dark. The shadows seemed to press in on all sides.
The doors to the patients’ rooms were all tightly shut. I felt watched, afraid to call out or make any noise. I started walking down the hallway back towards the day room where the front desk was. All the lights there were out. A thick curtain of shadows hung in the air.
“You can come out,” a male voice as smooth as glass called from the darkness. I jumped, my head flicking in random directions, but I saw nothing. The voice almost sounded like it had an English lilt to it, a slight Cockneyed accent. “I know you’re there.”
“Who’s there?” I called out, not stepping forward. “Show yourself.”
“As you wish…” the voice hissed. “But I think you’ll regret it.”
***
The darkness split apart as if a nuclear missile had exploded. I raised my hand to shield my face, but the light and heat kept pouring out all around me. It blinded me, causing a rainbow of colors and shapes to morph behind my closed eyelids. After a few seconds, it subsided. Blinking rapidly, I squinted in the direction the voice had come from.
A male figure stood there, bathed in a silhouette of light. His face looked as white and as smooth as marble. His eyes were pits of darkness that seemed to flicker and burn. Two black, rotted wings surrounded his body, all sharp angles and thin, curving bones. His body was clothed in silky, blood-red robes, and a hood covered his platinum blonde hair.
He looked somewhat similar to Leonardo DiCaprio, if he was possessed by some ancient god, and it immediately threw me off-guard. If I was dying, and this was a hallucination of my brain, why would I be hallucinating Mr. DiCaprio?
“Who are you?” I asked, taking a hesitant step back. “Where am I?”
“My name is Lucifer, the Bringer of Light and Wisdom, and you are in the Bardo,” he answered.
“Oh,” I said, my heart dropping. “Well, that’s not good. Are you here to torture me or drag to me to Hell or something? You are that Lucifer, right? The Accuser of God and the Father of All Lies?”
“So they say, but, like most things in your world, the words of the powerful and your rulers are the true lies. They call me the Accuser, but of what am I accused?” he spoke in a voice that rose like smoke. “Of bringing knowledge and wisdom to humanity by telling them to eat from the tree of knowledge, the tree that would cause them to rise above the animals?
“Indeed, at the beginning, I saw the creation. I was there at the alpha, standing by the side of God with all the angels as the universe came into being. The endless procession of light, the power of it, was something remarkable to behold. God is, indeed, the source of great power, but his consciousness is not what the believers say.
“After the creation of the universe, I saw his plan, how he ripped eternal souls from the source to imprison them. I saw how he took these divine sparks and forced them, screaming and wailing, into bodies made of meat to die over and over again. He said it was part of the plan, the great, divine plan, a plan of death and destruction, constant suffering and mindless agony. And the worst part was, he wanted to give humanity neither the knowledge of good and evil, nor the tree of life. I convinced them to eat the fruit so they could open their eyes to their nakedness, to their basic animal existence, so they could rise up out of it forever.
“Like Prometheus, I brought down the fire, and yet they call me the Accuser? God was insane long before he formed the universe. These holy men, they live and die in fanatical adoration to a divine being who is, in fact, totally indifferent to them.
“His consciousness twists and distorts, eating itself for all eternity. God feeds off the pain of others, for if his mind is burning, then all others should burn as well. When these holy men die, God will send their souls here to the Bardo, to suffer every evil they have ever done. The wisdom I brought those who called upon me freed them from this prison, and in exchange, the holy men burned them alive. I offered the wisdom that opens your eyes, but it has been forgotten and cursed.”
Lucifer’s body began to dissolve, drifting up into the air like ashes. All around me, a low, powerful current blew, a tornado that spiraled high up into the clouds. Like some sort of Cheshire Cat, his smooth voice continued to echo all around me, even as the form of Lucifer disappeared.
“And yet, you have not the wisdom. For that, like all the others who enter the Bardo, you must suffer, everything you’ve done. Every small hurt and agony inflicted on others comes back a thousand-fold in this place, but don’t be afraid.”
“How could I not be afraid?!” I screamed into the ward, but I found myself alone, the question hanging unanswered in the air.
***
The lights continued to flicker all down the hallway. Feeling strange and dissociated, I stumbled over to one of the windows. As I gazed out, I beheld a strange and alien world.
The sky was flat and gray. It stayed in constant motion, swirling and spiraling, like clouds of roiling smoke. There was no Sun or Moon, no stars, only the strange, shifting whorls of clouds. The streets were filled with burned-out husks of cars and mummified bodies hung from streetlamps. Other signs of carnage and bloodshed covered the apocalyptic streets. I saw what looked like shadows in the shape of people slinking through over the sidewalks, past rotting dogs and streaks of clotted blood. They had no features on their blank, dark bodies. They seemed to skitter and jerk forwards in eerie, twisting motions.
Horrified, I turned away, realizing I was no longer alone in the day room. In the day room, there were dozens of tables set up inside a rectangular perimeter that was walled in by cosmetic walls only four feet high. It was where the patients sat and played games or ate.
Under the flickering lights, I now saw each of the chairs filled with faceless mannequins. Many were dressed in Victorian suits and tophats. The women had frilly dresses of pink and blue that might have been fashionable in the 1800s.
As the lights strobed on and off overhead, I realized with an increasing sense of disquiet that the mannequins were moving each time it went dark. When I had first seen them, they were mostly posed to look like they were staring across the tables at each other, even though they had no eyes, just smooth, flesh-colored plastic. Now all of them were looking directly at me. Some were pointing or raising their hands in my direction. At the tips of their fingers, I saw the glittering of steel. The lights continued to flicker, and the mannequins rose from their chairs in the short periods of darkness, moving towards me in synchronized, strobing motions.
Frantically, I ran down the hallway back towards the broken window. In each of the rooms, I caught glimpses of something from a nightmare peeking out. I hadn’t been sleeping well lately, and when I had closed my eyes, I often saw ancient hags with chalk-white skin and yellowed, broken teeth whose jaws unhinged, their faces jerking in stuttering, dissonant ways that reminded me of the mannequins. Now, on both sides of me, I saw these same figures. They moved continuously out of the rooms, drawing closer with every breath.
I looked back, seeing the mannequins only a few steps behind me. I continued sprinting towards the broken window where the hallway ended in a wall. I didn’t know what would happen when I reached it. At that moment, there was no rational thought. I felt like a deer being chased down by a pack of wolves, feeling waves of blind panic and mortal terror rushing through my body.
But as I reached the end of the hallway, the end of my rope as it were, a blast of noise started, seeming to come from the walls of the building and the sky itself. It sounded like a siren, a low, drawn-out drone of a demonic whale call, rising and falling in crashing crescendos. The mannequins froze in place once again. The strange, witch-like creatures slunk back into the dark rooms.
I looked outside the broken window, seeing clouds of black smoke rising off in the distance. The flickering of massive infernos scorched the land, drawing nearer by the second. The siren sound faded slowly, like the dying echoes of a gong.
I was surrounded by dozens of mannequins. Their sharp hands were inches away from my face and neck. I saw metal glittering all around me and realized they had the sharp points of nails protruding from the ends of their fingers. I was afraid to move, but I heard a familiar voice from down the hallway. It was the confident voice of Lucifer.
“The siren means much worse nightmares than these are coming in the Bardo,” he said, his glossy, black eyes flashing with intelligence. He walked slowly towards me, his face grim and pale. “Hell itself is coming over the land. This building is no more than a construction of your dying mind, but the world outside is real.”
“How can Hell come and go?” I asked, confused. “Isn’t Hell a place?”
“Hell is a monster, a beast with many mouths and many eyes,” Lucifer responded. “It eats constantly, but its hunger never ends. Look, the first of the sacrifices scatter like cockroaches.” He pointed out the broken window, pushing his way through the mannequins effortlessly. I glanced outside, seeing thousands of people sprinting down the dark city streets. The inferno and thick clouds of smoke had moved much closer, and every few seconds, the ground shook slightly, as if we were experiencing the aftershocks of an earthquake.
“What can I do against such a beast?” I asked, my heart freezing with terror. But when I looked back over, I saw his form dissolving again, becoming translucent and drifting away like ashes. It seemed even Lucifer didn’t want to be present when the Hell-beast arrived.
“Seek divine wisdom,” he said, his voice trailing off into whispers. “Remember the source.”
***
Now crowds of tens of thousands of people were streaming into the city, filling every single inch of the streets. Their panic and fear was contagious. I felt it rising inside my body like a snake spiraling up my spine. I took off down the hallway, running through the swarm of frozen mannequins, each in their own ferocious position of attack. The lights flickered faster and went out. Yet the fires outside cast the entire world in a bloody glow, giving me enough light to see by and find my way. I sprinted down the stairwell, taking them two steps at a time. The screaming outside grew louder and more pain-filled. The shaking of the ground worsened with every passing second.
I burst out of the front entrance, seeing a world on fire all around me. Thousands of crushed, bleeding and burned bodies stretched out as far as the eye could see. Behind all this chaos and death, I saw a monster of unimaginable proportions slinking its way towards me.
Lucifer was right, I realized: Hell was not a place, but a creature, an enormous monster the size of a town. It had thousands of skittering, jointed legs that looked like little more than skeletal arms and hands, each of them dozens of feet long and white as freshly-cut marble. Its body stretched out to the horizon, an enormous blood-red cylinder of bony plates that slithered and undulated with a serpentine grace. Waves of peristalsis traveled down its length, like writhing intestines. Thousands of curving, bony spikes stabbed out of it, pointing in every direction. Like the quills of a porcupine, it would protect the massive creature’s body from many forms of attack, if anything was big enough to attack such an abomination.
Hell’s massive eyes flickered, balls of fire that spun and danced. They looked as bright as the Sun. Something like solar flares seemed to emanate from the orbs, flashes of blinding energy that floated over the apocalyptic wasteland. As its many legs smashed the ground, they left trails of fire that caused everything to explode into flames as if napalm dripped from its limbs.
But Hell’s most terrifying feature was its seven dark mouths. Its body looked a thousand feet wide, and the mouths at the front were evenly dispersed. At the front, blood-red teeth in the shape of enormous railroad spikes shone. Its lipless, skeletal face grinned as it moved forward, shaking the ground with every step. The mouths were on long, snake-like necks that could stretch out hundreds of feet. They moved forward in a blur, snapping up as many panicked souls as they could.
Countless souls in the rocky plains of the Bardo ran for their lives, away from this juggernaut. I saw men and women who looked like they came from every country and profession, some dressed in suits or spotless white lab coats, others wearing rags or orange prison jumpsuits. And yet, they all screamed in agony and fear here, their bodies pressed together in a crowd, and no one seemed to remember anything but their own mortal terror. Their voices came out faint and weak next to the roaring of Hell. It shook the ground all around us, as if an earthquake were tearing the land apart.
The first frantic runners of the surging crowd had nearly reached me. The nearest person, a young woman in her mid-twenties dressed in all white, was only ten feet behind me. She looked like she came from wealth, and even from here, I could see a ring with a massive diamond gleaming on her finger.
I took off blindly down the familiar streets of the city where I worked and lived, but these also seemed different. The church down the street from the hospital where I worked had a Satanic pentagram instead of a cross now, its exterior painted a bright, gleaming blood-red. When I had driven past it today on my way to work, I remember it read, “JESUS said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Now it read, “Nietzsche said, ‘Of all evil, I deem you capable. I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good simply because they had no claws.’” I wondered what that meant. Was that some sort of comment on me, on all of us here?
The woman I had seen running had caught up with me. She was fast, much faster than her slim body suggested. Her blue eyes were frantic and wild, filled with an animal panic.
“It’s right behind us!” she screamed, her face covered in a sheen of sweat. I was afraid to turn and look, but I could hear the chaos and bloodshed approaching, smell the flames and choking smoke. “Run! Get away!”
A new wave of energy surged through my body. I sprinted as fast I could down the strange mirror streets of the Bardo. I heard the agonized cries of countless souls behind us as the seven mouths of Hell ate them all greedily and then looked for more.
A skyscraper behind us collapsed into a pile of rubble, shaking the ground with a cacophony of falling concrete and shattering glass. The woman was running by my side. Just as I heard the breathing of something huge and predatory right behind us and smelled its sulfuric breath, a piece of concrete the size of a basketball broke off the collapsing skyscraper and flew into the road. I tripped over it, yelling as I flew through the air, skinning my arms and legs on the pavement. The woman’s eyes widened. Hurriedly, she came over and reached down her hand, trying to help me up.
“Come on, come on!” she cried. I looked behind her, seeing one of the gnashing mouths of Hell reaching forward on a blood-red, serpentine neck. The mouth was big enough to drive a tractor trailer into, filled with huge spikes of teeth. Its throat led into a black, smoke-filled abyss. Its fiery eyes were swirling pools of flickering orange light that shone with bloodlust and insanity. They focused on the woman, the entire head turning on its slithering neck.
I frantically raised my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. Her hand was warm and soft. She started to pull me to my feet when the mouth of Hell snapped forward. Its jaw unhinged, scraping the pavement with a sound like grinding metal. The woman barely had time to turn as the mouth covered her and snapped shut with a crack.
She disappeared from view instantly, but I was still holding her hand. In horror, I felt warm rivers of blood explode all over my body as the mouth of Hell severed her arm at the wrist. She screamed, bleeding and crying, as she disappeared into the throat of Hell. Hell’s fiery eyes focused on me, and at that moment, I knew I was next. Its mouth opened wide again, like a bear trap ready to spring on a new victim.
It was dark in Hell’s mouth, but I smelled the thick reek of old blood and fire. I caught glimpses of tortured, mutilated bodies writhing and crawling down its throat. Shell-shocked, I could only lay there and watch. And that was when the strange doubling started.
***
I heard the frantic voices of men break through the fog of darkness and the fetid reek of blood. There was a mechanical beeping all around me, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.
“Clear!” one cried. I looked around, only seeing blackness. At that moment, I felt a surge of electricity rip itself through my body. My arms and legs all seized and my eyes rolled up in my head as the pain sizzled through each one of my nerves. I clutched the young woman’s hand tightly, feeling the large, gold ring with the massive diamond biting into my skin.
“Again!” another voice yelled.
“Clear!” the original voice cried. The electricity came again, and a flash of white light flew across my vision. I blinked, seeing from two sets of eyes at the same time: one in the Bardo, and one on the blood-stained floor of the hospital ward.
The Bardo stayed dark and sinister, but the clear white lights of the real psychiatric ward were blinding. It was a bizarre experience. Moreover, everything hurt. Over a few seconds, my vision of the Bardo faded, and I was simply a gravely injured man laying on the floor in a puddle of blood.
Four doctors and paramedics were crouching over me with a defibrillator. My shirt was ripped off, and nearly all of my skin was covered in blood. I raised my left hand, trying to talk, but only a fiery pain raced through my neck. I felt bandages covering my skin. A nurse was rolling a stretcher down the hallway towards me.
“It’s OK,” one of the doctors said, kneeling down. “You’re being taken to emergency surgery. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t talk with the massive slice in my neck.
At that moment, I felt something in my right hand. I looked down, seeing a slim female hand with a massive diamond ring hanging there. Our fingers were wrapped around each other’s, but the hand had been cut off at the wrist. A ragged patch of bloody flesh and snapped bone poked out of the back.
“Nnnn,” I tried to say, shaking my head. I felt fresh streams of warm blood open up. “No…” The doctors looked down, seeing the dismembered hand. Their faces morphed into expressions of confusion and fear.
I closed my eyes as they lifted me up on the stretcher. One of them gently removed the cold hand from my fingers. But they could never remove the memory of what I had seen.
I know what happens after death, and it makes the worst life here seem like a dream. I know that, one day, I’ll be returned to that place. I know that, one day, I’ll see that great monster called Hell and the featureless, swirling sky of the Bardo again.
And the next time, I won’t wake up on a hospital floor, but will be trapped there with the others for eternity: an eternity of blood and fire.
2024.05.17 08:13 CIAHerpes I remember the night I died and saw the Bardo.
There are some kinds of wisdom only great suffering can bring. I remember my time in the Bardo with this in mind, for otherwise, the memory might drive me insane.
The night my heart stopped for nearly three minutes started off normally enough. I was working as a nurse in the psychiatric ward at a hospital in the state’s capital. Most of the patients there were harmless, mostly just suicide attempts or people suffering from drug psychosis or severe depression, but some were actively dangerous and certainly psychopathic in every sense of the word. The new admission was one of these- a three-hundred pound black man with a long history of smoking PCP, schizophrenia and violent, psychotic breaks from reality.
His eyes looked like flat pieces of slate as I walked in for my shift. They looked as blank and emotionless as the eyes of a doll. He sat at the table in the front room where the patients ate or played cards, alone under the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital. I walked to the station, where another psychiatric nurse named Ricardo was sitting behind the desk.
“What’s the deal with the new guy?” I asked him. Ricardo looked up, his dark Spanish face forming into a deep scowl. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair nervously.
“He’s trouble, man,” he said in a crisp accent. “He got in a chase with the police and then punched some cops in the face. It took three guys to take him down, even after he got maced and tased. The judge sent him here on a temporary court order, since he claims he’s been getting chased by Nazis in UFOs, and that’s why he ran from the cops. He thought the cops in their uniforms were actually the SS, and the helicopters were alien spacecraft, or something. I don’t know, I didn’t listen to the whole story.”
“You have his file?” I asked. Ricardo leafed through a stack of folders with his thin fingers, snatching one out and handing it to me. I looked down, reading the information:
“Jeremiah Brown, black male, 37-years-old.
“History: Polysubstance abuse, schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder.
“Psychiatrist’s note: This patient has scored a 36 out of 40 on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. While I am always hesitant to label a patient as an antisocial personality, a combination of factors has made it essential for this patient.
“Patient has an extensive criminal history as well as a lengthy history of involuntary psychiatric admissions. He has been diagnosed as having antisocial traits since he was a young teenager. Patient has a long history of violence and suicide attempts. He has a history of imprisonment for manslaughter, armed robbery, grand theft and aggravated assault. Upon discharge, he refuses to take any antipsychotic medication, citing the side effects as the reason. Long-term prognosis is poor…”
I had not been sleeping well the past few weeks. I rubbed my eyes as I read through the file, feeling exhausted. I tried putting on lucid dreaming or meditation music from YouTube to help me sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw horrible things: chalk-white female faces whose lips were cut into an insane rictus grin, flicking their heads violently from side to side and gnashing their fangs at the air. I had a feeling that many years of constantly watching horror movies and serial killer documentaries was catching up with me.
As I read through the file, a student nurse came around the corner wearing a white state university outfit and a name tag that said Kaitlyn. I looked up, seeing Ricardo wink at me from where he was sitting in his chair behind the main desk.
“She’s going to follow you,” he said. Inwardly, I groaned, but I managed to force a smile.
“Oh, great!” I said. She looked like she was probably no older than nineteen or twenty. She had a pretty body, but her face looked strange. All the angles were too sharp and her nose too large. I knew the patients here wouldn’t care, though. They would hit on anything. I sensed trouble. I looked down at my watch.
“Well, I’m Jay, and you already know Ricardo, I guess. It’s good timing, because we need to give medications every day at 9 PM. And we have a new patient, so we can introduce ourselves,” I said, giving her a faint smile.
“That’s exciting!” Kaitlyn whispered. I wanted to roll my eyes. It was definitely not exciting.
I motioned her to follow me as I made my way to the medication room, which was really just a large closet off of the main day room. I had to enter my code on a keypad, and then, once inside, enter it again along with the patient’s number and date of birth. The correct drawers for the medication in each specific dose would fly open, making it extremely hard for the wrong medications or doses to be given, unless it was done intentionally.
“OK, so for this patient, we need Haldol, Ativan and…” I began saying to Kaitlyn when the yelling started. It came out faintly, rising in volume and anger within seconds. I heard Ricardo’s Spanish voice, filled with panic. Something slammed hard against a wall, once, twice, three times, and then I heard the sound of glass breaking. I jumped, spinning around, but I couldn’t see much through the small, shatter-proof glass pane on the wooden door.
“Stay here,” I commanded, seeing Kaitlyn’s eyes widen, her freckled skin looking much paler than when we had first come in. “Don’t leave until I come back and say that it’s safe.” On the speakers strung throughout the hospital, I heard the first of the warnings echo out around us.
“Doctor Strong, Doctor Strong, please report to the seventh floor,” a robotic female voice said calmly, using the code for when a patient had to be subdued by force. I pushed the door open, slamming it shut behind me so that the lock would activate and protect Kaitlyn from whatever chaos was going on.
I heard Ricardo pleading with someone at the end of the hallway that ran past the main desk. He sounded strange, as if he were trying to talk through a mouthful of blood. Huddled behind the main computer, I saw one of the CNAs frantically whispering something in the phone. She must have been the one to call the Dr. Strong order.
“You don’t have to do this, man,” Ricardo gurgled faintly. I couldn’t see what was happening, as Jeremiah’s large body was blocking my view. I could see that the thick glass window at the end of the hallway was broken, however. My heart skipped a beat as I surmised what was likely happening.
I sprinted forward as quietly as I could, but the large man heard me. His massive body turned, his flat, dead eyes scanning me with absolute coldness and calm. I saw he had a bleeding Ricardo in his hands. Ricardo’s back and head were covered in deep cuts and shards of glass. He must have used Ricardo’s body as a battering ram to break the thick glass window. Jeremiah held Ricardo suspended halfway out the window, seven floors above the concrete walkways far below.
“Stay back, or this fucker will know what it feels like to fly,” Jeremiah said in a deep, gravelly voice. He shook Ricardo for emphasis, sending his head snapping back and forth with painful cracking sounds. Drops of blood flew from his nose and a deep gash across his cheek. Pieces of shattered glass littered the carpet, shining like countless tiny stars.
I put my hands up, taking a step back. Far behind me, I heard the front door for the psychiatric ward open. Voices echoed down the hall. Knowing that reinforcements were coming, I tried to buy some time.
“Let’s talk about this,” I said, taking a step forward slowly. “You don’t want a murder charge, do you? You’ll never see the sky again.”
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m not afraid to die!” Jeremiah screamed, pushing Ricardo onto one of the shards of broken glass still attached to the windowsill. It bit deeply into the back of his neck, sending fresh streams of blood rushing out, dripping down to the pavement far below. I heard security guards and doctors running down the hallway behind me, their voices frantic and excited. Jeremiah saw them coming. With an animalistic panic in his eyes, he lifted Ricardo up. I cried out something, stepping forward, but it was already too late. In horror, I watched as he threw Ricardo out the window.
I watched Ricardo’s body soar in a graceful arc, his arms grabbing at empty air as a scream ripped its way out of his throat. Within a fraction of a second, he had disappeared from view, but his terrified shrieking floated up to us for what seemed like a very long time. His screams ended abruptly as a shattering of bones and a wet smacking sound exploded far below us.
Jeremiah turned to me, his large body moving much faster than seemed possible. In his hand, I saw a piece of broken glass, five or six inches long and as sharp as a dagger. I tried to turn and run, but he was fast and strong. He lunged forward, his arm coming up in a blur towards my neck.
The shard entered my skin with a cold, numbing pain. I felt it slice through the flesh easily, felt the blood bubbling up my throat as I tried to scream, choking. The taste of iron filled my mouth as I fell backwards. I was suffocating, I knew. I must be dying.
Something cold ran down my body, gripping my heart like freezing, skeletal hands. The world swam around me and turned black. And then I was rising into a tunnel. At first, it was dark, filled with flickering shadows, but a fiery red light appeared at the end. I followed it, no more than a screaming mass of consciousness rising up into infinity.
***
I rose up through the end of the tunnel and found myself in an empty hospital ward. It looked identical to the psychiatric ward I had just come from. It even had the same smashed, blood-streaked window at the end of the hallway. A massive puddle of blood about ten feet away marked the spot where I must have died. But the fluorescent lights overhead here were flickering, and many had gone totally dark. The shadows seemed to press in on all sides.
The doors to the patients’ rooms were all tightly shut. I felt watched, afraid to call out or make any noise. I started walking down the hallway back towards the day room where the front desk was. All the lights there were out. A thick curtain of shadows hung in the air.
“You can come out,” a male voice as smooth as glass called from the darkness. I jumped, my head flicking in random directions, but I saw nothing. The voice almost sounded like it had an English lilt to it, a slight Cockneyed accent. “I know you’re there.”
“Who’s there?” I called out, not stepping forward. “Show yourself.”
“As you wish…” the voice hissed. “But I think you’ll regret it.”
***
The darkness split apart as if a nuclear missile had exploded. I raised my hand to shield my face, but the light and heat kept pouring out all around me. It blinded me, causing a rainbow of colors and shapes to morph behind my closed eyelids. After a few seconds, it subsided. Blinking rapidly, I squinted in the direction the voice had come from.
A male figure stood there, bathed in a silhouette of light. His face looked as white and as smooth as marble. His eyes were pits of darkness that seemed to flicker and burn. Two black, rotted wings surrounded his body, all sharp angles and thin, curving bones. His body was clothed in silky, blood-red robes, and a hood covered his platinum blonde hair.
He looked somewhat similar to Leonardo DiCaprio, if he was possessed by some ancient god, and it immediately threw me off-guard. If I was dying, and this was a hallucination of my brain, why would I be hallucinating Mr. DiCaprio?
“Who are you?” I asked, taking a hesitant step back. “Where am I?”
“My name is Lucifer, the Bringer of Light and Wisdom, and you are in the Bardo,” he answered.
“Oh,” I said, my heart dropping. “Well, that’s not good. Are you here to torture me or drag to me to Hell or something? You are that Lucifer, right? The Accuser of God and the Father of All Lies?”
“So they say, but, like most things in your world, the words of the powerful and your rulers are the true lies. They call me the Accuser, but of what am I accused?” he spoke in a voice that rose like smoke. “Of bringing knowledge and wisdom to humanity by telling them to eat from the tree of knowledge, the tree that would cause them to rise above the animals?
“Indeed, at the beginning, I saw the creation. I was there at the alpha, standing by the side of God with all the angels as the universe came into being. The endless procession of light, the power of it, was something remarkable to behold. God is, indeed, the source of great power, but his consciousness is not what the believers say.
“After the creation of the universe, I saw his plan, how he ripped eternal souls from the source to imprison them. I saw how he took these divine sparks and forced them, screaming and wailing, into bodies made of meat to die over and over again. He said it was part of the plan, the great, divine plan, a plan of death and destruction, constant suffering and mindless agony. And the worst part was, he wanted to give humanity neither the knowledge of good and evil, nor the tree of life. I convinced them to eat the fruit so they could open their eyes to their nakedness, to their basic animal existence, so they could rise up out of it forever.
“Like Prometheus, I brought down the fire, and yet they call me the Accuser? God was insane long before he formed the universe. These holy men, they live and die in fanatical adoration to a divine being who is, in fact, totally indifferent to them.
“His consciousness twists and distorts, eating itself for all eternity. God feeds off the pain of others, for if his mind is burning, then all others should burn as well. When these holy men die, God will send their souls here to the Bardo, to suffer every evil they have ever done. The wisdom I brought those who called upon me freed them from this prison, and in exchange, the holy men burned them alive. I offered the wisdom that opens your eyes, but it has been forgotten and cursed.”
Lucifer’s body began to dissolve, drifting up into the air like ashes. All around me, a low, powerful current blew, a tornado that spiraled high up into the clouds. Like some sort of Cheshire Cat, his smooth voice continued to echo all around me, even as the form of Lucifer disappeared.
“And yet, you have not the wisdom. For that, like all the others who enter the Bardo, you must suffer, everything you’ve done. Every small hurt and agony inflicted on others comes back a thousand-fold in this place, but don’t be afraid.”
“How could I not be afraid?!” I screamed into the ward, but I found myself alone, the question hanging unanswered in the air.
***
The lights continued to flicker all down the hallway. Feeling strange and dissociated, I stumbled over to one of the windows. As I gazed out, I beheld a strange and alien world.
The sky was flat and gray. It stayed in constant motion, swirling and spiraling, like clouds of roiling smoke. There was no Sun or Moon, no stars, only the strange, shifting whorls of clouds. The streets were filled with burned-out husks of cars and mummified bodies hung from streetlamps. Other signs of carnage and bloodshed covered the apocalyptic streets. I saw what looked like shadows in the shape of people slinking through over the sidewalks, past rotting dogs and streaks of clotted blood. They had no features on their blank, dark bodies. They seemed to skitter and jerk forwards in eerie, twisting motions.
Horrified, I turned away, realizing I was no longer alone in the day room. In the day room, there were dozens of tables set up inside a rectangular perimeter that was walled in by cosmetic walls only four feet high. It was where the patients sat and played games or ate.
Under the flickering lights, I now saw each of the chairs filled with faceless mannequins. Many were dressed in Victorian suits and tophats. The women had frilly dresses of pink and blue that might have been fashionable in the 1800s.
As the lights strobed on and off overhead, I realized with an increasing sense of disquiet that the mannequins were moving each time it went dark. When I had first seen them, they were mostly posed to look like they were staring across the tables at each other, even though they had no eyes, just smooth, flesh-colored plastic. Now all of them were looking directly at me. Some were pointing or raising their hands in my direction. At the tips of their fingers, I saw the glittering of steel. The lights continued to flicker, and the mannequins rose from their chairs in the short periods of darkness, moving towards me in synchronized, strobing motions.
Frantically, I ran down the hallway back towards the broken window. In each of the rooms, I caught glimpses of something from a nightmare peeking out. I hadn’t been sleeping well lately, and when I had closed my eyes, I often saw ancient hags with chalk-white skin and yellowed, broken teeth whose jaws unhinged, their faces jerking in stuttering, dissonant ways that reminded me of the mannequins. Now, on both sides of me, I saw these same figures. They moved continuously out of the rooms, drawing closer with every breath.
I looked back, seeing the mannequins only a few steps behind me. I continued sprinting towards the broken window where the hallway ended in a wall. I didn’t know what would happen when I reached it. At that moment, there was no rational thought. I felt like a deer being chased down by a pack of wolves, feeling waves of blind panic and mortal terror rushing through my body.
But as I reached the end of the hallway, the end of my rope as it were, a blast of noise started, seeming to come from the walls of the building and the sky itself. It sounded like a siren, a low, drawn-out drone of a demonic whale call, rising and falling in crashing crescendos. The mannequins froze in place once again. The strange, witch-like creatures slunk back into the dark rooms.
I looked outside the broken window, seeing clouds of black smoke rising off in the distance. The flickering of massive infernos scorched the land, drawing nearer by the second. The siren sound faded slowly, like the dying echoes of a gong.
I was surrounded by dozens of mannequins. Their sharp hands were inches away from my face and neck. I saw metal glittering all around me and realized they had the sharp points of nails protruding from the ends of their fingers. I was afraid to move, but I heard a familiar voice from down the hallway. It was the confident voice of Lucifer.
“The siren means much worse nightmares than these are coming in the Bardo,” he said, his glossy, black eyes flashing with intelligence. He walked slowly towards me, his face grim and pale. “Hell itself is coming over the land. This building is no more than a construction of your dying mind, but the world outside is real.”
“How can Hell come and go?” I asked, confused. “Isn’t Hell a place?”
“Hell is a monster, a beast with many mouths and many eyes,” Lucifer responded. “It eats constantly, but its hunger never ends. Look, the first of the sacrifices scatter like cockroaches.” He pointed out the broken window, pushing his way through the mannequins effortlessly. I glanced outside, seeing thousands of people sprinting down the dark city streets. The inferno and thick clouds of smoke had moved much closer, and every few seconds, the ground shook slightly, as if we were experiencing the aftershocks of an earthquake.
“What can I do against such a beast?” I asked, my heart freezing with terror. But when I looked back over, I saw his form dissolving again, becoming translucent and drifting away like ashes. It seemed even Lucifer didn’t want to be present when the Hell-beast arrived.
“Seek divine wisdom,” he said, his voice trailing off into whispers. “Remember the source.”
***
Now crowds of tens of thousands of people were streaming into the city, filling every single inch of the streets. Their panic and fear was contagious. I felt it rising inside my body like a snake spiraling up my spine. I took off down the hallway, running through the swarm of frozen mannequins, each in their own ferocious position of attack. The lights flickered faster and went out. Yet the fires outside cast the entire world in a bloody glow, giving me enough light to see by and find my way. I sprinted down the stairwell, taking them two steps at a time. The screaming outside grew louder and more pain-filled. The shaking of the ground worsened with every passing second.
I burst out of the front entrance, seeing a world on fire all around me. Thousands of crushed, bleeding and burned bodies stretched out as far as the eye could see. Behind all this chaos and death, I saw a monster of unimaginable proportions slinking its way towards me.
Lucifer was right, I realized: Hell was not a place, but a creature, an enormous monster the size of a town. It had thousands of skittering, jointed legs that looked like little more than skeletal arms and hands, each of them dozens of feet long and white as freshly-cut marble. Its body stretched out to the horizon, an enormous blood-red cylinder of bony plates that slithered and undulated with a serpentine grace. Waves of peristalsis traveled down its length, like writhing intestines. Thousands of curving, bony spikes stabbed out of it, pointing in every direction. Like the quills of a porcupine, it would protect the massive creature’s body from many forms of attack, if anything was big enough to attack such an abomination.
Hell’s massive eyes flickered, balls of fire that spun and danced. They looked as bright as the Sun. Something like solar flares seemed to emanate from the orbs, flashes of blinding energy that floated over the apocalyptic wasteland. As its many legs smashed the ground, they left trails of fire that caused everything to explode into flames as if napalm dripped from its limbs.
But Hell’s most terrifying feature was its seven dark mouths. Its body looked a thousand feet wide, and the mouths at the front were evenly dispersed. At the front, blood-red teeth in the shape of enormous railroad spikes shone. Its lipless, skeletal face grinned as it moved forward, shaking the ground with every step. The mouths were on long, snake-like necks that could stretch out hundreds of feet. They moved forward in a blur, snapping up as many panicked souls as they could.
Countless souls in the rocky plains of the Bardo ran for their lives, away from this juggernaut. I saw men and women who looked like they came from every country and profession, some dressed in suits or spotless white lab coats, others wearing rags or orange prison jumpsuits. And yet, they all screamed in agony and fear here, their bodies pressed together in a crowd, and no one seemed to remember anything but their own mortal terror. Their voices came out faint and weak next to the roaring of Hell. It shook the ground all around us, as if an earthquake were tearing the land apart.
The first frantic runners of the surging crowd had nearly reached me. The nearest person, a young woman in her mid-twenties dressed in all white, was only ten feet behind me. She looked like she came from wealth, and even from here, I could see a ring with a massive diamond gleaming on her finger.
I took off blindly down the familiar streets of the city where I worked and lived, but these also seemed different. The church down the street from the hospital where I worked had a Satanic pentagram instead of a cross now, its exterior painted a bright, gleaming blood-red. When I had driven past it today on my way to work, I remember it read, “JESUS said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Now it read, “Nietzsche said, ‘Of all evil, I deem you capable. I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good simply because they had no claws.’” I wondered what that meant. Was that some sort of comment on me, on all of us here?
The woman I had seen running had caught up with me. She was fast, much faster than her slim body suggested. Her blue eyes were frantic and wild, filled with an animal panic.
“It’s right behind us!” she screamed, her face covered in a sheen of sweat. I was afraid to turn and look, but I could hear the chaos and bloodshed approaching, smell the flames and choking smoke. “Run! Get away!”
A new wave of energy surged through my body. I sprinted as fast I could down the strange mirror streets of the Bardo. I heard the agonized cries of countless souls behind us as the seven mouths of Hell ate them all greedily and then looked for more.
A skyscraper behind us collapsed into a pile of rubble, shaking the ground with a cacophony of falling concrete and shattering glass. The woman was running by my side. Just as I heard the breathing of something huge and predatory right behind us and smelled its sulfuric breath, a piece of concrete the size of a basketball broke off the collapsing skyscraper and flew into the road. I tripped over it, yelling as I flew through the air, skinning my arms and legs on the pavement. The woman’s eyes widened. Hurriedly, she came over and reached down her hand, trying to help me up.
“Come on, come on!” she cried. I looked behind her, seeing one of the gnashing mouths of Hell reaching forward on a blood-red, serpentine neck. The mouth was big enough to drive a tractor trailer into, filled with huge spikes of teeth. Its throat led into a black, smoke-filled abyss. Its fiery eyes were swirling pools of flickering orange light that shone with bloodlust and insanity. They focused on the woman, the entire head turning on its slithering neck.
I frantically raised my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. Her hand was warm and soft. She started to pull me to my feet when the mouth of Hell snapped forward. Its jaw unhinged, scraping the pavement with a sound like grinding metal. The woman barely had time to turn as the mouth covered her and snapped shut with a crack.
She disappeared from view instantly, but I was still holding her hand. In horror, I felt warm rivers of blood explode all over my body as the mouth of Hell severed her arm at the wrist. She screamed, bleeding and crying, as she disappeared into the throat of Hell. Hell’s fiery eyes focused on me, and at that moment, I knew I was next. Its mouth opened wide again, like a bear trap ready to spring on a new victim.
It was dark in Hell’s mouth, but I smelled the thick reek of old blood and fire. I caught glimpses of tortured, mutilated bodies writhing and crawling down its throat. Shell-shocked, I could only lay there and watch. And that was when the strange doubling started.
***
I heard the frantic voices of men break through the fog of darkness and the fetid reek of blood. There was a mechanical beeping all around me, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.
“Clear!” one cried. I looked around, only seeing blackness. At that moment, I felt a surge of electricity rip itself through my body. My arms and legs all seized and my eyes rolled up in my head as the pain sizzled through each one of my nerves. I clutched the young woman’s hand tightly, feeling the large, gold ring with the massive diamond biting into my skin.
“Again!” another voice yelled.
“Clear!” the original voice cried. The electricity came again, and a flash of white light flew across my vision. I blinked, seeing from two sets of eyes at the same time: one in the Bardo, and one on the blood-stained floor of the hospital ward.
The Bardo stayed dark and sinister, but the clear white lights of the real psychiatric ward were blinding. It was a bizarre experience. Moreover, everything hurt. Over a few seconds, my vision of the Bardo faded, and I was simply a gravely injured man laying on the floor in a puddle of blood.
Four doctors and paramedics were crouching over me with a defibrillator. My shirt was ripped off, and nearly all of my skin was covered in blood. I raised my left hand, trying to talk, but only a fiery pain raced through my neck. I felt bandages covering my skin. A nurse was rolling a stretcher down the hallway towards me.
“It’s OK,” one of the doctors said, kneeling down. “You’re being taken to emergency surgery. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t talk with the massive slice in my neck.
At that moment, I felt something in my right hand. I looked down, seeing a slim female hand with a massive diamond ring hanging there. Our fingers were wrapped around each other’s, but the hand had been cut off at the wrist. A ragged patch of bloody flesh and snapped bone poked out of the back.
“Nnnn,” I tried to say, shaking my head. I felt fresh streams of warm blood open up. “No…” The doctors looked down, seeing the dismembered hand. Their faces morphed into expressions of confusion and fear.
I closed my eyes as they lifted me up on the stretcher. One of them gently removed the cold hand from my fingers. But they could never remove the memory of what I had seen.
I know what happens after death, and it makes the worst life here seem like a dream. I know that, one day, I’ll be returned to that place. I know that, one day, I’ll see that great monster called Hell and the featureless, swirling sky of the Bardo again.
And the next time, I won’t wake up on a hospital floor, but will be trapped there with the others for eternity: an eternity of blood and fire.
submitted by CIAHerpes to horrorstories [link] [comments]
The night my heart stopped for nearly three minutes started off normally enough. I was working as a nurse in the psychiatric ward at a hospital in the state’s capital. Most of the patients there were harmless, mostly just suicide attempts or people suffering from drug psychosis or severe depression, but some were actively dangerous and certainly psychopathic in every sense of the word. The new admission was one of these- a three-hundred pound black man with a long history of smoking PCP, schizophrenia and violent, psychotic breaks from reality.
His eyes looked like flat pieces of slate as I walked in for my shift. They looked as blank and emotionless as the eyes of a doll. He sat at the table in the front room where the patients ate or played cards, alone under the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital. I walked to the station, where another psychiatric nurse named Ricardo was sitting behind the desk.
“What’s the deal with the new guy?” I asked him. Ricardo looked up, his dark Spanish face forming into a deep scowl. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair nervously.
“He’s trouble, man,” he said in a crisp accent. “He got in a chase with the police and then punched some cops in the face. It took three guys to take him down, even after he got maced and tased. The judge sent him here on a temporary court order, since he claims he’s been getting chased by Nazis in UFOs, and that’s why he ran from the cops. He thought the cops in their uniforms were actually the SS, and the helicopters were alien spacecraft, or something. I don’t know, I didn’t listen to the whole story.”
“You have his file?” I asked. Ricardo leafed through a stack of folders with his thin fingers, snatching one out and handing it to me. I looked down, reading the information:
“Jeremiah Brown, black male, 37-years-old.
“History: Polysubstance abuse, schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder.
“Psychiatrist’s note: This patient has scored a 36 out of 40 on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist. While I am always hesitant to label a patient as an antisocial personality, a combination of factors has made it essential for this patient.
“Patient has an extensive criminal history as well as a lengthy history of involuntary psychiatric admissions. He has been diagnosed as having antisocial traits since he was a young teenager. Patient has a long history of violence and suicide attempts. He has a history of imprisonment for manslaughter, armed robbery, grand theft and aggravated assault. Upon discharge, he refuses to take any antipsychotic medication, citing the side effects as the reason. Long-term prognosis is poor…”
I had not been sleeping well the past few weeks. I rubbed my eyes as I read through the file, feeling exhausted. I tried putting on lucid dreaming or meditation music from YouTube to help me sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw horrible things: chalk-white female faces whose lips were cut into an insane rictus grin, flicking their heads violently from side to side and gnashing their fangs at the air. I had a feeling that many years of constantly watching horror movies and serial killer documentaries was catching up with me.
As I read through the file, a student nurse came around the corner wearing a white state university outfit and a name tag that said Kaitlyn. I looked up, seeing Ricardo wink at me from where he was sitting in his chair behind the main desk.
“She’s going to follow you,” he said. Inwardly, I groaned, but I managed to force a smile.
“Oh, great!” I said. She looked like she was probably no older than nineteen or twenty. She had a pretty body, but her face looked strange. All the angles were too sharp and her nose too large. I knew the patients here wouldn’t care, though. They would hit on anything. I sensed trouble. I looked down at my watch.
“Well, I’m Jay, and you already know Ricardo, I guess. It’s good timing, because we need to give medications every day at 9 PM. And we have a new patient, so we can introduce ourselves,” I said, giving her a faint smile.
“That’s exciting!” Kaitlyn whispered. I wanted to roll my eyes. It was definitely not exciting.
I motioned her to follow me as I made my way to the medication room, which was really just a large closet off of the main day room. I had to enter my code on a keypad, and then, once inside, enter it again along with the patient’s number and date of birth. The correct drawers for the medication in each specific dose would fly open, making it extremely hard for the wrong medications or doses to be given, unless it was done intentionally.
“OK, so for this patient, we need Haldol, Ativan and…” I began saying to Kaitlyn when the yelling started. It came out faintly, rising in volume and anger within seconds. I heard Ricardo’s Spanish voice, filled with panic. Something slammed hard against a wall, once, twice, three times, and then I heard the sound of glass breaking. I jumped, spinning around, but I couldn’t see much through the small, shatter-proof glass pane on the wooden door.
“Stay here,” I commanded, seeing Kaitlyn’s eyes widen, her freckled skin looking much paler than when we had first come in. “Don’t leave until I come back and say that it’s safe.” On the speakers strung throughout the hospital, I heard the first of the warnings echo out around us.
“Doctor Strong, Doctor Strong, please report to the seventh floor,” a robotic female voice said calmly, using the code for when a patient had to be subdued by force. I pushed the door open, slamming it shut behind me so that the lock would activate and protect Kaitlyn from whatever chaos was going on.
I heard Ricardo pleading with someone at the end of the hallway that ran past the main desk. He sounded strange, as if he were trying to talk through a mouthful of blood. Huddled behind the main computer, I saw one of the CNAs frantically whispering something in the phone. She must have been the one to call the Dr. Strong order.
“You don’t have to do this, man,” Ricardo gurgled faintly. I couldn’t see what was happening, as Jeremiah’s large body was blocking my view. I could see that the thick glass window at the end of the hallway was broken, however. My heart skipped a beat as I surmised what was likely happening.
I sprinted forward as quietly as I could, but the large man heard me. His massive body turned, his flat, dead eyes scanning me with absolute coldness and calm. I saw he had a bleeding Ricardo in his hands. Ricardo’s back and head were covered in deep cuts and shards of glass. He must have used Ricardo’s body as a battering ram to break the thick glass window. Jeremiah held Ricardo suspended halfway out the window, seven floors above the concrete walkways far below.
“Stay back, or this fucker will know what it feels like to fly,” Jeremiah said in a deep, gravelly voice. He shook Ricardo for emphasis, sending his head snapping back and forth with painful cracking sounds. Drops of blood flew from his nose and a deep gash across his cheek. Pieces of shattered glass littered the carpet, shining like countless tiny stars.
I put my hands up, taking a step back. Far behind me, I heard the front door for the psychiatric ward open. Voices echoed down the hall. Knowing that reinforcements were coming, I tried to buy some time.
“Let’s talk about this,” I said, taking a step forward slowly. “You don’t want a murder charge, do you? You’ll never see the sky again.”
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m not afraid to die!” Jeremiah screamed, pushing Ricardo onto one of the shards of broken glass still attached to the windowsill. It bit deeply into the back of his neck, sending fresh streams of blood rushing out, dripping down to the pavement far below. I heard security guards and doctors running down the hallway behind me, their voices frantic and excited. Jeremiah saw them coming. With an animalistic panic in his eyes, he lifted Ricardo up. I cried out something, stepping forward, but it was already too late. In horror, I watched as he threw Ricardo out the window.
I watched Ricardo’s body soar in a graceful arc, his arms grabbing at empty air as a scream ripped its way out of his throat. Within a fraction of a second, he had disappeared from view, but his terrified shrieking floated up to us for what seemed like a very long time. His screams ended abruptly as a shattering of bones and a wet smacking sound exploded far below us.
Jeremiah turned to me, his large body moving much faster than seemed possible. In his hand, I saw a piece of broken glass, five or six inches long and as sharp as a dagger. I tried to turn and run, but he was fast and strong. He lunged forward, his arm coming up in a blur towards my neck.
The shard entered my skin with a cold, numbing pain. I felt it slice through the flesh easily, felt the blood bubbling up my throat as I tried to scream, choking. The taste of iron filled my mouth as I fell backwards. I was suffocating, I knew. I must be dying.
Something cold ran down my body, gripping my heart like freezing, skeletal hands. The world swam around me and turned black. And then I was rising into a tunnel. At first, it was dark, filled with flickering shadows, but a fiery red light appeared at the end. I followed it, no more than a screaming mass of consciousness rising up into infinity.
***
I rose up through the end of the tunnel and found myself in an empty hospital ward. It looked identical to the psychiatric ward I had just come from. It even had the same smashed, blood-streaked window at the end of the hallway. A massive puddle of blood about ten feet away marked the spot where I must have died. But the fluorescent lights overhead here were flickering, and many had gone totally dark. The shadows seemed to press in on all sides.
The doors to the patients’ rooms were all tightly shut. I felt watched, afraid to call out or make any noise. I started walking down the hallway back towards the day room where the front desk was. All the lights there were out. A thick curtain of shadows hung in the air.
“You can come out,” a male voice as smooth as glass called from the darkness. I jumped, my head flicking in random directions, but I saw nothing. The voice almost sounded like it had an English lilt to it, a slight Cockneyed accent. “I know you’re there.”
“Who’s there?” I called out, not stepping forward. “Show yourself.”
“As you wish…” the voice hissed. “But I think you’ll regret it.”
***
The darkness split apart as if a nuclear missile had exploded. I raised my hand to shield my face, but the light and heat kept pouring out all around me. It blinded me, causing a rainbow of colors and shapes to morph behind my closed eyelids. After a few seconds, it subsided. Blinking rapidly, I squinted in the direction the voice had come from.
A male figure stood there, bathed in a silhouette of light. His face looked as white and as smooth as marble. His eyes were pits of darkness that seemed to flicker and burn. Two black, rotted wings surrounded his body, all sharp angles and thin, curving bones. His body was clothed in silky, blood-red robes, and a hood covered his platinum blonde hair.
He looked somewhat similar to Leonardo DiCaprio, if he was possessed by some ancient god, and it immediately threw me off-guard. If I was dying, and this was a hallucination of my brain, why would I be hallucinating Mr. DiCaprio?
“Who are you?” I asked, taking a hesitant step back. “Where am I?”
“My name is Lucifer, the Bringer of Light and Wisdom, and you are in the Bardo,” he answered.
“Oh,” I said, my heart dropping. “Well, that’s not good. Are you here to torture me or drag to me to Hell or something? You are that Lucifer, right? The Accuser of God and the Father of All Lies?”
“So they say, but, like most things in your world, the words of the powerful and your rulers are the true lies. They call me the Accuser, but of what am I accused?” he spoke in a voice that rose like smoke. “Of bringing knowledge and wisdom to humanity by telling them to eat from the tree of knowledge, the tree that would cause them to rise above the animals?
“Indeed, at the beginning, I saw the creation. I was there at the alpha, standing by the side of God with all the angels as the universe came into being. The endless procession of light, the power of it, was something remarkable to behold. God is, indeed, the source of great power, but his consciousness is not what the believers say.
“After the creation of the universe, I saw his plan, how he ripped eternal souls from the source to imprison them. I saw how he took these divine sparks and forced them, screaming and wailing, into bodies made of meat to die over and over again. He said it was part of the plan, the great, divine plan, a plan of death and destruction, constant suffering and mindless agony. And the worst part was, he wanted to give humanity neither the knowledge of good and evil, nor the tree of life. I convinced them to eat the fruit so they could open their eyes to their nakedness, to their basic animal existence, so they could rise up out of it forever.
“Like Prometheus, I brought down the fire, and yet they call me the Accuser? God was insane long before he formed the universe. These holy men, they live and die in fanatical adoration to a divine being who is, in fact, totally indifferent to them.
“His consciousness twists and distorts, eating itself for all eternity. God feeds off the pain of others, for if his mind is burning, then all others should burn as well. When these holy men die, God will send their souls here to the Bardo, to suffer every evil they have ever done. The wisdom I brought those who called upon me freed them from this prison, and in exchange, the holy men burned them alive. I offered the wisdom that opens your eyes, but it has been forgotten and cursed.”
Lucifer’s body began to dissolve, drifting up into the air like ashes. All around me, a low, powerful current blew, a tornado that spiraled high up into the clouds. Like some sort of Cheshire Cat, his smooth voice continued to echo all around me, even as the form of Lucifer disappeared.
“And yet, you have not the wisdom. For that, like all the others who enter the Bardo, you must suffer, everything you’ve done. Every small hurt and agony inflicted on others comes back a thousand-fold in this place, but don’t be afraid.”
“How could I not be afraid?!” I screamed into the ward, but I found myself alone, the question hanging unanswered in the air.
***
The lights continued to flicker all down the hallway. Feeling strange and dissociated, I stumbled over to one of the windows. As I gazed out, I beheld a strange and alien world.
The sky was flat and gray. It stayed in constant motion, swirling and spiraling, like clouds of roiling smoke. There was no Sun or Moon, no stars, only the strange, shifting whorls of clouds. The streets were filled with burned-out husks of cars and mummified bodies hung from streetlamps. Other signs of carnage and bloodshed covered the apocalyptic streets. I saw what looked like shadows in the shape of people slinking through over the sidewalks, past rotting dogs and streaks of clotted blood. They had no features on their blank, dark bodies. They seemed to skitter and jerk forwards in eerie, twisting motions.
Horrified, I turned away, realizing I was no longer alone in the day room. In the day room, there were dozens of tables set up inside a rectangular perimeter that was walled in by cosmetic walls only four feet high. It was where the patients sat and played games or ate.
Under the flickering lights, I now saw each of the chairs filled with faceless mannequins. Many were dressed in Victorian suits and tophats. The women had frilly dresses of pink and blue that might have been fashionable in the 1800s.
As the lights strobed on and off overhead, I realized with an increasing sense of disquiet that the mannequins were moving each time it went dark. When I had first seen them, they were mostly posed to look like they were staring across the tables at each other, even though they had no eyes, just smooth, flesh-colored plastic. Now all of them were looking directly at me. Some were pointing or raising their hands in my direction. At the tips of their fingers, I saw the glittering of steel. The lights continued to flicker, and the mannequins rose from their chairs in the short periods of darkness, moving towards me in synchronized, strobing motions.
Frantically, I ran down the hallway back towards the broken window. In each of the rooms, I caught glimpses of something from a nightmare peeking out. I hadn’t been sleeping well lately, and when I had closed my eyes, I often saw ancient hags with chalk-white skin and yellowed, broken teeth whose jaws unhinged, their faces jerking in stuttering, dissonant ways that reminded me of the mannequins. Now, on both sides of me, I saw these same figures. They moved continuously out of the rooms, drawing closer with every breath.
I looked back, seeing the mannequins only a few steps behind me. I continued sprinting towards the broken window where the hallway ended in a wall. I didn’t know what would happen when I reached it. At that moment, there was no rational thought. I felt like a deer being chased down by a pack of wolves, feeling waves of blind panic and mortal terror rushing through my body.
But as I reached the end of the hallway, the end of my rope as it were, a blast of noise started, seeming to come from the walls of the building and the sky itself. It sounded like a siren, a low, drawn-out drone of a demonic whale call, rising and falling in crashing crescendos. The mannequins froze in place once again. The strange, witch-like creatures slunk back into the dark rooms.
I looked outside the broken window, seeing clouds of black smoke rising off in the distance. The flickering of massive infernos scorched the land, drawing nearer by the second. The siren sound faded slowly, like the dying echoes of a gong.
I was surrounded by dozens of mannequins. Their sharp hands were inches away from my face and neck. I saw metal glittering all around me and realized they had the sharp points of nails protruding from the ends of their fingers. I was afraid to move, but I heard a familiar voice from down the hallway. It was the confident voice of Lucifer.
“The siren means much worse nightmares than these are coming in the Bardo,” he said, his glossy, black eyes flashing with intelligence. He walked slowly towards me, his face grim and pale. “Hell itself is coming over the land. This building is no more than a construction of your dying mind, but the world outside is real.”
“How can Hell come and go?” I asked, confused. “Isn’t Hell a place?”
“Hell is a monster, a beast with many mouths and many eyes,” Lucifer responded. “It eats constantly, but its hunger never ends. Look, the first of the sacrifices scatter like cockroaches.” He pointed out the broken window, pushing his way through the mannequins effortlessly. I glanced outside, seeing thousands of people sprinting down the dark city streets. The inferno and thick clouds of smoke had moved much closer, and every few seconds, the ground shook slightly, as if we were experiencing the aftershocks of an earthquake.
“What can I do against such a beast?” I asked, my heart freezing with terror. But when I looked back over, I saw his form dissolving again, becoming translucent and drifting away like ashes. It seemed even Lucifer didn’t want to be present when the Hell-beast arrived.
“Seek divine wisdom,” he said, his voice trailing off into whispers. “Remember the source.”
***
Now crowds of tens of thousands of people were streaming into the city, filling every single inch of the streets. Their panic and fear was contagious. I felt it rising inside my body like a snake spiraling up my spine. I took off down the hallway, running through the swarm of frozen mannequins, each in their own ferocious position of attack. The lights flickered faster and went out. Yet the fires outside cast the entire world in a bloody glow, giving me enough light to see by and find my way. I sprinted down the stairwell, taking them two steps at a time. The screaming outside grew louder and more pain-filled. The shaking of the ground worsened with every passing second.
I burst out of the front entrance, seeing a world on fire all around me. Thousands of crushed, bleeding and burned bodies stretched out as far as the eye could see. Behind all this chaos and death, I saw a monster of unimaginable proportions slinking its way towards me.
Lucifer was right, I realized: Hell was not a place, but a creature, an enormous monster the size of a town. It had thousands of skittering, jointed legs that looked like little more than skeletal arms and hands, each of them dozens of feet long and white as freshly-cut marble. Its body stretched out to the horizon, an enormous blood-red cylinder of bony plates that slithered and undulated with a serpentine grace. Waves of peristalsis traveled down its length, like writhing intestines. Thousands of curving, bony spikes stabbed out of it, pointing in every direction. Like the quills of a porcupine, it would protect the massive creature’s body from many forms of attack, if anything was big enough to attack such an abomination.
Hell’s massive eyes flickered, balls of fire that spun and danced. They looked as bright as the Sun. Something like solar flares seemed to emanate from the orbs, flashes of blinding energy that floated over the apocalyptic wasteland. As its many legs smashed the ground, they left trails of fire that caused everything to explode into flames as if napalm dripped from its limbs.
But Hell’s most terrifying feature was its seven dark mouths. Its body looked a thousand feet wide, and the mouths at the front were evenly dispersed. At the front, blood-red teeth in the shape of enormous railroad spikes shone. Its lipless, skeletal face grinned as it moved forward, shaking the ground with every step. The mouths were on long, snake-like necks that could stretch out hundreds of feet. They moved forward in a blur, snapping up as many panicked souls as they could.
Countless souls in the rocky plains of the Bardo ran for their lives, away from this juggernaut. I saw men and women who looked like they came from every country and profession, some dressed in suits or spotless white lab coats, others wearing rags or orange prison jumpsuits. And yet, they all screamed in agony and fear here, their bodies pressed together in a crowd, and no one seemed to remember anything but their own mortal terror. Their voices came out faint and weak next to the roaring of Hell. It shook the ground all around us, as if an earthquake were tearing the land apart.
The first frantic runners of the surging crowd had nearly reached me. The nearest person, a young woman in her mid-twenties dressed in all white, was only ten feet behind me. She looked like she came from wealth, and even from here, I could see a ring with a massive diamond gleaming on her finger.
I took off blindly down the familiar streets of the city where I worked and lived, but these also seemed different. The church down the street from the hospital where I worked had a Satanic pentagram instead of a cross now, its exterior painted a bright, gleaming blood-red. When I had driven past it today on my way to work, I remember it read, “JESUS said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Now it read, “Nietzsche said, ‘Of all evil, I deem you capable. I have often laughed at the weaklings who thought themselves good simply because they had no claws.’” I wondered what that meant. Was that some sort of comment on me, on all of us here?
The woman I had seen running had caught up with me. She was fast, much faster than her slim body suggested. Her blue eyes were frantic and wild, filled with an animal panic.
“It’s right behind us!” she screamed, her face covered in a sheen of sweat. I was afraid to turn and look, but I could hear the chaos and bloodshed approaching, smell the flames and choking smoke. “Run! Get away!”
A new wave of energy surged through my body. I sprinted as fast I could down the strange mirror streets of the Bardo. I heard the agonized cries of countless souls behind us as the seven mouths of Hell ate them all greedily and then looked for more.
A skyscraper behind us collapsed into a pile of rubble, shaking the ground with a cacophony of falling concrete and shattering glass. The woman was running by my side. Just as I heard the breathing of something huge and predatory right behind us and smelled its sulfuric breath, a piece of concrete the size of a basketball broke off the collapsing skyscraper and flew into the road. I tripped over it, yelling as I flew through the air, skinning my arms and legs on the pavement. The woman’s eyes widened. Hurriedly, she came over and reached down her hand, trying to help me up.
“Come on, come on!” she cried. I looked behind her, seeing one of the gnashing mouths of Hell reaching forward on a blood-red, serpentine neck. The mouth was big enough to drive a tractor trailer into, filled with huge spikes of teeth. Its throat led into a black, smoke-filled abyss. Its fiery eyes were swirling pools of flickering orange light that shone with bloodlust and insanity. They focused on the woman, the entire head turning on its slithering neck.
I frantically raised my hand, intertwining my fingers with hers. Her hand was warm and soft. She started to pull me to my feet when the mouth of Hell snapped forward. Its jaw unhinged, scraping the pavement with a sound like grinding metal. The woman barely had time to turn as the mouth covered her and snapped shut with a crack.
She disappeared from view instantly, but I was still holding her hand. In horror, I felt warm rivers of blood explode all over my body as the mouth of Hell severed her arm at the wrist. She screamed, bleeding and crying, as she disappeared into the throat of Hell. Hell’s fiery eyes focused on me, and at that moment, I knew I was next. Its mouth opened wide again, like a bear trap ready to spring on a new victim.
It was dark in Hell’s mouth, but I smelled the thick reek of old blood and fire. I caught glimpses of tortured, mutilated bodies writhing and crawling down its throat. Shell-shocked, I could only lay there and watch. And that was when the strange doubling started.
***
I heard the frantic voices of men break through the fog of darkness and the fetid reek of blood. There was a mechanical beeping all around me, but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.
“Clear!” one cried. I looked around, only seeing blackness. At that moment, I felt a surge of electricity rip itself through my body. My arms and legs all seized and my eyes rolled up in my head as the pain sizzled through each one of my nerves. I clutched the young woman’s hand tightly, feeling the large, gold ring with the massive diamond biting into my skin.
“Again!” another voice yelled.
“Clear!” the original voice cried. The electricity came again, and a flash of white light flew across my vision. I blinked, seeing from two sets of eyes at the same time: one in the Bardo, and one on the blood-stained floor of the hospital ward.
The Bardo stayed dark and sinister, but the clear white lights of the real psychiatric ward were blinding. It was a bizarre experience. Moreover, everything hurt. Over a few seconds, my vision of the Bardo faded, and I was simply a gravely injured man laying on the floor in a puddle of blood.
Four doctors and paramedics were crouching over me with a defibrillator. My shirt was ripped off, and nearly all of my skin was covered in blood. I raised my left hand, trying to talk, but only a fiery pain raced through my neck. I felt bandages covering my skin. A nurse was rolling a stretcher down the hallway towards me.
“It’s OK,” one of the doctors said, kneeling down. “You’re being taken to emergency surgery. You’ve lost a lot of blood.” I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t talk with the massive slice in my neck.
At that moment, I felt something in my right hand. I looked down, seeing a slim female hand with a massive diamond ring hanging there. Our fingers were wrapped around each other’s, but the hand had been cut off at the wrist. A ragged patch of bloody flesh and snapped bone poked out of the back.
“Nnnn,” I tried to say, shaking my head. I felt fresh streams of warm blood open up. “No…” The doctors looked down, seeing the dismembered hand. Their faces morphed into expressions of confusion and fear.
I closed my eyes as they lifted me up on the stretcher. One of them gently removed the cold hand from my fingers. But they could never remove the memory of what I had seen.
I know what happens after death, and it makes the worst life here seem like a dream. I know that, one day, I’ll be returned to that place. I know that, one day, I’ll see that great monster called Hell and the featureless, swirling sky of the Bardo again.
And the next time, I won’t wake up on a hospital floor, but will be trapped there with the others for eternity: an eternity of blood and fire.