Trap muscle migraine

Sooooo it started because I had antibiotic ear drops for an ear infection (still not gone but just living with a swollen lymph node behind my ear, better than the ear drops). This caused me to take medicine about 3x a day every day. I did not typically take the same medicine two days in a row but it did happen occasionally like when it was particularly bad and I threw absolutely everything at it then obviously had to pick something to take again the next day but I would only take one thing other than ubrevy two days in a row and that one thing varied.
So we’re talking two weeks of butalbitol every other day, rx ibuprofen every other day, Ubrelvy many days, sometimes muscle relaxers, sometimes regular Tylenol, sometimes Benadryl, once or twice reglan. We’re also talking an ER trip on day 5 with Reglan, toradol, magnesium, steroid, Benadryl, fluids. So lots and lots of medicine. The migraine came back an hour later. Then a couple days later we started a steroid taper. I still took pain meds through the steroid taper. Theeennnnn they kinda changed and got worse.
See, at first it was SEVERE brain fog. After a couple weeks I can’t remember when but possibly when the taper started, pain and irritability. It felt like a different migraine. It kept up for another week getting worse and worse.
Finally I went to the ER again on day 17. Compazine, toradol, magnesium, steroid, fluids. Helped for 24 hours. Then I woke up in the middle of the night in the worst pain yet.
Sporadic pain for a few days but taking less medicine.
Now I’m taking no medicine and simply eating and drinking more when my head starts acting up and it usually goes away.
So basically, I took a TON of medicine and my head got worse. I stopped taking so much and my head is getting better.
Fingers crossed I can totally detox I guess before my wedding in two weeks and the brain fog will get better.
Thank you to the other redditor sharing about medication overuse headaches (MOH) also known as rebound headaches.

(This is translated by google, sorry if some turns of phrase are weird)
Introduction :
I had lots of friends, a family, girlfriends, I was appreciated and relatively popular. But over the years, people have disappointed me, betrayed me, been toxic, etc... So I ended up cutting ties with everyone because I don't forgive. Now I'm 30 and have been alone for almost 10 years. And frankly, I'm experiencing it quite well. “What are you doing here then?” You will tell me. Well, sometimes I have little moments of weakness, where I want to talk to people. This undoubtedly comes from the genetic fact that Man is a social animal. So there you have it, I'm coming to tell you that it is entirely possible to change your state of mind to live well with your solitude.
Tips :
1- You must stop believing that others can lead you to a better life. Surrounded by people, your life will not necessarily be better, it will be different. It is better to be a loner seeking to overcome your loneliness than to be locked into toxic emotional patterns with people. The solution is you against yourself while in social life it's you against the faults of others over which you have no control.
2- You must stop believing that others are absolutely happy in their relationship. Obviously, if you asked them, they live a wonderful life, but people never tell the full truth. In reality, there is a strong chance that there is harmful tension in their relationship, and that this eats away at them on a daily basis. Don't be jealous, other people's lives are much less happy than you think. And even if their life is better than yours, would it still correspond to you?
3- In reality, your discomfort with solitude often comes from the typical permanent dissatisfaction of humankind. We tend to be dissatisfied, and we point to the most obvious thing as the cause. But ask yourself, is it really loneliness that weighs you down or is it the boredom and shame that it generates? If you learn to accept being alone, despite social pressures, and if you learn to spend your time better, you will see that being alone is not a problem in itself. Especially in our time when there is no shortage of solitary leisure activities!
4- Abandon all hopes. If you choose to be happy alone, you absolutely must stop harboring the hope of a radical life change: “one day I will find a wife, we will have children and I will have lots of super cool friends”. No, if you fully choose the lone wolf path, you will remain a lone wolf all your life because your state of mind will no longer be compatible with social life. You will no longer have the patience to demonstrate social intelligence (hypocrisy so as not to offend sensitivities). You must resign yourself to finally be at peace with your life. Hope is a poison that keeps you from enjoying the present.
5- Stop seeking social approval and recognition. This is undoubtedly the most difficult point. We all want to be recognized for our qualities. But you must tell yourself that other people's judgment is worthless and that only you know what you are really worth. Refuse the judgment of others. On the other hand, don't be arrogant, be humble and very critical of yourself. But be content with your own self-criticism. That of others is worthless since they don't know you well. So, if someone attacks you and it hurts you, you are still too weak. A lone wolf must be morally indestructible because no one will be there to help you up. You absolutely must have a minimum of confidence in yourself.
6- Accept being a little crazy. Dare to talk to yourself, to laugh at your own private joke, cultivate a rich inner dialogue. You must love yourself and be your own best friend. Be comfortable with your body, your thoughts, your weaknesses, everything that makes you up. Do you want to dance in a sensual and absolutely unmanly way? Do it, make sure no one sees it and do it. No, your ancestors don't see you... And even if they do, they will just be jealous of your vitality.
7- Have an impeccable lifestyle. A large part of your self-esteem will come from your lifestyle. Don't give up on sport. Do sport. A jogging + a push-up session per week will allow you to maintain your muscle tone and activate your lymphatic system, which is essential for the proper functioning of your immune system. Eat healthily, mainly vegetables and meat. Reduce the portion of starchy foods by avoiding platters of pasta (Prefer some potato mixed with your vegetables). Banish sugary things, it's absolute evil. But you still have to enjoy eating so allow yourself a little honey sauce with your meat, for example.
8- Stop thinking of yourself as a dark mage. Do not fall into the usual narcissistic delusions that are all too common among lonely people. Keep your mind clear at all times, refuse substances that put you in a daze. They will destroy you. One way or another, they will destroy you. Choose to be strong and experience life fully. If you have to overwhelm yourself with substances to sleep, you are condemning yourself to ever more suffering. Get rid of your addictions, be strong. Life is hard no matter what you do, so face it with your head held high.
9- Stop being romantic. You must have accepted the fact that what we call "love" is just a chemical cocktail in the brain aimed at making us procreate. And stop believing that your potential children are an extension of you. They would be individuals in their own right and you would be totally forgotten, whatever happens. If you feel it is a duty to your country, then fine, try to do it. But otherwise, don't torture yourself with this. Love is a mirage and fatherhood is disappointing. Don't listen to young parents who tell you this is wonderful, they want to trap you in the same hell of endless responsibilities as them.
Conclusion :
Throughout human history, many people have gone through life alone. The hermit's life is not the easiest, nor the happiest, but perhaps it is the one that suits you. How many people force themselves to be around people just to not be alone? Don't be one of those people who lies to themselves. If you feel that social relationships tire you, don't force it, fall back and enjoy your life on your own. Don't see life as a game in which you have to always acquire more happiness. Be content with what you already have. Abandon your toxic hopes, appreciate the present moment.

41f. I don’t know if it’s related but I take synthroid for hypothyroidism and maxalt for migraines as needed. I also recently found out I have low vitamin D that I have started taking a supplement for in the last 2weeks. I’ve also used a hormonal IUD for the last 10 years. Let me know if there is any other information that might help.
The issue: the upper right corner of my left calf has been twitching since around the end of January. It isn’t constant but it is daily and throughout the day. My dr checked my electrolytes and they were normal and she recommended I try an electrolyte drink daily to see if it made a difference. I kept forgetting to get anything and it began happening more often and for longer intervals. Now I’ve been drinking it daily ~1/2 - 1 packet of the powder, I’m not a huge fan of the taste and don’t want to overdo it since my labs were normal and I’m not currently ill, and it’s helped but hasn’t gone away.
I feel like I’m being a bit brushed off. I realize it’s unlikely to be something serious, but I still feel concerned that it’s been consistent for almost 5 months. Is it ok to try drinking a larger quantity to see if that finally eliminates the twitching, is there something else I could try, is this just my life now?
The only time it’s not twitching is when I am actively using the muscle while doing something like walking or standing, once I sit it usually starts again shortly after.

No one grows up dreaming of becoming a Mycologist. However, ever since I saw the first Planet Earth movie in college, I have had a deep love and curiosity for fungi. Whether it be for cooking, recreational uses, or just studying the way that Fungi operate, these organisms are deeply complex and rather overlooked for more glamorous taxon's such as mammals or reptiles. However, these organisms are deeply compelling. One such example is the world’s largest organism, which is a 3.4 mile long fungi that resides in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. When I got word that the area that this fungi inhabits had opened up due to a sinkhole, I boarded the first flight to Boise to meet up with several of my colleagues to study this creature up close.
Prof. Gene Wilson met me at my flight’s gate holding up a sign with my name on it and wearing a blue and pink Hawaiian shirt. Gene and I had met back at a college party during my freshman year at Boston University when he had punched a man who got a little too “handsy” with me. Ever since that day, he has been like a brother to me. As soon as he saw me, he quickly walked up to me and gave me a hug.
“Kim, it has been far too long!” He exclaimed as he let go of me.
“It has!” I said as I patted him on the shoulder “We both chose the wrong professions for keeping close contact”.
“Definitely” Gene said with a hearty laugh, “you ready to see some fun guys!”
I rolled my eyes at his horrible dad joke as he picked up my luggage and we both made our way to his car.
“So what do you know about the site, will it be safe to walk around or will the park rangers give us trouble for being there?” I asked.
“Quite the contrary!” Gene said as he struggled with holding my duffle bag. “We’ve gotten full authorization to go into the sinkhole”.
As soon as I heard this I stopped walking and stared at Gene with a confused and clearly excited expression.
“Don’t fuck with me like that Gene, surely you can’t be serious”. I said as I tugged on his arm.
Gene patted my hand and gave me a big smile, “I’m as serious as a heart attack Kim, got express approval from the CDC to study Mr.Humungous himself”.
“Oh my god Gene” I said as I gave him another hug, “this is gonna be the best day of my life!”.
“It’s gonna be a day, that's for sure!” Gene said as he unlocked his GMC Yukon, “Dr. Alisha Johnson will be meeting us there as well”.
As we got into his car, Gene turned to look at me. “Kim, National Geographic is going to publish a story about us!”.
“Gene, you better stop giving me good news or I might ugly cry all over your leather seat” I said as I wiped my eyes.
Gene laughed as the ignition came to life and we began our 4 hour road trip to Oregon.
“So, what has Kim been up to for the last couple years?” Gene asked endearingly.
“Well, I recently accepted a job offer from Boston University” I replied as I looked out the window.
“That’s incredible! Though truthfully I never saw you as the teaching type” Gene replied.
“Ouch, that’s cold Gene” I said sarcastically.
“Oh stop it, you know I don’t mean that in a bad way," Gene said as he quickly looked over at me. “You’ve just always been about working in the field, not in a classroom”.
“Fair enough” I said as I unfolded my arms, ”I guess I just decided that it's time for me to settle down. Plus having six months of paid sabbatical is always good. How have you been doing?”
“I’ve been really good!” Gene said as a wide smile started to form. “Eric and I actually decided to begin the adoption process!”
“Oh my god you’re gonna be a dad!” I yelled enthusiastically, “Gene, you and Eric are going to be wonderful parents!”
“Thank you Kim, that means a lot”, Gene said as he let out a heavy sigh. “It’s been so stressful lately having to meet with lawyers and child proofing our home. That’s why this trip means so much to me!”
For the rest of the trip, Gene and I continued to talk about our plans for the future, our work and reliving our college days. Finally around 11 a.m we saw the sign for Malheur National Forest. As we got closer to the research site, a wave of anxiety and excitement washed over the car. Neither of us spoke but we both knew what the other was thinking, we were about to make history.
When we pulled up to the site, we saw that there were two cars parked to the side and a young man leaning against a nearby tree.
“Wow, look at the fanfare” Gene said sarcastically.
“They really rolled out the red carpet this time,” I replied as we both let out a laugh and stepped out of the vehicle.
As we grabbed our research kits from the truck, the young man began to walk towards us.
“Hi, are you Dr.Wilson and Dr.Bishop?” the young man asked.
“That’s us!” Gene said, “are you our mighty escort?”
“Sure am!” the young man said as he grabbed one of the bags on the ground, “I’m Connor Peters, I work under Dr.Johnson”.
“It's a pleasure to meet you Connor” I said as I shook his hand, “lets see the site!”
After walking for what seemed like a lifetime, we finally made it to a roped off section of open land. Standing about twenty feet in was Dr. Ashley Johnson and a middle aged man with a camera around his neck.
“Dr. Johnson, we’re all here!” Connor yelled as we stepped over the rope.
“Wonderful!” Dr. Johnson said as she and the man made their way towards us, “Dr. Bishop and Dr. Wilson, It's great to see you both again”.
“The pleasure is all mine” I said as I shook her hand.
“Everyone, this is Dan” Dr. Johnson said as she turned to look at Daniel “He’s a reporter from National Geographic”
“It’s a great honor to be able to venture into this unknown with all of you!” Dan said as he snapped a picture of Dr. Wilson and I.
“So how far away is this sinkhole?” I asked.
“The sinkhole is right over this small hill, but that's not where we will be going doing our research” Dr. Johnson said as she led the group towards the hill.
“But isn't that why we planned this excursion?” Gene asked.
“It is, but I am more concerned with studying the cave system that the sink hole managed to unearth,” Dr. Johnson said as she began to smile.
“A cave system? I asked.
“Yes, a cave system which will allow us to get extraordinarily close to the armillaria ostoyae fungi”. Dr. Johnson said as we neared the top of the hill
“How close?” I asked excitedly.
“Practically inside the organism” Connor blurted out.
“Dr. Johnson, are you serious?” Gene chimed in.
“Take a look for yourself”, Dr. Johnson said as she pointed down the hill.
From the top of the hill you could see the massive hole where the ground had given way and begun to expose the vast web of black armillaria roots along the holes sides. As we got closer to the opening, it was apparent that the hole went down about a hundred feet and had a twenty foot radius.
“Jesus Christ, this is fucking massive” I said in pure disbelief.
“Dan had sent his drone down the hole earlier and the entrance to the cave is about a hundred and twenty get down, so I hope you’re all good at climbing”. Dr. Johnson said cheerfully as she began to hand out harnesses.
“I haven’t climbed anything since middle school but I guess you’re never too old to pick up a new hobby” Gene said as he struggled to put on his harness.
“Let’s hope then that whoever taught you did a good job” Dan said as he attached the rope to his harness. “I’ll go down first”.
We all watched intently as Dan slowly made the climb down to the bottom of the hole. Once at the bottom, he attached the bottom of the rope to a spike and waved the rest of us down. One by one Dr. Johnson, Connor, and Gene hooked in their harnesses, grabbed their gear and began the descent. Once Gene had successfully unhooked himself it was finally my turn.
“Just take it slow and steady” Dan called up to me as I began to descend the rope.
As I went down, I noticed that the roots on the walls began to get more prominent until the entire wall had been enveloped in a pulsating black mass. After several minutes of slowly belaying myself down, my feet touched solid ground again. Once I had unclipped from the rope I turned around to see that the group was staring at something.
“Is that the cave?” I said as I walked over to Gene.
Gene just nodded in disbelief.
Once I reached where they were I stopped dead in my tracks. In front of us was a ten foot opening covered in the veiny roots of the fungus. Each root quivered as if to create an optical illusion of waves in the open ocean. Along the floor of the cavern entrance were ancient drawings of symbols that I have never seen before. As we tried to take in the sight of this lost cavern, our fixation was broken by the flashing of Dan’s camera. As the flash illuminated the cave, we watched in awe as the pathway ahead seemed to stretch on indefinitely.
“Are these ancient ruins?” Connor said as he began to walk towards the cave.
“You’re guess is as good as mine” Dr. Johnson said as she turned on her flashlight.
“Wait, before we go in we should put on respirators”. Gene said as he started looking through his bag and I quickly joined him.
“Why do you need a respirator?” Connor asked as he watched the rest of our group put theirs on.
“You never know what sort of mold or spores are going to be down here” Dr. Johnson explained, “you brought a mask with you, right?”
“Sorry Doc, I think I forgot to pack one”. Connor said sheepishly.
Dr. Johnson let out a sigh of deep disapproval. “How can you be going for a doctorate but can’t follow simple instructions in an email?”
Connor shrugged and began to walk into the cave. With this, the expedition had begun.
The further we went into the cavern, the higher the density of roots became, turning what had once been a spacious open area into a narrow passage that forced our group to walk in a single file line. It felt as though we were walking through the nervous system of a body rather than a naturally occurring cave. After a half of squeezing through the narrow path of tendrils we finally came to a larger opening where we could take a break. As I entered the area, I saw Dr.Johnson giving Connor a water bottle as he was in the middle of a coughing fit.
“Should’ve worn a respirator” Dan said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of American Spirit cigarettes.
“Says the guy whose about to smoke in a fucking cave” Gene said, “Are you trying to give us all lung cancer?”
“Seriously Dan”, Dr. Johnson said as she walked towards us. “I expected a National Geographic reporter to have a little more class than having an American Spirit in a cave”.
“Look, I don't tell you how to live your life, so please don’t tell me how to live mine” Dan said as he leaned against one of the thicker roots.
As he took off his respirator and put the cigarette in his mouth, Dan pulled out a box of “strike anywhere” matches from his breast pocket and took one from the pack.
“Do you guys think the root will mind?” Dan said sarcastically as he pulled out a match.
“Wait Dan! The roots are sensitive to heat, they’re like a nerve receptor” I exclaimed as Dan struck the match onto the root.
As he did this, the root quickly recoiled and slithered up the wall as if it had felt the heat of the fire. Surprised by the quick reaction speed of the root, Dan dropped the lit match onto a different root, which also recoiled at a tremendous speed. We watched in awe as the whole cavern began to shift and coil rapidly like a hungry pit of snakes that found a sliver of meat. This brief awe quickly turned to terror when we heard a loud rumbling from above us.
“What the fuck was that” Dan said as he quickly grabbed his grab.
“I don’t know, but we should probably keep moving,” Connor said.
“Oh Fuck!” Gene yelled.
I quickly turned around and saw that the roof of the cave was beginning to crack.
“The cave’s gonna go!” I yelled.
Before we could even escape, the roof of the cavern exploded causing the ground we were walking onto given way. We had walked only several hundred feet into the cave and were already being swallowed by it. I watched in horror as Gene, Dr. Johnson and Connor plunged into the darkness below. Grabbing onto a root, I looked over at a petrified Dan.
“Hold on Dan!” I yelled as my hands were being sliced by my skin slipping on the coarse roots.
“I’m trying Doc!” Dan said as he tightened his grip around the root.
“What the fuck?! It grabbed me!” Dan yelled.
I turned to look at Dan but before I could respond, my grip finally gave and I started to fall into the abyss below. I fell for a second before I was knocked unconscious by the drop. When I came too, I saw from the dim sunlight above that the area of the cave where we had taken our break was now 20 feet above me. Looking around, I couldn’t see anything more than 10 in front of me and I had no source of light that I could use.
In a panic I started calling out to the void.
“Guys! Are you ok? Where are you?”
Suddenly I heard a weak voice to my right.
“Doctor Bishop…” Connor croaked out in between coughs.
“Connor, where are you, are you ok?” I asked frantically.
“I’m over here” Connor muttered, “just follow my voice”.
Not wanting to test my balance, I crawled on my hands and knees towards where I had heard Connor. Several feet in front of me, I accidentally grabbed what felt like a metallic cylinder. Feeling around the object further, I found the button and the room exploded with light. My brief excitement over being able to see was quickly crushed by the sight in front of me. Laying bloody and crumbled on the ground was Connor. Looking at his right leg, it looked as though it had taken the shape of the letter Z. Connor stared at me with a solemn look, as though he knew from my reaction that his situation wasn’t good.
“Guess I’m not the prettiest sight right now huh”, Connor chuckled before having another coughing fit.
“Take it easy Connor, you’re going to be fine” I said as I kneeled down beside him. “We just have to get out of here”.
“How are we going to do that?” Connor said, “there’s no way I can climb that wall like this. Even if I could, I’ve been having these terrible coughing fits ever since I got here”.
“Once I find where Dr. Wilson, Dr. Johnson, and Dan went, we will think of a plan. We have spare ropes in our bags, remember”. I said as I slowly stood up.
“Good luck Dr.Bishop” Connor said as he gave me a small smile, “please be safe”.
As I was standing, it became clear to me that I had suffered a concussion from the fall. Holding my head to help my searing headache, I slowly made my way down the corridor. As I did, I began to see more of the symbols from before. Pointing my flashlight at the opposite wall, I saw that there was an illustration of a group of people praying to what appeared to be a black scribble. As I stared at the drawing, I saw something slither by the peripheral of my vision and I quickly shined my flashlight on the floor. Slinking away into the darkness was another black root. Using the wall as a crutch, I slowly followed the root further into the tunnel. Along the walls were even more pictures depicting the black scribble. One picture showed a white glow from the scribble as the people rejoiced over a good harvest. Another picture showed people gathered around the black scribble performing acts of ritualistic sacrifice. The last drawing I saw was the people running from the black scribble. Before I could look at any more drawing, I felt my left foot get stuck on a root before collapsing to the floor.
As I went to stand up, I suddenly heard a sound further down the corridor.
“Guys… Guys… Where are you…are you ok…”
“Hello, is anyone down there?” I replied as I inched towards the voice
“Are you ok… Guys… Guys…”
“Dan? Gene? Alisha? Is that you” I called out to the darkness.
“Dan…”
After slowly making my way towards the voice for a couple minutes, I could finally see what looked like a shadow at the edge of my flashlights range.
“I see you, who’s there?” I called out again with a shaky voice.
“Dan…”
As I got closer, I could see Dan standing still in the middle of the corridor about 200 feet in front of me. As I moved closer, he started to wave at me.
“Thank god you’re ok Dan, I was worried…” I quickly stopped in my tracks
Dan was still waving at me. Now that I was about 50 feet closer, I could tell that the way he was waving was almost as if his body was stuttering. He wasn’t looking at me either, instead he was staring down at the floor. Before I could get any closer, I felt hands grab me by my mouth from behind and pull me into a small alcove. I tried to kick and scream but whoever was dragging me was much stronger than I was. Once we had backed into the darkness the person spoke.
“That isn’t Dan” Gene whispered in a scared tone.
As soon as I heard Gene’s voice my body eased up and I turned to face him.
“That’s definitely Dan” I reassured Gene, “He was standing right there”.
“I know Kim” Gene whispered, “He’s been standing there waving for 2 hours now”.
I felt my whole body go numb when he said that. How could he have known that Dan had been waving at me.
“What the fuck is this place?” I muttered.
“I have no clue but we need to get the fuck out of here” Gene said as he put on his backpack.
“Where’s Alisha?” I asked in a hushed tone.
“We split off earlier, I think she was heading towards where we had fallen to try and find Connor” Gene replied.
“Connor is down this corridor, but he’s in really rough shape” I said as I looked around for where my flashlight had fallen.
“Fuck, how bad is he hurt?” Gene asked.
“Bad, he won't be able to walk on his own” I replied as I found my flashlight.
As I went to grab it, I hit the button shining the light across the corridor. As soon as it turned on Gene quickly reached over and turned it off.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck”, he muttered as he backed to the edge of the alcove. “Quick Kim, get over here”.
“Why?” I asked as I slowly scooted towards Gene.
Before Gene could answer, I heard the sound of scraping coming from down the hall.
“Gene… Alisha… Dan… Where are you guys…”
The scrapping began to grow louder.
“Kim, as soon as that thing gets here, you need to be absolutely silent”, Gene said in a serious hushed tone.
“What are we going to do?” I whispered as I curled up next to Gene.
“I don’t know” Gene said, “we have to wait for it to get distracted so we can get the fuck out of here”.
“Where are you guys… Guys… Guys… are you ok…”
The voice grew louder.
“Doc… Where are you…”
As the voice came closer, I realized that whenever the voice spoke it lacked a form of cadence. There was no rhythm, tone or inflection. Whatever was speaking to us did not comprehend the basics of human communication.
“Where are you… Are you ok…”
Suddenly I could make out the silhouette of a figure standing right in front of the alcove. Looking at its legs, I could see that it was hoisted several inches off the ground by roots protruding from the back of its legs. Its arms and head dangled like a limp stuffed animal. The figure rose about a foot off the ground and began to lean forward at a 45 degree angle. Suddenly, it lurched towards the wall of the alcove where Gene and I were hiding. As it crept towards us, I heard the sound of a soft thud a couple feet in front. The sound of the thud caused the creature to stop dead in its tracks.
I remembered that Dan had kept his matchbook in his breast pocket. If this silhouette was Dan and that is what made the noise, then using the match could be our only chance of escape. As the figure stood only a couple feet in front of us, I slowly crept towards where I had heard the sound. I was just out of reach of the object when my knee landed on a small pebble, causing me to let out a soft gasp. At that moment, the whole world went silent as I noticed that the body of the figure was now at a much steeper angle. I couldn’t see it, but from the angle of the body I could tell that it was dangling directly above me. Holding back tears, I held my breath as I reached down and grabbed what he fell off of the figure. As soon as I picked up the object, I knew from the texture and shape that it was the matchbook. Taking one more deep breath, I laid on my stomach and held the match in front of me. I only had one chance to do this, so I couldn’t afford to fuck it. I took a breathe and counted down in my head to calm any nerves
“3”
I put the head of the match to the stone floor.
“2”
I gripped the match so that it wouldn’t fall out of my bloody hands
“1”
I said a quick prayer in my head as I struck the match.
As soon as the match head scraped the stone floor, the head burst into flames. Without thinking, I quickly tossed the match onto the root holding up the body. With incredible speed, the body jolted out of the alcove and slithered quickly into the darkness from which it came. As soon as it was out of sight, Gene helped me up and we bolted back towards where I had left Connor. As we got closer to the light of the open cavity above, we started to hear talking. Gene put out his arm to stop me and we hid in darkness along the wall.
“What should we do?” Gene said.
“I’m sure that it's just Connor, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions”. I said I began to walk toward, but as I did Gene grabbed my arm.
“Kim, that fucking thing mimics voices and uses bodies as puppets. I think not rushing into a potential trap is jumping to conclusions”. Gene replied in an annoyed tone.
“You’re right, what should we do then?” I asked
“Lets walk up slowly and stay out of sight until we are absolutely sure who or what is over there”.Gene said, “follow my lead”.
As I got behind Gene I saw him grab at his waistband for an object. He quickly pulled out an orange revolver and held it in front of him.
“What the fuck is that? A toy gun?” I asked sarcastically.
“Bitch this is a flare gun, I got more class than that” Gene retorted.
We both let out a light chuckle as we inched closer.
“Hey who was that?” Connor said nervously. “We don’t want any trouble, ok. Just leave us the fuck alone.
“Seriously Connor” Alisha snapped.
Gene stopped and looked at me.
“Yup that’s for sure them” Gene said as he hid the flare gun.
“Don’t worry, it's just Kim and I, '' Gene said as we both stepped into the circle of light.
“Oh thank god!” Alisha said as she hugged Gene, “We need to get out of here right now”.
“Tell me about it! What do you have with you” Alisha said as she pointed to Gene's backpack.
As he pulled his items out of his bag, our hopeful outlook was quickly diminished.
“We have 1 bottle of Ibuprofen, a Fine Garden magazine, a hand flare, a notebook and pen, and a bottle of red wine” Alisha said in a defeated tone. ‘How the fuck is any of this useful”.
“Well for starters that wine is aged so show it some respect, but more importantly I wasn’t planning on being attacked by a fucking fungi!” Gene snapped.
As Gene and Alisha began arguing, I took some of the ibuprofen and sat next to Connor.
As I got closer to him, I noticed just how bad Connor’s situation had gotten in the last hour. His skin had taken on a yellowish hue, his mouth had a white outline of crust around it and his eyes had become blood red.
“I look like shit, don’t I?” Connor said in a joking tone.
“You definitely looked a bit better this morning,” I replied as I sat next to him.
“A bit better” Connor said with a laugh, “Ouch Doctor Bishop”.
“Please, call me Kim” I said I felt Connor’s forehead, which had become hot to the touch.
“Kim, I don’t want to die like this,” Connor said as he leaned back on some rocks. “I have so much I have to do, and even more that I have to make up for”.
“You’re going to be ok” I said as I gently ran my hand through his hair.
“Then look me in the eyes when you say it” Conor said sternly. “Please Kim, if I am going to die, at least give me the respect to tell me”.
I sighed and looked back at Alisha and Gene, who had stopped arguing to listen to our conversations. As I looked back at Gene for answers, Alisha walked over and met Connor’s stare.
“Connor, we will do everything we can to save you. But yes, you are most likely going to die” Alisha said bluntly.
“Fuck… If I do die, can you please tell my parents that I died for something meaningful” Connor asked as tears began to drip out of his eyes.
“Of course I will,” Alisha said with a shaken voice.
“Thank you… Ah fuck its happening” Connor yelled as his body started to convulse.
Alisha quickly grabbed him and put his head in her lap.
“Quick do we have anything I can put in his mouth to stop him from biting off his tongue”.
“Yes, take my button up” Gene said as he ripped off his Hawaiian shirt.
As soon as Alisha grabbed the button up and looked back down at Connor, She was met with black projectile vomit. Alisha stumbled back while trying desperately to get the vomit off of her mask. As soon as the vomit was cleaned she ran back over to Connor, only to be stopped by Gene. As soon as Alisha saw what Gene was holding her back from, she froze and her skin went pale. I looked where Gene and Alisha were staring and to my horror Connor was now standing upright and covered in dark black bile. As he stood, his body continued to convulse violently. After about ten seconds, the top of his head began to expand into a cone shape.
“Oh my god”, I said as I took a step back.
“What the fuck is happening!” Alisha screamed as she began to sob.
Suddenly, Connors head burst open and his scalp folded over his eyes, revealing four black tendril roots that were moving erratically within his skull, spewing blood all over the surrounding rocks.
“Jesus fucking Chirst! Someone do something” Alisha cried out.
Two massive roots then started to protrude from his torso, creating a gaping hole where Connor’s rib cage had once been. Hundreds of small roots then shot out of his legs, mangling them beyond recognition. His body then dropped to the floor, and the roots in his skull and torso began to carry his body into the darkness of the tunnel.
We all just stood in silent shock. Not only had Connor died in front of us, but whatever he became was beyond anything a human should have to bear witness too. What’s worse is that what happened to Connor could happen to us if we are down here any longer than we already have been. However, the scariest thought is whether it is already too late for us, and that it is only a matter of time before we share a similar fate. Finally after what seemed like hours, Gene finally broke the silence.
“We need to find a way out of here”.
“What should we do then? We could try to climb up from here” I said as I stared up at the newly formed pile of loose rocks.
“It’s too risky, if we put too much tension on the wall we might cause another collapse. Gene said.
“At this point, I’d take being crushed by a cave in then whatever the fuck just happened to Connor” I replied.
“What if we go deeper into the corridor?” Alisha said quietly.
Gene and I stopped arguing and looked over at Alisha.
“And what would that accomplish?” Gene replied sternly as he folded his arms.
“We could either find another exit or find It” Alsiha replied as she grabbed her flashlight off the ground.
“Find what?” I said as I stepped towards Alisha.
“The heart” Alisha responded.
Gene took a deep breath and then turned to me.
“If you want to go, I say let's do it”.
“I think it's our best shot at this point”, I said as I looked at Alisha, “lead the way”.
As she gave me a cheery nod, I noticed something about her respirator mask. It had been cracked from the fall.
As we ventured back into the corridor, I stopped the group to show them the wall drawings.
“So this thing used to be worshiped,” Gene said as he studied the wall art.
“Maybe they’re the ones who built these hallways?” I replied.
“I doubt it,” Alisha said as she studied the drawing of the people fleeing.
“What makes you say that?” Gene asked.
“In that first drawing where the people are praying, it looks like they had also found this place and were praying to this being for a good harvest”. Alisha said as she begun to walk further down the hallway.
“I wonder how old this place is then”, I said as Gene and I attempted to catch up to Alisha.
“Who knows, it could be as old as the Earth itself” Alisha replied as she kept walking.
“Hey why are you walking so fast? Can you slow down a bit” I asked as Alisha began to go out of sight.
Suddenly Alisha stopped walking and just stood still.
“You guys need to see this!” Alisha happily exclaimed.
Gene shot me a look before we both caught up to her.
“What are you looking at, all I see is just more hallway” Gene said as he looked back at me nervously.
“You don't see the brilliant lights?” Alisha asked sadly.
“Nope, just hallway” I said. “Are you feeling alright?”
Alisha turned to look at me with wide eyes and a droopy smile
“Kim, I have never felt better. We are so close, I can feel it” Alisha said as she began to speed walk again.
As she made her way down the hallway, Gene and I let some distance before we started to follow.
“What the hell is wrong with her” Gene said, “She’s acting totally different”.
“Her mask got cracked during her fall” I said solemnly.
“Oh fuck, do you think she has what Connor had?” Gene asked nervously.
“I have no clue”, I said as we began to pick up the pace. “But seeing as she's been exposed to the same air for roughly the same amount of time, I’d say something else is happening here”.
“Guys, quickly come look! I found it. “Alisha called from deep within the corridor.
After a couple minutes, we finally caught up to her and stood in awe. We could see a beam of light coming from an opening a couple hundred feet away.
“Alisha you an exit! Thank fucking god!” Gene said as he hugged her.
We both sprinted towards the light as Alisha followed behind us laughing to herself.
As soon as we got to the doorway, Gene gave me a hug.
“We’re gonna be saved!”
After he let go and waited for Alisha to catch up to us, the three of us walked through the doorway and into the light.
Once the light faded and we were on the other side, we froze in terror. This wasn’t the exit, it wasn’t anyplace that should even exist. The room seemingly stretched for miles in either direction. Blue and white lights glowed beyond the distance that the human eye can see. In the middle of this glowing chamber was a pulsating mass of black roots, eyes and veins which looked as though it was the size of a large mountain.Tendrils made of rotting muscle, eyes, and roots, which connected the mass to the chamber seemed to stretch indefinitely, were hundreds of feet thick, and was gushing out black liquid. After being frozen in place, the mass began to shake and the massive eye in the center of its form began to open. As it did, tendrils carrying thousands of corpses similar to Dans’ hovered about us and spoke in unison. As the corpses spoke, Gene and I looked on in horror as Alisha bowed before the Mass
“Alisha Johnson… You have brought forth your harvest…” The corpses sang in unison
“I hath brought forth the harvest which you seek” Alisha replied.
“You must spread my divine word… Connor has given you the seed for which you must plant…” The corpses bellowed in perfect harmony
‘Fuck this bullshit!” Gene said as he raised his flare gun towards the Mass.
Before Gene could pull the trigger, Alisha had gotten up and smashed him over the head with rock.
“Gene no!!!” I screamed as I rushed to his side.
“Go Forth… Alisha… Join the Harvest… Join the Harvest…” The corpses screeched.
“Why the fuck would you do that Gene” I said as I held his head.
“I wanted to go out in style”, Gene said he coughed up blood.
“What do you mean, we could’ve just escaped”. I cried.
“Kim, we both know that we can’t leave this place. Not after what we’ve seen or what may be carried in our bodies. If Alisha escapes, she’s going to kill a lot of people… You have to stop her” Gene said as his voice became weaker.
“How? She’s so far ahead already” I said as I clutched Gene’s head.
Gene turned his head towards the flare gun that rested a couple feet away.
“With style” Gene said as he smiled.
“Now go, leave me here” Gene said as he closed his eyes.
“I’ll see you soon Gene” I said as I picked up the flare gun.
“I’ll be waiting,” he replied.
I looked back at Gene and the Mass one more time before I ran out of the chamber and after Alisha.
As I ran towards the opening, I could hear the deafening sounds of thousands of people singing “Join the Harvest” all around me. As I turned a corner to head down the final hallway to the opening, I was met with a sucker punch to the face which shattered my mask and sent me to the floor. When I came too, I saw Alisha sprinting towards the loose rock wall. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of thousands of feet scraping against the floor. I quickly got my bearing and made it to the wall just as Alisha climbed to the top. As I began to climb the rock wall, Alisha started to throw rocks down on me.
“You can’t stop me Kim” Alisha yelled as she threw a rock at my head. “I am It and It is me, the Growth and I demand sustenance. Join the Harvest or become the flesh which we shall devour”.
“You pretentious bitch stop speaking to me in riddles” I yelled back.
Alisha quickly ran towards the entrance to the cave. After a couple minutes I was able to scale the rockwall and ran towards the rope. As I passed through the narrow wall of roots, they began to scratch and claw at me, as if to try and slow me down. However I bore the pain, as I was not going to let Gene, Dan and Connor die in vain. Once I emerged from the cave, I noticed that I was bleeding profusely from all of the cuts. With all my remaining strength and adrenaline, I made my way over to the rope and saw that Alisha was about thirty feet above the ground.
“This ones for you Gene” I said as I raised the flare gun and pulled the trigger.
I watched as the flare soared over Alisha’s head by thirty feet.
“You missed!” Alisha yelled as the flare went past her.
“Nope”, I said as I smiled. “I was right on target”.
I watched as the flare exploded as it hit the rope, causing the polypropylene material to begin to melt. As Alisha was about ten feet from the point of impact the rope gave out, sending her to the ground. As she hit the tough stone below, I made my way back into the cave and found my bag. As I dumped out its contents onto the floor, I picked up an extra bottle of wine that Gene and I were going to share, took off my broken respirator, and began to type out this story. As I finish writing this, I can feel the influence of the spores overtaking my mind. It is too late for me, but If you are reading this, you must join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest join the harvest destroy the nest for good.

Picture this: the party throws open the moldy doors to an old catacomb. Piles upon piles of neatly arranged bones line their path, leading to a macabre lectern in the center of the room with a dark tome resting atop it, with a latch fashioned to resemble a gnarled hand desperately clutching the book shut.
Any player or DM who hasn't been living as part of a remote uncontacted tribe their whole life could guess that those bones will animate and attack the moment someone picks up that tome, and I'd argue that the characters should see it coming a mile away as well, since that would probably be just as big a stereotypical adventurer trap in-universe as well.
However, if we simply reskin (pardon the pun) the scneario to used warofrged parts rather than fleshy ones, it becomes dramatically less obvious: The party throws open the rusty gates to an old scrapyard. Piles upon piles of dead warforged lay before them, picked almost clean of metal by rust monsters such that only the stone and wooden parts remain. At the center of it all lies an office desk, atop which rests what appears to be mundane engineering blueprints (actually documents describing powerful warforged-specific necromancy disguised as engineering blueprints), held together by a nondescript three-ring binder with the label "repurposing old Warforged parts" written on the spine. Ain't nobody seeing that horde of skeletons coming!
Another example: if a party walks into a magic item shop and finds the clerk to be a wizened old desiccated figure with sunken eyes and tough, wrinkly skin, it will be nakedly obvious this is an undead of some sort. If however it's instead a rusty warforged with missing bits here and there, capable of only limited jerky movements and who loudly creaks like an unoiled door hinge every time they do so, then the party might not realize this to be the big bad lich they were after the whole campaign until the very end!
Lastly, remember the old D&D movies? the infamously bad ones? yeah me neither. But I do at least remember that one started with a really memorable intro where an evil mage had the book of vile darkness fashioned from his own remains. I'm having a surprising amount of trouble finding an english version of that intro on youtube, so here's my best attempt at recreating those specific lines from memory:

His skin was flayed into parchment. His bones were hammered into hard bookcovers. His blood was dried into ink, and the pages were bound together with cord fashioned from his nerves.

Now let's imagine how that would play out if the evil mage had been Warforged:

Their wooden muscles were pulped and pressed into paper. Their plating was hammered into metal bookcovers. Their lubricants were dried into ink, and their adhesives were salvaged to bind the pages.

Side note: I think I may have come up with the perfect lich phylactery dungeon: It's a long corridor full of various monsters and traps, leading to a room with a black, ominous altar in the center, atop which rests a vial fashioned with human bones. The actual phylactery, meanwhile, was a random pebble mortared into a nondescript wall the party passed five rooms ago.

Heroy Lenoc / Mizmiz, is from the Mimbo Republic. Born into abusive parents, he started to suppress his feelings at a very young age.
Backstory :
Heroy has always tried to express his emotions through humor with the person he considered a friend. Heroy's most trusted person has always been his little brother, to whom he can talk about anything and everything and whom he has always considered to be the person he understands the best. He and his brother learned nen at an early age from their hunter research father. He soon discovered a talent for swordsmanship and zetsu, particularly because of his low profile and rather quiet personality. Until one day, members of his family began to die one by one from various causes. Since then, his personality has only worsened, and he considers himself an unlucky person. He began to go out late at night to find people people to beat up to release his stress and as punching bag to hone his skills and study human body's reaction under beating and certains type of wounds and was fascinate. He develops a tendency to self-harm, disillusioned, whimsical, cunning, and playful with the people around him. He slowly begins to research for something new and starts killing insects, then small animals to study anatomy and body modification, and finally switches to the human body, where he gets the idea for his first Hatsu , Insatiable Blob and his second Hatsu inspired by his little brother, whom he used to use as a punching bag to pull pranks and make him angry. Heroy always hated himself for not crying over his dead family and demand himself if he ever loved them of love anyone. And that's how he began his criminal career and start to call himself Mizmiz in reference of his brother, leaving behind a son. During his adventures, he would encounter Feitan, whom he would fight against, and somehow our Heroy got attached to him, maybe because he reminded him of his little brother or just for his talent for swordsmanship.
General information and appearance :
Heroy is a transmuter of 165 centimeters, 70kg, very muscular due to his intensive daily training. He is black with very short dreadlocks black hair and brown eyes. Heroy wears a black mask convered with bandages with 2 playful eyes because he thinks it looks cool with a black compression long sleeve top with 2 red shoulder taps that descend to the elbows with sharp teeth in it. And a white rope belt with a cloth tied behind it with a long black and red sword. A dark long pant with bandages on the ankles. With black flat shoes.
Some features
Heroy has a quiet and calm nature, lacks confidence, and can sometimes show a lazy side and lie down everywhere he can. Due to his calm nature, Heroy is difficult to anger, but when he is faced with what he considers injustice or any physical remark, he can barely contain himself due to his childhood trauma. But with people, he is at ease, Heroy can show a very talkative and whimsical side. He will generally try to make the people around him laugh and laugh when he fells uncomfortable and anxious and put his trust in anyone who remains his little brother unconsciously. Heroy will try to be helpful with the people around him even if they didn't say anything. In terms of social relationships, Heroy was horrible at it. The last he remembers is that he never made the first contact with anyone to try to befriend through humor. He finds it easy to communicate with others and will be very uncomfortable if serious subjects about relationships or psychology are on the table. Heroy will be very reluctant to show his true face, and if anyone insists, it will completely enrage him. And develop the habit of checking if his mask is well attached to his head. Heroy can never stand in the same place for about a minute. He will always try to do something or just walk in a circle, lost in his thoughts.
Weaknesses :
Heroy can be very reckless for himself and his allies; he can do nonsensical things just to put on an act where he thinks he looks cool or for a dramatic act. For example, getting stabbed just for a dramatic scene where he speaks some never-abandoning line and gets a power-up to recreate scenes from his favorite books he read when he was young. He may also add weaknesses to himself when he feels that the fight is unfair for his opponent, increasing his risks just because he feels so. With Heroy, nonsensical actions can often lead to misunderstandings, which he never bothers to explain, to stay in character. Heroy will be disadvantaged against a good enhanceemitter with sharp or penetrating attacks, nen users who rival or surpass his speed, or those with good escape abilities.
Strengths :
His very main strong advantages are his top speed and his strength with a great stamina which he keeps training 24/7 with his transmuted nen that have the properties of hardness and weight that he applies to himself and keeps adding weight each month. Heroy is not exceptionally intelligent, but he shows some original ideas through battles and experiences. He is proficient in setting traps and has no shame in using any means to defeat his opponent, even if it touches his pride. Heroy is very proficient in infiltration due to one of his nen abilities, which allows him to perfectly replicate a person's aura and appearance.
Abilities :

• Hatsu - Insatiable Blob 

The user creates a viscous/rubber-like nen beast with small mouths and sharp teeth all over its body that envelops the user's entire body through skin contact. Insatiable Blob possesses basic intelligence and supplies itself with flesh, blood, bones, and nen, which it stores in its stomach and converts for its user's use or strengthens itself. I.B can absorb a huge amount of physical attacks, impacts, or earthquakes. It can resist electricity, burning, and freezing. I.B has its own personality and can act on his own. Will obey without contesting the user's orders, and it is very attached to its owner. It is very tricky and cunning, and it likes to torture its prey.
Limitations :
If it is not regularly fed, Insatiable blob will lose its intelligence and simply follow its pure desires, but will continue to protect its user and eat. Insatiable Blob will only have its passives skills and try to eat any living being within 5 meters. Insatiable blob can hardly defend against sharp and perforant attacks. Insatiable Blob can only strech itself up to 5 meters to remain at full power and control if in contact with the user. Up to 5 meters, the user has to split it. Insatiable can only use its actives abilities if fed with flesh, blood, and bones. The more it is fed, the more it gets powerful and can last.
Abilities
• Perfect Disguise
Can take the appearance and nen signature of prey that the Insatiable Blob devours entirely with no flaw that he can store in the form of data and use it when he wants. The user can replicate the prey's appearance on himself or with Insatiable Blob that he can control to set up traps or diversion. The user can store a maximum of 5 disguises. Up to 5, he needs to delete 1 disguise to replace it. During disguise, the blob or the user cannot attack during perfect disguise. The user can create a maximum of 2 disguises.
^sub ability
Partial disguises
The user can create a copy of a person within 3 hours by having a sample of the target. The copy is based on the view and knowledge of the user. The user cannot copy things he does not know or view of the desired target. The user can only use P.D once on a target.
• Libération
The user combines I.B in his body to give him a rubber-like nature and gain full control over his overall body. The user can control his body to stretch and retract his limb, depending on how much energy he puts into it. The user needs 10 seconds to transform and cannot move.
The user cannot recreate missing part however, he can replace it with I.B which can act as a parasite which connect directly to the brain. The user cannot use the I.B outside his body in this form.
^ sub-abilty
Liberation Phase 2
Enhance several times the user's general abilities by increasing oxygen and blood flow. Strength, speed, time reaction, reflexes, sight Must be used with Liberation. The user needs 10 seconds to heat up. Consumes more nen and flesh to maintain this form. And great concentration.
• Pain killer
Insatiable Blob can detach a few portions of itself that travel through the en of the user and hide to infiltrate the opponent's brain and control his pain receptors, enhancing his pain several times. Can share pain with the user if a minimum of 1 minute is passed during I.B is controlling the opponent's pain receptors. I.B can sustain itself with the opposent's brain and nen and multiply itself to last indefinitely or until the host's death. In this form, one hit can kill Insatiable Blob. Insatiable Blob can only drain nen if the user shows fear in his heart.
• The last will of the survivor
When the user is inconscient, the blob will enter survival mode and do anything to assure the safety of the user. Insatiable blob will fuse with the user's organs, draining the user's nen ensuring his survival. In the event that the user's head is cut off after losing consciousness, within 20 seconds and 20 meters, Insatiable Blob can act as veins, muscles, and flesh to attach the head, circulate blood to the brain, attach the head back to the body, and heal while sacrificing some of the of the flesh of the user.
The blob can eat unimportant parts of the user's body to ensure his survival as a last resort.
Second hatsu that he uses to tournament his opponent with a very high risk. Inspired by his little brother and his very indecisive nature. He chooses a hatsu that he has basically no control over it and just follows commands that will probably founds funny and enjoy himself.
Hastu - Is this for real ?
When activated by touching 5 fingers with a white glove, on the user body will appear 2 Mickey Mouse aaaah gloves with clown faces on the tops of the right and left hands, as well as a 20-centimeter-long hat. And a pin of the part where the opponent gets touched. The clown on the left glove can provide the user with ludicrous, special conjured items to use against the opponent with specific conditions, while the clown on the right glove will give the user ridiculous challenges. Each clown will randomly assign a challenge or an item, and if the user completes the challenge or the condition of the item, he will receive 1 point, which appears in the middle of the hat. For every three points, a wheel appears in the center of the hat, spins, and grants the opponent a random debuff, buff, or rule that the user or opponent must follow with design consequences or bonuses from a list of 20 options. The more enraged the opponent becomes, the higher the user's overall aura output and capacity. The clowns are free to choose their own challenges, items, debuffs, and rules. For every 3 points, the user can add a buff or debuff to the wheel. For every 6 points, the user can add a rule with punishment if not followed or a bonus if they meet a condition or conditions. For every 6 points, the user can confiscate any item, body parts, or senses of the opponent that can be stored in the hat. For every 9 points, the user can steal a randol participant's ability and appropriate it,
Limitations :
The user must get the challenge or item through the hat. The user cannot get the same item or challenge in the same fight. The user cannot use another hatsu during its activation state. This hatsu can only be used against 2 opponents at a time. The user cannot use the special items against a non-participant. Each participant must be touched with 5 fingers and a white glove. If the opponent fled over a perimeter of 3 kilometers, the hatsu will be canceled, all debuff will remain (can be cured through exorcism), and it does not count any part that got in the user hat. And the clowns will curse the opponent. The degree of the curse depends on the clown's mood.
Example of a challenge: touch your opponent's belly button. Example of item : a hammer toy with extreme knockback if hit on the right knee.
Wow reddit is too hard to handle for my little heart

Got a question and I’m hoping for an answer. Before I have a pump I look ok, I don’t look huge but I don’t look skinny, I look lean but it doesn’t look like I have much muscle. After I workout and when I have my pump my body looks like it belongs to a completely different person, my chest, arms, traps, back, and legs get way bigger. From my understanding I know that a pump is just blood in the muscles making them look bigger. Is there a way that I can make myself look somewhat bigger without having to have a pump 24/7? Or is it just my genetics and there’s not much I can change other than using creatine and protein powder?

So I’m pretty emotional over this for many reasons, but for a quick background I’ve had TMJ issues for 13 years and over half my life (26 yr) Since I was 18 I’ve been getting Botox in my jaw /temples/ face with some relief. I’ve had a guard since I was 16 & if I fall asleep without it chip my teeth (had to bond 2 of them bc of this). My life has been centered around chronic pain for as long as I can remember. I spend my days massaging my neck/jaw with massage pillows but break the motors. My traps are so tense, I once got punched in the neck and didn’t even feel it & it ended up spraining the girls hand. Well, on Thursday I went to my TMJ Botox guy in chronic pain. We decided to do 100 units in jaw, temples, and the last 15 units to try and get some cosmetic out of it in my forehead (it’s affected by overgrown muscles too). I put another 100 units in my neck, shoulders, traps, and around my collar bone/ what connects my neck there. I’ve been crying since my drive home because this is the first time in over a decade I’ve lived a day without chronic pain. Cried even more knowing how much it’ll cost me every 4 months. But, to anyone who gets Botox in their jaw and are constantly still in pain — try neck and traps. I cannot wait to see the visual effects as it’s only been 3 days, but the pain relief is enough.

(This is translated by google, sorry if some turns of phrase are weird)
Introduction :
I had lots of friends, a family, girlfriends, I was appreciated and relatively popular. But over the years, people have disappointed me, betrayed me, been toxic, etc... So I ended up cutting ties with everyone because I don't forgive. Now I'm 30 and have been alone for almost 10 years. And frankly, I'm experiencing it quite well. “What are you doing here then?” You will tell me. Well, sometimes I have little moments of weakness, where I want to talk to people. This undoubtedly comes from the genetic fact that Man is a social animal. So there you have it, I'm coming to tell you that it is entirely possible to change your state of mind to live well with your solitude.
Tips :
1- You must stop believing that others can lead you to a better life. Surrounded by people, your life will not necessarily be better, it will be different. It is better to be a loner seeking to overcome your loneliness than to be locked into toxic emotional patterns with people. The solution is you against yourself while in social life it's you against the faults of others over which you have no control.
2- You must stop believing that others are absolutely happy in their relationship. Obviously, if you asked them, they live a wonderful life, but people never tell the full truth. In reality, there is a strong chance that there is harmful tension in their relationship, and that this eats away at them on a daily basis. Don't be jealous, other people's lives are much less happy than you think. And even if their life is better than yours, would it still correspond to you?
3- In reality, your discomfort with solitude often comes from the typical permanent dissatisfaction of humankind. We tend to be dissatisfied, and we point to the most obvious thing as the cause. But ask yourself, is it really loneliness that weighs you down or is it the boredom and shame that it generates? If you learn to accept being alone, despite social pressures, and if you learn to spend your time better, you will see that being alone is not a problem in itself. Especially in our time when there is no shortage of solitary leisure activities!
4- Abandon all hopes. If you choose to be happy alone, you absolutely must stop harboring the hope of a radical life change: “one day I will find a wife, we will have children and I will have lots of super cool friends”. No, if you fully choose the lone wolf path, you will remain a lone wolf all your life because your state of mind will no longer be compatible with social life. You will no longer have the patience to demonstrate social intelligence (hypocrisy so as not to offend sensitivities). You must resign yourself to finally be at peace with your life. Hope is a poison that keeps you from enjoying the present.
5- Stop seeking social approval and recognition. This is undoubtedly the most difficult point. We all want to be recognized for our qualities. But you must tell yourself that other people's judgment is worthless and that only you know what you are really worth. Refuse the judgment of others. On the other hand, don't be arrogant, be humble and very critical of yourself. But be content with your own self-criticism. That of others is worthless since they don't know you well. So, if someone attacks you and it hurts you, you are still too weak. A lone wolf must be morally indestructible because no one will be there to help you up. You absolutely must have a minimum of confidence in yourself.
6- Accept being a little crazy. Dare to talk to yourself, to laugh at your own private joke, cultivate a rich inner dialogue. You must love yourself and be your own best friend. Be comfortable with your body, your thoughts, your weaknesses, everything that makes you up. Do you want to dance in a sensual and absolutely unmanly way? Do it, make sure no one sees it and do it. No, your ancestors don't see you... And even if they do, they will just be jealous of your vitality.
7- Have an impeccable lifestyle. A large part of your self-esteem will come from your lifestyle. Don't give up on sport. Do sport. A jogging + a push-up session per week will allow you to maintain your muscle tone and activate your lymphatic system, which is essential for the proper functioning of your immune system. Eat healthily, mainly vegetables and meat. Reduce the portion of starchy foods by avoiding platters of pasta (Prefer some potato mixed with your vegetables). Banish sugary things, it's absolute evil. But you still have to enjoy eating so allow yourself a little honey sauce with your meat, for example.
8- Stop thinking of yourself as a dark mage. Do not fall into the usual narcissistic delusions that are all too common among lonely people. Keep your mind clear at all times, refuse substances that put you in a daze. They will destroy you. One way or another, they will destroy you. Choose to be strong and experience life fully. If you have to overwhelm yourself with substances to sleep, you are condemning yourself to ever more suffering. Get rid of your addictions, be strong. Life is hard no matter what you do, so face it with your head held high.
9- Stop being romantic. You must have accepted the fact that what we call "love" is just a chemical cocktail in the brain aimed at making us procreate. And stop believing that your potential children are an extension of you. They would be individuals in their own right and you would be totally forgotten, whatever happens. If you feel it is a duty to your country, then fine, try to do it. But otherwise, don't torture yourself with this. Love is a mirage and fatherhood is disappointing. Don't listen to young parents who tell you this is wonderful, they want to trap you in the same hell of endless responsibilities as them.
Conclusion :
Throughout human history, many people have gone through life alone. The hermit's life is not the easiest, nor the happiest, but perhaps it is the one that suits you. How many people force themselves to be around people just to not be alone? Don't be one of those people who lies to themselves. If you feel that social relationships tire you, don't force it, fall back and enjoy your life on your own. Don't see life as a game in which you have to always acquire more happiness. Be content with what you already have. Abandon your toxic hopes, appreciate the present moment.

Last week, I started praying. I felt like I needed to. I clasped my hands and begged for my wounds to never heal again. I stood in front of the mirror and told myself that the one thing I can't afford to lose is my fear. I fear people. I fear the outside. And obviously, I fear Will. But my biggest fear is forgetting—forgetting my terror and my agony. Even though it might seem unimaginable right now, I fear that one day my hands will shake a little bit less, and the loneliness will creep back in like a recurring cancer. I hope typing my story out will force me to remember.
The 20th of May, the day our meticulously crafted friendship broke apart. It must have been around 10 PM when Will called me. He wanted me to come to the train station. For the first time, maybe ever, I sensed weakness in his shaking voice.
As I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, I wonder what would have happened to me if I didn't agree to meet him that day. I guess he would have simply remained a distant memory.
"The only friend I ever had was a short man who always wore cheap T-shirts and a pair of Ray-Bans he never took off. There was this big scar on his balding head. He looked about ten years older than a kid from college should have. But don't let his appearance fool you. Everybody, men and women alike, loved him to bits. So did I. He was the only person that ever dared to talk to me," I would have mumbled, unaware of the sharp claws hiding behind my back.
Instead, I decided to run to the train station. I saw him at platform four. We sat down and lit our cigarettes. A ritual as integral to our friendship as speaking the same language was.
"My brother died. I will have to go home for a while," he stated.
"I... I'm sorry."
"I'll be fine, don't worry. I will not be able to see you for a long time though. I will take the train straight to the airport and stay in Augusta."
I watched the tobacco slowly wither away. I knew that there was nothing I could say. Death remains a mystery to those that were spared by its effects. Will looked incredibly sick, even more so than was to be expected. His skin was pale and brittle, the blood apparently completely sucked out of him. The tiniest gust of wind would have been enough to sweep him off his feet.
"You look like a corpse."
"Fuck you, dude," he chuckled.
Soon after that, he got on the train and left.
"We will meet again," he said.
To this day, I wonder what prompted me to follow him. It was probably his appearance, his relative lack of grief, and the fact that he never once mentioned having a brother. But most importantly, it was the way his eyes shot up when he smiled at me. For just a second, I saw something heinous light up in him. Something that for most of our friendship had remained concealed. Without having the time for thought or contemplation, I stepped onto the train.
There were signs. So many of them that they practically begged me to leave. While I saw him mindlessly scrolling on his phone, his melancholic mask replaced by an expression of pure apathy, I could have left. When he surprisingly got up at the very next stop instead of going to the airport, I could have left. And even when he set foot in his squeaky clean apartment, struggling and groaning on the way, trapped in an endless trance like a junkie waiting for his next fix, I could have left. The entrances of innocence only really shut their doors on me after Will entered his study room. After I decided to stay long enough to hear the muffled voices coming out of it.
"Will, just let me go, bro. I don't care what type of shit you're on. You gotta let me go." A familiar voice pleaded. I recognized him almost immediately. It was Carl, a freshman from our college.
I will never forget the fear that overtook me at this very moment. For a second, everything went black. I barely managed to pull myself together and break my fall. As carefully as I possibly could muster, I opened the door just enough for me to peek through. The images and memories of that night have been forever imprinted onto me. They have left humongous craters on my being. Telling you about them now tears me apart. I guess I have no other choice. I can't allow the pain to fade.
A young man was trapped in a chair, his hands tied behind his back. He looked awful. Bloodshot eyes, covered in sweat, with small cuts and bruises scattered around his arms and legs. Will looked even worse. At this point, his body was caving in on itself. He was wobbling around the room, hunched over, his back appearing unable to hold his weight any longer. A smell of rotten flesh lingered in the air.
"You know I can't do this, Carl," Will said. He sounded erratic and confused, forced to slur his words since his lips only moved reluctantly. "This body... this body of mine, it stopped working. Died like a pair of batteries. So now it's your turn."
"Man, what are you even talking about... please just let me go." His eyes gleamed with panic as he tried to free himself from his restraints.
Will let out a laugh before answering, suddenly sounding sharp and rigid. Instead of hearing the voice I had gotten so used to, somehow multiple people spoke at once. A choir of people, from all walks of life and backgrounds, spitting Carl's weakness. It was overwhelming. Small cracks formed on the wall of the room as a thousand souls united in the body of one.
"Yes, of course, you would not understand. I am older than your feeble mind dares to imagine. I have possessed countless human beings, destroyed an infinite number of dreams and hopes. To you, I am a God."
Dazed by his hurt, Carl answered, "You are clearly not in the right headspace, man. Free me, and we can forget about all of this."
Will let out a furious scream. For a second, I thought he would maul his victim to death. With his back turned to me, he stood close enough to bite his prisoner's nose off.
"That's the one thing that always bothered me about you humans. You are always so ungrateful. You think I enjoyed talking to you? You think I liked hearing you discuss the newest Marvel movies? I did it so you would come here without making a big fuss. Giving me your body is the least you could do."
As he let out a vicious roar, my one and only friend pierced his finger into his victim's skull. His nails, apparently able to cut through skin and bone, created a small opening, fresh blood seeping out of the wound. Carl couldn't even dare to scream. His pupils were filled with the sort of deep desperation you only see once in a lifetime. Seemingly possessed by a horde of demons, he started uncontrollably shaking. His chair fell onto its side. The rope used to hold his hands together ripped apart, unable to withstand the force of his rapid tremors. A layer of blood and spit formed around his mouth.
Meanwhile, his captor carefully stepped away and cleaned his hands, enjoying the sick show of his own creation. Eying this poor fish on land, frantically trying to get back into the water. A few more moments of hell passed by me before silence reentered the room as Carl's body finally gave out and lay motionless on the ground. A last chuckle escaped his abuser's lungs, until he too crashed to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Will's forehead slamming onto the hardwood floor. Carl's blood dripping down his face. It was just too much for me. The world turned into a senseless stage play, too messy for its naive audience to understand. My brain reduced to a computer with a million open tabs, just about to shut down.
I don't remember how much time had passed, imprisoned in a state of utter paralysis, rocking myself back and forth, till a voice familiar to a part of my brain that sat miles away calmly addressed me.
"What's good, my boy?"
Dream became reality and reality became nightmare. I raised my head to look up from the wooden floor. Roughly five feet away from me stood a man I thought would never get up again. It was Carl. Carl in all his glory. Lanky and timid, with a pair of thick glasses sitting on his nose. Yet I knew it wasn't him. It was Will. Will speaking out of the body he kidnapped and tortured, while standing right beside his old rotting corpse. If his eyes hadn't betrayed him, he would have almost looked indistinguishable. But every five seconds or so, his pupils changed in color and form. Green to blue to black to grey, and sometimes transforming into the wonderful, shining brown I came to associate with companionship and brotherhood.
He looked over my trembling presence. A small boy kneeling on the ground, unable to force his mouth to form into a scream.
"You know, you were initially supposed to be my next vessel. A few months ago I changed my mind. I wanted to keep you for a little bit longer. I came to quite enjoy your presence." Will winked at me. "Now that you've seen me, I guess I have no other choice."
People often say you experience a moment of calmness right before you die. There was no such thing for me. Death looked me in the eyes, and I couldn't look away. As the devil came closer and closer, I felt like a sick antelope, waiting to be devoured by a rabid lion. Standing only inches apart from me, he bent down and met my gaze.
"I want you to know that I am going to kill you now."
I let out a scream of pure angst, high and shrill, in a way I thought was impossible for me. Scrambling to my feet, I rushed towards him. I was possessed, controlled by fear and a deep sense of betrayal. Effortlessly, Will dodged my wild haymakers, mocking me while casually weaving and ducking.
"You know why I always choose people like you? The ugly, lonely, and desperate. It's because if I took over the rest, people would get suspicious. Yes, I can pretend and play my part, but they can sense the change. I chose you because nobody would care. Nobody would be there to notice you had been replaced."
My arms were heavy. My shoulders were about to give out. I had never felt such hopelessness before.
"If you hadn't followed me, you could have lived for a few months longer. I would have given you my last goodbyes and then switched bodies. Maybe I would have even considered befriending you again. Sadly, it seems you are destined to die."
In an explosion of rage, I picked up the old chair Carl was previously trapped in. A look of genuine surprise on his face, I smashed the timber against the demon's head. The chair instantly splintered into a thousand pieces. A loud bang rang in my ears, while a cloud of debris and dust lingered in the air. For a second, Will seemed confused and disoriented. With his jaw opened wide, he stared at me in disbelief. I couldn't move anymore.This was all I could muster. Upon realizing just how miniscule the extent of my power was, the beast's face morphed into a horrible grimace, the corners of his mouth wide enough to almost touch his nose. Men and women of all different ages and dialects simultaneously burst into a laughing fit.
"This is it? This is your grandiose strategy? You tried to defeat me with furniture?"
Tears of hubris streamed down Will's face, his endless cackling full of pride and egotism.
I put my hands on my knees, anxiously trying to catch my breath. I looked at him the same way a mountain climber examines the deep abyss.
With a smug smile plastered on him, he put his hand on my shoulder.
"I guess I ought to put you out of your misery."
Before even being able to process his sentence, he pounced and wrung me to the ground. Despite his cuts and injuries, his strength was far beyond anything I thought was possible. I only managed to hold onto his wrists for a few seconds until he freed himself and crashed his fist towards my jaw. The blast launched me into another dimension. Multiple teeth flew out of my mouth and landed next to me. The taste of iron covered my tongue. Will, now standing over my dazed self and surrounded by glittering stars, buried his sneakers into my stomach. A last defeated yowl. The world was hazy, every wave of pain overwritten by a new one, as he continued his brutal onslaught.
When Will finally stepped away, his face was colored in a pulsing red, a raging vein bulging on his forehead. He let out a satisfied sigh before leaning down to slit the top of my head. He needed some form of an entry point, I guess. A place for his soul to take over mine.
In retrospect, it's funny how in these minutes of indescribable agony, my body unable to move, not enough strength left to try and scream my suffering away, I wanted nothing more than to live. If only to prolong my journey for a little bit longer, I started whispering.
"I know that our friendship probably meant nothing to you. But to me, it meant everything."
His nail, cutting at my skin, suddenly stopped.
"Thank you for keeping up with me. If you had abandoned me, the solitude would have destroyed everything I had. I would have floated away into space, nobody left to bat an eye."
The words practically flowed out of me. I knew what the monster wanted: assurance, gratitude, and praise. My speech continued while I searched for that one magical weapon that could somehow save me from certain death.
I was now so weak that Will had to press his ears against my face to keep listening. A starving dog, licking up every single one of my compliments.
"You have given each and every one of your victims a wonderful present. A gift I would have previously laughed and sneered at. But perhaps the only gift that makes life worth living."
As quietly as I possibly could, I reached for the broken chair leg lying next to me. Oh, the relief I felt when its sharp edges rubbed against my palm.
"What I realized after meeting you, is that all my time spent alone, I was slowly killing myself. Take me if you wish. Is there really a difference between death and solitude?"
Inch by inch, I lifted up the stake and pointed it towards the monster's liver. He was still silently enjoying my declaration. This was all he ever dreamed of. Every muscle in my arm was burning. Fear can't even begin to describe my turmoil of emotions. I knew that in about five seconds, everything would be over, no matter the outcome.
"You have given me everything, and now I shall return the favor."
His face, first formed into a proud smile, then distorted into a grimace of utter shock, as the sharp side of the stick sunk into his torso. The melody of tearing flesh blended with his violent screams. Blood oozed out of his wound, tainting the timber still stuck in his abdomen.
Will bolted to his feet and ripped the chair leg out of him. Never in my life had I seen this much blood. It shot out of him like a relentless waterfall. The hurt blinded him, turned him into nothing more than an uncontrollable raging animal. The demon's eyes now transformed at a rapid rate. Green to blue to black to grey, until for a short moment, they were a burning red, fierce enough to by sight alone raise the temperature of the room. His voice became horribly distorted and metallic. His words were accompanied by an unbearable screeching.
Even if all my prayers one day fail, I'm sure that these memories will never lose their echo. The second I touch my door handle, forced to flee the dark aloneness, his voice will ring and hopefully make me hesitate just long enough for rationality to take over.
"Oh, you fucker. Now you've done it. I will skin you alive, you piece of shit."
The panic once again fueled my body's last resources. While Will still winced in pain, I rushed out of the door, ignoring every aching nerve and fiber.
As I collapsed onto the pavement, the faint calls of concerned strangers sounded like the singing of angels to me.
Two days later, I told the police my story. They found Will's old corpse, stuck investigating a case I know is far beyond them.
I have yet dared to step outside. Every time I even so much as approach my entryway, the fear pulls me back like a stretched rubber band. My terror is still strong enough to keep me safe. But I know that sooner or later the pain will pass. The suffocating loneliness will once again push me out of my apartment. Who knows what horrors will be waiting for me then? He could have taken over anybody he wanted to. He could be my cashier, nurse, or neighbor. He could at this very moment lurk in shadows I cannot see.
That is why I pray. Pray that the wonders of togetherness don't tempt me into a world of uncertainty again.
Please God make my fear eternal.

I 28(F) UK, know this group can be super varied in everyone's experience, so I'd like to narrow down mine to see if anyone can resonate and shed some insight as to what I should expect next. Not yet confirmed but I assume I have either a slipped or herniated disc trapping the nerve:

• had glimpses of sciatic pain previously. Maybe would bother me for a couple of days then disappear for months. Each time I was able to walk and get about my day as normal.
• Pain one week gradually got worse, no pinpoint moment but known I had overdone it on occasions with deadlifts, long hikes or car drives etc.
• Escalated to the point of debiltating pain, regular muscle spasms, I could draw with a marker all down my hip to my toe of where the nerve was throbbing. Could barely walk at all. Pain constantly, sitting, standing, lying down whatever. Couldn't pick up the kettle. Couldn't sleep.
• around 4 weeks later, much less inflamed. Moving more fluidly. Can hobble about but cannot straighten my back when walking. I'm bending forwards like I have an invisible walking stick and it feels impossible to straighten my back out or lift my head up and look forward.
• Today I've noticed more progress than any day previous (even though each day has been up and down and progress has felt so slow). I get up off the couch without much thought, pain has been 2/10 lying down or a 4/10 when I'm walking - up to approx 5 mins, haven't pushed myself further. Still very much hunched over.
• pain feels more centralised. Can feel it all in my back rather than down to my toes/ ankles/ calf.
• I have been doing the absolute bare minimum btw for the last 3 weeks.

I had an MRI scan yesterday so waiting for results on that.
I guess my question is: Anyone with a similar story/ symptoms to this, how soon after my final points were you able to stand/ walk upstraight? Did it happen quite suddenly or gradually? Did you have to push yourself or continue to rest? Why do some people find sitting/ lying so uncomfortable yet some find standing/ Walking so uncomfortable, does it depend on which disc is affected? So many questions with this and from reading everyones individual stories I'm seeing it's a guessing game.
People either have long term stories to tell or are experiencing slight symptoms here and there. Are there any inbetweeners that healed in around 4-8 weeks without the need of injections or surgery?
My heart goes out to everyone suffering, whatever severity. It's truly horrible and can take such a mental toll. The measures I have taken on the road to recovery so far are: Acupuncture twice (felt terrible for first 24 hours afterwards then felt better and improved mobility, also cried and v emotional afterwards?). Light exercises, such as pelvic tilts etc. Practicing mind-body healing and sustaining a positive 'I will overcome this' mindset. Not sure if advised but edibles for me have really helped and lots of rest/ 3 weeks off work.

I'll try to keep this concise, given that I'm in serious need of timely advice. I'm a college-bound high-school senior, and since I'm about to be in debt for the rest of my life, I decided a few weeks ago to pick up a summer job. My friend, Liam, and I both found part time positions at an ice cream store in town. Not the best paying job, but our schedules were flexible and given the popularity (or lack thereof) of the shop, we basically got to sit on our asses all day and play video games on Liam's SteamDeck. The job did have one downside though, which was the shop's owner, Fred.
Fred was an older guy, probably in his 60s. I have no clue where he came from or what he did before moving into my town 15 years ago, but from the way he carried himself, I always thought he had a military background. He was tall and wiry, and had this stare that felt like he was peeling back your skin with his eyes alone. I had no idea what a guy like that was doing running a kitschy little ice cream shop called "Sundae Central", but the events of the past few weeks have given me some theories.
So a few hours before our first 4-10 P.M. shift, Fred gave Liam and me a tour. The shop was too small for its own cold room, and so the back room had two standing freezers. It also had one giant chest freezer which, as I learned a few days later, was locked. When I asked Fred about it, he told me that it was for surplus inventory, and I didn't really care enough to inquire further. The last thing Fred told us was to be wary of a homeless woman who sometimes begged outside of the store and had been known to be aggressive. Fred watched Liam and me closely throughout our first shift, which luckily went off without a hitch. At 10 P.M. sharp, he told us to grab our things and go—apparently, Fred liked to clean and close up shop himself.
"Bro that guy's kinda weird, right?" Liam asked me that night as we carpooled back to our neighborhood. I shrugged; I didn't have much of an opinion on our boss yet.
"I used to live in the same apartment building as him before we moved," he continued. "I ran into him a lot in the parking garage. He always had some kind of animal with him—dogs, cats, sometimes even a trap with a racoon or opossum inside. I figured he worked at some kind of animal rescue or something."
"Maybe he catches stray animals and takes them to the vet? Like, for sterilization and stuff."
"Yeah, maybe."
Liam's observation was strange, but all in all, Fred seemed normal enough to me. A little aloof, sure, but I was happy to look past that as long as he was paying us. I dropped Liam off that night and didn't think much about those animals for a while.
The first few weeks on the job were more stressful than anticipated. Aside from all the screaming children and entitled parents, I eventually encountered the woman that Fred had warned us about. The first time I saw her, I was working the closing shift alone while Liam was at a concert with his girlfriend. My car was a block away from Sundae Central, and as I walked down the poorly-lit street, I got the sense that I was being watched. I turned to look at the shrubs lining the sidewalk, and was greeted by the last thing I expected to see crouched inside the hedges: a person.
I barely saw her with all the branches twisting around her body, but once I noticed her sallow, expressionless face, I realized that she was looking right at me. I was so surprised that I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and damn near broke my wrist. By the time I stood up and shook off my embarrassment, she was gone.
Liam and I saw her every once in a while after that. She wasn't aggressive like Fred had mentioned, nor did she bother our customers at all. She kept to herself and largely out of sight, but even so, I came to dread being in the shop after sunset. I got into the habit of standing by the front windows when there was a lull in our customer stream. I would stare out into the night and look for the woman. It would always take me a few minutes, but often, I would eventually find someone looking back at me. She was always partially obscured, either by trees or streetlamps or dumpsters. It felt like she was playing a game with me, like some kind of demented Where's Waldo? On the nights where I didn't find her, I always wondered if she hadn't paid us a visit, or if I simply hadn't looked hard enough.
One week ago, as soon as I pulled into my driveway after work, I realized that I had left my wallet in my work locker. Since I was going out with friends the following morning, I opted to drive back to Sundae Central immediately as opposed to waiting until the next day. It was almost 11 when I pulled up next to the shop, and I remember being surprised by how abandoned the street looked once all the businesses closed for the day. Only when I exited my car did I realize that the shop would probably be locked up. Sure enough, the front door handle didn't budge. I decided to try the back door before I gave up entirely.
I rounded the building and approached our backdoor, and to my delight, I found that it was unlocked. At that point, I was too relieved to consider how strange that was. I opened the door and slipped through, turning my phone flashlight on so that I could navigate in the dark.
Sundae Central is set up like this: most of the building is occupied by a large room that holds the serving counter and dining area for the customers. Behind the serving counter is a hallway that leads to the back door to the shop. On one side of the hallway is the bathroom and break room, and on the other side is the freezer room. Once I entered through the back door, I turned into the break room. For some reason, I didn't want to turn on the lights. If the back door was unlocked, then Fred might still be around somewhere, and the thought of running into him in the middle of the night gave me the creeps. I just wanted to grab my wallet and slip back out as quickly as I could. Luckily, my wallet was exactly where I thought I'd left it. I grabbed it, put it in my pocket, and was just about to leave before I heard the back door open.
Shit, I thought. If that was Fred, and he found me snooping around with all the lights off, he'd probably think I was robbing the place. Could I be arrested for trespassing at my own place of employ? I wasn't in the mood to find out. Not knowing what else to do, I gently closed the locker and dove behind the break room couch. From my hiding place, if I peered around the side of the couch, I could see right across the hallway to the door to the freezer room. The hallway lights clicked on, and footsteps echoed through the quiet shop as Fred ambled into view. He looked tired, his expression downcast and his gait slow. He was wearing a clear, plastic poncho, which I found strange, but any thoughts I might have had on his attire I immediately forgot when I saw what he was dragging across the floor behind him.
It was a body. A woman's body, nude and either unconscious or dead. Fred was holding her (it?) by the hair in one of his gloved hands. He pushed open the door to the freezer room and turned on the lights, and immediately I could tell he was holding a corpse by the hue of its skin and the rigidity of its limbs. I bit back a gasp as I watched him drag it into the room. Just after he crossed the threshold, part of the corpse's scalp detached from its skull. It fell from his grasp, flopping onto the floor with a thud, leaving Fred holding a fistfull of long, brunette hair. He cursed to himself, turning around and leaning over to pick up the body. I ducked behind the couch, watching his feet through the small gap between the couch and the floor.
His hand stilled on the corpse's neck, and I figured he'd just noticed the open door to the break room. I held my breath, praying he'd let it go, but instead he straightened and stepped over the body. I watched his shoes cross the hallway, coming to a stop in the doorway. He reached inside and switched on the lights.
I readied myself for a fight, figuring that if I couldn't incapacitate Fred, maybe I could at least injure him badly enough that he'd be a suspect when people realized I'd disappeared. Luckily for me, it never came to that. A small, barely audible knock sounded through the quiet shop, and Fred reacted immediately. He turned his attention back towards the corpse, picking it up off of the floor and making his way towards the front of the store. As soon as he was out of sight, I crawled out from behind the couch. I looked down the hallway in both directions, and when I didn't see Fred, I bolted for the backdoor.
I ran to my car like my life depended on it, which, as far as I knew, it did. I drove straight to the police station to file a report. I probably should've waited to get my thoughts in order, but I was so hopped up on adrenaline that I barged right in and gave what was probably a completely incoherent account of my night. Understandably, the officers didn't seem to believe me at first, but the more questions they asked, the more seriously they took my story. I'm sure that dropping the name "Frederick Braun" helped my case. Liam wasn't the only one who thought Fred was a little off—he'd long been something of an outsider in our town, and it's likely because of his reputation that the police agreed to investigate the scene.
They found seven corpses in Sundae Central, though none belonged to a human. Squished together in the locked chest freezer were two cats, a racoon, a coyote, and three dogs, one of which I recognized as a neighbor's pet from "Lost" posters I'd seen stapled to telephone poles. The discovery sent the town into an uproar. Fred was arrested the following morning, and needless to say our ice cream shop was shut down. The police said they'd do some DNA testing on the crime scene to identify the woman I saw. Of course, I was happy that something was being done, but I didn't have high hopes for our tiny, underfunded police department. At least I could rest easy knowing I'd helped put a criminal in jail, even though I got the sense there was more to the story.
Fred was arrested six days ago. Three days after the incident, Liam and I were driving home from a friend's house across town. Our route took us past Sundae Central, and Liam slowed down to gawk at the yellow tape adorning our former work place. Only when we were a few buildings away did I notice a person standing on the street across from Sundae Central.
"Dude, holy shit," I said, pointing to the figure. "It's that woman."
When Liam saw her, he did just about the last thing I wanted him to do and pulled over right in front of her. He came to a stop and, despite my protests, rolled down my window to talk to her. The woman was standing on the sidewalk, maybe two feet away from the passenger's side door. I shrunk back in my seat, horrified by the prospect that she could reach right though the open window if she wanted to.
"Hey, lady," Liam said. "We're closed."
This was by far the closest I'd ever been to the woman. At a glance, she was pretty normal-looking—pale skin, dark hair, brown eyes. Or … were they brown? Her irises looked faintly reddish in the poor lighting, maybe the result of some kind of infection. She was wearing a nondescript black dress that seemed too pristine for someone I assumed had been living on the street. She didn't look at us when we pulled up next to her, didn't move a muscle. In all the times I'd noticed her staring at me, had I ever seen her move?
"Hello?" Liam continued. "No ice cream today. Or tomorrow. Or ever, probably. Our boss might've been a serial killer. You hear anything about that?"
He elbowed my arm like he was trying to get me in on the joke, but I barely registered his words. I couldn't look away from the woman's face, which, before my eyes, seemed to … shift. I'm not exactly sure what I saw, or how best to describe it. Have you ever stared into a mirror in a dimly lit room? If you stare at your face long enough, your brain starts playing tricks on you. Your features start to distort, you start seeing someone else—a family member, a stranger. Something different. Something wrong. That's the best analogy I can give for what I felt in the moment. All of a sudden, I got the sense that the person I was looking at wasn't a person at all.
The woman's eyes flicked from the storefront to Liam's face.
"Dude, drive." I said, reaching out to roll up the window.
"But—"
"DRIVE." I practically screamed right into his face. Grumbling, Liam slammed on the gas and took us screeching down the road. I turned in my seat to watch the woman as we left. She didn't move an inch all the while.
Call me a coward if you want, but between that encounter and what I'd witnessed at Sundae Central, I haven't left my house for the past few days. Even now, as I write this, the memory of that woman makes me feel ill. I've never, in my entire life, seen something so uncanny, and the fact that Liam didn't notice anything made me feel like I was losing it. I mean, I had just seen my boss dragging someone's dead body across the floor of an ice cream shop. Some degree of paranoia wouldn't be all that out of the question.
For the past few days, I've been staying at home with my grandma, playing cards with her and keeping an eye on the news. It took days for the police to make any headway on the Frederick Braun case, but yesterday morning, they seem to have finally made a breakthrough.
From a strand of hair left on the floor at Sundae Central, they were able to identify the body I'd seen as thirty-four year-old Alicia Winters. The only problem? Alicia Winters died four days before the incident. She'd been involved in a fatal car crash and was six feet underground in our town cemetery. Or at least, she should have been. When police exhumed her grave, they found an empty casket.
Alicia's grave wasn't the only one that had been disturbed. Investigative efforts turned fully towards the cemetery, where it was found that several other graves had fallen victim to unauthorized disinterment. At the time of writing this, they've found eight empty caskets, and I have a feeling that the number will continue to rise.
I had trouble wrapping my head around the news. What motive could Frederick possibly have had for killing those animals and stealing those corpses? How long has all of this been going on? And, maybe the most important question of all: where were the corpses?
I got a phone call last night. I'd already passed out in front of the T.V., and was awoken by my cell phone vibrating in my pocket. It was four in the morning when I picked up Liam's call.
"Hello?" I asked groggily.
"She's … She's at my bedroom window."
I sat bolt upright.
"Who?" I asked, though deep down I already knew.
"I just woke up and … I don't … She's just standing outside."
"You have to call the police. Are your parents there?"
"My parents and sister." His voice was shaky and small. "I've never … I've never seen a person … with teeth like this …"
"Liam, you gotta call the police, man. Wake up your parents and call the police right now."
He sucked in a sharp breath. "Ok, yeah, yeah. I'll call the police."
"Text me when they get there, ok?"
"I will."
He hung up after that, and I was alone in the quiet dark again.
I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have let him go. I should have called the police on his behalf. Instead, I waited for a text that never came. For hours I sat on the couch, looking at my reflection in the TV screen in front of me, watching my face distort into something foreign. Something inhuman.
In the morning, the light streaming in through the living room windows broke me out of my trance. I forced myself to get up and get in the car and I drove like a maniac to Liam's house. We were such good friends, you know? I had my own set of keys to his place. His parents joked that I was their second son.
​
​
​
The adult human skeleton has 206 bones. I found maybe 40 of them. Vertebrae splintered and stuck in his mattress. Half a ribcage discarded on his floor. Something long, maybe a femur or a tibia, embedded in his wall. How strange it was that for all the carnage, all those scratches and dents in the floor and ceiling, I didn't see a drop of blood.
​
​
​
His parents and younger sister were in a similar state. I didn't find them myself—I called the police after seeing … what I saw in Liam's room, but I could tell from the officers' expressions that they had been similarly brutalized. They took me in for questioning, of course, since I've now been found at the center of two crime scenes, but I doubt I offered them any valuable answers.
I don't know what has descended upon my town. I don't know exactly what it did to Liam's family, or why. But I suspect that the person with all the answers, the person who was protecting my town all this time without anyone knowing, is currently behind bars because of me.
Maybe I can find a way to talk to him. Maybe I can find a way to convince everyone of his innocence. If not, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands. I'll have to feed the monster I set free.
​

Hi all, I've had TMJ and myofacial pain for over a year now. I've always had bad headaches and migraines but now the daily tension headaches are coupled with facial pain within the past year or more. I take muscle relaxants, OTC meds, I have heat packs and I've done botox and trigger point injections. Recently the last few rounds of TPI have not relieved my pain and I'm incredibly defeated and upset. I am supposed to see a physical therapist next week too. I am so afraid that the TPI and botox are not working anymore because I have as much pain as I did before the appointments. When I first started botox and TPI in my face I got pain relief but not as of lately. This is significantly effecting my quality of life- I have to cancel social plans and time off work. I've cancelled vacations and I'm exhausted and fatigued majority of the time. I don't know what to try or do anymore. Can anyone else share what helped them finally get relief? I just can't imagine that this is how my life is now because it seems like this will never end and I cant fathom the rest of my life being like this.

Story set in the NoP 1 universe, created by u/SpacePaladin15
[First] [Prev] [Epilogue]
Memory Transcription Subject: Lyra, Dossur
Lakeshore, Twilight Region of Venlil Prime
Date [Standardized Human Time]: 7 January 2137
I’m staring at the mangled corpse of the Terran rat as my brain, oh-so-helpfully, points out this rat is the same size as me. My whiskers quiver as my eyes trace out every gash and puncture wound on the rat while my brain maps each wound onto my own body, trying to visualize the size and shape of the claws and teeth that did this.
Solgalik, spare me! I was too critical of my instincts this past herd of paws – it wasn’t paranoia; there’s actually a predator lurking around Lakeshore. A predator that has been stalking me all this time… OK, don’t panic, everything will be fine… Heh, every brahking thing the federation ever taught us has been turned upside down by the Terrans, so maybe shadestalkers are actually friendly.
I take another look at the eviscerated rat.
I don’t feel like testing that theory… Those crazy humans might try to cuddle every ‘fren-shaped’ predator they encounter, but we Dossur are literally bite-sized!
As these thoughts swirl around my brain, I dash back into the warehouse to retrieve my tranquilizer gun. Stopping at the exit, I catch my breath and brace myself before going back out into the cold wind. Living this far nightward on a tidally locked planet, a constant harsh wind blows from the frozen wastes of Venlil Prime’s night side. I shake my whiskers and tail and dash out into the eternal dusk of the twilight region. Time for a more thorough search of the grounds.
The harvest of evidence doesn’t feel like a full bushel. A shadestalker wouldn’t leave their prey behind. Whatever this creature is, it hadn’t even started to eat the rat. Even if a shadestalker wasn’t hungry, it would take the kill back for the rest of its pack. And those eyes, the eyes that have followed me this past herd of paws, if that was a shadestalker hunting me, why has it never attacked me? A grown shadestalker is the size of a Terran dog; why would it stalk me and not do anything? Stars above, nothing makes sense!
My racing thoughts come to an abrupt halt as I find the body of another rat. Well, the remains of another rat; there’s not much left, just a grisly scene of scattered bones, claws, skull, and clumps of grey fur in a puddle of blood. The bile rising in my throat gives me only a brief warning before I’m thoroughly sick.
Speh! I can’t believe some blood and bones still affect me this much after watching all those detective dramas with Rolf. As violent as Terran media can be, it’s still a burrow-length from reality!
After several slow breaths, I return and take pictures of the scene to send to my supervisor at the local extermination office. As I finish, I notice tufts of fluffy white fur tangled around several of the rat’s claws. I pick up some of the white fur and find that it’s unusually fine, similar to fiberglass. When held under the light on the side of the warehouse, the white fur looks iridescent.
That’s shadestalker fur. Nothing else looks like that. Speh!
I send the images of both rats to the extermination office with a note about the shadestalker fur. My tail twitches with trepidation as I retrieve the cargo vehicle. I gather up the remains of the two rats outside the warehouse, adding them to the rats I gathered earlier from the traps inside the warehouse. I instruct the autopilot to take these remains to the extermination office for incineration and start my long walk home.
Well, that was an exhausting work claw! Physically and emotionally…
In an attempt to ground my spiraling brain, I pull out my holopad and request a video call with Rolf as I continue walking home. Upon answering, his face quickly changes to an expression of deep concern.
“Lyra, you look like shit!”
“Oh, you know me, just trying to appeal to your predatory bloodlust. I figured a little rat blood in my fur would help you feel like you’re back home.”
I try not to chitter in amusement as Rolf’s face contorts into an absolutely fantastic mixture of shock and amusement.
“Seriously though, are you injured? Did a rat bite you? Do I need to find a doctor?”
I close my eyes for a moment and sigh.
“No, physically I’m fine. My instincts are definitely freaking out. I think I messaged you earlier about finding a dead rat outside the warehouse – the one that looked like it was killed by some kind of predator. Well, I found the remains of another rat and this one was torn apart and eaten. There was some white fur at the scene, so there’s definitely a shadestalker prowling around. This blood is from cleaning up that mess. Ugh, it’s going to take forever to wash this out of my fur!”
Instead of a sarcastic comment, Rolf is unusually silent. His face is quite pale and he’s simply staring past me with his eyes unfocused.
“Uh, Rolf? Hello? You look like you’ve just seen an alien.”
Not even that terrible joke elicits a response.
“OK… Based on the warehouse machinery I maintain at my other job, it would appear you’re brain has had a segmentation fault. When I get home, I’ll ask the Terran medic for that defibrillator device so I can power you down and then turn you back on again. I believe that should get your brain working again, right?”
I signal >concern< with my ears while waiting for a response. Eventually, I can hear Rolf mumbling something about the dead rats, white fur, and eyes in the darkness. Suddenly, he shakes his head and looks at me with panic in his eyes and a surprisingly harsh tone of voice.
“Lyra, you’re in danger! You need to find shelter, right now!”
My ears signal >confusion< as my whiskers twitch.
“Woah, calm down. I have my tranquilizer gun. I agree, it looks like this shadestalker is what’s been following me the past herd of paws or so. I can’t figure out why it hasn’t attacked me yet. Maybe one of your fellow humans has been feeding it. How long would it take a human to domesticate something like a shadestalker? You humans seem to be rather good at taming vicious predators.”
Rolf just continues to stare at me.
“Lyra, I’m not joking! This isn’t a shadestalker; I don’t think it ever was. Look, dead rats, white fur, you’re covered in rat blood… I can’t… I don’t know how I’d live with myself if anything happened to you. Please, I’m begging you to find somewhere safe, somewhere you can lock yourself inside.”
I stop walking and study Rolf’s face in my holopad. There’s no trace of sarcasm or humor, just fear, panic, and even some anger in his eyes. My hackles begin to rise as that feeling of being watched descends upon me.
“Rolf, you’re really freaking me out here. What aren’t you telling me?”
Before Rolf can respond, I hear a noise behind me. I turn just in time to see something with white fur disappear into the darkness of an alley. I double check my tranquilizer gun, drop my holopad, and aim into the darkness. I can hear Rolf yelling something, but I can’t let that distract me now. My ears scan the surrounding area as I continue to watch the alleyway. I can see the faint glow of bioluminescence in the darkness.
Speh! That’s the shadestalker. I’d recognize the distinctive glow of their hackles anywhere. OK, remember your training – don’t stare at the glow or you’ll get dazzled.
I begin counting my heartbeats to make sure I avert my eyes every 5th beat. Suddenly, I can see light reflecting off a pair of eyes that stare directly at me. I aim a half tail below the eyes and shoot a tranquilizer dart into the darkness. A high pitched yelp tells me that I hit my mark. However, the shadestalker appears to be unaffected as it emerges from the darkness and charges directly at me.
I fire off several more darts, but I can’t see if any of them hit their mark. Instinctively, I swing my gun up with all my strength just in time to smash it into the lower jaw of the shadestalker. The force knocks me backwards as the broken pieces of my gun fall to the ground. I scramble backwards as fast as I can, but a swipe of the shadestalker’s paw throws me across the road.
The breath is knocked out of me when I land and it takes several panic-inducing moments before I’m able to breath again. I try to get up so I can run, but I can’t move. So many places hurt that it’s difficult to discern what’s injured. I glance down and see green blood oozing from several deep gashes in my side. One of my legs is bent at an unnatural angle, clearly broken. My head throbs in time to my heartbeat. I probably have a concussion.
My entire body is tense, waiting for an attack that doesn’t come… I blink my eyes several times and attempt to focus on my surroundings. I can see two shadestalkers now – two large, white, blurry figures. But, they’re fighting each other? My vision is cloudy and my brain is too sluggish to make sense of what I see. I can hear yelps of pain, hissing, and other angry sounds from the two predators.
I guess they’re fighting over who gets to eat me. Hmph, they sound like my younger brothers fighting over the last sourberry... Aren’t shadestalkers supposed to be pack predators? Why would they fight over their prey? Ugh, I’m so tired… I hope my brothers finish their argument soon. I really need to sleep. Why can’t my brothers be quiet…
[[ Memory Transcription Error: Subject no Longer Conscious; Advancing Transcript ]]
It’s so wonderfully warm and peaceful.
I’m surrounded by a familiar scent that calms my mind. All the stress seems to seep out of my muscles as I feel the repetitive strokes of my mother’s tongue grooming my fur.
Oh, it’s so nice to be home again. I can’t remember the last time I let mom groom me. I could just lay here like this for an entire claw.
A sharp pain disturbs my meditative half-sleep. Again, and again, I feel a stinging pain on my side.
“Mom… don’t groom me there. I… the shade, the shadestalker, its claws… Ow! That hurts! Can’t you see the claw marks in my side?”
My brain is pulled fully into consciousness as the wounds in my side continue to sting. I open my eyes to a nightmare – the shadestalker is still here! It’s trying to eat me! It’s licking the blood from my wounds. Ignoring the pain in my broken leg, I dig the claws of my front paws into the ground and try to crawl away from the predator. The beast stops licking me and just watches as I slowly drag myself over the ground. The panic-inducing chemicals filling my brain make it difficult to think clearly, but my instincts are screaming at me to do anything possible to get away. Before long, my strength gives out and I collapse. I don’t even have the energy to cry. I can smell the beast standing over me. I feel its teeth as they bite the back of my neck. The world feels like it’s spinning as my thoughts shatter into panic-filled fragments.
[[ Memory Transcription Error: Subject no Longer Conscious; Advancing Transcript ]]
Date [Standardized Human Time]: 8 January 2137
This is so peaceful. It’s so warm. Everything is soft and cozy. Why are so many people afraid of death? I can’t imagine anything as serene as this. I could just snuggle up and sleep like this for the rest of eternity.
My tranquility is shattered by a scream, a shrill human scream. I can’t understand what is being said, but I think I hear my name. I feel a large hand trying to pick me up followed by a terrifying hiss and a growl. My heart begins to race again. My instincts are yelling at me to run. I want to cry, but I don’t even have enough energy to open my eyes. I can still hear yelling, but it’s muffled now. Do I hear a human crying? My brain is moving too slow to follow what’s happening. I’m so confused.
[[ Dream State Detected – Warning: Fragmentation Exceeds 85%, Skipping Corrupt Sections. Correlation with Previous Memory Detected, Supplementing Dream State Transcription ]]
[[ Memory Fragment, 6 Dec 2136, Lakeshore, Terran Refugee Center, Game Room ]]
Argh! Rolf is going to win this round, again! I need something to distract him…
My ears twitch mischievously as I pull a long white hair off of Rolf’s pant leg.
“Another of Teeya’s hairs, I see.”
Rolf sighs and shakes his head.
“Not this again… Just focus on the game, we’re almost done with this race!”
I flick my tail dismissively and continue.
“You know, I was doing a deep dive on your internet the other paw…”
Rolf raises one of his eyebrows.
“How do you even have access to… Lyra, you do realize that the Terran internet is not a healthy or balanced source of information, right? Please, tell me you know that?”
I flick my ears in acknowledgement.
“Well, I was fascinated to learn that it’s only older humans who have white head-fur. Honestly, I find that kind of weird – we Dossur don’t change fur color as we get older.”
Rolf’s posture visibly relaxes somewhat.
“That is ^surprisingly accurate. It also doesn’t seem nearly outrageous enough to catch your attention.”
My tail wags in excitement.
“Well, the other fascinating thing I learned about was cougars.”
Rolf looks extremely uncomfortable at this statement.
“Lyra, please tell me you haven’t been watching nature documentaries. I really don’t want to explain that to the UN.”
I sign >interesting< with my tail.
“Nature documentaries, you say? I’ll add those to my list of things to look into.”
Rolf sighs, “Why me?”
I flick my ears and continue.
“Anyhow, I believe you’re thinking of a different kind of predator than I am.”
Rolf’s face goes pale. He looks like a Venlil just before a stampede is about to start.
“Oh, no! Please, don’t…”
“These white hairs that are always on your clothes suggest you and Teeya enjoy getting a bit snuggly, right? And now I know that Teeya must be considerably older than you to have such stunning white hair.”
Rolf is frozen, looking like a Dossur pup caught stealing sourberries when he was supposed to be napping. I flick rolf with my tail.
“I believe you humans would call a woman like Teeya a cougar, right?”
Rolf blushes and looks deeply uncomfortable. While he stumbles over some kind of explanation, I manage to bring my race car up from behind and cross the finish line before Rolf.
Another victory!
[[ Resuming Standard Memory Transcription ]]
Date [Standardized Human Time]: 9 January 2137
What is that strange rumbling sound? It feels like my entire body is shaking. And why is everything so sore? I feel like I’ve been stepped on by a Mazic.
I slowly open my eyes and find myself enveloped by soft, white fur. The creature curled up around me is… snoring? growling? I expect to be overwhelmed by a wave of panic, but nothing happens. My brain remains calm despite being wide awake and finding myself surrounded by some large creature. This animal smells strangely familiar. Its scent reminds me strongly of Rolf for some reason. As fragments of my previous dream drift around my brain everything suddenly fits together. The long white hairs that I’ve always teased Rolf about are identical to the long white hairs of this creature. This creature’s scent is exactly the scent I’ve noticed on Rolf’s clothes but not on the other human refugees. It feels like my brain is a tangled knot as I try to reframe so much of the past few [months]. I tentatively reach a paw out and stroke the large creature’s fur.
“You… You’re Teeya?”
The enormous creature lifts its head and yawns, displaying a gaping maw full of needle sharp teeth. Once again, the expected wave of panic never arrives. Looking carefully at Teeya’s features, I decide she’s obviously a cat. But, she looks nothing like the house cats I’ve seen in Terran movies or art. Her ears are far too tall and pointy and her face looks too wild.
“Those ears! Was Rolf really crazy enough to smuggle a Lynx onto Venlil Prime?”
A sleepy voice answers me from a dark corner of the room.
“She’smane, she’s a… a Maine Coon. They’big… big cats. Bigger’nsum, ‘n some dogs. But, friendly… Gold’n‘triever cats…”
Teeya begins grooming my fur again and I settle down, relaxing under the meditative repetition. I feel myself starting to doze off when Rolf finally stands up with a loud groan. The joints in his back and limbs cracking loudly.
“Ugh, my back is killing me! The eternal sunset here is bad enough, why does the gravity have to be so much stronger than Earth’s?”
With another yawn, Rolf walks over and sits down next to Teeya and me.
“How are you feeling, Lyra? You really had me really worried!”
I open an eye and look at Rolf. He looks like a mess!
“Well, everything is sore. But my head feels much better than before. And, wait… my leg and side are feeling better? How long have I been asleep? My leg was definitely broken!”
Rolf smiles and starts petting Teeya’s fur.
“Maybe two paws? Less than two days, but… well, let’s see; a paw is 20 hours, so… Honestly, I don’t even know what time it is right now. That’s the first time I’ve actually slept since you went missing.”
I close my eyes and sigh contentedly as Teeya moves from grooming my back far to the fur on my neck and head.
“Rolf, I’m famished! Do you have anything safe for me to eat while you fill me in on what I’ve missed the past few paws?”
Rolf brings me one of those sweet, crumbly, Terran strayu with the flattened [oats] and dried wine-fruit inside. I nibble on the [cookie] while he relates what happened.
“I don’t know how much you remember. You called me while you were walking home from work. At one point, you looked worried and dropped your holopad. I couldn’t see what was happening; but, I could hear the sharp cry of an animal followed by growling and the noise of a struggle. After that, I heard you cry out in pain. Naturally, I completely freaked out and dashed off to find you. I followed the route you usually take to work and eventually found your holopad, with some blood on it, and broken pieces of your tranquilizer gun scattered on the ground.”
Rolf looks rather guilty as he scratches behind Teeya’s ears.
“I’m not proud of this, but I honestly thought it was Teeya who attacked you.”
I flick my tail and ears at Rolf in annoyance.
“I told you multiple times that it was a shadestalker on the prowl and you didn’t believe me? Hmph, some friend!”
Rolf looks down and his shoulders droop.
“Well, you found that white fur. And all those times you were certain you were being followed… Look, let’s back up a bit. Before you called me, I had given up looking for Teeya. I managed to convince one of the UN guards to let me look through some archived security footage from cameras outside the refugee center. Well, it turns out this fluffy menace here found a way to get in and out of the apartment by herself. She’s been out exploring off and on for the past [14 days]. Anyhow, she’s been getting out of the apartment during the same time period when you kept seeing eyes following you to and from work. Well, that already had me worried and then you found those dead rats and the white fur. I’m not proud of myself, but, well, I figured Teeya must have been following you and that she must have killed those rats. And then, with you having rat blood on your fur… Look, I’ll be the first to argue how friendly Teeya is; but, if it was her that had killed those rats, I was just so afraid she might attack you.”
Teeya turns her head and glares at Rolf. I flick my ears in agreement and reach up to scratch under her chin.
“It’s OK Teeya. We’ll get our revenge. We need to teach this human what happens when he doesn’t trust his friends!”
Rolf chuckles, but I can see a hint of fear in his eyes.
“Uh, well… back to the story. I came home in such a panic that I was planning on calling the exterminators for help.”
I flick my ears and tail in appreciation.
“Rolf, I’m really impressed! If you were willing to call the exterminators, you really were concerned about me.”
Rolf just shakes his head and continues.
“Well, I came inside and saw Teeya with you; you had all that blood in your fur and those deep gashes in your side… I honestly didn’t know if you were dead or alive. I tried to pick you up, but Teeya was crazy protective – she would not let me take you away. At least I could see that you were alive. But, I didn’t know what to do. If I tried to get help from anyone at the refugee center, they’d take Teeya away. If I tried to get help from any of the locals, they’d assume Teeya attacked you and have the exterminators burn her to ash. Eventually, as I watched the two of you, it was clear that Teeya was trying to clean you up and comfort you. Honestly, she was acting like you were an abandoned kitten that she needed to mother.”
I roll over and cuddle up to Teeya, closing my eyes as she starts grooming the fur under my neck and my belly.
“At some point, I noticed that your holopad was actively recording. So, I checked to see if you managed to record anything during the attack that would help make sense of what happened. Most of the video was useless, of course, but I was able to see you smash that creature… the, uh, shadestalker? You have a fantastic shot of you smashing it in the face with your gun. Then I saw it dig its claws into your side and toss you across the road. That’s when Teeya came charging out of nowhere and attacked that thing, uh, the shadestalker, more fiercely than I’ve ever seen.”
Rolf scratched behind Teeya’s ears and smiled at her.
“I’m so proud of this little devil. She saved my best friend’s life.”
Rolf just sits silently for a minute, scratching Teeya’s side while watching her continue to groom my fur. Almost in a whisper, Rolf speaks again.
“I’m so glad you’re safe, Lyra. I don’t know how I’d survive on this alien planet without you.”
I wrap my tail around Rolf’s wrist and sign >thanks< with my ears.
“I can fill in a little bit of the story. It’s a bit fuzzy – I was fading in and out of consciousness – but, I remember seeing Teeya fight with the shadestalker. I was confused at the time because I thought she was a shadestalker, too. I couldn’t understand why two shadestalkers would be fighting over me. After chasing the shadestalker away, Teeya came back and started cleaning my wounds. She then carried me by the scruff of my neck back to your apartment.”
I sign >embarrassed< with my tail.
“I have to admit, I didn’t realize she was trying to help me at the time. I was in a panic because I thought she was trying to eat me…“
Rolf brings me some water and continues to narrate the events of the past two paws.
“Well, once it was clear that Teeya had rescued you and brought you home. I knew it was safe to leave you with her, so I went to find a friend of mine who worked with the Zurulians during the rescue efforts immediately after the attack on Earth. He had training with that futuristic healing gel stuff the Zurulians use and also had access to their medical database on xenobiology. He used the healing gel on those gashes in your side and he also used the healing gel when setting your broken leg. That stuff is amazing! Those gashes are almost completely healed and your leg isn’t nearly as swollen or bruised as it was even last paw.”
Teeya finishes grooming me. I close my eyes and nuzzle into Teeya’s soft fur.
“Thank you, Rolf. I’m really glad you and Teeya were here to help me.”
I open one of my eyes and look at Rolf.
“Now that Teeya and I are friends, can I move in with you guys?”
Rolf laughs.
“I was wondering when you’d ask. There’s nothing I’d like more.”
[[ Memory Transcription Error: Subject no Longer Conscious ]]
[First] [Prev] [Epilogue]

In the early days of our marriage, one of my husband and I’s favorite things to do was house sit for his parents.
Now, the house itself was perfectly ordinary. It was large but cozy, with plenty of natural light, potted plants, and comfortable furniture in each room. Bay windows in the kitchen offered an uninterrupted view of the deep porch and forested backyard beyond. Even the basement stairs, well-lit and adorned with warm red carpet, were welcoming rather than creepy. As an added bonus, our stays at the house came with Luna, their 80-pound pit-lab mix. Luna was an intimidating sight with her inky black coat rippling with muscles, but five minutes with her would reveal her to be nothing more than a sweet, spoiled cuddle monster.
Yes, the house itself was, all in all, utterly normal. It was what was beyond the house, I learned in time, that was somewhat less than inviting.
While each homeowner owned their lot, front and back, the neighborhood his parents lived in was on state land. Everything beyond the bounds of the property was protected; that meant densely wooded trails, streams, and lots of wildlife.
To be clear, these woods were completely safe as long as you stayed on the marked paths, and we spent many afternoons exploring the trails. My husband loved to identify different plants and animals, pointing out mushrooms, turtles, and birds like jewels glinting in the dappled light. At the creek we would flip rocks, making a game of who could find the most salamanders. Luna loved to splash in the cool water and always managed to lap up a few gallons no matter how hard we tried to stop her.
While my husband had a knack for picking out the tiniest details in the landscape, I was always the first one to notice deer. The neighborhood was absolutely overrun with them; they could be spotted grazing even in broad daylight, and we would happen upon at least a few of them each time we ventured out. My mother-in-law hated them because they ate her gardenias. I had no dog in that fight, but the sight of them—larger than you can ever seem to imagine and eerily silent—never ceased to unsettle me. Even on a bright summer afternoon, spotting a deer felt like stumbling upon a ghost, especially if stood on its hind legs. Fawns were all the more intimidating as they were only an indication of a deer that could see you without you seeing it.
For those who have spent lots of time outdoors, you know as well as I that the woods are most active at dusk. This is true for the creatures you might expect, as well as the ones that skirt along the edges of our limited perception.
Once, we managed to pinpoint the location of a Barred Owl, high in a pine tree, based only on the occasional sound of her calls. We stood side by side, eyes trained on her as the sun set, still as statues. I felt us gasp in unison when at long last she took to the sky, impossibly wide wings silhouetted against the great glowing orange. We watched, all three of us silent, as she glided all the way down to the forest floor. I remember the feeling then, like the cicada song echoing in the trees but all through my own body.
Another time, we arrived home from Luna’s evening walk just in time to catch the neighborhood hare at the back gate. He stood straight up and stared us down with one red eye. An eternity seemed to pass under that beady gaze. Then just like that, he turned tail and disappeared without a trace into the underbrush. One second there, one second gone. He'd looked wrong, but I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't until later that I even registered the red dripping around his mouth and front paws.
Although eerie, the presence of most critters is nothing to worry about; it’s what happens after that you have to look out for. The hare, for example, we’ve come to understand as something of a harbinger of calamity. The morning after he darkened our doorstep, a station wagon was found wrapped around a tree one street over. Sad story; little old lady who had lived in the neighborhood for years, coming home from her son's house late in the evening. We heard from a neighbor that the windshield was smashed where she had been flung through it, cloth seats soaked with blood. Strange thing was what else was in the car; dirt, the neighbor said, and moss. No tracks, but something had left deep grooves in the driver's side door. Maybe it was the tree, maybe it was something else, although no wounded animals were found in the surrounding area.
Also strange—we were out with Luna at the supposed time of the accident. We should have seen, or at least heard, if a car so much as hit a curb. But we didn't remember anything out of the ordinary at all.
Yep, we discovered a lot about the land in those days, some through trial and tribulation, some via trail cams my father-in-law set up around the property, and some through good old common sense and intuition.
As the years went by, we started compiling a list of rules. For a long time, these were implicit between us and seldom even acknowledged aloud, beyond the occasional “Did you remember—?” “Got it,” to which all long-time lovers are accustomed. That is, until today, when I felt like getting a little something down for posterity, because let’s face it—we’re expecting. Some day sooner than we probably realize, our child will play in these woods, and to my way of thinking that ratchets them up from occasionally threatening to straight-up dangerous.
All that being said, consider this my first entry to a sort of field guide for the area. In it, I plan to document our past experiences, new findings, and perhaps most importantly…
The rules:
Each night Gerald the Southern toad visits the back porch. Take care to greet him and catch a few June bugs or fireflies for him to eat. There’s a second toad but she’s shy and rarely makes it past the steps to the backyard. She's nothing to worry about, but you must always greet and feed Gerald.
Be careful driving at night, especially in the rain; the deer aren’t afraid of much, and people and cars rank low on that list.
Although it is safe to walk the paved streets in the evening, avoid visiting the forested trails. You will get lost. Even with a flashlight, it's much easier than you'd expect.
If it thunders, Luna will want to go into the basement. You don’t have to go with her, but sometimes it’s best to keep her company. If she wants to go down and it hasn’t thundered, you’d do well to heed her warning anyway.
You don't have to do anything special if you see the hare, but be prepared for something in between unexplainable and tragic to occur.
Don't mess with fawns, food, or any unattended items you see in the woods (this goes for jackets, water bottles, camping equipment, etc.). At best it's not yours, and at worst, it's a trap.
Always lock the door behind you when exiting and entering the house.
And last but certainly not least:
Don’t shine your flashlight into the woods at night.
I'll work on compiling a list of our current stories in the coming days. I'm also sure to collect some new ones soon—my husband's parents are going on an anniversary trip to Europe, and we are set to watch the house for the whole summer as soon as my school year wraps up. That means lots of time with just me, the dog, and the land (and I suppose our little guy or gal). For now, I need to part ways. Luna is in a state trying to herd me into the basement, and I just checked outside; there's not a cloud in sight.

After suffering with intense migraine pain at least 2-3 times every month, I talked to my doctor about it and he prescribed me once a day 25mg Topiramate tablets. This would’ve been fine if I hadn’t already told him I didn’t want or feel I needed to be on a one a day and would prefer to have a rescue medication for when a migraine did start. He urged that this would be the best route without discussing any of the potential side effects, just that it would work. This medication should be under some kind of malpractice lawsuit. The intense side effects kicked in almost immediately. After taking this for only 4 days, I am in the genuine depths of hell with depression, anxiety, dissociation, brain fog, muscle weakness, and fatigue. Non stop crying and suicidal thoughts that I’ve never had before for 4 days straight. Since it was such a short time and the lowest dose available, I was able to just stop taking it. Now I have to ride out the 5 days it takes for it to leave my system. If your doctor prescribes you this medication PUHLEASE look for other options. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.

(CW: DISCUSSIONS OF WEIGHT)
I (31F) weighed myself yesterday- 69.6kg!!!
I'm so happy to finally be in my 60's again (though baaaaaarely).
I have been overweight for most of my life. I was in the early 60's between 2017-2020. I was doing my residency. When I finished and came back home, I relaaaaaaaaxed and ended up gaining weight. And I was commuting 2 hours daily to and from work, and I didn't have much energy left for exercise, plus the burnout was catching up with me. Reached the late 60's
In 2021, a friend offered to be my personal trainer for free. He was great and I started losing weight.. back in my early 60's in time for my wedding.
Soon after the wedding I got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, had two relapses in 2021 and had to take a ton of steroids. Was on and off steroids until March 2022.
I was 84kg from the steroids. By Dec 2022, I also got diagnosed with hip osteonecrosis (a side effect of steroids- your bone starts to die and you get quickly progressive arthritis. It's pretty disabling). Chronic pain since then, wheelchair bound.
April 2023- we found it in both my knees as well.
Had two surgeries in 2023. Knees seem to be okay on X-rays but it didn't help my hips. Now I'm waiting for double hip replacement, scheduled for July.
I have struggled with my weight in the past, used to abuse laxatives, overexercise, back in 2014. My weight yoyo's several times and I was trapped in the crash diet-weight-loss-rebound gain cycle. My neurotic tendencies had come back in 2021 when I tried to lose weight again. So my friend and trainer adjusted my fitness plan around it. He was amazing.
But all these health issues have put my priorities in order and given me perspective. Though I have a long way to go in being fully comfortable in my skin, I don't prioritize WeIgHt LoSs anymore.
Correcting my thyroid issues and moving to the US, where I live with my husband has worked well for me. He cooks, and makes sure to cook healthy stuff - a lot of proteins and fiber. He is also disciplined with respect to meal timings, and by association, I also became so. And just by adjusting my diet, and adhering to my thyroid meds, I have returned to the 60-70kg weight range. I don't exercise much other than the physiotherapist advised routines to condition and strengthen my muscles. I'm ambulatory wheelchair user still, so not a lot of aerobics other than wheeling myself around lol.
Basically I haven't gone overboard with trying to lose weight, and it's somehow made me lose weight seamlessly. The more I move towards my normal weight range, the better it will be for the durability of my soon-to-be prosthetic hips. I've gained so much perspective and gratitude throughout all this suffering.
My parents, husband and mother in law are amazing. I'm still in so, so much pain but I'm also so, so blessed.
Sorry for the long post and Thank you for reading

Hey, I'm an international student from India. My high school and senior secondary is done in CBSE curriculum. I don't plan to take the AP exams as such cuz they're obviou expensive and I'm broke (hence I'll be requiring financial aid) I plan to pursue Biomedical Engineering. First Generation/ Single Mothe Dad abandoned.
Responsibilities: Mother's leg got fractured in IXth- explains my relatively okay ish performance in finals of 9th grade. Also she suffers from calcium deficiency and bone related issues so I look upon that aspect too. Also have been batteling financial constraints and hence started working at a nearby store, managing academics + finances.
My stats: (My High School was relatively a small school catering to 300-450 students. Hence the opportunities I've received and activities undertaken are in lieu with this) Class IX Mid terms percentage - 94% Final-89% Was Vice Head Boy Vice Secretariat of Rotary Interact Club at my school. Ran a drive of making jute bags for and cup platters of jute for donation + environmental awareness and donation of stationary items to a nearby orphanage which housed about 50 orphan children. I also have a Painting Certificate from UNESCO and Ministry of Cultural Affairs at School level of mine.
Class Xth: Head Boy of the School: Leaded a Student Council of 20 members- consisting of both the Cabinet + Club Captains Made a healthy environment for students by spreading awareness about bullying and it's ill effects in the school.(this was a huge thing in my school) Plus organised the morning assembly class wise- in such a way to bring on to the stage every child of the school so that they get the opportunity to showcase themselves + combat stage fright and feeling of underconfident. Student testimonials after the tenure revealed that now they were much more confident on appearing on the stage to recite poems, speeches and dramas of there choice given the empowerment and system of Student Council Head
Member of the Literary Club. The assembly and students fighting their low self esteem was part of the initiative started at this club- first starting at the Club level during the particular 2 hours period of Club Activities and then expanded it to Morning Assembly.
Also won 3rd place in a Inter- School Competition in Review Writing (i don't think this is quite strong one but it's just there)
Wrote a drama and also acted in it on the School's Envision Annual Day which was based on "Evils of Dowry" and how it destroys the lives of women and those around them, along with displaying the other aspects of what happens when the same is done towards the groom side (this is a great societal plague that exists over here in communities where son is seen as an asset)
During the Board Examination period, started teaching peers and friends Science and Social Science who were facing academic setbacks and were unaware of how to proceed with the studying aspect- eventually helping them achieve decent marks and pass the grade.
Mid Tems- 89% Finals Aggregated Overall: 91.2% Best of 5 subjects %= 94.4% Topper of the School, scoring the highest marks in Maths (this was the subject due to which dip in my % takes place), English, Information Technology and Social Science.
SENIOR SECONDARY PROFILE: (This is a relatively large school with great number of opportunities and catering to about 2400-2800 students in total from pre primary to 12th Grade)
Grade 11th: Physics Chemistry Maths English and Physical Education Mid terms: 89% Finals:93% (had to work shit ass hard for this) 2nd Highest Scorer from Science Stream- Class Size of 24 Students Highest marks in English, Physics and Maths
Went from my % dropping due to that subject to being the top scorer. Idk how to convert this to GPA. And the top performer in academics and extracurriculars amongst 59 students (Science + Commerce - 11th Grade)
Extracurriculars Cultural Prefect: Inculcated the feeling of cultural harmony which resonated with the ethos of the school via activities held at school which involved showing various scenarios of communities from different backgrounds and religious beliefs coming together to show unity. Was the Head Event Organiser of the Events that took place at school: (Diwali, Teachers Felicitations, Teachers Day, And other Cultural Affairs)
Taught peers and cleared doubts during free periods in Chemistry and Physics mainly
Was a volunteer at Mobile Van Science Exhibition by CSIR- CCMB on genetic diseases held at our school and open for all the student body from grade 4th-12th over the course of one day. Explained Biology concepts while being a Mathematics student pertaining to Vivo General Therapy and how a fractured/genetically disordered gene part is diagnosed, removed and replaced with a healthy one via Vivo Grne Therapy: kinda trespassed the subject bounds of sticking to a subject which I have and doing something new
Attended online course by MIT at EdX: Cell Biology: Transport and Signalling by Rebecca Lamason and Iain Cheeseman. I don't have any certification for this cuz that's again really expensive and I'm broke, so. (A lot of factors come to downplay cuz of finances)
I attended the sessions only and didn't buy the plan which will give the lectures access- that'll cost 8k Indian rupees
Selected amongst a pool of students for showing genuine interest for Shadow A Scientist Program by CSIR- CCMB to spend a day in the lab of a senior scientist of our choice and understand the workings and behind the scenes of the lab, enhancing intellectual vitality and also this showcases genuine interest of mine for biomedical engineering. Got to spend a day at a Stem Cell Technology lab and learnt about Cryoscopy, Cell Transfusion, Ways to detect whether the cell is dead or nope by its surface and color of the solution, specific temperatures to adhere to, Onset of Cancer Cell and how it looks like in the beginning ears, Results of Tests ran on lab mice to understand cancer cells development in neural muscles and veins and how it affects brain functioning, and how does removing that cancer part again affects the functioning, and learnt about an Experiment conducted by LV Prasad Institute of Technology in collaboration with CSIR CCMB for Hydrogel and it's effect in clearing Eye infections by testing it on a New Zealand Rabbit. Results showed that enhances recovery period etc were detected on the subject which was studied under hydrogel vs one which was given normal ones- ultimately leading to his blindness.
Also Worked and prepared Uribed- here's it's abstract Uri-Bed: Where Dignity Meets Innovation- ABSTRACT
1. Introduction: A Personal Spark and a Universal Need
Imagine a loved one, someone who has nurtured and supported you throughout your life, now facing the challenges of urinary incontinence. Their once vibrant nights are now filled with anxiety and fear of leaks. Their independence, a hallmark of their golden years, is replaced by dependence on others. This was the heart-wrenching reality that inspired the Uri-Bed. As students Me and my friends witnessed this struggle firsthand and knew we had to create a solution as Young Innovators. Urinary incontinence is far from an isolated issue. It affects millions globally, particularly the elderly population. Our goal wasn't just to manage this condition; it was to empower individuals to reclaim their dignity and independence.
2. Delving Deeper: The Scope of Urinary Incontinence and Limitations of Existing Solutions
Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, is a prevalent condition with significant physical and emotional consequences. It impacts daily activities, social interaction, and self-esteem. For seniors, it can be a source of embarrassment and isolation.
Traditional solutions, while offering some level of management, come with limitations:
Diapers: These bulky and uncomfortable products trap moisture, leading to skin irritation and increased risk of infections. Furthermore, disposable diapers create a substantial environmental burden, taking centuries to decompose in landfills. Catheters: While effective in managing incontinence, catheters can be intrusive and painful. They also increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), creating a vicious cycle of discomfort and medical intervention. The limitations of these solutions highlight the urgent need for a more dignified and user-friendly approach.
3. Unveiling the Uri-Bed: A Symphony of Innovation and User-Centric Design
The Uri-Bed transcends the concept of a mere incontinence management system. It's a smart bed system designed with the user's well-being at its core. Here's how the Uri-Bed revolutionizes incontinence care:
Discreet and Early Detection: The Uri-Bed's secret lies in its smart mattress pad. This pad is woven with a network of strategically placed, highly sensitive sensors. These sensors are designed to detect even the slightest amount of moisture, triggering a gentle vibration or chime before any leakage occurs. This early detection system allows users to address the situation discreetly, ensuring a peaceful sleep for both themselves and their caregivers. Hygienic and Efficient Drainage: When moisture is detected, the Uri-Bed goes a step further. It features a discreet, closed-loop drainage system. Urine is channeled away from the user through a network of channels embedded within the mattress pad. This eliminates messy cleanups and minimizes the risk of skin infections. The collected urine is then deposited into a disposable container attached to the bed frame, ensuring easy and hygienic disposal. Data-Driven Insights for Proactive Care: The Uri-Bed doesn't stop at managing incontinence; it empowers informed care decisions. The system collects valuable data on urine frequency and volume. This data can be accessed by caregivers or medical professionals through a user-friendly interface. By analyzing these trends, potential health concerns like UTIs or changes in bladder function can be identified and addressed proactively. Early detection and preventive measures can significantly improve a user's overall health and well-being. Optional Remote Monitoring for Added Peace of Mind: For added convenience and peace of mind, the Uri-Bed offers an optional remote monitoring feature. Caregivers can receive alerts on their smartphones or other devices when the system detects moisture. This allows them to check in on their loved ones remotely, particularly for those who live independently. 4. Prioritizing Affordability and Scalability - A Sustainable Solution for Everyone
We recognize that affordability and accessibility are crucial for widespread adoption. The Uri-Bed is designed to be cost-effective and scalable for both home and institutional settings. By utilizing readily available technologies and components, we've kept the production costs manageable. Our estimated cost per unit, X Rupees, falls significantly below the long-term financial burden associated with traditional incontinence management methods like continuous diaper use and frequent medical interventions.
Our implementation plan focuses on collaboration and community engagement:
Pilot Testing and User Feedback: We plan to conduct pilot testing in both home and aged care facility environments. This will allow us to gather valuable user feedback from both patients and caregivers. Their experiences will guide further refinement of the Uri-Bed design to ensure optimal user experience and comfort. Strategic Partnerships: Collaboration is key to success. We will partner with geriatric specialists, caregivers, and manufacturers to achieve our goals. Geriatric specialists will provide invaluable insights into user needs and potential health considerations. Caregivers' feedback will be vital in tailoring the Uri-Bed to real-world solution.
4. Prioritizing Affordability and Scalability - A Sustainable Solution for Everyone

• Strategic Partnerships (Continued): Caregivers' feedback will be vital in tailoring the Uri-Bed to real-world caregiving scenarios. Finally, partnerships with manufacturers will ensure cost-effective production and widespread distribution, making the Uri-Bed accessible to a wider population.
• Training and Education Programs: Successful implementation hinges on user education and training. We will develop comprehensive training programs for caregivers and medical professionals. These programs will cover topics such as proper installation and operation of the Uri-Bed, data interpretation, and best practices for user care.

5. A Competitive Landscape: Uri-Bed Stands Out
The Uri-Bed doesn't exist in a vacuum. While existing solutions address incontinence to varying degrees, the Uri-Bed offers a unique and comprehensive approach:

• Dignity and User-Centric Design: Unlike bulky and uncomfortable diapers, the Uri-Bed prioritizes user comfort and discretion. The system detects leaks early and offers gentle alerts, minimizing embarrassment and promoting self-confidence.
• Enhanced Hygiene and Reduced Infection Risk: The Uri-Bed's closed-loop drainage system eliminates the need for frequent diaper changes, decreasing the risk of skin irritation and infections. This stands in stark contrast to reusable pads or catheters, which can harbor bacteria and increase infection risk.
• Data-Driven Care Management: The Uri-Bed goes beyond simply managing incontinence. It empowers caregivers and healthcare professionals with valuable data on bladder function. This data can be used to identify potential health concerns early on, leading to timely interventions and improved patient outcomes. Remote monitoring capabilities further enhance care management by allowing healthcare providers to offer remote support.

6. Beyond Incontinence: Exploring the Future Potential of Uri-Bed Technology
The innovative technology behind the Uri-Bed holds vast potential beyond its current application in managing urinary incontinence. Here are some exciting possibilities for the future:

• Early Detection of Other Health Conditions: Data collected by the Uri-Bed can be analyzed to identify patterns indicative of various health conditions. Sleep patterns, vital signs, and even subtle changes in user behavior can be used to detect potential health issues like sleep apnea, dehydration, or even early signs of cognitive decline. Early detection allows for prompt intervention and improved health outcomes.
• Personalized Sleep Support: The Uri-Bed's sensor technology can be further developed to personalize the sleep experience. Features like adjustable mattress temperature and targeted vibration patterns can be implemented to promote deeper sleep and address sleep disturbances. This can significantly improve sleep quality and overall well-being.
• Fall Prevention and Enhanced Safety: By utilizing pressure sensors embedded in the mattress pad, the Uri-Bed can be transformed into a fall prevention system. When the bed detects an uneven distribution of weight or a sudden change in position, it can trigger an alert, notifying caregivers of a potential fall risk. This feature can provide peace of mind for both users and their loved ones.

7. Conclusion: A Tapestry Woven with Innovation and Compassion
The Uri-Bed isn't just a bed; it's a symbol of hope and a testament to the power of human ingenuity. It's a testament to the unwavering human spirit that strives to improve the lives of others. We envision a future where technology seamlessly integrates with care, where individuals facing incontinence can reclaim their dignity and independence. We envision a future where every night is a restful one, and where proactive care empowers a healthier tomorrow. Join us on this journey as we weave a tapestry of innovation, one revolutionary beep at a time. By creating solutions like the Uri-Bed, we can ensure that the twilight years are truly golden, filled with comfort, dignity, and a renewed sense of well-being.
This was made by using tools in our Atal Lab and was displayed at National Thalir innovation fest and won creative mastery award. Also had the opportunity to display it at T-WORKS Hyderabads Makers Space Open House which displayed various prototypes and new ideas and got ideas from engineers on how to further develop it.
Worked on Wipro Earthian Waste Management project, assessing qualitatively and quantitatively the wastage generated in school as a whole and disposal measure. Got to know the waste is burnt in the area near to school buses which the students as well as the cows which are in the School's Cattle House are in close proximity with during breaks and home returning time and hence approached the authorities and enclosed the area where the waste is burnt with tin sheds, limiting it's transfusion to human and animal lives and limiting the area where it's burnt, reducing the land that gets degraded.
Also won Swami Vivekananda Youth Level Leadership Award for Outstanding Leader. The contest was held over a 5 month period and had 500 participants in the start. Contest assessed decision making, collaborativeness, thinking ability, honesty quotient, speech, communication, approachibility as a leader, and team work. For context it's Yuva Sangharsh Award by Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad. For context and clarity: https://rkmath.org/ys/
Grade 12th It'll start soon. I'll be applying for Head Boy. Plan on inception of a Major Club: Young leaders club which will house minor magnet clubs like mental health peer support group to help students battle mental health issues due to academics and family problems,environment warriors, bookers club, and youth advocacy club.
I'll be giving SAT but am unsure about the funds cuz again it'll cost 12k for the registration. I'm working right now to save the amount. It's the finances.
I'm unsure about my college acceptance. I've added big ivy universities and mainly private universities cuz they'll be need blind if I get in and are generous, unlike others who take international students as cash cows. If the tution is covered I can manage housing and flight by education loan as such. Public universities give a side eye to international students so can't afford that.
Due to financial constraints I've also started preparing for JEE - an examination in our nation for admission to engineering colleges as a backup option just in case this doesn't work.
Welllp guys lemme know how's it and where should I improve. universities give a side eye to international students so can't afford that

Because a new Summer School mini series has arrived, I have decided to make my ideas for the upcoming arc. This arc will last four and a half parts and will build upon the plot to Jeffy’s 20th Birthday!
Each part comes out in one week and in each part of the story, a kid or two gets phased out. This will happen until Cody and Mikey are the last two students remaining.
Part 1: In a torturous first day, Junior plots to get Darryl grounded as pay back for getting him into this mess, but when another student is stuck in a bear trap in recess, Junior sacrifices himself to save Darryl and the other student from getting snatched! This devastates Jeffy, who decides to run away from home when his news causes friction between Marvin and Rose. The house is never the same again.
Part 2: The animal crackers and apple juice are in short supply. So to avoid having the lunch lady’s slop, Cody and Joseph lead the class to stealing pizza from Little Caesars and honor Junior for their triumph. The block obsessed kid gets taken.
Part 2.5: The Halfway Point of the series that explains where Junior and the kidnapped children are. This will be for people who are impatient and worried about Junior’s whereabouts.
It turns out that Junior was taken to a Fun Warehouse with bouncy houses, rideable toys, and a lot of Chuck E Cheese pizzas! However, he gets oblivious to who owns the warehouse: Mr. Winkle! And his partner in crime: Screwball The Clown! 🎵DUN DUN DUN!!!🎵
Part 3: The class watches a lame mock buster movie made for babies while Screwball dresses up like a ninja and tries to kidnap the injured kid, but Joseph pushes her outta the way and he and Darryl get captured. This cripples Steinbeck and Cody. Mikey doesn’t seem to care… but the last day will make him care…
Part 4: The Sad Last Day That Ends With A Boom.
Cody and Mikey are the only students left as the injured student dropped out after being traumatized about witnessing Junior, Joseph, and Darryl’s kidnappings. They take their final exam, but Mikey’s failed sabotage attempt reveals that there’s a bomb! Mikey is stuck under the rubble with the bomb on it, but Cody pulls Mikey out using his muscles and the two jump from the window and the school explodes!
Mikey becomes grateful that Cody saved him, but Clarissa and Steinbeck are still in the rubble. They’re still alive, but with a few burns and scratches that are surprisingly minor. That’s because they were shielded by the closet which was cleaned.
With the school destroyed, Cody goes on a journey to find Jeffy and investigate the whereabouts of his lost friends!
And after two months, the birthday war will commence!
So what do you fans think of this idea? Do you think I actually put effort into it? Or are there some problems with it?
Let me know in the comment section.

A little over a month ago while just sitting on the couch working I suddenly got what was one of the worst migraines of my life. Didn’t go away for 24 hours and then for a week straight just had daily headaches. Saw a doctor who ordered CT scan, brain MRI, and prescribed migraine meds. Everything normal and headaches started to go away.
But as the headaches went away I developed weird visual symptoms that have been difficult to describe - not dizziness but almost like my eyes can’t focus properly and the external environment is just too overstimulating and my eyes are trying to focus on everything, even what’s in my peripherals. Like I can see but it’s almost like I’m disoriented cause I’m not able to relax my gaze. And when reading things up close my vision just blurs in and out rapidly like my eye muscles are pulsating. Then the longer I’m out and about especially in colorful or bright environments, the worse it gets. Caffeine also makes it flair up real bad.
After seeing a neurologist who concluded there’s nothing neurological going on, I was convinced of some eye issues so saw both optometrist and ophthalmologist who did a bunch of tests and basically said my eyes are perfect. They told me to get a second neurology opinion cause they think it’s migraine related.
But could all this just be anxiety? I’m at a loss, feels like I’ve exhausted all avenues with doctors and have no clue how to get relief from this as been constant now for 6 weeks