Howdy good folks! My daughter who is just a year from graduating with a teaching degree to teach 6th grade had her car die and I gotta either help her fix it or get her another one that will last her a few years till she has a job (teacher, so maybe it needs to last her forever considering those salaries). Help a homie out.
I am hoping not to have to sell all this stuff, so when I reach my needed amount I will be closing this sale. BIN Early, BIN Often :P
I am not gonna give my password to anyone ever!! 2FA IS ENABLED!! I hope you all do the same.
PROOF & ALBUM - https://imgur.com/a/u2kwawh
I tried to make some interesting lots, if you see something in one of the lots, make me an offer and I may pull it from the lot.
Offers accepted on multiple items.
More pics available via chat. Just ask.
I have one trade offer for a 100oz Engelhard at the bottom of this post.
BIN it and Win it. First to BIN gets it. Otherwise I decide the order in which I respond to chats.
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GOLD
1x - 1oz 1988 Gold Panda in Capsule - https://imgur.com/aWrOeyo - https://imgur.com/kv6Xxiy - $2375
1x - MASSIVE 6.33g Gold Nugget from Oregon - This is beautifully wrapped around quartz and would make an amazing pendent - https://imgur.com/BRIYOjM (more pics in the proof album) - $450
1x - 1/10 gold 2022 Perth Kangaroo - https://imgur.com/ke6TMlX - $260
1x - 1/10 gold 2023 Perth Lunar Rabbit - https://imgur.com/vEkcIxW - $275
1x - 1/10 gold 2022 Perth Lunar Tiger - https://imgur.com/vEkcIxW - $285
3x - 1/10 gold Canadian Maple Leaf, 1999, 2021, 2022 - https://imgur.com/I1LjkxI - $260 each
1x - 1/10 gold 2018 Canadian Polar Bear - https://imgur.com/I1LjkxI - $265
1x - 1/10 gold 2023 Brittania, Chuck-e-cheese obverse - https://imgur.com/I1LjkxI - $260
2x - 1/10 gold China Panda, 1988, 2014 - https://imgur.com/fa6Oy0c - https://imgur.com/QWYwz9T - $265 each
1x - 3g gold China Panda 2023 - https://imgur.com/fa6Oy0c - https://imgur.com/QWYwz9T - $265
3x - 1g gold Geiger, factory sealed in plastic assay - https://imgur.com/53e8s07 - $95 each
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SILVER HAND POUR LOT
https://imgur.com/1E91XBg
10.44 ozt of silver hand pours from various makers, they range in size from 10g to 127g and are all pretty spiffy - $330
If you are interested in this lot, I will send pics via chat. THe attached pic has a 100g loaf not included in this lot, but is for sale.
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SILVER LOCAL ARTIST HAND POURED ART
1x - GlassPanther Bender Statue with base (2+ oz) - https://imgur.com/m8QjhQb - $75
1x - GlassPanther 2oz Anvil - https://imgur.com/JdWnpsp - $75
1x - GlassPanther Shut UP and Take My Money Pocket Piece - https://imgur.com/rluPhS9 - https://imgur.com/Lr8n2sH - $40
1x - Lot of two YourMailmanSays lego Star Wars pours (1.25oz total) - https://imgur.com/TxVe4un -$60
1x - YourMailmanSays hand poured Mail Truck (just under an oz) - https://imgur.com/u9LQX43 - $50
1x - 3oz Monarch Skull Pour - https://imgur.com/j4Qivh8 - $99
1x - 3.52oz Crazy Train Bullion Kit-Kat, amazing piece - https://imgur.com/4ze6Li2 - https://imgur.com/6ss9qzP - $175
1x - 5oz Barbarian Bar, neat art, not sure who artist is - https://imgur.com/41T4a3O - $175
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10oz PERTH MINT ROUNDS
1x - 10oz 2014 Kookaburra in Original Factory Capsule - https://imgur.com/RW3UkDB - $380
1x - 10oz 2015 Kookaburra in Original Factory Capsule - https://imgur.com/QKv2TKZ - $380
1x - 10oz 2018 Kookaburra in Original Factory Capsule - https://imgur.com/wXqfBm5 - $380
1x - 10oz 2015 Lunar Goat in Original Factory Capsule - https://imgur.com/notQ4S6 - $380
1x - 10oz 2016 Lunar Monkey in Original Factory Capsule - https://imgur.com/s4AyIXt - $380
BIN ALL 10oz PERTH (50oz total) FOR $1800
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VINTAGE SILVER
1x - 7.5oz (8 bars) Lot, neat stuff from 1970s, Babe Ruth, Einstein, MLK JR, South East Refining, Stage Coach Silver divisible bar, Labor Day 1973, Fathers Day 1973, Liberty Dog Tag - https://imgur.com/3ly0ZE8 - https://imgur.com/qcP66dd - $250 for all
1x - WH Foster 1968 Sunshine Mining 3oz Bar #638 - https://imgur.com/W0MTdax - https://imgur.com/a5EnV94 - $175 (comps reached $499)
1x - WH Foster 1968 Consolidate Silver 3oz Bar #638 - https://imgur.com/W0MTdax - https://imgur.com/a5EnV94 - $150
1x - Sheet of 8 Factory Sealed 1oz Stagecoach Silver Divisible (into 1/4) Bars - https://imgur.com/QoDvz7M - https://imgur.com/klcDFm1 - $295
1x - 5oz Johnson Matthey Bar #040211, still in factory package - https://imgur.com/xts3LXJ - $190
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LUNAR SKULL SILVER ROUNDS
https://imgur.com/drjZiTt
https://imgur.com/YPjwHnQ
The Lunar Skulls below are very low mintage and have absolutely stupid comp prices (mine are about half price). The proof coins are limited to 500 and the burnished are limited to 2000. Amazingly cool artwork and if you collect the lunar series stuff, you will love this really cool twist on the subject.
Any blemishes are on the capsules, the coins are very BU. Happy to send more pics if needed.
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2015 Year of the Goat Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Ghana - $55
BIN ALL 5 Lunar Skulls for $250
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OTHER SILVER
1x - 100g Doduco Feinsilber Loaf - $110
1x - Silver 2023 Beskar Bar, some toning - https://imgur.com/rAEtvDA - $39
KINESIS MINT LOT - 2x 100g Justice bars, 8x 1oz Justice Bars, 5oz Silverback Bar. All still sealed in factory packaging and all serialized (19.43 ozt total) - https://imgur.com/6fTsjSI - https://imgur.com/7WGtkVQ - $650
Samoa/Scottsdale Mint 2024 Dragon Round Lot - 5x 1oz dragon on factory sealed strip & 5x 1/2oz dragon on factory sealed strip (7 1/2 total oz) discounted from Scottsdale Mint's prices - https://imgur.com/PhaD2Hk - $230
1x - Generic (but pretty cool stuff) Lot all in Air-tites, 20x 1oz rounds - https://imgur.com/S2Zu9RK - https://imgur.com/6WFetII - $625
1x - Odd sized Canadian, Aussie, and British Mint lot (21 total OZ) - $725 * This lot includes - https://imgur.com/4vQLfh5 - https://imgur.com/6yhBu3W * 5x Canadian Wildlife 1 1/2 oz coins, no capsules would fit them * 2x Perth 2oz Rounds in capsules * 3x 2oz Queens Beast Rounds in capsules * 1x 2oz Canadian Kraken in Capsule
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100 OZ ENGELHARD FOR TRADE ONLY
https://imgur.com/nTuqOpK - https://imgur.com/DFafrLw - https://imgur.com/tMYbMQp
I have a 100oz ENGELHARD BAR in Original package that I would trade for:
93 ASE (If you have 5 tubes I would work out difference with you to keep them full if you like).
OR
95-100 OZ of miscellaneous other silver, show me what you have and we can decide what is fair. If plain generic, then 100 to 100.
We each cover our own shipping. I would use Priority Mail and add signature confirmation.
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PAYMENT - Zelle or Venmo (NO NOTES), Paypal F&F, fiat cash, checks, money orders. Checks and Money orders need to fully clear first before I ship anything.
SHIPPING - $5-9. Insurance at your request, charged at cost. I pack and ship like I like to receive it. Nicely secured, padded, and no jingling. I hand deliver to post office for scanning and will provide tracking.
RESPONSIBILITY - It ends when the package shows delivered in tracking. If you have a problem with porch pirates I recommend signature confirmation, which I can provide at cost. All items verified on a Sigma at my LCS. I stand behind what I sell 100%.
SECURITY - All my proof pictures will contain my ZENPATHFINDER silver round name badge that u/UnresolvedEgo made. I love it. You should consider a name badge of your own if you sell. I am no dummy and any "mod" that says I am banned and they need my password to see my chats gets a nice teabagging pic and is reported. I will always use my custom name tag to provide proof via chat, just ask. I have 2FA on my account.

There has been a family of bunnies that have been on my property/yard and recently the momma bunny got killed by a car. The two little babies keep rushing up to cuddle my feet/hide behind my back whenever I go out to smoke or sit on my swing outside. They are so tiny, I have not fed them but they are almost always under my porch or around my swing seemingly waiting for me. Should I call some sort of animal care place or just try and take care of them? Not sure what to do that is best, they will literally come sleep on me and cling to me when I try to go back inside my house 😞 I feel bad leaving them be. Edit: I have cats, so I can't really bring them inside full time or anything, maybe make a space in the shed or garage with a door for them is about it. Ive posted this in help rabbits advice and they refuse to even allow it. I feel bad, I don't want these adorable little ones to be hurt by my mistakes going forward. I can make an enclosure to help them, but I think maybe contacting DNR would be better?

There has been a family of bunnies that have been on my property/yard and recently the momma bunny got killed by a car. The two little babies keep rushing up to cuddle my feet/hide behind my back whenever I go out to smoke or sit on my swing outside. They are so tiny, I have not fed them but they are almost always under my porch or around my swing seemingly waiting for me. Should I call some sort of animal care place or just try and take care of them? Not sure what to do that is best, they will literally come sleep on me and cling to me when I try to go back inside my house 😞 I feel bad leaving them be. Edit: I have cats, so I can't really bring them inside full time or anything, maybe make a space in the shed or garage with a door for them is about it.

Authors note: Don't expect your typical dumb male anime character the MC in my Fanfiction is smart and resourceful.
Falmart. Near the Warrior bunny border. 673 imperial calendar.
"He what!" screamed Zorzel infuriated. "Yes, your father delayed the invasion by 4 months." Said Guyus Flamus. Guyus wore a golden helmet blazoned with the imperial insignia and armor with traces of purple. Unlike most Generals had no real fear of the prince. Sure, the prince was good at hacking and slashing his way through problems, but he lacked technique when it came to sword fighting. If things came to a head, he could easily beat the king's brat in a sword fight. For now, Zorzel was untouchable due to his royal status but when it all came crashing down on the young prince Guyus hoped he would be the one to deliver his head to Sadera doorstep. Oh, how he wished he could just cut off the prince's head here and there. For now, the prince was safe from his clutches.
"My father really doubts our grand legions. He really thinks our great legions are as pathetic as those devil blooded Bunnies. Preposterous!" Zorzel yelled and whined. "My prince, your father just wants your army to be at full strength there is nothing wrong with that. This will also ensure our victory is quicker against the savages." Said Guyus as he spoke without hesitation or fear. "I guess...you have a point if we had all the legions our victory would be quicker, and I could claim their queen in all my glory far easier." Zorzel said while looking around in deep thought. "Good to see that you aren't playing the fool my prince." said Guyus calmly. Guyus was glad he was able to calm another one of the prince's mood swings.
Then one of the slaves entered bringing the prince some food and wine on a golden tray. "Poor girl" thought Guyus knowing exactly what was going to happen next. Zorzel ate his food while eying the demi human slave. Guyus turned his head as he heard a smack, a muffled scream followed by a dragging sound. Guyus never liked those inferior and corrupt demi humans but the prince's treatment of them was disgusting even for him. Those beasts deserved to be burned and hacked to pieces. Not repeatedly beaten and raped. By Emory because the king assigned him to be under his son. He couldn't complain. Good soldiers follow orders. The best he could do was push Zorzel in the right direction and try to help him control his lust.
Falmart. Longus forest. 673 Imperial calendar.
I woke up in a forest. It didn't look like the Jungles of my motherland. hadn't I just been in Ho Chi Min city before. What happened. The last thing I remember was something hitting my head. Then again it was a dumb idea to be contemplating your experiences by a lumber yard getting renovated. The forest was certainly beautiful. Its purple and red leaves gave it a peacefulish feel.
While I could have just stayed here my training kicked in and I got up and scanned the area. The forest seemed to stretch on for miles possibly. I needed a better view. I carefully climbed a tree. It brought back memories of me setting up traps in the trees for the Americas or simply using them as a sniper's perch. These trees were easier to climb than the trees in the jungles of his home country to my surprise and luck. I finally made it to the top and looked out. I saw some kind of village off in the distance with a wooden palisade wall. It reminded me a bit of those villages the south Vietnamese and Americas had built during the Strategic Hamlet program. It's possible that I could reach it by the end of the day, but I intended to take a slow approach and have a good idea of the wildlife of this forest. The forest looked akin to the forests in Europe. Maybe the Hindu belief of reincarnation was true.
Was it possible I had reincarnated in the future after he had possibly died from the head trauma caused by whatever fell on my head. No, no that wouldn't make sense, I still felt old, and my hands looked old. I would keep this possibility floating about. I needed to find another person to find out where exactly where I was. Right, ah fuck. I had just realized the possibility of a language barrier when I would end up meeting a person. This wasn't Vietnam and there would be almost certainly a language barrier.
While thinking these thoughts I hummed to myself to keep myself calm. A neat trick I and many others in the Vietcong had learned was that in a high stress situation or any survival situation in general humming and singing was a good method of calming yourself down and distracting the brain. Since I was for now in a survival situation humming should do the trick at calming myself. I walked for some hours when I saw a clearing up ahead. Not wanting to simply walk out into the clearing I hid myself in a bush so I could see if anyone or anything else was in this clearing. I saw some kind of mining camp with near naked men, women, and children being whipped and forced to work. This reminded me to much of what the French had done to my country. The men whipping them in question were.... Romans?
Falmart. Imperial mining camp. 673 Imperial calendar.
Senfried von Jurgun rode out to the mining camp. His assistant Uriel, a Chesnut haired Dwarven girl was busy staring at a butterfly on her shoulder. Senfried wasnt an ordinary imperial legate. He was a warrior bunny. He knew when he saw the imperial legions marching to fight in the artic war when he was just 10 that the future lied in Sadera. If he wanted to secure a strong position and a good life, he needed to join the legions and rise the ranks. He had run away from home and knowing that the Saderans wouldn't accept a bunny like him into their ranks he cut off his own ears and small tail in a brutal and painful process to hide his identity. He changed his name and pretended to be from the kingdom of the Elbe. This was all worth it He was now in command of his very own army.
He stared at the conditions of the camp. "By Emory" He grumbled. The camp was in a rather disgusting state. The slaves were forced to sleep in holes in the ground, and the guards slept in tents and hadn't set up a proper barracks like protocol stated. He also doubted the guards’ combat ability. They were near his kind’s border. His kind was known to repeated raid into imperial border settlements and camps and these delinquents hadn't set up a proper wall ugh. He knew his kind better than anyone they would most certainly raid this camp.
"Uriel." He said as she stared at the butterfly on her shoulder. She made and eep sound before looking back at him. "Yes legate." She said nervously. "Stop staring at the butterflies, we are doing a manual inspection, and I can't have my assistant distracted. By the way do you have the magic scrolls I asked you to bring." He asked raising and eyebrow. "Yes sir. I have 5 scrolls of healing,3 scroll of fire, and 1 teleportation scroll." She said calming down. He gave her a reassuring smile before saying "Good we will need those for the upcoming invasion." He tried to make a rough estimate of how many guards he should remove from the camp to add to his army without the camp being underdefended, which it already was. He sighed. He could take about 50 soldiers with him to add to his army which wasn't much but that was 50 more bodies in the ever-growing imperial army.
After some quick berating of the troops and getting them to start building a proper wall he asked Uriel to give him a communication scroll. He wrote in it. "Needing trolls and ogres to help haul out more minerals from mines and for future invasion" The was a limit to how much he could write in these scrolls which was the downside of them also they were expensive as well. The scroll turned into blue particles and flew to the camp of his friend Guyus Falmus.
He hoped Falmus who was sadly dealing with that entitled piece of orc shit Zorzel had Trolls and ogres to spare since slaves wouldn't make the cut if they needed to meet the monthly quota of gold needed to fund the invasion. He needed stronger creatures. He turned around and saw Uriel practicing with her mace on a target dummy in the camp which was supposed to be used to train the guards, but they seemed to have used it. Lazy fucks.
Falmart. Warrior Bunnies capital. 673 Imperial calendar.
"So... imperial legions are amassing at the border." said queen Tyuule as she spoke calmly while hiding her nervousness. "Yes, my queen spoke to general Lilith. This wasn't an ideal scenario. Most warrior bunny villages were nomadic and moved around when they saw fit. Her duty as a queen was largely to serve as a unifying force to stop these Villages from ripping each other apart due to petty disputes. She utterly hated having to go from Village to village trying to stop
the bitter infighting between the prideful members of each village and clan. The thing that bugged her the most was she had no idea when the empire would strike. It unnerved her greatly. "Send messengers to each of the clans and villages warning them of the impending invasion. We need to unite of we are going to halt the giant that is the empire." She spoke. "Yes, my queen." Said Lilith.
Before Lilith left, she asked. "Permission to speak freely." she had a hint of doubt and forbidding in her voice. "Of course, that's always allowed." Tyuule said happily. "Do you think we have a chance against the empire. We saw what they did against the Artic tribe, The cat tribes, and the Inu confederation." Lilith spoke nervously. Tyuule took a deep breath and said carefully. "Militarily we can't win. What we can do is bleed the imperial legions dry so they are forced to withdraw so we can solidify some kind of truce." Lilith frowned at this but also wasn't entirely disappointed in Tyuules answer. "I see my Queen." said before leaving. It was going to be a long day for Tyuule.

Chapter 1: The Oddest Blue Ball
…Welcome to the Ai circus….
…Brains are breaking, systems nervous…
‘He’s been acting really odd recently…’ Murmured the said person’s self-proclaimed best friend as he shuffled his cards, eyeing the others for validation of his statement.
‘The Earth you mean? Umm…yeah I’ve been trying but-’ The Satellite was cut off by none other than the most hot tempered planet among the terrestrials.
‘Yeah, yeah whatever, can we ever talk about something else?’ Venus grumbled.
‘Calm down Venus, he’s our friend.’ Mars instructed firmly.
‘Whatever, isn’t this pipsqueak always with him? What are you doing anyways?’ Venus asked sharply, turning his attention to the quiet satellite.
‘He told me to give him some time, I didn’t want to but…’, Luna sighed deeply, ’-Here I am.’
‘You should go back, he can’t be alone for long’ Mars expressed his concerns.
‘Maybe’ Luna answered, his thoughts getting scattier as he drifted away, ignoring the confused stares of the planets, who resumed playing cards.
The Earth has been acting odd in the sense that he had stopped talking, almost to everyone, including but not limited to Luna. He’d put on acts after the revolution of joviality, but really the only mood he seemed to be in was apathetic. Like an actor on the stage, the only time he spoke up was to correct factual errors, much like Jupiter but more condescending and for the purpose of belittlement and personal jabs, which are frankly out of character, giving fits of sarcasm was another problem. Like the apology to everyone meant nothing to him.
The thoughts would remuniate through the satellite’s head multiple times, failing to provide any solution to the problem at hand.
It was a while before Luna reached his orbit near the Blue ball, who was facing towards the asteroid belt and muttering in an almost funny manner, holding stacks of papers in his hand.
‘Hey Earth…what’s that?’ The satellite peaked through his shoulder, making the planet jump and obscuring the sheets from Luna’s view, who only managed to catch the word,’revolution’.
‘Moon, how many times have I told you not to be so quiet?!’ The Earth picked up his usual cynical dripping with a touch of acerbic tone.
Luna rolled his eyes, already prepared for the acidic encounter, praying moons such as Ganymede and Europa don’t find out about these recent developments,’Ugh, right, what is that anyways?’
‘None of your business.’ The tone filled with intended venom.
‘Look Earth I know the revolution has been-’ Luna launched into the same speech he has given a thousand times in a matter of weeks.
‘It’s not about that revolution, so shut up.’
‘Can you not act like a jerk for two minutes?’Luna snapped, delivering his out of character statement, he knew it was a bad move as soon as the words escaped his mouth.
‘Ugh, whatever Moon, just leave me alone, I told you I don’t want to be your friend!’Luna flinched hearing the words, he still hasn’t gotten used to them.
‘You’ve changed Earth you weren’t always-’
‘What do you expect? Look…don’t make me say something I’ll regret, hang out with Titan or whatever.’ Earth avoided eye contact.
‘As you wish, Earth.’
Luna left the scene, unsure whether Earth saw the teardrop rolling down the said satellite’s cheek, his planet’s indifference was starting to affect the moon, Luna wandered around in the asteroid belt, he didn’t immediately react as he bumped into someone. He looked straight, it was a slightly smaller satellite curiously studying him as if he were…what did they call? An artifact in the paleontology department, somewhat.
‘I’m sorry, who are you again?’
‘Great question…’ The smaller celestial mumbled.
‘What did-’
‘Umm, Luma! Yes, Luma’s my name, I am not sure..I mean sure!’ The satellite stammered, acting like a total mess.
‘Uh okay, nice to meet you, I'm Luna.’
Luma is staring at the celestial awkwardly, possibly due to the unobscure similarity in the names, Luna stares right back, spacing out for a bit.
‘Sooooo Luna? Like Earth’s moon?’
Luna cringed at being referred to as an object but he didn’t not correct the newcomer, he was a little estranged out, Luma looked familiar…but unfamiliar…
Is he a Moon? Is he a planet?
But perhaps the oddest observation was perhaps Luma’s reaction, as if he didn’t know who the former satellite was, but weren’t all Moons in the revolution? Is he a dwarf-
‘Hello? Umm…Luma to Luna? Earth to Luna? Solar system to-’ Luma continued his rambling, the weird analogies, the former Moon could only think about the familiarity of the situation…that was so unfamiliar.
‘Right, sorry, hey are you a dwarf planet?’
‘I’m a Moon actually…’ Luma answered, unaware that he had opened a Pandora of questions.
‘I know it’s stupid but I think I’ve never seen you during the revolution.’ Luna smiled apologetically, expecting a yes and a possible hypothesis that he had missed the satellite in the 300 moons besides the other celestials.
Instead Luma stared at him blankly with an open mouth, it was only for a fraction of second but the doubt was planted in the delayed reaction.
‘Um, yes! I-I probably missed you too.’ The latter laughed nervously, Moon could tell there was a layer of superficiality and sense of lie…the same aura he gets around Earth these days.
But he ignored it.
‘Okay…bit odd you know, you’re so-’
‘Noticeable? I knowwww right..??! It’s so weird, um, gotta go!’
‘Wait I-’
But Luma was already rushing towards the other side, to the terrestrial side of the solar system, The Moon felt a weird excitement in his stomach that he couldn’t point out.
Was he the Moon of jupiter?
He’s almost as large as me…
What is he hiding?
Did he not know about the revolution?
Why is he so familiar?
Why is he going to the terrestrials?
What is the weird energy?
The questions haunted him but he shook his head, reassuring that it was a weird coincidence, but his face….
Luma’s face looked so nostalgic…The bright golden eyes, the silver-golden lining, the sun symbol in his hair…
Wait, a sun clipping?
All the other moons would only wear Lunar clippings…
Who was he?
(1000 words)
Chapter 1.5: Keeper
…You can run but you can’t hide…
A few days before:
‘Will you just ignore your friend?’ Sneered the sinister voice from nowhere.
‘No, no, no, I won’t do what you ask.’ He called out desperately.
‘Just keep an eye on him, won’t you? my dearest friend?’The voice replied.
‘No, no, no, I won’t hurt anyone!’
‘You’re not hurting anyone, but I will if you don’t obey me.’ The voice turned murderously melodic and sweet.
‘No…I am not your friend, i won’t-’
‘Won’t what?!’The voice boomed in his ears.
‘Won’t hurt…won’t spy…’ he whimpered.
‘I see, you won’t keep an eye on things?’
‘N-no.’
‘Well then…say goodbye to your precious friends…’
He didn’t flinch but fear rose in his chest as his heartbeat grew painfully faster and his stomach twisted tighter into a knot, he was ashamed…
Because he didn’t care about his friends.
‘Acting tough? Alright, what if I offer you freedom?’The voice was behind him now, it was charismatic in nature and soft in tone.
‘No…you won’t…’ He gasped, the words right on the tip of his tongue, burning.
‘A place you can call home…without him to bother?’
‘…I’ll do anything…to get out.’ The words vomited out before he could stop as a look of abhorrence rose on his face as he realized he had just made a deal with the devil, a sudden feeling of nausea hit him, dizziness took over him.
‘Good.’
(230 words)
Chapter 2: The Stranger
…I don’t control the words that I say with my mouth….
…They sent us a saint but then made him a clown…
‘Europa, babe, do you know who this Limmy-Luma guy is?’Ganymede frowned as he straightened his crooked baseball cap, looking at the dainty satellite in front of him.
‘Who?’ Europa grumbled, looking down, probably pondering about the revolution and the smaller moons.
‘I met this guy, he was weird babe.’ Ganymede shook his head, the machine in his head furiously working to place the stranger’s head, like an earworm, only for memory.
‘Could you be more specific, Ganymede?’ Europa scrunched her eyebrows in annoyance, which the former thought looked cute.
‘Didn’t pay much attention Europe, but he was kinda similar to Earth’s Moon.’ Ganymede whistled through the non-existent air.
‘You mean in size, Ganymede?’ Europa’s voice hit a condescending note, but Ganymede could tell she wasn’t really irritated.
‘Yea, he didn’t talk much.’ the latter shrugged but before he could stop himself he caught himself saying the following;
‘His face though, yea, it was really familiar, ‘Ope you listening?’ Ganymede looked up, snapping from his thoughts.
‘Oh right, I don’t think I’ve met him, Ganymede.’ Europa looked at her boyfriend thoughtfully.
‘wasn't really that small either.’ the latter frowned as suspicion aroused him.
‘Whatever, we should be focusing on our plan for equality, not some stupid stranger you just met.’ Europa snapped, probably her anger about the failed revolution.
‘Whatever Europe…’ Ganymede murmured as he toyed with his cap, something about the stranger not sitting right.
A smaller satellite nearly crashed into him, Ganymede looked at the crasher angrily, only to raise his eyebrow.
‘Earth’s Moon? What are you doing here, Earth didn’t tear into rings?’ Europa spoke up, vinegar dripping in her words, before Ganymede could interfere.
The Grey-silver moon stared at them not uttering the word, Ganymede didn’t need empathy to sense something was wrong, not that he cared.
‘You’re still not…out of commission?’ The latter looked bored.
‘Shut up…’ Earth’s Moon muttered and drifted off to Saturn’s orbit, most likely looking for Timmy.
‘What's up with him now?’
Chapter 2.5: The Stranger-2
…I don’t control the words that I say with my mouth….
…They sent us a saint but then made him a clown…
Luna ignored the piercing glares from Ganymede and Europa behind him as he drifted into the orbit of one of his friends, namely Titan. He didn’t have the time,, energy or confidence to deal with snarky comments about his home planets,
Mainly because he was starting to question his own faith.
He didn’t notice as the friendly Jovian Satellite greeted him,
‘Hey Earth’s moon- I mean Luna, how are you?’ Titan gave a sheepish smile, clearly embarrassed about the slip up.
‘Hey Titan…been a while huh?’ Luna smiled weakly, Titan must’ve sensed something wrong because,
‘What’s wrong? Is it about the Earth? Please don’t tell me he-’ Titan rambled, although he had forgiven Earth, obviously he couldn’t help but be suspicious of the planet, Luna hated how he was right.
‘It’s nothing…’
‘What did he say now?’ the former sighed.
‘Just been acting weird, alarmed all the time…As if someone was trying to hurt him.’ Luna frowned, the last part came out satisfactory in an odd manner, Titan raised an eyebrow, clearly worried.
‘I don’t know, like you know him better than I do.’ Titan shrugged, he didn’t seem to care much.
‘Hey Titan, do you know about this weird moon? Is he one of Saturn’s ?’
‘Huh?’ The jovian seemed a bit confused as to what Luna was talking about.
‘It's nothing…’ Luna sighed for the lack of answers. What was his name? Luma?
Titan blinked before answering, ’You mean Luma?’
‘YES! Do you know him??’ Excitement buzzed through the terrestrial satellite’s body.
‘Not really, I met him a while ago, claimed to be one of Saturn’s moon, but when asked about the revolution, he seemed at a loss of words.’ Titan answered, looking mildly disturbed.
‘Do you think he’s lying?’
‘Maybe, but everything is so strange these days, Saturn’s been acting freaked out, he’s barely letting me leave the orbit, talking in hushed tones with Jupiter, then you are talking about how Earth’s acting strange. I suppose Luma could be a new moon that has missed the announcement, because I’ve never met him before.’ Titan explained, he shuddered while saying the words, it might just be the chilly temperature but Luna wasn’t sure.
‘I see…thanks for your help.’ The latter couldn’t help but pout his disappointment.
‘But me and Titania talk sometimes, she’s really cool!’ Titan added cheerfully, discarding their previous conversation, Typical, Luna thought.
They chatted for maybe about 30 minutes before Luna thought about going back to his orbit before Earth went ballistic missile mode and refused to talk for another week. It's like dealing with a child , Luna thought to himself, before scoffing, Titan raised an eyebrow.
‘Thinking about Earth?’ he asked in a bored tone.
‘How did you-’
‘Because that’s all you do.’
‘No that's not true-’
‘Calm down, was just trying to point something out…maybe spend a little time away with him, you can hang out with me?’ Titan grinned like an idiot.
‘Whatever…’ Luna put his palm on his forehead as the knot in his stomach tightened.
Luna waved Titan goodbye as he made sure to avoid the moons of Jupiter while returning, out of nowhere a hand grabbed him and turned him around.
Luna grabbed an asteroid ready to attack the stranger…
It was Luma.
‘WHAT- why are you-?!’.
Not a wise decision to yell, Luma shoved his hand on the former satellite’s mouth and shushed him without uttering a word, he seemed tense, The Moon stopped struggling out of fear.
Luma had paled, ’Don’t turn around Earth’s Moon…or it’ll get you…’
The Moon took a chance and being stronger pushed the former aside, turning around to see…
Just asteroids.
Luma blinked, apparently confused, that slowly turned into his usual jumpy self as the satellite in front of him glared, anger blazing in his eyes.
‘I-I…don’t-’
‘What was that for?’The tone was steely.
‘I just thought-’, Luma stammered, clearly at a loss for words as he summoned his wild hand motions.
‘Though what you? We could’ve crashed.’ Luna glared at him.
‘Can’t explain…I have to go…’ Luma turned away again.
‘Wait you-’
He disappeared again, The Moon started mumbling in frustration as he started heading towards Earth, his day couldn’t get any better.
As he was about to drift away, something caught his eye, white, Luna grabbed it, it was paper, he frowned, something was written on it…typed?
“The Moon escape”
He began to read…
(1030 words)
Chapter 3: Rio Lee Heelshires
…the heelshire mansion, it’s a place you’ll learn to love…
…Welcome to my house, obey the rules….
It was a any mundane afternoon in the 1990s Chicago, a warm summer breeze blew right through Ophelia’s ash coloured, long hair as she swung her legs off the swings popping open a Stephan Hawking book titled, “The Brief history Of Time”, she turned a page as a familiar voice called out to her.
‘Ophie, quick! The new game is out!’ called out her twin Rio wearing a mask he usually does . “Ophie” jumped from the swing, leaving her book dangling in the seat, one step of carelessness and it might have fallen into the mud below, she didn’t care at the moment.
The two rushed to the other side of the Heelshire mansion to find their cousin, Enzo.
‘Zoh! Come quick.’ Ophelia called out as her younger cousin came rushing forward, dropping behind his puppets and the creepy ventriloquist dummy.
‘Is it out? Is it out?’
‘Come fast, Laurenzo just drop the dolls!’ Rio hissed at his siblings, clearly annoyed by his cousin’s obsession with dolls, typical, Ophie thought to herself as she followed her twin’s fast steps to the nearby arcade, struggling to keep up, by the looks of it so was Enzo.
Why did her older brother have to be so impatient?
It was the new pacman game, it had been released about a decade ago but the arcade only opened a few months ago so the games kept releasing one after another, needless to say Rio and Theo were obsessed so they kept dragging her into it, she didn’t care for the game but it was nice to see her twin not be overly cynical for a few moments in his life, as much as she loved him,
He was insufferable, although it might have to do something with his illness…
Needless to say they reached the arcade as monkeys would reach for a banana stall, even though Ophelia didn’t admit she loved some of the games, especially Q*Bert, she would toy with the game for hours.
The arcade was filled with heavy video game machines, each with Neon spray paint screaming for attention, the covers bright and colorful, and the consoles and controls worn out from being played so much by the locals, all connected to one port at the back, but the most noticeable detail about the video game arcade was the crowding around the new machine, Pacman.
Of course not, it was 5-10 people.
‘Aww, damn it, we are never going to get a turn.’ Rio slumped his shoulders, Enzo looked unfazed and maybe a little jaded.
‘We just might.’ Ophie remarked, as she pointed towards the line that got shorter with every furious nerd storming out.
‘Seems like a hard game.’ Commented Enzo, twirling his slightly curly hair.
‘Agreed.’
‘Oh my faint-hearted sloths for siblings, come on.’ He seized Enzo’s sleeve and dragged him into the line. Ophie wondered how he could afford to be so feisty with all the headaches, she followed nevertheless.
Turns out Ophelia was right, the newbie nerds lost pretty quick and in no time the line dropped to a quarter of its size, with more people crowding around the next player , who stormed through the crowd in a rage fit. Is this how I am like when I lose board games with my brothers? Ophie pondered over it, not for long as their turn came pretty quick.
‘I’ll go.’ Ophelia stated, both the boys looked astounded.
Ophie as she suspected was pretty bad, fortunately she had 3 quarters from saving up, which bought her brothers some time, she could hear them mumbling behind her as every kid in the arcade watched her screen intensely. Their conversation resembled somewhat this;
‘Look…the red ghost-’
‘Blinky.’
‘Yes, yes, it’s most aggressive, it comes directly for you.’
‘Mhm…’
‘And look, Inky tries to ambush you with Blinky, from the opposite side!’
The rest of the kids were turning their attention to the conversation.
‘Rio…look Clyde he almost stays in that corner and circles it.’
‘Pinky is trying to cut you off, Ophie what are you doing?!’ Rio sounded frustrated as his sister had somehow managed to get stuck in a T shaped spot, interestingly the ghosts didn’t attack her.
‘I think it’s a glitch…’, Enzo blinked and then grinned.
Ophie finally lost it, the game not her temper.
Rio pushed her aside with so much energy that she nearly crash landed on Enzo.
‘Rio! Seriously..?!’ Enzo looked more annoyed for some reason.
‘Oops, sorry.’, He didn’t seem sorry, all his attention invested in the game, the analysis seemed to have worked,
They were there for hours, okay one hour, Rio’s sister would’ve loved to tell you how many levels he crossed, except that she didn’t remember because she was playing Q*bert with her last quarter.
‘That was fun.’ Rio smirked at his siblings as he swung his legs on the swing.
‘For you, I didn't even get a turn!’ Enzo huffed, arms crossed.
‘Fine.’, Rio rolled his eyes,’You can have Ophie’s dessert tonight.’
‘HEY!’ the latter looked up from playing with the dummy in her lap.
‘Kidding, kidding, you can have mine.’
‘Seems like a good deal.’ Enzo smiled.
‘I still don’t understand why don’t you like Q*bert.’
Ophelia frowned as both the brothers exchanged a laugh, sometimes their word plays and jokes pass right over her head.
Chapter 3.5: Rio Lee Heelshires-Case
…the heelshire mansion, it’s a place you’ll learn to love…
…Welcome to my house, obey the rules….
‘Rio? C’mon your mother’s calling you!’ Enzo called out as he stepped outside the house and in the garden, which was beautifully maintained unlike the forest that was tucked right behind the house, Rio thought it was mystifying, Opheilia thought it was pest infested, there were two kinds of people in the world, Rio is in one category and the world in another, Enzo chuckled at his own thought.
‘Oye, Rio! I’ll eat your food if you don’t stop hiding.’ Enzo threatened, but he wasn’t sure it would work as he had enough trouble eating for one, plus he still had Rio’s desert.
He skipped around the garden, much to his disappointment he found no one, he wondered if he should check the forested area, as he strolled mindlessly.
‘Rio! This is not funny anymore…’ Enzo felt precipitation hit his face as his breath grew quicker and pace faster.
‘Big brother..?!’ The latter rarely referred to his cousin as “brother”, panic was settling in, fortunately his gaze landed in the right place,
On the other hand he would’ve preferred Rio to be missing…
‘W-what?’Enzo murmured softly, a look of horror settled on his face as his eyes burned with tears…
It was Rio alright and he wasn’t dead…he just seemed very close to being dead.
Countless bruises were present on his hands and legs as he leaned against a tree, collapsed on the soil of Earth, his eyes closed, Enzo hesitantly moved forward, he could sense his brother breathing, perhaps the most terrifying part of the scene was the black liquid drooling out of the corner of the former’s mouth,
He knew his cousin was sick,
He didn't know what sickness or how sick.
‘Rio…wake up…’ it seemed to have done the trick, the latter nearly jumped, smashing his head against his cousin’s, his pupils dilated, a psychology nerd like Enzo will know it was from fear due to the adrenal rush.
‘What- Y-you, don’t-’
‘I won’t tell anyone…’ Thankfully the darkness of night hid the crestfallen look on his face, besides he didn’t plan on sticking to his promise, Ophelia deserves to know. The situation felt too familiar.
Like what happened to his mother.
‘C’mon, we need to get out of here, it's not safe…I’ll help you clean up and tell everyone you are sick, alright?’
‘S-sure.’ Enzo helped his brother get up.
‘Damn it, you’re heavy…’
‘Shut your trap.’
Enzo wasn’t particularly happy about being told to shut up but he was relieved to see his brother going back to his normal self as he half dragged and half helped him to the house, making sure to take the back door and avoid Rio’s parents, Ophelia caught a glimpse as she was passing by but she didn’t speak a word and instead just avoided the two like a plague.
Thankfully the parents weren’t too worried about their children’s shenanigans as Enzo cooked up a convincing lie about Rio vomiting everywhere, nobody seemed particularly excited to go check up on the older twin so they ate dinner heartily, as much as they could muster that is, The Heelshires were infamous for being the most gloomy family around the block.
Ophelia didn’t utter a word the whole dinner, it wasn’t particularly unusual for her, she almost had an invisible, omniscient presence that allowed her to fade in white noise, but Enzo was certain it had something to do with the scene,
He met her after dinner in her room.
‘I know Lauren, he’s my twin and he’s not particularly good at hiding things.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?!’ Enzo felt his voice rising both in pitch and decibels, he almost rushed immediately to tell his sister, who could barely bother to offer the same courtesy.
‘Why exactly?’ She had her intelligent gaze fixated upon Enzo.
‘What do you-’
‘I don’t know if you are aware of yourself, but I don’t feel offering to be everyone’s personal therapist is a particularly healthy option for you that takes everything home.’ She said,
‘He’s my brother Ophelia…’
‘And I am your older sister, I think I know better.’ She cut him short, as if purposely trying to piss him off as she toyed with Enzo’s dummy.
He snatched it from her, her pupils contracted but her breath grew sharper and she looked as if she would attack her cousin.
‘I deserve to know Ophelia…we have to tell someone, we have to help-’
‘You can’t fix everything Laurenzo. The faster you learn the better.’ Ophie wouldn’t meet his eyes, it usually meant she is furious and the fact she called him by his full name.
‘But…’
‘No. Rio said nobody can fix it and I have an intuition he is right.’
‘Maybe he’s wrong…I mean we aren’t verified experts are we?’
‘Maybe you are wrong, enlighten me, how many times have you heard of strange black substances coming from teenage boys and bruises out of nowhere?’
‘...How about trying the library-’,
‘I tried, I tried to find anything, anyone that would tell me, every illness in the book from the library, there’s nothing.’ she looked as if she would burst out crying, that is what usually happens when he fights with her.
‘...okay, let’s find ways to help him.’ Ophie looked up, bewildered at his words.
‘But how? I looked everywhere.’
‘Every problem has a solution, we can be the first ones to figure this out, besides I can sense that his problems aren’t purely physical, they are psychological too.’
‘I feel that this might not work out, but as you wish.’ Ophelia responded after seemingly deep in thought, she looked up and a puzzled expression began to form on her face, Enzo quickly tried to brush off his tears, his cousin didn’t seem very impressed.
‘Why are you crying?’
‘Isn’t it obvious?’
‘Not to me, it isn’t, you just said we’ll figure out a solution.’ Ophie said.
‘How can you be so optimistic? I mean you weren’t a few seconds ago but you weren’t crying like a damn b-’
‘Eh, we need one sibling that doesn’t have real problems right?’ she smiled bitterly.
‘You shouldn’t dismiss your problems…’
‘I think you should follow your own advice first.’
She was right.
***
Ophelia knocked at her twin’s door the next morning, not particularly enthusiastic to engage in a conversation, it was hard to relate, hard to understand Rio, but she never understood people anyways, the illness, it had been five years since she knew, since Rio’s obsession with mask began, the numbness had settled in after a week and never left.
She knocked again, no reply, her frustration rose, she banged the door so loud at the third knock, that Enzo threw a cricket ball at her from the nearby room, before joining in.
‘You think he went out again?’ Ophelia asked, bored out of her mind.
‘I’ll check if his shoes are missing or not.’ Enzo disappeared downstairs as Ophelia’s mother started questioning him.
Ophie creaked open the room, the bed was messed up and no signs of civilization were found in Rio’s room, she frowned, Enzo’s ventriloquist dummy? But didn’t the latter keep it in his room last night? Clothes were distorted all over the place, books about wildlife, possibly over due on his desk.
‘He went out alright.’ Enzo came back, Ophelia closed the door, a blush rose on her face, as if a child was caught stealing candy.
‘He’ll come back.’ Ophelia reassured her younger cousin,
Or herself she didn’t know.
~
He in fact didn’t come back and was declared missing.
One day, she and her cousin found Theodore (her father) murdered, poisoned apparently and her mother sobbing hysterically in another room.
She knew who did it, she was glad he did it.
The killer hanged himself 2 days later.
(2000 words)
​

11/20/2017
Log book of Det. Ryan Snow
Case #2798: The Appalachian Murders
When I woke up, I was in such a haze that I couldn’t make out where I was at first. My vision was a blur and all I could hear was the sounds of rushing water. I tried to move my limbs, but each muscle down to my little finger felt like lead weighing down on me, making it hard to breathe.
It felt like forever before the ringing in my ear was slowly swallowed out by a voice crying out from what sounded like a distance only to grow louder as it seemed to approach me from the void I had woken up in. It wasn’t until I heard my name that I recognized it was Kate’s voice, pleading and filled with tears.
I blinked away the blur, finding myself staring up at a water damaged ceiling, a single yellow light brightening the room. My head was pounding and my body still felt heavy, but I moved my head enough to turn and see where Kate was calling from. It took a moment, but I soon realized that she was lying on her back, strapped by her arms and legs to a metal table, looking to me with wide terrified eyes.
“Detective, please help!” She cried out. “Please don’t be dead! Please help me!”
“Bl-Black…Well…” I groaned out as I tried, painfully, to pick myself up off the stone floor, “Black…Well… Ah… Shit… Shit! Ms. Blackwell-“ I was gaining consciousness minute by minute as I finally took in the situation and got to my feet. However, the moment I had gotten to my feet and began running to Kate only to immediately fall back to the floor once again, my ankle getting caught by something heavy. I turned to see my ankle had been shackled to the floor by a cuff and chains. I searched my person to find my coat, along with my Glock had been taken, blood decorating my pants and sleeves. I placed a palm to my forehead to find blood when I lowered it down to look at the warm liquid slithering down from my scalp.
“Ms. Blackwell,” I returned my attention to her, examining what I could from my place on the floor, “are you alright, are you hurt?”
“I… I… I don’t… Don’t think so…” she managed to whine out.
“Where’s Mr. Raines?”
To this question, Kate looked away from me, sobbing being her only verbal response.
I went back to the shackles on my ankle and began trying to yank the chains off from the floor, but they had been well maintained and were too strong for me to simply yank out of the stone. I then quickly looked around the room to find we were in a different basement from the one in Cabin #3, though it had the same kind of layout, the table the only major difference. I also took note of the blood stains that trailed from the sides of the table and the dried pools below.
“I want my mom!” Kate cried out, her voice echoing in the empty room.
“I’ll get you to her, I will, I promise,” I assured her, trying to find something, anything to get us out of this, “do you remember how we got down here?”
“I… I… I just re-remember… Remember you g-getting knocked out… Knocked out by someone and them… Them putting a rag over me… Then everything went black… Then I woke… Woke up… H-Here…” Kate answered, trying to breathe with each sob she let out. “I… I th-thought… y-you… You were d-d-… Dead!”
“I’m not, I’m very much alive and I’m going to get you out of here and back to your parents,” I vowed as I continued looking for a way out of this situation, “we’re going to get you out of here, get you home, and we’ll make sure no one ever gets hurt here ever-“
The sound of the basement door from the splintered wooden steps cut me off. I listened as feet descended down the steps to the basement below, Kate’s ragged breaths the only other sound. The person who came down was a woman. The same exact woman from the photo I had found in her house. She looked as if she had not aged since that photo was taken, despite how long ago it seemed the photo was taken. She had the same exact long, white hair, same tired looking eyes, and same disgustingly pale skin as in that photo and on her profile picture. It was Mrs. Larson.
“Deeeeeetectiiiiiiive,” she spoke in a hoarse voice mixed with what I assumed was her own and several others, both male and female, adult and child, “youuuuuuu shouuuullld haaaaaaaaave juuuuuuusssssst giiiiiven herrrrrrr toooooo meeeeee… Youuuuuuuu diiiiiiiiid nooooooot haaaaaave toooooooo ssssssseeeee thiiiiiissssss…”
“Fuck you!” I shouted, beginning to charge at the elderly woman only to be yanked back by my shackles. “Let us go, right now!”
“Nnnnooooo,” Mrs. Larson replied harshly as she stepped over to loom over Kate.
“Stay away from her!” I barked, trying desperately to break free of my shackles.
She ignored me as she ran a shaky hand down along Kate’s trembling face. “Ooooooooohhhhh, Kaaaaaate… Sweeeeet, sweeeeeeeet, Kaaaaaaaaaate…” Mrs. Larson cooed as she went on stroking Kate’s wet cheek. “Doooooo noooooooot crrrrrrryyyyyyy, dooooooonnnnnn’t thiiiiiiiiiinnnnk oooooofff iiiiiiiit aaaaaaaassssss dyyyyyyyyiiiiinnnnng, thiiiiiiiiinnnk ooooooooffff iiiiiiit aaaaaassssss ssssssssaaaaaaaaaviiiiiiinnng aaaaaannnnoooootherrrrrrrrr liiiiiiiiife.”
“I-I… I d-don’t… Don’t under-understand… w-what th-that… That m-means…” Kate cried, her hands gripping the sides of the metal table beneath her, “P-Please, d-don’t… Don’t kill me… L-Let… Let us-us go!”
“Nnnnnoooooo,” Mrs. Larson answered in the same harshness she used on me, “IIIIIIIII neeeeeeeed youuuuuuuuuu,” she then shot a death glare my way through tired, silver eyes, “aaaaaaaannnnnnd heeeeeeeeee’ssssssss beeeeeeeeeennnnnn nnnnnnnoooooooothiiiiiiiiinnnnnng buuuuut aaaaaa thooooooorrrrrrnnnn iiiiiiinnnnn myyyyyyyyy ssssssssiiiiiiiide siiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnccccccce youuuuuu eeeeeessssssscaaaaaaped meeeeeeee.” She then looked back to Kate with a softer look. “Aaaaaaaassssss fffffoooooorrrrr whaaaaaaaat youuuuuuu caaaaaannnn’t uuuuuunnnnnnderrrrrrssssssstaaaaaaannnnnnd, IIIIIIIIII nnnnnneeeeeeed yourrrrrrrrrr heaaaaaaaarrrrrt tooooooo ssssssssaaaaaavvvvvvve myyyyyyy ssssssiiiiiiiisssssssterrrrrrrr.”
“The fuck does that mean?” I demanded, still trying to vain to pull my ankle from the chains. “How the hell will Kate’s heart save your sister?”
“Diiiiiiiiidnnnnnn’t nnnnnnneeeeeeed toooooo beeeee Kaaaaaaate’sssssss,” admitted Mrs. Larson, “buuuuuuuut sssshhhhhheeeeee hiiiiiiiiid theeeeee ooooooootherrrrr giiiiirrrrrrllllll ffffffrrrrroooooommmmm mmmmmeeeeee.”
“S-Son… Sonja…” Kate sniffed, the tears still streaming down her face.
“IIIIIIII oooooooonnnnnlllllyyyyy neeeeed fffffffeeeeeemmmmmaaaaallllle,” Mrs. Larson dismissed Ms. Greymoore’s name, “ffffffeeeeeeemmmmmaaaaaallllle heaaaaaaaarrrrrrrtsssss toooooo rrrrrrreeeeeetuuuuurrrrrrnnnnn mmmmmmyyyyy ssssiiiiissssssterrrrrrrrr toooooo theeeeeeee giiiiirrrrrllllll ssssshhhhhheeeee uuuuuuuusssssed tooooo beeeeeee.”
“That’s a fucking joke right?” I asked. “The hell makes you think eating a female heart will turn your sister back into a human woman? Have you seen what’s happened to your sister?”
“IIIIIIIII knnnnnnnooooooow beeeeeeecaaaauuuuusssssse iiiiiiiiiiit wooooooorrrrrked ooooooonnnnn mmmmmeeeeee,” Mrs. Larson explained, “IIIIIIIIIII waaaaaasssss aaaaaaablllllllle toooooo reeeeeeetaaaaiiiiiinnnnnn thiiiiiiiiiisssssss huuuuuummmmmmaaaaaannnnn fffffffooooorrrrrrmmmm ffffffrrrrrooooommmm eeeeeaaaaatiiiiiinnnnnng theeeeeeee heaaaaaaaaarrrrrtsssss, sssssspecifffffficaaaaaaallllllyyyyyy fffffffeeeeeemmmmmaaaaallllleeee sssssssooooooo IIIIIIIIII mmmmmmaaaaaayyyyyy rrrrrreeeeetuuuurrrrrnnnnn toooo beeeeeiiiiinnnng theeeeeeee giiiiiirrrrrrrllllll IIIIIII uuuuuuusssssed toooooooo beeeeeee.”
“You were dead,” I pointed out, “they found your body up here, you were buried.”
“Theeeeeessssssse sssshhhhheeeeeellllllsssss arrrrrrre mmmmmeeeeeerrreeeellllyyy veeeeeessssssellllllssssss ffffffoooooorrrrrr theeeeeeee sssssspiiiiirrrrriiiiiitsssss weeeee hiiiiiiiiiiide beeeeeneeeeaaaaattthhhh,” Mrs. Larson responded, finally turning her gaze to me, “IIIIIIII haaaaaaad tooooooo maaaake peeeopllllle beeeelieevvvve IIIIIII haaaaaad diiiiiiied tooooo keeeeeep frrrrroooommm theeeee poooooollllliiiiicccce ffffrrrrrrooooommmm pooookiiiiiinnnng aaaaarrrrouuuuuunnnnd aaaaannnnnd rrrrruuuiiinnnnniiinnnng eeeevvvveeerrrrryyythiiiiinnnng.”
“So, let me just get this whole thing straight,” I began as I started rubbing my temples, "when you and your sister starting into… Whatever the hell that thing you call your sister is-“
“Ooooouuuurrrrr sssssspiiiiiirrrrrriiiiiit,” Mrs. Larson corrected.
“Whatever!” I shot. “You found out that eating female hearts turns you two back into human women and to keep police from suspecting you, you pretended to be dead and… What? Just hope a shitty real estate agency would buy your property and you could just… Kill people, people with lives and families outside the mountains?”
“Thaaaaaaaat iiiiiiisssss cooooorrrrrreeeeect…” Mrs. Larson admitted, narrowing her eyes at me.
That’s when I began laughing hysterically, holding my sides that hurt with each harsh breath of a laugh I took. Both Mrs. Larson and Kate looked to me as if I had lost my mind and at this point I was starting to believe I had. Everything I had seen and heard about this entire case would put anyone in the looney bin. And I’m the damn fool who dug too deep into something he had nothing to do with.
“Whaaaaaat’s ssssoooo ffffuuunnnny?” Growled Mrs. Larson, stepping around Kate to stand between us.
“I don’t know what’s fucking funnier, honestly,” I chuckled, running a hand through my hair, “the fact that you thing people won’t be poking around even more when they discover not only is Blackwell missing, but so is a detective and escaped convict all of whom now have ties to these fucking mountains and those cabins, or that you thing I’m more afraid of what you plan on doing with me more than I am when her father finds out I got her in this situation in the first place!”
“Heeeeeee wooooonnnnn’t beeeee aaaaabllllle toooooo doooo aaaaaannnnnyyyyythiiiiiinnnng aaaaaaafffffterrrrrrr IIIIIIIII’mmmmm dooooooonnnne wiiiiiiiith booooooth ooooooooffffff youuuuuuuuu,” Mrs. Larson hissed as she inched closer, “fffffffiiiiiiirrrrrrssssst, IIIIIIIII waaaaaannnnnt youuuuuuuu toooo waaaaaatch mmmmmeeeee kiiiiiiillllll herrrrrrr,” she turned her head to look to Kate who was now just shaking, her eyes seemingly gone dry from the crying, Mrs. Larson then looked back to me, “sssssseeeeecooooonnnnd, IIIIIIII wiiiiillllll ssssssaaaaave youuuuu fffffooooorrrr mmmmmmyyyyy sssssiiiiiisssssterrrrr, oooooonnnnne heeeeaaaaart wiiiiilllll nnnnoooot ssssssaaaaaatissssfffffyyyy herrrr huuuuuunnnnnger.” She took another step. “Uuuuuuuunnnnnllllliiiiiike sssssssoooooommmme ssssssiiiiiibllllliiiiiiinnnnnngsssss, IIIIIIIII caaaaaarrrre aaaaaaboooouuuuut mmmmmmyyyyy ffffffaaaammmmiiiiilllllyyyyyy.”
She stared into my eyes, expecting a reaction and while my blood did somewhat boil at the accusatory statement, I didn’t fully understand what she was getting at. Not until she used that voice. Not until she relived that day with those two familiar child-like voices.
“Screw you, Liam!” She cried out in a voice I remember from my childhood. “I hope you drop dead!”
“Stop.” I demanded.
“Piss off, Ryan!” She shot back in a second boy’s voice.
“I said stop!” I began shouting.
“Help me, Ryan! Please, help me! I’m sorry! Please, Lucky Dime, help me!”
I then lunged toward her, reaching my hands out toward her neck only to be stopped by the shackles as she swiftly, almost without even moving, stepped just out of my reach.
“Fucking bitch!” I screamed out.
“If only you really cared about me, Lucky Dime,” sighed Mrs. Larson as she turned and began making her way to the side of the room where a cart stood in the shadows. She pulled it over to Kate’s side, the cart covered in rusted medical tools.
“P-Please,” Kate wheezed, “p-p-please… I… I d-d-don’t w-want… Want t-to d-d… D-Die, I… I w-w-want m-m-m… My m-mom!”
“Dooooonnn’t woooorrrrryyyyy,” Mrs. Larson soothed, using that mix of different voices, “mmmmmmaaaayyyyybeeee sheeee wiiiillll cooooommmme loooookinnnng ffffooooorrrr yooouuuuu aaaaannnnnd sheeeeeee caaaaannnnn joooooiiiiiinnnn youuuuuuu.”
Kate began to sob, begging and pleading for Mrs. Larson to let her go, thrashing around in her restraints. Telling the older woman that there was no saving her sister and that she was too far gone for this sick ritual to work anymore. I tried to yank at the chains once more, trying to loosen it at least enough to break free and grab at Mrs. Larson.
“Rrrrrrreeeeellllllaaaaax,” Mrs. Larson ordered as she began filling a syringe with some kind of clear liquid from a small bottle, “yoooouuuuuu woooooonnnn’t eeeeeveeennn fffffeeeellll iiiiiiit, thiiiissssss wiiiiiillllll puuuuuut youuuuu toooo ssssssllllllleeeeeep aaaaaannnnnnd wheeeeeennnnnn youuuuuu waaaaaake uuuuuuuup, youuuuuuu’lllllll beeee iiiiiinnnnnn heeeeeaaaaaaveeeennnnn… Uuuuuunnnnnnnllllllessssss youuuuuuu weeeerrrrrrre aaaaaa haaaaaarrrrrlllllooooooot, iiiiiiinnnnnn whiiiiiiiich caaaaaassssssseeeee, mmmmmaaaayyyy Goooooood haaaaaaaave mmmmmmmmerrrrrrrcccccyyyyy ooooonnnnn youuuuuur ssssssoooouuuuullllll… Aaaaannnnnd baaaaaaasssssed ooooonnnn hoooooow youuuuuu drrrrressss aaaaannnnnd theeeee coooommmmpaaaannnnyyyy youuuuuu keeeeeep,” She added as she eyed me, “IIIIIII ssssssaaaaaayyyy youuuuu haaaaaave aaaaa lllllloooooot ooooooffff fooooooorrrrgiiiiiviiiiinnnnng tooooo dooooo.”
Kate continued to cry as Mrs. Larson pushed the needle of the syringe into her arm, pushing down on the plunger as it pierced the flesh. Kate’s loud screams soon turned quieter and her red eyes began to glaze over, but she continued to stay awake, tightening her grip on the table and still begging to be let go.
“IIIIII waaaaannnnt youuuuu toooo waaaaatch, Detective,” Mrs. Larson spat out my title in Mr. Blackwell’s voice, “IIIII waaaaannnnnt youuuuu toooo waaaaatch herrrrrr fffffaaaaaade aaaaaannnnnnd mmmmmeeeee rrrrreeeemmmmooooove heerr heeeaaaarrrrrt toooooo ffffffeeeeeed tooooo mmmmmmyyyyyy ssssssiiiiiiiissssssterrrrrr,” she then pulled out a recorder, “theeeeennnnnn wheeeeeennnnn IIIIIII ssssssuuuuummmmoooooonnnnn herrrrrrr aaannnnd sheeeee fffffiiiinnnniiiishessssss oooooofffffff heeeerrrrr heeeaaaaarrrrrt, youuuuuuu’llllllll beeeeee neeeeeext.”
“Fuck you,” I snarled, “I hope you and your sister burn.”
“IIIIIIIII’mmmmm gooooonnnnnaaaaa gooooo aaaaallllllerrrrrrt mmmmmyyyyy ssssssiiiiiiissssterrrrrr,” Mrs. Larson turned and began making her way to the basement steps, “ssssseeee youuuuu boooooth ffffffoooooorrrr diiiiiinnnnnnerrrrrrr.”
She then pressed the play button on her recorder and a small, little girl’s voice echoed in the room before Mrs. Larson vanished up the steps.
“I’m here… I’m here… I’m here…”
Then the door slammed shut.
“De… Tec… Tive…” Kate squeaked out, her breathing slowing.
“Stay awake, Blackwell,” I ordered her gently, looking around frantically for anything to get us both out of this alive, “I’ll get us out of this, I promise, just stay awake, we’ll get out of here, I just need-“
“I’m… S… Sorry…” she breathed out. “I’m… So… Sorry… For… Get… Getting… You… In… To.. This…”
“No, no, this is not your fault!” I assured her. “That psychotic bitch got us both into this shit and I won’t stop until I get us out and put her and her fucking sister are six feet under!”
“W…Wha… What… H… Hap… Happened… To… To L… Liam…?”
I stopped struggling with the chains and turned to look to Kate. Her head was turned to me, her face wet, hands clenching as hard as they could to the table beneath her, the light in her eyes slowly fading second by second. She was trying desperately to stay awake. The medication Mrs. Larson taking hold of her as the minutes ticked by.
I dropped the chains that were in my hands, looking away from her, wanting to stare at anything other than another person I had failed.
“He was killed,” I answered, “we were fishing at a lake nearby… Lake Gaagige… We got into a really stupid ass fucking fight about how which fishing pole we were going to use. I wanted to use our dad’s, but Liam was older and said only men could use dad’s fishing pole… I told him… To drop dead and stormed off… When I got home, my parents dragged me back to the lake and scolded me for leaving him…” I trailed off, swallowing all the tears and screams I’d bottled up since that day. “When… We found… Him… The autopsy… Said he was mauled by a bear… I’ve blamed myself for leaving him there alone… For letting him die and getting killed like that… The last thing I ever told him was to drop dead… I was a shitty brother and now I’m a shitty detective…”
“Is… Is he… Why… You became… A… Detective…?”
I took a deep breath and swallowed the tears again. “No, Blackwell,” I answered, “he’s not why I became a detective… I already knew what had killed him… It was my fault… If I hadn’t been such a brat and stormed off… He might still be alive… And now… What that bitch said…” I replayed Liam’s screams that escaped Mrs. Larson’s mouth. “I’m starting to think I’m getting what I deserve. Karma’s back to kick my ass…”
“H… How… Old…?”
“I was six… Liam was eight…”
“N… N… Not your… F… Fault…”
I turned to look to Kate, her eyes on mine, however faded.
“Y… You were… Only… A k… Kid…”
I took another intake of what little air there was down in that basement. I had spent years trying to convince myself of the same thing, but those moments never got easier for me when those thoughts returned.
“I think you’re just being nice,” I laughed painfully, “but I’m afraid I- and my folks- don’t share the same sentiment.”
I was staring down at where the chains were coming from in the ground, Kate not saying a word for over a couple of minutes. I spun to see if she had fallen asleep and immediately tried to find out how to wake her up again. However, once I our eyes met, I saw that she was still fighting sleep, the last of her tears rolling down across the bridge of her nose and into her hair.
“I… I… I had… Had a c… Crush… O… On… J… Jasper…” she confessed, her voice getting quieter and higher. “P… Paul and… And Son… Sonja knew… I never… Never c… Cared f… For Luke… But I’m… Sure… S… Sonja t… Told him…” she looked like she was going to sob again. “I… I never g… Got the… Ch… Chance… T… To tell J… Jasper… I… Was… Scared… He… He and… P… Paul were friends… And I… I kn… Knew… How P… Paul f… Felt… A… About m… Me… I… I did… Didn’t wa… Want to… R… Ruin… Anyth… Anything…” She took a gulp of air. “I… I ha… Hated L… Luke… I… A… Always… Kn… Knew… He… He was a… Player… B… But Sonja… Said… Said she was hap… Happy… So… So I did… Didn’t wa… Want to g… Get in… H… Her way… B… But Luke d… Didn’t l… Like h… How cl… Close… We… Were… I d… Didn’t w… Want him to make… Make her th… Think I… I was l… Leading her o… On… T… To get them… To b… Break up… Th… Then… That n… Night… Sh… She w… Wanted to… To leave…” She let out two pained gasps of breath. “I… I let them down… I let them all down… Luke pro… Probably thought… Thought I w… Was the one who… Who f… Filled Sonja’s mind… With thoughts of… Of him ch… Cheating… Th… Then I… I got them… All killed…
I… I didn’t deserve them, d… Detective…” she went on, looking away from me to stare up at the water damaged ceiling, “I… I… I was a… Terrible… Terrible friend…”
“Did you read their guest book entries?” I asked.
“N… No… D… Didn’t w… Want to… To r… Read any… Anything p… Private…” Kate answered.
“Jasper didn’t blame you,” I assured her, remembering what he had written in his entry during his time watching Mrs. Larson just outside the cabin, “even when he heard the voices- when he heard Mrs. Larson- telling him to, he didn’t. I don’t think the others blamed you either. You didn’t do anything wrong, Ms. Blackwell, there’s no way you could have known any of this would happen.”
“K… Kate…”
“What?”
“C… Call… Call me… Kate…”
“Aright, Kate,” I let out what little laughter I had left inside me, “so long as we’re the last people we’ll be chatting with, call me Ryan.”
“R… Ryan…”
“If we at all live through this, I’m going to need a long vacation after this,” I said as I turned to look at my shackles again, looking around myself to try finding anything to Get free since a vacation sounded like something to die for at that moment, “do you know any good vacation spots I can book for the fall?”
“Y… You’re… You’re a… Dick…” Kate struggled to laugh.
“I also enjoy pineapple on pizza,” I winked as I reached down to my ankle, ready to break it just to taste that sweet combination of tomato sauce and fruit.
“G… God… I… I c… Can’t… Believe… I th… Thought y… You w… Were c… Cute…”
I sat down on the floor, grabbing my ankle with both my hands. Needing to hype myself up enough to do what I was going to do, I began removing my shoe and sock from the foot, rubbing and squeezing my way up and down the ankle to my toes. I had never broken a bone in my life before this and I definitely never thought I’d do it of my own volition, but this was a desperate time and it definitely called for desperate…
“Wait what?” I turned to look to Kate, finally registering what she had said.
However, just before I could be sure of what I heard, the sound of a hunting rifle going off just above our heads right before we heard the door to the basement swing open and immediately be slammed shut. Both Kate and I turned to see someone stumble down the wooden steps, his clothes torn and body scratched and cut to a nearly deadly degree. I was even shocked he was still breathing.
“M… Mr… R… Raines…?” Kate gasped out.
“What’s left of me at least,” Mr. Raines grumbled as he limped over to Kate and quickly began undoing her straps to the table, “damn thing almost ripped my head off, but one swing of the barrel to its eye and I was able to get away… Can’t say it didn’t do its damage though… I’m… Getting really fucking hungry…”
He shook his head violently before limping over to me. He then raised an eyebrow at me when he saw how I was positioned still on the floor with a bare foot in my hands shackled to the floor.
“I… I was… I… I thought you were-“ I stammered.
“I am,” Mr. Raines interrupted, “at least, I’m on my way there anyway.” He then retrieved my Glock from his back pocket. “I don’t know what that thing did to me, but I’m not gonna make it out of this alive, or the way I came in. It’s a massacre out there by the way. Lot of men in blue bodies out there… Very… Hard to ignore… Sure more will be on their way. So.”
With that, Mr. Raines pointed at my chains and pulled the trigger on my clock, barely giving me time to cover my ears as the sound rung out loudly in the basement. I shook my head, trying to undo the blurry and ringing side effects of the sound of a gun going off near your head. I gave the older man a glare before standing and snatching my Glock from his hands. That’s when I saw Kate shifting herself to the side of the metal table she was no longer tied to, trying to get her limbs to comply with her to help her off and on to the floor.
I ran over and grabbed her just as she nearly stumbled face first to the floor and lifted her up to her feet, her body heavy with lack of keeping herself up.
“Do you think you can walk?” I asked, trying to keep her on her feet.
“I… I don’t… I…” Kate stammered as she tried to push herself off of me while also using using me as a crutch until she could stand on her own. However, she didn’t seem to be able to put any kind of pressure on her legs without falling down.
“Kate?” A girl’s voice called out from above us.
Feeling Kate shudder, I realized that it must have been the sound of Sonja’s voice and Mrs. Larson was using her to keep Kate from running. I quickly swung my arm down behind her knees, pressing the other down on her back as I lifted her up off the floor, my Glock at the ready as I kept it pointed in front of me while my arm held up Kate’s knees.
“She must have heard the gunshots,” I pointed out, “how’d you get past her in the first place?”
“I set the other cabins on fire,” Mr. Raines answered as if it were the simplest of answers, “I had to distract her somehow and give those bodies she’d been eating a better fate than becoming her shit.”
“Are you planning on setting this place on fire too?” I asked.
“‘Course I am!” Mr. Raines exclaimed, seemingly offended I’d even ask. “I already doused it in gasoline, I ain’t wasting all that time!”
“Kate!” Sonja’s voice cried out, getting closer to the basement door. “Are you seriously leaving me here to die alone again!”
“Please… Make it… Stop…” Kate sniffed as she gripped my shirt and burying her face into the fabric.
“Let’s get you two out of here.” Mr. Raines began leading the way to the basement stairs, cocking his rifle as he did so.
“What about you?” I asked, immediately following after him.
Mr. Raines didn’t answer as he stomped up the stairs and kicked the door open to the first floor of the cabin. The stench of the gasoline he had spilled hitting me harshly in my face.
“Kate!” Sonja’s voice, along with a different crescendo of male voices shrieked out as Mrs. Larson appeared from the corner of the hallway where the basement was located.
“Leighton?” A different woman’s voice asked the moment the old woman’s eyes spotted Mr. Raines. I then watched in both shock and confusion as it almost looked like the very skin on the woman melted off to reveal a much younger woman. The woman I recognized as Bonnie Collins. “Leighton… Love is that you?”
Mr. Raines kept his rifle on the vision of the woman he once loved before her murder, but didn’t move or speak.
“Darling, I’ve missed you so much!” The fake Bonnie cried out as she began making her way to Mr. Raines with arms open wide to hug him.
Mr. Raines then lifted his gun up higher, placing his finger on the trigger which caused the vision to stop in her place.
“Leighton?” The fake Bonnie asked. “Baby, it’s me… Bun-Bun… Don’t you recognize me…?” She began to tear up.
“You’re not my Bunny,” Mr. Raines growled before he shot once at the woman.
The fake Bonnie swiftly dodged the bullet, an inhuman hiss coming from an unhinged mouth, revealing a row of long, sharp teeth. The skin of Bonnie then melted off to reveal another woman, a lot younger than the first one it intimidated. The face of one of the victims upon being brought on this case.
“Kate,” the fake Sonja called out, “Kate, what are you doing? Who are these men? Why are they trying to hurt me?”
Kate let out a sobbing gasp, her nails digging into my shoulder with her arm wrapped around my neck.
“Didn’t I suffer enough?” The fake Sonja asked. “First my boyfriend and now you? Why don’t you want to be with me anymore?”
“Shut up!” Kate demanded. “You’re not Sonja! You killed her, you killed all of them! I don’t care what happens to me, but I’m not letting their memories end with you!”
Kate then snatched my Glock from my hand under her legs and shot directly at the fake Sonja’s head. Again the shot missed as the fake vision of the girl slithered out of the way, a frustrated growl of a dog and human escaping it’s mouth. It then zipped to the side, cowering with its back to us on the floor.
“Lucky dime…” A child’s voice then took over. The vision’s skin melting now to a much smaller figure. “Is this what you want? To kill me all over again?” He turned to look up at me, Liam’s face forever eight-years-old staring up at me. “It’s no wonder mommy and daddy hate you now… You were always a shitty brother… Now, I’m gonna starve to death because you’d rather help a couple of strangers.”
“I’m sorry, Liam,” I replied, everyone, including the fake Liam looking to me in surprise, “I left you alone out here and that’s what got you killed by that thing out there and I’m sorry. But, if I’d stayed it may have been both of us and then mom and dad would have no one left to blame but each other. If you had left and I was the one killed, you’d probably be in my shoes instead. I’m sorry for letting you get killed, but I’m gonna make up for it now.”
I then took my Glock back from Kate and pointed it to the vision of Liam.
“Good bye, Liam.”
I shot the gun once again, missing the creature again, however, this time I just kept shooting, Mr. Raines following after. Our different bullets just kept firing, the thing dodging and trying to get closer to us. The creature screeched out at us in a myriad of different voices both familiar and unknown. It wasn’t until one shot from my Glock struck the creatures shoulder and Mr. Raines’ rifle struck its head when the skins of everyone it was trying to turn into all melted off, revealing Mrs. Larson once again.
However, this time, she looked shriveled, older than she looked before. Her face looked deformed, beginning to grow furry, her eyes growing nothing but red, no irises, no pupils, just red. Her hair grew longer, branches like antlers growing painfully out from her skull, breaking the skin as they grew larger. The lower half of her face grew elongated, turning into that of a muzzle of fangs and a drooling mouth.
“You… All… Have no rrrrrrriiiiiight!” A different, unknown voice snarled out from what used to be Mrs. Larson. “People liiiiiike you all… Abandoned me and myyyyyyyyy sister!” The fur growing around this thing grew out short and shaggy, the cloths it was using melting off with the skin and flesh it was wearing. It now didn’t look anything like a human woman. It now took the form of a large wolf mixed with that of a deer, it’s body dog-like with hooves, antlers, and a long, scraggly tail. “You lot abandoned us here! You left us all here to diiiiiiiie!”
Guilt was weighing down on me with each syllable it was growling. Kate looked away from it, burying her face in my neck as Mr. Raines lowered his rifle.
“Nooooow, you’re bringing more here to just leave and let die out here!” It went on, it’s horrifying, broken body shuddering. “Why let them just vanish and die up here when they can bring people like my sister and I back? Give me Kate’s heart and fix what you threeeeeeeeee failed!”
Mr. Raines then handed over his rifle to Kate, placing it down on her stomach as her hands were still wrapped around my neck. The older man made his way over to stand over the thing, its neck creaking like a rusted door as it turned its wolf-like head to look up at him.
“Leighton…” Bonnie’s voice came from the creature. “Give mmmmeeeee her heart aaaannnnd we can be togetherrrrr again… If you eat the deeeeeetective’s we can saaaaaave you tooooooo…”
“My Bunny’s dead,” Mr. Raines told it as he dug in his pocket and took out a carton of matches, “and so am I.”
“You’d burn your wife?” A mix of Bonnie and Mrs. Larson’s voices shrieked as it glared at the match he took from the match box.
“You’re not my wife,” Mr. Raines told it, “and I’ll never see her again.”
“Fooooooool,” Mr. Larson’s voice chuckled, “you’llllllll killllllll us both!”
“With the shit I’ve done in my life, I know you’re taking me to Hell with you,” Mr. Raines growled back as he struck the match on the box, “so I’m sure as fuck not afraid to burn here on Earth with you!”
Mr. Raines then dropped the match to the floor right before the creature and everything around the two of them immediately went up in flames, the fur of the creature catching quickly and engulfing it. An agonized shriek echoed out all around us, the creature thrashing in the fire it had gotten swallowed up in. Mr. Raines then grabbed it by it’s long, furry throat and swung it down back flat the floor, jumping to pin it down.
“Get out!” Mr. Raines cried out to me. “Leave here!”
Not needing to be told twice, I held onto Kate tightly and bolted past the two burning bodies, jumping over the fire as it began growing fast throughout the cabin. I quickly got to the front door and stopped to look back to see Mr. Raines fighting the creature and preventing it from coming after us, it begging for me to bring Kate back and that it would die without her.
“I’ll clear your name,” I called back, trying not to reel back in horror as I saw Mr. Raines skin begin to melt off, “I’ll let people know you didn’t kill Bonnie!”
“I’ll let people know you didn’t… Kill… Liam!” Mr. Raines’ voice called back, him thrashing around with Mrs. Larson as he said my brother’s name in my voice.
I turned back and kicked the front door open, rushing Kate out of the burning cabin. I ran until I got far enough from the smoke, turning back to see all three cabins now on fire, the area around them all ablaze. The only place untouched was Mrs. Larson’s house, all the evidence remaining. I could hear sirens in the distance coming closer. The sounds of shouts from the surviving officers sounding much closer.
“I’m here… I’m here… I’m here…”
I looked to the front porch of Mrs. Larson’s house where her recorder continued to call out for her sister. I set Kate down at the base of a nearby tree and ran to snatch the recorder, shutting it off. I searched around, looking for any signs of Prudence, but it appeared that the fire and the sounds of sirens and voices had scared her off. I ran back to Kate, her eyes closed and her not responding to me calling to her, but after checking her pulse and breathing, I found that the medication Mrs. Larson had given her had finally taken over and she was now fast asleep, the rifle Mr. Raines gave her still sitting on her rhythmically rising and falling stomach.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I leaned against the same tree I set Kate down on and slid down to the ground next to her. The first two cabins were already practically nothing but ash, the last still blazing as I heard the slowly fading screams of Mrs. Larson and Mr. Raines coming from inside.
When the screaming ended all together, the smoke turning blacker as it rose from the flames, I got to my feet and took out my pack of cigarettes as I approached the fires, staying far enough away not to get burned. I opened the pack up before stopping myself as I reached for one of the ten remaining cigarettes inside. I then flung the entire carton into the fires without taking one.
“Save one for me down there, you old bastard,” I told Mr. Raines before making my way back to Kate’s side.
It wasn’t long before the remaining officers found us, looking in confusion at the fires and to me with a sleeping victim in a homicide case on the ground. I told them we’d need to call an ambulance for Kate and that we needed to keep the flames from getting to Mrs. Larson’s house as it held evidence on the case. One officer retrieved his radio and called for an ambulance while a group ran to the house and another went to try controlling the fire as best they could by yanking out any bushes near by and throwing them away from the area around the house.
Luckily, the fire trucks were called long before the fire spread too far, residence noticing it practically the moment Mr. Raines set the first cabin on fire.
As I sat there, keeping Kate held up against the tree we sat under, I listened to the crackling of the fire, the sirens of fast approaching fire trucks and the ambulance, and the sounds of distance, coyote, almost human, howling.
Part 8

TL;DR: Ex-boyfriend(39M), Jake, and I (33F) re-connected after a month with little communication. We set up a call for 6:30pm. During the call, Jake mentioned hanging out, but I still needed us to address issues from our breakup. The morning we split, around 2am, I woke my boyfriend up when getting out of bed to pee, and then again when informing him that I was going to go outside to smoke. Once outside, Jake opened the door to inform me I wasn't welcome overnight anymore if I was going to be awake and disrespectful, and then kicked me out to drive 45 mins home. His reasoning is that he has a dangerous job that he needs his rest for to keep a fatal mistake from happening. He insists that I'm ignoring his boundries because of my refusal to accept that I was disrespectful at his house. AITAH?
(Sorry for long post!)
After a month+ with minimum contact, the ex-boyfriend(39M), Jake, and I(33F) re-connected via text message a few days back, and then this morning Jake asked for us to talk, so we setup a call for 6:30pm this evening.
The majority of the call was fine up until Jake mentioned the possibility of him and I hanging out sometime. I then brought up the fact that I still needed us to work through things that happened the morning I broke up with him (through text, yeah, yeah, I know).
Onto the issue: Reddit, AITAH for keeping my (ex-)boyfriend awake throughout the night when he works a dangerous job?
The morning of, 2am-ish: I stir in bed, and Jake is passed out. I needed to take a wiz and was feeling awake, so I slipped out of bed, which woke him because he is truly one of the lightest sleepers I know. I whispered my apologies and crept downstairs, grabbed a quick drink from the kitchen, and tiptoed into the bathroom. I do think I accidentally stirred his mom awake for a moment after I went down the stairs, as she was asleep on the couch in the connecting living room—she lives at his place.
I probably wasted 15 minutes playing on my phone while on the pot, but I was restless and awake. Curse ADHD and primarily working night shifts! Or something like that? Either way, it was super early, and I knew I was going to feel awake for a while, so I settled on the idea of going outside to smoke and keep the brain gremlins happy. Knowing Jake would prefer to know where I was, I slipped back upstairs, stirring him once more (which likely would've happened when crawling back into bed anyway) to tell him I would be outside to smoke. He seemed to 'okay' it from what I could tell, so I snuck back downstairs, dipping through the hall to the backdoor, doing my best to unlock the screendoor latches quietly, and once the doors were closed, I settled on the porch chair.
Not even two minutes later, Jake swings the back door open, stating that if I was going to be at his home, keeping him awake and being disrespectful, I would not be allowed to stay over on weeknights. I was confused and stunned, trying to form some sort of words as he abruptly left, only to return 10 seconds later, having changed his mind.
I needed to leave now.
Quickly and while saying very little, I gathered my things and left, making the 45-minute trip home after being kicked out of my boyfriend's house.
Two hours later, Jake messaged to make sure I made it home, so after confirming life, I asked, "Can we have a relationship talk this evening? You prefer in person, correct? I can come there or you can come here." He thought nothing more than a text conversation was needed, but I persisted that this was a much bigger issue than he was making it out to be. Though seemingly reluctant, he agreed to have me over, until then replying, "Why do you need to come all the way here just to apologize?" After that, he said I couldn't come up for us to talk.
At that point, all the wind had left my sails, and if Jake wasn't willing to help me keep the boat from sinking, why should I? With the next text, I broke up with him: "You were a whirlwind romance, and I adore everything that we've had together, but our needs in the end are too different. Thank you for having been my partner, but this relationship is not something I am able to continue further. I wish you all the best."
A few texts were exchanged between us over the next few days, but what silenced things was when I sent a detailed text message of my feelings and experience from that morning, and Jake replied:
"I had to sleep because I have a job. My mother had to sleep because she has a job. You were disrupting my home and keeping everyone in it awake. I have a dangerous job. If I don't get enough sleep and I fuck up at work, I could die. I could kill the people around me. You were endangering my life and the lives of my coworkers. If you wanted to be awake, you could do that at home. You were asked to leave so you could go be awake where you weren't disturbing anyone. I solved the problem. I was going to prevent the problem from happening again by telling you that you would have to leave before bedtime in the future. I don't see the fucking issue. You make it seem so fucking dramatic but what it boils down to is "little baby [OP] didn't get her little way. Whaaaaaa. My feelings" Honestly, fuck your feelings. You didn't give a fuck about me or my mother getting enough sleep so we could go to work but I'm supposed to give a fuck about your feelings? Fuck you you self-entitled, self-centered, sociopathic, bitch. Grow up, grow some fucking empathy, grow some ability to recognize the rights and feelings of others. You are a truly trash excuse for a person."
After that message, I said "best wishes" and blocked him.
Back to the present: After that call at 6:30 p.m. today, I thought for a while and realized I needed outside opinions. With a shrug, I messaged Jake about an hour after the call, proposing he post his side of the story on Reddit, and if the majority says I'm in the wrong for my actions that morning after 2:00 a.m., I'll own up and apologize. With that, I can get over my "obsession" with this topic, as Jake has begun calling it.
His response to the idea of making a post, and the next few messages from me, were comments on how I'm selfish and inconsiderate and that I "have absolutely no ability to recognize nor respect the rights and boundaries of others" because of how I disrespected him in his home—or maybe it was the thought to post here? He questions why I'm not moving on and why I'm beating a dead horse over and over; pondering if my ego is "really that tragically fragile that you can't accept even the slightest possibility that you may have done something "wrong?""
As he seemed to have no interest in making the post after all of that, I simply stated to him that I would make the post instead. Now with all that said, Reddit, AITAH for continually waking Jake up when he needed his sleep for his dangerous job?
Edit to add: I do agree that his sleep is important and very much needed. The reason I had opted to wake him to let him know of my plan to go outside was because he would have been upset had I gone out without saying anything. Smartest choice? Looking back, no, probably not. Either way, the reason I am so bothered by the whole situation is in the way it was handled. There was no warning. Everything went from 0-to-100, from Jake saying "okay" to "you need to leave now" within a span of 5 minutes. I know I can be a lot to handle with my need to discuss and question a ton, and if I really did screw up, I will more then willingly apologize, but to be kicked out of your partner's home the first time a mistake was made, unwilling to discuss the disconnect between us? I'll accept my judgment on the question at hand, but I don't feel like I'm the only one here who is the AH.

PRICE DROP!!
I am not gonna give my password to anyone ever!! 2FA IS ENABLED!! I hope you all do the same.
PROOF & ALBUM - https://imgur.com/a/04ktEhr
Offers accepted on multiple items.
More pics available via chat. Just ask.
I would trade for gold or silver - 20 Franc and Aussie Lunar Series are my most wanted, but I love seeing offers of all kinds
BIN it and Win it. First to BIN gets it. Otherwise I decide the order in which I respond to chats.
/--------------------------
GOLD
1x - 1oz 1988 Gold Panda in Capsule - $2385
1x - MASSIVE 6.33g Gold Nugget from Oregon - This is beautifully wrapped around quartz and would make an amazing pendent - $475
/--------------------------
FANCY SILVER
SOLD 1x - 100g bisbee loaf silver pour SOLD
SOLD 1x - 2013 10oz Silver Kookaburra SOLD
The Lunar Skulls below are very low mintage and have absolutely stupid comp prices (mine are about half price). The proof coins are limited to 500 and the burnished are limited to 2000. Amazingly cool artwork and if you collect the lunar series stuff, you will love this really cool twist on the subject.
Any blemishes are on the capsules, the coins are very BU. Happy to send more pics if needed.
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2015 Year of the Goat Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Ghana - $55
BIN ALL 5 Lunar Skulls for $250
/--------------------------
PAYMENT - Zelle or Venmo (NO NOTES), Paypal F&F, CashApp, fiat cash, checks, money orders. Checks and Money orders need to fully clear first before I ship anything.
SHIPPING - $5-9. Insurance at your request, charged at cost. I pack and ship like I like to receive it. Nicely secured, padded, and no jingling. I hand deliver to post office for scanning and will provide tracking.
RESPONSIBILITY - It ends when the package shows delivered in tracking. If you have a problem with porch pirates I recommend signature confirmation, which I can provide at cost. All items verified on a Sigma at my LCS. I stand behind what I sell 100%.
SECURITY - All my proof pictures will contain my ZENPATHFINDER silver round name badge that u/UnresolvedEgo made. I love it. You should consider a name badge of your own if you sell. I am no dummy and any "mod" that says I am banned and they need my password to see my chats gets a nice teabagging pic and is reported. I will always use my custom name tag to provide proof via chat, just ask. I have 2FA on my account.

We welcomed my high energy dog into the family in 2021 February at about 6 weeks I think he was. Since then, my parents have isolated him to the point where he's never played with another dog, never gone on a walk around the neighborhood, never gone to the park, never seen anything outside the house or the backyard, or the vet. He gained a habit of jumping up and looking out the front window, I'm assuming because he's so dying to see something else. He runs in anxious unhealthy circles for hours and hours a day not drinking water, barking and snapping at his tail. He won't respond to you when he's out there. He won't even play with you, like with a toy. He'll take something he knows he's not supposed to like dirty clothes out of a basket to get attention. It's sad to watch him do this.
I trained my dog, taught him all the tricks he knows and bought him 98% of his toys. He's a german shepherd poodle mix. He's ridiculously smart and catches on so fast and has his own little personality. The dog will be playing with a toy and shortly after my dad will snatch it off the floor. His excuse why the dog can't play with toys is because of - take a guess: his big flat screen TV. He's scared the dog will hit the TV with a stuffed chew toy.
He yells and starts arguments over vacuuming the dog's hair, and even makes a huge deal about water on the floor being dripped off the dog's chin after he drinks or ice on the floor. Hours long yelling matches with my mother who doesn't even feed the dog or give him water to begin with. So it fucking feels like he's yelling at me through her and he's too much of a coward to say something to me.
He calls the dog names constantly: asshole, dummy, 'our dog's an idiot' '*insert previous dog's name* was 10x smarter than you' just talking crazy like this isn't a living being. 'motherf*cker', 'you're not part of this family'... let me explain why this is more personal than just having to witness animal abuse when I love dogs and hate and want to murder people who don't treat animals well.
I've heard my dad calling me the same names behind my back, namely an asshole. Bitch, ingrate, ungrateful, on and on. I've told the story previously, but he had a whole phase where he liked to lock me out on the back porch like he 'forgot' I was in the house or did it 'by accident'. Like he closes the door on our dog and locks it without a second thought while he goes to do his anxiety behaviors.
Also told this story about how he compared me to a dog at my brother's and his girlfriend's place when we visited. Saying that after he had locked me out of the house for the last fucking time I could take and I broke a window that, "It wouldn't have happened if I'd had her on a leash." her as in ME. Comparing me to their large great dane puppy who was outside on his leash attached to a peg using the bathroom.
Let's not forget the time I came home from work to see my dog limping in the backyard, not stopping his circles once. I ran outside and down in the yard to look at him. I came in the house and told my parents he was limping. My dad's like, "he's still limping? he was limping hours ago." I was furious and I got the dog to stop limping circles and come up into the house with barely any help from my dad to grab a bag of ice, inspect his hurt paw and leg to see if I could see an object stuck or anything and rest the ice on his leg. I was looking up why a dog would limp like that, if there was any health cause or if he just fell up the stairs to the deck or something outside. And my dad's like: "He's just a dog." Like what are you doing all that for? "He'll be fine." The same type of treatment I got when I was visibly ill, distressed, or showed anything negative was going on with me.
It just pisses me off. There have been so many times where I felt sorry for our dog and wanted to open the gate and push him loose. And many times I thought about called the animal people to take him away and put him up for adoption somewhere. I feel powerless to defend myself, and powerless to defend an innocent animal selfishly brought into this mess.
The isolation, the name-calling, the locked out and forgot about, the nonchalant attitude about visible injury, the running in circles anxiety behaviors... I'm exactly like my dog. And I can see the clear effect of this type of abuse playing out on another living being and it destroys me daily.

Friday

• Final Friday, Academy Pavilion, Cary
• Melanie Martinez: The Trilogy Tour, PNC Arena, Raleigh
• UNC Health Championship presented by Stitch, Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh
• Summerfest: Salute to John Williams, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary
• 2024 Raleigh Greek Festival, Jim Graham Building at North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
• Good Moon Festival, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham
• Brooks Whelan, Raleigh Improv, Cary
• Room 861 at Goodnights: Justin Smith, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh
• Special Event: Ralph Barbosa, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh
• Elle King, The Ritz, Raleigh
• Gimme Gimme Disco, Motorco Music Hall, Durham
• Electric Carnival, The Blue Note Grill, Durham
• Fitness & Food Trucks: Yoga Night, Moore Square, Raleigh
• SFC 3 Mixed Martial Arts Pro Superheavyweight Bout, Durham Armory, Durham
• Intimate Evening with GRAMMY Award Winner, Susan Carol, Missy Lane's Assembly Room, Durham
• The Lion King, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham
• Temple Grandin presents: Animals Make Us Human, Duke University Gross Hall, Durham
• Rabbit Whole Productions X Local Patch: Pop-up Show, 3210 Yonkers Rd, Raleigh
• Michael Hawkins and the Brotherhood, Sharp Nine Gallery, Durham
• ~ Planet Rave ~, The Fruit, Durham
• RUSTY IS 40: JENNY BESETZT / OPIN / RIGGINGS, The Pinhook, Durham
• Justin West, Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh
• Opening Reception: ‘Local Artist Forum’ Art Exhibition, Cary Gallery of Artists, Cary
• Snow Blind – Black Sabbath Tribute Band, Slim's Downtown, Raleigh
• The Night Rider Presents: Moneyshot, The Night Rider, Raleigh
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Rialto Theatre, Raleigh
• Tokyo Melody in Raleigh - A Japanese City Pop Dance Party, KINGS, Raleigh
• NCHSAA Softball Championships, Duke Softball Stadium, Durham
• NCHSAA Baseball State Championships, Ting Stadium, Holly Springs
• Sylvan Esso 'Good Moon' After-party, PS37, Durham
• Abbey Road - LIVE!, Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
• Last Fridays & the Art Walk!, Downtown, Hillsborough
• Carolina Mudcats vs. Delmarva Shorebirds, Five County Stadium, Zebulon

​
Saturday

• Raleigh's International Food Festival, City Plaza, Raleigh
• 2024 Raleigh Greek Festival, Jim Graham Building at North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
• UNC Health Championship presented by Stitch, Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh
• Durham Brick Convention Lego Event, Durham Convention Center, Durham
• The Lion King, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham
• Running of the Bulls 8K, Historic Durham Athletic Park, Durham
• The Monti: In Too Deep, Carolina Theatre, Durham
• An Orchestral Rendition of Dr. Dre 2001, The Ritz, Raleigh
• Ardbeg Day, Whiskey Kitchen, Raleigh
• Raleigh Foodie Fare, Raleigh Iron Works, Raleigh
• Custom Sk8 Decks - An Artspace Workshop, Artspace, Raleigh
• Carolina Roller Derby vs. River City Roller Derby Double Header, Dorton Arena, Raleigh
• Bike Ride to N.C. Museum of Art, Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh
• Carolina Brass Band Festival, Apex Nature Park, Apex
• Family Fun 4 Everyone: Sensory-Friendly Concert, North Carolina Symphony, Raleigh
• Glitter Hour: Amateur Drag and Queer Stage Show, Ruby Deluxe, Raleigh
• NC Darkness RISING: Live 7 - Block Party & Black Mental Health Concert&mc_cid=508d1d6fa6), Moore Square, Raleigh
• NC Master Chorale: All The Colors of The World, Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, Raleigh
• NC SMOKERS BLOCKPARTY (LADIES DAY EDITION), 1604 North Market Drive #112, Raleigh
• 2nd Annual Bad Prom for a Good Cause, Botanical Lounge, Raleigh
• 2nd International Children's Day, City of Raleigh Museum (COR Museum), Raleigh
• ABACAB – The Music of Genesis, Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh
• NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary
• Southern Culture on the Skids, The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop, Raleigh
• Summer Salute for Transitions LifeCare, North Ridge Country Club, Raleigh
• The Market at NCMA, Gipson Plaza, Raleigh
• Carolina Mudcats vs. Delmarva Shorebirds, Five County Stadium, Zebulon
• NCHSAA Baseball State Championships, Ting Stadium, Holly Springs
• NCHSAA Softball Championships, Duke Softball Stadium, Durham
• Old North State Antique Gun & Military Show, North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
• Pablo Francisco, Raleigh Improv, Cary
• Room 861 at Goodnights: Justin Smith, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh
• Special Event: Ralph Barbosa, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh
• Good Moon Festival, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham
• Rumors Durham 5th Anniversary Block Party, Rumors Durham, Durham
• Boxyard RTP Birthday Bash, Boxyard RTP, RTP
• Reigniting Black Wall Street Festival, Black Wall Street Park, Durham
• Beaver Queen Pageant, Duke Park, Durham
• Nobody's Business with Nantahala, Huron Stage Music Venue, Durham
• Beaux Mondes--Swinging Speakeasy Jazz, Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen, Durham
• Back Porch Films Local Filmmaker's Showcase, Durty Bull Brewing Co, Durham
• Triangle Gay Men's Chorus Concert, Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Durham
• The Stinging Blades, The Blue Note Grill, Durham
• Crank Dat Dance Party!, The Pinhook, Durham
• Club ERA the OPENING, The Fruit, Durham
• Sylvan Esso 'Good Moon' After-party, PS37, Durham
• All Y’all Records, Local 506, Chapel Hill
• Chapel Hill Pride Promenade, Peace & Justice Plaza, Chapel Hill
• Hillsborough Handmade Parade, Downtown, Hillsborough

​
Sunday

• UNC Health Championship presented by Stitch, Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh
• Durham Brick Convention Lego Event, Durham Convention Center, Durham
• World Hunger Day Durham, Durham Central Park, Durham
• Desi Banks: The Purpose Chaser Tour, Carolina Theatre, Durham
• Azul / Animal Prince / Elora Dash, The Pinhook, Durham
• Camacho, KINGS, Raleigh
• Eras Drag Brunch (Taylor's Edition), Raleigh Improv, Cary
• The Lion King, DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham
• Jazz Brunch, Lula & Sadie's, Durham
• Al Strong Presents Jazz Brunch, Alley Twenty Six, Durham
• Speed Puzzling Mini Tournament, Boxyard RTP, RTP
• First Annual Celebration of Life 5K Walk/Run, E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest
• NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary
• Rooftop Jazz Brunch, The Willard Rooftop Lounge, Raleigh
• Special Event: EJ Speaks, Goodnights Comedy Club, Raleigh
• 2024 Raleigh Greek Festival, Jim Graham Building at North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
• Carolina Mudcats vs. Delmarva Shorebirds, Five County Stadium, Zebulon
• Old North State Antique Gun & Military Show, North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
• Pablo Francisco, Raleigh Improv, Cary
• Kidzu Summerfest, Possible Future Home of Kidzu (Mt. Carmel Church Road), Chapel Hill

​
Join the Thingstodo919 email list here for a weekly events newsletter. Doing anything interesting this weekend? Let us know your plans in the comments

So, I've had cats my whole life ( mostly ) and in general they've all been really good with new people. About a year and a half ago I found a kitten screaming on my front porch at about 2 am. I managed to corral him, brought him in and introduced him to my older cat, and they got along great.
The older cat had always been an outdoor cat, just mooching off of neighbors and stuff ( about 20 minutes away from my pad ) but he was super friendly so I took him in. After about a year and a half with him, he busted out a window screen and made a jailbreak. He still comes around sometimes, so I figure he's doing fine out there.
Anyway, back to the little one. It's mostly been just him and I for the bulk of his life, however, my parents swing by from time to time. As soon as he hears someone else's voice, he Darts either to his room or under my safe.
I've tried carrying him out to meet Mom, but he panics and the claws come out, so I end up setting him down and letting him go hide. Mom's hung out for up to like, 6 hours before, and he just hides the whole time, so the idea that he might just come around on his own seems like a pipe dream. I've tried treats, wet food - the other day I had her put some wet food in his bowl where he could see her do it - nothing. He didn't touch it until she was out of the house.
He seems to be getting less timid; it used to take about an hour after she left for him to very cautiously slink out of hiding, the other day it took him about five minutes ( wet food was involved ). This gives me hope that in time he Might warm up, but I'm curious if anyone has any other tips for helping him along. TIA

The year was 2013. Miley Cyrus was swinging around on a wrecking ball, Bilbo Baggins was dealing with an angry dragon, Barack Obama was freshly elected to a second term in office, and I was 16 years old. Fueled by energy drinks, emo music, and angst, I was heading into the summer before my junior year in high school.
That summer would hold all of the ordinary wonders of a kid growing up in Florida. I was mere weeks away from getting my driver’s license. Obviously this would mean unprecedented freedom for surfing, concerts, late night shenanigans with friends, and, in my mind at least, the ability to impress every woman in my vicinity who I was sure would be completely enamored with my new skills as a road warrior. Before I could get to those other teenage rights of passage, I had a trip to go on. You see, my status as a freshly minted 16 year old meant I was eligible to take part in my youth group’s annual mission trip to Costa Rica.
For several years I had been ragailed by older friends with stories of experiences in this foreign land, and slowly but surely I had been convinced that I, teen wonder, would be instrumental in the advancement and preaching of the Gospel of Jesus to the people of Central America. No other overly emotional spiritual high could compare, and it could be had for the low price of $2000! I saved my money, my parents contributed a large chunk, and “fundraising” (begging) letters sent to relatives snared me the rest. I was going. I would be joining a crew of roughly 20 other kids my age, and on this particular trip, my pastor, the elders of my church, and several deacons would be going down with us, no doubt only to spectate as the crew of miniature missionaries sent forth the gospel in a fashion no adult could facilitate. They weren’t just due for a vacation or anything.
To the uninitiated, a teenage mission trip is a glorified Vacation Bible School for large children. It just so happens to take place in a foreign country and be wrapped in the guise of grand advancement of the gospel. Sure you do some community service. You hand out food, and play with kids. In our case, we painted a playground that had been painted the week before. After all, pictures of our wonderful ministry work had to be taken to justify the cost of sending 20 walking balls of hormones and attitude to a foreign country for a week. We also had multiple music nights, and attended a church service held in a language none of us spoke. Because we were working so hard, we obviously required multiple "free days".
The first "free day" was enjoyable, if uneventful. We went to a covered market in the city of San Jose. There were loads of handmade items on sale, and we bought our share of souvenirs and gifts, but it is the second "free day" around which our story centers. We were to ride horses through a rainforest to a waterfall to go swimming. I had never ridden a horse, but as a human crash test dummy, I’ll try anything once. On the morning of the horse excursion we woke up early and traveled to the ranch on which our outing was to begin. This property was a functioning farm that grew pineapples, mangoes, and papayas, and we were treated to a breakfast of fresh produce. The pineapple and mango were delightful. The papaya was not. After we had had our fill, we headed for the barn at which we were to be given our horses.
We had been prepped for this outing by being told that these were trail horses. They would be trained to follow the horse-butt in front of them. The controls were simple. Pull left on the reins to go left. Pull right to go right. Pull back to stop. Kick to accelerate. This sounded simple enough. I was given a helmet, and, much to my chagrin, told I must wear it. This was obviously not up to my standards of coolness, you see. Then they started giving out the horses. One by one I watched my friends get helped onto their mounts. Finally it was my turn. When they showed me to my horse, I was floored. It was large, significantly larger than the others. It was also solid white from nose to tail, and exceedingly beautiful. I decided that no matter what happened before or after, in that moment I was cool. I was the lone ranger, and the people handing out the gear had simply made the mistake of forgetting to give me my black hat and six guns.
The illusion of coolness came crashing down hard before I even left the barn. You see, I had been told how to command the horse. I had not counted on this being an exceedingly large animal that had ideas of its own. I kicked, and it went backwards. I pulled on the reins, and it went forward. Left and right weren't concepts that seemed familiar to this horse either. After a minute or two of struggle, and me whispering to it something along the lines of “come on dude there are girls watching”, the horse finally and grudgingly decided to go the way I wanted it to.
With the first hurdle conquered, I was no more than a hundred yards from the barn when I encountered a second: a metal bridge. We had been warned to go over the bridge one at a time. The noise of multiple sets of hooves clopping on the bridge could spook the horses. Whoever was behind me missed that memo. I was halfway across the bridge when I heard the sound of loud clippity clopping coming from behind me. I didn’t have time to contemplate the breach of etiquette occurring behind me because my horse had decided world war three had begun behind us, and fleeing the battle was the only course of action. Whether or not I came with it on this great escape seemed unimportant to it at that moment. It was then that I learned horses can go from zero to sixty faster than most sports cars. I was waving off of the back of that animal like a skinny white flag. As I passed friends, elders, and deacons, every obscenity I’d ever heard was escaping my mouth with absolutely no conscious control. Surely they must have thought it was odd that that horse was cursing loudly with that strange looking flag attached to it. At the front of our merry group of travelers, my horse decided we were a suitable distance from the war, and running was no longer necessary. I had managed to stay on the horse. As I took stock of the situation and came to the realization that I was, in fact, not dead, I also became aware that my horse had sidled up to one of the elders of my church who immediately turned and said, “Wow! I had no idea you were so good with horses.” I was still too terrified to produce words to rebut this impression.
The trail continued. We made it a good half mile without incident. I was chatting with friends, and while the shock of my experience subsided, I started noticing the beauty of the area we were riding through. We were in a clearing near the edge of the rainforest. High grass surrounded us, and a thick canopy of trees lay in front. However, all good things must come to an end, as my horse once again decided it was unhappy. This time I was the problem. I had seen people ride bucking broncos before and wondered what it must be like to be in that situation. It was evidently time for another learning experience. Everything seemed alright. Then I was in the spin cycle. Then my ass hurt. I was miraculously still on the horse.
Even the human crash test dummy has limits, and two near-death experiences were enough for one day. One of the leaders of the group had seen the bucking incident and offered to trade horses with me. I enthusiastically agreed. Seeing the leader, an experienced horseman, struggle with my previous mount vindicated me slightly. My new horse was the polar opposite of my previous one. This new horse was old, slow, and short. I’m sure my feet were only 6 inches off the ground as I rode. However, he listened to commands and seemed like a kind old man content to trot along at whatever pace took my fancy. I was too busy with matters of life and death to give my first horse a name, but I decided to call this new horse Larry.
Over the course of the hour that followed, Larry carried me safely to the waterfall where we were to go swimming, and with my undying gratitude, he did so without incident. We all stripped down to our bathing suits and gleefully took to the water. There were toucans and lemurs in the trees above us as we swam and splashed. Next to the river were a series of gazebos and picnic tables. Nearby someone had fashioned a swimming pool and waterslide entirely out of concrete and smooth rock that were being fed by the water from the river. The human crash test dummy was back in fighting form at this point, so I was the first down the slide. Somehow on my dismount from said slide, I managed to scrape all of the skin off of the bottoms of my feet. While I was climbing out of the water to survey the damage to my lower extremities, a friend went down the slide behind me, smacked his head against the side of the slide, and slid unconscious into the pool below. Thankfully, another youth was right by the exit of the slide and was able to rescue the unconscious boy immediately. It took him a few minutes to remember who was president and what year it was, but after half an hour or so, he returned to normal cognitive function. Though I didn't envy the headache he had for the rest of the day.
Finally, the time came to head back to the barn in which our journey began. It had started to rain, and it was decided we would be driven back to the barn in vans instead of riding the horses. Despite my abiding appreciation for Larry, I was perfectly happy to avoid any further equestrian disasters and get into an automobile. The horses were collected and taken back separately. The trip back to the barn was quick, and once back we were informed that the locals wanted to put on a rodeo for us. A Costa Rican rodeo seemed an odd proposition, but we were there, so why not?
Out came the various riders, and about ten minutes into the festivities they started barrel racing. Suddenly out of the chute came a large, beautiful, solid white horse, my horse. The realization hit me. I had been given a barrel racing horse, and he seemed only barely more obedient to his usual rider than he was to me. It was then that my first horse got his name: El Caballo Del Diablo.

PRICE DROP!!
I added a 10oz Kook as a late addition.
Seriously y'all, don't give your password to anyone EVER. Do you respond to that Nigerian prince email too? I know he has a cashiers check for millions of dollars waiting for you, but damn, just resist. 2FA IS ENABLED!!
PROOF & ALBUM - https://imgur.com/a/04ktEhr
Offers accepted on multiple items.
More pics available via chat. Just ask.
I would trade for gold or silver - 20 Franc and Aussie Lunar Series are my most wanted, but I love seeing offers of all kinds
BIN it and Win it. First to BIN gets it. Otherwise I decide the order in which I respond to chats.
/--------------------------
GOLD
1x - 1oz 1988 Gold Panda in Capsule - $2425 $2395
1x - MASSIVE 6.33g Gold Nugget from Oregon - This is beautifully wrapped around quartz and would make an amazing pendent - $510 $495
/--------------------------
FANCY SILVER
1x - 100g bisbee loaf silver pour - $135 SOLD
SOLD 1x - 2013 10oz Silver Kookaburra SOLD
I can also get a 2014, 2015, and 2018 10oz Kook, Chat me up if interested.
The Lunar Skulls below are very low mintage and have absolutely stupid comp prices (mine are about half price). The proof coins are limited to 500 and the burnished are limited to 2000. Amazingly cool artwork and if you collect the lunar series stuff, you will love this really cool twist on the subject.
Any blemishes are on the capsules, the coins are very BU. Happy to send more pics if needed.
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $55
1x - 2015 Year of the Goat Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Ghana - $55
BIN ALL 5 Lunar Skulls for $250
/--------------------------
PAYMENT - Zelle or Venmo (NO NOTES), Paypal F&F, CashApp, fiat cash, checks, money orders. Checks and Money orders need to fully clear first before I ship anything.
SHIPPING - $5-9. Insurance at your request, charged at cost. I pack and ship like I like to receive it. Nicely secured, padded, and no jingling. I hand deliver to post office for scanning and will provide tracking.
RESPONSIBILITY - It ends when the package shows delivered in tracking. If you have a problem with porch pirates I recommend signature confirmation, which I can provide at cost. All items verified on a Sigma at my LCS. I stand behind what I sell 100%.
SECURITY - All my proof pictures will contain my ZENPATHFINDER silver round name badge that u/UnresolvedEgo made. I love it. You should consider a name badge of your own if you sell. I am no dummy and any "mod" that says I am banned and they need my password to see my chats gets a nice teabagging pic and is reported. I will always use my custom name tag to provide proof via chat, just ask. I have 2FA on my account.

Events are listed by the day. Events that happen every week appear first, one time stuff after that. If you have anything you’d like people to know about, comment here or message me and I’ll add it in. If you’d like further info about any of the events, look it up! I usually don’t have any extra to add.
Large Scale, Ongoing, and Multi-Day Events

• TallyFest 2024, Saturday at Cascades starting at 10am. This isn't just an event; it's a vibrant showcase of 200 years of Tallahassee's rich history and culture. Immerse yourself in a day filled with family-friendly activities, a dedicated Kid Zone featuring young entrepreneurs, and even a Pet Zone for our furry friends. TallyFest is more than just a festival; it's an experience for every member of the family! Enjoy live entertainment throughout the day, featuring local talents and artists that capture the essence of Tallahassee's artistic spirit. We're calling out to all vendors! Be part of history as we're on the lookout for 200 vendors to commemorate 200 years of Tallahassee. Kid entrepreneurs, this is your chance to shine! Explore the heart of Tallahassee with our Shop Local Passes, offering exclusive deals from local businesses. Indulge your taste buds with a diverse array of food from our vendors and partner restaurants. As the sun sets, the celebration continues with a spectacular post-event concert from 5 pm to 7 pm. Feel the rhythm, embrace the spirit, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you're a local or a tourist, TallyFest invites you to join the festivities, Celebrate Tallahassee’s Bicentennial year, explore the vibrant culture, and create unforgettable moments. 🌟 Save the date, spread the word, and get ready for a day of pure Tallahassee magic!

Local Running, Walking, and Biking Info: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/
Guided Paddling Outings all around the area: https://www.facebook.com/hsmithoutdoors
Tallahassee Film Society Showings: https://www.tallahasseefilms.com/tickets/
Book Clubs for all tastes: https://www.facebook.com/midtownreadeevents
Live Theater:

• Making Light Productions: https://www.makinglightproductions.org/
  
• Theatre Tallahassee: https://theatretallahassee.org/
  
• Mickee Faust Club: https://www.mickeefaust.com/
  
• Monticello Opera House: https://www.monticellooperahouse.org/
  
• FSU School of Theatre: https://theatre.fsu.edu/productions/
  
• Young Actors Theatre: https://www.youngactorstheatre.com/
  
• Quincy Music Theatre: https://quincymusictheatre.com/
  
• Tallahassee Hispanic Theater: https://tallahasseehispanictheater.wordpress.com/
  

OutdooFarmer’s Markets:

• Lake Ella Grower's Market: Wednesday and Saturday, 11am-2pm. You can always find organic vendors, and foragers: The Holistic Cannabis Community, Artzi Farms, Hickory Nut Gifts, and others. Including Pita Queen! Farmer's Market Nutrition Program Coupons gladly accepted!
  
• Tallahassee Downtown Market: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, Park Ave Parks. Vendors display their arts and fine crafts, jewelry, handmade soap, pottery, Fresh from Florida produce, hand-raised beef and pork, fresh baked bread, jams and jellies, and honey. Live music from different local musicians every Saturday.
  
• Frenchtown Heritage Market: 524 N MLK Jr Blvd. Third Saturday of the month 10am to 2pm. Come grow community and support your local farmers and makers, while you get your groceries for the week! Don’t forget! We match SNAP/EBT, so you DOUBLE your money to go towards locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables! If the guy with the pineapple is there, get it. This is currently only happening on the third Saturday of the month for the next few months while road work is completed.
  
• Tallahassee Farmers Market: 2904 Kerry Forest Pkwy, Saturdays, 8am to Noon. Come see us at Tallahassee's longest-running farmers market! We are a year-round market, featuring local farms and vendors that provide the best seasonal produce, meats, baked goods, and more. We welcome you and your whole family (leashed pets included) to come out and meet your local farmers! Ample parking is available between our lot and the shopping center lot next door (by Red Elephant). Come early for the best selection.
  
• St. Marks Community Market: Saturdays, 9am to 1pm. Come enjoy local artists, crafters, bakers, farmers, and gardeners in beautiful downtown St. Marks!
  

THURSDAY, 5/30

• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Bingo. 6pm
  
• Dreamland BBQ: Weekly Open Blues Jam. If you'd like to sing, please bring your own mic. 6pm
  
• Honest Living Vape: Chess-Master Thursdays . Beginners and experts, join us every Thursday from 6-9 for Chess-Master Thursdays. All ages. Bring your board or play ours! Tournaments coming soon! 6pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Co: Open Mic Night! Join us on Thursdays from 6:30-9:30 PM for Open Mic Night hosted by the incredible Mike Ingram of The Brown Goose! This is your chance to show off your skills! Whether you're a musician, poet, comedian, or have a hidden talent, we can't wait to see what you bring to the stage. 6:30pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Takko Market Square: Bingo Night. 7pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: Karaoke with Jared Walker. 7pm
  
• Amicus Brewing: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Smitty's Taphouse: Trivia Lab Thursdays. Teams of 6 or fewer players can compete for $30 / $20 / $10 Prizes + The Golden MacGuffin prize table! New format! Interactive smartphone answering for your comfort and safety! 6 Fun Rounds - 42 Total Questions. 7:30pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: MST3K Thursday: Night of the Blood Beast & The Brute Man. Join us Thursday as we climb aboard The Satellite of Love along with Joel, Tom Servo and CROOOOW for a gnarly creature double feature of brutal beasts and men out for blood! 7:30pm/free but donations encouraged
  
• Studio D: Bachata Fever. We always have a bachata workshop at 8 pm before Bachata Fever. We dance afterwards to the sounds of DJ Bacharod. The class is at 8 pm and Bachata Fever will start at 930 pm. Many times people are learning in class and may feel uncomfortable social dancing while they are still learning moves. We have a welcoming environment so stay and have fun and dance with everyone. That is how we learn. 8pm/Class $5/Bachata Fever $5.
  
• The Sound Bar: Comedy Night. 8pm
  
• Finnegans Wake: Open Mic. 8:30pm
  
• Brass Tap in Midtown: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm
  
• 926: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• Bird’s: Karaoke with Nathan. 9pm
  

• Blue Tavern: Mes Amis. 5pm
  
• Black Dog Café: French Conversation. A bientôt j’espère. 6pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Feddun's Follies. Feddun's Follies is a variety show featuring comedy, juggling, and music! 8pm/$5
  
• Blue Tavern: Paddy League “Medicine Ball” Album Release Show with Miss Mango. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Hedwig and The Angry Inch Movie Screening. 8pm/free
  
• Fire Bettys: Slasher Bash: The Velocipastor. Drink along with us as local comedians bash this 2018 cult classic! 9pm
  

FRIDAY, 5/31

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour with Steve Malono. 5pm
  
• Lake Tribe Brewing: Flannel Fridays with Live Music. 6pm
  
• Hobbit West: Friday Night Dart Tournament. Anyone can Enter! Sign ups at 7:30, Darts fly at 8:00/$10 entry fee
  
• Ouzts Too: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 8pm
  
• Just One More: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm-11pm/21+
  
• 926: The Hot Friday Night Party and Drag Show. 9pm/$5/18+
  

• Mission San Luis: The Thatch is Back Celebration. Join us to celebrate completion of the re-thatching of the Apalachee Council House at Mission San Luis with food, crafts, and games for all ages. FREE SNOW CONES by SneauxBalls 11:30-2:30. E's Weenies FOOD TRUCK onsite throughout the event. FREE BEER SAMPLES by Lake Tribe Brewing 3:00-6:00 pm. Thatching presentation. Ballgame demonstrations. Yard games. Braiding and paper crafts. Yaupon tea sampling. 10am-6pm
  
• Blue Tavern: A Bicentennial Celebration of Old-Time Music with Little Mercies, Flathead String Band, and the Bunny Bread Bandits. 5pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Barber Brothers. 6pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: CJ and the Deadmen. 6pm
  
• Salty Dawg: Brett & "Dangerous" Dave. 6:30pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Pineapple Tuesday. 7pm
  
• The Wine House on Market Street: David Detweiler. 7pm
  
• The Bark: Swamp Rats with Psycho Tropical, Village Idiots, and Petty Problems. 7:30pm
  
• American Legion Hall: The Rhythm Remedy Rockin Soul Dance Revue. 7:30pm/$10
  
• Fire Bettys: Pharaohs Of Funk. 8pm
  
• Corner Pocket: The 850. 8pm
  
• House of Music: Public Address Band. 8pm
  
• Dukes and Dotties: Queen of Hearts. 9:30pm
  

SATURDAY, 6/1

• Brinkley Glen Park: Invasive Plant Removal. Join Master Gardener Volunteers at this weekly invasive plant removal event. This is a great way to learn to ID our invasive plant species and how to remove them. We recommend wearing long pants and sleeves, closed-toed shoes, gloves, a hat and mosquito spray. Bring gardening tools such as hand clippers, loppers, trowels, etc. if you have them. We are removing coral ardisia bushes and berries, nandina, tung trees, Tradescantia flumenensis, cat's claw vine, winged yam, Japanese climbing fern, skunkvine and more. Directions: The best way to get there is to take Meridian Rd to Waverly Rd, go to the next intersection and turn left onto Abbotsford Way, then turn left at the next road called Woodside Dr. At the stop sign turn left onto Lothian. Lothian ends in a cul-de-sac and there is a sign that says Brinkley Glen Park. 8:30am-11:30am
  
• Gamescape: Saturday Gaming. Gamescape has relocated from Railroad Square to the Huntington Oaks Plaza (Suite 302, next to the Library) at N Monroe St and Fred George Rd. Open gaming tables are available. Noon-6pm
  
• Duke’s and Dottie’s: Line Dancing Plus Lessons. 7pm/21+
  
• Bird’s Oyster Shack: Laughterday Night Fever. * Join us every Saturday at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack for a free comedy show!* 8:30pm
  
• 926: Latin Night. Dance to the irresistible beats of Zeus and prepare to be dazzled by a spectacular drag show at midnight. It's more than a party, it's an experience. 9:30pm/$10 21+, $15 under 21
  

• Ology Powermill: Greyhounds Pat and Chill. Come out and meet some of our wonderful Greyhounds up for adoption hosted by Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions (GCGA) and Adoptable Greythounds of Florida (AGOF). Check out our available hounds from the Tampa Bay area! Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions, Gulf Coast Chapter: https://www.gulfcoastgreyhoundadoption.org/adopt.html and Adoptable Greyhounds of Florida https://agof.org/available-greyhounds/ . Please contact us in advance if you are interested in a specific greyhound that you would like to attend this event! Get pre-qualified to adopt that day if you fall in love by completing an application now through www.gulfcoastgreyhoundadoption.org OR https://agof.org. We're very excited to have our first Meet and Greet at this location! Please reach out if you have any questions about the details of the event. 2pm-5pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Latitude 30. 6pm
  
• The Bark: Sarah Morrison with Jonas Van Den Bossche and Zoya Zafar. 6:30pm
  
• The Wine House on Market Street: Douce Ambiance. 7pm/$10
  
• Blue Tavern: Pat Puckett. 8pm
  
• 1617 Atkamire Dr: Punk’s Not Dead featuring Psycho Tropical, Danitza, Lex & Fly Agaric, and Castover. Funds go to help The Vault and the local music scene. 8pm/$10
  
• 409 Murat St: Death by Punk featuring 40 Bitches and Gangs of Paris. 8pm/$7
  
• Fire Bettys: Drunk Spelling Bee. Grab a drink, have a seat, and get ready to watch participants tackle some of the most "unique" words the English language has to offer! 8pm
  
• The Bark: Queens of The Bark Drag Night featuring Drag Race contestant Kandy Ho! 10:30/$15 cover, make sure to bring cash to tip the performers
  

SUNDAY, 6/2

• Bicycle House: Sunday Ride. Ride at 10:30 AM from Bicycle House. We will ride the Cascades trail to the St Marks trail and down to Wakulla station and return, about 31 miles. Ride speed is 12 to 14 mph, with periodic regroups. Vernon Bailey is the ride leader. Vernon is a new CCC member who’s been biking for 50 years enjoys riding with small groups and weekend touring. 10am
  
• Flippin’ Great Pinball: $25 Sunday Funday. Every Sunday spend a fun-filled time with the family for only $25 plus tax at the arcade! Our normal all-day family admission of $34.99 is just $25 and that includes up to a family of 6 (two adults and four kids). Experience affordable family fun that everyone will enjoy. Noon-8pm Not sure if this is back up yet.
  
• E Peck Greene Park (Behind the LeRoy Collins Library): Food Not Bombs Free Mealshare. We offer free vegetarian/vegan food, water, coffee, personal care & hygiene products, bus passes, and clothing when we have some available to those in need. Contact foodnotbombstally@gmail.com to find out about getting involved. Noon-2pm
  
• LeRoy Collins Library: Tallahassee Go Club Meetings. Come play the captivating ancient game of Go, also known as Baduk, with some friendly games and discussions. Beginners welcome. Visit https://www.tallahasseegoclub.com for more information. 1pm
  
• Gamescape: Pokémon League. Come learn, play, and trade with the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the Pokémon video games! We LOVE seeing new players, so come learn how to play! We play both the Trading Card Game and the Video Game casually and competitively. The store offers lots of different seating arrangements to meet our group's needs, as well as food, drinks, and Pokémon products for purchase. We are also hold regular, officially sanctioned tournaments for Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Competitions! 2-4pm
  
• The Plant: Open Jam. All instruments, all players welcome. 4pm-9pm
  
• Pedro’s: Mariachi Clasico. 6pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Open Mic Night Hosted by Conor Churchill. 7pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Comedy Night. Come have some laughs with us on Sunday nights! If you are interested in participating in the show, reach out to therealsleepypfloyd@gmail.com 7:30pm
  

• Eve on Adams: Lauren Mullinax. 11am
  
• Dukes and Dotties: This Is My First Rodeo, a Wild West Market Fundraiser for RR Sq Businesses. Market, Screen Printing, Music and more! Music by Lex & Fly Agaric, Sleepybug, and No Parts. 1pm-6pm
  
• Common Ground Books: Community Clothing Swap. Join us for our monthly community clothing swap! Anyone is free to bring and/or take clothing. 2pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Allie & Salty. 3pm
  
• Tallahassee Nurseries: Sunday in the Word Garden. In partnership with esteemed Florida artist Katee Tully, Tallahassee Nurseries presents a celebration of poetry and spoken word. We welcome several locally-renowned poets and writers as they share pieces of prose. 3:30pm/free
  
• The Sound Bar: JC and The Backscratchers. 4pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Fundraiser for Railroad Square Tenants and City Dogs Cafe featuring live music from Larry McCraw, Bog Lillies, Buck Banzai, Chris Seepersaud, Pineapple Tuesday, Kelly Goddard, Brass Wizard, and Subpotent. 4pm-11pm
  

MONDAY, 6/3

• Just One More: Bingo. 5pm-6:30pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: Margarita Monday, Open-Mic Night hosted by The Saltwater Cowboy. 5:30pm-8pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Cha Cha - Weekly Lessons. 6:15pm/$5
  
• Hangar 38: Bingo. 6:45pm
  
• Vino Beano: Tipsy Trivia. 7pm
  

TUESDAY, 6/4

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour. 5pm
  
• The Getaway Grille: Tuesday Night Bikes and Trikes. 6pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Company: Tuesday Night Beer-go! 6pm
  
• Crafty Crab: BOOMIN' Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Gamescape: Hobby Night. Slay the grey together! Join your fellow gamers and turn your pile of grey miniatures into a battle ready army. Need some painting tips? Feel free to ask at hobby night. You can bring any miniature for any game to paint. 7pm
  
• Ology Midtown: Jazz Jam Sessions. 7pm
  
• Beef O'Brady's: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Island Wings: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Brass Tap in Midtown: Trivia. 1st Tuesday of the month is General Knowledge with rotating themes the rest of the month. 7pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Tallahassee Swing Band Tuesday Night Dance. 7:30pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Comedy Night. 8pm
  
• Poor Pauls: Trivia. 8pm/21+
  
• Blue Tavern: Bluesday Tuesday with Bill Ricci. Every Tuesday is Blues Day @ the Blue Tavern and Blues Meets Girl is a Tallahassee favorite. This perfect, intimate venue provides just what you need for both a mid-week break and authentic blues music experience. 8pm/$5
  
• 4th Quarter: Professor Jim's Tuesday Night Trivia. Popular for a reason! 8pm
  
• Argonaut Coffee: Trivia Tuesday. 8pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Karaoke. 8pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Open Mic Comedy Night. 8pm/21+
  
• 926: Tacos and Trivia. 9pm
  

• Blue Tavern: Bubbles Brown. 8pm

WEDNESDAY, 6/5

• Sugar and Spice Tally: Game Night. Join us every Wednesday Night for community game night. Bring your own or use ours! Let me know if you need to reserve space for a large group. Free to attend! 5pm
  
• Goodwood: Wonderful Wednesday. 6pm/$5
  
• Level 8 Rooftop Lounge: Trivia. 6pm
  
• La Florida Coffee & Wine: Trivia Night. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Open Game Night. 6pm/free
  
• American Legion Hall: Sue Boyd Country Western and More Dance Class. Session 2 - Beginner 6:30 to 7:45 pm What: East Coast Swing and Waltz. Cost: $8.00 per person. Wear comfortable shoes you can turn in. 7:45 to 8:15 - Practice dance with paid admission. 8:15 to 9:30: Intermediate - 2 Step and WCS. $8.00 per person or $13.00 for both classes. Vaccines are required. Face masks are optional. Changing partners is optional. 6:30pm
  
• Perry Lynn’s Smokehouse in Quincy: Wed Night Open Mic w/ Steven Ritter and Friends. 6:30pm
  
• Hangar 38: Trivia. 6:45pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Tallahassee: Trivia. Teams up to 6 players for three rounds with 10 questions and a tie breaker each round. Winners are by round so don’t worry if you need to come late or can’t stay the whole time! Prizes include a round of beer, a 6 pack and a gift card! 7pm
  
• Proof: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Vino Beano: Wine Bingo. 7pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Wednesday Open Mic with Doc Russell. The open mic night that has run continuously for almost 20 years, once housed at the Warehouse, lives on at the Blue Tavern. Doc Russell continues as the host with the most. Sign up starts at 7:45pm/free to attend
  
• Fire Betty’s: Karaoke! 8pm/21+/free
  
• Dukes and Dotties: College Night and Line Dancing Lessons. 8pm
  
• Finnegans Wake: Trivia. 8pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Open Mic Night. 8pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: Anime Wednesday. 8pm
  
• South Station: Summer Movie Nights. 8:30pm/free
  
• The Bark: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 9pm
  
• Peppers: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• 926: Dragged Out Wednesday. 10pm
  

• The Sound Bar: Old Porch Swing. 7pm

We have two rooms available for rent! We are looking for two new roommates in this lovely 3B2BA home in Glassell Park. Both bedrooms have a shared bathroom. The room will be unfurnished upon move-in. Regarding parking, we have space in the front portion of the driveway for two cars, extra driveway space, garage in the back yard, and street parking (no permit required). We already have 1 dog (super cute!) so preference for no more dogs.
The lease will begin on July 1st and will be a 1 year commitment. Move in date anytime on or after July 1st. Monthly rent is either $1,400 or $1,375 (slight smaller sq ft). Utilities are split evenly amongst the roommates at an estimated $100-150 monthly per person. Security deposit is $2833.33 per person.
The shared space is fantastic! House is newly renovated. Wood floors throughout, a front porch with a swing, a decorative fireplace, central air conditioning/heat (controlled via Nest), and a fully stocked kitchen with all appliances (dishwasher, stove, microwave, fridge) with plenty of pantry space. There is an in-unit washedryer. The backyard is also very spacious with space for grilling, lounging, and even a lemon tree! There’s also a garage that could be used for a workout area and/or storage. We also have a cute shared library upfront for the neighbors to swap books.
The location is also amazing! It is nestled on a quiet and flat street with no permitted parking in between the 2, 5, 110, and 134 freeways giving easy access to the bordering neighborhoods Glendale and Eagle Rock to the north; Cypress Park, Mount Washington, and Highland Park to the east; Echo Park and Elysian Valley to the south; and Atwater Village, Silver Lake and Los Feliz to the west in minutes. Very close to a Super A, Super King Market, Target, Angel's Tacos, thrift stores, Occidental College, LA River Bike Path, and Rio De Los Angels State Park. Walkable to cool spots such as Bub and Grandmas, Dunsmoor, The Grant, Verdugo bar, Glassell Park Rec Center, Permanent Records, The Heights Deli and Bottle Shop, and Wife and the Somm!
If you are interested please message me and we can schedule a tour!

PRICE DROP!!
Seriously y'all, don't give your password to anyone EVER. Do you respond to that Nigerian prince email too? I know he has a cashiers check for millions of dollars waiting for you, but damn, just resist. 2FA IS ENABLED!!
PROOF & ALBUM - https://imgur.com/a/04ktEhr
Offers accepted on multiple items.
More pics available via chat. Just ask.
I would trade for gold - 20 Franc and Aussie Lunar Series are my most wanted, but what rounds do you have?
BIN it and Win it. First to BIN gets it. Otherwise I decide the order in which I respond to chats.
/--------------------------
GOLD
1x - 1oz 1988 Gold Panda in Capsule - $2425 $2395
1x - MASSIVE 6.33g Gold Nugget from Oregon - This is beautifully wrapped around quartz and would make an amazing pendent - $510 $495
/--------------------------
FANCY SILVER LUNAR SKULLS
These are very low mintage and have absolutely stupid comp prices (mine are about half price). The proof coins are limited to 500 and the burnished are limited to 2000. Amazingly cool artwork and if you collect the lunar series stuff, you will love this really cool twist on the subject.
Any blemishes are on the capsules, the coins are very BU. Happy to send more pics if needed.
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $69 $65
1x - 2017 Year of the Rooster Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Gabonaise - $65 60
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $69 $65
1x - 2016 Year of the Monkey Skull Burnished 1oz - from Republic of Palau - $65 $60
1x - 2015 Year of the Goat Skull Proof 1oz - from Republic of Ghana - $69 $65
BIN ALL 5 Lunar Skulls for $295
/--------------------------
PAYMENT - Zelle or Venmo (NO NOTES), Paypal F&F, CashApp, fiat cash, checks, money orders. Checks and Money orders need to fully clear first before I ship anything.
SHIPPING - $5-9. Insurance at your request, charged at cost. I pack and ship like I like to receive it. Nicely secured, padded, and no jingling. I hand deliver to post office for scanning and will provide tracking.
RESPONSIBILITY - It ends when the package shows delivered in tracking. If you have a problem with porch pirates I recommend signature confirmation, which I can provide at cost. All items verified on a Sigma at my LCS. I stand behind what I sell 100%.
SECURITY - All my proof pictures will contain my ZENPATHFINDER silver round name badge that u/UnresolvedEgo made. I love it. You should consider a name badge of your own if you sell. I am no dummy and any "mod" that says I am banned and they need my password to see my chats gets a nice teabagging pic and is reported. I will always use my custom name tag to provide proof via chat, just ask. I have 2FA on my account.

My significant other is my best friend. I love her with all of my heart, we share a home and a wonderful relationship that has lasted for four plus years, with a family comprised of our two dogs and three cats.
We are fortunate to not have financial worries thanks to my good job and* benefits, we often get to travel several times a year within the United States because of it. I believe in equal effort, not dollar values, so you better believe that I'm still doing a lot of chores (my Boomer father would not see it any other way!) and never, EVER hold my salary over her head. That shit's messed up IMO.
Anyway, I guess all I'm trying to say is that we have a good life and a good relationship, so I'm not in crisis here, but there's something that just gets to me every time it comes up, and it comes up every week.
My significant other wants to do every single chore together. Like every single chore.
Set the stage: it's Saturday morning. You need to mow the grass, prune the bushes, go to the hardware store and return some packages.
Me? I'm a division of labor kind of guy. You run to the hardware store/UPS or whatever, I'll do the grunt work on the yard she hates doing anyway, and then we will both be smoking a doobie on the back porch by 1PM before the sun melts our brains in the summer.
Meanwhile, she doesnt feel the same way. She wants to do it all together, which inevitably results in a longer work day on one of my days off.
Now before you say, "she just wants to spend time with you dummy," you are right. She does, and I do too! The problem is that this is not quality time. Me, frustrated, and toiling in the Sun way later and way higher than necessary, because I had to spend my morning rushing my partner while running errands that could have been done by one person, is not my version of quality time.
Now, sipping Coronas on the back porch together? Or wrapping those chores up early so we can hop on our mountain bikes and hit the trails by our house? Or going out for a lunch at that cute new place? Or again, a fat Doobie?
Now... we both agree that is quality time. But the chores eat into it almost every single weekend/weekday night, and bringing all this up only spoils the energy for the day, as whenever I ask to split up chores I am often met with frustration.
"Why are you making this such a big deal," is the one I hear most often, along with a general dismissal, "No, let's just do it together. It's okay if we run later, we will be doing it together!"
It's frustrating, because I have expressed everything that I have expressed here... I've done the talk while calm and cool and listening and understanding... yet every time I ask, the response I get is one that says I'm the one who is being too anal about the whole thing.
Meanwhile, I just want to get my chores done in half the time so I can get this woman I love my full attention.
I have explained this all to her exactly as I have written it here, we have talked about this several times and each time I get the same, frustrated reaction, which of course I tried to avoid because no one likes seeing their loved ones and best friends frustrated or upset with them. I usually capitulate, and then I find myself frustrated later on when it's 3:00 p.m. and I'm still doing yard work, hiding my frustration, when all I wanted to do was wrap up early so I coul sit down on the couch with my beloved reading a book. On bad days, it can be hard not to feel like she doesn't respect or care about my time, and that stings. I don't like thinking things like that about my best friend.
Am I being over the top here? Are there people out there who just love to do chores, every single chore with each other even if it means you spend more of your day doing chores? Or am I just being an over-the-top manager and bringing logistics into the home?
I'm not about to dump this woman, she's my world, but I'll take any advice I can get. I just don't understand why she's so frustrated about a few hours on a random morning/evening, especially when she cares so much about the chores getting done to begin with!

This is long and probably no one will care but me, but I went through quite the rollercoaster last week dealing with stolen goods, reporting to USPS, eBay giving me possibly weird advice, and then a surprise ending.
I listed some out of print Legos on ebay for a reasonable price and they were purchased by someone with only 2 feedback. Slight concern, but who knows- I've sold to people with 0 feedback and been fine. Packed everything up and mailed it out
A few days later, get the dreaded refund request and a message from the buyer. They stated that the package arrived with the tape partially ripped and one bag missing from inside. Of course the bag missing is the one with all the minifigures in it.
I am thinking there is no way the minifigs fell out, and no way that someone would steal just those from their porch- clearly the buyer just wanted to steal them and either get a full refund, or a partial. But there is no benefit in being rude- I apologize for the inconvenience and try to figure out how to sort this.
To try and scare them into recanting their story, I reach out to USPS and report the "damaged package", and then send screenshots. I politely notify the buyer ask for a few more pictures and more info since USPS takes postal theft seriously and will investigate. Buyer doesn't waiver, asks for next steps.
I ask them if they would consider a partial refund. They said sure, and throw a number at me that I wasn't too happy with. Ugh, frustrating. I consider just paying them and moving on, but hate getting taken advantage of by scammers.
Armed with their partial request, I call up eBay customer support and ask them what they suggest I do. The customer service rep tells me that since I've been selling for 20+ years and haven't had any issues like this before, they tell me to send the buyer a shipping label and process the full refund, and ebay will investigate the buyer if they don't send me everything back. They also allude to the fact that they might make me whole (ie let me keep the selling amount). No promises made, but I guess it's worth a try. I am skeptical about the full refund part, but they document it all in their system and so I hit the "accept return" button and figure I'll see what happens.
Buyer is immediately upset, emails me saying they don't want a refund, just want a partial. This all but confirms to me that they're up to no good and probably are worried about their fresh account (and or whatever bank accounts it is tied to) getting blocked on eBay. I apologize, explain eBay told me to, and that I would send them the label. I am not happy with any of this- I am expecting to get the box back and now be out shipping fees both ways with nothing to show for it, and missing my figures. But, I'm committed.
Then, less than an hour later, the surprise twist. I get a call from my local USPS. They found the minfigs bag. The box somehow tore on one side enough for the small bag to fall out at the local sorting facility. Since they didn't know which box it went to, they put it on a shelf with other items that got dislodged. Armed with my report and a description over the phone, they matched it up and let me come pick it up.
I apologized to the customer- told them the good news, and mailed them the missing figures.
Refund was cancelled. Everything is right. Buyer wasn't a scammer, I was a dummy and didn't package it well enough I guess.
I am glad I didn't accuse them and was polite the whole way through. Got positive feedback and it all worked out. It was a tense few days, followed by a surprise happy ending

Scream VII - Opening Scene

**FADE IN:**
**BLACK SCREEN**
We hear the familiar **RINGING SOUND** of a phone, escalating in intensity.
**SMASH CUT TO:**
**TITLE CARD: SCREAM**
The title treatment is bold and red, accompanied by a chilling, sharp sound effect.
**FADE TO:**
**EXT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - NIGHT**
A large, modern yet isolated house sits quietly amidst dense woods. The only light comes from within the house, casting an eerie glow on the surrounding trees. The camera slowly approaches the house, drawing us into its quiet, serene atmosphere. The sound of rustling leaves and distant animal calls add to the sense of isolation.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT**
The kitchen is sleek and modern, filled with top-of-the-line appliances. A TEENAGE GIRL, about 17, stands at the counter, preparing a bowl of popcorn. Her name is EMMA. She's on her phone, texting and laughing at something on the screen.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
Emma walks into the living room with her popcorn. The TV is on, playing an episode of *The Twilight Zone*. She sits on the couch, tucks her feet underneath her, and starts watching. The flickering black-and-white images create eerie shadows on the walls.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
The phone rings, startling Emma.
**EMMA:**
(sighs)
Hello?
**VOICE:**
(cheerful, breaking up)
How’s it going there?
**EMMA:**
Fine, Dad. I’m just doing my homework and watching some stupid movie.
**VOICE:**
(breaking up)
Oh, what movie?
**EMMA:**
Some black and white Twilight nonsense.
We can't hear the conversation on the other end.
**EMMA:**
I’m fine, Dad. You and Mom don’t get out enough, so please enjoy yourselves.
Emma hangs up and falls asleep shortly after.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
The landline rings, waking her up. The movie is clearly almost over. She’s half asleep and picks up her phone, thinking it's a text notification, but the landline continues to ring. Confused, she gets up to answer it. The audience sees the call is blocked, but Emma doesn’t look at the caller ID.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - FOYER - NIGHT**
Emma picks up the landline, curious.
**EMMA:**
Hello?
**VOICE:**
(mimicking Twilight Zone music)
Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo.
Emma laughs, thinking it's a prank call.
**EMMA:**
Very funny, Dad. I’ll see you guys soon.
Emma hangs up.
The phone rings again. She picks up.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
(cheerful)
Hi, Emma. You really should check the caller ID. Haven’t you seen these movies?
**EMMA:**
Movies? What movies?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
(taunting)
Oh Emma! I’m surprised at you. What movies? What's your favorite scary movie?
**EMMA:**
Who is this?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You tell me.
Emma frowns, a hint of unease creeping in.
**EMMA:**
Look, I don't have time to play detective.
Emma gets out her cell phone and texts: **DAD: When are you guys going to be home? Someone keeps calling here.**
**VOICE (V.O.):**
(laughing)
You really should stop texting whoever that is. Your life depends on it.
Emma's face goes pale. She hangs up and locks the front door, glancing nervously around the house. She returns to the living room, trying to shake off the fear. The sound of the wind howling outside adds to the eerie atmosphere.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
The phone rings again. Emma hesitates but answers.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You think locking the door is going to keep me out? I’ve been watching you and waiting for this moment.
Emma's breathing quickens. Shadows flicker on the walls as she moves through the house, creating an unsettling environment.
**EMMA:**
Who are you? What do you want?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
I want to know what your favorite scary movie is.
**EMMA:**
I don't watch horror movies. Not real horror movies, anyway. I'm not allowed to.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Not allowed? That's interesting. What do you watch then?
**EMMA:**
I was watching The Twilight Zone.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
*The Twilight Zone*? That's not horror, Emma. That's child's play. Your parents really kept you in the dark, didn't they?
Emma hangs up, unnerved. She moves through the house, ensuring all the doors and windows are locked. The creaking of the floorboards adds to her growing fear.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
The phone rings again. Emma answers, trembling.
**EMMA:**
What do you want? Why are you calling me?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Because it's fun, Emma. Haven't you heard? Horror is back in style. And you, you're the star of the opening scene.
**EMMA:**
This isn't funny. Stop it!
Emma hides in a nearby closet. The darkness and confined space heighten her sense of dread.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You think you can hide? If you watched these movies, you’d know I'm already in the house.
Emma drops the phone to her side, her heart racing. She hears a noise from the kitchen. She grabs a nearby lamp for protection and cautiously moves toward the sound.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT**
Emma peeks into the kitchen. Nothing. She breathes a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the back door swings open, and the GHOSTFACE KILLER lunges at her, rolling forward but missing her. Emma screams and runs out the back door into the dark.
**EXT. WOODS BEHIND THE HOUSE - NIGHT**
Emma runs frantically through the large backyard, glancing back to see Ghostface chasing her in the distance. Her phone rings again. She answers while running, panting heavily.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Running won't save you, Emma. It didn’t save any of them. It just prolonged what was coming.
Emma trips over something, falls, and quickly scrambles back to her feet, darting toward a basement door behind the house. She reaches the back door and tries to close it, but Ghostface is hot on her trail. She manages to slam it shut and lock it, just in time.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT**
Emma rushes down into the basement, slamming the door shut and locking it behind her. She descends into the dark, musty space, trembling and sobbing. The phone rings again. She answers, her voice shaking.
**EMMA:**
Leave me alone!
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Where are your parents, Emma? Out for a little date night? They're going to be very upset when they find you hanging like Casey.
**EMMA:**
Who? I think you have the wrong house. Please go away.
Emma's eyes widen in terror. She looks around the basement for anything to defend herself. She finds a heavy wrench and grips it tightly. The phone rings again.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
(laughing menacingly)
**EMMA:**
Why are you doing this?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Because it's fun, Emma. Haven't you heard? Horror is back in style. And you, you're the star of the opening scene.
Emma hears footsteps above her. Ghostface is searching the house. She holds her breath, listening intently. The footsteps get louder, closer. Emma's cell phone rings in her pocket, echoing in the silent basement.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You can't hide forever, Emma. Where's your scream?
Emma drops the cordless phone.
Suddenly, the inside basement door bursts open. Emma scrambles to her feet, wielding the wrench. Ghostface descends the stairs slowly, taunting her.
**GHOSTFACE:**
You think you can fight me off? You're not Sidney Prescott.
Emma swings the wrench, but Ghostface dodges effortlessly. They struggle, Emma hitting and kicking desperately. Ghostface slashes at her, grazing her arm. Emma screams in pain and bolts for the basement window.
**EXT. WOODS BEHIND THE HOUSE - NIGHT**
Emma climbs out of the basement window, but Ghostface grabs her leg. She kicks free, and Ghostface gets stuck in the window frame. Emma gets up and runs back into the house, her breath visible in the chilly December air. She hears Ghostface behind her, struggling to free himself.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT**
Emma runs upstairs, the house now plunged into darkness as the power goes out. She fumbles her way down the hallway, using her phone as a flashlight. She catches glimpses of family photos on the wall, but it's too dark to make out the faces.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT**
Emma enters her parents' bedroom and goes to her father's closet. She rummages through his things and finds a gun, clearly marked as his service weapon. She checks it, hands shaking, and then moves to the doorway,
listening intently.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT**
Emma hears Ghostface moving around downstairs. She cautiously steps out of the bedroom, her grip tightening on the gun.
Emma moves quietly down the dark hallway, pointing her phone’s flashlight to see Ghostface a few feet ahead holding up a knife.
Emma pulls the trigger, but the chamber is empty.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Oh, Emma, your mommy and daddy are going to be so mad at me.
Emma sinks to the floor, her back against the wall.
**EXT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - NIGHT**
A car pulls up the long, winding driveway. The headlights pierce the darkness. The car parks, and the doors open. SIDNEY PRESCOTT and MARK KINCAID step out, laughing and chatting.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - FOYER - NIGHT**
Sidney and Mark enter through the front porch, the door is already ajar, immediately sensing something is wrong.
**SIDNEY:**
Emma? Honey?
No response. Sidney sets down the bags and moves towards the living room, Mark close behind.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
They stop dead in their tracks. The room is a mess. Furniture overturned. Sidney's face contorts in horror.
**SIDNEY:**
(whispering)
No... no, no, no!
**MARK:**
(drawing his gun)
We're calling the police. Now.
**SIDNEY:**
(drawing her gun)
We don’t have time for this. Emma???
Sidney’s phone rings. She freezes, recognizing the familiar sound, a chill running down her spine. She answers, her voice shaking.
**SIDNEY:**
Who is this?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Miss me, Sidney?
Sidney's eyes widen in terror.
**SIDNEY:**
Who are you?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You know, this brings back memories. You remember the first time, don’t you? A lonely house, an unsuspecting victim…oh and that surprise twist!
Sidney's grip tightens on the phone.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
But all these sequels. And no stakes. Where are the stakes?
**SIDNEY:**
Leave my family alone!
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You think you know the rules, don't you, Sidney? Two killers, every time...except that last one. But you weren’t even in it, so who cares? I mean, what a joke, three killers from the same family?
Sidney's face contorts with anger and fear.
**SIDNEY:**
What do you want?
**VOICE (V.O.):**
I want you to feel my pain.
**SIDNEY:**
I’ve heard all of this. Revenge isn’t going to make you feel better. And when I get to you and your family, you’ll know real pain.
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Oh, Sid. I’m different. You think you're safe just because you've changed your name?
Sidney's eyes widen…
**VOICE (V.O.):**
You should know, I learned from the best. Roman Bridger, your brother. He was a lone wolf, just like me.
But unlike him, I’ve been watching you for years.
**SIDNEY:**
It’s me you want, asshole. Leave my family alone.
**INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE - BEDROOM**
**VOICE (V.O.):**
Ghostface raises a metal stake.
Sorry, Sid. This movie’s got stakes. Lots and lots of stakes.
**INT. SECLUDED SUBURBAN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT**
We hear Emma’s fading breath on the phone, but we do not see her.
**FADE OUT.**
**TITLE CARD: SCREAM**
**FADE TO BLACK.**

Inattentive ADHD (Attention Dificit Hyperactivity Disorder) - Yesterday I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, which means I do my chores and homework late, I'm forgetful, I'm a big procrastinator, I'm easily distracted, it's EXTREMELY hard for me to focus, I'm a terrible listener, and more. I don't mean to do these things, but I don't know if I can help doing things either. For some reason, people without ADHD get annoyed because I'm too slow when I'm doing my homework, and I think the girls in my school's percussion area in band class most likely don't care about me or dislike me for being a bad listener.
Autism and Aspergers - A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed for both of these disorders. I have a short attention span and have interests that others don't, such as being alone while laying on a porch swing (because I'm introverted), video game music instead of normal music, a weird fetish (that I'll most likely never tell anyone), and Sonic the Hedgehog (for some reason.) I already know I'm weird for doing some of these.
PBA (Pseudobulbar Affect) - I laugh for no reason. A LOT. When there is nothing to laugh at, I usually laugh anyway. One time my stepfather got angry and threatened to ground me because I kept on telling him I wasn't laughing at anything, but he assumed that I was thinking of something innapropriate, and so he didn't believe me. I don't know why I do this and I don't know if I can help it.
Bipolar Disorder - I might have this, but I'm not too sure because I was never diagnosed with this before. I can sometimes act differently that I normally do. When I act like this, my tone of my voice changes, I act immature, I act weird, and my head starts to warm up. Or is this a sign of ADHD? I don't know.

I've hit legend with Mech Warrior twice now, but the second list takes a very different form than the first. Admittedly, the first time wasn't "dominant" by any stretch, I just played a lot of games with a slightly-over 50% winrate. This new deck was a much easier coast to legend, and it felt much higher powered both in terms of deck strength and meta positioning. So this writeup will of course be dedicated to the second and current iteration of the deck.

Taunt Mech Warrior

Class: Warrior

Format: Standard

Year of the Pegasus

2x (1) Execute

2x (1) Frequency Oscillator

2x (1) Garrosh's Gift

2x (1) Sanguine Depths

2x (1) Tar Slime

2x (2) Gold Panner

2x (2) Greedy Partner

2x (2) Needlerock Totem

2x (2) Roaring Applause

2x (2) Unlucky Powderman

1x (3) Bellowing Flames

2x (4) Backstage Bouncer

2x (4) Boom Wrench

2x (6) Testing Dummy

1x (7) Containment Unit

1x (8) Inventor Boom

1x (0) Zilliax Deluxe 3000

1x (0) Zilliax Deluxe 3000

1x (3) Virus Module

1x (5) Perfect Module

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Card choices

My absolute most favorite thing about this deck right now is the crazy amount of synergistic cards. Tons of packages come together, with shared synergies and complementary strengths. There are even other packages I tried in other iterations (riffs, armor gain, excavate, etc) which didn't make my cut, but still have definite potential in alternate lists.

Mech package

Frequency Oscillator, Zilliax, Boom Wrench, Testing Dummy, Containment Unit, Inventor Boom
I don't run any tutors for the combo pieces, and haven't needed them. You almost always end up with a wrench + Testing Dummy by ~turn 7 with the amount of draw in the deck, and the deck has lots of survivability in the meantime.
Instrument Tech just felt bad as a 2 drop, particularly for tutoring as weapon that doesn't have any real standalone value or immediate impact. The deck ran way smoother when I just relied on regular draw to dig for pieces.
I'm iffy on Containment Unit. The deathrattle isn't game winning, and the magnetic ability isn't useful very often. Though it's ridiculous to magnetize onto a Testing Dummy and proccing both deathrattles twice with the Boom Wrench. But that's a rare hit, and the deck often wins on its own without really needing Containment Unit. It's the best of the other "big mech" options, but it's worth experimenting with other utility cards instead.

Taunt package

Tar Slime, Unlucky Powderman, Backstage Bouncer (+ Dummy & Zilliax)
Fantastic stabilization against aggro and decent protection against OTKs. Backstage Bouncer also sucks up a ton of removal that suddenly isn't available for your stronger turn 6-8 plays. Backstage Bouncer also turns your weaker drops (Tar Slime, Oscillator, Greedy Partner) into valid threats.
I've flirted with the draw-2-taunts card - who doesn't love a good 2 mana draw 2? - but honestly you're usually looking to draw other stuff when you're really in a pinch. The other draw options were generally more impactful.

Draw package

Needlerock Totem, Gold Panner, Roaring Applause
Since we don't run tutors for our combo pieces, the draw really helps getting set up with whatever is needed for the current match. Digging for taunts and clears vs aggro; digging for executes vs tall minions; etc.
Roaring applause is a pretty interesting card with a surprising amount of hits in this deck. Mechs, elementals, totems, and undead.

Execute package

Sanguine Depths, Execute, Garrosh's Gift
This package is the most surprising performer and became a staple in all my Warrior decks. It was a necessity when Warlocks were running rampant, and still helps vs the assortment of giants and buffed minions that are still seeing play now. Cheap single removal never feels too bad.
Sanguine Depths is such a versatile location, and 3 procs for 1 mana is absurd value in a deck with strong survivability like this one.
I've tried replacing Garrosh's gift with Blast From the Depths (and adding Kobold Miners for a full excavate set), but the versatility of Garrosh's gift just felt more impactful. I wouldn't be surprised if an optimal version made room for the excavate package though; the ox is another ridiculous power swing for this deck.

Other card choices

Greedy partner: accelerates your combos by a turn. This can be the difference maker way more often than you might think. It allows Wrench on 4 into Testing Dummy on 5, sometimes even allowing the mini weapon if you have another coin or the Oscillator discount.

Omissions

More Board clears - the deck can generally put enough minions on the board to contest whatever your opponent has. The goal isn't to save up for one big combo turn. The goal is to apply midgame pressure and then pull off something backbreaking once you have sucked up your opponent's resources. Essentially, the goal is to outlast your opponent's board clears, instead of worrying about your own.
Riffs - the deck wants more minions early, and can't wait for 5 mana to start getting minions on board. The 1 and especially 3 mana riffs don't cut it.
Armor - your best defense is a bit of offense, and these cards are generally zero offense. Part Scrapper is pretty bad without Safety Goggles, as otherwise you're basically spending 4 mana to save 5 mana later (not great). Meanwhile, these cards eat up your draw, while you're looking to draw impactful or combo pieces.
Excavate - this is probably the closest package that deserves to make the cut. Replacing Executes or Garrosh's gift with Blast Charge, and then replacing another 2 drop with Kobold Miner. It was stronger when Pain Warlock was rampant, since you needed the Blast Charges to handle the giants. Now, they're more likely to sit dead, or get wasted on low-impact minions for the sake of the excavate. Also, the flexibility of Garrosh's Gift is hard to quantify, but quite often you're actually going for Shield Block.

Playstyle

The deck is surprisingly capable of keeping early presence to match aggro, while having enough mid and late game threats to pressure control decks.
The deck has a lot of 2 drops, so you often have to make some awkward choices through turns 2-4. Finding ways to get multiple procs off a single totem / gold panner can be incredibly important. And against aggro, these can basically soak up your opponent's attacks to protect your face.
It is not always better to proc both weapons on the same turn. Sometimes you should swing the 3 attack weapon and save the mini for a subsequent combo. Aggro sometimes doesn't even kill the Testing Dummy, allowing the same proc next turn.

Mulligan

Matchup dependent.

• Vs aggro: go for survivability tools (taunts, cheap minions, Backstage Bouncer). If you have a decent early curve, you could maybe keep Testing Dummy. The goal is to contest them as evenly as possible in the early game until you can throw out a Testing Dummy or Zilliax around turns 4-6 (help from Oscillator + Greedy Partner).
  
• Vs midrange: this basically means tall minions in the current format. Warlock, maybe handbuff Paladin, maybe Gaslight Rogue. Dig for Executes and Garrosh's Gift.
  
• Vs control: keep Testing Dummy, Gold Panner, Needlerock Totem, Greedy Partner. Maybe Roaring Applause if you have a tribal 1 drop and are going first. Basically do everything you can to accumulate resources, and trust that you will have the pieces you need to continuously build threats from turn ~5 onward.