Cat ferry bar harbor

Connecticut Craft Beer

2014.01.06 17:18 marleymarl Connecticut Craft Beer

Discussions and announcements related to craft beer in the state of Connecticut, with links and maps to breweries, calendar of events, brewmaster AMAs, and more.
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2024.05.21 20:23 lavnd3r Trying to get from Hanoi to Cat Ba

Hello! I’m trying to get from Hanoi to Cat Ba - my flight lands in the airport at 11 pm on Thursday night. What’s the earliest I can get out of Hanoi and into Cat Ba? Open to ride sharing/buses/trains or less ideally renting car. I just want to get to cat ba as early as possible but I know the ferry doesn’t run at night so I can’t get there on the night itself? Thanks!
submitted by lavnd3r to hanoi [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 20:17 whatshouldidohoney Best way to go from Boston Airport to Bar Harbor?

submitted by whatshouldidohoney to Maine [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 19:33 Mr_witty_name Everything Dies; Volume 1, issue 1; Summer in New York (illustration by one of my players)

Everything Dies; Volume 1, issue 1; Summer in New York (illustration by one of my players)
Last night we played the first session of Everything Dies and, since I've been taking about it so much on here, I thought I might recap it here for my sake and for anyone whose interested.
Our Heroes
Coriolis: storm chaser whose high tech armor allows him limited control of the weather
Gamble: cat burglar armed with trick cards. Thought he was learning card tricks when he was being trained as a sorcerer
Zap-Daddy: just got average blue collar mutant trying to do what's right without revealing his identity
Bear Man Bear: he's not a man that turns into a bear, he's a bear that turns into a man.
The story;
The earth is getting hotter. Today specifically the sub burns and boils the sweaty sticking masses. It's swealterinh, it's smelly, it's miserable. It's summer in New York. Out on Coney Island a well suited man is running across the beach, arms overflowing with cash he stole off a man he lost a bet too. Throwing down a playing card, he disappears in a puff of smoke. Out on the beach, a raggedy man hauls complicated technological equipment. He knows a storm is coming, even if no one will believe him. He walks past a burly middle aged man fighting with a hot dog vendor. The man is scarfing down food but won't pay, apparently he's unfamiliar with the concept. All the while high winds threaten to tip over the Viking boat ride. There's a worker who leaves his friends to try and stabilize the ride. Before he has to change forms though, others come to assist.
The worker, Zap-Daddy, moved back to his friends after a small applause. He's at the boardwalk today with his "friend" from work, Chuck, and chuck's girlfriend. Together they talk for a bit about how the news says The Avengers, The X Men, The Fantastic 4, even Spider-Man they're all out of town. But hey, as long as the punisher's still around Chuck feels safe. Zap-Daddy ignores him when he's approached by a man in Green coveralls and rubber gloves/boots. He some kind of janitor who wants to talk to this average guy who was just so heroic. The man ask about his life, if he ever feels things are "off", what he would do if he could change one thing in the universe. The longer they talk, the more zap-daddy realizes the world around him as stopped moving. The janitor leaves as soon as ZD gets suspicious. He says it's nice to talk to somebody, that the only name he remembers is M.M., and that Zap-Daddy should try and get somewhere high up. And the world starts back up again. Meanwhile Bear Man Bear has accidently knocked out the hot dog vendor. Putting some distance between himself and the kart, he finds himself at a beach party. But quickly he realizes he's the but if the joke and yet again, this time after failing to understand Volleyball, he's hurt another person without meaning to. Under the boardwalk Gamble is hiding out when he crosses by the old(ish) man who taught him magic; an eccentric dower man named Wynn. Wynn is under the walk with a friend of his, Dimitri, and he claims to be there on work. Despite his usual demeanor, Wynn is happy to see Gamble. He's trying to see if Gamble can figure out why Wynn and Dimitri are here, but it's no use. Suspicion grows as Gamble attempts to read Dimitri's mind but finds himself unable to. Wynn takes off to see his ex wife but not before stopping to pick up a penny. A penny with, not Abraham Lincoln on the front, but John Wilkes Booth. Flabbergasted, Gamble uses his ESP to try and find nearby sources of magic. He gets crazy readings off of Wynn and Dimitri, as well as 3 people near the beach who have been singled out by something he can't determine. On the opposite end of the beach Coriolis is attempting to explain his equipment to a lifeguard when he's approached by an old rival. A butch lady named Gloria whose just in town to convince the judge that her ex, Janet, doesn't really need all this restraining order crap. She makes fun of him for these supposed "green tornados" he's been seeing, but Coriolis isn't paying attention. He's too focused on the odd readings he's getting from way out in the ocean. Crazy barometric pressure, but no abnormal air pressure in the higher atmosphere. Something is messing with things purposefully and outside the regular laws of nature.
As Zap-Daddy leaves he sees the mutant fashion designer Jumbo Carnation out on the street. He has to stop Chuck from doing something heinous. He cuts off his friendship with the man and finds somewhere private to change into his electric form. Taking to the sky, he scans the horizon trying to find whatever danger M.M. had eluded to. All he can see are crowds of people, loved ones, strangers, each of them a single aspect of a larger super organism. Soon he turns his eye to the tide, relaxing as he watches it come in and out and in and out and in and out and out and out and out and out and out. Soon he can see the very floor of the sea. Gamble watches from below the boardwalk as people flee, leaving their belongings behind. Coriolis changes into his armor and Bear Man Bear hears people screaming. There's a new word on their lips, one he hasn't heard before: tsunami.
A 120 foot wave is approaching from the ocean. There's one building on Coney Island, a luxury apartment building, that's high enough to get above the wave and there's two land masses, part of New York State, that the wave will have to pass before it gets to the shore. Gamble made his way to the parking lot where he hot wired a motorcycle to try and make it to the building. The workers on the boardwalk abandoned their posts, leaving two people at the top of the Ferris wheel and the cyclone full of riders. Zap-Daddy took it on himself to save him. Knowing he could only take two at a time, it was inevitable that the wave would hit before he got them all to safety. Bear Man Bear took two children on his back and reunited them with their mother before taking off for safety. Coriolis went out to face the wave itself. He created a wind storm to try and slow the tidal wave, saving one of the land masses and effectively cutting it down to half it's previous size. But in doing so he discovered, with infrared vision, some mammoth warm blooded creature below the water.
As people panicked, an elevated train jumped off the tracks, it's wheels still sparking electric death. BUT as the wave was smaller now, shorter buildings became more viable safe havens. Gamble was able to save scores of people by unlocking a nearby office building with one of his trick cards. It also gave Bear Man Bear a place to take the unconscious taxi driver he had saved from a car crash. Zap-Daddy had figured out how to carry four people at a time instead of two, but it would still leave two people on the cyclone he couldn't save. While all this was happening Coriolis made a call to The Avengers Tower, they sent the only two people left in the city; Captain America and The Wasp. Seconds before the wave hit the shore, Coriolis saved the last two people on the cyclone and Zap Daddy distributed the electrical circuits of the train, stopping the imminent threat. He also happened to find Chuck, pinned beneath rubble, calling for help. He knocked Chuck out before carrying him to safety, barely missing the wall of water as it obliterated the boardwalk. Bear Man Bear was still bringing an old man up the stairs as water poured in. He was able to get the old man behind an elemental wall that Coriolis had constructed, which saved the civilians. Yet the force of the wave knocked Coriolis out of the sky. With Zap-Daddy high in the sky, Coriolis falling out of it, Captain America and The Wasp arriving on the scene, and Gamble and Bear Man Bear on the roof with the majority of the people, the street of New York lay flooded.
Soon the very ground shook as a massive beast emerged from the waters. On its back stood blue men in Aztec garb, armed with extraordinary weapons. Their leader, the man who held the reigns of the beast, blew his war horn and called out "Giganto! Advance! Atlanteans! Kill any surface dweller you may find! For the glory of Namor! For the glory of The Seas! So commands Attuma!"
While captain America and The Wasp spent most of their time leaping from rooftop to rooftop, our Heroes started at the crux of the battle. Zap-Daddy and Coriolis focused their efforts on Giganto while Gamble and BMB made it their mission to protect the civilians from the Atlantean soldiers. As a great lightning storm sprung forth from Coriolis' armor, they were able to stop the monster inches before it could get to any people. Tho Gamble and Bear Man Bear were dealing with the soldiers on the roof, they were quickly overwhelmed by the soldiers firing from atop the unconscious monster. As Attuma cast Captain America into the sea, the Wasp attempted to help with the soldiers. The heavy hitters could focus their fire now on Attuma, at least until he jumped into the water and started to heal. As Coriolis was looking for him under the sea, he figured out Attuma must be cold blooded so, in a stroke of genius, he simply flooded the water. Attuma was able to break out of the ice, but it was too late. His heart rate has slowed too much. As Attuma fell unconscious, he began to change. His skin shifted from a light blue hue to a deep green, his eyes changed to a horrid yellow look, his ears grew long and pointed, and his single chin split into four. There atop the frozen waters of a New York heat wave, lay a dying skrull.
submitted by Mr_witty_name to MarvelMultiverseRPG [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 18:46 Competitive-Slide220 Ideas for Road-trip through Appalachia

My boyfriend and are are planning a 7 day road trip through the Appalachian in June we’re driving up and starting in Knoxville Tennessee and ending around bar harbor Maine we were hoping for some recommendations on fun places to stop great places to hike and just anything that seems worth while
submitted by Competitive-Slide220 to Appalachia [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 18:32 MiNat0NamIkAzee Question about public drinking

Hi all. I landed in this city two days ago and I must say.. I am absolutely in love with this city. The weather, the spots, the people. All in all.. the vibes are immaculate. I am here for a few more days, staying at an AirBnB near Taksim square.
Now coming to my question.. is public drinking allowed in Istanbul? I have seen people on istikal street and around taksim square drinking beer at night. But the internet had mixed answers. I wanna take a walk on the bosphorus ferry line while sipping on some beer. But I don’t want to sit in a bar. What do the people of Istanbul have to say about it?
submitted by MiNat0NamIkAzee to istanbul [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 18:19 MelonMuskofc Tifu about my gaming laptop

Well, for the context, my parents bought me this epic and expensive laptop. I got it in October 2023. And in novemver, we sent it to rma for software problems and it was a rough process (of time and communication.). In January, my Cat dropped it from my bed (height is around 20-25cm) and it slightly dented the top of the lid.
I couldnt tell my parents that since i have somewhat bad history with my electronics. After a few months i decided to play without my headphones and what do i hear? A weird creaking noise from my left fan. (The dented Side.) After a bit of research i found the main problems could be few thing such as broken fan chip or bad bearing. So i decided to look at it myself.
The last screw of my laptop just didnt loosen. I used some wd40 due to a lot of recomendations, but it didnt work. Now i have a slightly stripped screw that wont open, a fan that might cause some trouble, a (side note: i actually didnt mind the little dent, i was alarmed by my research that showed fans could be dangerous) dented lid and a small wd40 leak near my LED bar.
I know this probably sounds dumb but please keep in mind that i am 16 years old. Any type of advice is welcomed.
Current plans? A, bear with these for 2 years and send it to rma. B, tell my parent and somehow keep them calm.
submitted by MelonMuskofc to AdviceForTeens [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 18:05 NoneOfYoBusinezz Are Cats in a Small Pet Carrier allowed on Fast Ferry to Seattle?

I've been cat-sitting my daughter's cat at my home. Daughter lives in Seattle and returns home next week and need to return cat to her. Was curious if I could take the fast ferry to Seattle instead of driving. Carrier would easily fit under the seat and cat is well behaved and shouldn't make a fuss.
submitted by NoneOfYoBusinezz to Kitsap [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 17:47 MyStackRunnethOver Review: Story Hotel Malmo

Review: Story Hotel Malmo
Wanted to post a review of this gem because boy, I was impressed
A Cat 1 with a standard suite that features a corner view of harbor and ocean, above a busy boating channel right by where the big sailboats dock, so they don’t have to cross a drawbridge (there’s one on either side of the hotel)
The room is only charitably a junior suite. I think most would call it “a big corner room with a couch” - there’s no attempt at a partition between living and sleeping. Interior is modern and aesthetically pleasing, and in great condition. Very questionable choice on their part: the king bed is a fully functional murphy bed. You can lift it up for tons of open floor space. Unfortunately, the mattress is just ok (no room for the usual 18in cloud-like monstrosity one would expect)
No gym in building; instead, they give you a pass for the very well-equipped gym a couple blocks away. Tons of nice equipment, including lots of cardio machines and many weight racks. Didn’t have a chance to find out if the hotel pass will also get you into the exercise classes. PSA: bring athletic shoes to change into there or they’ll give you booties to put over your outdoor shoes
Breakfast is good, with small but varied selection. Highlights: rooftop terrace with water and city views, fresh bread, make your own crispy thin waffles. Lowlights: no espresso, scrambled eggs were meh (hard and soft boiled eggs to make up for it)
Location is in the middle of Malmo’s just-outside-the-center business district. Lots of tech offices around. 10min walk to the center proper, and the train station. 10min bike to the beach (and the most magnificent sauna / spa / bathhouse I’ve ever seen) at Ribersborg. Many, many, many bike lanes and floating bike and scooter share to use them
Really made me consider using Malmo as my stopover point for every future euro trip
submitted by MyStackRunnethOver to hyatt [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 17:18 becoming_conscious Can I?

Can I?
Fresh present from my cat. I assume the same is true of chipmunks as wild mice, that they harbor potential pathogens, but is there any chance feeding a wild chipmunk to my snake would be any less risky? Can I feed it to my snake?
submitted by becoming_conscious to ballpython [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 17:06 Screwdatt Todays Games and PPV Events

https://discord.gg/ygh87phpwx Trials available
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
=== PPV FLO SPORTS PACK ===
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : FloWrestling Radio Live start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : 2024 Chiefs vs Hurricanes start:2024-05-24 09:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 13:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Giro dItalia start:2024-05-21 11:05:00 stop:2024-05-21 15:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-21 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Short Track Super Series at Action Track USA start:2024-05-22 00:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-22 16:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Georgetown vs St. Johns start:2024-05-22 20:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 00:30:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-23 00:41:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:41:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 PDRA American Doorslammer Challenge start:2024-05-23 16:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Big East Baseball Championship - Game #3 start:2024-05-23 20:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 00:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-24 00:35:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 02 : FloRacing 24/7 start:2024-05-19 10:00:00 stop:2024-11-17 06:59:59
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-21 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 USAC Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute Action Track start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-22 16:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Hofstra vs Northeastern start:2024-05-22 22:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 02:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Northern Colorado Owlz vs Ogden Raptors start:2024-05-23 02:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 06:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 IHSA Boys Outdoor Championships start:2024-05-23 16:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 MPSSAA Outdoor Championships start:2024-05-23 21:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 01:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Schaumburg Boomers vs Joliet Slammers start:2024-05-21 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-22 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-23 00:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-23 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 4 start:2024-05-23 21:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 01:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Schaumburg Boomers vs Joliet Slammers start:2024-05-22 17:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 21:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-23 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Catawba Valley Stars vs Forest City Owls start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-22 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Xavier vs UConn start:2024-05-23 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:30:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 3 start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Uwharrie Wampus Cats vs Boone Bigfoots start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-22 00:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-22 18:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 22:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-23 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 AIGA Brazil Press Conference start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Wilmington Sharks vs Holly Springs Salamanders start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-22 00:42:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:42:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 William & Mary vs Delaware start:2024-05-22 18:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 22:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 USAC Circle City Salute at Circle City Raceway start:2024-05-23 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-23 17:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-22 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 American Legion Post vs Wilmington Sharks start:2024-05-23 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-23 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Big East Baseball Championship - Game #4 start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-22 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 Illinois Dirt Shootout at Fairbury Speedway start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-24 00:44:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:44:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-24 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 Adirondack Thunder vs Florida Everblades start:2024-05-23 01:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 Morehead City Marlins vs Wilson Tobs start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 Northern Colorado Owlz vs Ogden Raptors start:2024-05-22 02:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 06:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 Billings Mustangs vs Great Falls Voyagers start:2024-05-23 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 High Point-Thomasville HiToms vs Asheboro ZooKeepers start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Billings Mustangs vs Great Falls Voyagers start:2024-05-22 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Sherwood Park Crusaders vs Brooks Bandits start:2024-05-23 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Macon Bacon vs Florence Flamingos start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Grand Junction Jackalopes vs Boise Hawks start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Grand Junction Jackalopes vs Boise Hawks start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Martinsville Mustangs vs Peninsula Pilots start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Oakland Ballers vs Glacier Range Riders start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Oakland Ballers vs Glacier Range Riders start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Greenville Yard Gnomes vs Tri-City Chili Peppers start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 Missoula PaddleHeads vs Idaho Falls Chukars start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 Missoula PaddleHeads vs Idaho Falls Chukars start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 5 start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 Yellow Jackets vs Ice Scrappers start:2024-05-22 03:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 SB All Stars vs Jersey Blues start:2024-05-23 03:15:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
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Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
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submitted by Screwdatt to TodaysGames [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 17:00 CDown01 Eagles Peak Pt.11

Previous Part
My eyes darted around the room, still shocked from the brutality I just witnessed from Shaoni. Katrina had strutted out of view and when my eyes turned to where Brooke’s crumpled form should’ve been he was gone to. At some point both Robert and John had run off towards the growing sounds of gunfire. Shaoni and I still stood in the coliseum, shaken to our cores but both for very different reasons.
*CLANG*
The sudden noise startled me, the sound of metal on metal. The sound came again, this time I heard it clearly and turned around to face the noise only to be met by a few familiar faces.
“Don’t mean to bother you but their shootin up the place, could ya let us the hell in!”
Rocco shouted as he beat Brookes stolen lighter against the metals bars that closed off the back entrance to the coliseum. Bianca gave me a sheepish wave as I looked over their faces again. Frank, Stein, and Tuck were with her. They must have come through the same way Bianca and I had a few days before.
“NOW!”
Rocco shouted in irritation as my brain finally kicked into gear and I ran over to let them through the barred metal gate.
“What’s going on up there?”
I wondered out loud, concerned by how shell shocked they all looked.
“I’d guess something involving the government, with equipment like that I doubt it would be anyone else. Just as we got to the hole Bianca mentioned several men in black tactical gear came out of the forest at our sides. When we didn’t clear out like they demanded they started firing so we dove in.”
Stein explained.
“I take it that’s Shaoni?”
He added, pointing towards where she lay, hunched over and taking shaky breaths on the ground.
“Is she alright?”
Bianca chimed in, craning her neck to get a better view of her past everyone else.
“The hell should we care!? Isn’t it her fault we’re doin’ any of this in the first place?”
Rocco grumbled up at us as he laid back on the ground. Glad to see he wasn’t taking things to seriously. Tuck just stared at Shaoni with this intense anger in his eyes, he didn’t say a word.
I know I shouldn’t care what happened to her at this point but a part of me just couldn’t leave Shaoni like this. Sure, she probably didn’t deserve the sympathy but I couldn’t help feeling a little bad for her now that the anger had passed. When I made my way over to her I got the sense I was seeing the real Shaoni for once. I was seeing someone who witnessed her people rise and fall, saw the country we live in change and grow as it became what we know today. Someone who’d lived countless lifetimes as a piece that just didn’t quite fit the puzzle anymore. I thought about everything Bianca had learned about Shaoni, how she was given her powers, no, her burden in the first place. Suddenly I had a pretty good idea of what exactly she brought everyone here for.
“Shaoni?... Are you… uh, you ok?”
I said like I was trying to comfort a dying animal. The closer I got the more I could hear, she was crying. It was that held back sort of crying right before the dam breaks into full on sobs. She was cracking but still trying to put on a tough face, still trying to be every bit as imposing as she had been the first night I saw her. But she wasn’t, now she just looked pitiful.
“You… you’re right you know Keith. I’m not Justice anymore… I…I don’t think I have been for a very long time.”
She choked out through tears that flowed freely down her face as she rose to her feet.
“I don’t know why I brought you here… I was just so desperate to…”
She trailed off but that was alright, I already knew what she was going to say.
“To escape? Pass on your burden? This whole thing was to chose someone to pass the Thunderbird spirit onto wasn’t it?”
I asked, sure that I was right.
“Yes, this is what I wanted from the start, to give my burden to one of you. At first I wanted the trials to help me make my decision but by the time all of you arrived I just wanted a way out. I wanted to finally live a real life. I’ve lived too long… I just want to live simply before the end that should’ve come so long ago.”
Shaoni cried, more controlled now as she finally started to get a hold of herself.
“So what? You’d just give it to someone else! What about what that would do to them?”
“I just wanted out Keith! I know it was selfish, I don’t care! I just want the nightmare to be over!”
Shaoni screamed out at me. She was hysterical enough that I saw Stein’s hand shoot towards his belt. I’m sure he had that gun I saw yesterday waiting there so I held out my hand to signal him to wait.
“We did good once, in the beginning. But that changed, the wars the injustice I just couldn’t stand by and let that happen so I fought back. I spread the idea that fighting to the death was better than compromising for peace, compromising to save lives. That’s when we… I went wrong. I lead them astray! I was responsible for their deaths! Every! Single! One! I was bitter and resentful for years and I took it out on anyone I thought was guilty. I’ve lived with that for centuries! Do you think I don’t know I’ve become a monster Keith?!”
Shaoni finished with a look of profound shame on her face.
I never thought I’d see the day when I actually felt bad for Shaoni. Not some spur of the moment there’s a full on shootout going on above us and I probably shouldn’t let her die, feeling bad. No, I genuinely felt sorry for her after hearing her talk about the past with total honesty for once.
“You could come with us.”
I offered, looking back to everyone who’d gathered around her at that point. The looks on their faces all told me they weren’t fans of that Idea but only Tuck protested.
“I won’t help her crawl outta the bed she made! Keith, do you honestly think she doesn’t deserve everything thats comin’ to her?!”
“No, but I think she’s suffered enough. Besides, I really don’t want to leave someone down here to die knowing I could’ve done something about it.”
“You know what, fine! You care to much about this Keith, she deserves it! But if you want to take her with us don’t be surprised when she goes on and stabs ya in the back! Now come on, we should get moving.”
Tuck finished, throwing his hands up in the air in an act of frustrated surrender.
“So you realize we’ve got to go out there right? We’re not climbing back out the way we came in so heading out the main entrance is our only option at this point.”
Frank said bluntly as we watched Rocco scurry out of the hole they had dropped in from. We’d all collectively decided we were better off sending Rocco back home. Frank was right though, and even though the sounds of gunfire had started to sound a little farther away I still wasn’t a fan of getting anywhere closer to them.
“I might be able to help with that.”
Shaoni replied, getting to her feet with an air of determination.
“Stay behind me and move when I tell you to.”
We all fell into line behind Shaoni without another word. I guess all of us realized the the sobbing mess we’d seen before also just so happened to be the same Thunderbird that reduced most of Imalone to ashes. So despite how we felt about letting her lead us around it was probably our best chance at the moment.
I was a little surprised that none of… whatever was happening out there hadn’t spilled into the mine and made its way to us. We found out why just as soon as the single file line behind Shaoni made it out of the mine. The camp was devastated, what wasn’t on fire or covered in bullet holes was smashed or ripped to pieces. The ground was littered in bodies and shell casings. A few hundred feet in front of us a small group of Shaoni’s followers where taking shots at the men in black tactical gear Stein had mentioned. There was maybe ten of them but it looked like those ten had slaughtered nearly all of the followers that had made up this camp.
I threw up on the spot, I was so shocked by the scene in front of me I didn’t even manage to bend over, it just kinda waterfalled out of my mouth. I heard Bianca groan in disgust from behind me. I didn’t understand why everyone else wasn’t reacting the same way I was. As I came back to my senses after a minute or so I took off my now vomit covered jacket and felt the cool air through my shirt. Shaoni had instructed us to move and I must’ve moved on my own. All of us were gathered behind a small rocky outcrop near the entrance to the mine.
“You doing alright?”
Bianca asked quietly from behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her and noticed the jewel encrusted dagger from before was clutched in her hand, twinkling with reflections from her now glowing blue eyes.
I could barely hear Bianca over the sounds of gunfire. Which almost certainly meant the last of the survivors were being wiped out. I couldn’t watch anymore death today so I just ducked lower behind our cover.
“You hear me Keith? Are you ok?”
Bianca persisted with a little more concern in her voice. I was still trying to pretend I hadn’t just seen dozens of dead bodies but I couldn’t really ignore her forever.
“No not…not really.”
I said, my voice coming out silent as a church mouse.
“Was it the-”
I cut her off
“I’ve never seen a dead body before, I mean I have but not like… not like that. The one guy his jaw was just…. Just gone. How do you guys do it? How do you just look at that and not react?”
Bianca sighed and looked me in the eyes. There was a kind of recognition in them, like she was seeing a little bit of herself in my situation.
“We’ve all seen a lot of horrible stuff in our lives, we’re used to it. Still it doesn’t make it feel normal to see… this. Do you think you can hold it together a bit longer or do you want me to…”
Bianca trailed off but it was obvious to me what she meant. Bianca was offering to soothe that terrified part of me with her powers again.
“Thanks but no, I’ll be alright I’ll probably be seeing this in my dreams for weeks though.”
I answered, trying to make a stupid joke to lighten the mood. Bianca cracked a hint of a smile and that was enough for me.
While we’d been talking everyone had failed to notice Shaoni was gone. She had stood up and was walking straight towards where those men in black gear where picking through what was left of her followers. She was glowing though, every single tattoo glowed with an intense white light and then in a flash she was gone, and the Thunderbird was in her place. Frank and Stein stared in awe of the huge beast in front of them. The Thunderbird looked exactly as I remembered. The blue feathers and steel gray beak reflecting in the light from its crackling white eyes.
“That’s it, That’s the god damn bird!”
Tuck yelled like we couldn’t see what was right in front of us. I think he was just surprised to see the Thunderbird again. Even after years of swearing to get back at “the bird” for the friends he lost I don’t think he ever thought he’d come face to face with it again. Seeing it must be bringing up more than a few memories he’d rather forget.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret! She’s been helping us Tuck, at least put your differences aside until we’ve gotten all this figured out.”
Stein yelled over an ear splitting screech from the massive bird as Tuck began to tense up. Every muscle in his body looked like it was about to pop, they were bulging to an inhuman degree. With a long exhale he loosened up and the swelling went down.
“Damn it… fine! But only till we got things settled here, after that I need to have a “conversation” with that… thing!”
Tuck shouted in begrudging agreement.
The men in front of us all turned toward Shaoni, her new form towering over them. Then I heard a familiar voice shout out,
“You wanted it gone, You’re looking at it! What’re you all waiting for!”
A commanding voice rang out from one of the people in front of us. I didn’t take long to spot the platinum blonde hair poking out from under the armored black helmet the woman wore, not just any woman, Katrina. I didn’t have much time to let that sink in before Katrina made a fist, stuck two fingers up in the air and shook them forward at us. After that, all hell broke loose.
The men behind Katrina rushed forward, guns drawn. Stein drew his own pistol and cocked it, taking aim at the approaching men. Tuck tensed up again and this time he didn’t hold himself back. Bones cracked and skin shifted to accommodate the inhuman muscles he now possessed. Hair sprang up all over his body and under it his face became more angular, his nose almost snout-like. Tuck looked something like a werewolf but definitely not the wolf man I expected. He looked more like an extremely hairy, unnaturally muscular feral person than any wolf man. Frank, Bianca, and I all hunkered down behind the outcrop, waiting for the worst to happen. Shaoni took to the sky with a flap of her massive wings as the gunfire started.
Nothing ever really prepares you for how loud a gunshot actually is, especially a whole bunch of them from fully automatic weapons. There’s nothing quite like being shot at either, at some point you just have to accept the fact that at any moment one of those things flying around you is going to hit you and just get ready for it. That doesn’t actually do anything to calm you down though, at least it didn’t for me. I was huddled behind that little outcropping like a puppy hiding from fireworks on the fourth of July. Wind gusted all around us as Shaoni flapped her wings furiously. The wind coming from her winds was so intense it blew the bullets being fired at her off course. Lead rained all around us as I listened to the cracks of even more bullets being fired. I heard growling as something roughly Tuck sized tore forwards toward the gunfire.
The sky was turning an enraged black and rain had already started to fall in sheets. Lightning struck the ground every so often as well, to close and regular to be natural. I peaked up over the outcrop at one point. I was just in time to see one of the men get struck by a bolt of lightning and tense up as he fell to the ground. As the men kept firing at Shaoni some of their shots started to hit home. The bullets that didn’t get turned away with the wind glanced off her massive form. Whatever those feathers were made off seemed to stop most of the bullets dead in their tracks but it was becoming obvious Shaoni couldn’t keep this up. From our position behind the outcrop Bianca and I both felt the beats of her wings and the gusts of wind that came with it coming slower and slower. We shared a glance for just a second, from the look in Bianca’s eyes, I felt certain we were doomed. More and more of the bullets seemed to be hitting Shaoni and her movements became slower still until eventually it happened.
With a shrill cry she fell from the sky, her blue features stained red in places. Shaoni hit the ground with an earthshaking crash and lay still. Katrina screamed something I couldn’t hear in the violent storm that still raged all around us. When I inched my way up to take a look I saw Katrina and her men charging toward Shaoni guns drawn. Behind them I caught sight of Tuck’s muscular figure getting back up from the ground. I hadn’t been keeping an eye on him before but it looked like he’d seen better days. He hesitated a bit before me moved, looking back to the outcrop where we were and over towards where Shaoni lay. He looked once, twice, then shook his head, mind apparently made up and ran at the men on all fours.
They didn’t hear him coming from behind over the storm and as they raised there weapons Tuck pounced. With one swipe of his humongous hand he sent one of the men flying off towards the forest. Even Katrina was surprised by Tuck’s sudden attack. The time provided by everyone taking a moment to decided who to point their gun at gave Shaoni just enough time to act. She shot one wing out, glancing off everyone near her and knocking them to the ground. One of them men’s helmets flew off with the hit and Stein quickly lined up a shot and fired, hitting the man in the top of the head. The look in his eyes was devoid of any emotion as he ducked back down behind the outcrop. I got the sense this wasn’t the first time Stein had killed, not surprising considering his time in Germany. Still, there was something unsettling about that look in the old scientists eyes.
As Katrina and her men got their bearings again and started firing at Tuck bullets plinked off the outcrop. Apparently they hadn’t forgotten we were there. I stole a quick glance over to where Shaoni had fallen but the Thunderbird was gone revealing a hole in the ground created from the impact of her fall.
“TUCK!”
I screamed out to get his attention for a moment. Tuck’s head swirled towards me just long enough for him to see my outstretched hand pointing to the hole in the ground. I grabbed Bianca’s hand and pulled her to her feet, making a mad dash to the hole. Frank and Stein saw what we were doing and followed after us. Stein fired wild shots off towards Katrina and her men while Tuck kept harassing them.
By some miracle Tuck was still going even as I saw bullets tear into him, he was an animal. He tossed the men around like rag dolls and at one point I turned to see him bring his now claw-like fingernails arching upwards. The head of the man he’d hit was bent back at a sickening angle, he was dead there was no question but Tuck didn’t even stop to spare a thought for the man. Seeing one of their comrades killed in front of them seemed to get the attention of the entire group of them. I hated to admit it but it was exactly the distraction we needed.
As we ran past the chaos of the fight I heard a mix of screams of agony and determination. At one point one of the men’s broken bodies flew over the four of us and hit the ground with a wet crunch that sent a shiver down my spine. We just kept running though, everyone following behind me because I looked like I had a plan. To be fair I did, it was just a bad plan, more of a feeling honestly. I thought if we could get into that hole Shaoni made we might find a way out, a real long shot but it was the best I could do right now.
By the time we reached the hole and I jumped in Tuck had thrown just about every one of Katrina’s men all over the little clearing we were in. Some where very clearly dead but some where rolling around and groaning. Katrina was still standing though, just before I fell deep enough into the hole I got a quick glance at her as she took aim at Tuck who seemed to finally be feeling all the punishment he’d been taking.
I didn’t even have time to scream a warning before my feet hit the hard rock below me and everyone else fell in on top of me.
“Sorry… sorry”
Bianca squeaked out as she pulled herself out of the pile of bodies we’d become. Frank, Stein, and Bianca seemed alright but my ankle was definitely sprained, badly.
“Can you walk on that?”
Bianca asked, examining my ankle in the strange blue light that emanated from further down the chamber we’d fallen into.
“Maybe? Here can I just lean on you?…. yeah, yeah that’ll work.”
I told her, using her to pull myself to my feet and leaning on her for support.
“What are we looking for Keith?”
Frank wondered out loud, a little fear creeping in to his voice as he looked around the chamber.
“I’m not actually sure, I was hoping we’d find Shaoni down here, maybe a tunnel out.”
I grunted out honestly, still reeling form the pain shooting up from my ankle.
“Wait where’s Tuck?”
“If he didn’t make it down we have to assume the worst. We can’t afford to wait now.”
Stein answered, quickly and professionally like someones life wasn’t at stake.
“He never had to come out here for me! We can at least wait for him, give him a chance-”
Stein cut me off
“None of us had to come here for you! We knew the risks so did Tuck. If we wait here now his sacrifice means nothing!”
Stein yelled at me. He was right, none of them needed to be out here but I still didn’t like leaving someone behind. As Frank and stein trudged forward Bianca and I hesitated a bit.
“I don’t want to leave him either but Stein’s right. Just lean on me and lets keep moving, we can come back later and look for his…”
Bianca trailed off before she could say body but I got the message, and if Bianca was moving forward I really didn’t have much of a choice.
We didn’t have to go far to find Shaoni, her usual deerskin clothing was ripped and stained with blood in places. All in all she didn’t look as bad as I thought she would. The light we saw at the entrance was coming from her tattoos as every one glowed brightly with blue light. The same light glowed faintly from four Thunderbird totems placed in the corners of the huge room.
“Welcome to my nest.”
Shaoni said with a dry chuckle, extending her arms out to her sides before immediately clasping them back over a wound in her side.
“Shaoni, are you… are you going to be alright.”
I asked, but before I could get any sort of answer I was interrupted by snarky laughter and a cocking gun.
“Well thanks for leading me right to where I wanted to be Keith.”
Katrina remarked as she walked into the room.
Bianca’s eyes glowed that all to familiar blue but Katrina was a step ahead of her.
“Yeah I wouldn’t try that if I were you. Sure you could force me to walk right out of here but it’s going to take a second to break me, longer than it would take me to pull this trigger.”
Katrina responded with a sneer, turning the gun on Bianca. Bianca jumped back like a scared cat. Ducking under my arm and putting all my weight back on my sprained ankle.
“Wait Don’t!… Argh!”
I cried out at her just before I fell to the ground.
“Ok, ok just… don’t.”
Bianca conceded, putting her hands up and backing away as the blue glow faded from her eyes. When he saw what Katrina was doing Frank wrestled Stein’s gun out of his hands and pointed it straight at Katrina, finger trembling on the trigger.
“Don’t you dare hurt her!”
Frank shouted, face turning red with fury.
“Well thats cute…”
And with an earsplitting bang Katrina turned and shot Frank in the leg. He fell to his knees, dropping the gun he’d been holding as Stein scrambled to hold him up.
“Don’t get in my way, don’t threaten me, and I won’t have to hurt anyone. Now Shaoni, where were we?”
Katrina cooed with murder in her voice as she took a step forward. I tried to pull myself up to my feet, only succeeding in making a pitiful cry as I fell back down again. Bianca flinched towards me but backed up fast when Katrina’s gaze shot her way.
“Keith, you’re still alive? I don’t know how you keep getting mixed into things but you’ve gotta learn when to just give up. I was supposed to kill all of you down there after the third trial. I gave you an out and you just stuck around. Tell you what though, you can still walk away cause I feel bad you got dragged into this in the first place. I have no idea what she was thinking, roping you into this with no idea about the supernatural at all.”
Katrina addressed me, pointing over at Shaoni after helping me to my feet. It hurt to stand but I was getting used to the pain.
“Above everything else I was supposed to kill the Thunderbird and thats what I’m going to do, after that you all can walk out of here.”
Katrina took slow steps toward Shaoni who simply glared at her. She didn’t try to run though, something told me she was ready, no matter how the next few minutes played out. But I had one more trick up my sleeve as I limped over, putting myself in between Shaoni and Katrina.
“She just wants out of all this Katrina! You have to know about where she came from, everything she’s been through!”
I yelled through gritted teeth, biting back the white hot pain shooting up from my ankle.
“I know enough It’s sad sure, but everyone’s got a sad story these days. She’s been flying around taking out whole towns to use as havens for people who want to follow this ass backwards sense of justice she’s got. I don’t want to become that person who’s hunting down supernaturals like her no questions asked just because I was ordered to. But in this case she’s responsible for hundreds of deaths. The “accidents” that happen in those towns are all her fault, and not all of them are as nice as Eagles Peak. The kind of people a town outside of any real form of government or law attracts aren’t the people you want to be neighbors with. She’s got to die Keith, so do you if your going to try and stop me.”
Katrina explained as she stalked closer to me. I really didn’t want to do what I knew I had to do next but I couldn’t watch anyone else die today.
“Alright, I guess there’s no other way then, Shaoni I’ll take on your burden.”
The whole room exploded into a chorus of “what” in varying degrees of shock but my mind was made up. I turned to Shaoni as she asked,
“Are you sure Keith?”
“Yes.”
Before anyone could recover from the shock of what I was about to do she reached out and grabbed my hands. I took hold of her’s and she said something in a language I couldn’t hope to understand as my vision went white.
When I could see again I was… somewhere else. Lightning flashed intermittently overhead and a grassy field extended out forever around me. In front of me stood a misty grey form of a bird it was huge, easily twice the size of the form I’d seen Shaoni take. Through its shifting misty form I could see Shaoni. The bird seemed to be talking to her but I couldn’t make anything out, I could only guess it was a Thunderbird spirit. It seemed to nod to Shaoni before it turned to me and stared me dead in the eyes. Its beak didn’t move, actually no part of it moved but I still heard its voice in my head as its eyes continued to boar into me.
“My chosen, Justice, claims she has lost her way, is this true?”
I couldn’t begin to describe how this voice sounded, powerful is the only word that came to mind. I didn’t feel like I was in any danger though, in fact I felt calmer than I ever had.
“She has.”
I got the sense that quick simple answers were probably best here.
“Justice spoke very highly of you. You offered to succeed her if she is to be believed.”
“I did, but how exactly do we-”
But I was cut off with a bow from the spirit who evaporated all around me. My vision blurred and everything went white again as I collapsed into the soft grass.
I came to on the floor next to Shaoni, it couldn’t have been that much later because neither of us had any new bullet holes in us.
“What did you just do?”
Katrina asked standing above me and looking absolutely stupefied.
“The Thunderbird is dead.”
Was my simple, potentially completely bullshit answer. Katrina looked from me to Shaoni and back again, eyes growing wide as the realization dawned on her.
“You know what? That works for me, just don’t cause us any trouble and we can just forget this whole thing ever happened. Oh, I like the new eyes by the way.”
With that Katrina walked off and climbed a rope ladder she had attached to the ground outside the hole we fell through.
Everything else that happened was a blur, we went back out and found pretty much all of Katrina’s men dead. Tuck was shot several times and barley breathing when Shaoni of all people found him. She called us over and Stein assured us he’d be alright if we got him back to the lab soon. We carried Tuck’s hairy form over to one of the SUV’s and raced back into town. On the way we drove past Katrina who’d also taken one of the SUV’s and was heading out of town. Bianca made a comment at some point that I looked different. When we got back to the house I looked in a mirror and saw my eyes where the same shade of grey Shaoni’s had been.
Speaking of Shaoni we took her with us, she followed us over to the car after she found Tuck. She looked a bit like a lost puppy at that point if I’m honest. I guess finally being able to live your life free of some strange sense of duty after hundreds of years will do that to you. Shaoni hasn’t actually said much since we settled back in at Bianca’s house. She eats and goes through the motions of normal life, she’ll even shoot you a warm smile if she catches you staring at her. I’m still not used to seeing her with green eyes though. I think she just feels lost but I’m ready to help show her the ins and outs of normal-ish life when she’s ready to ask for help.
Frank and Stein went back to doing their normal experimenting pretty fast. The whole thing past them by like a particularly eventful weekend. Even Frank’s bullet wound was quickly forgotten about. Pretty much as soon as he treated it it was like it never even happened to him. Tuck got back on his feet with a lot of help from Frank and Stein. He walks with a permanent limp now but other than that he’s fine. Richelle just about had a conniption when we told her what happened and she hasn’t left Tuck’s side since. She seemed surprised when we described his transformation and we came to find out he never told her about his, “Condition”. That may be why they’ve been so inseparable lately, she just wants to help him however she can and he sure isn’t complaining about that.
Tuck and Shaoni have been getting along as well. I never thought I’d see the day those two sat down and just talked but after a tense first few weeks they came to an understanding. They aren’t old friends now by any means but I’ve walked in on them both talking about their pasts. Maybe sharing stories helps them deal with living such long lives.
As for me and Bianca we started dating and thats been… well that’s been just great. I think its good for both of us cause after everything that happened at the old mine I was just a bundle of nerves. Having someone like her to talk to, someone who gets it, who’s seen so much worse helps put things in perspective. She finally has someone to really talk to in town too. Theres not a whole lot of trouble for us to get up to but we’ve started making a habit of pouring over Frank and Stein’s notes on the supernatural. Not the most riveting idea for a night in but I like learning more about whats really out there.
I still don’t feel any different after taking on Shaoni’s “burden”. Maybe that sense of duty she felt really was just all in her head, a promise to her people that she never let go. Honestly I haven’t tried to use whatever powers might come with my own condition. I just don’t feel like I need to. Like I told Katrina, the Thunderbird is dead. I’m sure not going to be the next Shaoni or anything like that but maybe It’ll help us find Brooke.
Thats the one thing that keeps Bianca and I up at night, we never found Brooke’s body. The two of us went up to the old mine a week or so after everything happened to look around for any sign of him but we didn’t find a trace. In fact the whole thing was cleaned up and the entrance to the mine was collapsed. I’m willing to bet whoever Katrina works for came back to try and wipe away any traces they may have left here. Maybe they found Brooke out there and dealt with him themselves, maybe he’s still out there somewhere. But for now everything’s been pretty calm, even normal around here.
Rocco is still a menace, Tuck still leaves the Eagle’s Roost door unlocked at all hours of the day, and theres still next to no people living here. Without Shaoni and her trials looming over me life is actually pretty good here. So that’s my story, how a storm and a huge bird dragged me halfway across the country and I started dating a succubus…right after I became the Thunderbird. It still seems crazy when I say it like that. Maybe I’ll dig up something on Brooke but for now I think I’ve finally found my new normal out here in the curiously named town with no Eagles and no Peaks.
submitted by CDown01 to AllureStories [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 17:00 PDXDalek [WTB] Yet another attempt to buy here: I have $100. You have silver. Show me intresting silver!

I still have 0 feedback, this is my third or 4th attempt to buy here. Preference given to established traders. I WTB government silver. Coins prefered but bars considered.
I love cats. Cat themed silver given extra consideration.
submitted by PDXDalek to Pmsforsale [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 16:59 CDown01 Eagles Peak Pt.10

Previous Part
The first sound I heard that morning was foot steps outside my tepee.
“Get up! Shaoni wants you all in town.”
The gruff but familiar voice of my driver from three days ago shouted at me. It had to be some sick sense of humor on Shaoni’s part, sending this guy to come get me for things again and again. Honestly, even I was starting to feel bad for him. Bianca stabbed his friend I knocked him off that stage yesterday with one of the war clubs. I speak from experience when I say those things HURT.
“Alright alright, just give me a second to get dressed!”
I yelled back to the man as I rushed to get around inside. At least he had the common courtesy to stay outside. A minute or two later I stepped out to see everyone else gathered around the man. Brooke, Katrina, John, and Robert all stood there, just staring at me.
“Mornin’ sleeping beauty”
Robert finally said after what seemed like forever, nearly choking on laugher at his own joke.
“I thought you were never going to wake up. Did you not hear Shaoni last night? We were supposed to be up 6 sharp.”
He explained after his laughing fit. Apparently I had missed that bit of Shaoni’s whole presentation last night. Katrina grabbed a pair of keys out of her pocket and started walking away.
“Come on, we’ve got to get into town and finish this whole thing.”
She called back to us just a little too eagerly.
“She’s letting us drive? I thought she didn’t want us heading back to town without some kind of supervision.”
I questioned as we all walked toward the same beat up red pickup that had brought me here.
“I guess she decided to make an exception.”
Katrina replied, not even bothering to look at me.
“Besides I don’t think running is much of an option at this point.”
She continued, pointing up towards the sky. A storm was brewing there, a killer one by the looks of it. The odd thing was it didn’t seem to want to break, it was just stuck in that state right before it starts raining cats and dogs. The dark, angry clouds tapered off in the sky the further they got from town, Shaoni’s doing, it had to be.
The five of us would just about fit in the truck, not comfortably but we would fit.
“Oh hell no! I’m not dealing with you up here!”
“Why not?! You know you love it.”
Brooke and Katrina argued as he tried to take the passenger seat next to her.
“No you go in the back or I’m driving us straight into a tree, I can’t put up with you anymore.”
Katrina yelled at Brooke, tensing up and getting ready for a fight.
“Would you guys just knock it off! Just sit in the back Brooke, I’ll take the passenger seat.”
I scolded both of them, I was done with their little arguments, it was starting to get under my skin. An evil grin crossed Brooke’s face as he turned to me
“What’s up with you two? You’ve been all buddy buddy with him since we all beat the shit out of each other with wooden sticks. He didn’t get to you first did he? Hmmmm?”
Brooke prodded with a wink.
Katrina Immediately punched him in the face before I even had a chance to respond.
“Ey that’s a good right hook! Give em’ another one, come on come on!”
A heavily accented voice cut in from below my feet. Rocco had managed to slip in without any of us noticing. When Brooke lay eyes on him he just about jumped straight into the truck bed. Apparently whatever Rocco did to him yesterday had left quite the impression.
“I’m not even gonna ask, just shut up and take a seat.”
Katrina told Rocco, slamming her door shut as I took a seat next to her and Rocco hopped in the back. Robert and John pretty much made themselves flat to their doors as Rocco took a seat in between them in the back. Brooke rode in the bed, shooting nervous glances at Rocco every now and then.
Katrina drove like a bat out of hell through the woods and back into town. I’m not sure if she was in that much of a hurry to get all this over with or if she just hoped her crazy driving would throw Brooke overboard. Given where we were headed and how close we would probably be to Bianca, I can’t say I wasn’t hoping the same thing.
We pulled into the parking lot of the Save-A-Lot I’d gotten groceries from my first day here. The storm over head was raging but oddly enough It still wasn’t raining or anything like that. The wind was picking up and the sky looked absolutely sinister but other than that everything seemed fine in the town.
Before Katrina’s combat boots had even touched the ground she was already giving orders.
“Alright listen up, We’re working as a team this time wether you all like it or not. I want us to split up and see what we can find. Anything out of place, anything that seems suspicious, I want you to make a note of it. We have to figure out who the victim is going to be and who’s doing the killing. We have nothing to go on either so nothing is to small here. Lets all take a look around town and meet back here in two hours. That’s two hours sharp Keith!”
Katrina barked, taking charge of the situation and leveling one quick jab at me before turning on her heels and heading out into the town.
As everyone else hurried off in different directions I took a second to think. If I was looking for someone where would I go? Where in town would I most likely go no matter what? That line of thought is what led me to the front door of the Eagle’s Roost. Cliche I know, but a bar was a good a place as any to start, even if it was 8 in the morning. Maybe someone new had stopped by and Tuck would know something about it.
The door was unlocked as usual so I let myself in, if Tuck didn’t want guests I’m sure he’d lock it.
“Hey, Tuck? You in here?”
I called into the bar as I noticed the usually roaring stone fireplace had fallen silent.
“Tuck’s not here right now sweet heart, but I can take a message if you’d give me a moment.”
“Oh, ok take your time then.”
I answered before realizing the motherly southern voice couldn’t possibly belong to Tuck.
“Wait who are you?!”
I chirped as I rushed up to the bar and peered back into the kitchen where Tuck usually was. In his place was a dark skinned woman that looked a little older than Tuck. She wore a pink checkered shirt under an apron that read, “Kiss the cook”.
“My, I haven’t seen you around. I’m Richelle, Tucker’s wife.”
She answered. Her southern accent was smooth and calm. The exact opposite of Tuck’s brutal hillbilly speak that he tried to hide.
“Did he not mention me? He doesn’t like to introduce me to the new comers, always worrying about me that one.”
“No, I think he mentioned you helped keep this place running when I first met him.”
“He must like you then, most people round here don’t even know he’s married. Anyways what can I help you with sugar?”
Her motherly voice did wonders for my stress. I could see why Tuck married her, with just a few words I’m sure she could set anyone at ease.
“I was wondering if anyone new came into town or passed through here. Maybe someone out of place, something like that? Oh, and where’s Tuck?”
“Well I can help with both those things. There was a man here, got off a bus last night all alone and came right in. I don’t know what it was but I just had a bad feeling about him, made me shiver.”
She gave a little shiver at that, to demonstrate I guess?
“As for Tuck he’s been staying with those scientists and…. and I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone that.”
She explained, a look of embarrassment crossing her face as she finished.
Before I had a chance to respond I heard the door slam open behind me. I swore I heard someone shriek my name. All I saw before someone knocked me over the stool I’d been standing next to was a blur of black hair flying toward me, and bright glowing blue eyes.
Bianca wrapped me in a bear hug on the floor.
“What happened to you, are you hurt, how are you back!?”
She fired questions at me as fast as she could.
“Bianca, crushing my… can you just, ease up a bit.”
I pleaded as she squeezed me harder than a boa constrictor.
“Sorry! I just didn’t think I’d see you…”
She squeaked, trailing off suddenly. A single tear making its way down her face as she blushed slightly and released me. In that moment I realized Bianca, who had stabbed a guy not to long ago for grabbing her hand, just bear hugged me. I’m not sure what I felt about that but at the moment, I was just happy to see her and even happier that she was happy to see me.
“Shaoni let us back into town for the last of the trials. We’re supposed to stop a murder in town.”
“A murder?! Is that what you were asking about? Is that man a murderer? My, what is going on in this town.”
Richelle shrieked, reminding Bianca and I that we weren’t alone in here. I felt the hot blood rush to my face as I looked up to see Bianca blushing as well, even redder than before.
“So, did you end up finding anything out about Shaoni?”
I asked Bianca as we took a seat at the bar, getting straight down to business as Richelle started stress cleaning in the kitchen.
I was a bit surprised by what she said. I never expected Shaoni to be THE Thunderbird or a descendent of them. I was still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing.
“So she went into hiding here then? That cave we stumbled into that was connected to the mines. Was that her… nest?”
I thought out loud, hoping Bianca would have some kind of answer.
“I guess, that’s what Frank and Stein have been calling it too. Speaking of Frank and Stein we should probably go see them. We were planning to break you out today, guess we were a little late on that huh.”
Bianca said, getting up from her seat at the bar. I’m not sure reuniting with Frank, Stein, and the rest of them was the best idea. At the moment I didn’t have a whole lot of other options though. I got up and followed Bianca out the door, heading back to her house to call off their rescue mission.
“Good luck darlin’!”
Richelle called after us, I felt sure we could use all the luck we could get.
“How the hell’d ya get back here son?!”
Tuck asked as soon as Bianca and I walked through the front door. Rocco had already found his way back and had apparently been filling everyone in on what had been happening. Stein was unloading some sort of pistol with a long thin barrel on the kitchen table.
“I’m glad I won’t have to use this at least. It’s been… many years since I’ve had to take this out of storage.”
Stein explained to no one in particular while staring at the gun. No doubt it brought back memories of his time with the German military. Frank walked out of the basement at that moment and nodded to me.
“Glad to have you back Keith.”
He said, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s great to see you all but I can’t stay too long, I’ve got to go back.”
“WHAT?!”
Everyone yelled in unison, even Rocco.
“It’s the last trial and Shaoni is overseeing it personally. You see that storm outside? That’s all her, if I don’t go back she’ll know and I’m sure there will be consequences. Besides Brooke is here too, I don’t want to give him any reason to go looking for me and bump into Bianca.”
I explained to everyone, not enough to wipe the shock off all their faces but at least Stein seemed to understand. Just the mention of Brookes name made Bianca freeze up. Only for a second but I could see this tension pass over her whole body and her eyes suddenly glowed blue and widened with fear. I was paying so much attention to how she’d react to that name that I almost didn’t feel her reach out and squeeze my hand from her place at my side. She sighed quietly before her eyes returned to normal but she still kept my hand in hers.
“You can’t go back! We only just got you back!”
Bianca protested, but my mind was made up.
“I need to see this through and besides someone’s life is at stake. I should try and stop that at least.”
Bianca couldn’t argue with that, neither could anyone else. I could tell Tuck and her wanted to but they didn’t. All Tuck did was quietly nod his head and grunt. I could tell Bianca was running through every possible argument in her head to try and make me stay but wasn’t coming up with anything. Bianca let go of my hand and asked,
“Can I at least come with you? To help stop the murder I mean.”
She looked into my eyes like a puppy, begging me to say yes.
In any normal circumstance I would’ve given in immediately to that, especially coming from someone who looked like her. This time though, I just couldn’t. I couldn’t take the chance that Brooke would see her and something bad would happen.
“You can’t Bianca, I don’t want anything happening to you especially with… him out there. I think Shaoni offered to help him find you if he showed up for these trials or something like that. Either way I’m pretty sure he’s here for you.”
I told her as gently as I could. I could see her recoil at the idea that Brooke might be here just for her. She was scared, maybe more scared than she’d ever been that there was even a small chance of Brooke getting his hands on her again.
“I… no, no your right.”
I didn’t expect her to give in so easily but it was a welcome surprise.
“I hope you know what yer doin son.”
Tuck told me as I got ready to head back out. Frank and Stein cornered me before I could leave as well.
“Take this.”
Frank said, thrusting what looked like a jury rigged walkie talkie into my hands.
“If you need anything call us on that. We’ll help however we can, and don’t expect us to sit around quietly when you go back. We fully intend get you out still, no reason to let a perfectly good plan go to waste.”
I thanked them for the walkie talkie. I was glad they were still looking out for me even if I doubted they could do much against whatever was to come, it was good to have people in your corner. Bianca was waiting for me when I got to the door.
“At least I get to say goodbye this time.”
She said with a little smirk. She’d been acting different since I got back, much more… personable?
“Yeah I guess so. What’s been up with you? You’ve been acting… different.”
I asked her, a little nervous for some reason.
“You helped me… a lot actually. Your the first person who’s really cared about me in years.”
“That’s not true, look at Frank and Stein.”
I responded, missing the point of what she was saying.
“No, not like that. I mean your a friend, a good friend… no that’s not, ugh.”
She said, shaking her head and looking a little embarrassed. Then she did something I really didn’t expect, she leaned over and kissed me.
“Just… make sure you come back ok? For me.”
She added as she pushed me out the door, starting to turn lobster red. My head was spinning but there was a bug dumb smile on my face, I’m sure of that. Filled with all the confidence that brought me, I headed back to the Save-A-Lot to see what everyone else had turned up on the impending murder.
As I walked back lighting began to crack across the sky. The lightning took all kinds of unnatural shapes. I swore one time it almost looked like a pair of eyes, watching me from the sky.
“Alright everyone, I want reports!”
Katrina shouted like a drill instructor, bring the group of us gathered around the hood of the truck to attention.
“The elderly cashier inside, she was… disquieted. More so than I would expect of someone in this strange town.”
John spoke, saying the first words I’d ever heard from him in a wise sage-like voice.
“I looked around for some kinda police station but this shit hole town doesn’t have one. How the hell am I supposed to report a murder if there’s no police!”
Brooke complained to the crowd.
“So, you accomplished absolutely nothing, I kinda figured that.”
Katrina scoffed at him.
“Yeah there hasn’t been a police station here as long as I remember. We never needed one, everyone either moved on to fast or stuck around and just wanted to be left alone, never caused any problems. Still, it’s a little strange come to think of it, would’ve figured the government would make us have some kind of police.”
Robert informed us before giving his own report.
“I looked around a bit myself, didn’t come across much on account of there not being all that many people to talk to in this town. Those old scientist types in the big white house never answered the door when I knocked and I couldn’t find their daughter.”
To my horror Brooke’s eyes lit up and he was suddenly razor focused on what Robert had to say.
“I did see some guy I’d never seen in town before walking around. Didn’t want to talk much though, he just turned around and walked the other way as soon as he caught sight of me.”
Robert finished with a shrug. Brooke seemed less interested after he heard nothing else about the daughter Robert mentioned. Did he know Robert was taking about Bianca?
“Wait that strange guy, was he wearing an old hat? Some kind of bowler I think, looked really out of place.”
Katrina asked suddenly, her eyes lighting up.
“Yeah now that you mention it I think he did.”
Robert answered after thinking for a second.
“Damn it! He saw me and ran when I was searching around town myself. So next order of business we find that guy. Keith! Did you see anything else?”
Katrina asked, whirling around to face me.
“I stopped by the bar and the bartender there told me someone new came into town a few days ago. Apparently she had a bad feeling about him. Maybe its the same guy you two saw?”
I proposed, pointing to Robert and Katrina. Katrina paced around for a bit, thinking I guess. She finally came to a rest again at the front of the truck, apparently she’d come up with another plan.
“Alright, I want that guy in the bowler hat found so we’re breaking into teams of two.”
“Uh, isn’t there five of us, that won’t work.”
Brooke interjected, earning him a look of pure murder from Katrina.
“Keep that up and I’ll find that raccoon, you can pair up with him!”
She yelled completely over Brooke’s attitude.
“I’ll go alone, Robert, John, you two are together same with you Keith and asshole.”
“I have a name you know!”
Brooke complained, getting yet another look from Katrina. If he kept that up I had a pretty good idea of exactly who the murderer and victim would be.
“Alright alright Jesus lady cool your jets!”
He said, putting his hands up in surrender as Katrina took a threatening step towards him.
A few minutes later Brooke and I had broken off from the other three having all agreed to meet up back at the truck in another hour. Brooke had insisted we go to the bar and search for the guy but I had a feeling there was more to it than that. He proved me right when he ducked into an alley and pushed me up against the side of a building right on main street. Usually that would be instantly seen by someone but here wasn’t like anywhere else. There was no one around to help me out or even see what was going on.
“I know we’re supposed to be looking for a murderer but I’ve got other things in mind. That daughter Robert was talking about, you know something about her don’t you.”
Brooke questioned with a growl, arm against my throat holding me uncomfortably tight against the building.
“Daughter? What are you talking about?”
I choked out, deciding to play dumb. He didn’t like this to much and pushed me even harder against the wall.
“That raccoon mentioned her name the other day when the fuckin thing attacked me and it seems pretty buddy buddy with you! Bianca! ring any bells!”
I felt my face grow red at the mention of her name as I thought back to the way she kissed me at the door. That reaction betrayed me and the beginnings of a twisted smile appeared in Brooke’s eyes.
“Oh yeah, you know her don’t you? Know what she can do to I bet. Did she tell you about me, how she threw away everything I could’ve given her.”
He hissed at me, venom dripping off every word.
“At first I didn’t care but then I heard stories of this whore who could wrap you around her finger like nothing else. She’d do whatever you wanted but you’d also pay whatever she asked, do whatever she asked. Imagine my surprise when I started looking into it and it turned out to be my little escaped bird.”
Brooke continued, grinning like a mad man. He was obsessed with her, it didn’t take a genius to see that. But I was in no position to argue with him, I could barley speak with the pressure on my neck from his arm.
“They called her a succubus, the crazy ones at least. Turns out they were right though, there was something off about her from the first day I met her but I had no idea she was something exotic like that. See I make a habit of collecting things, rare things, and she’s the rarest I’ve ever been able to find. I was so close to having her at one point but she just had to break away. When I met Shaoni late one night researching the supernatural she agreed to look into her for me on one condition. I agree to show up in this town in the ass end of nowhere and participate in some trials for her. Easiest deal I ever made, now I’m this close to getting my hands on her again. Imagine what she could do for me, what I could get with her powers.”
Brooke finished his monologue, finally letting me go.
“Now you’re going to show me where she is and I’m going to get the hell out of here. Get going!”
He shouted at me, drawing a pocket knife from his white suit jacket.
My first reaction was to look around and search for a way out. I couldn’t fight him, that was clear. I really didn’t want to get stabbed either. My eyes darted around trying to find anything that could get me out of this. Then I found exactly what I was looking for on the other side of the street.
Katrina had found the man in the bowler and he was running back toward the Save-A-Lot like Usain Bolt himself.
“Katrina, HELP!”
Brooke whipped his head around, trying to catch sight of her before she did anything. Katrina wasted no time though. She took one look at him, pulled the gun from its holster on her waist, and fired. The crack of the bullet made me run on pure instinct and Brooke dropped to the ground. It hadn’t hit him unfortunately, but it had bought me enough time to run.
“Argh that bitch! I’ll find her myself!”
Brooke shouted before getting back to his feet and running the other direction. The guy Katrina had been chasing used the distraction to make some distance on her. He was nearly to the corner that turned towards the Save-A-Lot. I took off after him as Katrina did the same, ripping the walkie talkie from my pocket as I ran.
“Stein get Bianca out of there! Head out to the mine, maybe there aren’t to many people there now, just get her out of town! Brooke is here and he’s looking for her I’ll meet you once this is all over ok.”
I think Stein said something back but I didn’t catch it. The adrenaline spike of getting shot at and chasing this guy who was likely a soon to be murderer made it hard to hear.
We weren’t as fast as we hoped but we were just fast enough to see the consequences of that. As Katrina and I got into the parking lot the guy was already inside, pointing a gun of his own at the elderly cashier that gave me a hard time about my ID. I made out the movements of her lips just before he pulled the trigger. It looked like she said “Oh, you’re the one she sent then.” Just before he killed her.
I stopped dead when I saw the body drop, I’d never seen someone die before. In Imalone people had died but I’d been knocked out for most of it. Seeing it up close though, it made my stomach drop. I fell to my knees and threw up on the spot, the blood, god the blood splatter behind her it was horrible.
Katrina didn’t stop after the shot, if anything she charged in even faster. The gun was still in her hand and she held it up in front of her, using the weight of the gun to smash through the glass doors with the bottom of the grip. The shards of glass rained down on the murderer who surprisingly, seemed just as stunned as I was by the corpse. Katrina dropped her shoulder and charged into him, hitting him so hard they both fell to the ground. She was back on her feet quick as lighting, flipping the guy over onto his front and putting a knee on his back in between his shoulder blades. Katrina locked his arm behind his back and said something I couldn’t hear. At that point I kinda spaced out. The only other thing I remember before getting in the truck was Katrina leading the man out of the store with his hands zip tied behind him. The few people who were in the store had come out and were starting to pick over the scene as we shot out onto the road back to the mine.
I noticed one of us was missing when we came to a stop.
“Where’s Brooke?”
“I wasn’t waiting for him, not after whatever he pulled in town. He can find his own way back.”
Katrina answered me while pushing the man she’d apprehended out of the truck and toward the entrance to the mine.
“Are you doing ok? You looked a little white on the way out here, like you saw a ghost.”
Robert asked me as we got out and followed behind Katrina.
“Sure sure I just… never saw someone die like that you know.”
I said, never so sure that I wasn’t ok. Robert gave me a knowing nod as we made our way down to the coliseum.
Shaoni and Katrina were waiting for us already. Brooke was there too, beaten and bloody against the wall. It looked like someone had dragged him back here against his will, probably Shaoni if I had to guess.
“I can’t say I’m pleased with what went on in town but in the end you did discover the murderer, even if it was too late. Now it’s time for the second part of this trial. I want to hear your judgements, what should this man’s punishment be?”
Shaoni greeted us, ignoring everything that had gone on before like it didn’t even matter. Something about that made my blood boil.
“Katrina, you first. What should this man’s punishment be?”
“P please.. you said.”
The man muttered before Shaoni slapped him hard across the face.
“You will be silent!”
She ordered, the room suddenly becoming electric with her temper. Katrina stepped up in front of Shaoni and gave her judgment.
“He took a life, he should be killed as well. It’s the only way to be sure he doesn’t do something like that again.”
Shaoni nodded at that and pointed to me.
“You next Keith, what should we do with him?”
I was filled with a rage I’d never felt before as I looked at the whole situation. Shaoni was meant to be a spirt of justice, or so I thought. Yet she let that woman die. Worse still, after what the woman said I believed Shaoni may have arranged the whole thing, murderer, victim, and all. That’s not justice, that’s playing god, using her power and influence to mess with people like pieces on a chessboard and for what? Just so she could “test” a few people who’d caught her eye?
“You deserve punishment Shaoni. That man is innocent, you put him up to it didn’t you? Him, the victim, all of it! It’s all just some kind of game to you isn’t it?! You keep claiming you represent justice but from what I’ve heard you’ve had a problem with that. This is something else though, where is the justice in this Shaoni, where! I don’t pretend to know what you’ve been through over the years Justice, but this isn’t right. If it was up to me this man should be let go so he doesn’t have you whispering in his ear and you should go back to sleep like you had been years ago.”
I shouted at her, not caring what she would do to me. It felt good though, to finally let her have it, especially after all she’d put me through.
I learned Shaoni’s real name from Bianca but hearing it seemed to make her shrink. The second I said it I had her full attention.
“No! You don’t understand Keith! These people were terrible, guilty of their own crimes. I found them both and offered them a deal. Submit to my judgment or do something for me and face the judgment of another. They got their punishments, I’m no monster!”
She roared back, the beginning of tears brimming in her eyes.
“Guilty or not you used them like pawns Justice! None of this is right, there’s no justice in it, no right and wrong. It’s just a game to you! Don’t you see this is wrong!”
I yelled at her again.
“DON’T YOU USE THAT NAME!”
She thundered back.
“Would you prefer Vengeance?!”
I added, shattering her.
The mention of that name brought Shaoni to tears and she lost her temper. She threw her hand out toward the man still zip tied on the ground in an act of anger. The tattoos on her arms glowed with a blue, ghostly light. The energy grew until a bolt of lightning arced from the tattoos, filling the room with the scent of ozone. The bolt hit the man in the head, searing the skin of his face black in an instant as his body went still.
“You don’t understand, all those years, all those mistakes. Do you know what that…!”
Shaoni started to scream to me again, but she was cut off by the sound of vehicles above us and the cracks of gunfire.
I looked around in surprise, still in shock after the brutal death of the murderer in front of me. I saw Katrina holding her own walkie talkie and smiling.
“Looks like my ride is here, time to end this little charade. Keith, I’d suggest running if I where you. Shaoni, I’d say its been fun but you’re the whole reason they sent me out here in the first place. You’ve been way too much trouble but for what its worth, good luck.”
Katrina hissed at the two of us. Robert, John, and I were stunned, even Shaoni herself seemed shocked back to reality by whatever was happening. With her piece said, Katrina turned and walked out of the mine, towards the growing sounds of shouting and gunfire coming from outside.
submitted by CDown01 to AllureStories [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 16:05 RobYaLunch Billboard Chart Discussion - Week Of May 25, 2024

Billboard Hot 100 chart
Position Title Artist ▲/▼ Last week Weeks Charting Peak
1 I Had Some Help Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen ▲+100 [FRESH] 1 1
2 Not Like Us Kendrick Lamar ▼-1 1 2 1
3 Million Dollar Baby Tommy Richman ▼-1 2 3 2
4 A Bar Song (Tipsy) Shaboozey ▲+1 5 5 3
5 Beautiful Things Benson Boone ▲+4 9 17 2
6 Lose Control Teddy Swims ▲+4 10 40 1
7 Like That Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar ▼-1 6 8 1
8 Fortnight Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone ▼-4 4 4 1
9 Espresso Sabrina Carpenter ▼-1 8 5 4
10 Too Sweet Hozier ▲+1 11 8 1
11 Euphoria Kendrick Lamar ▼-8 3 3 3
12 Saturn SZA ▲+1 13 12 6
13 We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love) Ariana Grande ▲+1 14 10 1
14 I Can Do It With A Broken Heart Taylor Swift ▲+1 15 4 3
15 Stick Season Noah Kahan ▲+4 19 33 9
16 Down Bad Taylor Swift - 16 4 2
17 Lovin On Me Jack Harlow ▲+1 18 27 1
18 I Remember Everything Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves ▲+2 20 38 1
19 Family Matters Drake ▼-12 7 2 7
20 Cruel Summer Taylor Swift ▲+4 24 54 1
21 Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me? Taylor Swift ▲+5 26 4 9
22 Feather Sabrina Carpenter - 22 24 21
23 Meet The Grahams Kendrick Lamar ▼-11 12 2 12
24 Miles On It Marshmello & Kane Brown ▲+13 37 2 24
25 Get It Sexyy Sexyy Red ▼-4 21 9 20
26 One Of Wun Gunna ▲+75 [FRESH] 1 26
27 I Like The Way You Kiss Me Artemas ▼-4 23 8 12
28 Yeah Glo! GloRilla ▲+1 29 14 28
29 Austin Dasha ▲+5 34 10 28
30 But Daddy I Love Him Taylor Swift - 30 4 7
31 Cowgirls Morgan Wallen Featuring ERNEST ▲+11 42 22 31
32 Greedy Tate McRae ▼-7 25 35 3
33 Type Shit Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti ▼-6 27 8 2
34 So Long, London Taylor Swift ▼-6 28 4 5
35 Agora Hills Doja Cat ▼-3 32 34 7
36 My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys Taylor Swift ▼-5 31 4 6
37 Where It Ends Bailey Zimmerman ▲+8 45 20 32
38 Guilty As Sin? Taylor Swift ▼-3 35 4 10
39 Boa Megan Thee Stallion ▲+62 [FRESH] 1 39
40 End Of Beginning Djo ▼-1 39 13 11
41 Florida!!! Taylor Swift Featuring Florence + The Machine ▼-8 33 4 8
42 The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived Taylor Swift ▲+9 51 4 14
43 Gata Only FloyyMenor X Cris Mj ▲+5 48 9 27
44 Good Luck, Babe! Chappell Roan ▲+2 46 6 44
45 The Tortured Poets Department Taylor Swift ▼-7 38 4 4
46 Whatever She Wants Bryson Tiller ▼-5 41 13 19
47 Wanna Be GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion ▼-7 40 6 11
48 Push Ups Drake ▼-31 17 4 17
49 Texas Hold 'Em Beyonce ▼-13 36 14 1
50 Slow It Down Benson Boone ▲+2 52 8 40
51 Redrum 21 Savage ▼-8 43 18 5
52 Carnival ¥$: Ye & Ty Dolla $ign Featuring Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti ▼-3 49 14 1
53 Act II: Date @ 8 4Batz Featuring Drake ▼-6 47 19 7
54 On One Tonight Gunna ▲+47 [FRESH] 1 54
55 loml Taylor Swift ▼-2 53 4 12
56 Wild Ones Jessie Murph & Jelly Roll ▲+1 57 32 35
57 Bulletproof Nate Smith ▲+7 64 6 57
58 The Alchemy Taylor Swift ▼-2 56 4 13
59 FE!N Travis Scott Featuring Playboi Carti ▼-1 58 28 5
60 Prada Dem Gunna Featuring Offset ▲+41 -- 2 54
61 So High School Taylor Swift ▲+4 65 4 24
62 Whatsapp (Wassam) Gunna ▲+33 95 2 62
63 Fresh Out The Slammer Taylor Swift ▼-9 54 4 11
64 Made For Me Muni Long ▼-9 55 18 20
65 Obsessed Olivia Rodrigo ▼-6 59 8 14
66 Neck On A Yacht Gunna ▲+35 [FRESH] 1 66
67 Hakuna Matata Gunna ▲+34 [FRESH] 1 67
68 Halfway To Hell Jelly Roll ▲+8 76 6 68
69 Get In With Me BossMan DLow ▼-8 61 15 49
70 Illusion Dua Lipa ▼-20 50 5 43
71 Back Then Right Now Tyler Hubbard ▼-3 68 9 62
72 imgonnagetyouback Taylor Swift ▼-10 62 4 26
73 Scared To Start Michael Marcagi ▲+1 74 13 54
74 I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) Taylor Swift ▼-11 63 4 20
75 La Durango Peso Pluma, Junior H & Eslabon Armado ▲+26 [FRESH] 1 75
76 Collage Gunna ▲+25 [FRESH] 1 76
77 Stargazing Myles Smith ▲+24 [FRESH] 1 77
78 Wildflowers And Wild Horses Lainey Wilson ▼-18 60 16 48
79 Enough (Miami) Cardi B ▼-4 75 9 9
80 The Black Dog Taylor Swift ▼-13 67 4 25
81 Tucson Too Late Jordan Davis ▼-10 71 11 71
82 Hell N Back Bakar Featuring Summer Walker ▼-13 69 6 53
83 Clara Bow Taylor Swift ▼-13 70 4 21
84 Belong Together Mark Ambor - 84 3 84
85 Wind Up Missin' You Tucker Wetmore ▼-5 80 7 75
86 Bandit Don Toliver ▼-14 72 14 38
87 Si No Quieres No Luis R Conriquez x Neton Vega ▼-1 86 2 86
88 We Ride Bryan Martin ▼-6 82 6 82
89 Dirt Cheap Cody Johnson ▼-6 83 4 83
90 Lose My Breath Stray Kids Featuring Charlie Puth ▲+11 [FRESH] 1 90
91 Tell Ur Girlfriend Lay Bankz ▼-25 66 5 58
92 Spin You Around (1/24) Morgan Wallen ▲+4 96 16 24
93 The Prophecy Taylor Swift ▼-16 77 4 32
94 Back In The A Gunna ▲+7 [FRESH] 1 94
95 Outskirts Sam Hunt ▼-10 85 10 66
96 23 Chayce Beckham ▼-6 90 20 45
97 Wine Into Whiskey Tucker Wetmore ▼-5 92 8 77
98 How Did It End? Taylor Swift ▼-17 81 4 35
99 Cinderella Future, Metro Boomin & Travis Scott ▼-21 78 8 6
100 I Think I'm In Love With You Chris Stapleton ▲+1 -- 2 91
Billboard Global 200 chart (most popular songs globally)
Position Title Artist ▲/▼ Last week Weeks Charting Peak
1 I Had Some Help Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen ▲+100 [FRESH] 1 1
2 Million Dollar Baby Tommy Richman - 2 3 2
3 Not Like Us Kendrick Lamar ▼-2 1 2 1
4 Espresso Sabrina Carpenter ▼-1 3 5 2
5 A Bar Song (Tipsy) Shaboozey - 5 5 5
6 Beautiful Things Benson Boone ▲+1 7 17 1
7 Fortnight Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone ▼-1 6 4 1
8 Too Sweet Hozier ▲+1 9 8 1
9 I Like The Way You Kiss Me Artemas ▼-1 8 8 2
10 Gata Only FloyyMenor X Cris Mj - 10 14 4
Billboard 200 chart
Position Title Artist Sales Change Last week Weeks Charting
1 The Tortured Poets Department Taylor Swift 259,859 (48,177 pure) -9% 1 4
2 One Of Wun Gunna 83,467 (933 pure) -- [FRESH] 1
3 One Thing At A Time Morgan Wallen 74,765 (1,506 pure) +4% 3 63
4 We Don't Trust You Future & Metro Boomin 52,637 (195 pure) -16% 4 8
5 Dangerous: The Double Album Morgan Wallen 43,812 (504 pure) +4% 7 175
6 Stick Season Noah Kahan 41,404 (4,116 pure) +2% 9 77
7 SOS SZA 37,474 (1,716 pure) -5% 10 75
8 Zach Bryan Zach Bryan 37,834 (2,804 pure) +3% 12 38
9 Fireworks & Rollerblades Benson Boone 35,978 (798 pure) -4% 11 6
10 Cowboy Carter Beyonce 35,869 (3,935 pure) -15% 8 7
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Why is X artist higher than Y artist on the 200 chart, even though X artist sold less?
A: This is because of a discrepancy between Billboard's ranking and the ranking from the website that the sales data is scraped from
Q: Where do you get the sales data from?
A: https://hitsdailydouble.com/sales_plus_streaming
Q: What does "err" mean on the 200 chart?
A: If you are seeing "err", that means that the bot I use to gather chart data couldn't identify sales data for a particular album because of a difference in album naming between Billboard and HitsDailyDouble
submitted by RobYaLunch to hiphopheads [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 15:41 Linuxologue VFIO success: Linux host, Windows or MacOS guest with NVMe+Ethernet+GPU passthrough

After much work, I finally got a system running without issue (knock on wood) where I can pass a GPU, Ethernet device and NVMe disk to the guest. Obviously, the tricky part was to pass the GPU as everything else went pretty easily. All defvices are released to the host when the VM is not running it.
Hardware: - Z790 AORUS Elite AX - 14900K intel with integrated GPU - Radeon 6600 - I also have an NVidia card but it's not passed through
Host: - Linux Debian testing - Wayland (running on the Intel GPU) - Kernel 6.7.12 - None of the devices are managed through the vfio-pci driver, they are managed by the native NVMe/realtek/amdgpu drivers. Libvirt takes care of disconnecting the devices before the VM is started, and reconnects them after the VM shuts off. - I have set up internet through wireless and wired. Both are available to the host but one of them is disconnected when passed through to the guest. This is transparent as Linux will fall back on Wifi when the ethernet card is unbound.
I have two monitors and they are connected to the Intel GPU. I use the Intel GPU to drive the desktop (Plasma 5). The same monitors are also connected to the AMD GPU so I can switch from the host to the VM by switching monitor input. When no VM is running, everything runs from the Intel GPU, which means the dedicated graphic cards consume very very little (the AMDGPU driver reports 3W, the NVidia driver reports 7W), fans are not running and the computer temperature is below 40 degrees (Celsius)
I can use the AMD card on the host by using DRI_PRIME=pci-0000_0a_00_0 %command% for OpenGL applications. I can use the NVidia card by running __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia %command% . Vulkan, OpenCL and Cuda also see the card without setting any environment variable (there might be env variables to set the prefered device though)
WINDOWS:
MACOS:
MACOS GPU PASSTHROUGH:
This was quite a lot of trial and error. I made a lot of changes to make this work so I can't be sure everything in there is necessary, but here is how I finally got macOS to use the passed through GPU: - I have the GPU on host bus 0a:00.0 and pass it on address 00:0a.0 (notice bus 0 again, otherwise the card is not visible) - Audio is also captured from 0a:00.1 to 00:0a.1 - I dumped the vbios from the Windows guest, sent it to the host through ssh (kind of ironic) so I can pass it to the host - Debian uses apparmor and the KVM processes are quite shielded, so I moved the vbios to a directory that is allowlisted (/usshare/OVMF/) kind of dirty but works. - In the host BIOS, it seems I had to disable resizable BAR, above 4G decoding and above 4G MMIO. I am not 100% sure that was necessary, will reboot soon to test. - the Linux dumped vbios didn't work, I have no idea why. The vbios dumped from Linux didn't have the same size at all, so I am not sure what happened. - macOS device type is set to iMacPro1,1 - The QXL card needs to be deleted (and the spice viewer too) otherwise macOS is confused. macOS is very easily confused. - I had to disable some things in the config.plist: I removed all Brcm Kexts (fro broadcom devices) but added the Realtek kext instead, disabled the AGPMInjector. Added agdpmod=pikera in boot-args.
After a lot of issues, macOS finally showed up on the dedicated card.
AMDGPU FIX:
When passing through the AMD gpu to the guest, I ran into a multitude of issues: - the host Wayland crashes (kwin in my case) when the device is unbound. Seems to be a KWin bug (at least KWin5) since the crash did not happen under wayfire. That does not prevent the VM from running anyway, but kind of annoying as KWin takes all programs with it when it dies. - Since I have cables connected, kwin seems to want to use those screens which is silly, they are the same as the ones connected to the intel GPU - When reattaching the device to the host, I often had kernel errors ( https://www.reddit.com/NobaraProject/comments/10p2yr9/single_gpu_passthrough_not_returning_to_host/ ) which means the host needs to be rebooted (makes it very easy to find what's wrong with macOS passthrough...)
All of that can be fixed by forcing the AMD card to be bound to the vfio-pci driver at boot, which has several downsides: - The host cannot see the card - The host cannot put the card in D3cold mode - The host uses more power (and higher temperature) than the native amdgpu driver I did not want to do that as it'd increase power consumption.
I did find a fix for all of that though: - add export KWIN_DRM_DEVICES=/dev/dri/card0 in /etc/environment to force kwin to ignore the other cards (OpenGL, Vulkan and OpenCL still work, it's just KWin that is ignoring them). That fixes the kwin crash. - pass the following arguments on the command line: video=efifb:off video=DP-3:d video=DP-4:d (replace DP-x with whatever outputs are connected on the AMD card, use for p in /sys/class/drm/*/status; do con=${p%/status}; echo -n "${con#*/card?-}: "; cat $p; done to discover them) - ensure everything is applied by updating the initrd/initramfs and grub or systemd-boot. - The kernel gives new errors: [ 524.030841] [drm:drm_helper_probe_single_connector_modes [drm_kms_helper]] *ERROR* No EDID found on connector: DP-3. but that does not sound alarming at all.
After rebooting, make sure the AMD gpu is absolutely not used by running lsmod grep amdgpu . Also, sensors is showing me the power consumption is 3W and the temperature is very low. Boot a guest, shut it down, and the AMD gpu should be safely returned to the host.
WHAT DOES NOT WORK: due to the KWin crash and the AMDGPU crash, it's unfortunately not possible to use a screen on the host then pass that screen to the guest (Wayland/Kwin is ALMOST able to do that). In case you have dual monitors, it'd be really cool to have the right screen connected to the host then passed to the guest through the AMDGPU. But nope. It seems very important that all outputs of the GPU are disabled on the host.
submitted by Linuxologue to VFIO [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 15:35 JuggernautAware7925 Shore Path in Bar Harbor

Any update on a potential reopening? So sad to see the damage caused by the storm. Are any portions of it open?
We’ll be there mid-June and had hoped to walk it with the kids.
Apologies. I tried this in barharbor, but it appears to get very little traffic.
submitted by JuggernautAware7925 to acadianationalpark [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 14:26 pohltergiest Catching up on the Tohoku Times

Catching up on the Tohoku Times
Finally finding some time after resting to do my writing. The bike shop experience was a little sweaty in the hot weather, and while we were outside working on our bikes, not only did the wife of the mechanic go get us an iced coffee and an ice cream, she later made us care packages with an energy gel and a bunch of electrolyte tablets. Looking inside, it would seem this shop has been the home of a pro-level team for a long time, so I imagine they have a lot of these things on hand, but it was still very nice.
My wheel repair went well, the bumps and wobbles straightening out with the spoke repair. Bryce had them look at his front wheel, which had a different problem. He took a look at it, and after some consideration he said it was a "maintenance challenge" and proceeded to pull out a lot of wrenches. Bryce gleaned that the hub of the wheel needed tightening, and he did not have the correct wrenches to deal with this decidedly north american model. But he did have ones that were close enough and with some effort he managed to make it better to ride. After all was said and done we asked how much for the repairs and he tells us that he's a volunteer for the day, that this is his son's shop and he's just hanging out for the day because it's a holiday! We were flabbergasted but again he would not take any payment. We talked with him a bunch and he told us that he's in his 70's and attributes his good health to his biking, which he proudly states he's been doing for over 60 years now. We said he was an inspiration and said our goodbyes.
We were lucky to get the repairs done so quick, as it gave us just enough time to hit up the aquarium. We needed to ride just 12km to get there, and a nice tunnel took us through a mountain range instead of us having to go over it. I was tired, the stress of the string of repairs really getting to me. But we arrived with an hour and a half til closing and got to see the aquarium which was a big white building tucked up against sea cliffs on the sea of Japan. I felt instantly more at ease, the temperature feeling more moderate by the water, which was calm as the day went on.
The aquarium was lovely, with an obvious focus on jellyfish. I don't usually like aquariums or zoos due to what appears to be inadequate facilities for the inhabitants, but jellyfish in a tank? I don't think jellyfish care, or have the ability to care. This is like having a series of terrariums in my mind, jellyfish are one step above insects in my mind. And jellies they had, loads and loads of jellies, some on the larger side and lots of teeny tiny ones that almost can't be seen at all without magnification. They really do look like little automatons, just wiggling around. The tanks were all very tastefully lit, highlighting UV reactive cells, long streaming tendrils (that I'm sure have a proper name), and rainbow shimmering reflective cells that look deceptively like teeny tiny LEDs on little ridges. The prime attraction was the dream theatre, a dark room with a 5m tall tank circulating with hundreds or thousands of jellies and lit with a dreamy blue and purple light. We saw posters of famous artists performing in front of the jellyfish tank, the theatre being aptly named.
We missed out on the jellyfish ramen noodles, it being a bit too late in the day, but we did get to enjoy the late day views from on top of the aquarium. Why did we ever leave the ocean? Flat roads, sunsets unmarred by dumb terrain, beaches. It's the best. I love beaches. Looking at the map, we'd have to cover 120km to get to Akita to take the ferry to hokkaido, so we decided to cover some ground while we still had light so as to not overload the next day should something happen. On we went. We zoomed past pastel-lit beaches, seeing folks sitting in pairs, waiting for the sunset. We've seen people stop right on highways if they have a good view of the sunset. We had no such time to enjoy it today.
An hour or so later, we covered 20km to Sakata. Bryce wanted fried chicken for dinner, so we went to a takeout place and got way too much chicken for the two of us to eat. It can be hard to tell what you're getting, as one piece of karaage can be anything from a morsel to a meal, in this case we had more of a meal per piece along with rice and cabbage. We got some drinks from a vending machine and ate the food by a river, watching the water go by as the light faded. For once, we couldn't finish all the food, which was a shock. I always finish the food. Good job, random chicken place, you win this round.
I found a big empty looking beach in the middle of nowhere on the map about 10km north of our position, so we prepared to set out for a night ride. Rain was in the forecast for the next morning, which meant we needed a private place that we wouldn't be bothered for an extended time during daylight hours. And we'd need to reduce our kilometers for the next day as we'd probably have to bike some of it in the rain, which sucks. As we were biking through the city, we happened upon a summer festival, people filling the streets. The usual assortment of festival treats didn't steal our attention, but I stopped for a moment to examine a line of white painted ladies in front of a stage that were talking turns talking about something or another. If only we had the time to watch the performance!
We instead used our valuable time biking to a convenience store to one again get water, food, and some canned coffee for the next morning. Always an exciting time. We left the city, things now fully dark. The highway was not the best, lots of cracks and parts filled in with patches, and my focus wasn't the best. Obstructions become much harder to see in the light of a headlight, even harder to see when you have to use the dimmest setting as the headlamp always seems to be close to dying. My body bitched that it was the wrong time of day to be biking, I should already be setting up camp and kicking back, not pressing for an extra 10km.
We did eventually make it to the beach intact, if a bit worn out, rolling down a sandy road until we had to push our bikes over dune-encrusted paths. Nobody here except a handful of night fishers, but they only care about fish. We pushed our bikes along the beach until we found a lonely pair of shelters for picnics and began setting up there. It seemed like a good spot, and we could tie up the tarp for extra rain protection. Giant wind fences on the beach would help with any gusts coming off the sea, but we weren't expecting a lot of wind anyways. Feeling like I'd have extra time in the morning, I got to sleep instead, feeling more tired than ever.
I slept very long, clearly the need for sleep piling up on me. We got to bed a little later than I wanted, but it was indeed raining when I woke in the morning, so I went back to sleep and luckily got a few more hours. We discovered in the morning light that we were not the only ones to think highly of the shelters, with little ants crawling all over the outside of the tent. Not a big deal, but a little unnerving considering we haven't always been perfect about getting the zippers all the way closed. We had some breakfast in bed (which inevitably led to a spilled coffee) and read for a little bit, but debates about getting going started pretty quickly. The rain didn't look like it was going to let up, which meant we were going to have to get going or risk riding at night again.
It was late in the morning when we were ready to go, rain gear donned and our spirits as high as they would be all day. We had 95km to ride, half a day to do it, and we were already soaked. On we went. Rice planting is in full swing now, everywhere we go there's farmers hurredly planting thousands of tiny sprouts in prepared fields. Early on there was a bit of a roadside attraction in the form of a curiously coloured pond, which we dutifully checked out. The pond was indeed a brilliant blue green colour and very clear, like the water of some onsens we've seen. Reading a sign, the pond was the source of the little rivers nearby and the water was extremely cold which kept it from fouling.
As we rode, the mist rising off the hills looked like smoke. We hoped the rain would turn to just mist soon. Wiping my face for the hundredth time, we slowly pedaled on. Rain pants tug on my skin, making knee pain feel more prominent. We bike slower too, I think the water on the road is just harder to bike on. Feels like slow motion compared to fair weather riding. After 30km, I needed to stop and get some real food in me, I found a mandarin restaurant serving spicy ramen, which sounded perfect for a cold, stiff day like this. We left our dripping rain gear outside where it might get slightly dryer simply by gravity, and went in, still sorta dripping anyways.
Inside, the restaurant was filled to the brim with knickknacks and collectables and was bright and cheery despite the weather outside. I found a place to plug in my headlamp and we both ordered big bowls of spicy soup and colas for the sugar and caffeine boost we'd need to keep going. The soup was flavorful and delicious, with a ground pork that was sweet instead of savoury. Last time I made sweet pork it was kinda gross so it was neat to have a sweet pork that wasn't bad. I ate my whole bowl, needing all the calories I could get, and settled down a bit to check the radar for the area.
As can be expected for the coast, the weather was temperamental. It was good we got going, as the section behind us was being hammered, while we could expect a bit of a reprieve from the rain as we moved forward. That was about as good as we could hope for and with the clock striking 2 (and playing a song) in the restaurant, we departed.
The sky brightening a bit from a dreary grey to a less dreary grey, our moods lifted for a while while our jackets dried off in the breeze. The sights were beautiful, in a desolate sort of way. Something about staring off into seemingly infinite ocean is unsettling to me. The evergreens on rocky spits in the ocean reminded us of the west coast trail, a few unbothered sections of coast here and there revealing what this land is supposed to look like under all the concrete pylons and coast management techniques Japan loves.
After an hour, I began having some real issues. My heart rate had spiked, my vision was a little odd, and I was starting to not feel well. Not good. I drank a bunch of water, which helped, but eventually my body decided the spicy ramen was too oily and spicy for my guts and I went to destroy a convenience store. I felt better after, but I really should know better by now. There's so much oil in the cooking here though, it's hard to avoid sometimes.
We kept riding, now with no rain gear and keeping up a respectable pace. We went on a desolate road, giant windmills standing guard on the coast overlooking fields of windburnt trees all bent away from the water. Looks like this coast gets absolutely hammered by the wind, maybe I shouldn't complain too much about the rain if it's not windy as well. Things were looking up, our pace put us on schedule to arrive at 6, well before dark which put us in better spirits. Better spirits until Bryce's tire blew out.
Pulling apart the tire layers, incredulous that the so-called "flatless" tires would fail us now, we found a shard of black glass stabbed straight through the thickest part of the tire and a centimeter into the tube section. Well there's no bike tire on earth that can survive that, that one's just bad luck. We felt a little better about that as we set about replacing it. At least with the new rim Bryce had it was much less of a fight to get the tire on and off to replace the tube. Getting the bead to set was a pain, Bryce cycled the tube pressure three times and we even soaped the edge to get it to budge. It seemed good enough to me, but the rim of the tire definitely seemed a little inconsistent. The rain starting again, we debated what we should do, I argued that if he was careful and avoided bumps the bead might set itself and we didn't have any other techniques we could try. He wasn't able to pull the tire over any more and my hands were too weak to be of much help. We were wet and cold by this point, so Bryce agreed with this and we remounted and got moving. We could always take the train if we had to, but that wasn't an option we wanted to do just yet.
I was in the rear and I could immediately see and hear something was wrong with Bryce's bike, even though I was focused on the tire bead to see if it was setting properly. It looked like his front and back tires were tracking different paths and one or both seemed to be leaning? I know the front tire had a hub issue so I thought maybe they're just a bit off but after a while I called a halt as it looked just too messed up not to try reseating the axle. While we were redoing the rear axle, we discovered that a bolt holding the rear pannier rack was close to coming out altogether, the source of the terrible rattling I've been hearing for weeks now! That was a relief to fix, and the wheel seemed to be sitting better. Now we were quite a bit later, projections looking more like 7 o'clock and getting dark by the time we got to the city.
The sky was getting lighter, but it was the sun starting to sink below the cloud layer, signaling the end of the day and the last of our riding light. I was so tired by this point, bone tired. The rain makes every kilometer feel like two, I was sneezing again, feeling sad. Lots of harsh feelings were welling up, life starting to roar back into focus as all the things I pushed away for the past year demanded answers right now. I tried my best to file away the petitions as I could, but mostly I just tried to keep my head up as my mood sunk lower with the sun. My sinuses decided they'd had enough and shut down, making my head feel like it was a size too big. In the last light of the day we got to Akita, the end of our Tohoku adventure. The kindness of the people we met saved us from finding the whole region cursed.
I demanded burgers and fries to lift my soggy mood, nothing in my tool box keeping me happy. Luckily there was a good looking place near our hotel to try and it was a countertop kinda place. We went in to find a fully charming establishment full of locals and a pair of chefs working the counter. I was feeling just awful but Bryce had a good time interacting with people. Everyone was very curious about the two colourful and very wet foreigners who had wandered in after parking very large and heavy bikes. I joined in on the answers, having the better language skills whenever Bryce couldn't parse what was being asked, but I was more focused on the pile of fries and the chili burger I ordered. People were flabbergasted that we came all the way from the southern end of the country, the chefs assuming we must have come from Tokyo instead. Some of the other patrons started rattling off Canadians they knew, with Justin Bieber ("Justinoo Beeberu!") and Celine Dion topping the list. I ordered a BLT sandwich as I was still starving even after a whole meal. The chef brought over a bottle of nice sake to have as a toast to the brave travellers, which I had to refuse as I would like to recover from this cold sometime this century. There's so much booze that it's hard not to here.
To alleviate the embarrassment of having to refuse the booze, he offered me a ginger ale instead, which I graciously accepted. The other chef laughed as they pulled out a bottle "Canada Dry" she said, to the laughter of the bar. Taste of home in a strange place. I polished off my BLT (and considered a second) and while I'm sure Bryce could have spent all evening taking free shots of excellent sake with the bartender, we had to be up early, so we said our goodbyes and waved as we wheeled our bikes into the dark city. I left in a good mood, but tired as hell. Bryce was positivity beaming from the fun interactions, and the four drinks he had. The hotel was nearby, so it wasn't too hard. A parking attendant ushered us to a spot near the guardhouse, and we locked up there. He asked us when we were thinking of getting the bikes the next day, and when we said 430 in the morning he was a little taken aback. He understood that the ferry was early but that was too early for him.
The hotel room was nice enough, but all I wanted was a bath and sleep. There were bath salts at the front desk and we took turns soaking in the tub. I wasted no time, doing my thing, arranging my clothes for the morning, setting an alarm and going to sleep. 415 would be just around the corner.
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2024.05.21 14:23 TheCody13 They grow up too fast!

They grow up too fast!
I was at a bar I frequently went to watching Superbowl 54 and this sweetheart roamed in and ate all the bar cats food. She would not let anyone else pick her up until I did and she's been with me ever since. Every day(I work nights) or night when I go to sleep she sleeps right up against my legs.
submitted by TheCody13 to CalicoKittys [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 13:24 PotentialProf3ssion In this trying time I seek to unite us, through good music artists from every corner of the board.

In this trying time I seek to unite us, through good music artists from every corner of the board. submitted by PotentialProf3ssion to PoliticalCompassMemes [link] [comments]

2024.05.21 12:54 Swiss_alps234 4 days in malaysian borneo watching wildlife

4 days in malaysian borneo watching wildlife
Hi everyone!
Earlier this month i had a chance to visit Deramakot Forest Reserve, part of Borneo in Sabah, Malaysia. I had an amazing experience and wanted to share my experience for those wildlife enthusiasts around here. I spent also two days in Kinatabangan River, a spot many of you have probably visited that is good to spot pigmy elephants, proboscis monkeys and orangutans too.
Most people who visit Borneo visit one of the National parks in Indonesia or a quick visit to Danum Valley and Kinabatangan River. The main reason for me to pick Deramakot FR was the focus in wildlife sighting, it is the best place in the world to see clouded leopards and other wild cats and many species that only exist in that part of the world can be seen regularly. When researching, i found out that Danum Valley is great for starters, you can learn about trees and insects, do some walks and in the car, probably see a couple of civets and orangutans, but the way it is organized to be explored does not enhance your probability to see different species, it just gives you a taste of the greatness of Borneo that won’t satisfy those who want to maximize wildlife viewing. Deramakot is the place to be for variety.
We spent 4D/3N with Adventure Alternative Borneo, when we arrived we met our guide Mike, he said himself he wasn’t great with briefings or explanations so he just wanted to know our questions and target animals. I said we wanted to see orangutans and then mainly nocturnal animals, i mentioned wild cats, civets, binturong, slow loris, tarsier, etc… he said tarsier is difficult but all the other was easy, maybe not a clouded leopard but we saw 4 leopard cats, for example.
The wildlife viewing takes place on top of the back of a pick up truck where the guide with a driver runs back and forth in the 32 km main road 2 of the Forest Reserve. You have 7 hours a day that you distribute like you want depending on target species. It takes 3 hours each way to the end of the road depending how many hours you assign, we started at 15:00 and finished at 23:00 with one hour for dinner and rest at the spot at the edge of the park at the end of the 32 km.
The first day you only do 3 hours at night, in those 3 hours, we quickly came accross an otter in a body of water near the road, two types of owls, civets, - pigmy elephant, multiple leopard cats… a sunda skunk would come slowly walking by our car and we would get down and walk next to it to take the best photos and experience being close to it. A Thomas’ flying squirrel would glide between trees just on top of us, a sambar deer would run and hide past us in the shadows.
We counted 30 different species, most of them mammals over the 3 days of wildlife viewing, we didn’t see a sun bear or clouded leopard (two of my dreams), but we saw a banteng. You might know that there are bantengs in several parts of indonesia, but the malaysian subspecies has less than 324 members left to be extinct, and we crossed paths with one young one that stayed for a couple of minutes in front of the car, the guide said he has seen only 2 before and very briefly running away in all the years he had been guiding in the park, he mentioned that a banteng is much more rare than seeing a pangolin and a clouded leopards and that specimen probably had never seen a car before in its life.
Despite our impressive first night, in the other two days we had long parts of times where we wouldnt have sightings, in hindsight, we shouldnt have done 15:00-18:00 at all and just start at night since we had seen orangutan already in Kinabatangan, but once the night came down, you could be 1 hour without sightings and suddenly see slow loris, a leopard cat, a rat snake, a banded civet shyly walking past our car and a binturong within 30 minutes. The park had that magic that can make you go to bed with a smile after having two hours of nothing with the best 10 minutes of sightings at the end. You could see the guide get as excited or more than you with every sighting and say: hell yeah, when he got one of those species you mentioned you wanted to see. We spent 30 mins watching a binturong eating fruits from a fig tree or 10 mins watching a striped palm civet smile to the camera with its mouth full of fruits, or a slow loris walking down a tree to escape the light literally in slow motion.
I have been before in the Amazon rainforest in Peru, Galapagos Islands, several parts of Australia, Polynesia, two safaris in Kenya and South Africa and this experience let me wanting to come back as soon as possible and with the feeling of seeing animals i could only see in books and documentaries. I feel like i found a “secret” to keep coming back, but at the same time there is a reality many of you know from Malaysian Borneo. 60% of the territory is covered by palm oil plantations, from the moment you land in the airport to the almost 4 hours until the entrance of the park, all you see is km and km of palm trees and palm trees, you ask the locals and they say it brings a lot of money and the government wants to continue expanding, and even with that, Sabah is the poorest region of Malaysia.
Regarding the price, it is not cheap, specially considering that you can have lunch in a restaurant in telupid town for 11 myr and we paid a bit over 4000 myr for this per person including transport from and to airport, but the truth is, the reason for the reserve to have this price is that the reserve needs to prove the government that they can generate enough money from wildlife tourism to make it equally or more profitable than just turning the whole reserve into a big palm oil plantation, and seeing how amazing the wildlife is, it is extremely sad to see all those kilometer and kilometer of palm oil plantations and think how amazing all that was 100 years ago.
The accomodation is basic but safe and clean, with hot water , i would say much better than most of the homestays i stayed in Indonesia in the same trip, our guide Mike was the best wildlife spotter i ever saw in my travels, although the experience would be different with another guide, of course.
I would recommend visiting this reserve to anybody who really loves wildlife variety and would be happy to spend 7 hours a day driving around in exchange of seeing some animals that only exist in this part of the world. There was another couple happily doing early morning drives to see the gibbons and orangutan waking up and the birds followed with night drives that were having an amazing time too. If you just want a taste of the jungle you can probably stay some days in the more luxurious rainforest lodge in Danum Valley and just get a taste and fewer sightings . For me, Deramakot was even better than what i expected as a wildlife enthusiast and would love it to continue being that way and not turned into palm oil plantations down the line, hence why i wanted to share my experience.
1 and 2. Female Orangutan and baby 3.Pigmy Elephant 4.Barred eagle owl 5.Buffy fish owl 6.Striped Palm Civet 7.Philippine slow loris 8.Binturong 9.Banteng 10.Sunda Skunk 11.Island Palm Civet 12.Flying fox 13.White bellied rat snake 14.Leopard cat 15.View from the car during afternoon drive
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2024.05.21 11:27 omegaMKXIII 31 [M4F] Austria/Europe - Looking for my forever lady

General
I am looking for a lady between 28 and 35 years old, for a committed monogamous childfree relationship. My goal is to become a true team, supporting each other, caring for each other, nurturing each other and helping each other grow and realise our goals and dreams as much as possible. I'm hoping to find someone that values a relationship as much as I do and takes it seriously. It's not the only thing my life revolves around, but it's also not just something 'nice to have' for me.
I tried to be as concise as possible while still providing what details I think are crucial to know; I realise this post turned out very long, but I prefer those because I can get as good an idea as possible with detailed descriptions, bar actually talking to the person, and find that very valuable, so if that also applies to you, that would be awesome.
Basics
I am 186cm tall, slim/fit built, dark brown hair, brown eyes. Both my arms are tattooed (full sleeve), as are my calves and the areas above my ankles. Regarding pictures see below. I am a runner (ranging from 5k to full marathon), training multiple times a week. I'm also vegan. My love languages are physical touch and words of affirmation. While I am mostly securely attached, withdrawing from me triggers anxiety and I have made a horrible experience with a fearful avoidant partner in the past, so that is something I fear I cannot deal with again.
I am also an atheist.
I am a very warm, soft and sensitive person, I think I am humorous, I am self reflecting a lot and I can also be really passionate and romantic. Those are traits that also are really important to me in a woman.
I can be quite social, I am a good talker, but also love to listen to really get to know someone on a deeper level. I can enjoy an evening out with friends just as much as the silence of sitting at the shores of the river and watching the sunset in solitude (although I've been craving to watch it together with a partner for a really long time now). I can be out in a pub, at a rave, a metal show or in the stadium watching football and have the time of my life, but I cannot do these things every day; I need recharge time (on the sofa, in the woods for a run, a lazy Sunday staying in bed etc.). This should give you an idea; basically, I am a homebody that thoroughly enjoys going out in moderation.
I won't say too much about hobbies; suffice it to say I am into the dark, the obscure, the macabre, the occult, the mysterious, the erotic. It won't surprise you that I had a gothic phase in my youth, bonus points if you did too!
What I am looking for
Although similar hobbies and interests are a plus (and there have to be at least a couple things we have in common), emotional and sexual compatibility are more important to me. I am a very sensitive and emotional person (I do cry easily and by this point I don't think I'll ever be able to change that, sorry), so if you're too, we will definitely understand each other. I need someone who I can open up to (which I do rather quickly, anyway), be myself, bare my soul to and I need these things from you, too. I've had my share of emotionally unavailable women who were afraid of intimacy so I know I can't deal with that again because of the way how those things affect me. I am always emotionally invested with the woman I pursue and in those cases that was to my detriment. But my ability to feel so deep is also something I wouldn't want to change because as of yet, although it's getting harder, I haven't given up on finding someone.
With those emotional needs come two requirements that I found to be vital over the years: First, being able to be silly and cutesy together and to accept each other's inner child and care for it. I am not talking about having to deal with another person's immaturity or inability to perform basic adult skills, rather with the way sadness, hurt, anxiety and being overwhelmed manifests for me (and maybe for you, too?). I need someone who is able to comfort me, to hold me, to allow me to be weak and needy for a while until I've calmed down, and I'm more than ready to offer the same. Your inner child can come out for a while, no problem (: Also in a positive way: Thankfully, today everyone seems to be understanding of the cuteness overload cats (or any animal baby, really) can cause; I need that with a partner. I also still have plushies as comfort animals (some of which in quite a litteral sense as they make for really amazing pillows) and ideally, you do too.
There is a saying that in every relationship, one person is the stronger one. In the past, I have been with women who obviously were stronger than me, but that doesn't mean they always had to be strong, far from it. I certainly, like I said, need to be able to feel protected, but it's not like I'm a particularly needy partner, like everyone, I have my ups and downs, but I can pull my weight and have been told by past partners that I am very caring and that they felt safe and understood with me, and providing that for my partner is really important for me as well – this just to put the picture I'm (somewhat haphazardly) trying to paint into perspective.
Second, sexual compatibility. I have a high libido and I have kinks, so you should, too, in order that we can explore and enjoy them together. I found out how fulfilling living out those fantasies can be after years of never being able to try and in a relationship, sexual fulfillment for both partners is a must for me. Someone on here has coined the term 'filthy best friends and partners' which I have no shame to be stealing because it's such an apt description.
I'm looking for a balance between healthy independence and being emotionally present. A relationship where we 'get' each other; we're both each other's number one and treat each other like royalty. Where a disagreement leads to more intimacy between us as we understand better, not to resentment. Where we're comfortable baring our souls to each other, becoming a safe haven and secure base for each other. I don't like the modern notion that you 'should never feel too safe in a relationship' because that sounds like running from the mafia (and believe me, I love mafia movies); you should always put in effort, yes, but safety is one of the things I always want to experience and provide in a relationship. We shouldn't fear that a disagreement leads straight to breakup. I know ‘self-sufficiency’ is trending right now, but I feel like as partners, we’re partly responsible for each other and not our own but also each other’s happiness. Being dependant and dependable at the same time is important; making each other’s wellbeing a priority. I love the relationship model outlined in Stan Tatkin’s ‘Wired for Love’ and you should, too. If you’re not able to healthily depend on someone and their support while you’re having a hard time, look elsewhere. I know codependency is the latest thing everyone’s afraid of, but experiencing someone you’ve grown very attached to just bailing because they’re counterdependent and can’t stand working on themselves while simultaneously letting you in is something I’d rather not go through again. If I have to be afraid you’ll run at the first major problem that surfaces, even if it’s a ‘you’-problem, it’s not going to work. I think that all things can and need to be talked about. If you think ignoring someone for days is a form of communication, please look elsewhere. If you think’s it’s okay to lovebomb someone and then leave after a couple of months with the minimum amount of information and no proper conversation because you’re not ready to own up to what’s happening to you emotionally, please look elsewhere.
I am looking for someone real. We all have our problems, I don't want or need a 'perfect' person. You don't have everything figured out or 'all your shit' together. Be imperfect. Admit when you feel sad and angry, lonely, hopeless or even helpless – it's all relatable. Don't hide it. Be quirky, be dorky, be witchy, be opinionated, be yourself. Don't pretend.
I'm looking for someone to share romance with. Not great gestures, but small, meaningful ones. Poems for each other, expressing our feelings; cards with heartfelt messages that we put our perfume/cologne on, and a symbol that means something to us only, the print of your lips with lipstick, the way I sign and seal my letters for you.
Just as important to me is agreeing on living a healthy life, staying in shape both for ourselves and for each other, regularly working out and eating healthy. I am drug and disease-free and expect the same of you. I do drink as I love a good beer or glass of wine, rum or whiskey, but I've never really been drinking much and especially during the past year have further reduced it. One vice I have is that I enjoy a couple of cigars a year, but I can definitely accommodate you in this regard.
Another important point is aligned life goals: many childfree people seem to be adventurous, but that is a trait I don't associate with myself at all. I value safety more than adventure. I want to build a home together with my partner, a safespace for the both of us, where we always feel loved and protected, a place that we create together, make it cozy together so we just love to get back home there wherever we might have been, a home we decorate together for Halloween (my favourite holiday) or Christmas or Springtime, as we live in tune with the seasons, seeing them change around us, enjoying nature on a walk or the rain outside, reading in our cozy home. I value stability and harmony.
Appearance-wise, I am into ladies on the smaller side (albeit not regarding height), so I'm looking for someone petite/slim/skinny/healthy-fit. Likewise, I am not really muscular and don't have visible abs; like I said, I'm a runner, so if you're more into the gym-type, I'm not a good fit.
The natural progression for me would be to move from text to voice calls, videochat and then meeting up, all of that rather sooner than later. Not that there’s a need to rush anything, but having my heart broken because I already developed feelings due to a longer timeframe and then everything unexpectedly turning to shit is not something I want to have to live through again. I’d rather see earlier if we’re compatible or not; as someone who catches feelings fast I need to protect myself, I unfortunately had to learn that
Caveats/Possible red flags
If you're interested, feel free to message me and include some pictures of yourself and I will reply with my own. Have a nice day (:
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2024.05.21 11:07 CringeyVal0451 Maple Walnut Pie

Kadillac Kirk had been a good friend of mine for several years. I had met him through friends from The Spring Stage; and he never had anything to do with The Imp, which is why he didn’t appear in the Married Mary saga. Mary would have totally thrown herself at him, and Kirk would have definitely “thrown it in her.” He loved the ladies and often remarked that there was no such thing as an unappealing woman, nor was there anything sweeter than finding the pearl of passion in an outwardly plain dame. Fortunately for Kirk, he never met Mary. This was probably fortunate for Mary as well, seeing as Kirk was a confirmed bachelor and his rakish nature might have broken her fat heart.
Kirk was an older guy. Not MOE old, though. He was in his early forties, but he easily passed for a carefree dude in his 30s... not that he lied about his age. I only mention this trait to juxtapose Kirk’s genuine youthful air with Moe’s unconvincing youthful farce. Kirk dressed normally, avoided stupid jargon, and never busted out gimmicks like tarot cards or spells. He just existed, behaved affably, and people liked him for it.
He drove a classic 1962 Cadillac El Dorado convertible with red leather interior, and he lived in a charmingly quaint (and ridiculously expensive) neighborhood. How he made his fortune remained a mystery, but he never bloviated about his wealth. He just threw spectacular parties and people showed up. And, to my knowledge, he never tried to lure women into bed with his money (although I’m sure he got his fair share of boom-boom thanks to his digs and his wheels, even if the gold-diggers denied their monetary agendas).
Kirk was legitimately handsome. He was a drummer, he had a full head of black hair, he was clean-shaven, he worked out, and he knew all the hidden gems in Wellsprings. So why hadn’t I tried... or even desired to date him? I don’t know. I just didn’t feel drawn to him like that. He felt like a cool uncle and he had, thus far, never done anything to change my perception. Plus, the age difference weirded me out a little. Kirk didn’t look forty; but knowing that he had so much more life experience than I did created a power imbalance that would have creeped me out if we’d been dating. As buddies, I just felt supremely cool riding in his Cadillac, smoking Fantasia cigarettes, and hitting the speakeasies and jazz clubs I would have never known about if it weren’t for Kirk’s connections.
And he had been a good person to talk to about my romantic woes. He never lecherously suggested that I should date him, and he gave the type of tempered advice that only comes with lived experience. But he often lightly mocked me for my crush on Dennis and he did a hilarious impression of Smegal popping too soon over his “precious.” So when Mary “got me back” by doing whatever she did with to Dennis, I called Kadillac Kirk and told him the drinks were on me if he’d be my designated driver for the night.
Why hadn’t I called Whisky??? Well, A) Kirk was way more fun to hang out with, at least from my past experiences up to that point. And B) I needed to bitch about a boy, something I couldn’t do in good conscience in front of a guy I was dating. So I put on the sexiest plunging halter dress I owned, applied heavy eye makeup and spikey accessories, braved a pair of stilettos, and sashayed out to Kirk’s convertible. I felt like a badass rock star. I probably looked like a try-hard hooker.
Kirk: Daaaaay-um! Somebody really did do a number on you, huh? I know you said you were upset, but the gents are gonna be writing thank you notes to that fat girl and that butt-fucking hobbit.
Me: I just need to feel pretty and numb. And I trust you to keep me from making a fool of myself.
Kirk squeezed my shoulder. “I’ve got you. You do whatever you need to do to get rid of these demons.”
He sparked up a J and offered me the first puff. I gladly accepted. He took one puff of his own, but said that the rest was mine since he didn’t want to drive stoned. See? He was responsible! Weed wasn’t legal in California yet, so I got a little bit baked before I stashed the sativa in the glove box and wrapped a scarf around my hair like a starlet from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Kirk sped out of the parking lot and said he was taking me to a downtown hotel that was hosting a party that night in their lush lobby.
Kadillac Kirk pulled up to the main entrance, paid the valet, and then opened my door. I was wobbly from the weed. And I had stupidly decided to wear heels. You can get high or you can wear high (heels). You can’t have both. Not if you’ve repeatedly injured both ankles (as I have). I had to take Kirk’s arm to keep from keeling over. “Can people tell I’m stoned?” I whispered. Kirk replied, “Nobody’s paying any attention to anyone else’s intoxication. I promise you that much.” I nodded, steadied myself, and strutted alongside my very cool friend, feeling a little more confident.
A live jazz orchestra was playing Cole Porter as we entered the lobby. Everything sparkled. The music was even more intoxicating than the spliff had been. “Just One of Those Things” brought tears to my eyes since the lyrics hit every raw nerve regarding the Dennis debacle. But I smiled. It might sound mental, but being distraught over a trash fire of a one-sided romance was exhilarating. Immature, for sure. But also exhilarating. You see, that kind of sadness doesn’t hurt. Not really. It stings. It leaves little bruises, but it’s very safe to wallow in because you haven’t actually lost anything. Melancholia over that which you never had is as sweet as it is bitter; and that type of twisted splendor is rivaled only by Stendhal.
“Here's hoping we meet now and then. It was great fun, but it was just one of those things.” I sang along with the band, and a fat tear rolled down past my melancholic smile and onto my chin. Kirk brushed it aside. “Too close to home?” I wiped away the remnants of the tear’s journey from eye to chin and smiled a more genuine smile. “The perfect distance from home. Shall we get drinks? Remember, I’m buying.”
Kirk: No, no. This is your time to heal. And I’m here as your pal, not your chauffeur. What would the lady like?”
I pretended to barf. Kirk knew I hated it when he got overly formal and overly attentive. So he did it just to mess with me. “Shot of vodka,” I replied.
Kirk: How many?
I thought briefly. “FIVE.”
Kirk: Five to one, baby. One in five...
Me: No one here gets out alive.
Kirk: Are you able to hold yourself upright, or should you come with?
I took a seat on an ornate, damask-upholstered chaise lounge. “I’ll be okay. And I was kidding about the five shots.”
I sat there lost in the music for a while. I thought very little about Dennis. Even less about Mary. And not at all about Whisky (whom I had shagged less than a week ago). My mind danced through the ornate lighting in the hotel lobby, and I suddenly felt the need to join the hoity-toity guests on the dancefloor!
Kirk returned with four shots of vodka. Two for him, two for me. That was quite reasonable of him. He knew damn well that I couldn’t handle five shots, but he also knew that I was in a... state. One that called for more than a single shot. I raised a both miniature glasses to “No more ninnyhammers or hairy-footed lovers.” Kirk did his hilarious Smegal impression, we double-toasted, and downed the shots. The band launched into “Let’s Misbehave,” and I kicked off my stilettos and made a beeline for the dance floor.
“There’s something wild about you child that’s so contagious. Let’s be outrageous! Let’s misbehave.” Kadillac Kirk swept me up, twirled me around, and dipped me as we both sang along with the lyrics. I wasn’t swooning for him, but I was enthralled by the moment. The music, the dancing, the combination of booze and bud... so I kissed him as he pulled me back to my feet. And he kissed back. In a way that Dennis never had. In a way that Whisky’s beard wouldn’t permit. I didn’t feel the visceral sensations that I’d felt when Dennis had kissed me, but it felt nice to feel desired. And then I noticed that other guests were watching us and applauding. Now, that was a dopamine rush if ever there was one!
I gently broke away from the embrace, high-fived Kirk and returned to the chaise lounge to put my stupid shoes back on. He followed me and smashed his face back onto mine. I pulled away and laughed. “It was a moment,” I told him. “I appreciate the dance, and that kiss was the perfect finale. But it’s not happening again.”
Kirk: Not to worry, Valerie. I know you. I knew all along that we were performing, and I was more than happy to be your scene partner.
Me: And dance partner! Those were some excellent moves! I didn’t know you had ballroom training.
Kirk: You name it, I’ve mastered it. Another drink for the lady?
I pretended to barf again. “Not yet. I’m not sad right now. Do you mind if I just sit here and enjoy the music?”
Kirk: Ah. My kisses do have healing properties...
I flipped my hand up at him. “Knock that shit off, bro. I wanted to hang out with you because I trust you not to get weird. Even if I get weird, I know you have the maturity to balance me out.”
Kirk: Are you calling me old???
Me: No. I’m calling you rational, responsible, and respectful.
Kirk: Well, now. If you can articulate an alliterative statement that fluently, then you clearly aren’t drunk enough!
I dismissed this comment as a joke. And he did indeed knock off the flirtation. We had a perfectly pleasant time chatting and dancing (no more kissing, though). And then I noticed a girl I knew from Into the Woods entering the lobby. She’d played Florinda and I’d played Little Red. I called her name and waved enthusiastically. She waved back. And then her date entered. It was D.E.N.N.I.S. I sank into the chaise. Kirk caught on immediately. “The hobbit???” he asked. I nodded silently. “You wanna make out again?” he enthused. I shook my head. I had to go say hello to Flo. And I had an idea...
I crossed the lobby, smiled, squealed, and hugged her.
Florinda: Lil’ Red! It’s been forever! So glad to see you!!! This is my friend, Denny.
From the corner of my eye. I could see Dennis shifting uncomfortably. I refused to look directly at him, neglected to acknowledge Flo's introduction and continued to converse only with her. "So glad to see you, too! What have you been up to since we left the woods?"
Dennis: C’mon, Val...
Florinda (appearing oblivious to the iciness between me and Dennis): Oh, I had some drama after the show closed. I'll have to tell you about it some other time... Have you seen Prince Big Bad (Scumbanger) lately?
I laughed. “Last time I saw him, he was hitting on some nasty fat chick at The Imp.”
Flo and I both scoffed at the pervy pest. Into the Woods was where I’d initially met Scumbanger. He played The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince. Again... typecasting. There’s a whole essay in my brain about my first encounter with the pest, during which he quoted the song that he sang to me in the show, “Hello, Little Girl.” But it gets into some pretty uncomfortable territory because he made me feel... excited. Well, excited and scared. Nothing of note happened during Into the Woods, but our odd interactions did kind of set the stage for some extremely regrettable events during that Cats cast party.
I excused myself, saying that I needed to get back to my friend. And then I leaned in and said in a hushed voice to Flo, “Watch your ass with that one. If he’s the Denny I’m thinking of...” I gave her a look that only another female would be able to read. Her eyebrows shot up and she nodded. Dennis continued to shift as though he were trying to hold in a massive dump. “BABE! Uh...”
Flo apparently answered to that moniker as well. “What is it, Denny? Don’t worry. That was just telepathic girl talk. You apparently have a reputation...”
Dennis: Different Denny. I assure you I’m a pious gentleman.
Me: Ah. My mistake. Well, then. You guys have a good time! They’re playing Cole Porter, and the band is delovely. Great to see you, Flo!
I hugged Flo again, gave Dennis a curt nod, ignored the scent of mandarins and mountain air, and returned to Kirk.
I collapsed on the chaise lounge, exhausted from holding back the rage. I had no right to be mad at Florinda. I hadn’t seen her in three years, so how was she supposed to know that I’d had a thing with Dennis? Hell, I couldn’t even be mad at Dennis because the last time he and I had spoken in any meaningful way, I’d told him that I was no longer entertaining my crush on him. So why was I surprised to see him dating??? And why had he never taken ME out on a date like this??? And why wasn’t I smitten with Kadillac Kirk who HAD taken me out on a date like this, was an objectively excellent kisser, and a bona fide BALLER? What was wrong with me???
Kirk suggested going down the street to a quaint little bar and then sobering up at a diner closer to my apartment. I numbly nodded and followed him in silence for a few blocks. He assured me that I had “turned several heads” on the way to the new location, but I neither cared nor believed him. This wasn't the type of numbness I'd been aiming for. Now I needed to get schnockered. “Five shots of vodka, please.” Yes, I was serious.
Kadillac Kirk, my reliable designated driver, ordered only a beer and watched in something across between astonishment, concern, and delight as I slammed all five shots in rapid succession. I half expected to immediately retch all over the bar. But I felt fine. I half expected to immediately lose consciousness and wake up in the hospital. But I remained coherent. How I’d managed to take in that much hard liquor and suffer no direct consequences, I’ll never know.
I think I wanted to suffer. I wanted to either feel nothing at all or to feel a sickness bad enough to distract me from the scorching sting that pulsed through my being when I realized that I had lost the abstract notion I’d been addicted to this entire time. Hope. It wasn’t Dennis himself I couldn’t quit. It was that drug called hope. The hope that maybe, just maybe Dennis would give our romance a fair chance. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would make peace with himself, get his mind out of his crotch, and enjoy some agenda-free togetherness. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would stop bloviating about his admittedly impressive accomplishments for five fucking minutes and ask about my life. I had my own reasonably impressive accomplishments, even if they paled in comparison to his. A proper suitor would have enjoyed hearing about them.
But seeing him out with another woman, a woman who had no reason to parade her Dennis escapades before me as some means of revenge, a woman he was clearly courting of his own volition... My hope had died. It died before I’d had time to wean myself off it. Now I had to mourn the loss of hope, which is a very tricky brand of grief to navigate. Vodka wasn’t the answer, but it was what I had to work with. So it would have to do.
After enough time had passed without vomiting or collapsing, I asked Kirk to bring his car around to the bar so that I didn’t have to walk two and a half blocks drunk and in heels. He nodded and dramatically leaned in for a kiss. I recoiled. “DUDE! I told you. The moment has passed.”
Kirk: I beg your pardon. I misread your eyes. Thought I saw a green light...
Me: It’s fine. I just want to go home while I’m still feeling okay.
Kirk: Of course. Your chariot will be here soon.
He skipped off to fetch his Cadillac and I noticed that the lights in the bar were beginning to dance a bit. This should have been concerning. But then I realized that I was giggling. Wait... What? Oh shit. Sure, I was drunk from those shots. But what I was feeling in that moment wasn’t drunkery. It was stonery. Kirk probably misread my face because my pupils were dilated. Not from desire, but from drug use.
Some of you might be thinking that I was a bad friend for not introducing Lucy, an old dude connoisseur, to Kirk. Well... I did. Several years before the events of this story. He adored her. She, on the other hand, thought he was immature. And she wasn’t wrong. Lucy was astute when it came to sussing out a person’s true nature. Far more astute than I. Her initial assessment that Kirk was immature is about to be vindicated. Stretch those cringe muscles! It’s almost time for pie...
I somehow managed to get to his car. I honestly don’t recall how I got there. Did one of the bartenders carry me? Did some kind patron allow me to lean on him? Had Kadillac Kirk carried me out? I’m not sure. But my memory ceases to be fuzzy about halfway to the 24-hour diner. It might have been the very same 24-hour diner where Mary pulled her... shenanigans. I’ll never know.
Kirk: Would you say that you’re more drunk or more stoned?
Me: STONED. Definitely stoned.
Kirk made some sort of grunty noise and reached for my thigh. I slapped his hand.
Kirk: Stoned but not amorous? That’s rare.
I started laughing rather unkindly. “You’re a fucking horndog! I thought you were my safe straight male friend, dammit.”
Kirk: I solemnly swear that your safety is my primary concern, my stoned beauty.
I pretended to throw up.
Kirk: So... You’re not horny. But are you hungry? The diner I’m heading to makes this Maple Walnut Pie with the most sumptuous... sensual cream and exquisite drizzling of...
Me: Ew! Stop trying to bang the pie. Bro. Are YOU stoned? (Then I remembered the question.) Yes, I’m hungry. But I don’t like nuts. I’ll have banana cream.
Kirk made that repulsive grunty noise again. “Uhhhhh... Mmmmmm. Cream. Yessssss. Yes, we’ll be there in just a minute.” He was squirming in the driver's seat.
Me: GROSS, DUDE! If you’re gonna be like that I’ll just order HASH brows. Get it? Hash??? (I giggled.) You can’t make that sound nasty.
Kirk: Forgive my jokes. I think my blood sugar’s a bit low.
As Kirk parked, I began to wonder how I might get away with walking shoeless into the diner. The stilettos had to get off my feet. At least while I was walking. And Kirk was kind enough to give me his socks and wear his loafers “island style” into the establishment. Okay, that was gallant of him. Maybe he was going to behave himself for the rest of the evening.
I wasn’t terribly talkative as we sat down, and he expressed a bit of concern for my emotional well-being. I wasn’t coherent enough to explain what was happening to my emotions and I wasn’t sure I trusted him with my deep, dark secrets at that point. So I shrugged like a sulky teenager, ran my hands over my messy, windblown hair, and mumbled that I was “just hungry.” And right on cue, a very kind, slightly older waitress with a sweet southern accent stopped by to take our order.
Kirk: Ah, yes. We’ll have two cups of black coffee. And we’ll share a slice of that delectable Maple Walnut Pie.
Waitress: Oh, honey. That pie is scrumptious! I take it you’ve been here before?
Kirk: I have. This will be her first time to taste the splendor.
I hated to be a killjoy, but I interrupted and said to the waitress, “Ma’am? I’m sure the Maple Walnut is excellent, but could I please get a slice of Banana Cream? And a big glass of ice water?
Waitress: Sure, hon! Banana Cream’s just as yummy! I’ll be right back with those coffees and that big water.
Kirk was sucking on the tip of his forefinger and shaking his head a bit. “You’re passing up so many sensational... sensual...”
I put my forehead on the table and growled. “You swore you’d stop being nasty!” I held this #headdesk pose for quite some time before I finally lifted my head... only to see that Kirk was still sucking his fingertip and staring at me like a wild animal. “Pleeeeeease be normal,” I whined. “It’s been a really weird night for me.”
Kirk: Indeed. Many surprises. You know... You’re like titanium. Your flame burns so fast and so bright, if a guy doesn’t get in there while the iron is hot, he’ll never get another chance. I was too slow.
What the...? I was pretty sure he was wrong about titanium burning quickly. I’m no chemistry wiz, but my dad and my oldest brother are both big-brains when it comes to physics and chemistry. So I picked up some things just listening to them talk. Accurate or inaccurate, Kirk was being creepy again. He’d never been creepy towards me before, although I’d seen him act like this with other women. Usually with staggering success. Why????? His money. It had to be his money. Kirk was a nice-looking man, but holy shit... No amount of good looks could save this creep show
And then, our sweet waitress sat down our coffees, my water, and the two slices of pie. After I gulped down a whole bunch of water, I grabbed a fork, prepared to quell my munchies... and then I froze. Kirk was quickly flicking his finger back and forth across the top of his pie. And moaning. He noticed my wide-eyed stare, smirked, sucked the tip of his thumb, picked up the plate with both hands, and began flicking his tongue across the tip of the triangular pie slice. And moaning some more. Well, there went my appetite.
Kirk took his middle finger and jabbed it into the crustless vertex of the pie slice, then he began pumping it in and out like a piston, and flicking his thumb across the increasingly demolished top layer of whipped cream. He gasped this time. People were starting to stare. His pointer finger joined his middle finger in the piston action, and he replaced his thumb with his tongue. Between flicks of the tongue, he groaned, “Oh yeah, baby... Let me taste you,” but it was kind of hard to understand him.
And I was either about to run to the back office, tell them that I was in danger and needed a police escort home... OR I was about to burst out laughing at the spectacle. Kirk continued... He removed his fingers and gregariously licked pie filling off of them. "Ohhhhh," he groaned, "I got you soooo sticky. So sweet. So moist." And then he started sucking his fingertips again, switching from middle to pointer, middle to pointer and emitting a delighted little, “Mmmmmm” with every suck.
Finally, he jabbed his fingers back into the utterly destroyed pie, lowered his face into the mess and lapped loudly and passionately, moaning, grunting, and mumbling “Come on, baby. Come on. Mmmmmm. Come on.” I could see the waitress and some dude in a suit heading over to the table, so I sank down in my seat, partially covered my face, but continued to watch the train wreck. At last, Kirk shuddered violently as he splatted his entire hand onto the plate and rubbed furiously. And then he locked eyes with me. He sucked the tip of his thumb one final time and said, “You...” There was a long pause during which Kirk lovingly stroked the mess he’d made. “You... are the pie.”
I don’t hang out with Kadillac Kirk anymore. But he’s still a bachelor, ladies!
submitted by CringeyVal0451 to ReddXReads [link] [comments]

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