27/28. Batgirl Begins - 4/5 (Starting this in medias res was a good choice, since if you're already familiar with Batman stuff, you know Barbara was gonna become Batgirl in this (and even if you don't, the title would reveal as much). So starting with a Poison Ivy fight made me more curious to see everything that lead up to it was opposed to just waiting for the "reveal" that Barbara becomes Batgirl and Pamela becomes Poison Ivy. Plus, Barbara's snarky narration was amusing. Introducing Batgirl as Batman's first sidekick (even if this was merely due to a stupid embargo) as well as making Poison Ivy be her best friend turned arch nemesis is pretty fun because of its uniqueness alone. Especially because it makes the stakes more interesting when Ivy has a personal grudge against Gordon. And I liked Batman's "not every child gets the opportunity to rescue their parent" comment. Yeah, it's cliché, but that stuff is the core of Batman, so it's nice to see this side of him acknowledged, since it rarely is in this series. Also, making Gordon not able to recognize Batgirl as Barbara because he wasn't wearing his glasses was pretty "clever". "Clever" in quotations because it's still dumb, but since most DC shows love to sell you on the idea that people cannot recognize each other's face by simply putting a mask on the top half, it's funny that this series bothered to give an explanation at all. He should still have recognized her voice, but you can't win 'em all.)
29. A Dark Knight to Remember - 3/5 (Freezing Poison Ivy in the previous episode, then defeating the Kabuki Twins by freezing them in this as well? Batman is becoming Mr. Freeze. Anyway, here's a pretty standard amnesia cartoon episode. Decent gimmick, and they also added a stock Secret Identity Almost Discovered:tm: plot to spice things up. The circumstances of Bruce's amnesia being the perfect cover for Barbara dropping the idea that he could be Batman is fun, but Bruce's actual amnesia is just cartoonishly illogical. Even if he lost memories of his last few years as the Batman, how would that also genuinely make him a self absorbed playboy? He was always a broody guy with a heart of gold, even before donning the cape and cowl.)
30. A Fistful of Felt - 3/5 (This is just a poor man's Double Talk. It treads the exact same stuff; Wesker is cured of Scarface so he lives a peaceful life before Scarface forcibly reappears at the hands of someone trying to bait him and he succumbs to it before Batman eventually confronts him and Scarface gets destroyed. Except this is way less substantial and lacking in drama and emotion. It's a shame, because during the group therapy scene, I was excited that this could potentially be a formula bender, having it take place entirely in Arkham Asylum and focusing on Wesker's recovery process. But then I remembered this is The Batman, so yeah. Also I HATE Snooty's design!)
31. RPM - 2/5 (Wow, after seeing this, I immediately went out and bought The Batman Batmobile #2 with working lights & sounds, firing disc launcher and opening cockpit! No, but really, did I actually just watch a toy commercial for 20 minutes? I get that that's where action cartoons make their profit, and that's fine, but this was so blatant it's not even funny. Like that scene of Batman arriving in his new CGI Batmobile as the camera spins around it. Give me a break. Not to imply the writers were being hacky or anything. It was clearly an executive mandate. They just wrote a lame episode around it. Gearhead wasn't very interesting, although it's cool he was voiced by Will Friedle I guess. And the episode is just about cars, a subject I do not find interesting. I did laugh at Barbara asking Gordon "taking the car?" and he just opens the door and stares at her.)
32. Brawn - 4/5 (At this point they should rename the series "The Batgirl" since most episodes now put her in the main role, having to save Batman's butt. Not a complaint, it's a nice change of pace from the repetitive Batman Stops Villain:tm: plots. This episode is pretty darn good though, which is surprising since it's really nothing but a long fight scene. Most of it consecutively takes place in real time on one street street as they duke it out. You'd think that would get boring, but Bane-ified Joker is a cool enough concept to genuinely carry enough entertainment value on its own. And Batgirl using the Batbot was fun.)
33. The Laughing Cats - 4/5 (Two Joker episodes in a row? Also a Catwoman episode, which... Yeah, Joker being in it was obviously an improvement. Making her team up with Batman to stop Joker was more interesting than had it been about Batman stopping another one of her generic jewel thefts. Them being stuck in a maze with Joker using their gadgets was fun, and I liked that his hyenas were not loyal to him at all, LOL. As a side note, Kilgore Steed's hunter schtick makes NO sense. Capturing animals to put them in a giant maze full of traps that will just automatically kill them is not much of a "hunt".)
34. Fleurs du Mal - 3/5 (I guess the show isn't going to acknowledge any drama between Barbara and Poison Ivy and she's immediately relegated to stock villain who does her villainous schtick and gets defeated? Clayface all over again. It also wasn't much of a mystery who the villain could be since it literally begins with the mayor being taken over by flowers. The characters themselves uncovering the mystery and battling the plant replicas was neat enough, so whatever. And Batman punching an old lady was funny. I don't understand why Poison Ivy replaced Penguin, though. She's replacing the people who control Gotham, and he's a washed up nobody who's lost his fortune. Also, Batman is lucky he only fought the plant replica or he would have killed Penguin. He fell right into spinning blades which clearly shredded him... Although he's still intact when they land, so I guess logic took a break for this scene. Side note, the show is getting WAY too reliant on ending with a zoomout of Batman and Batgirl as she makes some snappy comment.)
35. Cash for Toys - 2/5 (So Cash can return but not Yin? There is no justice in this world. He wasn't funny in his first appearance, and he's...slightly less unfunny here. So yeah. Add a straight up Toyman ripoff instead of just Toyman, for some reason, and you get a pretty lame episode. I get that he's a Superman villain, but the series didn't have a problem using Solomon Grundy, so Toyman shouldn't have been off the table. You could assume they just embargo'd him because he made cameos, albeit speechless, in JLU. But then, Grundy was the main focus of a JLU episode less than a year before Grundy's Night, so this doesn't add up! Not that Krank being called Toyman would make a difference, because I still wouldn't like him. So, YEAH.)
36. The Apprentice - 4/5 (Joker getting a sidekick is definitely a fun idea, and while I obviously liked this episode, it plays out exactly how you'd expect. I liked how wholesome Joker was to Donnie at first when he was brainstorming ideas and then turned grim when Donnie didn't want to hurt people. It definitely adds at least one more layer than the average Joker Shenanigans:tm: episode. You can definitely feel how genuinely scary it would be to simply be around this lunatic, especially if he has it out for you. Also, Donnie's jokes probably doesn't get laughs because he's in high school doing kindergarten tier jokes.)
37. Thunder - 3/5 (It's Maxie Zeus, the most iconic DC character of all time, doing his typical Olympus schtick. Yeah, so, the episode isn't really about him. His scheme is just a setup to show how well Batgirl can carry herself. And in that aspect, I do find it fun. It's a bit dumb that she yaps to Batman about how she wants to be in the loop though, as if she isn't just Batgirling of her own accord. He never agreed to be a team, she just stalks him. Side note, Gordon sternly correcting Grange with "batarang" made me chuckle.)
38. The Icy Depths - 4/5 (Despite being the umpteenth episode about stealing jewels, this was refreshing due to presenting it more as an actual mystery and having two villains, alongside Alfred and his old chum, trying to uncover it. It was fun how they all got the upper hand on one another, and I always like Alfred being involved in an adventure. I don't understand why Batman even needs to stop this "crime", though. The treasure doesn't belong to anyone anymore. And if it DOES rightfully belong to someone, that would be Penguin. What was up with a random rotating shot of the boat here though?)
39. Gotham's Ultimate Criminal Mastermind - 3/5 (Mr. Freeze's Arkham number is 800B5. I bet they thought they were really funny with that one. Unlike the previous BTAS ripoff episodes, this was only vaguely a ripoff of Heart of Steel, so I'll cut it some slack. But it's pretty thin. D.A.V.E. is just super smart and wants to defeat Batman, then Batman wins by just telling him something that does not compute. I guess it's neat that they finally built on those vague hints about Hugo Strange being "evil". It's just a shame the antagonist is merely his robot, not actually him. And why does he get locked in Arkham after being caught? He's not insane.)
40. A Matter of Family - 3/5 (Who sharpened Bruce's jaw?! Also, Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy. As for the actual episode, I was underwhelmed. It's a pretty straightforward telling of Robin's origin story, but it rushes the emotional moments and doesn't let them get too "heavy", which makes them less effective. Zucco is a pretty upfront mustache-twirling villain instead of a mysterious figure, and they don't really acknowledge how devastating such an event would be, or the awkwardness of immediately being adopted by a rando. Dick just gets some watery eyes then he's instantly comfortable at Wayne Manor. But I liked tying "Robin" into something his mom used to call him. Batman speaks with a much deeper voice in this episode. Must've come with the new jaw.)
41. Team Penguin - 4/5 (Did it really take seeing teamwork in a movie for Penguin spawn the brilliantly unique plan of "more villains = harder for Batman"? This was a fun teamup, though. I'm glad they didn't go for the obvious choices like Joker, Mr. Freeze, Riddler etc and instead opted for the "misfits". Croc is the only one of the group I didn't care for. But I liked seeing Ragdoll again, and Killer Moth was pretty funny. I liked that he remained a suckup even after being horribly mutated. I liked the theme of teamwork the episode had, since it ties nicely together with the valid jealousy Barbara would have for some rando in red becoming Batman's sidekick and knowing his identity when she has been wanting that for ages. Also, Robin immediately wailing on Penguin for calling him a lackey made me laugh.)
42. Clayfaces - 4/5 (Nice to see my buddy Bennett again. Guess they wanted to redeem themselves after the nonsense they pulled with Grundy's Night. But given this is his last appearance, this was a pretty unsatisfying "arc". Him going full-blown villain didn't make sense from the start. His desire to take revenge on Joker I get, but aside from that, it shouldn't have taken him THIS long to realize he should use his powers for good instead. Basil Karlo wasn't a super compelling character or anything, but him being an ugly dweeb was quite funny, and the spectacle of two Clayfaces duking it out more than makes up for it, because that was pretty awesome. Side note, why is this company so picky with who they cast in their fricking dog food commercial? It's dog food. Just show dogs.)
43. The Everywhere Man - 3/5 (I like the concept of the Everywhere Man, but was disappointed at how little they truly utilized it for story/action potential. The first half is just a mystery where you're supposed to think it's two guys (provided you did not read the episode title), then Johnny just expositions how his powers work and Batman fights a bunch of copies. The villain himself being a copy is a cool twist, but it would've been more interesting if the copies mostly worked as a hivemind and they utilized that to make fighting them really hard for Batman since they'd be such a perfectly synchronized army. The episode wrapping itself around some girl saying Johnny was cuter as a nerd, and then the real Johnny getting the girl in the end was so random it's almost hilarious.)
44. The Breakout - 4/5 (Black Mask being in this episode is pretty neat, as he is a fairly well-known character who, despite that, doesn't seem to appear in animation a lot. That said, he was not very compelling. He's just a stern, no-nonsense mob boss. Which for the plot of this episode is all he needs to be, so I won't give him flack for that. It's a fun change of pace to have a mostly Batman-free episode with focus on his sidekicks instead. Batgirl and Robin have a pretty charming dynamic; I liked when they guessed what Black Mask's face looks like and he got pissed off. LOL. And it was interesting how it's sort of a bottle episode, with most of it taking place within the police station as they try to prevent Black Mask's militia from breaking in. Batman ending the episode by telling them to wash the Batmobile was a certified LOL.)
45. Strange New World - 5/5 (This was great. I really like Hugo Strange, so it's fun to actually see his sinister side now that he's been outed as a villain. And while at first it felt mostly like a standard zombie story, the dramaic tone and hellish visuals, alongside the crazy ways the zombies jump around, made the whole thing a pleasure to look at. But the twist is what really got me. I didn't put it all together myself until right as Batman was figuring it out, and it really made all the scenes of him fighting zombie Batgirl/Robin/Gordon amusing to think about in retrospect. That said, isn't this a Scarecrow-tier scheme? I guess since he couldn't be in this show they just gave it to Strange.)
46. Artifacts - 3/5 (For an entire episode set in the future, I was expecting more than just the spectacle of a generic Mr. Freeze battle. But that's really all there is to it. That said, I liked the W I D E Batman design. I know it's an homage to The Dark Knight Returns, but I've never seen or read that, so yeah. Mr. Freeze blatantly saying that title after seeing the Batman was so funny, though. It works contextually, but when you know the reference it felt no different than if he had said "Batman: The Animated Series". LOL. I see Barbara will go the Oracle route in this show. Sad. Also, they can blatantly reference Bennett and Yin, but refuse to show them any further regardless? Screw. You.)
47. Seconds - 4/5 (The Batman's take on Clock King? He's not officially named as such, but it's pretty much a Cosmo Krank/Toyman situation again. I found his time travel abilities fairly interesting, as it was fun to see some random schmuck effortlessly upstage Batman. HOW he got those powers though... He got bored in prison and was surrounded by clocks, so one day he could shift time. What? Also Batman has an atomic clock that is not affected by time literally shifting backwards. What?? Yeah, so, this episode has a lot of "okay buddy" moments. But really, they just added to the fun. If you're gonna be nonsensical, might as well go all in. And that ending really caught me off guard. Imagine reliving 17 years of your life like that, only to still end up a fricking clock repairman. He really couldn't have invested in stocks he knew would have gone up?)
48. Riddler's Revenge - 4/5 (I certainly wasn't expecting this series to try and pull off an emotional Riddler episode. One that actually works, no less. But here we are. It's not the deepest thing in the world, but I thought seeing his origin handled this "seriously" was an fun take, and it was interesting that his own origin was a "riddle" that he got wrong. Wrapping the origin around him and Batman being trapped in a crate was pretty clever. Although after unwrapping his entire life story to Batman, I would've thought he would be a little less hostile towards him after they escape. But no, he just goes back to being evil. I liked Batman's final line though. "When is a villain, not THE villain?".)
49. Two of a Kind - 4/5 (They got Paul Dini in just to write the Harley episode. It's pretty good, though. The different take from Mad Love is amusing to see. I think showing Harleen as a loudly outspoken ditz makes her descent into jester-themed criminal more believable. Especially since they directly give her a personal vendetta to push the criminal aspect further. But since this episode is mostly banking on showcasing the "unique take", it's hard to look at it past comparisons. Without them, it's sort of just The Apprentice but with Harley instead of Donnie. But Harley is funnier, and generally I liked all the zany stuff she and Joker gets into, so this is the better "Joker gets a sidekick" episode. Plus, it has a whole ass Joker musical number.)
50. Rumors - 3/5 (The Batman's take on... Lock-Up? Okay, not really, but the similarities did cross my mind. The premise here is pretty basic. Rumor was not a very thrilling antagonist or anything. He's some generic guy who works for another generic guy, who's just a red herring because he blames being a cripple on Batman. Really, the spectacle of Batman fighting all his past villains in the final scene is the best part of the episode. Although I'm confused why some of them are even there and in costume. Cluemaster only had one goal, why would he still be Cluemastering? And is Spellbinder really Gotham based? How did Rumor even capture him? He's a psychic! And Harley Quinn literally JUST became a villain. I liked Penguin begging Batman to stop him, though. LOL.)
51/52. The Joining - 4/5 (Oh geez, it's Martian Kronkhunter. Couldn't Patrick Warburton voice him instead of Cash Tankinson? I liked the way he casually outs knowing Batman's identity. But on that note, they sure talk about that in public a LOT here. Including the aforementioned scene, both Robin and Bruce himself yaps out "Bruce Wayne is Batman" on two separate occasions. Robin says it in a crowded street, Bruce in a small diner. Yeah, I'm sure absolutely NO ONE within the vicinity could have possibly heard those things. It's not like Bruce and J'onn are having a lengthy conversation about it right where the waitress, chef, and any potential surrounding customers could hear it or anything.
This was a pretty basic alien invasion story, and it's quite a leap in stakes compared to the usual jewel thievery. But I liked the usage of Martian Manhunter. I thought he and Batman had an interesting chemistry. Their initial fight scene was so stupid, though. "Oh no, the Batman discovered I'm an alien. Better not explain anything and instead just beat him up and run away until he catches up and then say I'm on his side". I thought the emotional anchor of Batgirl and Robin feeling unwanted was a bit undercooked, but the moment when Batman says he worries about losing them was sweet, so whatever. And I liked the scene of the villains helping the police fend off aliens.)
53/54. The Batman / Superman Story - 3/5 (With the show finally being allowed to bring in more expansive DC lore, the first thing they make is the most generic Superman story they could think of. Yeah, okay. I liked the way Batman discovered Superman's identity, and seeing the villains of Gotham take him down was fun. But a whole episode just for that that setup, with the second being a prolonged Batman vs. Superman fight scene and then stopping Lex Luthor from doing something evil? Yeah, I didn't really jive with it. Also, with literally ALL of the sky available, did Superman really just fly right into Robin? AND ignored it? Not very boyscout-y.)
55. Vertigo - 3/5 (This was decent, but it mostly thrives off of the novelty of being a Green Arrow crossover as opposed to being an organic Batman story. In fact this would have been improved by cutting out Batman entirely. I liked seeing Green Arrow's origin, and they could've explored his attempt to take revenge on Vertigo and such on his own. And while he DOES do that here, since it's a Batman show, most of it is from Batman's perspective as Green Arrow recaps his story. So, ultimately, they should just make The Green Arrow.)
56. White Heat - 4/5 (Neat revamp of Firefly. He was never a particularly compelling character, but the fact that he was already established in this show makes his descent from petty thief to molten monster in this more compelling by default than had this been his first episode a la Killer Moth or something. And with the inclusion of his girlfriend, it had some genuine emotion. Not a tearjerker or anything, but his last appearance being his girlfriend dumping him and walking away as he's stuck in a pitch black prison cell with him still faintly glowing in the dark is pretty bleak. So the fact that they managed to get all of that out of an episode that can be summed up to "Batman stops molten villain cause he's too hot" is impressive. The battle at the power plant itself was pretty awesome though. But Bruce is really risking his identity fighting with half his face exposed like that.)
57. A Mirror Darkly - 3/5 (Just like the Superman episode, the writers barely do anything to justify its existence besides thinking I should be thrilled by the mere presence of Flash. Well, when the plot is as generic as one of Flash's iconic rogues coming to Gotham to be evil so Flash stops him and Batman helps because it's a Batman show... I'm not. And just like Superman again, Flash didn't leave much of an impression of me. Adding the trait that he talks incredibly fast was amusing, I suppose.)
58. Joker Express - 3/5 (I would have thought with free reign to utilize all of DC lore, this show would be over their generic Joker Scheme:tm: episodes. Guess not. There's literally nothing to be said about this one that hasn't been said about the others, though. Batgirl being infected with Joker's laugh was definitely a very enjoyable scene. But after that, it's as predictable as Topsy Turvy, JTV or The Apprentice.)
59. Ring Toss - 3/5 (Green Lantern. I wonder what fresh, unique plot The Batman crew will conjure up for this one. Oh, Sinestro comes to attack Hal Jordan, but Hal wins. And Batman helps in between, because it's a Batman show. Starting to sound like a broken record here, but that's how unimaginative these episodes really are. It's competent, but it's pretty much shut-your-brain-off-and-enjoy-the-action tier. This one does have the middle part of Penguin with a power ring, which was genuinely gold stuff. The only problem is, it doesn't last for long enough, and ultimately Penguin's inclusion is really just time filler in between Sinestro being defeated.
60. The Metal Face of Comedy - 4/5 (Let me get this straight, Joker is digitally copied by wearing a helmet connected to a laptop while getting shocked? On top of the common trope of cartoon writers not understanding how video games work, logic is clearly not this episode's strong suit. The phrase "mentally download money" pretty much speaks for itself. Regardless, the prospect of Joker vs. Joker is fun enough alone. All the wacky antics Joker 2.0 is able to get into with his morphic abilities were visually fun. It's especially amusing to see the real Joker completely discombobulated by being upstaged and betrayed by, well, himself. Even cheering on for Batman to win.)
61. Attack of the Terrible Trio - 3/5 (The Terrible Trio were fun as a group of misfits, but it's pretty laughable how these college students are being bullied like it's middle school. Also do they really expect me to believe the hot, edgy chick is considered a loser? Jake is the only loser here. It's cool that this show actually had them transform into animals, even if the designs are little...awkward. It's also neat that they gave them a connection to Barbara's personal life, but at the same time it's disappointing that they didn't put Batgirl in a bigger role because of it. Batman's still the one saving the day. Also I was a little disappointing David's final transformation wasn't any more creative than just a griffin. As a side note, it's nice that this closes the door on Langstrom's Man-Bat arc.)
62. The End of the Batman - 3/5 (Fake title, there's three more episodes. The idea of an Anti-Batman and Robin is pretty fun. Wrath served as an entertaining foil to Batman what with figuring out his identity and everything. I think the ending is a little cheap, though. Joker uses his smile-gas so much, you'd think there would be a common antidote by now. Not like Wrath and Scorn are gonna be like that for the rest of their lives. Also a portion of this episode is pretty reminiscent of Team Penguin. Something which they even acknowledge themselves. But just because they point it out doesn't make it not true! Joker being annoyed by being put on menial tasks was funny though.)
63. What Goes Up... - 4/5 (Same as the previous Justice League members, Hawkman didn't leave much of an impression on me. But this time it doesn't matter as much because the episode doesn't put half the spotlight on him. It's mostly focused on Batman stopping Black Mask's, a villain whom I already thought should be utilized more, scheme. Which is stealing a whole building! I mean how cool of an action setpiece isn't an airborne building? On top of Robin being nth metal'd, it was a very fun watch. Really, Hawkman and Shadow Thief feel more like afterthoughts. But even that isn't a bad thing, because they had very enjoyable action scenes. And geez, poor Number One #2.)
64/65. Lost Heroes - 4/5 (Oh, the actual Toyman appears in this show. "Toyman" my ass, that's a damn Jester. Cosmo Krank is more of a Toyman than you will ever be, bud. This episode is pretty fun, if only because I think the narrative of non-superpowered heroes proving their capabilities and humbling the heroes with superpowers when they can't use theirs is amusing. Batman and Green Arrow as a duo was good, and everybody fighting their robot counterparts was cool. I think the robots had pretty rad designs. The only "bad" aspects of the episode is rehashing The Joining as the threat again, and Hugo Strange's inclusion. Not that I don't like him, I think he's a great villain. But this wasn't really a story fitting for him. He's better working from the shadows with the intent of studying the behavior of his victim, not just being a pawn to some alien robot.)

Zǐ Sū Yè (Perilla Leaf) — acrid, aromatic, warm goes to the Lung and Spleen
for externally contracted wind-cold to move the qi of the chest for morning sickness during pregnancy And for resolving seafood poisoning** (This is the same as the “shiso” leaf you see accompanying a lot of Japanese fish dishes)
**there’s a story behind this herb that one of my teachers shared with us:: One day a Chinese herbalist decided to go out with two of his students to have some food and drink. At the restaurant, he watched as a group of men ate what appeared to be a Giant’s portion of fish. And after they finished that, they ordered more. The doctor pulled one of the servers aside and said “hey, I’m worried about those men, they are eating so much fish, they are sure to get sick!” The waitress was unperturbed saying “these are big strong men, they can handle their fish.”
Well the doctor knew that no person, on a hot day, should eat down this much raw, cold fish. He knew what was to come, and instructed his students to go to the river and collect the purple-green leaf that grew by the shore.
The students returned in perfect timing to see the previously raucous group of men beginning to fall ill one by one. Going pale and gripping their bellies, vomiting on the floor of the restaurant, it was a catastrophe.
The doctor brewed tea of these purple-green leaves (zi su ye!) and upon drinking it, each person’s nausea was quelled. As they sipped, they regained their digestive abilities and therefore their muscular strength and coordination and eventually went on their way.
While everyone helped to clean up the restaurant, one of the students asked the doctor — how did you know that those leaves would help with the seafood poisoning?
He said - there were many days where I sat by the river watching the river otters do their daily routine. They collect little fish and shellfish and bask in the sun eating it all day. I wondered about the sustainability of this, and eventually noticed that after each of the otter’s small feasts, they would swim to the shore and eat this purple-green leaf, and then return to their floating and eating. I guessed that this plant might contain some properties that warm the belly to digest fish. I wondered if it might carry the same medicine for us too.

Just for a bit of context, I originally wrote this story for Odd_directions which is a fiction subreddit. We're doing an event over there called Monster May where we write stories about giant monsters. I thought it would be fun to try writing one in a kind of analog/found footage transcript style. This story took me about a week to write. You can consider this to be more experimental on my part because I want to continue this style except with a longer narrative as opposed to this one-off story here.
Anyway, let me know what you think of it and I hope you enjoy it.
On May 22, 2008, a wrecked Honda Accord was found on the Alaskan-Canadian border at approximately 5:30 AM. According to the witness who reported this to the authorities, it seemingly appeared out of nowhere, somehow ending up on its roof in the middle of the road. No driver or passengers were present in the vehicle. The only thing found of note was a video camera, the footage of which revolves around a family of four.
Kent Morris: Owner of the vehicle as indicated by the certificates found in the dashboard. Age: 38
Charlene Morris: Wife to Kent and mother to their children. Age: 36
Lena Morris: Daughter. Estimated Age: 7-8
Deb Morris: son, Estimated Age: 1-2
The following is a transcript of the footage.
It begins with the camera turning on with Lena smiling into it.
Lena: I think I got it working!
Kent: How can you tell?
Lena: Um, the red light is on.
Charlene: Lena, turn that thing off! That’s supposed to be for your cousin’s wedding.
Lena: But I’m bored!
Kent: Alright, we’ll tell you what. You can turn it back on when we get near your aunt and uncle’s town. Okay?
Lena: Okay.
The footage ceases and resumes several hours later. A sign reading “Welcome to Silverwright. Come stay for a while” is shown. Deb is then heard crying which is recorded.
Lena: Mom, Deb won't stop crying!
Charlene: Aw, it's probably just his toothaches.
Some funny faces by her and Kent in the rearview mirror help calm Deb down. Now, he laughs and smiles. The next 30 minutes of footage consists of the surrounding forest area and local businesses.
Kent: Hey, I'm getting hungry. Who wants to grab a bite?
Charlene: I could eat.
Lena: Me too! I'm starving!
Kent: Alright, now the question is where can we stop?
Charlene: Margaret was telling me about a new place that opened up in this town a week ago. I think it was called Betsy's.
Kent: What kind of food does it have?
Charlene: Meat and seafood.
Kent: Sure, that should work. Did Margaret tell you where in town it is?
Charlene: No, sorry.
Kent: No big deal, we'll just keep an eye out for it.
The Morris family does come across the restaurant. The building has a cabin-like exterior with a sign showing a crab holding a fish with Betsy's name over it in green neon lettering. They park and exit their vehicle. Lena films the surrounding area. The sound of buttons on the camera being pressed can be heard.
Presumably, this is her trying to figure out more features about it. Lena activates the zoom function. Upon doing so, some figures can be seen moving amongst trees in the distance. The shadowing makes it difficult to discern, but there appear to be at least three or four, wearing hooded black robes.
Kent: Lena, come on!
The camera zooms out and Lena follows her family into the establishment. The inside is bustling with patrons.
Charlene: Lena, why did you bring that inside? I don't want people looking at us funny.
Lena: But you and Dad said I could use it.
Kent: I mean, she's not wrong.
Charlene gives her husband a look of annoyance. The family then gets a booth. Lena sets down the camera which is angled at the window they are seated in front of. They then make their orders.
Waitress: Alright, just to double check that's going to be one surf and turf plate, an order of stuffed crabs with hush puppies, and two kids' chicken tenders with fries, correct?
Charlene: Yes, thank you so much.
Waitress: And the drinks?
Lena: Coke!
Charlene: No, we can't have you bouncing around our hotel room all night.
Lena: But Mom!
Kent: Listen to your mother, sweety.
Charlene: She'll have a Sprite. I'll have an iced tea, heavy on lemon.
Kent: And I'll have a rum and Coke.
Waitress: And dessert?
Charlene: Baked Alaska.
Kent: Let's see. I could go for some apple pie.
Lena: Strawberry Ice cream!
Charlene: Okay, but you're giving some to Deb.
Lena: Why do I have to?
Charlene: Lena, learn to share.
Lena: Yes, Mom.
While waiting for their food, a ringtone sounds. Kent pulls out his cell phone.
Kent: It's Johnny.
He answers.
Kent: Hey, what's up? No, it's fine. We're about to eat. We're at that new place you and Margaret went to. Yeah, that's the one.
How's Sindy been? Nervous, I bet. Hopefully, it goes well. Brett seems like a good guy. What?
Kent covers the phone and looks at Charlene.
Kent: “Hey, Johnny says Margaret wants to talk to you.”
Charlene agrees and is handed the phone.
Charlene: Hi, Margaret. No, the ride wasn't too bad. Deb and Lena actually behaved better than we thought. What do you need? I mean I could, but it's kind of short notice. It's in a few days. How has she not decided on one yet? I know it's her big day, but at some point, she needs to accept that not everything about it is going to be perfect.
Kent: I can attest to that. Always limit the number of drinks people can have.
Charlene gives Kent another glare before continuing her conversation.
Charlene: Alright, if no one else can, I guess I can make a little time while we're here. Okay, see you soon then. Bye.
Charlene hangs up and hands the phone back to Kent.
Charlene: They want me to help pick out a dress for Sindy.
Kent: This close to the wedding?
Charlene: I know. That girl is smart, but it feels like she can't make a decision to save her life.
The food arrives at the table and the waitress tells them to let her know if they need anything else before leaving. The next hour consists of the family eating.
Kent (while chewing): They weren't kidding. This place hits the spot.
Charlene: Don't talk with your mouth full. It sets a bad example for the kids.
Kent: My bad.
Charlene: The food is great, though. Are you enjoying it too, Lena?
Lena: Yep!
After some time, Charlene excuses herself to go to the restroom and tells Kent to watch their children. Kent lets Lena sip some of his Coke.
Kent: Shit, your mother's coming back. Also, don't say that word.
Lena: Shit?
Kent: No, don't! Yes, Lena, that word.
The meal continues. Something to note here is captured through the window. Once again, this relates to the forest. This time, different colored distortions can be seen, similar to digital glitching. Further analysis of this segment shows that the top of the trees appears to bend slightly.
While this could be due to a camera malfunction, it is unclear why this was condensed to such a small distant area. Upon concluding their meal, the Morris family has the rest of their food to go and exits Betsy's, heading to their hotel, a place known as Salt River Inn. Once inside their room, Lena starts jumping on one of the beds.
Charlene: Kent, did you let her have some Coke?
Kent: No, maybe.
Charlene: I said not to. Lena, get down from there this instant!
Lena is presumably too occupied to hear her mother's command.
Kent: Don't worry. I think I know what might help.
Kent turns on the TV, flipping through the channels until finding that Mulan by Disney is playing, having just begun. Lena stops jumping and sits on the bed, watching the screen tentatively.
Kent: See? No problem. Anyway, I'm heading in the shower. Want to come?
Seeing that their children are occupied, Charlene agrees. Mulan continues playing. The parents exit the bathroom around the movie's climax. Just then, the film is interrupted by a screen reading “Silverwright Weather Service” and an EAS beep sounds from the speakers.
Lena: Hey, where did the movie go?
Below is the message as heard.
[Attention residents of Silverwright, hazardous conditions are expected shortly.]
Kent: Johnny said the weather was supposed to be clear. Damn news people don't know a snake hole from their-
Charlene: Kent, be quiet! I want to hear this.
[For your safety, staying inside and away from windows is recommended. Shut off all lights and unplug all electrical devices to prevent damage due to strong currents.]
Charlene: At least it doesn't sound too serious. Hopefully, this will pass by morn-
[It is also advised that battery-operated devices be turned off as well. This includes cell phones, portable gaming devices, and even calculators. If you must have something on, a radio is most suitable for up-to-date information. Be mindful of volume should you choose this. Conditions are projected to last through the next several nights. We now return to your regularly scheduled program.]
Mulan resumes after a McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial.
Charlene: I wonder if Johnny and Margaret saw this too. Maybe we should give them a call?
Kent: No, I bet they’re sleeping already. You know how they are. Even an earthquake couldn’t wake them.
Charlene: Okay, are you keeping your phone on?
Kent: I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
Charlene: What about what the alert said?
Kent: How should I know? It’s probably like having your phone on airplane mode during a flight. It doesn’t mean anything.
The movie finishes. Charlene tells Lena to get ready for bed. She obeys and afterward lays down to sleep.
Charlene: Lena, did you remember to turn off that camera?
Groggily, Lena turns over and tries to shut it off. In her attempt, she accidentally hits the zoom button on the camera again and knocks it on its side, making it face the window. The red blinking light of a radio tower can be seen far away. Someone is climbing it. This is believed to be one of the hooded figures seen earlier in the video.
They reach the top and seem to raise their arms to the sky in a sort of welcoming gesture. The earlier digital-like distortion appears again. Something comes out of it, either a limb or appendage, and lifts the person, out of view. The distortion then pulses violet and rapidly spreads, soon making the sky above Silverwright the same color. Two hours later, Kent’s phone rings.
Charlene: “It’s after midnight. Who’s calling us now?”
The sound of the bed creaking can be heard.
Kent: Johnny again?
Charlene: I bet Sindy's freaking out that the wedding might be canceled. Answer, but tell him whatever it is will have to wait.
Kent: Hey, Johnny, listen. Wait, Sindy?
The bed creaks again as Kent sits up.
Kent: What? Hang on. I can’t understand you. Let me put you on speaker.
Sindy (sobbing): Mom and Dad are gone. I think something’s happened to them.
Charlene sits up as well. Kent replies to Sindy in a leveled tone.
Kent: Okay, Sindy, I want you to listen closely. Are you somewhere safe?
Sindy: I think so. Brett and I got into an argument earlier. My parents said I could come over. We talked for a while and then I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up about an hour ago to grab something from the fridge. I heard something weird coming from upstairs I wanted to see what it was.
Kent (pausing before replying): What did you find?
Sindy: It sounded like my parents were up so I decided to check on them, but they didn’t respond when I knocked on their door. I decided to try opening it and it was unlocked. They were just standing in front of the window. I think they were staring at something.
Kent: Were you able to see what?
Sindy: No, but the only thing near the house is the woods and that radio tower. Wait, maybe that’s what they were looking at. Their radio was acting weird before it happened.
Kent: Before what happened?
Sindy: Kent…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to comprehend what I saw. There was a purple flash and then their windows were busted in. Something grabbed them. I don’t know what it was. It reminded me of a giant hand only dark like a shadow. They didn’t even scream or anything while they were being pulled away. It was like they were okay with what was happening.
Charlene is the one who replies.
Charlene***:*** Sindy, sweety, tell us where you are in the hose right now and we’ll come get you.
Sindy: I’m in the basement. I figured that would be the safest option. Wait, what is that?
Noises akin to a tornado hitting a home sound through the phone speakers.
Sindy: Oh, god, it’s lifting everything! It’s massive! Wait…Its eyes. I understand everything now. I know I’ll be with my parents again soon.
Charlene: Sindy?
Sindy laughs.
Sindy: It’s so beautiful!
The call ends.
Charlene: We need to leave.
Kent: Leave? What about Sindy? What about Johnny and Margaret?
Charlene: We need to get them some help.
Kent: Okay, let’s try calling the police first.
He attempts and the phone keeps ringing.
Kent: Are you fucking kidding me right now?
Charlene: They must be busy.
Kent: What do we do then, go somewhere else to get help? The nearest town is hours away from here.
Charlene: I don’t see what else we can do.
Kent: I guess you’re right. We better pack.
Charlene and Kent repack their belongings. Charlene grabs the camera and carries Deb while Kent has Lena. Then the family exits the hotel room. The hall and lobby are full of people also trying to reach the exit.
Kent: We're never going to get out of here at this rate. Come on. This way.
They go to an emergency side door and push it open, causing the alarm to go off. Upon reaching their vehicle, there is a sound similar to when a microphone is held up to a speaker. Kent and Charlene let out yells of pain.
Kent: Where the hell is that coming from?
Charlene turns. A figure can be seen floating in the sky above the radio tower. Its appearance is reminiscent of a person's shadow that's been stretched out. Beams of pink light come from its eyes that scan the town below. It has an anomalous effect on whatever it touches. Inanimate objects and people alike vanish, the instant contact is made.
Charlene (voice trembling): What in God's name is happening, Kent?
Lena and Deb can be heard waking up with the latter crying. Their parents put them in the car. The camera is placed on the seat between the two children. Lena rubs her eyes.
Lena: Dad, why are we out here?
Charlene and Kent close their doors. The latter starts the car.
Kent: It's nothing, sweety, we just need to go on a little drive.
He backs out of their parking space and exits the lot, speeding down the road.
Lena: But I want to see Sindy!
Kent: We can't right now.
Lena: Why not?
Kent (voice raised): We just can't, alright?
Lena sobs slightly, but suddenly stops when she notices the camera.
Lena: Um excuse me.
Kent sighs. Charlene answers instead.
Charlene: What is it, honey?
Lena: I accidentally left the camera on.
Charlene: Don't worry about that right now. Just stay quiet and let your father drive, okay?
Lena: Okay.
Charlene: Good.
Lena picks the camera up and faces the back windshield. The creature seems larger than before.
Charlene: Kent!
Kent: I know. I see it in the mirror.
He accelerates.
Lena: Mom, Dad, what's that big thing?
Charlene: Something bad?
Lena: Is it gonna get us?
Charlene: No because we're playing a game with it, tag and if we can outrun it, we'll be safe. If you can help, try to calm your brother down.
Lena: I'll try.
The camera pans over the car floor. The head of a teddy bear sticks out from under the passenger seat. Lena grabs it and hands it to Deb. He stops crying.
Lena: Mom, I did it!
Charlene: That's good, sweety.
Kent continues speeding. On the sidewalk, the pink light washes over pedestrians. They freeze and then raise their arms in the direction of the being before vanishing.
Lena: Where did those people go?
Kent: We don't know.
He sharply turns a corner and goes onto a road that leads out of town.
Charlene: Is that it? Are we safe?
Kent: I think so. I don't know who we can go to about this. We'll try, though.
Lena: Dad?
Kent: Yes?
Lena: What's that thing doing?
The creature is rapidly scanning the area back and forth. Then it stares in their direction. The radio bursts to life with its cry from earlier, causing Kent to nearly go off the road.
Charlene: Keep it straight!
Kent: I'm trying!
The entity rips up several buildings and focuses its light on those areas. It grows and then levitates itself in the air. Its next action is technically flying. Although, its movements are more resemblant to swimming. The noise on the radio increases.
Charlene: Faster, Kent!
Kent: I don't think I can!
Lena: It's gonna catch us!
It dives, going out of view.
Kent: Huh? Where did it go?
Charlene: Kent, the road!
Lena focuses the lens on the front windshield. In the center of the road ahead, the being rises, tall enough to reach the sky. Kent tries sharply turning the steering wheel. It's assumed he is about to attempt a U-turn. Before he can, it shoots its lights at them, making them wash over the car.
It lifts off the road, freezing midair.
Kent (laughs): I get it now.
Charlene: Yes, Sindy was right all along.
Lena: Mom? Dad? What are you talking about? I don't like this.
Charlene: Don't worry, honey. It'll be okay soon.
Nothing else changes at first. Then both parents' bodies began to flatten and stretch out. They laugh as this happens. Deb and Lena begin crying.
Lena: What's happening to you guys?
Charlene: It's okay, honey. It won't hurt soon.
Lena looks at Deb who is also starting to go through the same process. She checks her hands and sees that she is as well. Both shriek as their parents' laughter turns into cackling. Simultaneously, all four family members disappear. The car hits the road and flips several times before coming to a stop.
In the months following the discovery of the Honda Accord, its tag number was used to trace back to the address of the Morris family. This lead went cold because the people who were living there had no idea who they were. By using the address of that home, we determined the possible location of Silverwright. According to our calculations, it should have been on the border going into Canada, but when we went to investigate, it was as if nothing had ever been there.
It's unclear whether the town belonged to the US state of Alaska or the Canadian Province of Yukon. However, as far as the two governments are concerned both Silverwright and the Morris family have never existed.

This just happened last night, my homie and I are in Thailand right now visiting friends and family.
Last week we discovered this small barestaurant and have been there nearly everyday since. Food is great, they got giant margaritas, and we’ve made friends with the awesome staff there.
Yesterday after getting matching “Shrimps is Bugs” tattoos we went to the bar to drink and eat. We’re playing pool, chilling with our waitress, she’s laughing at our stupid tattoos, and then this boomer comes up and asks my friend where he’s from. We start talking to him and he seems pretty cool, he told us he just moved back to Thailand a couple of weeks ago and his friend owns the restaurant we’re at.
He challenges the winner to get their ass kicked at pool, so I beat my bro and told Boomer to get over here as he’s next, and this is where he gets insanely obnoxious. He’s loud af, curses like he’s a kid who just learned bad words, and starts bringing up politics and libs destroying America. My buddy is laughing his ass off because he can tell I’m getting annoyed and after I lose the first game he invites Boomer to join our table to have drinks and to annoy me some more. (Here’s my bro asking him questions and Boomer starts talking nonsense about Trump being God)
Boomer buys a round of tequila shots for us and after we take them this group next to our table goes to play pool and Boomer jumps out of his seat yelling at them saying he’s the winner, its his table, wait their turn, etc. It was crazy rude and Thai people are so polite and non-confrontational they just apologized and sat back down. I went to them and asked if they wanted to play teams and they agreed.
Over the next 30 minutes my friend and I got to know the other group, they’re great people, and had to apologize to all of them over and over again because Boomer is the worst person to play pool with ever. He’s getting more drunk by the minute, talking all this shit, rude, obnoxious, etc. They end up not wanting to play anymore so I challenge him 1 more time to shut him up and this is where it all goes downhill.
He’s pissed off because I called a foul and ball in hand when he hits my stripe ball before he hits his solid. He says I’m just making up rules and its not a foul. Then he does it again when I’m on the 8 ball only, he hits the 8 ball without hitting his balls and I call a foul and pick up the cue ball. Boomer flips shit at this because its basically and instant win for me and he tries snatching the ball out of my hand. I’m just laughing my ass off at this point and tell him to stop crying and take his loss.
What does he do? He throws his pool stick across the table onto the floor, cusses me out, ragequits and walks back to our table. Our waitresses look scared and don’t know what to do so I go to him and the convo goes like this.
Me: Hey dude don’t disrespect this place or the staff here like that, you can’t just throw their things around that’s ridiculous.
Boomer: My friend owns this place I can do whatever the fuck I want to do.
Me: No you can’t, you can’t just come here disrespecting the staff, disrespecting the customers, its a fucking game you need to chill out.
Then he gets closer to my face and starts screaming and cussing at me even louder, telling me I’m a cheater and making up fake rules, he’ll do whatever the fuck he wants, his friend owns the bar, etc. While he’s yelling at me he’s got this entitled smug smile on his face and I just lost control and pushed him back away from me. It wasn’t a forceful push, I wasn’t trying to hurt the dude or anything, but fuck he’s a 60yo drunk boomer and lost his balance and fell onto the table of the people we played pool with and knocked it over.
I was mad embarrassed I didn’t mean for it to happen like that I just wanted him out of my face and to shut up. Our waitress grabbed me and led me outside. I’m apologizing like crazy and she and the other waitress are telling me and bro its okay, that dude is crazy, always causing problems, he’s friends with the boss so they can’t kick him out but they said I gotta leave right now and I can come back any other time after they talk with the boss.
Gonna head there again here in a couple of hours and make sure if I broke anything I’ll pay for it, hopefully everything is still cool between us and that place as we’re only here a few more days and planned on being there everyday.

 This happened in 2015. I've had a pretty strange dream that day and it impacted me so much that I think about it even now... The dream starts with me in the backseat of a cab. Someone is driving the car and we are in a beautiful plain right before sunset. The landscape is gorgeous in the light of the sun at that hour and I have the feeling that I know this road since my childhood, as if I went down that road many times in the past. I also have a strong feeling that this is important and that I am going to a special place that I was inveted to; it is a spiritual feeling. Suddenly I am already in the place. Its something like a resort, with swimming pools and showers and the people there are different. They are all nice and greet mee as they pass by me. Also they use colourful chothes and hair, but it is all simple colours like blue, green, yellow. I arrive at a place were some women are sitting at the floor like if they were in a campfire and there are some other people doing barbecue. Then a waitress comes with a tray and say "you will play some tarot for those women, ok?" I agree and he shows me the tarot deck in the tray. I choose one card and it is a transparent plastic card with silver drawings. In the card there is an old bearded man and the word Neptune. The waitress says "it means Saturn. Do you know what it means" I say yes. After that I am in a small room with a bed and there I know I will sleep and I will a have an important dream, like a spiritual message. The dream within the dream starts... I am now in the same "resort" place but now its morning and there is a guy cleaning one of the swiming pools. I look to the sky and there are three clouds in the strange shape of cups or hourglasses... now I am in an old hall, it look like the hall from a theater from the 70's. There is a group of old men in suits in a table near me and they seem to be talking some secrets. They note my presence but don't mind so much, but they also whisper so I can't hear what they talk about.I have the feeling that a presentation will happen in the thater soon... suddenly I am outside the room and I am in front of a strange plant like a smal palm tree. Under it a creature that is like a giant psychadelic colourful centipede running in circles around the small tree. The creature is really big like 2 meters long and 1 meter tall... Then I am again inside the theater and there is a man on the stage, I think he is talking about a alien fetus and he is gonna show a picture of it but I am not sure (this is my thought in the dream). Again things change and now I am in a car leaving the place. I'm again in the backseat but there are two people in the front seats. I know them but I can't tell if they are friends or family, just know they are close to me. I start to feel there is something in my mouth and for a moment I think if I should take it off or not. I decide to go for it and when I do it's egg shells... a lot of them... after I take all of it from my mouth some flashes of yellow and red light starts to appear alternatimg between the two colours and it is going faster it time... 

The car stops, I go out and there is a strong wind in the road. I look to my left and there is a big white tornado in a field close to me. The tornado has this white colour and I can feel the strong winds but the strange thing about it is that it's rotation is not natural. It's spin is bugged like a lagged game... finnally I wake up scared...

I know it sounds just like a crazy dream but it was so vivid and I can remember so much of it. Also the feeling and thoughts I had in the dream were something really different from usual. 

What do you think? Can you make something of it? Is there some more deep meaning there? Anxious to read your thoughts!

ABOUT ME
I wrote a money diary in October 2022. Since then, my boyfriend P. has been upgraded to fiance (we are getting married in July!) and my beloved Trash Cat has had enucleation surgery (we now call the vet “The Eye Snatcher”). I still work as a technology specialist in higher education. In December 2023, I discovered HR input my salary wrong when I first started my current job—the contract I signed stated my salary as $65,000, but they input it as $60,000. I got a hefty portion of back pay. I am currently making about $67,000/year.
P. and I still split expenses 50/50 (somewhat imperfectly) and do not have any combined accounts. We input shared expenses into this spreadsheet and then settle the difference once a month. His salary is about $75,000. He recently cashed out about $15,000 from a 529 plan he never used (he didn’t go to college) and will be creating a CD ladder with this money to save for a down payment.
ASSETS & DEBT
Retirement balance: $6,542.66 in my 403(b) and $2,688.03 in my Roth IRA. In my last money diary, I felt guilty about my retirement balance because I didn’t really start until the age of 25 and for a year my contributions went uninvested. I feel much better about it now. This summer, I’ll qualify for employer-matched contributions to my 403(b), which will improve my progress even more.
Equity: maybe one day????
Savings account balance: $1,291.23 in an emergency fund, $160.32 in a recently-started down payment fund.
Checking account balance: $3,052.37
Credit card debt: $4,651 on credit card 1, $0 on credit card 2. Unfortunately, I’ve had 3 major setbacks in recent months: Trash Cat’s surgery ($2,200), new tires/maintenance on my car ($2,300), and an unexpected hotel stay when P.’s nephew passed away just before Christmas ($1,000). P. and I split Trash Cat’s surgery and the hotel stay, so the total I’ve put on my card in recent months is $3,900. I was down to about $800 in debt prior to all this fun stuff.
Student loan debt: $75,000 in public loans for a bachelor’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in English. This was technically a “bad choice” because I did use my loans for living expenses during grad school, but I honestly do not regret it. I LOVED grad school, even though most of it happened online due to the pandemic, and I sincerely believe it made me a better, more thoughtful, and empathetic person. Since the university I work for now is a certified non-profit organization, I will eventually qualify for PSLF if I stay here or within the field of accredited higher education.
Car debt: I owe $2,754 on my Toyota.
INCOME
Income progression: I have worked steadily at part-time jobs since age 16. I’ve been in educational tech for 3 years; my starting salary was $18/hour as a customer service associate, which was around $42,000 annually with overtime. When I started my current job almost 2 years ago, my salary jumped to $65,000 (which ended up being funky, see ABOUT ME above). My current salary, after it was adjusted and I received a 3% raise, is now $67,000.
Monthly take-home pay: $3,355.90 after deductions
Side gig income: None. I quit tutoring because I started taking night classes back in the fall.
Parental Support: As I mentioned in my money diary last year, my parents contributed about $22,000 to rent/car expenses during my “adult” (college) life. My dad is also paying for our wedding “reception,” which is a private dinner at a restaurant for 15 people (estimated cost $5,000). I hinted heavily at Financial Trauma in my last diary, an issue I’ve mostly overcome thanks to my incredible therapist. I might write a more detailed post on healing Financial Trauma and my experience with it…let me know if you’d be interested in reading something like that :)
EXPENSES
Rent: $787.50 (P. and I split rent 50/50; our total rent is $1,575)
Renter’s & car insurance: $1,321/year, which averages out to $110.83/month (not split).
Health insurance: $394.46/month before tax for health and dental. Once P. and I get married, I am hopping on his insurance.
Retirement contribution: $257.50/month pre-tax into my 403(b). I also transfer $50/month into a Roth IRA.
Savings contribution: $200/month to emergency fund, $50/month to down payment fund
Debt payments: $260/month for my car payment, $60/month for my student loan payment (this is wildly low because I am on an income-driven repayment plan. Due to the ongoing Federal Battles, I have not had to recertify my income, so this payment is based on my 2019 income. I also pay at least $500/month towards my credit card debt. Since this is a three paycheck month (and my third paycheck will be a “deduction holiday”), I am paying $1,000 towards it this month. P. does not contribute towards my debt.
Utilities: P. and I split internet, water, electricity, and trash evenly: usually about $175/month for my half, $350 total.
Cellphone: $65/month (we each pay for our own phones).
Subscriptions: Spotify for $10.99/month, Hulu for $7.99/month, Monarch (web budgeting app) for $50/year (this is a discounted price; it will jump to $80/year next year). None of these expenses are split.
Gym membership: $36/monthly for gym membership; $500/quarter for personal training (not split).
Pet expenses: P. and I split this expense; generally $100/month for my half, $200/month total.
Therapy: $25/week (not split).
MONEY DIARY
DAY 1: FRIDAY
😴 7 AM: P. shakes me awake. I reluctantly get up, go to the bathroom, and change into leggings and a sweater dress. After I give Trash Cat his morning medicine, I kiss P. goodbye and I’m out the door. I listen to the Sinisterhood podcast on my drive to work and try to stop for coffee, but the drive-thru line is backed up into the street and causing traffic, so I skip it.
💄8 AM: I put on my makeup in the bathroom at work; this has become my new routine since I was diagnosed with sleep apnea because the extra few minutes of sleep are now a medical necessity. I use Covergirl skinmilk foundation, elf lash and roll mascara, and elf instant brow pencil. Sometimes I use elf lip stain (big elf fan over here) but don’t bother today.
😈 9 AM: I meet with the university’s academic technology team to help them set up a feedback survey for a new grading tool they piloted this semester. We also bitch a little about some difficulties we’ve had this week with faculty. An important thing to know about me is that I am a hater to my innermost core.
🥪12 PM: After spending most of the morning replying to emails, updating tickets, and watching budgeting videos on YouTube, I realize I forgot my lunch at home. Since digging myself back into credit card debt, I’ve made a conscious effort to bring my lunch to work and spend less on convenience food, so I’m pretty annoyed with myself. A quick trip to the library cafe yields a turkey sub, a green smoothie, and a giant cookie ($14.47). I eat at my desk while making some money moves (it’s payday!). $200 goes to my credit card to cover my therapy copay and the pair of Hokas I bought my mom for her birthday earlier this week. I also transfer $500 to my savings account. $214.47
👣5 PM: I pack up and make the short drive over to my friend’s apartment. It was a spectacularly unproductive day; if I’m being honest, I’ve been feeling burnt out and need a break, but I’m trying to save my vacation days for our wedding. My friend and I walk around one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city and catch up. We also go to Whole Foods before she heads to the gym. I grab some specialty canned beans, tofu, tortilla chips, Chomps, and some Poppi sodas ($35.23).
🐱8 PM: I eat one of my favorite lazy meals for dinner—refried beans mixed with quinoa, salsa verde, and shredded cheese with tortilla chips—and watch a few episodes of Home Economics on Hulu. I get sucked into TikTok for a little while before brushing my teeth and taking my meds. I go to bed around 10:30 PM while snuggling Trash Cat.
Daily Total: $249.70
DAY 2: SATURDAY
🚿 8:30 AM: Quick shower before changing into a blue sundress and a white button up. I do my makeup and feed Trash Cat. I’m out the door a little past 9 AM to head to book club.
📚10 AM: This month, we’re having book club at an adorable little tea room. We read Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and obviously love a ✨theme✨ so the four of us spend an hour talking about the book, eating tiny finger sandwiches, and drinking approximately 5 gallons of tea. One of my good friends from grad school, R., started this book club a few months ago and it has been such a joy to get together with awesome women on a regular basis. We also commiserate over family problems—R does a dramatic reading of an outrageous text from my dad before we go our separate ways ($38.10).
💍12 PM: I received an email yesterday from our jeweler that my wedding ring is done and realize I’m much closer to the jewelry shop than I am to home. I call P. to ask if he’d be okay with me picking it up. He is. I swing by the shop and try on my ring; it is so beautiful and fits perfectly! I wear it on my drive home and can’t stop admiring it. P. put down $400 when we met with the jeweler a few months ago, so I pay $821.88 to take it home. P. sends me that exact amount on Venmo. (technically, I pay nothing).
😵2 PM: I eat more of my refried bean lazy meal and watch some episodes of The Rookie on Hulu. The rest of the day is spent fielding calls and texts from my sister, brother, and sister-in-law about my mother’s birthday dinner tomorrow. It is bringing up ✨trauma✨ for all of us.
😴9 PM: A very lazy night routine of brushing my teeth, taking off my makeup with a wipe, take my meds, and drinking water while listening to a podcast as I fall asleep.
Daily Total: $38.10
DAY 3: SUNDAY
🎁10:30 AM: Roll out of bed, make some Kodiak protein waffles, and call my youngest brother, who is 22. He and I are very close, but I still carry a lot of guilt about how much I couldn’t—and can’t—protect him from. I offer to pick out a gift for Mom “from him” since he has to head to the airport to retrieve our parents and he agrees.
🧀12 PM: I go to a gift shop in the next town over and pick out a pair of gold vermeil earrings. They’re $225. I buy them and tell my brother to Venmo me $175 (so technically I spend $50). After, I pop over to Wegmans, which is in the same shopping plaza, and pick up quesadillas, seltzers, fried rice, and spicy chicken for lunch ($41.55 total, $20.77 for my half). $70.77.
🧼1 PM: P. and I eat lunch on the couch while watching YouTube. Afterwards, I channel my irritation into cleaning the apartment. I vacuum, swiffer, put away dishes, and wipe down the bathroom. P. takes out the trash and recycling and starts some laundry.
🍾4 PM: We meet my other brother (I have two—this one is also younger but closer in age to me, 27) and my sister-in-law at a bar to pregame for Mom's birthday dinner. Is this healthy? Probably not. Does it work? Yes. I pay for all our drinks ($112.02)
🙄5 PM: Dinner time. A bunch of my aunts and uncles are there, too, so we sit at the “kid’s table” with my siblings and one of my cousins. I order Jameson and ginger and a fancy cheeseburger. Maybe it’s the liquid courage, or the fact I went into this with extraordinarily low expectations, but I have a surprisingly good time…until my dad starts to fight with the waitress about separate checks for the separate tables. He didn’t mention it at the beginning of the meal, and considering we have 17 people at three different tables, the waitress understandably says no. It gets to the point where my brother just hands her his credit card to put an end to it. He doesn’t tell me how much the total bill is; P. and I venmo him $100 each ($100).
🍋7 PM: The fun isn’t over! We head back to my parents’ house for cake and presents. I eat lemon cake with ice cream and give my mom the Hokas I bought her earlier in the week. She loves the earrings from my brother, and he thanks me for helping him.
💤11 PM: We finally leave. I fall asleep on the way home. I thank P. for being such a supportive partner, take my meds, and promptly fall asleep again.
Daily total: $282.79
DAY 4: MONDAY
🤕8 AM: I make it out of bed and over to the computer. I respond to emails, update a few tickets, and purchase a knee brace from Amazon ($24.01). I LOVE going to the gym and I’m trying to lose weight for health reasons, but the past few days my left knee has been stiff and achy to the point that it hurts to go up and down the stairs. I have a doctor’s appointment this week so I can tell my primary care physician then, but I want to go for a walk to clear my head. I drink a Liquid IV.
🍜11 AM: P. picks up brunch from one of our favorite local restaurants. Their biscuits and gravy bowl is incredible. ($27.58 total, $*13.79 *for my half).
🥟4 PM: I jump in the car and run to Petsmart to pick up pill pockets and food for Trash Cat. Even though he came from a dumpster, he has decided he’ll only eat the fancy cat food. ($64.78 total, $32.39 **for my half). Then I go to Wegmans for some more groceries: tomatoes, cucumbers, frozen dumplings, lettuce, seltzer, onions, brussel sprouts, and turkey burgers. ($68.22 total, $34.11 **for my half).
🍅6 PM: P. and I eat dinner while watching the John Oliver episode on libraries (stop banning books, losers!!!!). It’s one of our other favorite lazy meals: quinoa with fancy canned beans with chopped up peppers, onions, and tomatoes. I drink a seltzer with dinner and then do some chores and take a shower.
🦷10 PM: Stayed up later than I meant to scrolling TikTok and Reddit. Whoops! I brush my teeth and turn off the lights.
Daily total: $104.30
DAY 5: TUESDAY
🧇8 AM: Roll out of bed and walk 5 steps to my computer. After checking email and signing in, I make protein waffles for breakfast and put on my new knee brace that was delivered last night.
💩10 AM: I take a quick break from writing technical documentation to fold some laundry and tidy up the kitchen. I give Trash Cat some treats and clean out the litterbox. He is a stinky boy.
👨‍💻1:30 PM: I run a meeting with my boss and grandboss about the documentation project I’m currently spearheading. We are migrating into a new (and easier) documentation system, which means I need to export, update, and organize all our current documentation. They’re both pleased with my progress and the next goals I’ve outlined. Maybe I am good at my job? Afterwards, I eat some refried beans with tortilla chips and a seltzer.
🤬4:30 PM: I get a very rude email from a faculty member saying he cannot access a file a student shared with him (and grades are due tonight). He sends me a screenshot and it turns out…he’s clicking the wrong button. I explain the correct steps and attach the student’s file, but I’m so agitated that I sign out early and go for a walk. The weather is beautiful, and I try not to think about the email, but I keep stewing over it. The worst part of working in higher ed is the entitlement - I am often treated like “the help” by the Impossibly Busy Big Brained Professors Who Don’t Have Time For Glitches (FYI, glitches do not care whether you have time for them or not).
📱6 PM: P. and I eat leftovers of our fancy canned bean bowls for dinner and feed Trash Cat. I numb out by scrolling for about 3 hours.
🙄9 PM: I go to bed, but keep thinking about that damn email and then beat myself up for being so sensitive and giving that professor so much of my mental energy off the clock.
Daily total: $0
DAY 6: WEDNESDAY
🥯7 AM: Get out of bed, throw some clothes into my gym bag, get dressed, and run out the door. I stop at Dunkin on the way to work to get an iced coffee and some stuffed bagel minis ($5.45).
🧘‍♀️10 AM: I log into my virtual therapy appointment from my office and talk for 40 minutes straight about everything I am struggling with: my routine is out of whack thanks to my mom’s dinner; I’m mad at my parents, my sister, and my job; my knee is killing me so I can’t work out; I have been a shitty partner and cat mom this week; I am scrolling to numb out instead of reading or relaxing in a meaningful way. My therapist helps me come up with an action plan. I put my phone on bedtime mode to turn it to black and white, make plans with P. for a cozy date night at home this weekend, and bookmark a few jobs to apply for. She reminds me I am a supportive sister and partner and relationships are not 50/50 every single day. We end with a meditation about releasing anger.
☁️11 AM: I meet with a staff member in admissions over Zoom to discuss file back-up in preparation for his new computer. He is actually already synced to our cloud system, meaning that all files are backed up, so the meeting is easy. He asks a few questions about the cloud system and how it works and also provides feedback on some of the tools he feels need guidelines or best practices for usage.
📽️12 PM: Lunch is the last of the fancy bean bowl leftovers and a seltzer (I am a creature of habit). While I eat, I watch budgeting videos on YouTube. I get an email that my credit card has been charged for my therapy copay ($25).
🙃3 PM: I meet virtually with a professor who is, technologically speaking, extremely high-need. I watch her rename and organize files for about an hour. Inevitably, she moves them to the wrong place, accidentally deletes the entire file name, etc. On the bright side, she is very sweet and appreciative of my guidance.
💪4:45 PM: I duck out early to drive to the gym. I let my trainer know what is going on with my knee, so we decide to hit upper today. I only started weightlifting in November and I’ve found I love it so much I am willing to shell out for personal training. After doing my best not to side-eye the men with terrible form (if you need to use your knees to complete a bicep curl, the weight is too heavy), I stretch out and grab dinner from Qdoba: a chicken bowl for me and a steak burrito for P ($24.66 total, $*12.33 *for my half).
🤙7 PM: I call my youngest brother while eating dinner. He is the only one living at home with my parents and needs to vent about what’s going on. I do my best to validate his feelings and remind him he can stop by our apartment whenever he needs to. I wish I could do more.
🚿8 PM: I pack my Qdoba leftovers for lunch, take a shower, and crawl into bed with some sleepy tea and a book.
Daily total: $42.78
DAY 7: THURSDAY
🦶5:30 AM: P. wakes me up by tickling my feet. It is not enjoyable, but it is highly effective. I grab my leftovers and head to the gym.
🚲7 AM: I finish up my cardio workout on the bike, take a quick shower, and change into my work clothes. It’s a little unfair that exercise actually does make you feel better. On the way to work, I stop at Dunkin for iced coffee again but resist getting a snack ($3.31).
🥤9 AM: My morning work consists of emails, tickets, and updating some website pages. I also find a job listing on LinkedIn at another university which is a step up from my current position. A quick look at Glassdoor shows it has a higher employee satisfaction rating than the institution where I work now, and the salary range for this position is at least $10k higher than my current salary. I spend a bit of time fine-tuning my resume and drafting a cover letter while researching the university. It has a much nicer fitness center and a smoothie bar? I know, I know, the grass is always greener…
📚10 AM: Quick walk over to the library for an appointment with the archival specialist. We discuss how to back up her files in preparation for her new computer. She gives me a tour of the rare book collection - first editions of Jane Eyre and David Copperfield, plus a copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle from the fifteenth century. Very cool. For about five minutes, I consider going back to school to get a master’s degree in library science.
🌶️11 AM: Early lunch of my Qdoba leftovers, tortilla chips, and seltzer since I didn’t have breakfast.
🖥️2 PM: I meet with my manager to discuss the documentation project and a new hire initiative in collaboration with HR. The spring semester is officially over, so we have more time on our hands to do some maintenance, clean-up, and proactive support.
🧀5 PM: Work is over! I stop at the grocery store to buy brie, crackers, oat milk, toilet paper, paper towels, and a cup of macaroni. My period is coming and I always crave cheese ($49.55 total, $*24.77 *for my half).
🍴6 PM: P. and I eat a dinner of brie, crackers, and brussel sprouts while watching a few cooking videos on YouTube. We talk about how “emotionally charged” I’ve been for the past few days (P. uses the phrase—he never, ever calls me crazy, irritable, moody, etc.). Eating cheese makes me feel better. Trash Cat and I watch a few episodes of Brooklyn 99.
💊8 PM: Quick shower, meds, and podcasts. I start to doze off.
📞9:30 PM: My brother calls me. I’m confused and groggy, so I miss the call but text him immediately asking if everything is okay. He lets me know he will be fine and I promise to call him tomorrow. It takes me a little while longer to fall asleep; P. comes to bed around 10 PM for cuddles.
Daily total: $28.08
WEEKLY TOTALS (edited)
Total Spent: $745.45
Food + Drink: $375.95
Fun / Entertainment: $38.10
Home + Health: $49.01
Clothes + Beauty: $0
Transport: $0
Credit card: $200
Gift: $50
Pets: $32.39
REFLECTION
This was an above-average spending week for me with my mom’s birthday. Emotionally, it was also not a great week for me, and I often tend to spend more money when I’m upset, although I’ve apparently channeled that compulsion into grocery shopping. I am also trying to test out if smaller, more frequent grocery trips are better for us, since weekly shopping often means we throw out produce or meat.
I’m working on a) digging myself out of credit card debt and b) regulating my emotions, especially when it comes to my family. This particular stressor, and its effects on my finances, waxes and wanes throughout the year - birthdays and holidays tend to bring out the worst in both. However, even with the debt, I still feel like I am pretty financially stable (definitely more so in comparison to where I was as a kid, teen, and younger adult).
Thanks for reading 😼 Let me know if you have any questions!

Anyone else notice that when boomers go out in groups, that there is always that One that seems to be "in charge" and is usually the loudest? We were out to dinner last night at a local regional chain place. It wasn't too busy and near us was a table of 4 Boomers, two couples. One guy, who talked (loudly) the whole time. Had something to say about everything. They didn't seem to be too offensive however. Wondered why his dessert took so long, waitress told him they had to bake the giant cookie for his dessert. He was regaling his group about some fantastic new game on his phone (it was Wordle, I think). I could only see him from the side and he was facing away from me. When he got up, yup...MAGA hat.

I work at the Lone Star Diner, off the road from Carson City to Reno. Diner name has of course been changed for obvious reasons–more on that later.
Why do I work at the Lone Star Diner, off the road from Carson City to Reno? Well because, kind stranger, my life plans didn’t work out. Generally, if you’re caught working at a diner past college–specifically, one in the middle of nowhere, it might mean that things aren’t going so hot.
But still, why this diner? Why Lone Star specifically?
I’m aware you probably aren’t actually asking these questions, but I nonetheless believe they deserve a response.
Of all of the diners in the world, what makes Lone Star so special is…
The pay.
The pay is fucking great.
There are maybe ten other diners within a 30 minute drive from where I live. Most of them average out to a little over minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Lone Star is whipping up a mean $50/hr.
And that hourly rate is due to one, single, solitary reason, no matter what anyone tells you.
Because of him.
My first day on the job was fine, more or less? I’d worked customer service before, so I felt like I could run with the strange surprises that came unique to diners. I was able to adapt to the inconsistency of the rules pretty quickly. Unwritten rules like–some areas in the restaurant need to be spotless at all times; others, boss lady couldn’t give less of a shit about. Serve customers quickly! But not too quickly, asshole. Customers here don’t actually like it when you show up too fast. Give them some time to feel the floor under their boots, to miserably stare ahead, and mourn what could’ve been. Y’know, diner stuff. They’re here because they want to be alone. Pardon the contradiction.
Of course, vaguely defined, ‘whispered only by ghosts’ rules extended to the cooks as well. If you were, somehow, secretly, celebrity chef Marco Pierre White in the flesh, your mandate was to keep your damn prowess to yourself. Your job is to make the classics as decently as possible. Not bad, but not amazing. Just poor enough to be really good–that’s what the customers are here for.
As the weeks unfolded, I rose, or I suppose–crouched–to the occasion quite well. You want intentional, pinpoint precision mediocrity? You’ve come to the right person. Most of the patrons just wanted coffee and brunch, brought to them at medium speed, with a semi-predictable cadence of waiter or waitress check-ins afterwards. Done, done, and done.
Not one for subtlety, one day I finally decided to ask my boss the question in the middle of a shift. I didn’t want to ruin a good thing by doubting it, but fuck me if I wasn’t a little curious. Not a full ‘look’ at the gift horse’s mouth, more of a skeptical side-eye…
“Why $50/hr?”
She didn’t even look up from her task at the register, methodically counting out bills. “Said it on your first day, ya gotta be good at following the rules. And when it’s an important rule? You’d better be damn well perfect. High expectations here.”
I made a face. “Right. High expectations.”
“You think I’m joking?”
“No ma’am, I guess, I just,”–Why did I even speak up?–“I just think you’re running a really cool operation here. Cooler than you might realize. It’s still work, but the whole thing seems… fair?”
Christ, my waffling skills were abysmal. Add that to the list of intentional mediocrity! Booyah.
She looked up from her duties and shot me a stern look. “I don’t run this ship. And following the rules here means that you take care of yourself.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I am your employer, sure, and I’ll pay you well to be here, sure, but you should be aware–there is plenty more going on here than just you and this diner.”
She glanced down at her watch, then sighed. “I usually save this speech for the end of the month, but you already caught me halfway through it. So, the Cole's notes: if you don’t think you have it in you to follow instructions clearly, without protest, and without asking too many questions, then you should leave. Quit. No harm, no foul. A week’s worth of pay on the house.”
The conversation sputtered shortly after that. I tried to find an opening to ask more about what she meant, but she was closed off to the topic moving forward.
And you know what? That was fine–if she wanted me to put my head down and just do the work, I could do that.
And work I did. And things were good. Mundane small talk with the customers was fun, my coworkers were friendly, and I was getting paid well. I’d found a place to park the failures of my life. A place to build from.
It must’ve been a Saturday, I think, when I first noticed him. An occupied seat in the far corner of the diner. No idea how long he’d been sitting there and waiting, though he certainly looked patient. I had the strange inkling that he’d been left hanging for quite some time, though I couldn’t actually remember seeing him enter.
Brown corduroy shirt. Short hair. Mid 50s, it seemed. A reasonably calm smile. Normal looking dude.
I started making my way out from the back and headed towards him.
Immediately, I felt a tight grip on my arm–
It was Melanie, my boss, with a forceful clutch–enough to make me drop my notepad. Her fingers tightened around my forearm, sharply pinching my skin.
“Important rules,” she said.
“What?”
“You ‘member our chat about rules? Well this is the most important one. Okay?”
“Okay…?”
“That man, over there, in the corner.” She motioned to the man who had caught my attention– sitting upright, hands softly clasped together, coy smile across his face. “You don’t go up to him. You don’t say a word to him.”
“But he’s… a customer?
Her hold intensified–she was hurting me. Almost as if she was taking out some sort of unseen anger on me.
“I’d like to ask you right now to be smart enough to not ask questions and just follow instructions. You don’t go to his table, you don’t talk to him. You can look at him. You can shout across the room at him if you’d like–though I can’t imagine why you’d ever need to do that. But you do not approach him, and you do not take his order.”
“Or…?”
A sharp exhale through the nose, a shake of the head, and a glare from my manager. “It’s different every time. But, it ain’t pretty.”
I watched him from the short distance I’d been afforded. It was hard not to. She did too.
Unlike the other customers here, I didn’t get a sense that he was here to be alone, to reminisce, or to take part in the comfort ritual of a lackluster Eggs Benedict over rye. Instead, I had the sense that he was just… curious. Mild-mannered, content, but curious.
My shift ended not too long after, so I didn’t actually get a chance to watch him leave. Regardless, the experience of seeing him and learning about the rule he was connected to left a bizarre, dampening feeling on my mood.
I liked my job. I liked coming home and unwinding. I didn’t mind being in the middle of nowhere.
It felt nice to look up at the empty sky filled with stars. To see them shimmer and shine, and even occasionally shoot across. I made a wish that things in my life would stay simple.
___________________
I started to get a sense of his cadence. He’d usually show up once a month.
The rare times I got to see him, I’d try to squeak in the odd question to my boss. Questions like, ‘Who is he?’, ‘Where does he come from?’, and ‘Has anyone spoken with him?’–all mechanically met with ‘I don’t know,’ ‘I don’t know,’ and ‘If you’re scared, you’re welcome to quit.’
Then, as fate would have it, one day boss lady fell incredibly ill. My coworkers and I had to convince her to go home midway through her shift, her sickness falling, uncomfortably, within the usual 1-3 day window at the end of the month when our ‘customer’ would typically appear.
And of course, there he was, right after she went home.
To my benefit, the other waiters and waitresses working the rounds were well aware of his presence and knew exactly what to do whenever he arrived. All of them knew to steer clear of him.
Nevertheless, driven by a foundational curiosity that I just couldn’t shake, I used this opportunity to go for it. I shouted a single thing across the floor, knowing Melanie wasn’t there to chide me–
“Hello sir! What brings you here?” I asked him.
He turned his head from his fixed position in his seat and put a hand to his ear. Clever.
“I said, what brings you here?” I called out again, a few notches louder this time, garnering some odd looks from our Thursday patrons.
To my surprise, he spoke back. I’m not sure why I was expecting his voice to carry the tone of some twisted, demented demon–maybe the fear Melanie had instilled in me? The man sounded exactly how he looked.
“I’m sorry dear,” he said, “I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re saying. Can you come over here and ask me again?”
Nope. I was good.
“And I don’t mean to be rude, about the service,” he continued, “But it feels as if no one has taken my order for quite some time now.”
I let the exchange end there, diverting my attention back to the other guests. As always, he’d eventually disappear without fanfare, without the clatter of the entrance bell or any sight or sound of his steps across the diner floor, our backroom conversations about him remaining dreadfully short while he was there–just: ‘He’s here,’ and ‘He’s gone,’ and the odd, when we really needed to say it, ‘I feel really weird about this.’
It took me a while to understand where my brazenness to address this strange middle-aged man came from. In truth, I was just afraid. His presence and all of the questions tied to his being at our diner were disrupting this otherwise great arrangement that I felt I had. It seemed right, in the moment, to stand at the very edge of my bravery and say something to him. Of course, now that he was gone, I just felt worse.
The next week, I was invited to something pretty interesting at work.
I generally have a good amount of visibility into what Melanie, ‘boss lady,’ does on a daily basis. The only element that remained elusive was her bi-weekly check-in with a particularly sharp-dressed agent-looking-fella. There was a pretty consistent presence of state troopers, agents, and similarly uniformed men and women dropping into the diner, though I seldom paid it mind beyond simply noticing it.
Midway through wiping down the tables, only an hour or so into my shift, Mel swung by and said:
“Hey, want you in the meeting with the big boss, if you have a few.”
The big boss? “Uh, sure. Yeah. Coming. Just uh, if you don’t mind me asking, who is–”
She let her eyes speak her unwritten rules to me: ‘questions’ equals ‘generally bad’. Thank you for the reminder, ma’am.
We maneuvered to a backroom and sat at a table. Across from us, already seated, was a man in a sharply tailored suit with a subtle earpiece in–the aforementioned agent. The table was littered with a small, messy stack of notes, papers, and documents.
He made it a point to size me up, staring me down uninterrupted, like a deer to headlights, no concern at all about how awkward he was making it for me.
Then, he turned to Melanie.
“How long she been here?” he asked her in his gruff Western drawl.
“Six months,” she said.
“Y’trust her?”
“I trust her. Yes.”
He let his eyebrows say ‘If you say so’ then went on with it.
“Alright, so, apparently y’had a visit from the wandering man last week. You,” he said, motioning to Melanie, “were out. But you,” attention now shifted to me, “weren’t. Give me the lowdown.”
The wandering man?
The agent caught the confusion in my eyes.
“Jesus, you’ve told this girl nothing, haven’t you?” he said to Melanie.
“Sir, I know it sounds weird,” she said, “But I personally feel as if the man is almost, I don’t know, drawn to curiosity. Like, maybe the less I say to those not already in the know, the bett–”
“Wandering man,” the agent cut her off, “Is our nickname for the fella that sits in the corner of your fine little establishment. Or should I say, the state’s fine little establishment.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked.
“That’s correct. The state’s. Congratulations, ma’am, you’re part of a government operation. The wandering man, not just a cutesy little nickname but our legal definition of this tricky little problem, is a phenomenon we discovered many years ago. At the time, he’d just walk the desert landscape, chatting up unsuspecting strangers with bizarre questions. Everything fine, all hunky-dory. A little weird, sure, but nothing illegal. However…”
However…?
“Sometimes… things would happen because of him. Bizarre things. Grizzly things.”
I could see Melanie groaning, concerned at the picture being painted. Would this pique my curiosity?
“Have you guys, y’know, taken him in for…” I almost wanted to cut off my own stupid question, but he ran with it–
“Nope. Not because we don’t want to, but rather, because it… might not be safe.”
The cozy mental image I’d held of this diner was starting to fracture.
“We have reason to believe that he’s a visitor,” he said.
“From…?”
___________________
I didn’t attend another debrief after that.
Not because I was barred, mind you.
Rather, I just didn’t want to know anymore. My gut no longer held curiosity. There was just a low, aching dread there now.
The agents and troopers–spaced out and seated amongst the eatery–were now just a glaring reminder of what my dingy diner job really was.
The government cavalry would mostly show up around the end of month window the wandering man was set to arrive in. When he’d appear, they wouldn’t do much more than examine him from their distant tables, subtly scribbling notes into notebooks.
He’d always act the same. He would just sit there. He wouldn’t give them, or us–the diner employees–much to go on.
Speaking of employees, I remembered something Melanie told me after my first month of working here–that the worker turnover at this diner was incredibly high. Knowing at the time what everyone got paid, it made absolutely no sense to me.
Now, seven months into the gig, alongside a completely new set of cooks, waiters, and waitresses from when I’d first started, I’d seen firsthand just how true her statement was. None of the leavers claimed as much, but I’m sure the underlying premise of who the diner was really for became subconsciously clear to them during their time here. And it probably didn’t sit all too well with them.
I stayed. But not because of the pay. I’m actually not sure why I did.
We had a new cast of rookie employees now. The ones who understood the vague terms of the situation, just as Melanie, I, and all former employees did, stuck around. Those who couldn’t reconcile the situation with their inherent curiosity, naturally filtered out.
And then there was Malcolm.
It was only his first week. He was a keener. Mega-keener. He’d bulldozed through a giant list of tasks and was already asking for the next batch of work to chew through. Anything he could get ahead of, anything he could step in for, anything he could learn, he was on it. He wanted to be as helpful, helpful, helpful as humanly possible. I think the salary of the role, for a guy his young age, was just too alluring for him.
For our part, Melanie and I tried our best to get him to pace himself.
We were both giving the spiel now. By this point, we’d more or less perfected it.
“There are things about this diner that are strange. Rules you will have to follow and not think about. Rules that are concrete, immutable, and non-negotiable, like gravity.”
He nodded. At that moment, I really believed he was internalizing my words.
“And if that doesn’t work for you, and if you don’t think you can take care of yourself, then you shouldn’t work here,” I continued.
There was always a visceral feeling in my stomach whenever I saw the wandering man in the corner during the same week that we were onboarding new staff. I’m sure Melanie felt it too.
On those days, Mel and I would both work the till, and if we saw anyone coming out from the back, we’d stop them. With a simple grab of the arm.
Malcolm stepped out, and I did just that–a rough grasp of his forearm, just like Melanie had done to me when I’d first started. He recoiled in surprise.
”Remember that little chat about rules we just had?” I said.
He nodded meekly, as if he was already in trouble.
I pointed to the man seated at the far table in the brown corduroy shirt, staring straight ahead, with–what I believed at the time–no real reason to be here, and I said, “You will not, under any conditions, serve that man. Don’t go up to him, don’t talk to him. Pretend he doesn’t exist.”
Malcolm lifted the garbage bag he was holding in his left hand. In my nervousness, I hadn’t actually clocked what he was stepping out for.
“Just doing garbage duty, ma’am,” he said. “But, understood.”
And then he left out the front door with his usual swagger. The dumpster wasn’t as close as we would’ve liked so I appreciated his willingness to take on this duty so soon into his employment.
I turned back to observe the wandering man. We had a crowd of agents in attendance that day, scattered about the restaurant.
The man wasn’t one to speak up often. Today was an interesting exception.
“Officers,” he said, “If you have any questions, feel free to join me at the table to ask them.”
The agents around the room reacted mainly with snickers.
“Seriously, if you come sit with me, I’ll be happy to spill it all. Truly.”
Even more laughs. But no one bit.
And yet he continued, pointedly. “I know you’re curious, I know you take notes, I know you talk about me, I know you built this establishment for me, I know you–”
As I reconciled the fact that this was the most words I’d ever heard him string together in succession, I heard the chime of the bell–a door had opened.
Malcolm was dusting his hands as he entered through the diner’s side door. A door which was situated right beside the table the wandering man was seated at.
It all happened so fast. And yet, it played out in front of me excruciatingly slowly, as if there was a moment–a single solitary second–where I could’ve stepped in.
The wandering man dropped any pretext of an exchange with the agents, stopping his sentence midway and adopting a completely new demeanor. He played the role of a low, miserable, tired man and said, “30 visits, terrible service every time,” in a pathetic tone just as Malcolm walked by.
Malcolm, instinctively, plucked a notepad out from his chest pocket and turned his head to face the man.
“Hey, I got you chief, I can have ‘em ring something up for you, what are you–”
And then Malcolm froze in place.
And the wandering man’s expression turned Cheshire cat wide. His neck alternated between tensing and fluttering, with what seemed to be undeniable excitement.
The man started getting up from the table, and then, immediately–
Both of them were gone.
Malcolm and the wanderer had vanished out of existence entirely.
The insanity of the moment was interrupted by the coded language I heard blared over a megaphone: nonsensical agent-speak that has been seared into my memory forever.
“Alert Level Black. Wandering target has compromised a civilian. I repeat, civilian has been compromised.”
And that was that.
Melanie quit in the days after.
She wasn’t mad at me.
She told me she always knew she’d leave after the tenth disappearance. Why that specific milestone was required, I have no clue.
All I could do from that point was continue to work. On my commutes home, or during lunch breaks, I would look up at the stars, and put out the wish that Malcolm be brought back home. Back from wherever he’d been taken.
The debrief with the agents brought me no solace. The exchange with them was simple and short. ‘Where was he taken to?’, answered with ‘He’s gone now.’
With a perpetual dagger in my soul now, I had only the smallest of silver linings, if you can even call it that.
A lesson.
The lesson that I needed to be even more watchful. Even more diligent. And on days when the wandering man was visiting–the only server at the diner. No exceptions.
I knew the agents weren’t happy about that. None of them said it to me explicitly, but I could tell that they would learn something new about him every time he whisked someone away after a mistake was made. It was a weird, Darwinian set-up they had created. We were a zoo they could use to learn more about a specific animal. A specific entity. A specific visitor.
No dice. They’d just have to watch him sit now. Or wait for him to do something different.
I waited for the three day stretch at the end of the month that he usually appears in. Things were quiet up until that point.
When he finally showed up, it wasn’t what I expected.
For the first time ever, I saw the wandering man walk right through the front door.
In the dead of night, at the tail end of my shift.
I was at the till, paralyzed, as he took step after step to close the distance.
And then, he was right there. Standing in front of me.
And I was sure, absolutely sure, that I was going to die.
He smiled.
“Don’t worry. I have my own little set of rules I play by,” he said.
I didn’t say a word. This was no man’s land right now.
“I know you’ve been curious about me. I’ve admired it from the moment you first spoke up to address me. Cautious curiosity is a great thing to see in someone. Especially in such a reckless species.”
Please. Please just go.
“I’d like to answer a question about why I’m visiting. I’m sure you’d like to know why I’m here, right?”
I’m not curious anymore. I swear I’m not.
He laughed. “The answer is really, painfully simple. This little game, this little charade I’m playing. It is just so unbelievably, fun.”
Please don’t kill me. Please.
“You truly have a wonderful planet. I will return again soon. Promise. Give me a month, maybe two this time.” A sincere, kind smile delivered with kind eyes. “I’ll come back with a new game.”
And then he was gone.
It took me a minute to realize that there was a cake box sitting on the counter beside me. Maybe it was there the whole time he was speaking to me. Maybe it materialized right after he left.
I opened the box to find Malcolm’s severed head, a blank expression on his face, sitting on a bed of poorly and confusingly organized flowers. Almost as if there was an intention to create a floral arrangement, but no understanding of what something like that would look like.
On top of the horrific display, written in an almost childlike handwriting, was a note that read “I brought him back, just like you wished.”
The worst thing about being trapped at a diner, in the middle of nowhere, is that you realize that there really is nowhere else to run to.
Every single part of our planet is blanketed by stars, by open sky.
Someone could drop in anytime.

I got some good recommendations including a wine bar in Amsterdam that has Apostelhoeve Riesling on their wine list. I didn’t unfortunately make it to any of them, though the last one was tempting - I would have much more likely gone to it if I knew the Dutch wine was still in stock.
I did make it to two wine bars, and had some other wines in restaurants.
Simonis aan Zee, Den Haag: I had an Italian Pinot Grigio that I never actually got any information about. Tasting notes were lemon, grapefruit, vanilla, almond, lemongrass, perfume, peach, pear. The waitress’s choice for a giant bowl of Zeeland mussels which was an amazing welcome to this coastal city. I’d drink this with any of the local seafood though. I didn’t give it a rating on premises but would put it in mid-upper 80’s (maybe 87?)

Simonis aan de Haven, Den Haag: I was there with a friend I met while in Italy earlier this year, who lives here and goes to this restaurant often. We ordered a massive seafood platter on ice - shrimp, crayfish, crab, and lobster with the traditional Dutch cocktail sauces for seafood - and a bottle of Sexy Fish Sauvignon Blanc (Argentina, maybe Mendoza)
Apple, lemon, grapefruit, green bean, jasmine, grass, lime zest, vanilla. Simple, uncomplicated and refreshing table wine for light seafood. 85 points. Good enough to drink, but when I took it home with about one small glass left, in the face of so much good beer in the country and not wanting to drink too much, I never finished it.

Bistro Goeswijn, Leiden: I passed by this wine bar and saw a menu with some obscure European countries on it and an option to take a wine flight, and checked where I wanted to go tonight back in Den Haag for wine and that it was fully booked, but available later in the week. So I ended up here as the weather cooled down and sat outside of the fully booked restaurant for three exciting adventures into natural wine, and two new countries to me.
Wijngaard Dassemus Cecider (Netherlands)
This is from Brabant province, further south, and half Sylvaner grape wine, half apple cider, co-fermented. Quite tart and steely with a bitterness from some tannins. Lemon, pear, Buddha’s hand, grapefruit pith, orange, apricot, and soured, bruised apples. Very funky and earthy, unfiltered and natural. Not for everyone but I was beginning to really enjoy it by the end of the glass. 88 points
Mátyás SaraDora Orange (Slovakia)
A proper orange wine for me, and now I know what to expect when I taste one. Very powerful and serious stuff. Orange, apricot, mint, dandelion, licorice balm, honey blossom, candied pineapple, apple, Grand Marnier. Also not to everyone’s taste and the sort of wine I have to acclimate myself to. Enjoyed it very much eventually. 89 points
Syfany Svatá Frankovka Trkmanska (Czechia)
I have had a couple of Czech wines, in and out of Czechia, and the one I’ve tried back here in the US was actually a Frankovka - but not a natural wine like this one. I was really shocked at first as it tasted and smelled very much like Pinot Noir. Sour cherry, raspberry, currant, blackcurrant, lingonberry, plum, manure, mushroom, wet leaf, cardamom, cinnamon. The spice notes mark it potentially more clearly as Frankovka. Is Czechia the next great natural wine country? They seem to be all the rage in Moravia. A nice finish to the lineup. 89 points

De Filosoof Wijnbar, Den Haag: I chose this to try some of the wines from very out of the way wine countries available here, and crossed off a new one I cannot cross off at home. The service was very sophisticated and the Afghan appetizers paired with the wines were nicely thought out. It did start out a little rough when I chose the appetizers and got a wine recommendation that didn’t match my intent for the evening. The two wines:
Château Heritage Pinot Noir 2021 (Lebanon)
Lebanese Pinot Noir? I was pretty surprised, a bit skeptical given the quite warm climate in Lebanon more indicative to growing Bordeaux or Rhône varietals, and a little bit disappointed as I can easily locate Lebanese wines here. Because I was eating my beef dumplings steamed, the sommelier suggested this as a lighter wine. I tasted it and initially rejected it, and felt bad upon seeing the remainder of the test pour get dumped down the drain. It was certainly a good wine, just not what I was intending for the evening, or expecting from the grape variety. However, I eventually decided to go with it and get a glass. Blackberry, cherry, dried plum, blackcurrant, pepper, leather, tobacco, rosemary, oregano. A bit more tannic and full-bodied than the average Pinot Noir. Feels Old World but the origin is rather surprising, and definitely made me think it was a bolder red. 88 points
Bargylus Grand Vin de Syrie Blanc 2014 (Syria)
This was one of the wines I absolutely had to order here while I had the chance. We both absolutely loved it. Lemon, grapefruit, vanilla, honey, tea leaf, elderflower, pineapple, melon, apple, almond. Konstantin Baum rated it 84 points, but his example might not have been this old - the bottle age gives it a darker color and better defined flavor than some other white wines like this. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. 90 points for me - we talked about this wine for quite a while throughout the evening.
There were also some intriguing wines from Azerbaijan (by Savalan), impossible to find in the US, that I wanted to try but was all spent on alcoholic capacity. Bulgaria, Moldova, and North Macedonia are relatively common in my downtown shop. Brazil is one country I don’t see much here, but I think I’ll have much easier times accessing them than the other countries.

Just for a bit of context, I originally wrote this story for Odd_directions which is a fiction subreddit. We're doing an event over there called Monster May where we write stories about giant monsters. I thought it would be fun to try writing one in a kind of analog/found footage transcript style. I'm pretty sure you can call my story analog horror. I'm basing that on the fact that people put No Thorugh Road in that genre so I think it qualifies.
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This story took me about a week to write. You can consider this to be more experimental on my part because I want to continue this style except with a longer narrative as opposed to this one-off story here. Anyway, let me know what you think of it and I hope you enjoy.
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On May 22, 2008, a wrecked Honda Accord was found on the Alaskan-Canadian border at approximately 5:30 AM. According to the witness who reported this to the authorities, it seemingly appeared out of nowhere, somehow ending up on its roof in the middle of the road. No driver or passengers were present in the vehicle. The only thing found of note was a video camera, the footage of which revolves around a family of four.
Kent Morris: Owner of the vehicle as indicated by the certificates found in the dashboard. Age: 38
Charlene Morris: Wife to Kent and mother to their children. Age: 36
Lena Morris: Daughter. Estimated Age: 7-8
Deb Morris: son, Estimated Age: 1-2
The following is a transcript of the footage.
It begins with the camera turning on with Lena smiling into it.
Lena: I think I got it working!
Kent: How can you tell?
Lena: Um, the red light is on.
Charlene: Lena, turn that thing off! That’s supposed to be for your cousin’s wedding.
Lena: But I’m bored!
Kent: Alright, we’ll tell you what. You can turn it back on when we get near your aunt and uncle’s town. Okay?
Lena: Okay.
The footage ceases and resumes several hours later. A sign reading “Welcome to Silverwright. Come stay for a while” is shown. Deb is then heard crying which is recorded.
Lena: Mom, Deb won't stop crying!
Charlene: Aw, it's probably just his toothaches.
Some funny faces by her and Kent in the rearview mirror help calm Deb down. Now, he laughs and smiles. The next 30 minutes of footage consists of the surrounding forest area and local businesses.
Kent: Hey, I'm getting hungry. Who wants to grab a bite?
Charlene: I could eat.
Lena: Me too! I'm starving!
Kent: Alright, now the question is where can we stop?
Charlene: Margaret was telling me about a new place that opened up in this town a week ago. I think it was called Betsy's.
Kent: What kind of food does it have?
Charlene: Meat and seafood.
Kent: Sure, that should work. Did Margaret tell you where in town it is?
Charlene: No, sorry.
Kent: No big deal, we'll just keep an eye out for it.
The Morris family does come across the restaurant. The building has a cabin-like exterior with a sign showing a crab holding a fish with Betsy's name over it in green neon lettering. They park and exit their vehicle. Lena films the surrounding area. The sound of buttons on the camera being pressed can be heard.
Presumably, this is her trying to figure out more features about it. Lena activates the zoom function. Upon doing so, some figures can be seen moving amongst trees in the distance. The shadowing makes it difficult to discern, but there appear to be at least three or four, wearing hooded black robes.
Kent: Lena, come on!
The camera zooms out and Lena follows her family into the establishment. The inside is bustling with patrons.
Charlene: Lena, why did you bring that inside? I don't want people looking at us funny.
Lena: But you and Dad said I could use it.
Kent: I mean, she's not wrong.
Charlene gives her husband a look of annoyance. The family then gets a booth. Lena sets down the camera which is angled at the window they are seated in front of. They then make their orders.
Waitress: Alright, just to double check that's going to be one surf and turf plate, an order of stuffed crabs with hush puppies, and two kids' chicken tenders with fries, correct?
Charlene: Yes, thank you so much.
Waitress: And the drinks?
Lena: Coke!
Charlene: No, we can't have you bouncing around our hotel room all night.
Lena: But Mom!
Kent: Listen to your mother, sweety.
Charlene: She'll have a Sprite. I'll have an iced tea, heavy on lemon.
Kent: And I'll have a rum and Coke.
Waitress: And dessert?
Charlene: Baked Alaska.
Kent: Let's see. I could go for some apple pie.
Lena: Strawberry Ice cream!
Charlene: Okay, but you're giving some to Deb.
Lena: Why do I have to?
Charlene: Lena, learn to share.
Lena: Yes, Mom.
While waiting for their food, a ringtone sounds. Kent pulls out his cell phone.
Kent: It's Johnny.
He answers.
Kent: Hey, what's up? No, it's fine. We're about to eat. We're at that new place you and Margaret went to. Yeah, that's the one.
How's Sindy been? Nervous, I bet. Hopefully, it goes well. Brett seems like a good guy. What?
Kent covers the phone and looks at Charlene.
Kent: “Hey, Johnny says Margaret wants to talk to you.”
Charlene agrees and is handed the phone.
Charlene: Hi, Margaret. No, the ride wasn't too bad. Deb and Lena actually behaved better than we thought. What do you need? I mean I could, but it's kind of short notice. It's in a few days. How has she not decided on one yet? I know it's her big day, but at some point, she needs to accept that not everything about it is going to be perfect.
Kent: I can attest to that. Always limit the number of drinks people can have.
Charlene gives Kent another glare before continuing her conversation.
Charlene: Alright, if no one else can, I guess I can make a little time while we're here. Okay, see you soon then. Bye.
Charlene hangs up and hands the phone back to Kent.
Charlene: They want me to help pick out a dress for Sindy.
Kent: This close to the wedding?
Charlene: I know. That girl is smart, but it feels like she can't make a decision to save her life.
The food arrives at the table and the waitress tells them to let her know if they need anything else before leaving. The next hour consists of the family eating.
Kent (while chewing): They weren't kidding. This place hits the spot.
Charlene: Don't talk with your mouth full. It sets a bad example for the kids.
Kent: My bad.
Charlene: The food is great, though. Are you enjoying it too, Lena?
Lena: Yep!
After some time, Charlene excuses herself to go to the restroom and tells Kent to watch their children. Kent lets Lena sip some of his Coke.
Kent: Shit, your mother's coming back. Also, don't say that word.
Lena: Shit?
Kent: No, don't! Yes, Lena, that word.
The meal continues. Something to note here is captured through the window. Once again, this relates to the forest. This time, different colored distortions can be seen, similar to digital glitching. Further analysis of this segment shows that the top of the trees appears to bend slightly.
While this could be due to a camera malfunction, it is unclear why this was condensed to such a small distant area. Upon concluding their meal, the Morris family has the rest of their food to go and exits Betsy's, heading to their hotel, a place known as Salt River Inn. Once inside their room, Lena starts jumping on one of the beds.
Charlene: Kent, did you let her have some Coke?
Kent: No, maybe.
Charlene: I said not to. Lena, get down from there this instant!
Lena is presumably too occupied to hear her mother's command.
Kent: Don't worry. I think I know what might help.
Kent turns on the TV, flipping through the channels until finding that Mulan by Disney is playing, having just begun. Lena stops jumping and sits on the bed, watching the screen tentatively.
Kent: See? No problem. Anyway, I'm heading in the shower. Want to come?
Seeing that their children are occupied, Charlene agrees. Mulan continues playing. The parents exit the bathroom around the movie's climax. Just then, the film is interrupted by a screen reading “Silverwright Weather Service” and an EAS beep sounds from the speakers.
Lena: Hey, where did the movie go?
Below is the message as heard.
[Attention residents of Silverwright, hazardous conditions are expected shortly.]
Kent: Johnny said the weather was supposed to be clear. Damn news people don't know a snake hole from their-
Charlene: Kent, be quiet! I want to hear this.
[For your safety, staying inside and away from windows is recommended. Shut off all lights and unplug all electrical devices to prevent damage due to strong currents.]
Charlene: At least it doesn't sound too serious. Hopefully, this will pass by morn-
[It is also advised that battery-operated devices be turned off as well. This includes cell phones, portable gaming devices, and even calculators. If you must have something on, a radio is most suitable for up-to-date information. Be mindful of volume should you choose this. Conditions are projected to last through the next several nights. We now return to your regularly scheduled program.]
Mulan resumes after a McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial.
Charlene: I wonder if Johnny and Margaret saw this too. Maybe we should give them a call?
Kent: No, I bet they’re sleeping already. You know how they are. Even an earthquake couldn’t wake them.
Charlene: Okay, are you keeping your phone on?
Kent: I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
Charlene: What about what the alert said?
Kent: How should I know? It’s probably like having your phone on airplane mode during a flight. It doesn’t mean anything.
The movie finishes. Charlene tells Lena to get ready for bed. She obeys and afterward lays down to sleep.
Charlene: Lena, did you remember to turn off that camera?
Groggily, Lena turns over and tries to shut it off. In her attempt, she accidentally hits the zoom button on the camera again and knocks it on its side, making it face the window. The red blinking light of a radio tower can be seen far away. Someone is climbing it. This is believed to be one of the hooded figures seen earlier in the video.
They reach the top and seem to raise their arms to the sky in a sort of welcoming gesture. The earlier digital-like distortion appears again. Something comes out of it, either a limb or appendage, and lifts the person, out of view. The distortion then pulses violet and rapidly spreads, soon making the sky above Silverwright the same color. Two hours later, Kent’s phone rings.
Charlene: “It’s after midnight. Who’s calling us now?”
The sound of the bed creaking can be heard.
Kent: Johnny again?
Charlene: I bet Sindy's freaking out that the wedding might be canceled. Answer, but tell him whatever it is will have to wait.
Kent: Hey, Johnny, listen. Wait, Sindy?
The bed creaks again as Kent sits up.
Kent: What? Hang on. I can’t understand you. Let me put you on speaker.
Sindy (sobbing): Mom and Dad are gone. I think something’s happened to them.
Charlene sits up as well. Kent replies to Sindy in a leveled tone.
Kent: Okay, Sindy, I want you to listen closely. Are you somewhere safe?
Sindy: I think so. Brett and I got into an argument earlier. My parents said I could come over. We talked for a while and then I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up about an hour ago to grab something from the fridge. I heard something weird coming from upstairs I wanted to see what it was.
Kent (pausing before replying): What did you find?
Sindy: It sounded like my parents were up so I decided to check on them, but they didn’t respond when I knocked on their door. I decided to try opening it and it was unlocked. They were just standing in front of the window. I think they were staring at something.
Kent: Were you able to see what?
Sindy: No, but the only thing near the house is the woods and that radio tower. Wait, maybe that’s what they were looking at. Their radio was acting weird before it happened.
Kent: Before what happened?
Sindy: Kent…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to comprehend what I saw. There was a purple flash and then their windows were busted in. Something grabbed them. I don’t know what it was. It reminded me of a giant hand only dark like a shadow. They didn’t even scream or anything while they were being pulled away. It was like they were okay with what was happening.
Charlene is the one who replies.
Charlene***:*** Sindy, sweety, tell us where you are in the hose right now and we’ll come get you.
Sindy: I’m in the basement. I figured that would be the safest option. Wait, what is that?
Noises akin to a tornado hitting a home sound through the phone speakers.
Sindy: Oh, god, it’s lifting everything! It’s massive! Wait…Its eyes. I understand everything now. I know I’ll be with my parents again soon.
Charlene: Sindy?
Sindy laughs.
Sindy: It’s so beautiful!
The call ends.
Charlene: We need to leave.
Kent: Leave? What about Sindy? What about Johnny and Margaret?
Charlene: We need to get them some help.
Kent: Okay, let’s try calling the police first.
He attempts and the phone keeps ringing.
Kent: Are you fucking kidding me right now?
Charlene: They must be busy.
Kent: What do we do then, go somewhere else to get help? The nearest town is hours away from here.
Charlene: I don’t see what else we can do.
Kent: I guess you’re right. We better pack.
Charlene and Kent repack their belongings. Charlene grabs the camera and carries Deb while Kent has Lena. Then the family exits the hotel room. The hall and lobby are full of people also trying to reach the exit.
Kent: We're never going to get out of here at this rate. Come on. This way.
They go to an emergency side door and push it open, causing the alarm to go off. Upon reaching their vehicle, there is a sound similar to when a microphone is held up to a speaker. Kent and Charlene let out yells of pain.
Kent: Where the hell is that coming from?
Charlene turns. A figure can be seen floating in the sky above the radio tower. Its appearance is reminiscent of a person's shadow that's been stretched out. Beams of pink light come from its eyes that scan the town below. It has an anomalous effect on whatever it touches. Inanimate objects and people alike vanish, the instant contact is made.
Charlene (voice trembling): What in God's name is happening, Kent?
Lena and Deb can be heard waking up with the latter crying. Their parents put them in the car. The camera is placed on the seat between the two children. Lena rubs her eyes.
Lena: Dad, why are we out here?
Charlene and Kent close their doors. The latter starts the car.
Kent: It's nothing, sweety, we just need to go on a little drive.
He backs out of their parking space and exits the lot, speeding down the road.
Lena: But I want to see Sindy!
Kent: We can't right now.
Lena: Why not?
Kent (voice raised): We just can't, alright?
Lena sobs slightly, but suddenly stops when she notices the camera.
Lena: Um excuse me.
Kent sighs. Charlene answers instead.
Charlene: What is it, honey?
Lena: I accidentally left the camera on.
Charlene: Don't worry about that right now. Just stay quiet and let your father drive, okay?
Lena: Okay.
Charlene: Good.
Lena picks the camera up and faces the back windshield. The creature seems larger than before.
Charlene: Kent!
Kent: I know. I see it in the mirror.
He accelerates.
Lena: Mom, Dad, what's that big thing?
Charlene: Something bad?
Lena: Is it gonna get us?
Charlene: No because we're playing a game with it, tag and if we can outrun it, we'll be safe. If you can help, try to calm your brother down.
Lena: I'll try.
The camera pans over the car floor. The head of a teddy bear sticks out from under the passenger seat. Lena grabs it and hands it to Deb. He stops crying.
Lena: Mom, I did it!
Charlene: That's good, sweety.
Kent continues speeding. On the sidewalk, the pink light washes over pedestrians. They freeze and then raise their arms in the direction of the being before vanishing.
Lena: Where did those people go?
Kent: We don't know.
He sharply turns a corner and goes onto a road that leads out of town.
Charlene: Is that it? Are we safe?
Kent: I think so. I don't know who we can go to about this. We'll try, though.
Lena: Dad?
Kent: Yes?
Lena: What's that thing doing?
The creature is rapidly scanning the area back and forth. Then it stares in their direction. The radio bursts to life with its cry from earlier, causing Kent to nearly go off the road.
Charlene: Keep it straight!
Kent: I'm trying!
The entity rips up several buildings and focuses its light on those areas. It grows and then levitates itself in the air. Its next action is technically flying. Although, its movements are more resemblant to swimming. The noise on the radio increases.
Charlene: Faster, Kent!
Kent: I don't think I can!
Lena: It's gonna catch us!
It dives, going out of view.
Kent: Huh? Where did it go?
Charlene: Kent, the road!
Lena focuses the lens on the front windshield. In the center of the road ahead, the being rises, tall enough to reach the sky. Kent tries sharply turning the steering wheel. It's assumed he is about to attempt a U-turn. Before he can, it shoots its lights at them, making them wash over the car.
It lifts off the road, freezing midair.
Kent (laughs): I get it now.
Charlene: Yes, Sindy was right all along.
Lena: Mom? Dad? What are you talking about? I don't like this.
Charlene: Don't worry, honey. It'll be okay soon.
Nothing else changes at first. Then both parents' bodies began to flatten and stretch out. They laugh as this happens. Deb and Lena begin crying.
Lena: What's happening to you guys?
Charlene: It's okay, honey. It won't hurt soon.
Lena looks at Deb who is also starting to go through the same process. She checks her hands and sees that she is as well. Both shriek as their parents' laughter turns into cackling. Simultaneously, all four family members disappear. The car hits the road and flips several times before coming to a stop.
In the months following the discovery of the Honda Accord, its tag number was used to trace back to the address of the Morris family. This lead went cold because the people who were living there had no idea who they were. By using the address of that home, we determined the possible location of Silverwright. According to our calculations, it should have been on the border going into Canada, but when we went to investigate, it was as if nothing had ever been there.
It's unclear whether the town belonged to the US state of Alaska or the Canadian Province of Yukon. However, as far as the two governments are concerned both Silverwright and the Morris family have never existed.

On May 22, 2008, a wrecked Honda Accord was found on the Alaskan-Canadian border at approximately 5:30 AM. According to the witness who reported this to the authorities, it seemingly appeared out of nowhere, somehow ending up on its roof in the middle of the road. No driver or passengers were present in the vehicle. The only thing found of note was a video camera, the footage of which revolves around a family of four.
Kent Morris: Owner of the vehicle as indicated by the certificates found in the dashboard. Age: 38
Charlene Morris: Wife to Kent and mother to their children. Age: 36
Lena Morris: Daughter. Estimated Age: 7-8
Deb Morris: son, Estimated Age: 1-2
The following is a transcript of the footage.
It begins with the camera turning on with Lena smiling into it.
Lena: I think I got it working!
Kent: How can you tell?
Lena: Um, the red light is on.
Charlene: Lena, turn that thing off! That’s supposed to be for your cousin’s wedding.
Lena: But I’m bored!
Kent: Alright, we’ll tell you what. You can turn it back on when we get near your aunt and uncle’s town. Okay?
Lena: Okay.
The footage ceases and resumes several hours later. A sign reading “Welcome to Silverwright. Come stay for a while” is shown. Deb is then heard crying which is recorded.
Lena: Mom, Deb won't stop crying!
Charlene: Aw, it's probably just his toothaches.
Some funny faces by her and Kent in the rearview mirror help calm Deb down. Now, he laughs and smiles. The next 30 minutes of footage consists of the surrounding forest area and local businesses.
Kent: Hey, I'm getting hungry. Who wants to grab a bite?
Charlene: I could eat.
Lena: Me too! I'm starving!
Kent: Alright, now the question is where can we stop?
Charlene: Margaret was telling me about a new place that opened up in this town a week ago. I think it was called Betsy's.
Kent: What kind of food does it have?
Charlene: Meat and seafood.
Kent: Sure, that should work. Did Margaret tell you where in town it is?
Charlene: No, sorry.
Kent: No big deal, we'll just keep an eye out for it.
The Morris family does come across the restaurant. The building has a cabin-like exterior with a sign showing a crab holding a fish with Betsy's name over it in green neon lettering. They park and exit their vehicle. Lena films the surrounding area. The sound of buttons on the camera being pressed can be heard.
Presumably, this is her trying to figure out more features about it. Lena activates the zoom function. Upon doing so, some figures can be seen moving amongst trees in the distance. The shadowing makes it difficult to discern, but there appear to be at least three or four, wearing hooded black robes.
Kent: Lena, come on!
The camera zooms out and Lena follows her family into the establishment. The inside is bustling with patrons.
Charlene: Lena, why did you bring that inside? I don't want people looking at us funny.
Lena: But you and Dad said I could use it.
Kent: I mean, she's not wrong.
Charlene gives her husband a look of annoyance. The family then gets a booth. Lena sets down the camera which is angled at the window they are seated in front of. They then make their orders.
Waitress: Alright, just to double check that's going to be one surf and turf plate, an order of stuffed crabs with hush puppies, and two kids' chicken tenders with fries, correct?
Charlene: Yes, thank you so much.
Waitress: And the drinks?
Lena: Coke!
Charlene: No, we can't have you bouncing around our hotel room all night.
Lena: But Mom!
Kent: Listen to your mother, sweety.
Charlene: She'll have a Sprite. I'll have an iced tea, heavy on lemon.
Kent: And I'll have a rum and Coke.
Waitress: And dessert?
Charlene: Baked Alaska.
Kent: Let's see. I could go for some apple pie.
Lena: Strawberry Ice cream!
Charlene: Okay, but you're giving some to Deb.
Lena: Why do I have to?
Charlene: Lena, learn to share.
Lena: Yes, Mom.
While waiting for their food, a ringtone sounds. Kent pulls out his cell phone.
Kent: It's Johnny.
He answers.
Kent: Hey, what's up? No, it's fine. We're about to eat. We're at that new place you and Margaret went to. Yeah, that's the one.
How's Sindy been? Nervous, I bet. Hopefully, it goes well. Brett seems like a good guy. What?
Kent covers the phone and looks at Charlene.
Kent: “Hey, Johnny says Margaret wants to talk to you.”
Charlene agrees and is handed the phone.
Charlene: Hi, Margaret. No, the ride wasn't too bad. Deb and Lena actually behaved better than we thought. What do you need? I mean I could, but it's kind of short notice. It's in a few days. How has she not decided on one yet? I know it's her big day, but at some point, she needs to accept that not everything about it is going to be perfect.
Kent: I can attest to that. Always limit the number of drinks people can have.
Charlene gives Kent another glare before continuing her conversation.
Charlene: Alright, if no one else can, I guess I can make a little time while we're here. Okay, see you soon then. Bye.
Charlene hangs up and hands the phone back to Kent.
Charlene: They want me to help pick out a dress for Sindy.
Kent: This close to the wedding?
Charlene: I know. That girl is smart, but it feels like she can't make a decision to save her life.
The food arrives at the table and the waitress tells them to let her know if they need anything else before leaving. The next hour consists of the family eating.
Kent (while chewing): They weren't kidding. This place hits the spot.
Charlene: Don't talk with your mouth full. It sets a bad example for the kids.
Kent: My bad.
Charlene: The food is great, though. Are you enjoying it too, Lena?
Lena: Yep!
After some time, Charlene excuses herself to go to the restroom and tells Kent to watch their children. Kent lets Lena sip some of his Coke.
Kent: Shit, your mother's coming back. Also, don't say that word.
Lena: Shit?
Kent: No, don't! Yes, Lena, that word.
The meal continues. Something to note here is captured through the window. Once again, this relates to the forest. This time, different colored distortions can be seen, similar to digital glitching. Further analysis of this segment shows that the top of the trees appears to bend slightly.
While this could be due to a camera malfunction, it is unclear why this was condensed to such a small distant area. Upon concluding their meal, the Morris family has the rest of their food to go and exits Betsy's, heading to their hotel, a place known as Salt River Inn. Once inside their room, Lena starts jumping on one of the beds.
Charlene: Kent, did you let her have some Coke?
Kent: No, maybe.
Charlene: I said not to. Lena, get down from there this instant!
Lena is presumably too occupied to hear her mother's command.
Kent: Don't worry. I think I know what might help.
Kent turns on the TV, flipping through the channels until finding that Mulan by Disney is playing, having just begun. Lena stops jumping and sits on the bed, watching the screen tentatively.
Kent: See? No problem. Anyway, I'm heading in the shower. Want to come?
Seeing that their children are occupied, Charlene agrees. Mulan continues playing. The parents exit the bathroom around the movie's climax. Just then, the film is interrupted by a screen reading “Silverwright Weather Service” and an EAS beep sounds from the speakers.
Lena: Hey, where did the movie go?
Below is the message as heard.
[Attention residents of Silverwright, hazardous conditions are expected shortly.]
Kent: Johnny said the weather was supposed to be clear. Damn news people don't know a snake hole from their-
Charlene: Kent, be quiet! I want to hear this.
[For your safety, staying inside and away from windows is recommended. Shut off all lights and unplug all electrical devices to prevent damage due to strong currents.]
Charlene: At least it doesn't sound too serious. Hopefully, this will pass by morn-
[It is also advised that battery-operated devices be turned off as well. This includes cell phones, portable gaming devices, and even calculators. If you must have something on, a radio is most suitable for up-to-date information. Be mindful of volume should you choose this. Conditions are projected to last through the next several nights. We now return to your regularly scheduled program.]
Mulan resumes after a McDonald’s Happy Meal commercial.
Charlene: I wonder if Johnny and Margaret saw this too. Maybe we should give them a call?
Kent: No, I bet they’re sleeping already. You know how they are. Even an earthquake couldn’t wake them.
Charlene: Okay, are you keeping your phone on?
Kent: I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
Charlene: What about what the alert said?
Kent: How should I know? It’s probably like having your phone on airplane mode during a flight. It doesn’t mean anything.
The movie finishes. Charlene tells Lena to get ready for bed. She obeys and afterward lays down to sleep.
Charlene: Lena, did you remember to turn off that camera?
Groggily, Lena turns over and tries to shut it off. In her attempt, she accidentally hits the zoom button on the camera again and knocks it on its side, making it face the window. The red blinking light of a radio tower can be seen far away. Someone is climbing it. This is believed to be one of the hooded figures seen earlier in the video.
They reach the top and seem to raise their arms to the sky in a sort of welcoming gesture. The earlier digital-like distortion appears again. Something comes out of it, either a limb or appendage, and lifts the person, out of view. The distortion then pulses violet and rapidly spreads, soon making the sky above Silverwright the same color. Two hours later, Kent’s phone rings.
Charlene: “It’s after midnight. Who’s calling us now?”
The sound of the bed creaking can be heard.
Kent: Johnny again?
Charlene: I bet Sindy's freaking out that the wedding might be canceled. Answer, but tell him whatever it is will have to wait.
Kent: Hey, Johnny, listen. Wait, Sindy?
The bed creaks again as Kent sits up.
Kent: What? Hang on. I can’t understand you. Let me put you on speaker.
Sindy (sobbing): Mom and Dad are gone. I think something’s happened to them.
Charlene sits up as well. Kent replies to Sindy in a leveled tone.
Kent: Okay, Sindy, I want you to listen closely. Are you somewhere safe?
Sindy: I think so. Brett and I got into an argument earlier. My parents said I could come over. We talked for a while and then I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up about an hour ago to grab something from the fridge. I heard something weird coming from upstairs I wanted to see what it was.
Kent (pausing before replying): What did you find?
Sindy: It sounded like my parents were up so I decided to check on them, but they didn’t respond when I knocked on their door. I decided to try opening it and it was unlocked. They were just standing in front of the window. I think they were staring at something.
Kent: Were you able to see what?
Sindy: No, but the only thing near the house is the woods and that radio tower. Wait, maybe that’s what they were looking at. Their radio was acting weird before it happened.
Kent: Before what happened?
Sindy: Kent…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to comprehend what I saw. There was a purple flash and then their windows were busted in. Something grabbed them. I don’t know what it was. It reminded me of a giant hand only dark like a shadow. They didn’t even scream or anything while they were being pulled away. It was like they were okay with what was happening.
Charlene is the one who replies.
Charlene: Sindy, sweety, tell us where you are in the hose right now and we’ll come get you.
Sindy: I’m in the basement. I figured that would be the safest option. Wait, what is that?
Noises akin to a tornado hitting a home sound through the phone speakers.
Sindy: Oh, god, it’s lifting everything! It’s massive! Wait…Its eyes. I understand everything now. I know I’ll be with my parents again soon.
Charlene: Sindy?
Sindy laughs.
Sindy: It’s so beautiful!
The call ends.
Charlene: We need to leave.
Kent: Leave? What about Sindy? What about Johnny and Margaret?
Charlene: We need to get them some help.
Kent: Okay, let’s try calling the police first.
He attempts and the phone keeps ringing.
Kent: Are you fucking kidding me right now?
Charlene: They must be busy.
Kent: What do we do then, go somewhere else to get help? The nearest town is hours away from here.
Charlene: I don’t see what else we can do.
Kent: I guess you’re right. We better pack.
Charlene and Kent repack their belongings. Charlene grabs the camera and carries Deb while Kent has Lena. Then the family exits the hotel room. The hall and lobby are full of people also trying to reach the exit.
Kent: We're never going to get out of here at this rate. Come on. This way.
They go to an emergency side door and push it open, causing the alarm to go off. Upon reaching their vehicle, there is a sound similar to when a microphone is held up to a speaker. Kent and Charlene let out yells of pain.
Kent: Where the hell is that coming from?
Charlene turns. A figure can be seen floating in the sky above the radio tower. Its appearance is reminiscent of a person's shadow that's been stretched out. Beams of pink light come from its eyes that scan the town below. It has an anomalous effect on whatever it touches. Inanimate objects and people alike vanish, the instant contact is made.
Charlene (voice trembling): What in God's name is happening, Kent?
Lena and Deb can be heard waking up with the latter crying. Their parents put them in the car. The camera is placed on the seat between the two children. Lena rubs her eyes.
Lena: Dad, why are we out here?
Charlene and Kent close their doors. The latter starts the car.
Kent: It's nothing, sweety, we just need to go on a little drive.
He backs out of their parking space and exits the lot, speeding down the road.
Lena: But I want to see Sindy!
Kent: We can't right now.
Lena: Why not?
Kent (voice raised): We just can't, alright?
Lena sobs slightly, but suddenly stops when she notices the camera.
Lena: Um excuse me.
Kent sighs. Charlene answers instead.
Charlene: What is it, honey?
Lena: I accidentally left the camera on.
Charlene: Don't worry about that right now. Just stay quiet and let your father drive, okay?
Lena: Okay.
Charlene: Good.
Lena picks the camera up and faces the back windshield. The creature seems larger than before.
Charlene: Kent!
Kent: I know. I see it in the mirror.
He accelerates.
Lena: Mom, Dad, what's that big thing?
Charlene: Something bad?
Lena: Is it gonna get us?
Charlene: No because we're playing a game with it, tag and if we can outrun it, we'll be safe. If you can help, try to calm your brother down.
Lena: I'll try.
The camera pans over the car floor. The head of a teddy bear sticks out from under the passenger seat. Lena grabs it and hands it to Deb. He stops crying.
Lena: Mom, I did it!
Charlene: That's good, sweety.
Kent continues speeding. On the sidewalk, the pink light washes over pedestrians. They freeze and then raise their arms in the direction of the being before vanishing.
Lena: Where did those people go?
Kent: We don't know.
He sharply turns a corner and goes onto a road that leads out of town.
Charlene: Is that it? Are we safe?
Kent: I think so. I don't know who we can go to about this. We'll try, though.
Lena: Dad?
Kent: Yes?
Lena: What's that thing doing?
The creature is rapidly scanning the area back and forth. Then it stares in their direction. The radio bursts to life with its cry from earlier, causing Kent to nearly go off the road.
Charlene: Keep it straight!
Kent: I'm trying!
The entity rips up several buildings and focuses its light on those areas. It grows and then levitates itself in the air. Its next action is technically flying. Although, its movements are more resemblant to swimming. The noise on the radio increases.
Charlene: Faster, Kent!
Kent: I don't think I can!
Lena: It's gonna catch us!
It dives, going out of view.
Kent: Huh? Where did it go?
Charlene: Kent, the road!
Lena focuses the lens on the front windshield. In the center of the road ahead, the being rises, tall enough to reach the sky. Kent tries sharply turning the steering wheel. It's assumed he is about to attempt a U-turn. Before he can, it shoots its lights at them, making them wash over the car.
It lifts off the road, freezing midair.
Kent (laughs): I get it now.
Charlene: Yes, Sindy was right all along.
Lena: Mom? Dad? What are you talking about? I don't like this.
Charlene: Don't worry, honey. It'll be okay soon.
Nothing else changes at first. Then both parents' bodies began to flatten and stretch out. They laugh as this happens. Deb and Lena begin crying.
Lena: What's happening to you guys?
Charlene: It's okay, honey. It won't hurt soon.
Lena looks at Deb who is also starting to go through the same process. She checks her hands and sees that she is as well. Both shriek as their parents' laughter turns into cackling. Simultaneously, all four family members disappear. The car hits the road and flips several times before coming to a stop.
In the months following the discovery of the Honda Accord, its tag number was used to trace back to the address of the Morris family. This lead went cold because the people who were living there had no idea who they were. By using the address of that home, we determined the possible location of Silverwright. According to our calculations, it should have been on the border going into Canada, but when we went to investigate, it was as if nothing had ever been there.
It's unclear whether the town belonged to the US state of Alaska or the Canadian Province of Yukon. However, as far as the two governments are concerned both Silverwright and the Morris family have never existed.
​
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed my entry for Monster May. If you did, consider checking out my other stories here, my articles here, and lastly, how you can support me here.

YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO VETERANS DISCOUNTS!
The wife and I, just left a nice little Indian place we had dinner at a few minutes ago. a table over from us was a giant slob of a man to young for Vietnam , much to old for Iraq. First gulf war maybe , but unlikely. His fat fucking wife and a child in a high chair and what I’m assuming was the child’s mother. Anyway this fucking shit bag gets his check and asks the waitress if they offer a veteran discount … I have zero problems with this, doing that is all well and fine. However want transpired after is why I’m ranting … the waitress replies “no we don’t sorry” , and this is when my issue begins. this fucking ass hat at the top of his lungs says “oh it’s no big deal I just put my life on the line for this country you don’t have to give me a discount , it’s no biggie it’s not like I could’ve died” among other bullshit in his minute long rant. Thankfully my wife knows me really well and immediately grabbed my arm, shook her head , with a scolding finger in my face because child in a highchair or not I was about to lose my shit … I’m still shaking over it. Listen for those of you that don’t know, a vets discount is a way a company chooses to show us appreciation, and a nice benefit for us when they do it , BUT WE ARE NOT OWED that. Private business owe us NOTHING. Don’t be like this dick bag who will never know how close to having the shit Stomped out him he came today. Not only does that shit make us all look bad .. it’s in poor taste and disgusting, and in my opinion a disgrace to the uniform. Rant over , but seriously don’t be this guy. Had my wife not been there it would have 100 percent been a fist fight.
EDIT: while it’s been fun, I didn’t expect this kind of blow up. But time for me to unfollow phone can’t handle anymore of the alerts To the people who are with me on the subject youre good people. To those that disagree, you probably are too , I just don’t care for some of your opinions , and for the two asshats who spoke negatively about my wife and my married go walk in front of a bus, you’re scum bags,and the type of people who would do some shit like this, get fucked! . … peace out guys and gals

First Chapter Previous Chapter
Chapter 4- In Good Spirits
I imagined the trains between boroughs to be both a canvas for street art and a public toilet. I thought that young women who rode them showed up for sale later on the dark web.
Instead, our subway train was empty, save us, and clean, like no one had used it. We sat on blue cushioned seats under tubed fluorescent lights. The car was free of ads. I tensed at every stop, watching the doors for maybe-murderers who never appeared.
“It’s scary, the first time you leave,” Erik said. He put his hand on mine.
I jumped at the sudden touch. “Scared?” I said, my voice pitching upward like a rape whistle. “I’m not scared. I deal with the most powerful people in the city. Why would I worry about roving kill gangs who would turn us into skin suits?”
“Meh. We’re safe here.” He leaned back to look down the tunnel. Lights of a platform approached us. “But when stepping off the train, run before they drop the nets on us.”
“I can’t tell if you’re joking.”
Erik shrugged.
The station looked the same as ours, save the underwear ads used black models instead of white and the station exits were guarded by totem poles of animals perched on the heads of stern men with long heads and short bodies. The sign said, “Isi Street Station.”
“Where are we?” I said.
Erik guided me into the open pavement fields of barking cars, where streetlights were shaped like giant tiki torches. “Little Africa,” he said. His eyes were wide and his mouth open. “I’ve dreamed for so long of showing this to someone from home. This place is magic.”
I instinctively pressed close to him. No one seemed to notice us, even though we were the only white faces in sight. At most we got polite nods as people hurried on their way.
“A lot of locals here will get nervous at seeing us,” Erik said, guiding me across a roundabout. “Whenever they see a white face they think they’re about to get colonized.”
He led me to the far side of the circle, to a three story building with walls that looked as if they were made from clay, with wooden frames around the windows. We approached a door with a bamboo portico roofed with long dry grass. Two tall, thin lions, carved from tree trunks, stood guard, perched on their hind legs, flames burning in their open mouths. The narrow slits of eyes flared with the torchlight like beasts in rage.
A neon sign hung over the door: Spirits.
The inside of the bar was a giant circle, its light brown walls covered in holographic black and white portraits of people in fine clothes, ghostly figures appearing behind them. The red carpets were free of stains and spongy under my sneakers. If they’d had carpet at Saxon House, it would be so flooded with spilled beer the bed bugs would need an intervention. Everyone wore shoes and pants without having to be told by a bouncer.
Large groups of people gathered at tables meant for four, and some had to stand. We came in to shouts of “Erik!” and close to ten folks surrounded us, taking turns to hug him. The bartender, who had dreadlocks past his chin, a skull-painted face and a vest with no shirt, cheered and rang a bell when he saw us. I sheltered behind Erik.
Erik introduced me. The men kissed my hand and the women hugged me. I stiffened like an rusty ironing board. “Hi, oh, uh, hello,” I said.
A short, busty woman with her hair in curls and a drink tray wedged under her arm approached us. The low cut black dress struggled with the task of covering the ample bosom. I crossed my arms over my tiny breasts, hidden safely from sight under a closed jacket and a blue button-up.
“He’s waiting,” the waitress said, and pinched Erik’s ass. He blushed.
The crowd patted Erik a few more times and left us. He looped his arm under my elbow, taking me to the back of the restaurant. We headed towards a square booth with no other tables close to it.
Erik whispered to me. “No sudden movements and keep your hands visible at all times.”
“What?”
“Joke.”
This was my first glimpse of Ikemba, that man who is so charming and lovely when you don’t know him. His lavender suit shimmered in the low light. He had short hair. He smiled as we approached, that beautiful smile that could have put him on movie screens, or at least toothpaste commercials.
He nodded to the two women he’d had his arms around. They each kissed him on the cheek and left. He stood and took my hand in both of his.
“Yvonne,” said Erik, “this is Ikemba.”
He stared into my eyes. I tried to hold his gaze, but gave up. I could tell I was blushing.
“Welcome,” he said. “Spirits is my favorite bar, and I hope it is up to your standards.” He gestured for us to sit. We all slid into the booth.
“Are you kidding?” I said. “I usually drink at a place where you get a discount on the beer if you can guess which bartender it came out of.”
Ikemba nodded, though he looked confused. Erik put his hand over his eyes. “This is indeed a pleasure,” Ikemba said, his voice was like a song. “Erik has said much about you.”
“He hasn’t said anything about you,” I replied. The table held a few empty glasses.
“That was by my request. What would you like to drink?”
“Whisky on the rocks,” I said. “But replace the rocks with more whiskey.”
He pulled out a phone, typed something and pocketed it. “It’ll be here in under a minute.” He observed me wordlessly. His smile was like a spotlight and I was used to sitting in the dark. Finally, he said, “I hear you are an investigative reporter.”
“I hear that, too, though not from my readers.”
Ikemba smirked. “And how goes this career, Miss Investigative Reporter?”
I wanted to brag to this beautiful man about my many successes and awards, but feared Erik might out my lies. Something about Ikemba made me want to pretend that the things I wished I did were the things I actually did. Instead, I sighed, feeling my shoulders sag. “I stole info from the dumpster behind City Hall in hopes of getting a story for tomorrow, and all I learned is that they don’t separate bottles from paper.”
“You are not happy,” he said, in an accent I later learned was Nigerian.
“I write about corruption, but I haven’t figured out how to stop it. Every time I ask a gotchya question, I get answered with a ‘that’s what we do” smile. They don’t even have the decency to lie about it. It’s like walking in on your parents having sex. Sure, you are technically aware that this happens but there’s some positions you just don’t expect them to know.”
“That’s a rather specific comparison.”
“I learned to knock before going in the laundry room.”
“But your intentions are good.” He patted Erik. “My friend says yours are as pure as they get.”
I pulled at my lower lip. “Intentions don’t always matter. It’s like when my parents cut my brother’s wifi access because they wanted to keep him from learning about sex from porn. Now the pages of our National Geographics are permanently stuck together.”
“Good intentions may fail,” he said, his eyes softening, “but to never try is a worse failure.”
“I suppose.”
Our underdressed server brought our drinks. Erik had another beer, Ikemba had a dark liquid in a tall glass and I had my whisky. We clinked our glasses.
“What” he said, raising his voice, “would you rather do?”
I took a tiny sip. I realized I was slumping, so forced myself to straighten. “I want something that is big enough for everyone to take seriously. Something that would rally people to hold our leadership accountable.”
He smiled and nodded. He had a charisma that spoke louder in his silence.
“Why did you want to meet me?”
He leaned forward, staring deep into my eyes. “I might have a job for you.”
“I have a job.”
“Yes. Erik said that your curiosity goes beyond wanting to know how things work. He says that for everything you see, you’re convinced that the full truth is hidden.”
“Because it usually is.”
He clapped and laughed. It sounded like the middle notes of a grand piano. “I believe you are right. That’s why I want you for this job.”
“What is the job?”
“It is to keep digging for the truth.”
“Vague.”
“I do not mean to be so.” He stirred his drink, measuring his words. “Only, I find that most people I talk to about this, they are resistant. ‘All the world is a stage,’ and no one wants to look behind the curtain. Where do we come from?”
“Well, when two people are really in love, or are really in drunk…”
Ikemba smiled. “Erik tells me you have a legend about a giant who spawned the human race.”
“Ymer. He didn’t spawn humans, but the gods who made the humans. It’s a gross story and goes better with a mild buzz.” I took a sip. The whiskey hit my tongue like warm butter. Much better than the stuff I hid under my pillow.
“Odin killed Ymer,” I said, “and a river formed from his blood, which flows through Midgard. Ydrasil, the world tree, was nourished by this. Odin found two logs on the bank of the river near Ydrasil. He carved them into images like himself and the other gods, breathed on them and they came to life.”
“It is a fascinating story.” He held up his glass and we all clinked. “Do you believe in this?”
“I wasn’t there,” I said, “But Ydrasil still grows in the grove down by the River Ymer, where our families go to worship every Sunday. There’s a big rock there that the gothi—that’s our priest—says is Ymer’s skull.”
Ikemba smiled, that smile that made me tingle in places I was nervous to wash. “Here in Little Africa, we also have a story. The adventure-seeking god, Obatala, carved the first people from clay. While he made us, he became drunk, and we came out deformed, not in body, but in mind. This is why we are so different from the gods.”
“No offence,” I said, “but you have some weird beliefs.”
“Weird?” He didn’t seem offended.
“It’s not very scientific, is it?” I worried I sounded rude. “I mean, how can clay come to life? We’re made from wood.”
“And evolution? What do you think of this?”
“Obviously we evolved.”
“We evolved?” He tilted his head to one side.
“Yeah, you know how it goes. Millions of years of reshaping our heads to look less like apes.”
“Did we evolve or did your gods make us from wood?”
The fog crept back into my head, making it hard to think. It was the duck/rabbit problem again. I couldn’t hold both thoughts in my head.
“How many generations back did this Odin make humans?”
“Don’t know,” I said, letting the whiskey rest on my tongue.
“But, if supposing you found the records, you could trace your lineage back to those first two.” He had been slowly inching further into the booth, until Erik, he and I were close together in a warm huddle.
“I imagine.”
“You were born of a mother and father, yes?”
“Usually how that works.”
His voice was getting continually lower. “But what of our parents? They, each, were born to a mother and father?”
“I can only assume—”
He put up his hand. “That it was the same? Where are your grandparents?”
“My parents never spoke about them. Except that they live a long ways off. In the old country. My parents came here when they were—"
“Twenty.”
“Yeah.”
He spoke slowly, like his words were a grand reveal. “My grandparents also live in the old country.”
“So do mine,” said Erik.
“What are the odds?” said Ikemba. “Want to know how old my parents were when they came here?”
“Sure.”
“Twenty.”
“Same with mine,” said Erik.
Ikemba looked around, as if to make sure no one was close enough to listen. He leaned in. “Have you ever met someone old enough to be a grandparent.”
“Obviously.”
“Really.”
“Who?”
Images flashed through my thoughts, adults sitting at my kitchen table. “My parents used to drink with this old guy. What was his name?”
Ikemba seemed surprised at this. “Who was he?”
“A family friend. He used to come around when I was a kid. He drank everything my parents had.” I closed my eyes and tried to picture his face. A friendly old man, always in suits.
“Was he related to anyone in your community?” Ikemba had become serious and stern.
“Not that I know of. Haven’t seen him since I was little.”
He brooded on this for a moment, his hands folded under his chin. “In your whole life,” he said, “you’ve seen one aged man, and no one else older than your parents.”
I had to think about this. “I guess not.”
“Nor I.”
I looked to Erik, who was searching my face. “Now ask yourself,” he said, “why you’ve never noticed this before.”
I felt like something in me, my connection to the earth, had been severed, like I floated above the table. No old people. And no questions about this.
Ikemba looked at Erik. “She hasn’t told me to shut up yet. This is positive.”
“Why?” I said. “Why is it like this?” Still floating.
“This… is why I want to hire you.” He reached over Erik and grasped my hand, which looked tiny in his. “Right now, I only have questions. I want you to find the answers.”
“This…” I thought of my story on council woman Singh’s government funded toilet. “This is a big story.”
“This is the only story.”
“Jesus,” I said. “I need to write about this. I’m going to write an editorial tonight.”
“Don’t,” said Ikemba. There was pleading in his voice. “It won’t go like you imagine.”
I took my hand back, trying to understand his reaction. “I’m used to resistance. But people need to think about this. Someone out there will have the answers.”
“People will shut you down. Violently.” Erik nodded. I put my hands to my side, to make sure I was still on tangible earth. Erik held it under the table and the noise in my head quieted.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I have been beaten up and had my life threatened for asking such questions.” He lifted his head and pointed to a scar written under his chin in white flesh.
“You mean by the…” I whispered, “…the government?”
“By ordinary citizens who don’t want to think about these things.”
“The same way your parents,” said Erik, “would freak out if they knew you came to this borough.”
“We live in a dream,” said Ikemba, “and the dreamworld falls apart the moment we start questioning it.”
“What do you want me to do about it?”
“I want you to start looking into it. Why does our history start with our parent’s generation? Why do we not notice things that should be painfully obvious? Find answers and report them to us.”
“Sorry, no,” I said, finishing my whiskey. “I’m a reporter, not a private investigator. I’ll look into this, but I’m publishing what I find. You’ll have to read about what I learn like everyone else.”
His eyes narrowed, only for a second, then he looked sad. “That is a shame,” he said. “I thought you were the one.”
“I am the one. I’m just not your one.”
He went silent. Erik squeezed my hand tighter.
“Look,” I said, “I appreciate your faith in me. I report to the public, whether they want to hear it or not.”
“Thank you for coming to see me,” he said, a heaviness in his voice. “Erik will escort you back home. Can I interest you in a parting shot?”
“Free?”
“On the house.”
“Then yes.”
He waved to the server and put three fingers in the air. She nodded. “The one thing I ask,” he said, “is that if you write anything, don’t mention meeting me.”
“Are you joking? Of course I’m going to write about you. This is the most cloak and dagger experience I’ve ever had. Hushed meetings and conspiracies make good copy.”
“Please,” he said, “it will go quite badly for me if you do.” He inched away from Erik, as did I until we were again on opposite sides of the table. “I mentioned the threat on my life. What I didn’t mention was that one night while I slept, I woke up to a man in my room.”
“A man?”
“Some strange white man, tall, with eyes that glowed red in the darkness, standing over me. He put his hand over my mouth. He was strong, like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I couldn’t force his hand from me.”
“Scary,” I said, though I didn’t know if I believed him.
“What was scarier are the words he spoke next. He said in a voice like the hiss of a snake, ‘Quiet, my friend, your family is sleeping so peacefully.’ He held his phone, and showed pictures of each member of my family, sleeping in their beds. My parents, my brothers, my sisters.”
“Jesus.” The server put shots in front of us.
“He said to me in that venomous voice, ‘It would be a shame for anything to disturb them. I understand, you are the curious type, and sometimes questions can be quite disturbing.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. There were tears in his eyes. If he was making this up, it was a good show.
“This horrid man then moved to my bedroom door. His feet made no noise as he walked. He left my room, leaving me stewing in my terror. Then he popped his head back in the door. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘My coworkers tell me that at times I’m too indirect. It was clear to you that I was threatening your entire family, right?’ I nodded. ‘It was hard to miss,’ I said. ‘Fantastic. I’m going to tell Tucker to stick that in his fat face.’ With that, he left.”
“I don’t know what to do with this information.” I took the shot between my fingers.
“I wanted you to understand the seriousness of the situation. Any mention of my name would have consequences for my family.”
“Alright,” I said, “I’ll not use your name. But I have to write the story.”
“That is all I ask,” he said. With that, he held up his glass. We made cheers and drank the shots.
I slid out of the booth. “You’ve given me a lot to ponder. That’s for sure.” He got up, and we shook hands. “Now, I’m going to go home and try not to have a total mental breakdown. Erik, are you still able to come with me?”
“We’re going to have a detour,” he said, standing up next to me.
“What do you mean?” I found it difficult to focus on his face. It was a strong shot.
Ikemba stepped close. “We mean to extend further extend our hospitality.”
“No, I need to… need to…” I couldn’t form thoughts. I wanted to get home, but couldn’t think of how.
My legs grew wobbly. I grabbed the table. Erik and Ikemba held me up. I looked to Ikemba. “I’m sorry,” he hummed. That’s the last I remember of the night.

Examples:

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• Dick (Andrew Fleming): After wandering off during a White House tour, two high school girls inadvertently become Richard Nixon's top secret advisers at the height of the Watergate scandal.
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• For Love of the Game (Sam Raimi): After 19 years of playing the game he's loved his whole life, Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel has to decide if he's going to risk everything and put everything out there.
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• Three Kings (David O. Russell): In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, four soldiers set out to steal gold that was stolen from Kuwait, but they discover people who desperately need their help.
• Toy Story 2 (John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich) When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends set out on a rescue mission to save Woody before he becomes a museum toy property with his roundup gang Jessie, Prospector, and Bullseye.
• Trick (Jim Fall): The misadventures of two young gay men, trying to find a place to be alone, one night in Manhattan.
• True Crime (Clint Eastwood): Can an over-the-hill journalist uncover the evidence that can prove a death row inmate's innocence just hours before his execution?
• Varsity Blues (Brian Robbins): A back-up quarterback is chosen to lead a Texas football team to victory after the star quarterback is injured.
• The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola): A group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s.
• Wild Wild West (Barry Sonnenfeld): The two best special agents in the Wild West must save President Grant from the clutches of a diabolical, wheelchair-bound, steampunk-savvy, Confederate scientist bent on revenge for losing the Civil War.
• The World Is Not Enough (Michael Apted): James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot while protecting an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can't feel pain.

Once again, thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe in which we can all spread our imaginative wings in, and thank you to u/Acceptable_Egg5560 for taking me on as co-writer. Sorry for the late upload, we've both been quite busy, but we should have the next chapter ready on time. Speaking of, this is the penultimate chapter before the reveal happens, so hold on to your pants for that! We have a lot planned >:)
[First]-[Prev]-[Next]
Memory Transcription Subject: Vekna, Investigative Journalist. Date [Standardized Human Time] October 31st, 2136
I have to admit, I’m surprised at just how fast Leraninro arrived to our aid. I’m not about to complain, any time less spent there is a blessing, but it does make me wonder just how fast his ship can really go! Either that or he can somehow teleport!
“You got here fast,” Sharnet comments at my side, bringing voice to my thoughts. “Thank the Stars you did, though. We can’t thank you enough, we would’ve been stuck in there otherwise.”
“Of course!” Leraninro responds, the lower portion of his body wriggling in what I hope is excitement, “I…don’t really get calls like this often, it’s a new experience for me honestly. How did you get my number, anyways?” He turns to me as he asks that, his head tilted in what I assume to be a skeptical look.
“Oh! Right that, I, uh,” I start, trying to figure out a way to phrase it so that I don’t sound like a creep. However, nothing comes to mind, so I sigh and prepare to bite the bolt. “I might have parsed your device’s contact ID while I was on the shuttle? I didn’t know when to ask because we were so busy so I just kind of did it.”
From Leraninro comes a waverly chitter, prompting me to believe that it’s a laugh. I hope it is anyway. “Well, that certainly explains it! Next time, you can just ask me. I would’ve told you if you’d asked!”
We’re led through the main gates, left hung wide open in Vane’s escape, by Leraninro. “Where’s your ship?” I ask, craning my neck to try and get a glimpse of the incredible vessel. “I don’t see it anywhere around here.”
“Well yeah, that’s the point,” Leraninro counters as he takes an abrupt turn, heading around the side of the hill Vane’s manor is built atop. “If the guards saw me approach, they’d probably throw me right in with you both! Of course, all the guards went with Vane, but I didn’t know that. I- I didn’t know that!” He says that last part…strangely, as if elated by his lack of knowledge.
“Well you had to have landed somewhere close in order to make it to us so quickly,” Sharnet reasons, walking slightly faster to be reintroduced to Leraninro’s field of view. “Close enough to a drainage hatch that you could just slither on in, but also not in the view of Vane or the guards since they would be on alert.”
She speaks as if working out a puzzle in her head, and I find myself doing the same. Okay, Vane’s mansion’s on the top of the hill, casting a shadow down over most of the yard and road. That's what allowed it to be cool enough for the plants to stay green. And with a shuttle that the Fed’s are likely trying to suppress, Ler would want to use that shadow to make his shuttle a bit less noticeable. Combine that with Sharnet’s observations about the guards and drainage…
At almost the same time as her, I point over to a city network junction hut at the base off the hill that is caught in the partial darkness. “Is it over there? I can’t see it.”
“Yeah,” Sharnet adds, “that’s really the only place it could be without you landing in someone’s yard. But…” she squints, as if trying to look through the planet itself. “Wait, there’s some kind of wave in the air near it. Is that?”
“Yeah, made use of the heat mirages around here,” Leraninro rapidly states, ticking me off that something isn’t quite right. “The mirage will disappear when we get closer down the hill! C’mon!” It will disappear as we get closer?” That doesn’t make any sense to me, but he’s already slithering off through the dry dirt down the hill by the time I’m able to form a response.
Wait. Experimental ship, close parking, heat mirages…no, there’s no way it can actually do that, right? I decide to keep my hypothesis to myself as I follow Leraninro down the hill. My paws struggle to get traction once we enter the sands thanks to the incline, causing me and Sharnet to stumble occasionally due to the loose ground. Leraninro, by virtue of his biology, has no such issues, slithering through the sands as if he were born to them. What I’d give to move like that in a place like this.
“Almost there!” Leraninro calls over his shoulder before rounding into the shadows. As he disappears from view, I plant my paw on Sharnet’s shoulder, bringing us both to a gradual stop thanks to the terrain. Before Sharnet even gets a chance to open her mouth, I point towards where Leraninro went, hoping that my conclusion isn’t just wishful thinking. I wouldn’t have to hope for long, for as soon as we were both looking, we watched as the sleek shape of Leraninro’s ship appears from thin air, no mirages required. Hah! I knew it! A cloaking device!
I can barely contain myself as I start barrelling down the hill, leaving Sharnet in both the metaphorical and physical dust that I kick up behind me. I need to know how this works. Does it use a complex system of cameras and hardened screens to withstand the rigors of space travel? No, maybe it’s refractive nanomaterials that bend light around the hull! Something else?? Who knows?! I want to!! As I round the corner, I spot Leraninro craning himself to look around the corner, likely wondering where we had gone. “I knew it!” I cry as I trudge through the damp sand to approach the Smigli. I’m Not using the full species name.
“Wh- know what?” Leraninro asks, hints of a nervous chitter peaking in between his translated syllables. “I-uh, don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Your ship has a cloaking device, I saw it!” I declare, “We stood still on the hill and it appeared right in front of us! No movement required,” I explain, confronting him with irrefutable evidence of his minor deception. I wish that he didn’t feel the need to hide such things from me, but given our similar situations, I most certainly understand why he wouldn’t. I’d do the exact same thing in his situation. “You’ve gotta tell me how it works! Nanomaterials? Screens? Something else even better?!”
“Whoa, hey, calm down!” Leraninro urges, placing his mitten hands in front of him defensively. “Alright, I admit that my ship has a cloaking device, but we can discuss how it works later. Don’t you two have somewhere to be? That Vane guy could’ve gone anywhere!”
“Not anywhere,” Sharnet pipes up from behind me, holding up my pad in her grasp. Wait, wasn’t that-? I pad down my pack, only to find a distinct lack of pad inside it. I didn’t know Sharnet was so slight of hand. “I planted my holonote on the underside of Vane’s transport to track his location. Good place to hide it, I don’t even think he could reach down far enough to dislodge it. Our initial plan was to scare him back to Malcos, but you already saw how that went.”
“No plan survives first contact with the enemy,” Leraninro declared with a chitter, taking on a strange tone as if he were quoting something. “Sun Tzu said that, I think.”
“Who?,” Sharnet and I ask at the same time.
“I-nevermind,” Leraninro says, shaking his head rapidly. “You said you could track Vane using your note. Where is he now?”
“Let me see,” Sharnet muses as she raises my pad and opens the tracking function. A small map of the city is displayed shortly thereafter, building silhouettes rising up a minute distance above the frame of the device. In the middle, a pulsing yellow dot blinks at us on the edge of the city, next to what looks like some kind of establishment. Sharnet is quick to access the information on the building and scoffs. “‘The Governor’s Kitchen,’ of spehking course. How vain does someone have to be to tell us exactly where they’re going before an escape?”
“Well in the human language, that is his name!” Leraninro chitters before recomposing himself. “So I suppose I should drop you off somewhere close to that place, then?”
I’m about to agree before Sharnet holds a paw out. “Wait. We still don’t know where Vane is going after this. If we pick the wrong option, we’ll be too late to turn around. We need to get him out of there somehow,” she posits as she narrows her eyes.
“Well, apparently the sight of you two wasn’t enough to do it the first time,” Leraninro thinks aloud, “no guarantee that this time would be any different, even with the circumstances.”
“Maybe we could just wait until the evacuation is about to start?” I offer up as a suggestion. “I mean, if we can get everyone in one place, we can just sabotage their ships and have them already pre-packaged for the Exterminators, bow and all.” As the words leave my mouth, I remember something dreadful. “No, wait, Vane probably has the entire office here underfoot, they’d just let the launch happen.”
“We’ll definitely need to call on one of the neighboring districts for the actual capture squad,” Leraninro says, “No use in getting them all together if you can’t even capture them afterwards, right?”
I’m about to agree when, once again, Sharnet suddenly moves, this time snapping her head up and locking gaze with Leraninro. “Vekna said your ship has a cloaking device, right?”
“Uh…yeah?” The Smigli answers reluctantly, “Why do you ask?”
With a familiar glint in her eye, Sharnet responds. “Does it also have an external speaker and a microphone? As well as some kind of directional spotlight?”
“What ar-ooooooooh,” Leraninro trails off, his body starting to wriggle with excitement again. “If you’re suggesting what I think you are, I’m so in.”
“What?” I ask, seemingly out of the loop regarding what the both of them had already come to a conclusion on. Damn my condition, if I actually had some empathy, I’d probably know, too. As it stands, though, I still don’t, so I’m forced to ask for clarification. “What exactly do you have planned?”
“Isn’t this city famous for its Temple to Solgalick?” Sharnet asks, the smirk of her tail more than evident. It takes me only a moment to put the pieces together for myself after that, my tail beginning to wag once I finally get it. Sharnet seems to notice my understanding as well, as her own tail speeds up significantly. “I knew you’d get it! Come on, ‘daylight’ is wasting.”
{-Attention: Multimedia Annotation Recommended-}
{-Initialize External Program? (Y)/N -}
{-OPENING “OAGU Archival Browser”-}
…
(Welcome to the Orion Arm Grand University Archival Browser!)
(Video Clip Link Accessed. Play? [Y])
(Playing…)
Archived Closed Circuit Security Video - Establishment: The Governor’s Kitchen - Date Recorded (ST): OCT 31, 2136 - Timeframe (ST): 03:06 - 03:11
Shown is a moderately busy dining area. Fans can be heard running continuously from the atmospheric conditioning system due to the desert-like climate outside. The majority of the patrons are Venlil, almost all the staff noticeable for having brown wool. A white and gray pair sit beside each other at a table with their tails interwoven. A young waiter balances a large tray of alcoholic drinks as they make their way to a table of ten. This satisfactory attitude continues for thirty-three seconds.
The Venlil standing at the greeters desk pins their ears back. They flick their tail to grab the attention of a waiter, pointing out the front window. The waiter's ears fall in turn before they reach under the greeting desk. They bring out a bundle of sticks and dash into the main serving floor. They grab their co-workers' attention as they do so, flicking their ears urgently.
The front door slides open after the waiters gather out of sight within the kitchen. A massively obese Venlil walks inside, wearing mobility leg braces multiple sizes too small and wielding a cane in one paw. A reverberating thumping noise can be heard to the greeters desk, corresponding with slight vibrational disturbances in the recording.
“Greetings, my good sir!” The massive Venlil says. The greeter has a forced welcoming expression. “Let your staff know that Ambassador Vane has returned to dine within this fine establishment!”
The greeter gestures into the eating area with a noticeably stiff forward flick of their ears. “Of Course! Your window side table is still open so I may guide you right over.”
Vane’s tail wags upon confirmation of his seat, however restricted by his extreme morbid obesity. “Excellent! My investment in this place was truly not mistaken!”
Vane is led to a well-separated table from the rest of the dining area, presumably one which has been occupied by him before. A waitress with brown wool exits the kitchen shortly after Vane is seated, their body language clearly negative with their ears so flat. A member of the ten-person table takes notice of where the waitress is heading and signs sympathy to her. This act is copied by the rest of the table as they also take notice.
This show of support emboldens the waitress, who straightens her features to convey professional neutrality and walks to the self-confessed “ambassador.” Vane is seated upon two chairs once the waitress approaches, his attention now rapt upon her.
“Greetings v- Ambassador Vane,” she bows. “I will be your waiter today. Would you like a menu or have you already decided on what you’d like for your meal?”
“Besides the meal for my eyes with you?” He whistles and sways his ears. The woman’s ears subtly twitch in discomfort, Vane does not seem to notice. “Just let the cooks know I will be having my usual five courses, and add in you sat across from me so I might experience pleasure in both taste and sight~”
With a stiff flick of h-
(Media Paused)
{Don’t you dare.}
<…okay but like, c’mon. That last part? Goddamn.>
{…We need to get you a Findr profile stat.}
(Media Resumed)
With a stiff flick of her ears, the waitress signs understanding and types something on her data pad. “Of course sir, and do you wish to see our alcohol selection?”
“I’ll have the bottle of [30 year] old Ipsolnus, a wonderful brandy I would say! Perhaps you could pour it into my waiting mouth when you return! Now please, hurry along! My appetite is eager to be satisfied!”
The woman flicks her ears forward and returns to the kitchen. Vane’s eyes clearly follow her rear for as long as he can before casting his gaze outside. Once out of sight, the waitress visibly shudders and speaks under her breath. “Solgalick, help me.”.
The camera shakes, blurring the image. A roar can be heard from outside the building as the patrons and staff stumble, including those in their seats. Ears and tails all signal fear and confusion before a blinding light floods into the building from the front window. Everyone freezes and stares at the wall of light. The roar subsides to a continuous low rumble.
After a few seconds pass, the wall of light begins narrowing towards a concentrated beam. Many patrons still shield their eyes due to the intensity of the light. One man with white wool physically shields another from the light while still attempting to look. The beam finishes narrowing and settles over where Vane is sitting.
The rumble grows louder after the beam stops moving. The obese outline of Vane jolts back in his seat upon being caught in the light beam. He looks to be desperately trying to shield both his eyes from the light and his ears are laying flat in fear. A voice booms from the sky and quickly peaks the built-in microphone.
"Vane, born râd T’Valro! Behold, duguð betlic Solgalick has judged êower sins abhorrent ongêanweard sîn innumerability! Know ðês, sifeða mîn hæft is unge−endod! My fers ûplic! No intinga yonder êow oðrîdan, êow shall nâwa ûtâslêan dôð wrecnes ben¯æman ðurhwunian wrought ofer êower unæðele feorh!"
Vane collapses out of his chairs and falls to the floor as he attempts to crawl back. The beam tracks him like a spotlight. Vane turns around and manages to pull himself to his feet after two failed attempts. He proceeds to waddle as fast as he can through the dining area towards the rear exit. Mechanical whines are heard during Vane’s escape, corresponding with thin wisps of smoke coming from Vane’s mobility assistance devices.
The beam follows Vane as he beelines out of the restaurant’s rear. Once he throws open the back door and bolts into the alley, the beam lingers a few seconds more before disappearing in an instant. The waitress who had attended to Vane previously falls to her knees and assumes a fervent praying position. A select sample of the other customers do so in turn and a prayer chant can be heard.
(Video Clip Concluded.)
(Return to Previous Program? [Y])
…
{...I hope I’m not the only one thinking divine intervention.}

{Not so far, but the message has been seen. It’s only a matter of time. Heh, matter of time.}
<...Can you give a joke negative points? -2 points for that.>
…
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Hi guys,
I am lucky to get a lot of support on this site and I am so sorry to be back so soon again but I have found that writing things out actually makes me feel a bit better and I am on the verge of tears.
My other posts outline everything but my brother is adopted, and I am a "miracle" baby. My mother, Selene, raised us after our dad, Anakin, walked out and after she died and my grandfather disowned me for being queer it was really just my brother Aaron and I, Francesca (I've used fake names for damn near everyone).
After grandfather died it came out that Aaron and I will inherit most everything and Anakin gets some items here and there but none of the actual estate. In some odd ass timing, after decades, Anakin reached out. We met with him and it's clear he sees Aaron as inferior to me, his "real" child.
It's important to note that after this Aaron and I got a lawyer and went over every detail of my grandfather's will. Every aspect, every clause - who knew wills had freaking PLURAL clauses...christ. But I know the gist of the will without the legalese.
From there I told him Aaron and I are each other's family and to F*ck off (not those words but the gist). This past Friday I was out on a date with my boyfriend, Han, at this bar I am a regular at (I was a hostess, then waitress with them back when old management and owners had it, there is new management and staff now with very few OGs and this is important). It was my first time bringing Han there and introducing him publicly to people in my circle as my boo. I was being especially silly and lovey with him. The GM took pics of us, we took selfies, there was live music, crawfish, crab boils etc. It was a party of a time.
We had been there for 2ish hours and I heard someone call my name. I turned thinking it was staff or one of the other regulars and it was Anakin. He was smiling at us and had a woman with him, and she pointed at me and she ran up to me and hugged the ever loving snot out of me and gave me a kiss on both cheeks and in between was saying "I've drempt of meeting you for so long!"
Now Han and I ubered so I was tipsy. And so stunned, I hardly reacted. Thank God for Han who stood up and pulled me to him out of her grasp and just looked at my dad like "Anakin. What is all this?"
My father explained that this woman is "Giselle" his wife. I did a double take. This was news to me. Giselle also looked to be my age at the oldest. I was so damn confused snd asked why he was even there and he laughed and said something about us "kids" not being the only one who can use social media. I assume he somehow follows me on Insta or Facebook, or Twitter (I will not call ot X) etc.
I started to cry. I mean, I just wanted to have a normal date with my boyfriend and enjoy life for one fo the first times and Han had convinced me it would be fun. The thought of bringing him to my "home" (the restaurant) to meet my "family" (the staff) came to mind and I jokingly said that as we have been dating for a little bit snd things are going well I guess you have to meet my family and get my Nana's (the GM there, "Lita") blessing.
My father tried to come and hug me telling me not to cry or he'll "start up too" and he thought this was beautiful moment. Han stepped between us and Anakin just put his hands up and said he wanted to talk. I calmed down and bit and noticed people were staring so I just told everyone to sit and said to my father "talk. Just say it now. I am on a date and would like to continue it"
My father thought that was an invite to a double date and excited announced it and then walked to the bartender and said all of our drinks are on his tab, ordered a round and introduced himself to everyone as "Frankie's dad" using the nickname my friends use for me. Meanwhile Giselle was asking a million questions. Who is Han? Are we married? Do we have kids? What do I enjoy? Am I artistic like my mother or more logic like my father? And more I can't recall right now. When my dad returned with drinks (all martinis, which, no shade, is not something iw old drink or order in public) and cheers'd "to family" so loudly that others at the bar and some staff even joined in. I felt so trapped. So I raised my glass. Han did not.
I will try to make this briefer as I am rambling, it was all so awful I just hate myself for the way I handled it all. My father and Giselle are not yet married. Why? That would be because his ex only just recently signed divorce papers. Yes, he has an ex. And now that she signed the papers they can get legally married, but refer to each other as one another's spouse because they have been together for almost a decade. I found out Giselle is younger than me at 31. This is when my father says that as his firstborn (Aaron is older than me) he wanted to ask me first to be in their wedding coming up in September.
I was so stunned by all of this that I asked about the ex. They told me he married and when I really started picking at the timeline he got married either the year of if not the year after he left my mother and us. He then went on to have 4 kids with her before their divorce. He was gleefully telling me about my "siblings " and how much they will enjoy seeing me walk down the aisle with them at his wedding. He wants me with my (other) brother as we are closest in age etc. I need you to know this only because of the ick but the timeline math doesn't math, he left his ex-wife 8 years ago, but he and Giselle have been together for "nearly a decade". 😒
I had pulled out my phone after an Amber alert caused it to beep and used that as a chance to use the recording app Aaron installed due to issues with his ex (long story in my other posts) and hit record. I then calmly put my phone down on the table facedown and reiterated what was already said and waited until they said "yeah that's about it" and I went with it and turned to Giselle. "So how did you two meet?" I was calm and smiling, and acted almost eager to know. Han later told me it confused the he'll out of him until he listened to what I was asking them.
They explained their BS love story sprinkling in that "my dad" thought of me and brought me up constantly, so one day she found me online as I do advertise myself as I am a performer etc. They followed my life but kept a distance and are so elated to have me at the wedding and to be therebto welcome my newest baby sibling. Yes. She is pregnant. Bingo
I then asked "what about Aaron" and she turned to my dad and said "is Aaron the-" and he cut her off saying "Yes. My adopted son." And said he is working on a very special gift for Aaron and wants him to be best man but he realizes he hurt Aaron before so wants to bring him a gift as a peace offering. He explained that in "his" day adopted kids were considered just that, adopted kids. Not blood. It was a man's shame to not have biological children. He then had to go on about my birthstory ...which I will spare you.Giselle explained that he is "Hanai" which apparently means adopted? Not sure, but I asked her how it was spelled twice because I thought I was mishearing the word but it turned out I just didn't know it.
Han eventually rubbed my back and asked me to dance (live band was playing) and I agreed and then from there he asked me what I wanted to do. I said I think I heard all I needed and he nodded and told me to get to the car. He told me later he came up with some excuse about me feeling sick after so much seafood and that he was going to take me home. We ended up continuing our date at my house.
Giselle texted me and asked me if I could go dress shopping with her and that she invited my sisters as well. She herself seems really sweet and I hate to be cruel to her, but just haven't responded.
I won't say I actively avoided my brother but I had made myself scarce as I have been so depressed about everything. I did tell him our father crashed my date with his "wife" and that I needed to take a day but lets have brunch Sunday, so I spent yesterday sleeping in, going to a movie, and going back to the restaurant to explain the situation in full to the staff (in case Anakin wanted to pull a similar stunt) and have a few drinks alone to think.
Today I had brunch with my brother and when he arrived snd saw my face he ordered us a carafe of "manmosas" and jokingly said I looked like Zoe after Wash took a spear (RIP to our leaf in the wind)/(this is a TV/movie reference for anyone confused). I just reminded him of our promise to of no lies and no secrets between us and he nodded. So I then told him everything. He only interrupted to ask questions and I explained all I knew. He asked about if he was mentioned and I told him everything as clearly but gently as I could. He looked so f*cking sad at that but shrugged it off. I mentioned the upcoming wedding and he chuckled a bit and said something like "that bastard really can't let tou go, eh?" And said it was no wonder as I am an amazing person. I could tell that as much as he meant it, he was hurting.
I showed him the recording app and the recording and as he was listening to some of it, Giselle texted again and it popped up. He handed me the phone to go to the bathroom and I ignored her text again. I know I eventually have to deal with her and Anakin, but God I don't want to. I don't even know where to begin to. But when Aaron returned to our table, it was clear he had been crying. He said he just remembered he and his girlfriend had a date and he has to go. Which is BS. His GF is staying with me and she told me as I was leaving to meet him that she is working out of the city and won't be home until late tonight. I know I am doing better about not keeping things from my brother, but he is hurting so much. I want to throw Anakin face first into cacti but as a pacifist I can only really focus on how to deal with this all peacefully and as minimally painful for everyone as possible.
I miss my mom. She would know what to do. She would be able to help Aaron snd he would open up to her. But she isn't here. He only has me and I am crying in a brunch restaurant with a giant ass carafe of beer mimosa and a pity crepe from the waitress, typing alone to reddit. I don't want to hate my father, I don't want to hate anyone ever. I firmly believe hate is never the answer, only the problem. But I can't get the look of absolute devetation on my brother's face when he realized Anakin didn't even see him as his kid on top of having abandoned us. How he looked away from me at the lie that his GF was waiting for him on a date. How quickly he walked away after we hugged.
His whole energy was off. All because our father is so much of a rotting milkshake that he can't man up and talk to my brother.
I am rambling again so I will just post this, doom scroll reddit posts and drink this wretched concoction called a manmosa

Chapter One
I could hear the noise those kids were making in the hallway outside my small third story office. It was aggravating. They were stomping around, laughing, trying to impress each other as they looked for something. Typical teenager shenanigans. It went on for a bit until one of them stopped outside my door.
“Here, right here!” he called out to his friends. Then he gave a jaunty little knock.
I muttered darkly to myself. This would make the third group of gawkers this week, eager to have their peek at the new freak in the area and ask the same set of questions the others had already bothered me with. I really needed to do something about this. It had gotten old, fast.
The boy who’d knocked was a smug-looking kid in expensive clothing, as were the other two accompanying him. They looked like they were only a little younger than me. Lousy rich kids looking for some fun in the slums. “So, you’re the crazy null claiming to be a Paladin?” he asked.
I tapped the glass window over my door and gave an irritated nod. “That’s what the sign says, kid,” I replied more politely than he deserved. “Are you here seeking help?”
The kid and his friends responded with loud, disbelieving laughter. “Didn’t I tell you?” he asked them. “Didn’t I tell you? This poor null has cracked his nut!”
I frowned at his choice of words. I didn’t like being called a null. It was true that I couldn’t use magic, but was that such a terrible thing? This punk could and look how he’d turned out.
The kid turned back towards me; his expression was now playful. “So, you’re the Paladin, huh? Chosen by the light itself to oppose the darkness? You? That’s pretty badass, isn’t it?”
“I suppose,” I replied. “I try to stay humble, though. Nice chatting with you.”
I stepped back inside and started to push my door shut when the kid planted a foot in its path, preventing it from closing.
“Now hold on, my good null. I wasn’t finished speaking with you. I'd really like to know more.”
“How strange,” I replied. “I was sure I was done answering pointless questions for the day.”
The kid’s expression, once merely smug, now revealed the ugly edge of malice that had been hiding behind his smile.
“Did you two hear this silly null pop off to me? Isn’t that a gas? Not very smart of him though, is it?”
“Not smart at all, Maxie,” purred the girl standing behind him. She rested a hand on his shoulder and turned her gaze towards me. She looked a little older than the other two, a little closer to my age than theirs; a blue-eyed blonde with a relaxed demeanor that belied the contemptuous look she threw my way.
Those pretty eyes were now emitting a golden gleam of power around each of her irises. She wasn’t channeling her magic yet, but the power had gathered into her, ready to be unleashed in a flash.
“Maybe we ought to teach this silly thing a lesson,” the other boy said.
“Yeah. Maybe we should,” Maxie (heh, Maxie) said in agreement with his little pals.
Oh. So that’s how this was going to go. That was fine by me. I hadn’t had a decent scrap in days, and I was getting bored sitting around, snacking on tasteless city provisions. These twerps looked like they had money on them.
I like money.
“Well, if that’s how you really feel,” I said before I stepped into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind me.
“Get him!” shouted Maxie with the confidence that came with being young and powerful. He swung his fist towards me, his hand suddenly alight with a surge of electric brilliance. His friends, their auras now glowing brightly as well, were right behind him.
Man, where do kids get their energy?
__
These days, I go by the name of Daniel Tabris. It was an alias, and not a particularly good one if you already knew who I was, but it did its job of protecting my identity from the mages, who were the ruling class of this, our crappy little world. If a mage ever learned your real name, they had all sorts of ways of causing you problems. They had the power and the free time to really mess with your life if they wanted to.
The sign outside my apartment read: DANIEL TABRIS (N) PALADIN. NOW ACCEPTING LEGITIMATE QUESTS. NO GENUINE PLEAS FOR AID IGNORED. NO BARGAINS WITH DARKNESS ACCEPTED.
It was the (N) after my name that caused me the most trouble. Ostensibly, it stood for “neutral born.” That meant a human like me that couldn’t channel aetheric energy, which was the fancy way of saying I can’t use magic. But nobody ever called us neutrals; they called us nulls; like we were less than nothing.
If you're wondering, I’m just a regular guy from the Midwest. I live in what used to be called the United States of America; from how the old folks talked about it, the U.S. was the greatest nation in the history of tacos. A bastion of freedom and justice where the rain tasted like Mountain Dew, and all the cheerleaders wanted to marry you. It was a wonderful place if you had money, and a shitty one if you didn’t, but it was still home.
You see, this country once had a promise of fairness that I was raised to take seriously. It was said that no matter who you were or where you came from, you weren’t better or worse than other people. You were an equal in a society of equals and had just as much of a chance to succeed as anyone else.
Of course, the real history of the U.S. was a lot less noble, and a lot more vitriolic and blood-soaked than that with terrible politics as a bonus, but I had to give the place credit where credit was due: The U.S. had a mythic feel to it, that gave it a kind of noble grandeur. It inspired its citizens to aspire for greatness and I respected that.
But that was ages ago before the rising happened. The world as it was now, didn’t even pretend to play by any rules of decency. Outwardly, it looked the same as before. But now, magic, not science, was what drove human industry. Magic allowed the chosen to do whatever they imagined and let them get away with whatever wickedness they wished. You could probably see why that was a bad thing if you were an average citizen who couldn’t belch out bolts of lightning after draining a can of coke.
Nulls were at the bottom of the ladder in this ridiculous new order. In a world where magic existed, being cut off from it entirely was the ultimate societal disadvantage. It was a Gattaca kind of thing, if you’ve ever seen that flick. Which you should. It’s awesome.
With things now as they were, the best way a null could get by in life was by keeping their head down. Over the years, I’d grown sick of watching people being mistreated, and being mistreated myself. But it wasn’t like I could do anything about it, no matter how much I wished otherwise. At least not until this Paladin thing happened to me.
Not that I completely understood any of this stuff.
Let’s just say, I had power now. A level of power that the mages couldn’t ignore. And I was going to do something with it. See, it wasn’t just magic users who preyed on us nulls. The entire world was now crawling with all kinds of things that were just as (if not more) dangerous than they were. The Unseelie, vampires, werewolves, zombies, there were all kinds of things out there waiting in the dark to pull the innocent in for a snack. And no one with the strength to challenge them was willing to do anything about it. They didn’t even pretend to care.
That pissed me off. That really pissed me off. Anyone who lived their lives like the rest of us were background fodder for their biographies would always have an enemy in me.
__
I deposited the three unconscious mages at the corner of my building, next to the rubbish pickup. I’d gone as easy on them as I could, but Maxie was going to need some healing for the hand he’d sucker-punched me with. He’d had some training, I could tell. It’d been a genuinely good roundhouse; too bad he’d broken his knuckles on impact. The poor baby.
With my pockets now jingling with fresh gold and silver thanks to the generosity of those morons, I felt compelled to go out and enjoy a nice hot lunch. Somewhere with a cute waitress, maybe? I stood still for a moment, idly pondering my options when I heard an irritated voice call out my name. “Daniel!”
A glowing blue orb descended from the sky, stopping at eye level to give me what I could only assume was a furious glare. I didn’t bother looking around to see if anyone else noticed it. Past experiences had taught me that I was the only one who could see it.
“Return that money at once! Are you a champion of humanity or a petty thief? How could you bring such shame upon yourself?”
It was a woman’s voice that projected from the sphere. But that didn’t necessarily mean it was a woman using it. As far as I knew, celestials didn’t have a gender.
This particular celestial was a real pain in my posterior. Anyone lucky enough to have a real guardian angel would usually be said to have won life’s ultimate lottery. Imagine always having a super-powered someone at your side who’d protect you from all harm, guide you to great fortune and happiness, and even tuck you in at night with a kiss on the forehead and maybe a warm cup of milk. Sounds good, right?
Not so much for me. I essentially got a hall monitor who snitched on me, twenty-fouseven.
“From he who is gifted, much is expected! Such behavior stains your honor!”
“Oh, come on!” I replied defensively. “They were the ones who started it! If anything, I let them off easy.”
The orb snorted dismissively. “Is that so? More like you knew those children posed no threat so you allowed them to challenge you, knowing you’d humiliate them with ease, all for your selfish enjoyment!”
I couldn’t help feeling a little guilty at that accusation. She knew me pretty well. “Okay, maybe there was a little bit of that going on, but they still had it coming!” I insisted.
“No,” she replied, “They didn’t. A paladin’s purpose is to stand against the darkness and its terrible works. To set an example of greatness for others to follow. The weak must be protected not pummeled! Close your ears to the mockery of the foolish. Turn your cheek to their unjust blows. Indulging in violence for its own sake is an assured path to misery.”
“Teaching lessons seems like it comes with the job too,” I snapped back. “Now these twerps know that appearances aren’t everything and that believing you’re strong enough to bully others doesn’t give you the right to do it! It’s better to wake up wiser than dead, right?”
“That’s…true I suppose,” the celestial said. Inwardly, I grinned wickedly. The celestial constantly beat my head with lectures about how a proper paladin was supposed to behave, but that didn’t make her invulnerable to a good rhetorical argument. If I could make my case logically, there was a good chance I’d get to keep the money I'd taken. And I really wanted to keep it.
“Then as the Paladin, I submit that I’ve done naught but my duty. Let these would-be-wolves awaken to their true natures as gentle lambs, and light willing, they'll never be tempted to engage in unjust violence again. Let the coins I’ve received in exchange be their contribution to a better world.”
(Not to mention a fuller stomach.)
I must have been laying it on a bit thick at that point. The celestial decided I could keep one gold coin for each of the three twerps, leaving me with a total of three. It wasn't the windfall I’d previously earned, but it was still good enough to cover a few reasonably priced meals this week. I guess that was better than being labeled a thief. Only just barely, though.
Just as I was finally on my way to find somewhere to eat, yet another voice called out my name, disrupting my exit. Okay, this was starting to get ridiculous.
I turned my head and saw a big man in a black and red pinstripe suit leaning out of the passenger-side window of a mint-looking El Camino. I didn’t know his name, but I recognized the colors he wore.
“Hey, altar boy. We have some business with you today. Get inside,” he said, nodding towards the backseat of his ride. He had a deep voice that was both commanding and relaxed. The voice of a man who was used to being obeyed. The kind of voice that instantly got on my nerves.
“Tempting, bigness. So very tempting. I'm afraid I’ve got prior plans, though, so maybe you can take a rain check?”
“There you go with that mouth again, Danny,” the big guy replied. I wished I could remember his name so I could warn him that only my friends got to call me Danny. But what was the point? His kind was a dime-a-dozen. Organized crime was a siren’s call to a certain breed of malicious, steroid-abusing creep. The sort of guy who happily makes a living inflicting his violent urges on society for rich rewards. His sort thought they were untouchable. They always did, and yet they were always so surprised when they got, well, touched.
The gang this gorilla and his crew belonged to, were called the Vorpal Blades. Like the legendary sword from the Lewis Carrol poem, the Jabberwock. Which I actually thought would be a pretty cool name for an 80s glam metal band, not so much for a bunch of poison-peddling psychopaths.
“I got bad habits, I freely confess,” I replied.
The big guy gave me a calculating look. “Well, maybe you should lose them. For your own sake, Mister altar boy. We’ve got business at the paramount. Get in.”
“Didn’t I say I wasn't going anywhere with you?”
“And didn’t I say you didn't have a choice? Get in. Do it before I put you in. It's just a quick meeting with management; they need your opinion on something. It won’t take long.”
Great. This idiot wouldn’t take no for an answer. Not that I couldn’t handle him and whoever he brought for backup, but it wouldn’t be done quietly, and I didn’t want the police breathing down my neck any more than they already were. Besides, the Vorpals would probably use guns and someone innocent could get caught in the crossfire. That wouldn't be good.
My brow lowered in irritation. Why did life always have to be so complicated?
“I expect to be compensated for my time,” I said as I took a seat in the back of the car. “Being around you people is unbearable; I should at least be paid for it.”
The driver, a ratty-looking fellow with a greasy ponytail, snorted disdainfully at me. “You hear that, Lucas? We’re unbearable to be around. He sure doesn’t mind our money though, does he?”
“Just a fact of life, Vitor,” Lucas said, philosophically. “Even, uh, Paladins have to eat, I suppose.”
“Yeah. Paladins,” Vitor said. “Nobody believes that shit. You know that, right? Even my grandma thinks you’re a Feddy plant.”
“Your grandma sounds a little paranoid”, I replied. “She should lay off the medicinal herbs.”
After a slight pause, Vitor said, “Lucas, tell this little bitch that if he talks about my grandma again, I’m gonna hurt him.”
“Danny. It’s distasteful to discuss family members,” Lucas said chidingly.
"Mea culpa," I said insincerely.
In a better world, I’d live in a castle. Kings would seek my favor, and great warriors would duel amongst themselves for the honor of fighting at my side. People would throw flower petals as I approached, and maidens would erupt into tears if I smiled at them. Those were inherited memories from prior holders of my title. I glimpsed moments of their lives in my dreams. It seemed awesome. The previous Paladins were like giants to me, titanic in scope and faith, heroic beyond belief.
Now here I was. Their great successor. The first new Paladin in ages. Except nobody believed I was genuine. Being seen hanging out with violent drug dealers wouldn’t help my image either.
Hurray for me.
I guess there were people out in the world who've had worse starts to their careers than this. Sure, I couldn’t think of any off the top of my head, but they had to be out there, right? The world is a big place. For now, I’d settle for seeing what these jerks wanted from me, refusing to help them, and then setting an example if they had hurt feelings about it.
I didn’t think the celestial would mind. She hated Lewis Carroll's poems.
Next.

A big thank you to all the help I got on this sub while planning! Keep in mind that this is just one experience, your mileage may vary with any of the suggestions made.
INFO ON US: Mid 30s, this was my third trip to Japan (previously 2017 & 2018), my husband's first, and I picked the Kyushu spots because his only request was somewhere 'off the beaten path'. Kyushu is amazing! This was by-far my best trip, although to be fair it was also our honeymoon.
The post went long so I split it into two parts, the first being the Kyushu leg and the second being the Tokyo one.
THINGS I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY:

• We spent 6 days in Kyushu and 7 days in Tokyo, I would have preferred to add two extra days to Yakushima and one day to Kagoshima and spent less time in Tokyo. I love Tokyo and am glad we went but it felt very overwhelming and expensive after our experiences in the South.
• Flown directly to Tokyo and then flown Tokyo to Fukuoka instead of having a layover in Hawaii. The extra five hours of flying really killed us, and made both flights feel longer. I incorrectly thought Hawaii was 'on the way' because my grasp of geography is tenuous at best.
• Utilized coin lockers at train stations. A few days we lugged our backpacks/shopping bags around only to realize at the end of the day that we could have easily ditched them.
• This may be controversial, but researched and had more alternative options pinned for restaurants. The days I put 'find something good in X area!' were our most disappointing food choices.
• Not been afraid of buses. My last trips I had significant issues with navigating them (couldn't find the bus stop, got on the wrong bus, bus came at weird times) but this trip it was incredibly easy, especially with the IC card. I planned some activities around avoiding the bus which was unnecessary.
• Picked a 10AM time slot for the Ghibli Museum, when I came at 12 it was packed
• This is going to seem very obvious, but moved around less in Tokyo. I got stuck with an AirBNB reservation that I didn't cancel quickly enough, but oh boy were we tried of our luggage by the end.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD BEFORE:

• The IC card made riding trains and buses incredibly easy and no matter where you get your card it will work anywhere in Japan that IC cards are accepted.
• While many places take card now it's important to still have backup cash available
• The Charles Schwab checking account travel card has no foreign transaction fees and reimburses ATM fees at the end of the month. I also got lucky and ordered about $500 worth of yen from my bank while the rates were really good. For us $1500 USD each was enough for food, transportation, and souvenirs
• Google maps worked well everywhere except a few rural areas. You do, however, have to be mindful of what floor a store is on!
• On prior trips AirBNBs were cheapemore convenient than hotels but this time I found the reverse to be true.
• Out motto before leaving was 'take half the clothes and twice the money'. We had a backpack and smaller rolling bag each, the roller bag was about half-full of clothing. We brought 6 days worth of clothes and did laundry twice, I brought detergent slips to use.
• I planned by putting pins on Google Maps on everything I heard might be cool/was recommended/I found reading other trip reports and from there created my itinerary based on proximity. I also labeled the pins with different icons (one for food, one for stores, one for shrines etc). I was glad to have a ton of options as it allowed us a lot of alternatives depending on our mood. The itinerary had one or two 'must do' items each day and the rest we decided impulsively
• It was really helpful to know basic Japanese and I have a slight suspicion we got seated a couple times because I knew how to correctly indicate there were two in our party. I had taken a language course online, it was mostly helpful for numbers and simple interactions but still worth the time I put in.
• Google Lens seems to have improved and would now translate hand-written menus, although mysteriously my husband would often get better results than me
• Almost everyone we interacted with spoke enough English for us to reach understanding, when we couldn't we used Google Translate. A lot of people seemed to have Google Translate already downloaded on their phones.

DAY 0: Fukuoka
We arrived in the evening and breezed through customs and immigration, I think maybe it took 15 minutes total? Definitely use the QR code, we got to skip the only longer line because of it. After picking up our Namoca cards (the local IC card) and our pocket wifi we opted to take a cab to the hotel as my husband contracted food poisoning at the Hawaii airport and was feeling as well as you'd expect after spending 10 hours in an airplane bathroom.
We stayed at the Nishitetsu Grand Hotel. Really great location and service but the rooms were a bit outdated and we could not control the air conditioning. This would become a theme at many of our hotels! Most were set at something like 75 degrees so we baked at night. This hotel at least had a notice on the thermostat, the rest just had controls that did nothing or would only let us turn off the air temporarily before automatically turning it back on.
When we checked in I inquired about forwarding our luggage to Kagoshima and the receptionist suggested we send it two days early, which was a bummer as it meant we had to take two days worth of clothing in our backpacks. Not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind if you're planning on forwarding luggage.
For dinner we went to Torikizoku, a very cheap yakitori chain. There was a small wait and the food isn't spectacular, but it's inexpensive and easy after a very long flight and you don't feel bad only ordering a few items. After dinner we withdrew money from the 7-11 ATM, grabbed snacks, and called it a night.
DAY 1: Fukuoka
Despite staying up until 9pm we woke up at 430am. We both felt too excited to sleep anymore and decided to just get up and get breakfast tonkotsu ramen at the 24-hour Ichiran flagship store. We leisurely meandered along the river stopping to take pictures of small shrines and temples, the streets of Fukuoka are very peaceful first thing in the morning. Ichiran was unexpectedly busy, with a line forming by the time we left. It ended up being our least-favorite ramen of the trip but is by no means bad, just very heavy.
After returning to the hotel to rest for a bit I started what would become my daily tradition of tracking down a coffee shop for caffeine. I was surprised to find that many did not open until 9 or 10. This morning I went to Manu Coffee, and my attempts to use my Japanese reading skills were thwarted by the barista very nicely flipping their menu over to the English side. It's a cool shop with eclectic décor and one of the best coffees I had in Japan, I wish I had picked up some beans.
At 10AM we had an Airbnb tour of Hakata Temples and Shrines, which I highly recommend if you're in Fukuoka. The tour is run by a retired couple who do this for fun, it was just the four of us going to various locations. They were knowledgeable, funny, and generally a great hang. We learned a lot and it was nice to have insight into temples and shrines for the remainder of our trip. If you only go to one temple in Fukuoka I recommend Tochoji Temple for the giant wooden Buddha. It was here I acquired my goshuincho and got my first stamp!
After the tour we went back to the hotel to forward our luggage (an incredibly easy process, we showed them the next hotel address and paid, they took care of the rest) before going to Canal City Hakata for shopping and the fountain show. The mall has neat architecture and the show was charming but I wouldn't go out of the way for it. I'll say that after shopping in Tokyo I appreciate how uncrowded and calm it felt!
Finally we had dinner at Tempura Hirao and drinks at Citadel. The food at Hirao was good but not amazing, although our rating might be biased from how tired we were. The portions were GIANT, the price affordable, but the best thing was discovering that we liked shiokara (salted squid). It's appearance was a bit off-putting, slimy and grey, but it tasted amazing with lots of yuzu flavor.
Citadel was the real standout of the evening. They had a large selection of homemade liquor including truly bizarre flavors like Bolognese. The one picture I took that night shows a flight of Orange Gin, Lavender Gin, and Oolong Tea Gin; and they have things other than gin, that's just my favorite liquor. I'm not sure if the bartender is always this friendly or just wanted to practice her English but we spent over an hour chatting and laughing with her before calling it a night. Sit at the bar if you can!
Step Count: 29,611
DAY 2: Dazaifu and Kurume
We managed to sleep until 6am and spent a relaxed morning enjoying children's television, another staple of our trip. We often caught one that had various Rube Goldberg machines, there was another with puppets and stop motion animation that we enjoyed. My favorite from the trip was a segment that explained menstrual cycles, it's nice that it's destigmatized!
After packing and heading out I introduced my husband to the joys of warm vending machine drinks and the ease and convenience of the Japanese rail system as we navigated to Dazaifu for the day.
Our first stop was Kazamidori (風見鶏) for coffee and tea. It's a neat little store with beautiful china cups and antique furniture. My husband, who is a British by birth and and an avid tea drinker, rated this the best cup of tea of the trip.
Now adequately caffeinated we shopped on the main street, including a stop at a very cute Ghibli store, before making our way to Tenmangu Shrine. Despite being a weekday the main shrine was busy so we wandered up to Tenkaiinari Shrine, which took us on a really lovely walk through the forest. We paid our respects, I got my goshuin stamp from Tenmangu, and we headed to the Kyushu National Museum.
When buying our museum tickets I thought we could either get a ticket to the special exhibition OR regular exhibitions but not both on one ticket so we picked the special exhibition. This was wrong, and luckily we got kind of lost after finishing the special exhibition and discovered we could access both.
The special exhibition was on the works of Nagasawa Rosetsu and to be honest we weren't that excited and mostly went because it's a style we hadn't seen before, but it is pretty spectacular in person and I don't think online images can do the artwork justice. The regular exhibitions were also neat, especially the artifacts from before the 1500s, but we went through them rather quickly as I started to get shooting pain in my feet with every step.
After a short train and bus ride we got to our hotel for the night, Green Rich Hotel Kurume. I had originally booked a different hotel but swapped to this one after realizing we would have had a "Small Double Bed" and while we enjoy cuddling we are also starfish sleepers. Green Rich Hotel was an unexpected delight, with a giant room that had a surprise massage chair. I'm not sure how or why we got a massage chair, I didn't see anything about that amenity when I booked the room, but it was very needed after so much walking. It's a modern hotel with hot-spring public bath, although we have tattoos and when we asked if we could use it we were told no. Despite this I'd still recommend the hotel.
Kurume doesn't seem to get a lot of international tourists and we were asked by many people why we picked it. Simple answer: RAMEN. About 7 years ago I watched a video about Kurume Ramen Seiyoken and it had been a goal ever since. After utilizing the massage chair we opted to take a bus to the restaurant and I am happy to report it was the best ramen of our trip. The tonkotsu ramen was thick and creamy without being heavy or greasy and the fried rice was superb. The staff was friendly and helpful as well, I continue to think back fondly of that ramen. Honestly Kurume seemed like a nice town, I probably could have added a day there too.
Step Count: 20,347
DAY 3: Kagoshima
We had seen a ton of barbershops the night before and spent the morning unsuccessfully trying to track down a haircut for my husband. Almost a disproportionate amount of barbers? It seems wild that Kurume can support that many. Unfortunately the ones that were open didn't have availability until much later in the day so we headed to the train station to book our shinkansen ticket. We did a bit of shopping at the station and I bought one of my favorite items of the trip, a shirt with the Kurume city mascot on it. I don't think I'll ever stop being delighted by the use of mascots in Japan.
The next available train was in an hour so we split up, me to find coffee and him to try KFC. シャンブル is a small café that looks like a grandparents dining room and smells faintly of cigarettes. I was the only customer and had a very basic conversation in Japanese with the friendly older woman working, who I think is one of the owners. The coffee was excellent and cheap, I was proud of myself for knowing enough Japanese to converse, it was a delightful encounter.
The train ride was uneventful although I got unreserved seat tickets because they were cheaper, which eventually became standing-room only. About 30 minutes into the hour ride we gave up our seats to an elderly couple and stood the rest of the way, my feet were very displeased that I did not reserve seats.
I was pretty shocked by how different Kagoshima felt from other places I have been in Japan. I've done the Kyoto-Nara-Osaka-Hiroshima-Tokyo route, and even been to Shirakawa-go, but Kagoshima just had a different vibe to it. Before leaving the station we purchased the CUTE, a one-day pass that allows unlimited travel on some buses, streetcars and ferries in Kagoshima City and Sakurajima. It ended up not being worth it as we only used it once and the other bus we took was not covered by the pass, but it only cost 1200 yen so I'm not super upset about it. If nothing else it makes a nice souvenir.
We rode the tram to our hotel, Hotel Gate Kagoshima, to drop off our backpacks. Our luggage was there waiting for us, huzzah! It was one of our smallest rooms and it must have recently been renovated because our room looked nothing like the pictures. We're split on our opinions of it; I really liked the décor and didn't mind that our room was basically just a giant raised bed with a small space in front that led to the bathroom, my husband claims to have nearly died climbing into it at night and gave it the lowest rating of our hotels. The location was convenient and the staff was helpful, I wouldn't mind staying here again.
We were too early to check in but they were happy to hold our bags so we ventured out for lunch. I was craving yakiniku and in my experience these places are far more affordable for lunch so we picked Gyu do! based on proximity and rating. Really excellent meat, a brand of black Wagyu beef raised on the restaurant’s own farm and dry-aged, it was a bit pricey but understandably so. After lunch while walking through the Tenmonkan arcade my husband spotted a boat racing gambling spot he wanted to check out, I have no interest in gambling and dropped him off to acquire more coffee.
The first place I went was full, and I suspect they were telling me I could wait but when I didn't understand they just did the 'X' finger sign. Ashitanotizu was completely empty but the staff was nice and I could tell it was probably a fun place at night, I think it turns into a jazz bar with live music. The waitress, like most people in Kyushu who we spoke to for any length of time, wanted to know what brought us there. She said they were starting to see more international tourists but mostly it's domestic tourists who come to Kagoshima. I also go that vibe, but always felt any curiosity was friendly.
Meanwhile my husband was having quite the adventure at the boat races. The only Westerner in a sea of older Japanese gentlemen it took him several tries and the assistance of many people to figure out how to put in the bets. Perhaps unsurprisingly this was the place where the fewest people spoke English, but many people tried very hard to communicate and explain things. He eventually figured it out and had a grand time, it seemed like people enjoyed the novelty of having a tourist there.
We both slightly lost track of time and ended up asking our hotel to book a cab to go to Sengan-en, a garden and home built by a samurai family in the 17th century. The gardens close at 5pm and had we left earlier we could have used our pass but c'est la vie. Our cab driver was exceptionally amicable and communicated through a translation device that worked impressively well. He talked about living in Kagoshima, recommended some restaurants, and expressed his sadness that Akira Toriyama had passed.
We only had a little over an hour at Sengan-en but I'm glad we made the trek, it was a highlight. The weather was beautiful and we were both enchanted by the gardens. One benefit to going later is that it was pretty empty so we wandered alone, taking pictures of Sakurajima (the nearby active volcano) and pretending that we lived there. On the way back we accidentally took a bus not covered by our pass, but the fare was cheap and easily paid with coins.
Last-minute I had booked us a bar hopping tour after seeing it featured on Instagram, which started at 6pm. It was less polished than the tour we had in Fukuoka, and we later found out we were actually the first people to book this specific tour, but I'd still recommend it. The guide was very nice, we learned a lot about shochu and went to places we definitely wouldn't have tried without a guide, and eventually we inebriatedly befriended a random Japanese couple who came with us the rest of the night. We definitely drank more than is advisable, especially with an early morning ferry ride ahead of us, but our guide kindly stayed late and we all got ramen before turning in. I'm still friends with both our guide and the couple on Instagram, maybe one day they'll take us up on our offer to come visit!
Step Count: 25,408
DAY 4: Yakushima
We most definitely regretted our choices the next morning as we had to be at the ferry terminal at 700am. I had booked the high-speed ferry in the interest of time, and despite our hangovers we found it to be a smooth ride so we were able to get a bit more sleep before arriving at the Miyanoura Port.
When booking a rental car I had briefly panicked as we were arriving on Sunday and it seems that a lot of the rental car places are closed OR it might have been that no cars were available. Luckily I was able to book one through Budget Rent a Car, which was off-site from the port so they sent a van to pick us up. It was only about a 5 minute drive, their staff was friendly and helpful, and their office is decorated with hidden kodama in cedar sculptures which was very endearing. It was really easy (kind of alarmingly so) for my husband to get the international license, just a AAA form and passport photos and he was good to go. We loved our little red Kei car and even with fairly substantial driving didn't need to fill up until right before returning the car.
Yakushima is magical and was our favorite place of the entire journey. It's known for rain but we were blessed with sunny warm weather our entire trip. After picking up the car we first went to our hotel, Umi-no Cottage Tida. It's a small place, run by a husband and wife, with four two-story cottages that have amazing views of both the ocean and mountains. Each cottage has a partially open air bath with it's own ocean view. There's also a friendly orange cat! We had four twin beds in our cottage so we slept separately, but I think that may have helped us sleep more soundly. The only downsides are it's about an hour from Miyanoura, so staying here without renting a car is probably doable but difficult, and there aren't a ton of other dinner options if you don't eat at the hotel.
When we checked in we saw they had passionfruit juice for sale and mentioned to the owner that we hadn't had passionfruit before so she cut some open for us to eat immediately, 10/10 some of the best fruit I've ever had in my life. It was a small and thoughtful gesture that was emblematic of our experiences on the island.
We still had time to kill before we could officially check into the room so we drove to a grocery store, A-Coop, for supplies and snacks. The Pizza Bus happened to be outside, which sounded delicious in our still hungover state. Their bacon and potato pizza was good but could have used more salt, I think a more traditional pizza might have been better as the crust was excellent.
After grabbing our pizza we attempted to navigate to a nearby small park by the ocean we found on Google, 尾之間港. It's not really a park per se, there's no picnic tables or bathroom, but there is a small shrine and the water was beautiful. On our drive GPS had us go down some VERY narrow streets, to the point where we had to tuck in the side mirrors so as not to scrape them. It was stressful! We did our best to avoid similar roads going forward.
After our picnic we impulsively decided to stop at a nearby beach, Harutahama Beach (春田浜海水浴場), to explore tide pools and then made a brief stop at Torokki Waterfall, which is a short hike from the main road. The placard informed us that it's one of only two waterfall in Japan that fall directly into the sea. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to see it, but if you're passing by it's easily accessible and beautiful.
At this point our room was ready so we headed back to the cottage. I had reserved dinner at the hotel the first night so we spent the rest of the evening doing laundry, taking a long bath, and napping. The kaiseki dinner itself was spectacular, one of the best meals of the trip. We ate delicious food while watching the ocean at sunset, and our dessert came with a sparkler and a congratulations on our wedding. It was a very special memory that we'll always cherish.
Step Count: 10,441
DAY 5: Yakushima
In the morning we ate what was easily the best breakfast of our vacation (I still dream of those vegetables) and were asked our plans for the day. Our initial idea to drive around the island was thwarted by the road being closed for repairs, but we decided to drive as far north as we could before turning around.
We first stopped at Ohko Waterfall, a giant beautiful waterfall that I would recommend going out of your way for. As we drove further along the road we encountered dozens of wild monkeys and deer, all hanging out together for some reason. On the ferry we had watched a video of monkeys riding the deer but we didn't get lucky enough for that experience. We saw 0 cars and spent some time just stopped, watching the baby monkeys play from the safety of our car. The deer were slightly perturbed by our presence but the monkeys could not have cared less.
We turned around at the bridge and headed counter-clockwise, first stopping at Hiro Bakery for snacks. Really cute bakery with lots of variety, we fell in love with these cheese-bacon bread wraps that we tried to get more of the next day but they weren't selling them. Had I known that was our only chance we would have bought out the remainder. There aren't any bathrooms or seats at Hiro so we went to a grocery store down the road for drinks and feasted in the car.
After the bakery we drove to Hanii Kiln, a small pottery shop in the middle of nowhere. Google wanted us to park on the side of a road and walk through a forest, but as we didn't fancy bushwhacking we went back to where I had seen a sign earlier and followed that instead. We were still worried we had taken a wrong turn and were driving up the long driveway to some strangers home, but it was correct. The shop is run out of the artists home, he was very welcoming and spoke some English. Looking back I wish I had asked him more questions and spoken to him about his pieces more, but I was feeling oddly shy and a bit pressed for time. We bought a number of items, my favorite being a whale incense holder, that all made it home in one piece! It's completely a testament to how well he wrapped them. I had heard he has a dog but we tragically did not see the dog.
We waved goodbye and headed to Yakusugi Land, a nature preserve with giant ancient cedar trees, for some hiking. The drive was a bit harrowing at times but nothing too intense. You just had to be mindful of the corners as it's one lane in many places and there are giant tour buses.
At the preserve there's a nice free informational section above the bathrooms and the trails are well-maintained. You have the option to do a number of different hikes depending on length, the shortest being 30 minutes and the longest 210, we picked the 80 minute course. Gorgeous scenery, we only ran into a couple other hikers. I'd rate us both as moderately in shape and the course wasn't difficult for us. The photos we took don't come close to doing justice to how beautiful it was.
After our hike and spending too much money in the gift shop we drove to 牛床詣所, a very tiny Shinto shrine in the middle of the forest, and Yaku-jinja, a larger shrine where I got another goshuin stamp. Both are near Miyanoura and worth a visit. At this point it was about 4pm and my husband was feeling pretty bushed so we decided to forgo waiting for restaurants to open in Miyanoura and began driving the hour back to our hotel.
After some more laundry and another bath we picked BAR しらはま for dinner, which is labeled on Google as an izakaya but had a very minimal food menu that was half pasta dishes. Although the food options were limited it was still a really fun and memorable night as the one other customer, an older gentleman, encouraged us to sing karaoke with him. We all alternated, my husband and I sang some duets together, and after singing several Disney songs the hostess compared me to Belle which may be one of the highest compliments I've ever received. It was a Monday night and we left pretty early, but I could see this place being especially fun on a busier night.
Step Count: 14,968
DAY 6: Kirishima
After another spectacular breakfast at our hotel we sadly said goodbye to our hosts and headed to drop off the car rental. The cottages were very spacious and had well-equipped kitchens, we definitely wished we had more time especially since we did not manage to make it to the ocean onsens or Shiratani Unsui Gorge. We're already talking about our next trip and would really love to return to Yakushima.
We had time for a brief stop at Hiro Bakery again, which tragically did not have our beloved cheese bacon wraps, before dropping off the car. At the ferry terminal we learned that the slower car ferry had been canceled due to weather but ours was still scheduled to leave. Something to keep in mind when booking your transportation! I had booked our tickets several months in advance but it appeared some people were just buying tickets the same day, although this may be unavailable during busier seasons. It also says on the ticket that check in ends 20 minutes before departure but I saw people checking in later then that too, not that you'd want to be late.
At the ferry terminal in Kagoshima we purchased a ticket for the airport bus. The Kagoshima airport is pretty far outside the city, I think it took us about an hour to get there, but it was a really beautiful drive with a lot of trees blooming on the hillsides. We had booked another rental car at the airport through Nissan Rent A Car. It's offsite so you have to go to a desk to request transport, but after we figured that part out it was easy. This was a much fancier hybrid Kei car with Bluetooth capability and navigation that we first thought but was unnecessary but would later save us.
Since we had some time to kill before check-in we did a 7-11 run for snacks and drinks and then headed to Kagoshima Shrine. It's a lovely shrine next to a school, during our visit we were serenaded by a band practice. We also got to meet a shrine horse and feed him carrots! Uncrowded and very peaceful, if you visit I recommend walking through the torii gates up to the Inari Shrine where there is a picturesque small shrine in a cave.
Our hotel was Anraku Onsen Shumine (安楽温泉 朱峰), which was a thirteen minute drive or 30 minute bus ride from the airport. After asking for advice here about renting a car we decided to so we could see more of the area. I had picked this ryokan somewhat at random; I knew I wanted to stay near the airport since we were flying to Tokyo the next day and we also wanted to stay at a ryokan during our trip. This place is small with both western and tatami rooms. We had picked a tatami room to have that experience and were a bit dismayed to learn that since Covid you now had to put down your own futon, but with some googling we figured it out.
Where this hotel really shines is the onsen and the food. They had three baths inside and an outdoor onsen facing the mountains, and I honestly could have added an extra day here just to spend more time in it. The inside baths had three different temperatures, the coldest one being a lying down bath with headrest, but my favorite was the outdoor one. I lost track of time watching the trees and listening birds. My husband is not a bath-guy and even he loved the onsen, especially the water. At dinner we discovered that there were two other couples staying at the ryokan but I only ran into someone once, otherwise I had the onsen to myself.
The food was very traditional and excellent, I let them know about my allergies when I checked in and they were able to accommodate them. I'd rate the meals at our Yakushima hotel more highly but I'd still happily go to this ryokan again, the fish especially was excellent.
STEP COUNT: 10,581
DAY 7: Kirishima & Tokyo (Kichijoji)
After a full Japanese breakfast and a last dip in the onsen we checked out of the hotel. The couple running it very sweetly went into the road to make sure no cars were coming while we backed out and insisted on carrying our luggage despite my husbands protests. Our flight wasn't until 3pm so we decided to drive to Kirishima Jingu. We were surprised at how busy it was for a weekday morning until we discovered they were having a rice planting festival. We couldn't really follow what was happening but there were people dressed as cows, some wearing masks, and lots of Shinto priests chanting. It was a really neat event to stumble upon and even though it felt busy it was spacious enough to not feel crowded. I got my goshuin stamp and we wandered the grounds for a bit, the Yama Shrine was particularly beautiful.
Feeling refreshed and lighter we decided to seek out tea and coffee. Google suggested Cafe Cocorotte so we struck out in that direction. Things were going smoothly...until they weren't. Suddenly we were on streets that did not exist on Google, we kept arriving at dead ends, and the area appeared to be a neighborhood? Even our attempts to escape were thwarted as these tiny, one-lane roads were mazelike and would often start one direction before taking a sharp turn the other way. After another dead end brought us to a large red building with "TOY STORE" in giant English letters on the outside I briefly wondered if we were being Spirited Away. Luckily the car GPS seemed to understand the area better so we put in a random gas station and had it direct us. There were still definitely roads that did not exist on their map either, but it was enough to get us out of there.
Giving up on tea we headed to Ryusuien (川魚料理＆手打ち蕎麦 流水苑), a soba noodle shop where the owner has their own hatchery for rainbow trout, carp, and I think salmon? It was actually right across the border in Miyazaki. The waitress was friendly and made conversation with us, I ordered soba while my husband got udon and we split a grilled fish. The noodles were tasty but less memorable than the fish. My husband was still craving tea and asked if they had any black tea, and despite it not being on the menu they found a tea bag for him. We ate quickly and drove to the airport.
Kagoshima airport is small but we were worried about security so we skipped the hot spring footbaths, but I think it only took us maybe 10 minutes to get to the gate. We flew on JetStar, a budget airline that gets the job done and has decent legroom. The flight took about two hours and we landed in Narita.
While waiting in line to get Skyliner tickets I saw GoogleMaps had a link to where you could purchase the tickets online. I bought it and was briefly confused how to get through the gates as the ticket had our seat number but no QR code or anything, a friendly gate attendant explained that if you buy the online ticket you use your IC card to scan and then show the ticket on your phone to an attendant if asked.
After a few train changes, which went very smoothly, we arrived at our hotel Kichijōji Tōkyū REI Hotel. Very conveniently located right by the train station, the room was modern and functional if a bit small. We could not adjust the temperature of the room but the window opened which made it more tolerable. They had tea and coffee in the lobby on the 4th floor.
I really loved Kichijoji the last time I was in Japan in 2018 and remember it being quiet and laid-back. The area felt very different this time, the new train station is large and the streets were brimming with people. Not a ton of western tourists but still very busy.
For dinner we ventured to Harmonica Yokocho, an area full of narrow alleys that used to be an underground flea market but now has a ton of small bars and izakayas. We went to a few places, with Harmonica Kitchen and Bar being our favorite, but we didn't really vibe with the area generally. I think it may have suffered in comparison to how quiet and calm our last few days had been, if I could do it again I would have had us get dinner at a restaurant and then a nightcap in Harmonica Yokocho.
STEP COUNT: 16,636

The first thing that hits me when I step out of the car is the overwhelming silence. Hollow Creek is a small town nestled in the middle of nowhere, with its dwindling population and a sense of desolation hanging in the air. It's different from the kind of place you'd expect to find much work as a freelance journalist. Still, with bills to pay and a need for a change of scenery, I decided to take a chance on this mysterious letter. It said the Whispering Pines Motel is promising a story unlike any other. Now, as I approach the front desk, I can't help but wonder if it was all just a cruel joke.
The receptionist, an elderly woman with a knowing smile, greets me with a forced warmth. Her name is Edna, and she tells me that I'll be staying in room 12, just down the hall. As I walk past the reception area, I can't help but notice the framed newspaper clippings on the walls: headlines like "Whispering Pines: A Haven for the Restless" and "Mysterious Noises Plague the Night." Stories of guests leaving in the middle of the night for unknown reasons.
My room is dimly lit, with a musty odor that reminds me of old books. The furniture looks like it's been here since The Motel was built, and the bedspread is threadbare. A small window by the bed is covered by a thin curtain that billows in the night breeze.
The Motel is on the main road, and the town's only restaurant is just a few doors down and across the street. Walking through the empty street, I notice that most buildings are boarded up or appear abandoned. The only light source comes from the diner's flickering neon sign, casting eerie shadows across the pavement.
I approach the diner and step inside. The atmosphere inside is comforting, almost cozy, with the smell of coffee and bacon filling the air. The waitress, a young woman named Lily, greets me with a warm smile and offers to take my order. I play it cool and order coffee, hoping to start a conversation.
I can't help but overhear snippets of conversations at nearby tables. One man, who looks like he's in his early twenties, is telling a story about a woman he met at the Motel with a haunting past and secrets she's willing to kill to keep. Intrigued, I walk over to them and introduce myself.
"You must be Riley," the man says, nodding in my direction. "I'm Tom, and this is my brother, Mark."
Mark glances up from his coffee, a cautious expression on his face. "Yeah, we heard you were new in town. Lily told us you're a journalist."
"That's right," I reply, sitting opposite them. "I got a letter from one of the Motel's former guests, offering me a story. Something about restless spirits and strange occurrences. I was hoping you could fill me in."
Tom leans in closer, "It's true, Riley. This town has a dark secret. You see there was a fire at the Whispering Pines. It started in one of the rooms, and half the building was destroyed when they put it out. People died in that fire, and their spirits haven't been able to find peace. They say you can hear them whispering in the halls at night."
I can't help but wonder if there's any truth to the story. Lily arrives with my coffee. I thank her and take a sip, savoring the warmth it brings to my hands.
"So, what do you think?" Tom asks, watching me intently. "You believe us?"
"It's an interesting story. But I'd like to see some proof before I write about it. Anything you can show me?"
Tom and Mark exchange glances, then Tom reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, worn photo album. He slides it across the table to me, and I open it up. Inside are grainy photographs of the Motel, taken years ago. Pictures of the fire, rescue workers trying to contain the flames, and a group of people standing outside the Motel.
"These were taken just after the fire," Tom explains. "The woman in the photo was the Motel's owner's wife. Her name was Sarah. After the fire, she went crazy and talked about voices in the walls, freed spirits, and missing guests. A lot of people think she started the fire, trying to rid the place of the spirits."
I glance back at the photos, taking in the haunted expression on Sarah's face. Whatever she experienced during those dark days left a mark on her.
Lily arrives with food, setting a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. "Here you go, Riley. Enjoy!" She says with a warm smile.
"Oh, sorry, I actually didn't order anything except coffee. Also, how do you know my name?" I ask, feeling a bit unnerved.
"Well, Riley, you see..." Tom begins, leaning back in his chair. "Sarah isn't the only one affected by the fire. The spirits reach out to certain people and make them see things. And sometimes, they share information. You must have something special about you that they recognized."
I glance around the diner, feeling a shiver run down my spine. The other patrons seem oblivious to our conversation, lost in their thoughts and newspapers.
"So, what else can you tell me about Sarah?" I ask, changing the subject.
Tom shakes his head. "No one could ever prove anything. The fire destroyed most of the evidence, and Sarah... well, she wasn't much help. She spent most of her time ranting about the spirits. But there were always rumors. Some people said she had help starting the fire; others said she was unstable and looking for a way out. As for the guests who went missing... well, no one ever found any bodies. There were whispers that the spirits had taken them, too."
He pauses, taking a sip of coffee, and I can see the pain in his eyes. "We all thought it was just a tragic accident at first. But over time, things started changing. We'd hear footsteps in the hallway, doors slamming shut on their own. It got so bad that some of us started avoiding the Motel at night."
"Do you guys work at the Motel?" I ask, trying to sound casual. "You seem to know a lot about what happened."
"Well, yeah, I've been here for a few years now. And Mark here has been working the night shift. We've all seen and heard things that... well, it's hard to explain."
I nod, "So, what do you think happened to Sarah?" I ask, unable to keep the curiosity from my voice. "Do you think she's still alive?"
Tom shrugs. "No one really knows. Some people say she's still here, trapped in her room, unable to escape the horrors she witnessed."
I glance at Tom, noticing the haunted look in his eyes. "What about you? What do you think happened?"
He takes a deep breath before answering. "Sometimes, I see her in the shadows, just watching us. Other times, I think she's a ghost, trapped here with the rest of them. But, it's clear that something bad went down at the Motel. And it's not just in the past. It's still here, lurking in the darkness."
The rest of our conversation lasted as long as it took me to eat. I was exhausted and needed to sleep before I started writing, so I went back to the Motel at around 8:30pm and settled in bed.
I could have sworn I heard footsteps in the hallway outside my room. They were faint, barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat.
I could sleep through it, telling myself it was a staff member doing their duties. I finally fell asleep until I heard this high-pitched, non-stop squeak, stuttering every few seconds. It wasn't loud, but just enough to wake me up. I look over at the clock; it reads 3:08am. I decide to open the door slowly, its creak intensifying the mysterious squeak.
Nothing, no one there. I walk slowly as the noise gets louder, but I cannot locate it. I thought it could be an old furnace that they never replaced, but the air in the hallway was so cold. Deciding to believe my furnace assumption, I headed back to my room, but on my way, I could have sworn I had heard someone whispering. When I moved closer, it sounded like it was coming from the walls, just like the town folks said.
As I close the door and crawl back into bed, the whispering grows louder, like it's outside my door. It's getting harder to ignore; the whispers are saying something. I lie there, paralyzed with fear, until finally, the whispering fades away into the distance.
The next day, I push the strange occurrences out of my mind and focus on my work. I spent most of the day researching the Motel's history. As the day drags on, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched, that the Motel is alive with a malevolent energy that's intent on driving me mad.
Around dinnertime, I take a break from my research and venture into town. I'm hoping to find someone who might have some insight into what really happened to Sarah. As I walk along the empty street, the air is thick with anticipation, as if the town is holding its breath and waiting for something terrible to happen.
I stop at the diner and take a seat at the counter. The waitress, not the same as last night, an older woman with kind eyes and a knowing smile, sets a menu in front of me. I notice the prices are shockingly low. When I ask her about it, she just says, "Around here, we take care of our own."
I order a burger and a soda, hoping to gather enough courage to ask questions. When the food arrived, I couldn't help but notice that it was some of the best diner food I'd ever had. The waitress must be using some family recipes. As I eat, I discuss with an elderly man sitting at the end of the counter. His name is Hank, and he's lived in the town all his life.
"You're new around here?" he asks. When I confirm his suspicion, he leans close, lowering his voice. "You should be careful about asking too many questions. This town has a long memory, and we don't take kindly to outsiders who pry into our business."
His words chill me, but I can't help but press on. "I'm just trying to find out what happened to Sarah," I say, my voice barely audible.
Hank eyes me before leaning back in his chair. "Well, you've got to understand," he begins, "Sarah was...different. She wasn't like the rest of us. She didn't belong here."
I'm taken aback by his words, but I nod, encouraging him to continue. "But she was still a person, right? She deserved better than whatever happened to her."
Hank glances around the diner, lowering his voice even further. "You're right, she did. But you see, there was...an incident. Something that changed everything. Something that made people start talking, whispering." He hesitates momentarily, then leans in closer. "You see, there was a time when the Motel was different. It was...alive, in a way. People would come from miles around just to see it, just to see its magnificent décor and lively air." Hank sighed heavily as if the story's weight was too much for him to bear. "Back then, the Motel had another owner, a middle-aged man named Jeremiah. He was different, too. He was married to Sarah.
He pauses, looking haunted by the memory. "There was a fire at the Motel. No one knows how it started, but it spread quickly. Sarah and Jerimiah had four boys; two of the oldest sons died in the fire along with their father."
I let out a gasp, unable to believe the horror of the story. "But what happened to Sarah?" I ask, feeling a deep sense of dread creeping up on me.
"She went crazy and locked herself away in the Motel after they restored it. She would go on about how she freed those poor spirits. The now oldest son took over the Motel." he says.
"Did authorities not suspect Sarah?" I ask.
"Oh, they did. They brought her in for questioning, but they were never able to get anything other than her crazy ramblings. They never found enough evidence to prosecute anyone, so it was deemed an accident." He says.
I'm stunned, "So, she's still there?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Hank laughs, "That's what people around here say, but that was forty-something years ago, and if I'm to guess by her looks, Sarah was in her mid-forties. That would mean she would be almost eighty, and I don't reckon she could stay alive that long without leaving her room."
"But...if she really did set the fire and hurt those people..." I trail off.
Hank shrugs. "Like I said, no one knows for sure what happened. And after all this time, it's probably best left that way." He glances at his watch, signaling that the conversation is over.
I nod, feeling a mixture of disbelief and horror coursing through me. Something about Sarah's story refuses to let me go. I thank Hank for his time and pay for my lunch, leaving the diner.
As I walk back to the Motel, I can't help but wonder; was Sarah genuinely insane or just trying to protect something? With its faded grandeur and haunted past, the Motel holds a strange allure for me now. It's as if I can feel the weight of its history pressing down on my shoulders, demanding that I uncover the truth.
I get to my room and spend the rest of the day exploring the motel grounds. The air is thick with the scent of old wood and damp earth and the sound of leaves rustling in the distance. I wander past open rooms with peeling paint and boarded-up windows.
I find a dusty photo album on a dresser in one of the abandoned rooms. Carefully opening the tattered cover, I discover a collection of faded photographs depicting the Motel in its heyday: couples dancing beneath twinkling chandeliers, laughing children running through the hall. There's even a picture of Sarah and Jeremiah smiling brightly for the camera.
I close the album, feeling a strange mixture of nostalgia and sadness. As I turn to leave, I notice a bookshelf in the hallway. Most books are dog-eared romance novels, but one title catches my eye: "The Haunting of the Hotel Amity: A True Story." It seemed morbidly fitting for the scene, but I decided to move past it and head to the front desk to interview Edna.
The afternoon passes quickly as I spend time with Edna, listening to her stories of working at the Motel and meeting various guests. She speaks fondly of Sarah, insisting that she is a good woman who only wants to protect the place she loves. Edna also mentioned that she had heard stories from other employees about strange occurrences in the Motel. Still, she always brushed them off as superstitious nonsense.
"Have you never experienced anything like that?" I ask, "Any strange occurrences?"
Edna pauses, her expression thoughtful. "Well, there was one time when I was cleaning a room, and I swear I heard someone calling my name. I thought it was just the wind at first, but the voice sounded so real. It gave me a chill." She shudders, her eyes distant with memory.
I nod, unsure what to make of her story. Even the people who were closest to Sarah were left with more questions than answers. I head back to my room.
It was only 9pm, but I was tired, so I lay down and drifted asleep.
As I closed my eyes, I thought about Sarah and her story. I couldn't help but feel that there was something more to the Motel than what had been revealed. Something darker, more sinister. Perhaps the faded photos in the album or the eerie silence seemed to permeate the halls, but I couldn't shake the feeling that a story was yet to be told.
I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the Motel and its secrets. In my dreams, I wandered through its empty halls. I could feel the weight of history pressing down on me. And in the distance, I thought I heard the faint strains of a melody, like a distant echo of a time long gone. Suddenly, in my dream, I needed to look at the book I had spotted earlier about the Amity Hotel. Something about it drew me in, and when I went to pick it up, I was awoken by the loud, stuttered squeak like the one from the night prior.
I look at the clock again: 3:04am.
The dream felt real, and the urge to investigate the book was almost overwhelming. I slip out of bed, padding quietly across the carpeted floor. The eerie silence of the Motel seems to press against my ears as I make my way to the bookshelf in the corner. There, nestled between a romance novel and a travel guide, is the worn copy of "The Haunting of the Hotel Amity: A True Story."
I pulled it down, but it only moved slightly, getting stuck when I tried pulling further. Finally, after yanking a bit, I felt it give a little more; it's frozen in place as if it was tipping. Suddenly, I hear an amalgamation of gears turning behind it, and the shelf opens slightly on one side. I pull on the released side, and it opens like a door, leading to a passageway between the walls.
I step inside, flicking on my phone's flashlight. The narrow passageway is dimly lit by flickering bulbs every few feet, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air is musty and stale. I make my way down the passageway, the squeak louder the further I go. I can see a dark opening at the end, so I put on a brave face and walk toward it when I hear a voice from the dark opening. I could barely hear it over the loud squeak and couldn't understand what they were saying, but I knew I shouldn't be here anymore, so I sneaked out of the passage. I tried to close the door as slowly as possible, but the voices were approaching fast, so I left it ajar.
Rushing into bed, slowly closing the door as it creaked louder than I anticipated. Finally, I was in bed, mind racing with the possibilities of what was in that room at the end of the passageway.
The voices grew louder as they approached my room. I shut my eyelids tight.
They were right in front of my door; this time, I could faintly make out some words. There were words like "her" and "Has to be," and the one that made my heart race was "Only guest here."
The handle turned slowly, and the door creaked open. I loosened my eyelids to peak at who it was, revealing a shadowy figure in the doorway. It was Edna, but there was something different about her. Her usually kind face was twisted in anger, her eyes burning with an unnatural light. She glanced at me, for just a moment before she turned her attention back to the others in the hall.
"Leave her for now," Edna said. The other voices murmured in agreement, their whispers echoing down the hall. As they turned away, I felt a chill run down my spine. Finally, they leave.
I slowly get out of bed, and as quietly as possible, I pack my things. I planned to jump out of the window if I had to.
Suddenly, the squeak stopped, and the Motel was much too quiet again. The eerie silence of the Motel seems to press against my ears as I try to calm my racing thoughts. I close my eyes, but I can't help but feel a sense of dread creeping up on me.
Just as I'm about to fall asleep, I hear a faint click coming from the hallway. My heart starts pounding again as I realize someone is moving through the Motel, methodically checking each room. The clicking grows louder as the person gets closer, and I hear footsteps outside my door.
I lie there, paralyzed. The footsteps pause outside my door, and I hear a low whisper. "She's in here?" I freeze. "Yeah, she's in there, but Edna doesn't want us to disturb her until Tom says it's time." Tom? I thought to myself. The guy from the diner on my first night? The one that already knew my name before introducing myself?
"Man fuck Tom," One of the voices said, "Just being Jeremiah's son is the only reason we have to listen to that prick."
"Yeah, unless you want to end up in one of his films, you better listen to that prick." The other man proclaims. The two sets of footsteps walk away from my door.
Films? What the hell were they talking about?
Why did Edna seem so angry earlier? Why were these men talking about me in the hallway like I was a film project?
As the night wears on, I can't help but feel like I'm at the center of some sort of twisted game. I lie awake, listening to the occasional creak of a floorboard or whispered conversation down the hall. Eventually, exhaustion overtakes me, and I fall into a fitful sleep.
I first notice the light streaming through the window when I wake up. It's morning, and with it comes a sense of urgency. I quickly dress and gather my things, making my way to the diner. As I approach, I see Tom sitting at a booth, already deep in conversation with Mark. They glance up at me as I enter, and Tom motions for me to join them.
"Good morning, Sunshine," Tom says with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Care to join us?"
I sit across from them, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that settles in my stomach. "Good morning," I manage to say.
"So, how are you finding our little motel?" Tom asks, leaning in closer. "I hope we're taking good care of you." There's an undertone to his voice that I can't quite place.
I force a smile, trying to appear more confident than I feel. "It's been fine, I guess."
Tom raises an eyebrow at my noncommittal response. "I hope you don't mean that as a complaint. We've gone to great lengths to ensure you have everything you need."
I glance at Mark sitting next to Tom. His expression is unreadable, and he seems to be observing me. "It's not that," I say quickly, hoping to reassure them. "I'm just... I'm not used to being around so little people." There, that sounds believable.
"Well, hopefully, you will settle in a little bit before you have to leave. See my brother Mark here," he gestures over to Mark, "he's in charge of maintenance, and if there's anything he can do to help you feel more comfortable, let him know!" Tom says with a forced smile.
I nod, still feeling uneasy. "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine." I glance around the diner, trying to appear calm and collected. The place is filled with small wooden tables and booths, each covered in a checkered red-and-white tablecloth. The walls are adorned with old movie posters and black-and-white photographs of people I assume are famous actors. The air is thick with the scent of coffee and bacon, making my stomach rumble.
"So, what's on the menu today?" I ask, hoping to change the subject. Tom hands me a menu, and I scan the options, debating between pancakes and eggs. "I'll have the pancakes, please." I look up at Tom, then Mark, waiting for their response.
"Excellent choice!" Tom says with a smile. "I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Mark, will you go ahead and get our order?" Mark nods and stands, making his way over to the waitress. I watch him go, still feeling a sense of unease. The air between Tom and me has become heavy, and I can't help but wonder what they want from me.
As I wait for our food, I glance around the diner again, hoping to find some escape route. The exit is right behind me, but a large man is sitting in a booth by the door, looking like he might be a bouncer at a bar. I don't want to make a scene, but I must leave.
The waitress returns with our food, setting down plates of steaming hot pancakes in front of us. The aroma is intoxicating, and my stomach grumbles in anticipation. I pick up my fork, debating whether or not to eat anything at all. Tom glances at my plate and smiles reassuringly as if he can read my mind.
A few bites in, I realize my anxiety won't let me eat anymore. I tried to find an excuse to leave and investigate the Motel further.
"I'm sorry, Tom. I feel like I need some fresh air," I say, smiling. "I'm going to step outside for a bit. Maybe go for a walk." I say, hoping he doesn't hear my voice shake.
Tom nods understandingly. "Of course, Riley. Take your time. We'll be right here if you need anything." He reaches across the table and gently pats my hand, his expression softening.
I push my chair back and stand up, trying to appear calm and confident as I walk towards the exit. As I pass by the large man in the booth, he gives me a quick once-over before returning to his meal. The air outside is cool and crisp, and I take a deep breath of fresh air. The Motel is just across the street, and I can see Tom and Mark sitting in the diner, watching me.
I stroll down the sidewalk, pretending to look at the shops along the way. But really, my attention is focused on the Motel. The neon sign flickers above the door, casting an eerie glow on the building. The rooms are arranged in a U-shape around a central courtyard.
I pause for a moment, debating whether or not to go inside. A part of me wants to know what Tom and Mark are up to, but another part is terrified of what I might find. Before I can decide, a car pulls beside me, and a woman rolls down her window.
"Hey, honey, need a ride somewhere?" she asks, her voice laced with a Southern drawl. She's probably around my mom's age, with long, curly, graying hair and a warm smile. Something about her seems genuine, and I trust her for a moment.
"Uh, no thanks, I'm feeling sick, so I'm going back to my room," I said before quickly walking away. It felt like the entire town was watching me.
I make my way back to the Motel, my heart racing. I try to calm my nerves as I approach my room. As soon as I unlock the door, I collapse onto the bed, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and fear wash over me. I close my eyes and try to think about anything else, but I can't shake the feeling of anxiety.
Now is an excellent time to look further into the dark opening at the end of the passageway I found last night. I carefully walk down the hallway, feeling the cool air from the vent blowing against my face. The walls are covered in peeling wallpaper, and a strong, musty odor makes me feel uneasy. As I approach the bookshelf, I attempt to reach for the Amity Hotel book, but when I pull it, nothing happens. I didn't dream that whole thing, did I? No, they must've changed the book, so I go through each individual book, pulling each one carefully.
"Can I help you find anything in particular?" Edna said with a bit of contempt as she snuck up behind me.
I spun around, startled. "Oh, uh, no. Just, um... looking for a book I thought I saw."
Edna raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Well, you're not going to find it here," she said, gesturing to the bookshelf. "Those books are just for show." She paused, studying me for a moment. "Why were you looking for, anyway?"
"It was something about A Hotel in Amity. Considering where I am, I thought it would be a good read." I reply, still trying to play it cool.
Edna chuckles darkly. "Oh, that's Tom and Mark's favorite. One of them probably took it with them."
"Oh, okay. I'll look for something else then." I say, glancing back at the bookshelf. Edna watches me for a moment before disappearing back into her room. I stand there momentarily before continuing to search for the book lever that opens the bookshelf, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Finally, one book will only pull out some of the way. It had to be another lever, but remembering how loud the hidden door was, I decided to wait to pull it, when I hear the loud squeak tonight, hoping it would mask most of the sound of the gears turning behind the door.
Late that night, I creep out of my room and return to the bookshelf. The air is thick with the smell of stale cigarette smoke. I carefully yanked the book out as far as it could go before I could hear the gears. I'm confident the squeak is loud enough to mask the bookshelf. I opened it and slid into the passageway leading to the dark opening.
I step inside, and the squeak is almost too much, but I press on. I hear multiple men talking loudly and laughing as I enter the room. As I turn the corner, I can see lights dancing on the wall like someone was watching an old movie, and the smell of cigar smoke fills my lungs. Quietly moving further in, I can see a giant old movie projector that was making the stuttered squeak from its giant bent and dented film rolls scraping against the side of the projector.
I look to see what is playing on the screen, but I'm distracted by about eight men, mostly old except Tom, Mark, and another younger-looking man. They don't see me, or they don't care enough to acknowledge me.
They were sitting in a makeshift movie theater, but none of the fun.
Finally, I looked up at the screen and felt sick. They were showing a homemade old snuff film. Then I realized it couldn't be that old since I recognized Tom and Mark. They were doing unspeakable things with women of all ages.
I look down at the group of men and see them all staring at me with a menacingly evil grin. I froze in immense fear.
Staring at them for an eternity, I suddenly felt a sting in my neck, like someone had injected me with something. As my vision darkened, I could see the face of the man holding me with one hand and a syringe in the other. It was the bouncer-looking man I had seen in the diner.
When I wake up, my head is pounding. The room is spinning, and my vision is blurry. I can see little memory flashes of the group picking me up and moving me to the room next to the makeshift theater. My clothes are gone, and I'm naked except for a loose robe. There's a sour taste in my mouth, and my body feels heavy and sour. I'm tied to a mattress that smells like sweat and fear. I struggle against my bonds, but they're too tight.
I see an antique film camera on an even older tripod. There were huge lights all around me that were turned off. Suddenly, they were blinding me as I heard the men laughing.
"Oh, Walter Cronkite, what will we do with you?" I recognize Tom's voice, "You were THIS close! A shame, but I can't say I'm surprised. You have a lot of fight, and we LOVE that." The men laugh way too hard.
The camera is pointed at me; it's old and dusty but still working. I close my eyes and try to steel my nerves, but I can't help but feel sick. The memory of the snuff film plays over and over in my head, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm about to be a part of it.
"Now, now, Tom," I hear Mark say, his voice steady and calm. "No need for that. We've got plans for Anderson Cooper here." The other men chuckle menacingly. "She's going to be a star."
As Tom approaches me, I hear most men leave the room, and Mark sets up behind the camera.
"You want to know the full story, Hunter S. Thompson? I think you deserve to know at this point." Tom says as he undoes his belt, "Well, let me fill in some blanks for you," he sits next to me on the floor after taking off his shirt, "You see, my father, Jeremiah had a great business going here, and I'm not talking about the Motel. He would lure women to stay here, where he would drug them and film himself having his way with them while someone filmed through the two-way mirror. It was a great business, those films. Rich people from all around the world would buy them. Plus, most women never even knew what happened by the time they checked out, but the ones who gave us trouble had to be dealt with. Eventually, my mom, Sarah, got a little too nosey. She kept asking about how my father could make so much money while running a Motel, so she snooped into his things and found some evidence that would crumble our entire family. She confided her findings to her two oldest sons, but when she realized they were in on it too, she went crazy. We tried to keep her quiet, but she wouldn't let it go. Finally, one day, she couldn't take the guilt, and the madwoman opened every unlocked room; she would set anything flammable on fire. Eventually, the fire got out of control and started to spread. The fire killed my brother and father, along with a lot more of the women my mom was trying to save. We finally stopped it, and, being about 20 at the time, I already knew what was going on and was more than ready to take it over with some improvements." He stops for a second, reminiscing on memories.
He touches my face softly with the back of his hand. It's a rough hand that feels like sandpaper scraping my cheek.
"I was going to leave my mother alive, but when she kept talking about 'Saving victim's spirits,' she was making me nervous. I was close with my mother as a kid, so I didn't have the heart to kill her myself, but Mark here," he gestured toward Mark behind the camera, "He's a cold, hard killer." He stares at Mark for a long time. "We couldn't do it out in the open like my father and brothers did, so I had them build passages into the walls of the hallways, opened by various bookshelves. And added a whole hidden room at the end. Doing it during the restoration, it was a perfect cover. We still use all the equipment my father used, as you can see," He gestures to the antique camera that was now filming them. It's a bitch to find someone willing to develop the film, let alone someone who won't ask questions, but I had to keep it this way to honor my Father and Brother's legacy."
He pauses, leaning close to me, his breath hot on my ear. "And now, it's your turn. You're going to be the next big star. You're going to have your own room," He gestures around the damp, death-filled room, "your own things. You'll be taken care of and never have to leave. You'll be part of the family." His hand runs through my hair, cupping the back of my head. "And Mark, don't forget to get some shots of my good side."
"Oh, I won't," Mark says with a chuckle. He walks around me, positioning himself so the camera can point straight at my face.
I try to shrug off the chills that run down my spine as I think about the stories Tom has just told me, and all I see is a lost man looking for something to hold onto.
Tom gets on top of me and starts kissing my neck, and I feel like throwing up. I can feel the ropes on the left hand are loose, so I take a minute to wiggle it out without letting anyone in the room notice. Once I got that hand free, I could get the other free, but I wasn't ready to fight back; I needed to wait for the right time.
Suddenly, the camera audibly stops recording, and Tom notices and looks back at Mark.
"What the hell is going on?" Tom asks angrily.
"The film got stuck, shit! I'm going to have to get a whole new one. Hold on one second." Mark says as he turns his back to exit the room.
Tom gets up, and I finally feel like I can breathe properly. His back is turned, inspecting the camera.
"Old fucking thing," Tom says to himself.
I take the opportunity to untie both ankles. As soon as I'm free, I lunge forward, wrapping my arms around Tom's waist and pulling him off-balance. He lets out a surprised yelp as we both crash to the ground. I scramble to my feet and take a few steps back, breathing hard. Tom glares at me, looking furious.
"You little bitch!" he shouts. "You think you can just take it from me? From my family?" He scrambles to his feet as well, advancing on me slowly. "I could kill you where you stand!"
I back away, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm not going to let you do this," I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. "I'm not going to be another victim."
Tom laughs darkly, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, you think you're so special? You think you're the first one to say no?" He steps closer, "You're just like all the others. You're just another piece of meat."
My anger boils over, and I launch myself at him again. We wrestle for a moment, both of us grunting with exertion. He's stronger than me, but I push him against the bookshelf, where he loses his balance, and his head falls onto the corner of a dirt-stained counter. I walk slowly toward him, and I can see a pool of blood forming around his matted blonde hair. He's not breathing.
Mark, who must've heard the commotion, runs in just then. He freezes while looking down at his brother. "No, no, no, no! Tom! You can't do this to me! I can't do this shit alone!" Mark is sobbing while holding his brother's blood-soaked head.
I saw my opportunity and took it. I try to run past Mark, but he catches me by the ankle, making me drop to the floor. "You're not leaving!" he shouts, his voice hoarse with rage. He pulls a knife from his pocket, his hands trembling with fury. "You'll tell everyone you're sorry and then come with me."
I kick him in the face as hard as I can, making him release his grip on my ankle. He clutches his nose, blood pouring between his fingers. I turn and run, hearing him screaming obscenities behind me. I bolt out of the room, racing through the building while luckily not alerting anyone, not knowing where I'm going. I have to get out of here.
Outside, the air is cold and damp, the fog rolling off the ocean. I'm disoriented, my heart pounding in my chest. I am still determining where I am, but I know I must find help. I start running, my lungs burning with each ragged breath.
I come to a main road, a car's headlights blinding me as it speeds past. I wave my arms frantically, but the driver doesn't notice. Panic starts to rise up inside me as I realize that I'm alone and that no one knows what happened. I can't go back there, not after what I've done.
I start to walk, trying to figure out where I'm going. My feet are cold and numb, but I keep moving. The fog thickens, making it hard to see more than a few feet in front of me. I wish I had a cell phone to call the police and get help.
After what feels like hours of walking, I finally spot a streetlight. It's barely enough light to see by, but it's better than nothing. I walk towards it, hoping there might be a nearby house or business where I can find help. As I get closer, I see a police officer at a red light. I run to him, probably looking like a crazy crackhead with only a robe, and I'm sure I smell like death. The officer looks at me with a mixture of surprise and concern.
"Help me," I gasp out between breaths. "These people, they, they, they," I find myself unable to talk or see the words for what has happened. The officer takes my arm, his grip firm but not painful. He looks at me with concern, his brow furrowed.
"Take it easy. You're safe now. What's your name?" I tell him my name, feeling the fog of shock starting to lift from my brain. "Okay, why don't you tell me what happened?" I spend the next hour or so trying to explain everything to him, not caring how crazy I sound.
He listens intently, occasionally asking questions or nodding his head. When I finish, he sighs heavily, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Okay, I need you to come to the station with me. We'll get this all sorted out." We take off in his cruiser.
I spent the night at the police station, retelling my story to a half dozen people and getting medical care. The officer who saved me last night told me they sent someone this morning to the Motel to check it out. He said that night, no one except Edna was in the building. She let them look around, and eventually, they found the hidden passages in the walls leading to the basement where they found everything. They arrested Edna, and she denied involvement, but they kept her for further questioning. They claim Edna was the only one there, so Mark must've gotten away.
That was a little over a decade ago, and they still haven't located Mark. Maybe he's dead in a ditch where he belongs. Still, maybe, just perhaps, he could recreate their operation at a new Motel.
Any time I see one, I have PTSD flashbacks of laying on that dirty mattress. Once, I was shopping at a department store and saw this guy on every lane I went down. He never looked at me enough to get a good look at his face, but eventually, he left after I locked myself in the bathroom for an hour.
It's funny how the mind works. I'll be watching a movie, and I'll see a character get kidnapped, and I'll think, "At least they didn't cut my ear off like that guy did."

Hello everyone. My wife and I recently got back from an epic two-week culinary trip to Japan along the Hokuriku Arch in late March. I have been a long-time lurker of this sub and thought I should contribute by giving a review of the places I ate and share my experiences on the research and reservation process. My wife and I are not drinkers so my reviews are mostly based on the food and overall dining experience.
For research, I used a combination of Tabelog (the main tool), food blogs and Instagram to research the restaurants I wanted to visit.
Some tips based on my experience preparing for this trip:
· Plan early (I started about 6 months ahead). Restaurants book out early and have varying reservation periods which open months in advance. I spent a few weeks research and coming up with a game plan.
· Hotel concierges can help with reservations prior to your visit but generally only those from higher-end hotel would be willing to do this. Generally, they only make reservations for the days you are staying. Most of the time I relied on myself to make bookings on reservation platforms for the more top-rated restaurants as I did not find much success booking through a hotel concierge. In some cases, the restaurant would only accept foreigner reservations on the reservation platform.
· Familiarize yourself with the various reservation platforms available to foreigners. The main ones are Tablecheck, Pocket Concierge, Omakase and Tableall.
o I preferred Tablecheck and Omakase. Pocket Concierge is good too but I don’t like having my credit card charged the full meal once I made my reservation.
o Tableall is the last resort since they charge the highest fees but for the top-rated restaurants on Tabelog, this may be the only way for us foreigners to get into a Tabelog Gold award restaurant. Despite the high fees, I found them to be very responsive on email. In addition, they regularly send out emails on last minute reservations due to cancellations.
· Subscribe to receive email alerts from the reservation platforms, you would never know what last minute availability may turn up (this was how I scored my reservation at Sushi Namba Hibiya with Tableall).
Reviews
Fine Dining
(a) Ogata (Tabelog Score: 4.56 - Silver 2024) - Kyoto
Score: 3.75/5
Review: Michelin two-starred Kaiseki which used to be Tabelog Gold in 2023 and helmed by the ex-head chef of the legendary Wakuden. This was our first fine dining meal of the trip and one of our most anticipated. We were served 11 courses. For the carb course, you are given a choice of three carb dishes (Maguro don, tilefish & spinach rice and soba) but everyone goes with all three. Ogata-san’s could be described as rustic and simply presented. Light seasoning was used on most dishes to showcase the natural flavours of his highly seasonal produce. In terms of taste. Taste wise there were dishes that were sublime but also a few dishes fell flat to me as they were under seasoned.
Service was good as expected of restaurants of this calibre, but we felt it was lacking some warmth. My wife and I were the only foreigners for our 4pm seating and we were seated at the end of the counter. The sous chefs served most of the dishes in English. Ogata-san would also serve some dishes but his attention was mostly spent towards two regulars in the middle of the counter and he did not interact much with us throughout the meal. After the regulars had left, Ogata-san was considerably warmer to us and indulged us with a photo. We were also each gifted us a pair of Japanese chopsticks as souvenirs which was a nice touch. The meal took slightly more than 2 hours. Overall, we enjoyed the meal but were a tad disappointed given the hype and lofty price.
Would I visit again? Probably, but no rush to do so. Based on reviews online, Ogata’s food is highly seasonal and even within the same season, you could get vastly different dishes which look delicious in photos. Maybe a visit during Matsutake or Crab season next time.
Highlights of the meal:
· Squid sashimi (best I’ve had, so tender and sweet. It also came with half a lemon which you could eat it, skin and all),
· Ogata’s signature Carrot Tempura (a huge carrot piece that I initially mistook for sweet potato. The soft and sweet carrot was a brilliant contrast with the salty and crispy batter)
· Grilled Tilefish with crispy scales (this was a huge filet of fatty fish dripping in its own oils and infused with smokiness)
· Maguro Don (Three huge slices of marinated tuna on rice. Best I’ve had).
Cost Performance: 2.75/5. Ogata-san’s portion size were big and generous but even then at 50k++ yen per person this was rather steep.
Reservation difficulty: Very high. I booked this through Omakase.in. Was lucky and managed to score this reservation right as the dates for March opened. All slots were booked within a few minutes of opening. Note that Ogata-san is sometimes stationed at his branch restaurant (Higashiyama Ogata) which is much easier to reserve, so if you really want to experience food from the man himself, you can check which dates he is at Higashiyama Ogata on Omakase.in and try to score a slot there.
(b) Kyoboshi (Tabelog Score: 3.84) - Kyoto
Score: 3/5
Review: Michelin one-starred tempura restaurant operated by Toshinori Sakakibara. My wife and I wanted one tempura meal this trip and we settled on this. It was our first time having Kyoto-style tempura, which forgoes the usual tentsuyu (dipping sauce) for lemon juice, salt and grated daikon. The tempura batter at Kyoboshi does not contain eggs so it is quite light and airy. If you are expecting thick crispy batter you would be disappointed. Dinner consisted of 20 tempura pieces and ended off with tencha and fruits. Each ingredient was fried well – slightly crispy on the outside and nicely steamed on the inside.
Service was warm and homey. Sakakibara-san speaks very good English and was able to introduce each dish in English. It was just Sakakibara-san behind the counter and one waitress (maybe his wife? We didn’t ask..) so it was a rather skeletal operation. As Sakakibara-san has no sous-chef, he will spend most of the time prepping and frying so there would be not much conversation until the end. Overall, this was a satisfying meal but not mind-blowing. I didn’t quite get why he served us three prawns (and no prawn heads..) and the tencha rice (which was just chopped up tempura prawns) left much to be desired. Ingredient variety would have helped…
Highlights of the meal:
· Prawn Toast starter (interesting and good start to the meal)
· Japanese spinach with roots
· Crab legs
· Squid with Sakura leaf
· Sweet potato with brandy and sugar dip (another interesting piece)
Cost Performance: 2.75/5. IIRC the course was around 16500 yen per person but given the ingredient quality it wasn’t very value.
Reservation difficulty: Easy. Booked through hotel concierge 1 month ahead. We dined on a weekday night and there were 4 empty seats.
(c) Sushi Kibatani (Tabelog Score: 3.99 – Bronze 2024) - Kanazawa
Score: 4/5
Review: Michelin one-starred sushi restaurant located in a tiny side street in Kanazawa. Finding this restaurant maybe a bit difficult as it is in a residential neighbourhood, so I would recommend taking a cab here. Dinner consisted of 10 otsumami, 11 sushi and the customary tamago to end off the meal. This was a very solid meal and there was a nice variety of fish served. I really enjoyed the otsumami here and I felt it outshone the sushi. Kibatani-san’s shari was very mild and I would have preferred a little more punch to it to complement the neta – but that is my personal preference.
Kibatani-san may seem fierce and imposing but he turned out to be a pretty nice chef. He was able to introduce each dish in English and we felt very welcomed. The service staff, however, were not very attentive and we had to ask for our tea to be topped up several times. Do note that Kibatani does quite a few seatings a night and they do not start at the same time. We turned up for our 8.30pm dinner slot to discover that half the counter were mid-meal (from an earlier timeslot), so it may be distracting as diners will be settling in or leaving throughout your meal. Dinner took slightly more than 1.5 hours. We were the last seating that night and we could see Kibatani-san was yawning and visibly tired. All in all, this was a great dinner and for the price would easily recommend it to anyone that happen to be in Kanazawa.
Highlights of the meal:
· Raw sweet shrimp with sea cucumber sauce (interesting combination)
· Ankimo (sweet and umami with very little funk)
· Hairy crab with uni sauce and rice (always a winning combination)
· Miso soup with Oyster (such a plump and juice oyster)
· Grilled baby tuna with Japanese mustard
· Tiger Prawn Sushi (juicy and bursting with prawny umami – so good)
· Nodoguro Sushi
· Shirako on rice (served on your hand)
Cost Performance: 4/5. At 28,000 yen per person, I felt this was quite good value and a meal of similar quality would easily cost 1.5 times in Tokyo for dinner and even more back home in Singapore.
Reservation difficulty: Easy. Booked through Pocket Concierge about 1.5 months ahead.
(d) respiración (Tabelog Score: 4.41 – Silver 2024) - Kanazawa
Score: 4.5 / 5
Review: A michelin two-starred Spanish food located near the famous Omicho market. As I was unsuccessful in securing a reservation for Aca 1° in Tokyo, I was looking for alternatives and settled for this. No regrets. The restaurant is housed in a converted Japanese townhouse with sleek and modern interiors. Lunch consisted of 12 courses with petit fours and I added the cheese supplement. This was a spectacular meal. Each dish was perfectly executed with a good balance of flavours. I appreciated the fact that each dish contained an ingredient from Ishikawa prefecture.
Service was great. The sommelier and our server spoke great English and were able to introduce and give detailed descriptions of each dish. This was by far the longest meal so far on our trip. Our 11.30am reservation and the meal was nearly 3 hours long, so be prepared. Overall, this was a wonderful meal at a great price and would highly recommend if you are in Kanazawa.
Highlights of the meal:
· Raw shrimp on shrimp cracker starter (captures the essence of shrimp)
· Lotus root mochi in turkey soup with turkey meatball wrapped in wasabi leaf (I didn’t expect turkey raised in Ishikawa to be featured)
· Shitake mushroom with grounded bear meat (bear tasted like beef here)
· Grilled tilefish with radish in a turkey orange broth
· Firefly squid paella (we were shown the large pan of paella before it was portioned. This was so good that we got seconds)
· Gasu-ebi Spanish porridge (this shrimp is a local speciality and hard to find outside of Ishikawa)
Cost Performance: 4/5. The course meal was 24,000 yen per person.
Reservation difficulty: Easy. Booked through Tablecheck 1.5 months in advance.
(e) L’evo (Tabelog Score: 4.53 – Gold 2024) – Nanto, Toyama Prefecture
Score: 4.75 / 5
Review: A michelin two-starred restaurant helmed by chef Eiji Taniguchi. I would wager that L’evo is the easiest Tabelog Gold restaurant to reserve just because it is so difficult to get to. L’evo is located in the mountains of Toyama prefecture, about a 1.5hr drive from Kanazawa or Toyama city. As we were planning a road trip to visit the gassho houses at Gokayama nearby, we decided to swing by L’evo for lunch and see what the fuss is about, and oh boy did L’evo deliver.
Once you have navigated the mountain roads and parked your car, you will be ushered into a beautiful dining room with large panel windows that overlook a beautiful wintry valley. We dined on a Monday so there was only one other couple for lunch. This felt like dining at the world’s most luxurious and exclusive mountain lodge. Lunch consisted of 12 courses with petit fours. Like respiración, this was a spectacular meal and I enjoyed every dish.
Service was exceptional and gave us their full attention. All our servers could speak English. L’evo places a great emphasis on ingredients foraged and hunted from the wilderness around the restaurant, so we really appreciated that our servers could give detailed descriptions and explanations of the ingredients in English. Our meal took about 2 hours. Overall, this was a truly memorable meal. Foodwise this was on par with respiración but we would give the edge to L’evo for the ambience and for a better paced meal.
Would it be worth it to travel all the way from say Osaka or Tokyo to dine here? Probably not. Getting here is quite a detour from the major cities and would involve quite a lot of planning. L’evo does offer a private taxi from Kanazawa but that would easily cost you 40k yen. I would say that if you are doing a road trip around the area and visiting Takayama/Shirakawa/Gokayama then it would definitely be worth a short detour to dine here. I hope to revisit L’evo in the future but probably for a different season. According to our server, autumn season is their personal favourite season with mushrooms and chestnuts, but its also their most crowded season.
Highlights of the meal:
· Sardines wrapped around marinated mountain vegetables and olives
· Giant raw octopus with bamboo shoots and shiso leaf oil (the octopus was sliced so thinly and was so tender)
· Wild bear with Jerusalem artichoke and honey jelly
· Toyama chicken leg stuffed with rice
· Wild boar with wild spinach, potatoe and burdock turnip puree (the layer of fat on this boar was insane..)
· Persimmon with mascarpone and cheese yuzu
Cost Performance: 4.25 / 5. Course lunch was about 24,000 yen per person.
Reservation difficulty: Very easy, I would wager this is the only Tabelog Gold restaurant that you can book one day in advance online. Booked through Tablecheck 2 months in advance.
(f) Oryouri Fujii (Tabelog Score: 4.26 – Silver 2024) – Toyama city
Score: 4.75 / 5
Review: Oyouri Fujii is a Michelin two-starred Kaiseki restaurant located in Iwase district of Toyama city, helmed by Hironori Fujii. Upon passing through the noren doors, you will be greeting with a picture perfect Japanese garden. You would then be ushered into the dining counter by kimono-clad waitresses. The dining space is equally beautiful. The backdrop of the dining counter is a large glass panel with full view of the Japanese garden, so you get to eat in the most luxurious and zen environment. Our 6.30pm dinner consisted of 12 courses, and I must say this was an extraordinary meal. Each dish was cooked and plated beautifully and there was a great variety of flavours and textures.
Service was equally great and we felt Oryouri Fujii really encapsulated the spirit of Japanese hospitality. It helped that Fujii-san would personally introduce each dish to us in English (we suspect none of his sous chefs speak English) and even when he was unable to describe the ingredients in English, he would whip out his phone to use google translate and show us pictures of the ingredient. During one of the live grilling courses occurring at the other end of the counter, Fujii-san saw my wife’s digital camera and offered to take photos of the grilling up close. He also often engaged us with conversation in English and Japanese (my wife speaks some Japanese). Fujii-san was such a nice chef and really went above and beyond. In total, the meal took about 2.5 hours. This was really one of the best fine-dining meals of my life with great food, beautiful ambience and vibes, and great hospitality we received from Fujii-san and his staff. I would highly recommend making a visit if you are in Toyama.
Highlights of the meal:
· Owan with Pea tofu and butterbur leaf
· Grilled Tofu with miso sansho sauce
· Hassun
· Grilled Cherry Salmon (this was so oily and fatty with good char)
· Firefly Squid in two ways (grilled and boiled, we each had nearly 8 of these tiny umami bombs)
· Jerusalem artichoke soup
· Bear Shabu Shabu with Udon (out of all the bear dishes this trip this was easily the best, it was so hearty and comforting which was perfect for a cold rainy night)
· Wagashi dessert
Cost Performance: 3.75 / 5. Dinner was 30,250 yen per person before drinks.
Reservation difficulty: Easy. Booked through Pocket Concierge 3 months in advance.
(g) Sushi Inomata (Tabelog Score: 4.39 – Silver 2024) - Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture
Score: 4.5 / 5
Review: Sushi Inomata is helmed by Kenshi Inomata who specializes in aged fish (jukusei) in his sushi. One important point to note is that Sushi Inomata is located outside central Tokyo (nearly 1 hour by train from Shinjuku) and is actually in another prefecture, which may explain why it is relatively easy to get a reservation here. Inomata-san does not do otsumami and he dives straight into sushi. Our 5pm dinner consisted of 18 pieces, no additional supplements were offered. This was a great meal and I really liked his shari which had a good sourness to complement the neta which are on the saltier side.
Service was great and the vibe of the place was like having a private dining session in Inomata-san' and his wife's (the only server) house. There is also quite a high proportion of foreigners, with half the counter taken up by foreigners. While Inomata-san does not speak English, he is quite chatty if you can speak Japanese. He initiated conversation with my wife and another foreigner who could speak Japanese. His wife is able to speak some English and will also join in the conversations. For English-speakers like myself, I greatly appreciated that they provided a bilingual sushi guidebook and showed us which sushi was being served. The meal took 1.5 hours and we were stuffed. All in all, this was the one of the best sushi meals in my life (though slightly edged out by Sushi Namba) and would highly recommend visiting if you don’t mind travelling out of Tokyo. Also, be aware that Inomata is a cash only place, no credit cards.
Highlights of the meal:
· Torigai (Japanese cockle) Sushi (sweet and crunchy)
· Bonito Sushi
· Echizen Crab Sushi
· Shima-ebi sushi
· Nodoguro Sushi (this was even better than Kibatani)
· The usual trio of tuna sushis (Akami, Chutoro, Otoro), my favourite was the Chutoro (which was also the best piece of the night). Interestingly, Inomata-san also marinates the Chutoro and Otoro in shoyu before serving.
· Tuna handroll (pure umami indulgence)
Cost Performance: 3.5 / 5. Course per diner is 44k yen. While not cheap, I did find Inomata-san’s neta slices to be large and generous.
Reservation difficulty: Easy. Book through Omakase.in 2 months in advance.
(h) Sushi Namba Hibiya (Tabelog Score: 4.56 – Gold 2024) - Tokyo
Score: 4.75 / 5
Review: One of the six sushi restaurants in Tokyo awarded with the Tabelog Gold award in 2024, Sushi Namba Hibiya is helmed by chef Hidefumi Namba, who is obsessive with serving sushi at the right temperature. This was a lucky score by us. We were already halfway through our trip when I received an email notification from Tableall of availability at Sushi Namba due to last minute cancellations which so happens to be on one of our free days in Tokyo. After managing to successfully convince my wife, I bit the bullet and made a reservation via Tableall. Getting to the restaurant is very easy as it is located in Midtown Hibiya near Ginza. This reservation was for the private counter, which is a little side counter to the main counter. When we arrived for our 1pm lunch, I had a mini-heart attack because the main counter was already seated and in the middle of their course, I thought I had arrived horribly late. Thankfully we soon realised that the private counter is supposed to start an hour later than the main counter. The private counter seats 4 and it is a very intimate space. We were paired with another foreigner couple who had booked through Tableall. If seated at the private counter, the sous chef will serve the otsumami first and Namba-san will serve the sushi once he is done at the main counter.
Our lunch consisted of 7 otsumami, 17 pieces of sushi and I added one supplement. Initially, I feared that this might be one of those overhyped places that would fail to meet my expectations but boy was I blown away by the food. The otsumami sequence might be the most creative and best I’ve ever had at a high-end sushi restaurant. Namba-san’s sushi was also immaculate. To be fair, I didn’t notice whether Namba-san’s temperature control technique played a big role here but whatever it is he must have been doing something right to produce such good sushi. I also noticed that Namba-san uses different sushi rice for different neta, opting for a red vinegared shari for the fattier tuna cuts.
Service was great as well. The service staff constantly checked on us in the private room and ensured our tea was topped off. The sous chef serving the otsumami does not smile much and seems to be going through the motions. A second assistant will introduce the otsumami in English. About an hour into the meal and once the main counter are leaving, Namba-san will switch over to the private counter for the sushi course. It was great having Namba-san all to ourselves (sharing with the other couple). Namba-san does not speak much English but if you can speak Japanese he gets very chatty. He truly is a sushi-geek, explaining each dish with great detail (with translations from my wife) and also talked to us about the sushi scene in Japan and Singapore (where we were from). We were also very appreciative that Namba-san offered us each a complementary tuna handroll, acknowledging that the Tableall fees were very steep. At the end of meal, Namba-san asked if we wanted supplements, and I added a tasty Japanese cockle sushi per his recommendation. When the meal was over, Namba-san personally sent us off and indulged us with a photograph, such a sweet and friendly chef. While this was a very expensive meal (due in part to Tableall fees…), this was an extraordinary experience and my best sushi omakase meal so far. Getting to interact (through my wife as translator) with Namba-san was such a delight. I would definitely want to come back and would gladly do so if I can get reservations in the future (which is really difficult).
Highlights of the meal:
· The whole otsumami sequence but particularly memorable pieces were:
o Simmered Rockfish in sake, mirin and dashi (a heavenly combination)
o Whale Sashimi (this tasted like wagyu beef)
o Ankimo from Hokkaido (this was prepared trimmed leaving only the centre piece. This was incredibly sweet with no funk at all. I regret not ordering a second piece of this).
o Shirako rice with fried fugu skin (the shirako was cut opened and mixed into the rice to form a ‘risotto’ and then topped with crispy fugu skin, amazing...)
· Spanish Mackeral Sushi (this was literally melt in your mouth)
· Shima-ebi with ebi-miso sushi (this outshone Inomata in terms of pure prawny umami)
· Hamaguri clam sushi (this had a nice crush and was so sweet)
· Gizzard Shad sushi (good balance of salty, sourness and even a hint of sweetness. This was the best kohada sushi out of the three sushi places we dined this trip)
· Otoro sushi (Namba-san slice was generous and is paired with quite a lot of rice. This was the best otoro sushi of my life)
Cost Performance: 2/5 with Tableall as the omakase course is 65k yen per person, really steep. On Omakase.in, the price for the omakase course is at a much lower 45k yen per person, so the cost performance would be 3.5/5 if you can score a reservation there.
Reservation difficulty: Very high. I had initially tried to reserve this with Tableall three months ahead but there was no availability. I only managed to get this due to last minute cancellations.
Ryokan Kaiseki
i. Nishimuraya Honkan (Tabelog score: 3.73) – Kinosaki Osen, Hyogo Prefecture
Score: 4.25 / 5
Review: This is the top Tabelog-rated and most expensive ryokan in Kinosaki Onsen. For the food, we went with the Superior Matsuba Crab and Tajima Beef Dinner which is only available during winter season. Dinner is taken in your room. This was a huge feast. Dinner kicked off with a wonderful crab sake and appetizers. This was followed by one whole steamed crab. Next came a crab soup and sashimi platter (with even more crab…). We were then served crab grilled in front of you followed by the dry age Tajima beef steak (this was two small slices which was slightly disappointing). My favourite was the crab hot pot. After cooking your crab legs in the hot pot, the broth would be turned into porridge. The meal ended with a fruits platter. In total, we were served what seemed to be three huge Matsuba crabs. If you are a crab lover, you would definitely love this. Breakfast was also wonderful, but served in the dining hall. The cost for one night of lodging (with the dinner and breakfast) is 91,000 yen per person. Service is superb here and the room and grounds of the ryokan. including the Japanese gardens, are beautiful. Do consider a one night stay here to pamper yourself.
Casual
i. Rokukaku Tei (Tabelog Score: 3.74) – Osaka
Score: 4 / 5
Review: This is an upscale casual kushikatsu restaurant found on the second floor of a storefront within Kuromon market in Osaka. This is a course meal featuring nearly 20 sticks of kushikatsu. You will also be provided with a variety of dipping sauces and the server will indicate which sauce to use for each dish. This was a really fun and interesting meal with different flavour combinations. There is some counter seating but if you are in a group larger than 2 they would usher you to a table seat. This is quite a large restaurant with many groups so it can get quite noisy. Dinner costs 9200 yen per person and includes coffee/tea and desserts.
Reservation difficulty: Easy – Booked one month in advance on Tabelog.
ii. Tonkatsu Fujii (Tabelog Score: 3.79) – Osaka
Score: 4.25 / 5
Review: This is a small Tonkatsu restaurant a short walk from Sembayashi station. The counter here only sits about 6. They serve Tokyo X and a different kind of pork called Rose pork IIRC. We had the Tokyo X loin and order a fried chicken breast seasonal special. Both were exceptional and I really like the batter used here. We were also served rice, soup and salad. Prices seemed reasonable for food of this quality.
Reservation difficulty: Easy – Booked one month in advance on Tablecheck.
iii. Ookuniya Mambei (Tabelog Score: 3.76) - Kyoto
Score: 4.25 / 5
Review: This is a small specialist-unagi restaurant near Nishiki market in Kyoto. They have only one dish here, which is their kansai-style kabayaki unagi served with rice cooked in claypot. The unagi was great. It had good char and a slightly crispy out layer. You will be asked to leave some rice in your bowl and they will bring around tea to transform your remaining rice into ochazuke. Very delicious. This will cost 7000 yen per person.
Reservation difficulty: Easy – Booked one month in advance via hotel concierge.
iv. Yamamoto Menzou (Tabelog Score: 3.98) - Kyoto
Score: 4.0 / 5
Review: This is the top Tabelog-rated udon shop in Kyoto. I had tried to get my hotel to make reservations and was told that they only take reservation on that day at 9am. My hotel tried again at 9am on the day but was unsuccessful. We instead opted to go down to the store at 10am to try and get in line. Once we got there, we were told that the main store would only be for diners with reservations and we were ushered to the takeaway shop two doors down. The takeaway shop has an indoor standing counter for eating. You can still order udon here, albeit with less options and in a shabbier setting, but you will have to eat it out of takeaway bowls. You will also have to tear open the plastic soup sachets and pour it out yourself. I couldn’t understand why they didn’t just serve the soup in the bowl if they know you are eating at the counter. I had the hot udon soup with burdock root tempura. The udon had great texture and was super chewy and the soup was delicious. The tempura was so-so. There was quite a large line at the takeaway store as we left around 11am so I would advise coming. Prices are very reasonable (between 1000 yen – 2000 yen). I hope to score a reservation and eat at the main store in the future.
Reservation difficulty: Difficult – Call in or use your hotel concierge.
v. Unagi Uomasa (Tabelog Score: 4.14 – Bronze 2024) - Tokyo
Score: 4.5 / 5
Review: An unagi-specialist restaurant in outer Tokyo, reserving this place is easy. They are famous for serving wild eel (which you must order in advance online) but since it was not in season we settled on domestic farmed eel. We had the unaju and it was fantastic. The unagi is prepared kanto-style so it is soft and fluffy with a slight char. It paired very well with the sauce. Once seated, be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes for them to cook your eels. You will be served soup and eel bones as appetizers. Prices start from 7700 yen for the domestic farmed eel, which is honestly good enough.
Reservation difficulty: Easy – Book one month in advance on Tablecheck.
vi. Jambo Hanare (Tabelog Score: 4.29 – Silver 2024) - Tokyo
Score: 4.75 / 5
Review: This is a must-visit for any beef lover. Reserving this place is moderately easy online. You can go with the course meal or ala carte option, and went with ala carte. If reserving online, you can preorder some rice dishes. I highly suggest to order the beef pot rice. This is rice in a beef bouillon mixed with a special steak sauce, topped with wagyu beef. This was incredibly decadent and out of this world. I also heard the stone-grilled yukhoe rice is a must try as well. Other dishes we order were equally incredible. I would recommend the nohara yaki (their signature sukiyaki) and the chateaubriand steak. Service was great and the prices for ala carte are very reasonable given the quality of the meat. Would definitely come back for more in the future.
Reservation difficulty: Easy / Moderate – Booked one month on Tablecheck.
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I hope you enjoyed reading my reviews. I did not manage to try all the places I wanted to on this trip. My wishlist includes:
- Sushi Sanshin (Osaka) – was not fast enough on Omakase.in
- Kiyama (Kyoto) – this is easy to book but I found it hard to justify having back-to-back Kaiseki meal after Ogata
- Kataori (Kanazawa) – I could not find a way to attempt to book this online (hotel concierge was not helpful), can anyone advise?
- Sushi Mekumi (Kanazawa) – I heard Mekumi is easy to book on Tableall, but it was closed during the dates I was that. Visiting during crab season seems to be a must.

The first thing that hits me when I step out of the car is the overwhelming silence. Hollow Creek is a small town nestled in the middle of nowhere, with its dwindling population and a sense of desolation hanging in the air. It's different from the kind of place you'd expect to find much work as a freelance journalist. Still, with bills to pay and a need for a change of scenery, I decided to take a chance on this mysterious letter. It said the Whispering Pines Motel is promising a story unlike any other. Now, as I approach the front desk, I can't help but wonder if it was all just a cruel joke.
The receptionist, an elderly woman with a knowing smile, greets me with a forced warmth. Her name is Edna, and she tells me that I'll be staying in room 12, just down the hall. As I walk past the reception area, I can't help but notice the framed newspaper clippings on the walls: headlines like "Whispering Pines: A Haven for the Restless" and "Mysterious Noises Plague the Night." Stories of guests leaving in the middle of the night for unknown reasons.
My room is dimly lit, with a musty odor that reminds me of old books. The furniture looks like it's been here since The Motel was built, and the bedspread is threadbare. A small window by the bed is covered by a thin curtain that billows in the night breeze.
The Motel is on the main road, and the town's only restaurant is just a few doors down and across the street. Walking through the empty street, I notice that most buildings are boarded up or appear abandoned. The only light source comes from the diner's flickering neon sign, casting eerie shadows across the pavement.
I approach the diner and step inside. The atmosphere inside is comforting, almost cozy, with the smell of coffee and bacon filling the air. The waitress, a young woman named Lily, greets me with a warm smile and offers to take my order. I play it cool and order coffee, hoping to start a conversation.
I can't help but overhear snippets of conversations at nearby tables. One man, who looks like he's in his early twenties, is telling a story about a woman he met at the Motel with a haunting past and secrets she's willing to kill to keep. Intrigued, I walk over to them and introduce myself.
"You must be Riley," the man says, nodding in my direction. "I'm Tom, and this is my brother, Mark."
Mark glances up from his coffee, a cautious expression on his face. "Yeah, we heard you were new in town. Lily told us you're a journalist."
"That's right," I reply, sitting opposite them. "I got a letter from one of the Motel's former guests, offering me a story. Something about restless spirits and strange occurrences. I was hoping you could fill me in."
Tom leans in closer, "It's true, Riley. This town has a dark secret. You see there was a fire at the Whispering Pines. It started in one of the rooms, and half the building was destroyed when they put it out. People died in that fire, and their spirits haven't been able to find peace. They say you can hear them whispering in the halls at night."
I can't help but wonder if there's any truth to the story. Lily arrives with my coffee. I thank her and take a sip, savoring the warmth it brings to my hands.
"So, what do you think?" Tom asks, watching me intently. "You believe us?"
"It's an interesting story. But I'd like to see some proof before I write about it. Anything you can show me?"
Tom and Mark exchange glances, then Tom reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, worn photo album. He slides it across the table to me, and I open it up. Inside are grainy photographs of the Motel, taken years ago. Pictures of the fire, rescue workers trying to contain the flames, and a group of people standing outside the Motel.
"These were taken just after the fire," Tom explains. "The woman in the photo was the Motel's owner's wife. Her name was Sarah. After the fire, she went crazy and talked about voices in the walls, freed spirits, and missing guests. A lot of people think she started the fire, trying to rid the place of the spirits."
I glance back at the photos, taking in the haunted expression on Sarah's face. Whatever she experienced during those dark days left a mark on her.
Lily arrives with food, setting a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me. "Here you go, Riley. Enjoy!" She says with a warm smile.
"Oh, sorry, I actually didn't order anything except coffee. Also, how do you know my name?" I ask, feeling a bit unnerved.
"Well, Riley, you see..." Tom begins, leaning back in his chair. "Sarah isn't the only one affected by the fire. The spirits reach out to certain people and make them see things. And sometimes, they share information. You must have something special about you that they recognized."
I glance around the diner, feeling a shiver run down my spine. The other patrons seem oblivious to our conversation, lost in their thoughts and newspapers.
"So, what else can you tell me about Sarah?" I ask, changing the subject.
Tom shakes his head. "No one could ever prove anything. The fire destroyed most of the evidence, and Sarah... well, she wasn't much help. She spent most of her time ranting about the spirits. But there were always rumors. Some people said she had help starting the fire; others said she was unstable and looking for a way out. As for the guests who went missing... well, no one ever found any bodies. There were whispers that the spirits had taken them, too."
He pauses, taking a sip of coffee, and I can see the pain in his eyes. "We all thought it was just a tragic accident at first. But over time, things started changing. We'd hear footsteps in the hallway, doors slamming shut on their own. It got so bad that some of us started avoiding the Motel at night."
"Do you guys work at the Motel?" I ask, trying to sound casual. "You seem to know a lot about what happened."
"Well, yeah, I've been here for a few years now. And Mark here has been working the night shift. We've all seen and heard things that... well, it's hard to explain."
I nod, "So, what do you think happened to Sarah?" I ask, unable to keep the curiosity from my voice. "Do you think she's still alive?"
Tom shrugs. "No one really knows. Some people say she's still here, trapped in her room, unable to escape the horrors she witnessed."
I glance at Tom, noticing the haunted look in his eyes. "What about you? What do you think happened?"
He takes a deep breath before answering. "Sometimes, I see her in the shadows, just watching us. Other times, I think she's a ghost, trapped here with the rest of them. But, it's clear that something bad went down at the Motel. And it's not just in the past. It's still here, lurking in the darkness."
The rest of our conversation lasted as long as it took me to eat. I was exhausted and needed to sleep before I started writing, so I went back to the Motel at around 8:30pm and settled in bed.
I could have sworn I heard footsteps in the hallway outside my room. They were faint, barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat.
I could sleep through it, telling myself it was a staff member doing their duties. I finally fell asleep until I heard this high-pitched, non-stop squeak, stuttering every few seconds. It wasn't loud, but just enough to wake me up. I look over at the clock; it reads 3:08am. I decide to open the door slowly, its creak intensifying the mysterious squeak.
Nothing, no one there. I walk slowly as the noise gets louder, but I cannot locate it. I thought it could be an old furnace that they never replaced, but the air in the hallway was so cold. Deciding to believe my furnace assumption, I headed back to my room, but on my way, I could have sworn I had heard someone whispering. When I moved closer, it sounded like it was coming from the walls, just like the town folks said.
As I close the door and crawl back into bed, the whispering grows louder, like it's outside my door. It's getting harder to ignore; the whispers are saying something. I lie there, paralyzed with fear, until finally, the whispering fades away into the distance.
The next day, I push the strange occurrences out of my mind and focus on my work. I spent most of the day researching the Motel's history. As the day drags on, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched, that the Motel is alive with a malevolent energy that's intent on driving me mad.
Around dinnertime, I take a break from my research and venture into town. I'm hoping to find someone who might have some insight into what really happened to Sarah. As I walk along the empty street, the air is thick with anticipation, as if the town is holding its breath and waiting for something terrible to happen.
I stop at the diner and take a seat at the counter. The waitress, not the same as last night, an older woman with kind eyes and a knowing smile, sets a menu in front of me. I notice the prices are shockingly low. When I ask her about it, she just says, "Around here, we take care of our own."
I order a burger and a soda, hoping to gather enough courage to ask questions. When the food arrived, I couldn't help but notice that it was some of the best diner food I'd ever had. The waitress must be using some family recipes. As I eat, I discuss with an elderly man sitting at the end of the counter. His name is Hank, and he's lived in the town all his life.
"You're new around here?" he asks. When I confirm his suspicion, he leans close, lowering his voice. "You should be careful about asking too many questions. This town has a long memory, and we don't take kindly to outsiders who pry into our business."
His words chill me, but I can't help but press on. "I'm just trying to find out what happened to Sarah," I say, my voice barely audible.
Hank eyes me before leaning back in his chair. "Well, you've got to understand," he begins, "Sarah was...different. She wasn't like the rest of us. She didn't belong here."
I'm taken aback by his words, but I nod, encouraging him to continue. "But she was still a person, right? She deserved better than whatever happened to her."
Hank glances around the diner, lowering his voice even further. "You're right, she did. But you see, there was...an incident. Something that changed everything. Something that made people start talking, whispering." He hesitates momentarily, then leans in closer. "You see, there was a time when the Motel was different. It was...alive, in a way. People would come from miles around just to see it, just to see its magnificent décor and lively air." Hank sighed heavily as if the story's weight was too much for him to bear. "Back then, the Motel had another owner, a middle-aged man named Jeremiah. He was different, too. He was married to Sarah.
He pauses, looking haunted by the memory. "There was a fire at the Motel. No one knows how it started, but it spread quickly. Sarah and Jerimiah had four boys; two of the oldest sons died in the fire along with their father."
I let out a gasp, unable to believe the horror of the story. "But what happened to Sarah?" I ask, feeling a deep sense of dread creeping up on me.
"She went crazy and locked herself away in the Motel after they restored it. She would go on about how she freed those poor spirits. The now oldest son took over the Motel." he says.
"Did authorities not suspect Sarah?" I ask.
"Oh, they did. They brought her in for questioning, but they were never able to get anything other than her crazy ramblings. They never found enough evidence to prosecute anyone, so it was deemed an accident." He says.
I'm stunned, "So, she's still there?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Hank laughs, "That's what people around here say, but that was forty-something years ago, and if I'm to guess by her looks, Sarah was in her mid-forties. That would mean she would be almost eighty, and I don't reckon she could stay alive that long without leaving her room."
"But...if she really did set the fire and hurt those people..." I trail off.
Hank shrugs. "Like I said, no one knows for sure what happened. And after all this time, it's probably best left that way." He glances at his watch, signaling that the conversation is over.
I nod, feeling a mixture of disbelief and horror coursing through me. Something about Sarah's story refuses to let me go. I thank Hank for his time and pay for my lunch, leaving the diner.
As I walk back to the Motel, I can't help but wonder; was Sarah genuinely insane or just trying to protect something? With its faded grandeur and haunted past, the Motel holds a strange allure for me now. It's as if I can feel the weight of its history pressing down on my shoulders, demanding that I uncover the truth.
I get to my room and spend the rest of the day exploring the motel grounds. The air is thick with the scent of old wood and damp earth and the sound of leaves rustling in the distance. I wander past open rooms with peeling paint and boarded-up windows.
I find a dusty photo album on a dresser in one of the abandoned rooms. Carefully opening the tattered cover, I discover a collection of faded photographs depicting the Motel in its heyday: couples dancing beneath twinkling chandeliers, laughing children running through the hall. There's even a picture of Sarah and Jeremiah smiling brightly for the camera.
I close the album, feeling a strange mixture of nostalgia and sadness. As I turn to leave, I notice a bookshelf in the hallway. Most books are dog-eared romance novels, but one title catches my eye: "The Haunting of the Hotel Amity: A True Story." It seemed morbidly fitting for the scene, but I decided to move past it and head to the front desk to interview Edna.
The afternoon passes quickly as I spend time with Edna, listening to her stories of working at the Motel and meeting various guests. She speaks fondly of Sarah, insisting that she is a good woman who only wants to protect the place she loves. Edna also mentioned that she had heard stories from other employees about strange occurrences in the Motel. Still, she always brushed them off as superstitious nonsense.
"Have you never experienced anything like that?" I ask, "Any strange occurrences?"
Edna pauses, her expression thoughtful. "Well, there was one time when I was cleaning a room, and I swear I heard someone calling my name. I thought it was just the wind at first, but the voice sounded so real. It gave me a chill." She shudders, her eyes distant with memory.
I nod, unsure what to make of her story. Even the people who were closest to Sarah were left with more questions than answers. I head back to my room.
It was only 9pm, but I was tired, so I lay down and drifted asleep.
As I closed my eyes, I thought about Sarah and her story. I couldn't help but feel that there was something more to the Motel than what had been revealed. Something darker, more sinister. Perhaps the faded photos in the album or the eerie silence seemed to permeate the halls, but I couldn't shake the feeling that a story was yet to be told.
I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the Motel and its secrets. In my dreams, I wandered through its empty halls. I could feel the weight of history pressing down on me. And in the distance, I thought I heard the faint strains of a melody, like a distant echo of a time long gone. Suddenly, in my dream, I needed to look at the book I had spotted earlier about the Amity Hotel. Something about it drew me in, and when I went to pick it up, I was awoken by the loud, stuttered squeak like the one from the night prior.
I look at the clock again: 3:04am.
The dream felt real, and the urge to investigate the book was almost overwhelming. I slip out of bed, padding quietly across the carpeted floor. The eerie silence of the Motel seems to press against my ears as I make my way to the bookshelf in the corner. There, nestled between a romance novel and a travel guide, is the worn copy of "The Haunting of the Hotel Amity: A True Story."
I pulled it down, but it only moved slightly, getting stuck when I tried pulling further. Finally, after yanking a bit, I felt it give a little more; it's frozen in place as if it was tipping. Suddenly, I hear an amalgamation of gears turning behind it, and the shelf opens slightly on one side. I pull on the released side, and it opens like a door, leading to a passageway between the walls.
I step inside, flicking on my phone's flashlight. The narrow passageway is dimly lit by flickering bulbs every few feet, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air is musty and stale. I make my way down the passageway, the squeak louder the further I go. I can see a dark opening at the end, so I put on a brave face and walk toward it when I hear a voice from the dark opening. I could barely hear it over the loud squeak and couldn't understand what they were saying, but I knew I shouldn't be here anymore, so I sneaked out of the passage. I tried to close the door as slowly as possible, but the voices were approaching fast, so I left it ajar.
Rushing into bed, slowly closing the door as it creaked louder than I anticipated. Finally, I was in bed, mind racing with the possibilities of what was in that room at the end of the passageway.
The voices grew louder as they approached my room. I shut my eyelids tight.
They were right in front of my door; this time, I could faintly make out some words. There were words like "her" and "Has to be," and the one that made my heart race was "Only guest here."
The handle turned slowly, and the door creaked open. I loosened my eyelids to peak at who it was, revealing a shadowy figure in the doorway. It was Edna, but there was something different about her. Her usually kind face was twisted in anger, her eyes burning with an unnatural light. She glanced at me, for just a moment before she turned her attention back to the others in the hall.
"Leave her for now," Edna said. The other voices murmured in agreement, their whispers echoing down the hall. As they turned away, I felt a chill run down my spine. Finally, they leave.
I slowly get out of bed, and as quietly as possible, I pack my things. I planned to jump out of the window if I had to.
Suddenly, the squeak stopped, and the Motel was much too quiet again. The eerie silence of the Motel seems to press against my ears as I try to calm my racing thoughts. I close my eyes, but I can't help but feel a sense of dread creeping up on me.
Just as I'm about to fall asleep, I hear a faint click coming from the hallway. My heart starts pounding again as I realize someone is moving through the Motel, methodically checking each room. The clicking grows louder as the person gets closer, and I hear footsteps outside my door.
I lie there, paralyzed. The footsteps pause outside my door, and I hear a low whisper. "She's in here?" I freeze. "Yeah, she's in there, but Edna doesn't want us to disturb her until Tom says it's time." Tom? I thought to myself. The guy from the diner on my first night? The one that already knew my name before introducing myself?
"Man fuck Tom," One of the voices said, "Just being Jeremiah's son is the only reason we have to listen to that prick."
"Yeah, unless you want to end up in one of his films, you better listen to that prick." The other man proclaims. The two sets of footsteps walk away from my door.
Films? What the hell were they talking about?
Why did Edna seem so angry earlier? Why were these men talking about me in the hallway like I was a film project?
As the night wears on, I can't help but feel like I'm at the center of some sort of twisted game. I lie awake, listening to the occasional creak of a floorboard or whispered conversation down the hall. Eventually, exhaustion overtakes me, and I fall into a fitful sleep.
I first notice the light streaming through the window when I wake up. It's morning, and with it comes a sense of urgency. I quickly dress and gather my things, making my way to the diner. As I approach, I see Tom sitting at a booth, already deep in conversation with Mark. They glance up at me as I enter, and Tom motions for me to join them.
"Good morning, Sunshine," Tom says with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Care to join us?"
I sit across from them, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that settles in my stomach. "Good morning," I manage to say.
"So, how are you finding our little motel?" Tom asks, leaning in closer. "I hope we're taking good care of you." There's an undertone to his voice that I can't quite place.
I force a smile, trying to appear more confident than I feel. "It's been fine, I guess."
Tom raises an eyebrow at my noncommittal response. "I hope you don't mean that as a complaint. We've gone to great lengths to ensure you have everything you need."
I glance at Mark sitting next to Tom. His expression is unreadable, and he seems to be observing me. "It's not that," I say quickly, hoping to reassure them. "I'm just... I'm not used to being around so little people." There, that sounds believable.
"Well, hopefully, you will settle in a little bit before you have to leave. See my brother Mark here," he gestures over to Mark, "he's in charge of maintenance, and if there's anything he can do to help you feel more comfortable, let him know!" Tom says with a forced smile.
I nod, still feeling uneasy. "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine." I glance around the diner, trying to appear calm and collected. The place is filled with small wooden tables and booths, each covered in a checkered red-and-white tablecloth. The walls are adorned with old movie posters and black-and-white photographs of people I assume are famous actors. The air is thick with the scent of coffee and bacon, making my stomach rumble.
"So, what's on the menu today?" I ask, hoping to change the subject. Tom hands me a menu, and I scan the options, debating between pancakes and eggs. "I'll have the pancakes, please." I look up at Tom, then Mark, waiting for their response.
"Excellent choice!" Tom says with a smile. "I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Mark, will you go ahead and get our order?" Mark nods and stands, making his way over to the waitress. I watch him go, still feeling a sense of unease. The air between Tom and me has become heavy, and I can't help but wonder what they want from me.
As I wait for our food, I glance around the diner again, hoping to find some escape route. The exit is right behind me, but a large man is sitting in a booth by the door, looking like he might be a bouncer at a bar. I don't want to make a scene, but I must leave.
The waitress returns with our food, setting down plates of steaming hot pancakes in front of us. The aroma is intoxicating, and my stomach grumbles in anticipation. I pick up my fork, debating whether or not to eat anything at all. Tom glances at my plate and smiles reassuringly as if he can read my mind.
A few bites in, I realize my anxiety won't let me eat anymore. I tried to find an excuse to leave and investigate the Motel further.
"I'm sorry, Tom. I feel like I need some fresh air," I say, smiling. "I'm going to step outside for a bit. Maybe go for a walk." I say, hoping he doesn't hear my voice shake.
Tom nods understandingly. "Of course, Riley. Take your time. We'll be right here if you need anything." He reaches across the table and gently pats my hand, his expression softening.
I push my chair back and stand up, trying to appear calm and confident as I walk towards the exit. As I pass by the large man in the booth, he gives me a quick once-over before returning to his meal. The air outside is cool and crisp, and I take a deep breath of fresh air. The Motel is just across the street, and I can see Tom and Mark sitting in the diner, watching me.
I stroll down the sidewalk, pretending to look at the shops along the way. But really, my attention is focused on the Motel. The neon sign flickers above the door, casting an eerie glow on the building. The rooms are arranged in a U-shape around a central courtyard.
I pause for a moment, debating whether or not to go inside. A part of me wants to know what Tom and Mark are up to, but another part is terrified of what I might find. Before I can decide, a car pulls beside me, and a woman rolls down her window.
"Hey, honey, need a ride somewhere?" she asks, her voice laced with a Southern drawl. She's probably around my mom's age, with long, curly, graying hair and a warm smile. Something about her seems genuine, and I trust her for a moment.
"Uh, no thanks, I'm feeling sick, so I'm going back to my room," I said before quickly walking away. It felt like the entire town was watching me.
I make my way back to the Motel, my heart racing. I try to calm my nerves as I approach my room. As soon as I unlock the door, I collapse onto the bed, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and fear wash over me. I close my eyes and try to think about anything else, but I can't shake the feeling of anxiety.
Now is an excellent time to look further into the dark opening at the end of the passageway I found last night. I carefully walk down the hallway, feeling the cool air from the vent blowing against my face. The walls are covered in peeling wallpaper, and a strong, musty odor makes me feel uneasy. As I approach the bookshelf, I attempt to reach for the Amity Hotel book, but when I pull it, nothing happens. I didn't dream that whole thing, did I? No, they must've changed the book, so I go through each individual book, pulling each one carefully.
"Can I help you find anything in particular?" Edna said with a bit of contempt as she snuck up behind me.
I spun around, startled. "Oh, uh, no. Just, um... looking for a book I thought I saw."
Edna raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Well, you're not going to find it here," she said, gesturing to the bookshelf. "Those books are just for show." She paused, studying me for a moment. "Why were you looking for, anyway?"
"It was something about A Hotel in Amity. Considering where I am, I thought it would be a good read." I reply, still trying to play it cool.
Edna chuckles darkly. "Oh, that's Tom and Mark's favorite. One of them probably took it with them."
"Oh, okay. I'll look for something else then." I say, glancing back at the bookshelf. Edna watches me for a moment before disappearing back into her room. I stand there momentarily before continuing to search for the book lever that opens the bookshelf, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Finally, one book will only pull out some of the way. It had to be another lever, but remembering how loud the hidden door was, I decided to wait to pull it, when I hear the loud squeak tonight, hoping it would mask most of the sound of the gears turning behind the door.
Late that night, I creep out of my room and return to the bookshelf. The air is thick with the smell of stale cigarette smoke. I carefully yanked the book out as far as it could go before I could hear the gears. I'm confident the squeak is loud enough to mask the bookshelf. I opened it and slid into the passageway leading to the dark opening.
I step inside, and the squeak is almost too much, but I press on. I hear multiple men talking loudly and laughing as I enter the room. As I turn the corner, I can see lights dancing on the wall like someone was watching an old movie, and the smell of cigar smoke fills my lungs. Quietly moving further in, I can see a giant old movie projector that was making the stuttered squeak from its giant bent and dented film rolls scraping against the side of the projector.
I look to see what is playing on the screen, but I'm distracted by about eight men, mostly old except Tom, Mark, and another younger-looking man. They don't see me, or they don't care enough to acknowledge me.
They were sitting in a makeshift movie theater, but none of the fun.
Finally, I looked up at the screen and felt sick. They were showing a homemade old snuff film. Then I realized it couldn't be that old since I recognized Tom and Mark. They were doing unspeakable things with women of all ages.
I look down at the group of men and see them all staring at me with a menacingly evil grin. I froze in immense fear.
Staring at them for an eternity, I suddenly felt a sting in my neck, like someone had injected me with something. As my vision darkened, I could see the face of the man holding me with one hand and a syringe in the other. It was the bouncer-looking man I had seen in the diner.
When I wake up, my head is pounding. The room is spinning, and my vision is blurry. I can see little memory flashes of the group picking me up and moving me to the room next to the makeshift theater. My clothes are gone, and I'm naked except for a loose robe. There's a sour taste in my mouth, and my body feels heavy and sour. I'm tied to a mattress that smells like sweat and fear. I struggle against my bonds, but they're too tight.
I see an antique film camera on an even older tripod. There were huge lights all around me that were turned off. Suddenly, they were blinding me as I heard the men laughing.
"Oh, Walter Cronkite, what will we do with you?" I recognize Tom's voice, "You were THIS close! A shame, but I can't say I'm surprised. You have a lot of fight, and we LOVE that." The men laugh way too hard.
The camera is pointed at me; it's old and dusty but still working. I close my eyes and try to steel my nerves, but I can't help but feel sick. The memory of the snuff film plays over and over in my head, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm about to be a part of it.
"Now, now, Tom," I hear Mark say, his voice steady and calm. "No need for that. We've got plans for Anderson Cooper here." The other men chuckle menacingly. "She's going to be a star."
As Tom approaches me, I hear most men leave the room, and Mark sets up behind the camera.
"You want to know the full story, Hunter S. Thompson? I think you deserve to know at this point." Tom says as he undoes his belt, "Well, let me fill in some blanks for you," he sits next to me on the floor after taking off his shirt, "You see, my father, Jeremiah had a great business going here, and I'm not talking about the Motel. He would lure women to stay here, where he would drug them and film himself having his way with them while someone filmed through the two-way mirror. It was a great business, those films. Rich people from all around the world would buy them. Plus, most women never even knew what happened by the time they checked out, but the ones who gave us trouble had to be dealt with. Eventually, my mom, Sarah, got a little too nosey. She kept asking about how my father could make so much money while running a Motel, so she snooped into his things and found some evidence that would crumble our entire family. She confided her findings to her two oldest sons, but when she realized they were in on it too, she went crazy. We tried to keep her quiet, but she wouldn't let it go. Finally, one day, she couldn't take the guilt, and the madwoman opened every unlocked room; she would set anything flammable on fire. Eventually, the fire got out of control and started to spread. The fire killed my brother and father, along with a lot more of the women my mom was trying to save. We finally stopped it, and, being about 20 at the time, I already knew what was going on and was more than ready to take it over with some improvements." He stops for a second, reminiscing on memories.
He touches my face softly with the back of his hand. It's a rough hand that feels like sandpaper scraping my cheek.
"I was going to leave my mother alive, but when she kept talking about 'Saving victim's spirits,' she was making me nervous. I was close with my mother as a kid, so I didn't have the heart to kill her myself, but Mark here," he gestured toward Mark behind the camera, "He's a cold, hard killer." He stares at Mark for a long time. "We couldn't do it out in the open like my father and brothers did, so I had them build passages into the walls of the hallways, opened by various bookshelves. And added a whole hidden room at the end. Doing it during the restoration, it was a perfect cover. We still use all the equipment my father used, as you can see," He gestures to the antique camera that was now filming them. It's a bitch to find someone willing to develop the film, let alone someone who won't ask questions, but I had to keep it this way to honor my Father and Brother's legacy."
He pauses, leaning close to me, his breath hot on my ear. "And now, it's your turn. You're going to be the next big star. You're going to have your own room," He gestures around the damp, death-filled room, "your own things. You'll be taken care of and never have to leave. You'll be part of the family." His hand runs through my hair, cupping the back of my head. "And Mark, don't forget to get some shots of my good side."
"Oh, I won't," Mark says with a chuckle. He walks around me, positioning himself so the camera can point straight at my face.
I try to shrug off the chills that run down my spine as I think about the stories Tom has just told me, and all I see is a lost man looking for something to hold onto.
Tom gets on top of me and starts kissing my neck, and I feel like throwing up. I can feel the ropes on the left hand are loose, so I take a minute to wiggle it out without letting anyone in the room notice. Once I got that hand free, I could get the other free, but I wasn't ready to fight back; I needed to wait for the right time.
Suddenly, the camera audibly stops recording, and Tom notices and looks back at Mark.
"What the hell is going on?" Tom asks angrily.
"The film got stuck, shit! I'm going to have to get a whole new one. Hold on one second." Mark says as he turns his back to exit the room.
Tom gets up, and I finally feel like I can breathe properly. His back is turned, inspecting the camera.
"Old fucking thing," Tom says to himself.
I take the opportunity to untie both ankles. As soon as I'm free, I lunge forward, wrapping my arms around Tom's waist and pulling him off-balance. He lets out a surprised yelp as we both crash to the ground. I scramble to my feet and take a few steps back, breathing hard. Tom glares at me, looking furious.
"You little bitch!" he shouts. "You think you can just take it from me? From my family?" He scrambles to his feet as well, advancing on me slowly. "I could kill you where you stand!"
I back away, my heart pounding in my chest. "I'm not going to let you do this," I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. "I'm not going to be another victim."
Tom laughs darkly, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, you think you're so special? You think you're the first one to say no?" He steps closer, "You're just like all the others. You're just another piece of meat."
My anger boils over, and I launch myself at him again. We wrestle for a moment, both of us grunting with exertion. He's stronger than me, but I push him against the bookshelf, where he loses his balance, and his head falls onto the corner of a dirt-stained counter. I walk slowly toward him, and I can see a pool of blood forming around his matted blonde hair. He's not breathing.
Mark, who must've heard the commotion, runs in just then. He freezes while looking down at his brother. "No, no, no, no! Tom! You can't do this to me! I can't do this shit alone!" Mark is sobbing while holding his brother's blood-soaked head.
I saw my opportunity and took it. I try to run past Mark, but he catches me by the ankle, making me drop to the floor. "You're not leaving!" he shouts, his voice hoarse with rage. He pulls a knife from his pocket, his hands trembling with fury. "You'll tell everyone you're sorry and then come with me."
I kick him in the face as hard as I can, making him release his grip on my ankle. He clutches his nose, blood pouring between his fingers. I turn and run, hearing him screaming obscenities behind me. I bolt out of the room, racing through the building while luckily not alerting anyone, not knowing where I'm going. I have to get out of here.
Outside, the air is cold and damp, the fog rolling off the ocean. I'm disoriented, my heart pounding in my chest. I am still determining where I am, but I know I must find help. I start running, my lungs burning with each ragged breath.
I come to a main road, a car's headlights blinding me as it speeds past. I wave my arms frantically, but the driver doesn't notice. Panic starts to rise up inside me as I realize that I'm alone and that no one knows what happened. I can't go back there, not after what I've done.
I start to walk, trying to figure out where I'm going. My feet are cold and numb, but I keep moving. The fog thickens, making it hard to see more than a few feet in front of me. I wish I had a cell phone to call the police and get help.
After what feels like hours of walking, I finally spot a streetlight. It's barely enough light to see by, but it's better than nothing. I walk towards it, hoping there might be a nearby house or business where I can find help. As I get closer, I see a police officer at a red light. I run to him, probably looking like a crazy crackhead with only a robe, and I'm sure I smell like death. The officer looks at me with a mixture of surprise and concern.
"Help me," I gasp out between breaths. "These people, they, they, they," I find myself unable to talk or see the words for what has happened. The officer takes my arm, his grip firm but not painful. He looks at me with concern, his brow furrowed.
"Take it easy. You're safe now. What's your name?" I tell him my name, feeling the fog of shock starting to lift from my brain. "Okay, why don't you tell me what happened?" I spend the next hour or so trying to explain everything to him, not caring how crazy I sound.
He listens intently, occasionally asking questions or nodding his head. When I finish, he sighs heavily, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Okay, I need you to come to the station with me. We'll get this all sorted out." We take off in his cruiser.
I spent the night at the police station, retelling my story to a half dozen people and getting medical care. The officer who saved me last night told me they sent someone this morning to the Motel to check it out. He said that night, no one except Edna was in the building. She let them look around, and eventually, they found the hidden passages in the walls leading to the basement where they found everything. They arrested Edna, and she denied involvement, but they kept her for further questioning. They claim Edna was the only one there, so Mark must've gotten away.
That was a little over a decade ago, and they still haven't located Mark. Maybe he's dead in a ditch where he belongs. Still, maybe, just perhaps, he could recreate their operation at a new Motel.
Any time I see one, I have PTSD flashbacks of laying on that dirty mattress. Once, I was shopping at a department store and saw this guy on every lane I went down. He never looked at me enough to get a good look at his face, but eventually, he left after I locked myself in the bathroom for an hour.
It's funny how the mind works. I'll be watching a movie, and I'll see a character get kidnapped, and I'll think, "At least they didn't cut my ear off like that guy did."