/!\ This script is part of a big project, an ASMR series named « Dream Love Otome » : more information HERE
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- This script is part of the script series (Dream Love Otome).
- This series is an MMMMM4A (or MMMMMA4A) audio, which can be a collaboration or adapted for a single voice to cover different characters.
- This series can be posted in one or multiple parts.
- If done within the context of the Dream Love Otome series, the roleplay, or at least one part, must include [INTRODUCTION].
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BUT
- I understand that a collaboration or such a large series requires a lot of work, and not everyone can manage it.
- Therefore, and because I don't want to deprive VAs of these scripts, I authorize making ASMR videos with these scripts outside the Dream Love Otome series.
- However, if that's the case, it should be used as a simple School Life roleplay and not include [INTRODUCTION].
- If it’s not from Dream Love Otome, it can be adapted in a F4A or A4A version
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~First of all, some information about the script :~
I'm open to monetization as long as I receive credit. Minor adjustments to the script for recording are okay, as long as they maintain the original meaning. Adding sound effects or music isn't required, but it can enhance the story's immersion. The key is ensuring the listener understands the plot. My scripts are adaptable to any speaker or listener (A4A, M4A, F4A). If there are any uncertainties, feel free to ask for clarification.
Since English isn't my first language, please notify me of any errors in the script or story structure.
[Otome Game] [Romance] [Popular] [Flirty] [School Life]
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Context: (You've been transported into the Dream Love Otome video game and find yourself in a virtual campus.)
As a new student, you wander through the school and explore the surroundings. You come across a secluded area where a delinquent names Raven, who seems to be resting. He is aggressive and rude at first but can turn out to be much softer and kinder than he appears.
Audio length: 1300-1500 sw, 9 to 17 min
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[The scene unfolds in the school backyard, near the garden. Raven is there, sitting on a bench.]
Raven (noticing noises): Hm, who's there? Hey? Is someone here? Show yourself!
(Listener emerges from hiding)

Raven (aggressive): Huh? Who are you? What are you doing here?
Raven: You don't seem to know where you've landed, so let me explain. This area of the school is condemned and off-limits to students. You've got no business here!
(…)

Raven (annoyed): Hey, got no tongue, or what? Or are you just too shy?
Raven (sighs): Man, you really seem lost. Listen, I know it might seem cool to hang out in forbidden areas, but it's for your own good to stay away from here.
(…)

Raven: Me? What am I doing here? Uh...
Raven: That's none of your business! I don't owe you an explanation!
(Listener starts to walk away) [Footsteps]

Raven: Hey, wait! You're not going to snitch to the teachers that I'm here, are you?
Raven: This place is my way to get a little peace.
(…)

Raven: It's my spot. I don't really care if I'm unpopular, but I'm trying to keep a low profile right now; I've already been in detention several times this week.
Raven: I suggest you stay away from me, I'm not the kind of student who follows the rules to the letter, and if you want to keep any semblance of a reputation, you should leave.
(…)

Raven: What? You don't have a reputation in this school? So, you're new, aren't you?
Raven (mocking): Ah, that explains why I've never seen you before. Usually, everyone knows me... or at least has heard of me. I'm the school's troublemaker.
(…)

Raven (rude): Okay, listen up. I'm not going to repeat myself indefinitely. Get out of here; this isn't a place for you. You seem more like the studious and calm type.
Raven: Don't you rather want to go to the library or the music room?
(…)

Raven: Or don’t you have a class to attend or a club to join? Come on, go mind your own business and leave me alone.
Raven (frustrated): Why are you standing there? Are you deaf or something? I told you to leave!
(Listener approaches and stands in front)

Raven (panicked): Hey, what are you doing? Why are you getting closer? Stop, keep your distance!
Raven (embarrassed): Seriously, why are you coming so close? No, don't sit next to me!
[Pause]

Raven (sighs): You're really weird, you know that? I specifically told you not to come, but you don't listen at all.
Raven (embarrassed): Why are you staring at me like that? I seem tense?
Raven: Not... Not at all, I'm totally fine!
(…)

Raven: Okay, fine... You know... I'm not used to people being so close to me. And I struggle to interact with others like this. The way you're watching me... It's... it's just weird, okay?
Raven (hesitant): And why do you want to hang out with me anyway? I told you who I am, right? I'm considered a troublemaker. I'm not the kind of guy you want to be seen with.
(…)

Raven (amused): You don't care? Well, I don't really know if you're brave or totally crazy. Maybe a bit of both, huh?
(…)

Raven (sighs): Alright, do whatever you want, but don't come crying to me if you make enemies because of me.
Raven (looking away): So, uh... what's your name, by the way?
Raven: Hm... That's a pretty cute name, I guess. Me? I'm Raven.
(…)

Raven: Well, listen, I guess I can't change your mind, so go ahead, stay here if you want.
[Raven looks around, short silence]

Raven: Do you like this place? Me too, there's quite a bit of vegetation; I find it rather beautiful.
Raven: I like to come here when I need to get away from the crowd. It's quiet, you know? And nobody ever comes here, so I'm left alone.
(…)

Raven: So, why did you decide to come to this particular place? You know, the school is pretty big, and you'd have more chance to make friends somewhere else.
Raven: No, seriously. This isn't the kind of place where people just come to chill. Is there something that drew you here? Or maybe you're just lost...
(…)

Raven: A cat? You saw a cat come around here? And so you decided to follow it?
Raven (laughing): Hahaha, really? Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but who would follow a cat in a place like this? You really have no survival instincts, I swear!
(Listener approaches, offended)

Raven (amused): Okay, okay, sorry, I'll stop making fun of you, haha.
Raven: Anyway, thanks, it's been a while since I laughed so much.
Raven (calming down): Come on, don't take it personally. I'm joking. But still, you should be more careful. Pay more attention to yourself, okay?
(…)

Raven: And so, about this cat, what did it look like?
Raven: A big cat with multicolored fur, huh? Well, it should stand out pretty well among all these bushes.
(…)

Raven (noticing): Oh, look over there! A tail, that must be it!
[They approach the cat]

Raven: Pss pss, Mr. Cat, come here.
Raven: Hm? Why are you staring at me like that?
(…)

Raven: Listen, I know I don't look like the kind of guy who appreciates animals, but in reality, I really like them. I prefer their company to humans most of the time.
Raven: Anyway, this cat doesn't seem to want to come over, does he?
(…)

Raven: If I have food to give him? Oh, well, I think so, wait.
[Raven takes out his bag]

Raven: What? What's wrong? Do you think I'm carrying something suspicious?
Raven: Hey! I know I don't fit the stereotype of the model student, but I'm not a criminal either.
[Raven rummages in his bag]

Raven: Ah, here we go. I have a sandwich with some meat in it. That should please him.
Raven (to the cat): Here you go, little one. Do you want this? Come on, take it. It's good.
(…)

Raven: Oh, he is coming towards us!
Raven: Haha, looks like it's hungry. Do you want to give it some? Here, come closer, give me your hand.
Raven: Now, gently extend your hand to it. There you go, perfect.
Raven: That's it, good. I have to admit, it's quite cute to see.
[Add meowing]
(…)

Raven (embarrassed): Hm! I mean the cat... obviously!
Raven: By the way, you mentioned a tricolor cat, and I assumed it was male, but looking at its colors more closely, it looks like it's a tortoiseshell cat.
Raven: Haha, that's right, it must be female. It seems like our Mr. Cat is actually a Mrs. Cat.
Raven: Besides, it doesn't look like she's fat, but the shape of her belly suggests she's pregnant.
(…)

Raven: What? Doesn't everyone know that?
Raven: Anyway, someone should maybe inform the school so we can find homes for the future kittens. I... I would have done it myself, but given my reputation, I'd better hold back.
Raven: Would you do it for me? ...Thank you very much, I owe you one.
(…)

Raven: Well, look at that, it looks like she ate it all! Now she'll probably go back to her hiding spot.
(Listener tries to pet the cat again)

Raven: Oh, you should be careful, she might strike out at any moment. I wouldn't want you to get scratched-
(Listener gets scratched) [Sound of an unhappy cat]

Raven: Oh. Are you okay? I told you to be careful.
Raven: Don't blame her too much for scratching you; I think she's half wild and must be scared.
Raven: Come on, let's get up. We should probably leave her alone now. Let's go sit somewhere else.
[They walk, then sit down again]

Raven: Oh, but you're bleeding, wait, I must have something to take care of that.
Raven (takes out bandages and a cleaning lotion): Here, come closer, give me your hand. I'll take care of it.
[...]
Raven: Your hands are really tiny compared to mine... And they're so soft...
[Raven gently caresses the Listener's hand]

Raven: Oh, sorry... Let me finish disinfecting!
[Raven continues cleaning the wound]

Raven: There, I think that's good. Sorry about that, really. Cats can be a bit unpredictable.
(…)

Raven: And here's the finishing touch: a bandage!
Raven: Hey, why do I have Hello Kitty bandages?
(…)

Raven: Hey! Don't laugh! I swear I don't know why I have these! It must be my little sister who put them in my stuff! I swear!
Raven: Ugh, embarrassing...
(…)

Raven: Oh well, never mind, the important thing is that it protects the wound. So, does it hurt less now?
Raven: Good, I'm relieved.
(…)

Raven: Hm, what's up? Oh, your hand, I'm still holding it, aren't I?
Raven (more mischievous): And does it bother you? Are you embarrassed? Does it make your heart beat faster?
Raven: The new well-behaved student, getting so close to the school delinquent... Sounds like the plot of a bad teen movie...
(…)

Raven: Haha, sorry, I'll leave you alone now, you can have your hand back.
Raven: Anyway, I'm glad I got to spend some time with you, feeding that cat. Well, even if we can say we met in rather... unusual circumstances.
(…)

Raven: And also, I'm sorry for being mean and aggressive with you. I'll try to be nicer in the future.
Raven: What? There's no need to look so incredulous! Even a guy like me can admit when he's wrong.
(…)

Raven: Anyway, I don't hate being in your company.
Raven: And well, maybe we could... I don't know, see each other again? If you want, of course. I mean, here's a nice place if we want to stay away from prying eyes.
Raven: We could also go back to feed the cat if you want and spend some more time together.
(…)

Raven: But hey, it's up to you. If you're more comfortable away from me, I totally understand.
Raven: Oh, you accept... Good. Thank you.
(…)

Raven: Well, it looks like the school is about to close, you should leave if you don't want to be locked in here.
Raven: I guess I should go too. Well, I hope we'll have the chance to meet again. See you later!

(End)
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Joaquin Mondragon vs Puss in Boots (The book of Life VS Shrek/Shrek-verse)
-Both are characters from Mexican and death themed kids films who while noble heroes can be pretty full of themselves and airheaded. -Both are orphans (Joaquin's father died in battle; Puss was just dropped off at an orphanage).
-Both had gained immortality and became obsessed with keeping it. Not because they actually want immortality, but because they want to continue being able to be heroes in their eyes (Joaquin relying on The medal of ever lasting Life in battle; Puss with his nine lives because they allow him to live carelessly and "be the legend" in his words).
-Both end up becoming rivals with a childhood friend of theirs (Manolo, because of their desire for Maria; Humpty Dumpty, because of his willingness to do crime).
-Both end up complicating their relationships with a voice of reason woman they know because of something related to marriage (Maria because she only views Joaquin as a friend, but feels obligated to marry him so he can stay in San Angel; Kitty Softpaws after leaving her at the altar in Santa Columa).
-Both are also being hunted down by a villain because of their immortality (The Bandit King Chakal is hunting Joaquin down because he owns The medal of ever lasting Life; Death hunting Puss down to take his last life because he never cherished his other eight).
-Both end up making amends with their childhood friend as they sacrifice themselves, however ending with different outcomes (Manolo sacrificed himself by staying in the bell to block the explosion Chakal was about to cause. Except he actually survived because he was wearing The medal of ever lasting Life; Humpty Dumpty sacrificed himself by convincing Puss to let go of him in order to lift The Mother Goose's baby off of a ledge. He sadly [and obviously] didn't make it).
-Both also end up fixing their relationship with these voices of reason women (Joaquin accepting that Maria wants to be with Manolo; Puss showing that he's no longer the self absorbed legend and dating her again).
-Both at the end, did lose their immortality but instead grew as people with the help of those around them.
-While Puss pretended to like his facial hair and eventually cracked Joaquin throughout his entire childhood wanted a mustache to show how manly he is.

So Ronja The Robber's Daughter is the best animated children's television show I've ever seen (AND in my Top 5 Ghibli productions). I'm 50 and between watching it with my 4 kids (each at different ages over the years), watching by myself, watching it with my wife, and watching with my parents, I've seen the show slightly fewer than 20 times over the past 7 years.
WHAT IS IT?
Ronja The Robber's Daughter is a Ghibli-animated television show comprising 26 episodes that adapts Astrid Lindgren's 1981 children's fantasy novel Ronja Rövardotter (published in the U.S. as Ronia The Robber's Daughter). Lindgren is the author of Pippi Longstocking. The show is directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki and director of From Up On Poppy Hill (also among my favorite of the Ghibli films).
The story concerns how two children, each from warring robber clans become friends and grow up over the space of two years. All this occurs in a sort of early-Medieval Scandinavian forest filled with creatures of fable like grey dwarves, murk trolls, rumphobs, unearthly ones, and harpies.
In the US, the show is sporadically available on Amazon's Prime Video and is available on Blu-Ray as well.
WHAT MAKES IT GOOD?
1) The show breathes and leaves room for the contemplative.
It may not appeal to the common American Sensibility in that it doesn't bash you in the face with plot development after plot development in quick-cut succession. This isn't a Pixar show and it isn't Transformers. In faithfully adapting the story of the book, it allows itself room to breathe and tells a single story over nearly 7 hours—instead of 26 smaller stories, each with their own distinct moral (which is generally the American way). In an episode for instance, Ronja may take three minutes to simply wander in her forest, taking the time to exult in its wonder. The characters don't speak in a rush. They aren't walking all over each other to bust out their snappy lines and their witty repartee. Instead, characters often speak with careful deliberation.
2) Because the show often flows at a more deliberate pace, viewers are better able to grown comfortable and accustomed to the environments in which Ronja spends her days. When she speaks of the warmth and safety of her home in the fort, she isn't just telling us something abstract. We've seen the fort and are well able to imagine it. We come to recognize particular landmarks in her forest. The fallen tree, the large moss covered tree, what my daughter called Grey Drawf Rock, Greedy Falls, the meadow, the road leading to Wolf Pass, the bear's cave. Ronja spends time in these places and so they become comfortable to us—even when they're dangerous.
3) The show is thematically rich. Despite being one story, the show isn't about just one thing—unless you just give up and say it's about life and therefore about all the wonder and terror and everything else that life comprises. The show navigates from light-hearted meditation on why life is so neat and fun to Holy Cats Things Just Got So Real and back again and back again and all around in between. It's about birth and family, and seeing Ronja nurse while her father and the whole robber clan watch thoroughly smitten is one of the most warming moments of television I've seen. We see Ronja's utter trust in her father Mattis and then we see her gradual disillusionment as she comes to understand more of her world. We see the value of familial bonds. We see fear and bravery and courage and despair in the face of dangers and trials. We see honest sacrifice for the welfare of others. We see strength of character and pettiness of character and sometimes we get to see the reason for the pettiness and our judgment softens. We see conflict and we see resolution. We see both the terrors and joys of the changing seasons. We see estrangement and reunion. We see death and passion and rage and life and whimsy and joy. We see what it means, broadly, to grow up.
4) The creature design is awesome. The harpies are dreadful and chilling. They way they move and look is uncanny and makes for some of the most harrowing moments in the show. The grey dwarves are cute and sinister and some strange mix of cuddly and fearsome. And not just the creatures but everything. I came to love the robbers and their unique designs—I particularly loved wide-eyed Joen. And Borka and Lovis are both phenomenal in design—Lovis' keys!!
5) Ronja herself is an amazingly wrought character. She is both entirely her own person BUT also built of the qualities of both Lovis and Mattis. She has Mattis' passion and zeal and brashness, but that is tempered and sometimes at war with what she gets from Lovis, namely deliberation, wisdom, and strength of character. Watching her grow into and accommodate these traits is a treat. And watching as Birk's influence plays into and sometimes against the direction she grows is also a treat.
WHO WILL LIKE IT?
Ostensibly, everybody. It's a great show. Well-drawn, well-animated, well-composed. It's meaningful in a way that most shows aren't. It's thoughtful and patient. It's imaginative and thoroughly human. It satisfies.
WHO WON'T LIKE IT?
Honestly, this isn't plot-driven in the way that, say, a superhero show is. Ronja The Robber's Daughter isn't filled with constant action. In one episode, we mostly see Ronja and Birk collecting food and wood so they can survive in a cave, or maybe we spend five minutes watching them try to tame some horses. There is no villain, no bad guy. This is a show where the conflicts are all man vs nature and man vs human nature.
If you're expecting hand-drawn Ghibli animation that resembles what you'll see in the films, the first episode or two might throw you. The animation uses computer models extensively. It looks really good BUT it looks and moves differently from what you may be accustomed to. It's most noticeable in the hair (which I think looks amazing, esp Lovis'), in the mouths and teeth, and in the way shadows fall across characters' skin. But that's all just a thing to get used to. If you can get used to the dopey way that Pixar models human characters, this should be a piece of cake.
WHAT AGE IS THIS SUITABLE FOR?
Hard to say. My kids, at 5yo and 7yo loved it. Other of my kids at 4yo found it too intense. There are some pretty harrowing moments. Episode 10 could be straight-up terrifying for a kid. One daughter was scared but stuck with it. Episode 12 deals with the idea of starvation in a very real way, but it may be over kids head a bit. Episode 16 had some intense fathedaughter conflict that had me agitated and on seat's edge and is where the 4yo bailed. And episode 24 has a UFC-style match between the robber chiefs that was too brutal for my 7yo (think the fistfight from Porco Rosso for apt comparison).

I’m trying out an Ungrim Ironfist campaign because I’ve heard non-stop about his power in combat, like a one man doom stack. People have apparently used him to 1v1 Skarbrand, Tamurkan, Vlad, and other powerful stuff. How irl I build Ungrim to actually be capable of this? Both the damage, and the survivability he would need in order to get to the lords he needs to kill. I’ve played Dawi before, although usually not slayer focused, so I don’t think I need much advice on army comp. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Previous Posts
I tried talking to Cassie about what happened to Laundry Mom. (yes this is basically naming her and I’m changing the name but what if what the devil said means she’s going to come back and what if we can change her) Cassie’s response was “oh thank goodness” when I told her that she’s gone so I decided to end the conversation there and just bury my emotions inside.
Well, not entirely. I’ve been crying myself to sleep. I know I shouldn’t take this as hard as I am. If I think about it logically, it’s not like she cared about me or I cared about her, right? I was just a means to an end. I got rid of the flickering man for her. And I guess she thought I was able to get rid of the thing in the hallway too and that’s why she
dammit I’m crying again brb gonna go sob into my pillow like an idiot for a bit
Okay. Better. I think.
I couldn’t talk to Cassie about it. I was at a loss on who I could talk to… so I called my mom. And then, I don’t know, because I was feeling like someone else was gone and how I feel like it’s me, it’s all because of me, everyone that cares about me or that I care about is doomed to die.
I asked about dad.
If she thought that if he were still here and could do it all over again, knowing he could die out there in the fields, if he’d still do it to provide for his family. For us. Mom was silent for a long moment and then she told me, very quietly, that it wasn’t the money that kept him away from home. That was part of it, of course, but it wasn’t the main reason.
He needed distance from mom. After the affair he didn’t want to be around her because it hurt too much. But neither did he want to divorce her, because of us, so this was the compromise he found. He took a job that kept him away from home for months at a time and when he came home he was happy to see us, just us, the children, and he and mom tried to work on their issues. Like starting the relationship over. Small steps.
It wasn’t meant to be permanent. Either they’d find a way to move forward after what she did or they’d figure out how to separate without traumatizing the youngest of the children.
Instead, he died, and there was no reconciliation, there was no closure, there was nothing. Nothing but his absence.
I told mom I needed some time to work through what she just told me and then I hung up. I screamed. I threw things. Cassie finally intervened and very calmly said it was okay to be upset but Titanosaur was hiding in her closet and I needed to find a healthier way to cope with this. Cassie insisted that I put on gym clothes with her and we went running down the streets and sidewalks until I couldn’t breathe and then we ran some more.
It helped. I don’t want to ever do it again though. Then we sat down back at the apartment and I told her what my mom had said.
Cassie thinks that was a lot to dump on someone and that she shouldn’t have ruined the image I had of my dead father. I think my mom is tired of keeping secrets and thinks I should be able to make up my own mind on how I feel about our family.
I know what it’s like to carry secrets. I feel much better now that I’m sharing most everything with Cassie.
It’s kind of weird to realize your parents are just people too and are doing the best they can and they don’t have it all figured out either and they’re getting things wrong too.
I feel so numb right now. Maybe it doesn’t matter. We can’t go back and change things and we can’t get answers to the questions we have. That’s just how it is.
I wish I could say that things get better. For a short time, it seemed that they would. I focused on my classes and tried to ignore everything else. Rumors about the haunted English building were abundant and people were saying the right things, so at least it seemed unlikely that the thing in the hallway was going to claim another victim despite its increased activity. That felt like all I could do. The thing had killed Laundry Mom. Not even the flickering man had managed that. What could I possibly do against something like that? It felt like I would be trying to stop a force of nature, like squaring off against a tornado and thinking that I, frail flesh and brittle bones, could stop its path of destruction.
I remember how I felt when I looked at it. The despair and the hopelessness and just the utter loathing, like I was dissecting myself in my mind to uncover every flaw and fault inside. I don’t want to feel like that again.
So for the past few weeks I’ve just been keeping my head down and going to class and going to work.
Yeah I’m still working at the dining hall. Money. It’s a thing.
But my manager was getting worse. The incidents where he ate everything in the stockroom were getting more frequent, to the point where he started stocking food in the neighboring dorm’s dining hall and sending us over to fetch what we’d need every morning. That was working out… until it stopped working.
I had the opening shift. I hate being scheduled for mornings, but that’s what happens when you’re reliable I guess. You get tapped for responsibilities that require reliability. And sure I’m super fucking grumpy in the morning, but at least I’m present I guess.
I even show up when it’s raining. Because by now I know what a dangerous rain looks like and if it’s just a steady, normal rain, I grab an umbrella and hustle my ass over there.
So I showed up bright and annoyed with an umbrella still dripping rainwater onto the floor, reminding myself that this job was keeping me from surviving solely off ramen, and I found the kitchen silent and still. This was unusual. He got here before everyone and would start getting the oatmeal going at least before anyone else arrived.
Fearing the worst, I hurried to the stockroom. It was raining, after all, and I think coffee boss’s talk with him about remembering to use his damn umbrella hadn’t sunk in yet.
We didn’t have much in there, but he’d eaten it all. There wasn’t anything left. Nothing. He’d eaten all the boxes, the freezer door hung open and I could see the shelves were clear. There was something unsettling about the barren stockroom too, something that took me a moment to place.
It wasn’t just the food that was gone. Everything was gone. The extra pots and pans. The cleaning supplies. The only thing left were the shelves and from the way they glistened moistly in the dim light of the single overhead bulb, I think he’d even licked the dust off of them.
He stared at me from the middle of the room, his jaw slack and his tongue hanging out like a dog. It almost reached his belly button. One shoulder drooped lower than the other and his head was tilted in the opposite direction. His eyes were wide and hopeless and famished.
“I’m so hungry,” he whispered.
Drool dribbled down his cheek and fell to the ground in thick globs. He shuffled a step towards me and I clamped down hard on my urge to panic. I couldn’t freeze up. I couldn’t run. He needed help… and he needed to revert back to normal before any of the other employees showed up.
“Hey, I’m having trouble getting the oven to light,” I said casually, as if nothing was wrong. “Could you take a look?”
Another step closer. No response, other than a faint whisper, repeating that he was hungry. So hungry.
“I think Susan called out,” I said, trying something else. “Don’t we need to find someone else to come in so we’re not short-handed?”
Still nothing. This wasn’t working anymore. Normally he would have snapped out of it by now. I hurriedly backed away, feeling that mounting panic trying to worm its way up out of my gut and into my chest. I couldn’t let it. I couldn’t let it pour ice into my veins and send me into paralysis as my manager shuffled ever closer, whispering about food.
“How about we try the next dormitory over?” I said in desperation. “They’ve got food.”
He paused. His head tilted further in one direction as he considered. Then his gaze slid off me and towards the door. I gasped in relief. Okay. This was better. The only problem was, he was shuffling towards the exit that would take us downstairs and outside into the rain. I had my umbrella on me, but I couldn’t cover both of us with it. Given a choice I’d rather keep him out of the rain as much as possible, but I kind of don’t want to get myself in it either. And not only that, but I didn’t want to be close to him, just in case he lost control. I’d have to be right next to him to hold the umbrella. Even then, it’s not going to keep the rain completely off. It gets windy during storms. I wasn’t sure what that would do to him and I really didn’t want to find out.
“Let’s try the steam tunnels,” I suggested. “They connect directly to the next dorm over and we won’t go through the rain that way.”
The steam tunnels aren’t safe either. Given the options though, I felt it was best to at least look and see if they were passable or not. If not, I’d say we should risk the rain after all and try to keep him under an umbrella as much as possible. I was formulating plans A, B, and C.
Plan C was running away. Plan C is always running away.
He followed me down the stairs, swaying slightly back and forth with each step. His breathing was labored and his stomach gurgled incessantly, a sharp counterpoint to his rasping lungs. I hurried as much as I dared, afraid that if I went too fast he’d collapse and fall down the stairs and afraid if I went too slow he’d lose his inner battle for control and try to eat me right then and there. My heart pounded and my palms were sweaty from anxiety by the time we got to the steam tunnels. I hastily unlocked it with my copy of the master key and threw open the door.
I swore under my breath. Roots. They clogged the tunnel. Of course they did. It was raining and I always saw them when it was raining.
“Not that way,” I sighed, and I started to close the door.
There was a noise like stones grinding against each other. Like the side of a mountain cleaving in two and sliding apart. It was deafening. I shrieked and stumbled backwards, throwing my hands up to cover my ears. The ground wasn’t where I expected it to be. My ankle rolled sideways and I fell hard.
I caught myself with my elbow.
Not a great thing to do on cement, let me tell you.
I lay there, gasping, as pain shot all the way up my arm and through my shoulder. The ground continued to vibrate beneath my feet. Then I looked up and over, my thoughts moving sluggishly about how I needed to get help for myself now, that I’d hurt myself, that I was bleeding because I could see the blood dripping off the tip of my elbow, and also do something about my manager but there was just me here and -
But there wasn’t just me anymore.
I stared up at the legs of the groundskeeper. The floor of the basement had split in two, pulled apart by thick trunks of roots. They bunched together and then split apart in groups of five. Like fingers, I thought distantly. Like hands holding the ground apart.
And the groundskeeper, his skin like flint, had a hand wrapped around the neck of my manager. He didn’t struggle. He just hung there limply, staring off into the distance with agonized tears running down his cheeks.
“I’m so hungry,” he whispered.
Then the groundskeeper stepped into the crevasse and the roots slithered back after him, the fingers digging gouges into the cement as they dragged the floor back together after them.
I was alone in the basement.
I staggered upstairs, sobbing and dripping blood all over my shirt and jeans. The people at the front desk panicked briefly upon seeing me but one of them realized that it would just be faster to walk down the street to the medical center than to wait for an ambulance to be routed from the local hospital. So that’s what we did. They threw some paper towels at me to keep from dripping blood everywhere and then one of them escorted me there. I got an x-ray that confirmed nothing was broken (thank goodness) and was sent home with a sling and some painkillers.
I didn’t go straight home. (I desperately wanted to go home and take medicine and cry some more, but also I felt I had to do this) I went to the coffee shop first.
My former boss quickly ushered me into the office once an employee let her know that someone named Ashley was here to see her. She eyed the sling my arm was in with alarm.
(I’m doing fine now, I only wore it for like two days)
“It’s fine,” I quickly told her. “But he’s gone.”
And it took a while to tell her what happened, because I kept crying and once I started I couldn’t stop. It’s all too much. I feel like I’m drowning.
“Oh sweetie,” she sighed, coming around the desk so she could pat me on the back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to deal with that.”
“I shouldn’t have gone into the basement,” I blubbered.
“How were you supposed to know? The groundskeeper has never left the cemetery to my knowledge.”
I went very still and blinked away tears. I had to focus. She knew about the groundskeeper. Quietly, I asked her what, exactly, did she know about that thing?
It’s been here a long time, she said. She found out about it from the person that trained her as manager when she first started working here. It was just another one of those stories passed around campus except this one was mostly circulated among the staff. The groundskeeper didn’t like anyone affiliated with the university, they said. He’d tolerate their presence in the graveyard during visiting hours, but that was all.
But where did he come from, I asked. She shrugged and said the oral tradition didn’t care much about that. It was more interested in horrible, certain demise befalling staff members that strayed into the cemetery.
“But why did he go after my manager?” I asked.
“I have no idea,” she sighed. “You ask too many questions. That’s a bad habit around here.”
The flickering man wasn’t here to rip people’s tongues out anymore, but I didn’t know quite how to explain that to her.
“It’s rare, but we do lose staff on occasion,” she continued. “He’s certainly not the first and he won’t be the last. If the roots are spreading like you say they are, then perhaps there’s no reason other than he happened to be within reach.”
I have my own theory, but I stayed quiet. She clearly wasn’t interested in speculating. She just wanted to do her job, get paid, and stay alive. She wouldn’t care that I wondered if he was getting worse, if he was changing more and more frequently, and that attracted the groundskeeper’s attention. If the groundskeeper and the roots were hostile towards the university, then perhaps that hostility extended to the creatures it created. My poor manager wasn’t the only creature I’d seen them eliminate.
“Besides,” she continued. “Did you see him die?”
“He - the ground -”
“Did you see him die?”
No. I didn’t. He was pulled underground. I was about to bolt out of there and, I don’t know, start digging up graves in the graveyard in the hopes he was inside one, still alive, but the manager’s friendly pat on the back turned into a firm grip on the shoulder.
“Let me deal with this,” she said. “I’ve got friends in campus security. We’ll see if we can find him.”
I’m starting to wonder if my life would be better right now if I’d told my former boss everything that was going on as soon as I met her.
“Why do you stay?” I demanded. “This place isn’t worth it.”
She patted me on the shoulder.
“You’re close to graduation, you’ll get to find out what the job market is like first-hand soon enough.”
I had a horrible thought upon leaving her office. We’ve figured out that the rain changes people so other than putting it in the rules, I haven’t given it much thought since then. It was just another thing to worry about, but it was a distant problem. Not something that directly affects me.
But what if it is?
Those lapses in my memory? What if it’s because I’m changing? We’ve been so focused on the forgetter and Grayson that we’ve ignored the obvious explanation. The rain changed Maria and she didn’t remember what happened to her. So what if I’m changing too. What if I’m me but not-me and that’s why people have seen me around campus in places I normally wouldn’t go.
It’s a horrifying thought. But it makes sense. The rain does change people.
It could change me.
It could have changed Grayson.
Because. Well.
I think some of you are right about him.
I asked Professor Monotone if he had any photos of James. My heart wasn’t really into the investigation, not after what happened to Laundry Mom and my late boss. It was more like I was going through the motions and following up on the things I felt I should. Just wrapping up another loose end and putting a face to James just like we’d put a face to the steam ghost. Professor Monotone said he did have a photo. James was part of a group he’d taken on a summer trip one year and they’d taken some group photos at the site. He’d put them with the other. He had a whole folder full of them, going back from when he first started teaching here.
Which is kind of sweetly sentimental but also very helpful for my purposes. I followed him to his office and he rummaged through the folder for a while. It wasn’t organized in any way. Every now and then he’d toss a photo in my direction and ramble about what trip that was, where they went, what they did, and what the students involved did after graduation. It felt a lot like looking through someone’s family photo album.
“Here it is,” he triumphantly proclaimed, holding aloft a photo. “It wasn’t a big trip. Just went out to dig up some fossils for a week.”
He handed it to me.
“James is second from the right,” he said.
I took the photo. Then I quietly asked him to please confirm, second from the right, and that’s my right, correct? It was. There he was, a little shorter than the other students on the field trip, standing on tiptoes so that he could throw his arms around the shoulders of the two students standing to either side of him. He stared at the camera, his hair messy and maybe a little dirty from messing around in the dirt all day, squinting in the bright sunlight.
I finally knew what James looked like.
I stared at the photo for a long time, until Professor Monotone asked me if everything was okay. I burst into tears at the question and I sobbed so hard that I couldn’t even answer. The professor just waited patiently, mutely handing me the box of tissues, and when I finally calmed down I only shook my head, handed him the photo, and told him I couldn’t talk about it right now. That I needed some time.
Because the face that stared at me from the photo, smiling with his arms around his classmate’s shoulders, was Grayson.

(*Heavy spoilers of the anime special ahead)
What's up, guys! so, Is it good? is it bad? I have been watching the anime and translating the manga for so long that I felt this thing was actually done for all the hardcore fans of both franchises. Kudos to Netflix for animating a dream match/meeting that fans of both franchises have been dreaming about.
It was amazing! I really enjoyed it and cheered all the way!!
So, this special, first of all, it's sort of a "gathering of all bands" Say guns and roses make a concert with Aerosmith, or The Beatles with Elvis Presley. You get me. It's a concert to please the fans in all their requests of their favorite songs to be performed.
First, both Franchises met their match in here, it is announced that there was an encounter before and that happened for the 30th-anniversary manga, it is canon here. But before you watch it and criticize it (I read reviews and here come the little kids waiting for resolutions on main canon style and they didn't like it) I watched it today and it was damn good. In my mind, I do not understand why you didn't like it since all the cool moves and cameos were all present here. I will make a few comments:
First of all, we have many classic versions of characters that are not present or already overpowered in current editions. I will start with Hanayama vs Saw Paing:
That Hanayama was taken straight out of Grappler Baki, the max tourney to be more specific. Classic Hanayama, he did all his moves, threw a nice flurry of big punches and showcased all the fancy moves back in the day that he wasn't super overpowered. Saw Paing version was Kengan Ashura (not Omega) It was impressive the way he faced Hanayama, normal people don't take more than 3 punches from Hanayama. It was an amazing fight (Hanayama stance is the one of the standing man on his back, he simulates carrying a bell on his back)
Raian vs Jack Hammer: Again, Raian was classic Raian from the Ohma first series battle, Jack Hammer also came from the finale of Grappler Baki version. His biting power is super nerfed from what it is now, and the "body cleansing" technique was straight from the ending of Grappler Baki, so we shall assume this battle was Jack Hammer before Ali Jr. but just the character version alone. Jack will get about 3 more levels, even though, the scars shows he already fought pickle, so, the animators were focusing on jumping hoops with the character. The "stoppage" of Baki and Ohma was featured many times in the Baki series to hype up a future battle.
Baki vs Ohma: Baki featured many of his beloved moves and for a moment, the animators messed with your expectations (Baki performing the cockroach dash instead of the triceratops fist, doing Xaori instead of Ko-Ou etc) But Ohma and Baki were full aware of each other's strengths. Ohma using the classic Niko style survived many Baki finishers and when the battle was getting good, Yuujiro shows up to make a "Motobe interrupt" and right there, the other monster of Kengan "The devil lance" Kuroki comes up to appease the Ogre.
Baki took a devil lance and Ohma the "Ogre heart punch" at zero distance and they were both fine, so that shows you they will be alright in the future.
My assessment....NO...This will not continue, the fandom wanted a crazy party and they got it. Enjoy it as it is and take into consideration that this was a big fandom party sponsored by Netflix and to see the classic characters animated was incredibly satisfying.
I was very happy with it.

General Krell was like General Grievous but on steroids. The man welded 2 double bladed lightsabers and his ability to use the force (so far as we’ve seen on TV) was extremely impressive. I’m trying to imagine how powerful he would’ve been if he had somehow survived the Umbara campaign and became either an inquisitor or dark Jedi. His lightsaber abilities might be comparable to Anakins or even better. Shit at one point during the carnage of Krell he holstered his lightsabers and started using hand to hand combat on the clones and was extremely fast at it.

Hey everyone! So what would you have done in my situation?
So here is my [31M] story. Grew up in small town in what I believe to be an average family/life. Father owned a business and was an alcoholic. Mother grew up in small town with traditional values with very solid compassionate nature. My only sister was born with low level of Autism. With my sister and an abusive husband my mother suffered a lot whilst I was growing up. She did everything she could to provide me with feeling of safety and love. Very early in life I developed liking towards western culture not that I had anything against mine. At 17 I moved out of home to pursue education with big support from both of my parents. 10 years later I’m in Australia with masters completed and permanent residency.
After moving to this country for the first time I felt like myself! I didn’t expect how much I had in common with an average person of my age who grew up here. Couple of years in the country and I was in relationship with local girl who grew up here. I fell hard for her! She was my first love and life was great. My family knew about her, parents didn’t had any opposition of the relationship. After two and a half year she started working away due to nature of her job that caused the relationship to fail (and among other reasons). After the relationship I realized culture difference do matter up a limit and perhaps I need to be with someone who I share my culture values. Breakup was difficult especially with shared friends we had built up. In couple of months I was back to my always happy positive life outlook of financial freedom, travelling the world and thought of having my own family.
So I had a try with matrimonial sites, 2020’s covid make virtually impossible to meet any girls in India with all the lockdowns so options were just in Australia. Beginning of 2021 I started chatting with girl from a different city. After chatting with more than 50 contacts from the matrimony site I felt most luckiest man in the world after meeting this girl. With few expected hiccups we got married end of the year near our home towns in India. Whilst wedding was going on she had a small fight with my parents, both were not at fault just misunderstanding. She moved to my city cos of my work and border restrictions.
Within few weeks she started complaining and fighting about the smallest things pretty much every other day which I understood with all the changes in her life that were going on. Following six months were pretty bad if I compare all the things I have been through in my life to that point. She started saying very hurtful things about my personality which she all knew first hand like the fact I’m Atheist (but I respect and do religious activities if someone asked me to), not much into Bollywood, cant stand the caste system, being an Introvert. Worst part was the sex life which went down hill quickly from ones a week to once in three months or so. ‘Why bother having sex if you cant even finish me’ was her attitude right after we started living together. I could not talk to her about anything because if she doesn’t like what I have to say then she will get started on my personality and how I made her life hell. Reasons were very random like my mother is from ‘Ghat’ (derogatory word for a specific area) even though she spoke to my mother once a month whilst living in completely different country. It was a nightmare considering that was the reason I moved to different country to escape this in the first place. With having sex less then 5 times in six months she expects to become pregnant. She absolutely hates my parents with a misunderstanding, she is very proud of the fact that ‘Once someone does wrong with me, I’ll forever hate them’. Not that I didn’t do anything wrong aftebefore wedding, I did plenty of mistakes but I never said hurtful things about her personality or family.
Now two and half years later I feel numb and no positive outlook on life. My friends from India and my other asked me to consider divorce but the thing is even though I’m miserable I cant see her suffer with effects of separation like I’m her last chance of having a child, she wont survive in Australia on her own and judgement from her family. Whenever I tried to talk to her about the any of the issues and try to work them through she will lecture me on ‘this is how it is’. Small things trigger her anger that spirals down to her same argument of how bad person I am. Financially we both make enough money to be in top 5%. Don’t have any family in Australia to tell us what to or not to do.
What would you do?

Part 4
​
“So… a vampire witch, huh?” I asked, looking at Di Cesare as she sat at the bar of the Honey Pot and Spaniel beside me. She didn’t have a scratch on her from yesterday's showdown with Cray. Even her bullet wound seemed to have already healed, although I didn’t get a close look at it to be a hundred percent sure. Me on the other hand? I’d needed two advil to even drag my sorry ass to the bar.
​
“It sounds facetious when put that way,” She said. “But yes… I suppose it’s an apt description.”
“So how exactly does one become a vampire witch?” I asked.
“The two terms aren’t mutually exclusive,” Di Cesare said. “My sisters and I were once bonded together by our choice to follow the Malvian path… to study the occult. We became well versed in it. Too well versed, perhaps… There were people who disagreed with our faith. Called us Devil worshippers, claimed we were evil. They sentenced us to death… but I guess fate had other plans. Before we could be killed, we were saved by the woman who would become our Mother. Our imprisonment had left most of us near death… so she offered us the gift of vampirism. We accepted. Even those of us who were not dying, drank the blood in solidarity. And we have survived ever since.”
​
I whistled and took a sip of my drink.
“Jesus… you’ve lived a hell of a life, haven’t you, Di Cesare?”
“Just Clementine, is fine,” She said.
“Right… Clementine…” It felt odd calling her that. “I’ve got to ask… exactly how many of your kind are living here?”
​
“Just vampires, or other fae?”
“Fae?”
“People wanted an umbrella term for us that wasn’t just ‘monsters.’ Fae might not be the most apt name for us, but it was what stuck.”
“Right… well… I was asking about fae in general, I guess…” I said.
“I couldn’t tell you the exact number,” She said. “Vickers was this region's administrator. He would’ve known.”
​
I remembered the theory I’d shared with Dr. Miller not even the day before.
“That’s why they targeted him first, isn’t it?” I asked, “I had a feeling that was the case. He had some sort of database or something, right?”
“Exactly. Organization… It's ironic. That which we’ve tried to use to save us, has since become one of our biggest weaknesses.”
“Organization?” I asked, “You make it sound like there’s some kind of Fae Government.”
​
“We call it The Imperium,” She said matter of factly. “It started as a vampire oriented organization. Run by vampires, for vampires, building infrastructure and organizing us. Making it easy to access blood without needing to hunt or kill, helping us find a place in the world amongst our own kind. It was ambitious, but we built it up, brick by brick. My family was there at the beginning, helping lay the foundation for what we would one day become. But we weren’t the only ones. There were other groups of vampires. Groups and families who’d learned to thrive. We’d always done well enough by ourselves, but with all of us united, we could build something greater than the sum of its parts. Something that benefitted all of us. And when it got big enough, we opened up membership to others. Werewolves, Sirens, countless others. We welcomed whoever would join. Offered them a purpose. Community. The promise of safety.”
​
“Sounds like a hell of a project…” I said. She swirled the beer in her glass around, before taking a sip.
“It has been… and it hasn’t always been easy. But it’s something we needed to do. We’re dying out, you know… not just vampires, all of us. Most of us see the writing on the wall and the Imperium is the closest thing to an answer we can think of. Building it has been a slow, uphill battle every step of the way. Uniting the Fae sounds good in concept. In practice, it’s a constant chore. There’s a lot of old grudges, infighting and folks who want the benefits of the Imperium without following its laws. That’s where I come in. I’m sure you’ve probably figured out by now that I’m not technically with the State Police.”
“It might’ve crossed my mind,” I said dryly.
​
She laughed.
“I’m sure… the Imperium has some friends with a lot of ears to the ground. When a case like this pops up, in one of the towns we’re occupying, it gets passed to someone like me. We come in, we take a look and if it’s relevant to us, we deal with it. If not, we pass it back to our contacts with the local police.”
“Fair enough…” I said, “So you’re sort of like the Imperiums internal police, then?”
“Something like that. I never had the head for business, organizational skills or charisma of most of my sisters. So I use the skills I have… kind of like you, I suspect.”
​
I was quiet, and gave her a slow nod.
“Guess old soldiers are all the same, huh?” I asked. "We just keep moving."
“I guess we do. We find our place in the world and we do the good we can there.”
“So… this is all some Imperium project, then?” I asked. “You find dying old towns like this, you come in and you just… set up shop?”
​
“Supposedly, everyone wins…” Clementine said. “With us to reinvigorate them, these towns grow and thrive while we get the opportunity to set down roots and build communities of our own. The Russell’s were the two most prominent vampires in town. Melissa… She was an elder of the local Siren community, down at River Ridge. And as I said before, Vickers was this area's administrator. He kept track of who lived here, who owned what businesses, what properties were safe havens. He helped keep things organized.”
Clementine took another sip of her drink. I couldn’t help but do the same.
“Damn… so all this was right under our noses?” I asked, still struggling to believe it.
“Secrecy is our virtue. It’s how we survive. You’ve seen what happens when people find out about us.”
​
I nodded.
“We’re not innocent…” Clementine said, “None of us are. But the people here… the Fae… they’re not here to invade or take over. They’re just trying to live their lives in peace.”
“Yeah… that much, I think I can sympathize with,” I said.
“I noticed. I haven’t thanked you for how much you’ve done yet, have I?” Clementine asked. “Kayley in the bar, the Sirens in the RV convoy… you knew that they weren’t human, but you still did what you could to save them. I respect that.”
“I did my job,” I replied. “Even if they’re not human, I figured they didn’t deserve to die.”
“Not everyone would share that sentiment,” Clementine said. “I’m glad you did.”
​
I nodded before another question occurred to me.
"What about you and Crays men?"
"What about them?"
"From what I saw… you could have torn all of those men to pieces with your bare hands and not even broken a sweat. You didn't. By the river, you threw most of them down the incline. You didn't kill them, you just threw them aside. At the diner, you let me arrest Cray, even though you had several chances to kill him and his men. I've got to ask why. If you're not really with the State Police, why not just kill them and get it over with?"
​
"Because that wouldn't be the end of it," she replied simply. "I've killed tens of thousands of men in hundreds of battlefields over the past few centuries, Sawyer. I've ended more lives than I can even hope to count, and yet the rivers of blood have never stopped flowing… there's always more. Always. These men think we're monsters. Killing them, even to protect ourselves, only validates that belief. It fuels the fire that drives them. Kill them and more will inevitably come, citing the memory of their fallen predecessors as justification for their own crusade. It becomes an endless cycle of violence. Violence is an old friend of mine… but it's taught me when to be gentle."
​
"So this is about providing a point, then?"
"Yes and no. My sisters and I are powerful… but we aren’t invincible. Sooner or later, we’re going to die. Cray and his men have only further proved that to me. A few decades ago… no one could figure out how to reliably get past our attribution spell. But here stands Cray and his men with weapons that can harm me… that’s no coincidence. That’s the price of eternal war. Escalation. I’m tired of it. I’ve lost friends… family… people I care about. It’s exhausting. Cray and his men likely are smart enough to realize it's no accident they're still alive. I hope they think on that. If even just one of them does… it’ll have been enough."
​
She finished her beer and after regarding the glass for a moment, sighed and stood up.
“But I suppose I should get back to work, shouldn’t I?” She asked. "The rest of Crays group is still out there. So far they're keeping quiet. Could be they've even skipped town outright. But I'd like to be sure. I’ll see you around, Deputy.”
​
I nodded at her.
“Yeah… see you around,” I replied. She settled up our tab with Dixon the bartender, then gave me a simple half wave goodbye before walking out the door. I polished off my beer too, before deciding to call it an afternoon.
​
I had work in the morning.
​
***
​
The moment I came into the station the next morning, Biggs was up to greet me.
“There he is, the man of the hour!” He said, clapping me hard on the shoulder. "Hell of a way to show the rest of us up on your day off, huh?"
“Yeah, damn fine work!” Lopez chimed in. He smiled a little nervously from his desk.
"I was just following up on a lead," I said, a little sheepishly. Just a little.
​
"Well… can't say you didn't put the work in, Sawyer." Sheriff Smith stood in the doorway to his office, sipping a cup of coffee. "You did good."
"Much obliged, Sheriff. I hope I didn't leave your hands too full. Cray and his buddies been giving you much trouble?"
"Not at all," Sheriff Smith said. "Di Cesare actually brought them out to their office in Dayton yesterday.
"They're already gone?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I'd thought Clementine still had business in town. It was odd she'd moved Cray and his lot already.
​
"Yeah, she headed out yesterday evening. Gotta say… it's a relief to have them out and a relief to finally close this damn case for good.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet,” I said, although my voice seemed a little distracted. Sheriff Smith stared at me intently, before taking another sip of his coffee.
“Keep going along like this, and I might finally have someone to take up the job when I retire.”
​
Smith chuckled dryly, before turning and heading back into his office. I watched him go, standing mindlessly for a moment as his final words echoed in my mind.
‘Keep going along like this, and I might finally have someone to take up the job when I retire.’
​
They bothered me… but I couldn’t exactly put my finger on why they bothered me. In six years, Sheriff Smith hadn’t once said something like that to anyone. Hell, he and I barely spoke outside of work! We had no personal relationship! Now suddenly, he was making some passing comment about taking over after he retired? Normally it wouldn’t have bothered me. Hell, normally, I would’ve taken it as the highest goddamn compliment that man could possibly give! So why did it bother me?
​
Was it because his story about Di Cesare and Cray didn’t add up? But why the hell would he lie about that? That didn’t make any sense! I sat down at my desk, brow furrowed. That old familiar knot in my stomach had returned. I stared at my computer screen, then moved my mouse. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Biggs by the coffee machine. Sheriff Smith was back in his office, working away at his computer.
​
Could it hurt to check up on Cray’s file? Just for the confirmation… No… hell, I should probably check up on the file anyways, make sure it was complete and all the details were accurate. Yeah… that’s all I was doing. Why the hell would I feel any anxiety over that? It was my job, wasn’t it?
​
Why the hell did I feel a knot in my stomach?
​
I searched our system for a file on Joseph Cray.
​
No results.
​
I stared at the screen for a moment, eyes quietly narrowing. No results? That didn’t make sense. I hesitated for a moment, before searching for another name.
​
Klaus O’Donnell.
​
No results.
​
That couldn’t be possible… I’d watched Sheriff Smith personally put that prick in the back of his squad car two days ago! There had to be an arrest record!
I tried another name.
​
Roland Oswald.
​
No results.
​
One more name.
​
Anthony Lawrence.
​
No results.
​
The knot in my stomach just grew tighter and tighter, slowly fading into a sinking sense of dread, gnawing away at my guts. My fingers struggled to stay still as I went back to look at the names again. This time, I didn’t use their full names. Maybe those names weren’t right? Maybe they were in the system under something else?
​
Klaus?
No results.
​
Oswald?
No results.
​
Lawrence?
No results.
​
Cray?
No results.
​
Apostle?
No results.
​
What about the victims? Maybe there was something there tied to them?
Geoffery Vickers?
No results.
Hank Russell? Patricia Russell? Melissa Sinclair?
No results.
No results…
​
All of the files were gone… all of them… why? Why, it didn’t make any sense?
​
That sinking feeling in my stomach grew deeper. My breathing was getting heavier. I tried to rationalize this. But I knew for a fact that we’d had files on Vickers, the Russell’s and Melissa Sinclair two days ago! I’d created those files myself! Why the hell would they be missing? I tried to think of some kind of rational explanation for all of this, but I just came up blank. There was no rational explanation… there just wasn’t… unless…
​
Something Cray had said to me the other day echoed through my mind.
‘Our business is pest control. Parasites come in… and we exterminate them…’
​
‘Our business is pest control…’ interesting choice of words. I hadn’t thought much into it at the time. I hadn’t needed to. He spoke as if he was providing a service. I’d just assumed that in his mind, he was.
​
But then… How had he known about the Fae in this town?
How had they known about Vickers?
​
Apostle’s website had indicated they were based in Cincinnati. Neither Cray, nor any of the men we’d arrested were from around here! So why had they come here?
​
‘Our business is pest control.’
​
Pest control doesn’t just show up out of the blue.
​
Somebody calls them in.
​
My mind returned to that abandoned auto garage they’d been using… it hadn’t been listed as an office on their website. Why would it be? It seemed they’d been more or less squatting there?Although, that couldn’t be the case, could it? The cars they’d used had been registered to that address. An address that had been owned by Smith Volkswagen…
​
I opened up Google and did a quick search for Smith Volkswagen. Right there on their website, right above the Volkswagen logo was another logo.
​
Aaron Smith Auto Group.
​
I clicked on that and was redirected to a landing page for the entire Aaron Smith Auto Group. It didn’t take me long to find a list of dealerships they owned.
​
Aaron Smith Chrysler
​
Aaron Smith Toyota
​
Aaron Smith Nissan
​
Aaron Smith Infiniti
​
Aaron Smith Audi
​
I stared quietly at that last one. The address wasn’t in town, but it wasn’t far either. 30, maybe 45 minutes away. I remembered the flashing lights the cars Crays people had used. They'd looked a lot like the lightbars on a police vehicle. A dealership would probably only put lights like that on a car if they'd actually been ordered by a police force. Audi's were a little fancy for cop cars. It was more of a luxury brand. But if the owner of the Auto Group just so happened to have a brother who was the Sheriff in a nearby small town… they might not be inclined to think too hard about a strange order like that.
​
So far, this was just speculation… but it probably wouldn’t be hard to get proof that the Audi’s registered to that old auto garage had been purchased from the Aaron Smith Auto Group.
And if I did?
What then?
What else would I find if I kept digging?
​
“Car shopping?” Biggs asked. I jumped a little at the sound of his voice.
“Oh… yeah, the transmission in my cars been making a noise lately,” I lied. “Might be time to put the old girl out to pasture.”
“Yeah, I get you,” Biggs said, setting a cup of coffee down on my desk. “Had some pretty good experiences at the Nissan store, if you want my two cents.”
“Yeah?” I asked, before looking back at my screen. “I’ll need to look into that.”
​
I picked up the coffee, almost absentmindedly before pausing and looking up at Biggs.
“Hey, so Di Cesare moved Cray and the others last night, huh?” I asked. “I was just looking to update my report, and all that.”
“Yeah, last night.” Biggs said.
“How’d that go? Can’t imagine that lot went quietly.”
He shrugged.
“You’d be surprised. Anyways, don’t worry about the reports, I updated them this morning.”
His tone was casual. Nonchalant.
​
“Yeah?” I asked, keeping my voice level. “Well, thanks for saving me the trouble… I was having some issues with the system. Doesn’t seem to be loading any of the files on this case for me.”
“Eh, that’s our system for you, right? Give it an hour. That usually works for me.”
I looked up at him, before nodding slowly.
‘That’s our system for you, right?’
​
Our system wasn’t exactly state of the art, but in six years I’d never lost files like this before and as far as I knew, neither had Biggs, or anyone else.
“Yeah, I’ll give it a bit,” I said.
​
That sinking pit in my stomach was still there, although with it came an unsettling certainty. Biggs took a sip of his coffee. I didn’t do the same. He was still smiling at me, but there was something in his eyes. An intensity that I didn’t recognize.
Nervousness.
Anxiety.
Why?
​
Why would he and Smith feed me such shallow lies? Did they really think I wouldn’t know better? No, Biggs had to know I’d know better.
“Lemme know if it’s still a problem, there’s gotta be somebody we can call,” He said before turning and heading back to his desk. I could feel him watching me out of the corner of his eye. What the hell was going on? The shallow lies, Smith kissing my ass, Biggs being so on edge after giving me a coffee, the fact that he was still…
​
…
​
I looked down at my coffee.
​
It looked normal.
​
It smelled normal.
​
Biggs was still watching me.
​
I raised the mug to my lips as if I was about to take a sip, but didn’t actually drink any. Biggs was still watching me. He wasn’t moving. Wasn’t working. That man was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a good liar.
​
I set the mug down, exhaling as if I’d just had a long sip. Biggs finally looked away from me, but his body language still seemed tense. Uneasy.
​
It wasn’t normal.
​
A phone rang on Biggs' desk. He jumped a little, as if it had startled him before answering. I watched him closely out of the corner of my eye. I barely listened to the words he said. He sounded so far away… as if he was barely even there.
“We’ll be right there,” I heard him say, before he looked over at me. “Hey, Sawyer, guess we gotta work for a living. Feel like taking a ride with me?”
“We got a call?” I asked.
“Yeah, same old crap, thank God. Mrs. Roberts saw some kids skulking around the back of her property. Probably smoking in that old shed she’s got. You know how it goes.”
“Same old, same old,” I said tonelessly, forcing a smile. “Why don’t we take these to go?” I asked, holding up my coffee.
“Right, lemme grab a better mug.”
​
He got up, heading back to our little kitchenette for the travel mugs. As soon as his back was turned, I looked over at the mug on his desk. I could almost hear my heart racing in my ears as a single thought filled my mind. Before I could even stop to think it through, or stop myself in general, my hands were moving. I took Biggs' mug, and set it on my desk, while moving my mug onto his desk. That sinking feeling in my stomach grew deeper. My heart thudded anxiously.
​
‘What the hell am I doing?’
​
I had no proof that there was anything wrong with the coffee Biggs had given me. I had no actual proof! But the way he’d stared at me… the way he’d seemed so focused on watching me drink it… the sheer wrongness of the past twenty minutes.
​
Maybe I was just paranoid. Maybe. God, I hoped I was just paranoid, but if I wasn’t…
​
Well, guess I’d soon find out.
​
I looked around to make sure nobody had noticed what I’d just done. Lopez was still at his desk. He was turned towards me, but looking at his phone, distracted. Sheriff Smith was in his office. He probably hadn’t seen anything either.
​
When Biggs came back with the travel mugs, he didn’t seem to notice the switch. I saw him dump the contents of my mug into the travel mug without a second thought. I took a long sip of the coffee I’d stolen from him. It was too sweet. Biggs took it with more sugar than I did. But that was fine. He handed me my own travel mug and I poured the rest of the coffee into it.
“Ready to hit the road?” He asked.
“Yeah, always.”
​
We headed out to one of the squad cars together. I went to go in the driver's seat, although Biggs stopped me.
“Hey, this one’s my call. I’m driving,"he said.
I paused.
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“Positive. You’re riding shotgun.”
​
I hesitated, before going over to the passenger seat. Biggs got behind the wheel and keyed the engine. I put my seatbelt on and tried not to stare at him as we hit the road.
“Gotta say… it’s nice to finally have a normal call again,” He said as we drove. I watched him reach for his travel mug and take a sip. He paused, brow furrowing a little bit as he tasted the coffee. He stared down at it, his body tensing up slightly.
“Yeah, it’s nice to go back to normal, right?” I asked.
​
Biggs looked over at me, eyes wide. He didn’t answer, but I could see the quiet terror in his eyes. It said more than any words could have. I picked up the other coffee mug and took a sip, my eyes still locked with his.
“Assuming we’re actually going to Mrs. Roberts place.”
​
Biggs had gone a shade paler. His entire body was trembling and his breathing was heavier. The car was slowing. Biggs still didn’t speak. He just stared ahead, voice cracking as the reality of our situation dawned on him.
“What was in the coffee, Ethan?”
​
He looked back at me. His breath still growing more labored. His eyes looked unfocused. I saw him reach for his gun and lunged for him, pinning him to the seat. My eyes burned into his. Biggs fought against me, but I was stronger. I could see a quiet desperation on his face as he fought to get his gun, but his struggles were quickly growing weaker.
“What was in the coffee, Ethan?” My voice was firmer now, demanding an answer just as much as it was pleading.
​
Biggs' eyes were struggling to focus on me. He blinked slowly as if he didn’t understand the question.
“Evidence lockup…” He finally said, his words slurred and distorted. “Hoffman's bust…”
Hoffman's bust?
​
Fentanyl.
​
Biggs eyes were drooping. His body went limp as he lost consciousness. He was dying. Even though he’d tried to kill me, I couldn’t just let him die. I had to get him to a hospital!
“You son of a bitch…” I said under my breath. I shifted the car into park so it wouldn’t roll before undoing Biggs' seatbelt, grabbing him under the arms and dragging him into the passenger seat. I opened the door behind me, getting out to make room for him. He slumped into the passenger seat as I closed the door and rounded the car to get into the driver's seat. It was as I did, that I finally noticed the second squad car parked on the road behind us. The driver had already gotten out, and was calmly smoking a cigarette as he aimed his gun at me.
​
I froze the moment I saw him, looking him dead in the eye.
“Well, this is inconvenient, isn’t it?” Sheriff Smith said coolly.
“You…” I replied, but couldn’t make myself finish that sentence.
“For what it’s worth, I do admire your drive, Sawyer,” The Sheriff said. “I’ve always liked that about you. It’s why I hired you on, and you didn’t disappoint. You’re a damn good cop.”
“Except for when you were the one pulling all the strings,” I said.
​
“No… I don’t fault you for doing your job, Sawyer,” The Sheriff replied. “Even if you picked the wrong side, you did your job. I respect that.”
“But here we are anyway.”
“Here we are,” He agreed, before tilting his head to the side. “I guess Biggs ain’t got long left now, does he? That stuff Hoffman seized was pretty potent.”
“We can still get him to a hospital…” I said, but the Sheriff didn’t lower his gun.
“No… I like Biggs plenty, but right now, it’s a little easier for me if he’s dead.”
“Don’t do this, Sheriff.”
​
“Seems to me like you’ve already done it,” He said. “And from where I’m standing, there’s only a couple of things I can really do. Why don’t you take out your gun, Rick? Take it out, nice and slow. Then toss it to the side.”
​
I hesitated. My eyes shifted to the Sheriff’s squad car. I could see a dash camera staring at me. Odds are it was recording. Sheriff Smith couldn’t shoot me in cold blood… not with the camera on. I knew that much. I hesitated, weighing my options for a moment before slowly reaching for my gun. I kept my eyes locked on the Sheriff the whole time. I didn’t unholster it. I unclipped the holster from my belt, and tossed it aside.
“Smart man,” the Sheriff said, before approaching me with his gun still drawn.
​
As he got closer, I noticed carvings on the barrel of it. Runes similar to the ones I’d seen on Cray’s gun.
“Rick Sawyer… you’re under arrest for the murder of Ethan Biggs. You have the right to remain silent…”
​
He pressed me up against the squad car as he cuffed my hands behind my back, robotically reading off my Miranda rights. I could see Biggs laying silent in the passenger seat. If he wasn’t dead, then he soon would be. The Sheriff just ignored him, dragging me into the back of his squad car and leaving Biggs to rot.
​
There wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
​
Odds are… I’d probably be joining him soon anyways.
​
***
​
The cell door locked behind me as Sheriff Smith pushed me in. I looked back at him, my expression bitter. The memory of Biggs, dying alone in a squad car in the middle of nowhere still lingered in my mind.
“Can’t say this is personal,” The Sheriff said. “If I’d had it my way, you would’ve been like Biggs and understood the gravity of the situation we’ve found ourselves in here.”
“And look how well you’ve treated him…” I replied.
​
“I ain’t the one that killed him, Sawyer. That was on you. Same as the Russell’s, Vickers and that chick from the bar were on Cray’s men.”
“Tell yourself whatever you want, Smith. They might’ve been the ones who pulled the trigger, but you’re the one who gave them a target,” I said.
​
“I saw a problem, I dealt with it!” The Sheriff growled. “I’m not accepting literal monsters living here, pretending they’re people when they’re not! I won’t! This is our town! Not theirs! I don’t care what kinda guff they spew about ‘just wanting to live’. I spoke with Hank and Patricia Russell, y’know… heard their whole little spiel. Heard them talk about this… this secret society they’ve got…” He shook his head in disgust. “Madness… that’s all it is. Madness, inviting in even more madness. And I ain’t gonna accept it! I’m not gonna stand aside and blindly take everything they say at face value! They’re bloodsuckers! It’s in their nature, just like it’s in a scorpion's nature to sting! So I started looking for answers. Solutions. I found Cray through an old army buddy. Can’t say I like the man much… but he does the work. That’s all I need.”
​
“And what about the collateral?” I asked. “Biggs was just the first. Keep going the way you’ve been going, it’ll only get worse.”
“It’s worth it, to save these people from something worse,” The Sheriff replied before turning away from me. “All of this was worth it.”
​
With that, he was gone again.
I sank down onto the cot and closed my eyes. My body felt heavy, hollow and numb. A deep exhaustion had set in. Part of me almost wished the Sheriff would just nut up and put a bullet in me already, but no. Smith was smarter than that.
​
Odds are, he was gonna wait. Pin as much as he could on me, then find a convenient way to take me out of the picture. Maybe he’d make it look like a suicide. Or maybe he’d just shoot me and say I was trying to escape.
​
He could really just frame this however he wanted, couldn’t he? I kept trying to think of a way out of this. Kept trying to think of something.
​
But I couldn’t.

I met a girl at work about a year ago. I was coming out of a toxic situation at the time. She gave me her number but really wasn’t in to me for about a month or two. I’d always ask her to lunch until one day she finally agreed. We clicked instantly and talked about eachothers past and the things we had been through. We ended up talking everyday and I eventually moved out of my toxic situation with a relative while I saved for a new place. Her and I continued to talk and visit each other and I’d stay the night with her a lot. We got intimate pretty soon after and she told me she wasn’t looking for anything serious at the time and she just wanted to focus on her career and kids. It’s not what I wanted to hear being that we had clicked so well initially but I played it cool. We got closer and closer and started to see each other more and people at work started to put 2 and 2 together. About a month/ 2 months into us talking, I notice she starts to develop serious feelings towards me. She doesn’t directly say it at first, but I’m able to tell by the little things she does. We would argue about petty things like jealousy and we both began to be very overprotective of eachother. I noticed she was falling faster than me and I did put a wall up to protect her, being that I just got out of a toxic situation. I knew I saw a future with her and that I wanted to be with her, I just didn’t see the need to hurry up and give it a title if we were already building a bond. She says I was nonchalant a lot of times and that I didn’t show her the affection she needed at times. I know I’m capable of doing so, it just goes back to me wanting to go at a slower pace. I feel like things fall apart when rushed. I admit I would pull back when things got too heated between us or when it began to feel like too much pressure, but it would only be to protect her being that I noticed her falling way quicker. I did and still wanna be with her. I just thought it was mature to give the other party time to cool off when things got out of hand. She’s extremely sensitive and has told me some of the things I’ve told her hurt her when we’ve had arguments as I can get jealous. Nothing abusive or crazy, just questioning her character in the moment before I’d eventually come to my senses and calmed down. We talked for about 8 months and she says that’s enough time to decide on a relationship or not. I don’t disagree but I feel like the talking stage can vary depending on the couple. I knew without a doubt it’s her I wanted, I just didn’t see the need to rush it as we were already invested in eachother and had been through so much in the past before we met eachother. She went on a rant the other day about thinking I was lying about something and how she felt like I didn’t give her enough attention. She said she wanted to go our separate ways. I brushed it off as her being in her feelings and gave her a few days to cool off instead of going back and forth with her initially. I reached back out and she told me she missed me, dreamt of me, cried, so on and so forth. I told her I didn’t wanna turn my back on her and that I just felt it was unnecessary stress at the time when she clearly gets all my romantic attention. We made up somewhat but she told me she wants to see other people and even went on a date. She told me today that she felt like she loved me already and was falling in love at one point while we were talking. Not talking to her and the thought of never having her again makes me realize I do love her and I was falling as well…. She’ll be 33 in September and I just turned 32 in March. Any suggestions on what to do? I’ve been pouring heart out to her as much as I can without seeming too needy or whiny even though I’m pretty torn up. Is it too late?

In the past few weeks I have begun to send out query letters for what I’m hoping will be my debut novel. While I continue to research the best agents to query I’m looking to get feedback on my query itself incase there is something I should change going forward. I’m excluding the personalized paragraph in the beginning as I am tailoring that to the info I find regarding each agents wants but welcome any comments on the rest of it. Thank you in advance.
Dear _____
(Brief personalized paragraph)
Alister Morse is an abused, unpopular, forgettable 18-year-old wasting away on a small island hoping there is more to life now that the torture chamber known as high school is officially over. Unfortunately Genesis has their own plan for Alister. Kidnapped to the future, tortured, and experimented on for several months, Alister becomes the first super-powered human being in existence. Fearing their own creation Genesis returns Alister to his own time as if he’d never left.
Now home, supercharged, and having survived things no man or woman, let alone an 18-year-old, should ever have to endure, Alister struggles to return to his pre-Genesis life. He does have superpowers now after all, why should he have to put up with island bullies and an alcoholic dad? A return to normalcy is also difficult when his childhood, and only, friend Jay starts pushing him to jump into the spotlight of the big city as the world’s first real life superhero. But can someone as mentally unbalanced as he really stand up to the pressures and demands of the gig?
A Dark Embrace: The Story of Morse is a Sci-fi, action/adventure 142k-word first-person present tense telling of Alister’s tragic tale narrated by the inner monologue of Alister himself. Readers will have a front row seat to the deterioration of Alister’s mind as he struggles with morality and sanity throughout the events of the book.
My name is ___, I am a single father from ___ with a communications degree and I currently work as a compliance specialist for a third-party health insurance company, writing on breaks, during naps, and into the late hours of the night. I greatly appreciate your consideration in taking my story and myself on as a client.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!

They called us The Middleview Four.
Initially, it was just me and the mayor's son, Noah Prestley. We were the first two members. In the second grade, the two of us hated each other. He pulled my hair during naptime, and I scribbled on his drawings when he wasn't looking. When a dastardly crime hit our class, a milk thief, we reluctantly threw aside our differences and came together to catch the evil doer.
Spoiler alert, it was Jessica S.
After a nap time stakeout when we were supposed to be asleep, Noah and I caught her red handed– literally. Jessica's palms were still stained crimson from arts and crafts. Her plan was fool proof: Wait until we were all sleeping, and then drink all of our milk.
Noah and I were hailed heroes.
Well, no.
We actually got in trouble for not sleeping, but our teacher did quietly thank us for catching Jessica before her evil crimes could continue. After the milk incident, Noah Prestley didn't seem that bad anymore. I didn't have any friends.
Instead of playing with the other kids, I spent the entirety of recess examining the dirt on the playground for unusual footprints. Jessica S had been sternly reprimanded for stealing milk, but I had a feeling there were still criminals out there– and I would be the one to find and catch them. Mr Steven’s, the janitor, looked suspicious before lunch. I saw him crouched behind a dumpster with his head down. I thought he was pooping, until I saw the small bag in his hands.
Hiding behind a wall, I watched him open it up and stare at it for a while, before another teacher yelled his name.
I ran away before he could catch me, but I was sure the janitor had run across the playground. Studying the dirt in front of me, I was sure the footprint belonged to Mr Stevens. I had already checked his shoes. Mr Miller, our teacher, asked me to collect everyone's workbooks from the faculty room. I couldn't resist.
After an incident involving a faculty member trailing in animal poop from outside, all students and teachers had to take off their outdoor shoes and wear indoor ones. The janitor’s outdoor shoes were neatly placed under his desk. Before I could hesitate, I checked the bottom of them, memorising their pattern. Swirls and C’s.
Stabbing at the footprints in the dirt, I idly traced the exact same swirly pattern.
“What are you doing, weirdo?”
Noah Prestley knelt next to me, his curious eyes following my fingers that were digging into the dirt. I wanted to trace the footprints with my fingers. Mom told me to keep my dress clean, but it was already filthy, my cheeks smeared with dirt. I didn't look up from my clue. Noah was a good sidekick, admittedly. But he did eat all the snacks during our stake out– and he got distracted easily.
We were almost caught when he freaked out over a moth. “Investigating crime,” I said, grabbing a stick and tracing the shoe pattern for the hundredth time.
The footprint was too blurry, I could barely see any swirls.
Noah sighed, snatching the stick off of me. “You're doing it wrong,” he grumbled. Before I could speak, the boy jumped up, prodding the dirt with the stick. “You need to look at the patterns on the shoe, and then see if they match.”
“Whose shoe?” I said, coughing over my panicked tone. He was onto me. “That's what I've been doing!”
The boy’s lip curled into a smile. He was the mayor's son, so I was careful around him. Even when we worked together to catch the milk thief, I kept my distance. He folded his arms, giggling. “The janitor’s shoe. I saw you spying on him while he was eating white powder.”
I stepped back. “I wasn't spying.”
Noah followed me, mocking my backing away. Another step, and he was standing on my shoes. “You were too. I saw you hiding behind the wall before recess. You were spying on the janitor.”
Urgh. I stuck out my tongue. Boy cooties.
Leaning away from him, I pulled a face. “No I didn't, and you can't prove it.”
“Yes I caaaaan,” he sang. “I can also prove that you were playing with the janitor’s shoes during class time.”
I dropped the stick, stepping on it.
“You wouldn't.”
He danced back, laughing. “I would!”
Noah patted his jeans pocket where a phone was nestled inside. He was the only kid allowed a phone in class, due to him getting special treatment for being the mayor's son. The boy had two incriminating videos that would get me in trouble— maybe in even more trouble than the milk thief. The first one was a clear shot of me playing with the janitor’s shoes in the teachers lounge, and the second exposed me in perfect detail, on my tiptoes trying to peer behind the wall.
Immediately, I tried to grab the phone off of him, but Noah Prestley had an ulterior motive. “I want to help you,” he said, pocketing his phone. When I could only frown at him in confusion, he lowered himself into the dirt. “Old Man Critter is hiding something,” he murmured, tracing the dirt with his fingers. Noah lifted his head, peering at me through dark brown curls hanging in his eyes. His smile was mischievous– definitely not the type I was used to. The mayor's son was more interesting than I thought. “So, let's find out what it is.”
“Old Man Critter?” I questioned.
Noah shrugged. “He looks like a cockroach.”
The mystery white powder was cocaine.
Obviously.
However, to two seven year olds, this so-called white powder was a mind controlling substance, or maybe even something that could end the world.
After all, per Noah’s detective skills, he saw the woman in public, and she was acting a little strange. Noah and I uncovered our janitor's evil plan, after stalking him for weeks, writing our findings in crayon, and staking out his house when we were supposed to be playing in the park. I became a regular visitor to the Prestley household, and Noah’s father wasn't as bad as I thought.
He gave me cookies when I stayed over.
Look, we were seven years old, so our findings weren't exactly concrete.
But we still managed to uncover the clues leading to catching the janitor. There was a strange woman who met up with him outside the school gates at lunchtime. After some digging, we concluded she was buying the white powder from him. We managed to get a picture. Noah told the principal, presenting the evidence, and the janitor was fired for the possession of foreign substances. Noah and I were also reprimanded (again) for sticking our noses into business which wasn't ours.
The adults tried to tell us the white powder was not bad, and was in fact candy. My parents were called, and Noah’s father did not look happy to be there, sending Noah scary death-glares across the principal's desk.
My mother stood up and apologised for my behavior, blaming my imagination on the cartoons I was watching. In front of my Mom, I brought up the argument that a teacher wouldn't be selling candy to a woman. I received the look in return, but I didn't back down.
She shook her head stubbornly, refusing to believe we were onto something, gently grabbing my hand and pulling me into my seat. I was threatened with zero dessert for a week, and no cartoons, which did shut me up eventually.
There was no way I was missing Saturday morning Adventure Time. The adults seemed to have won this silent battle, and the principal began a speech which was basically, Children tend to have vivid imaginations, but will grow out of it…
That was until a bored looking Noah jumped out of his chair and grabbed the seized baggie of white powder, ripping it open, his mouth curling into a grin. “Well, if it's candy, I can eat it, right?”
Following a loud cacophony of, “No!” from the adults who really thought a seven year old was about to down half a pound of cocaine, and my mother almost fainting, our disgruntled parents finally agreed to take our claims seriously.
The principal searched the janitor’s locker, and sure enough, he pulled out multiple bags of white powder.
Old Man Critter had an audience of kids and faculty when he was being led away. Noah and I stood at the front. I remember him twisting around, teeth clenched in a manic snarl, saliva dripping down his chin. “I'll get you! You little brats! I'll fucking find you!”
That was the day we found our third member.
I opened my mouth to shout back at him, but my mother was quick to shut me up.
May Lee, who was standing between me and Noah, nudged me, and then elbowed him hard enough to get a hiss out of the boy. May was half Korean, a tiny girl with orange pigtails who knocked Johnny Summer’s out during reading time for poking her in the face.
May scared me. She scared Noah too, judging from the fearful look he shot me. I had a vague memory of her pigtails hitting me in the face during recess, and were somehow sharp enough to bruise my eye. May’s gaze trailed our school janitor being violently dragged outside. “Do you two even know how to catch bad guys?”
“Yes.” Noah mumbled under his breath. “Obviously.”
He let out another hiss when she hit him again.
“Ow!” Noah shoved her back. “Your elbows are pointy!”
“Well, you're not very good,” May teased, “I can help you catch bad guys.”
He snorted. “Oh, yeah? What makes you think you can help us?”
May proved herself a few weeks later when we were on our second official case. Who stole Mrs Johnson’s award winning carrots? I turned eight years old on the day May officially became part of our gang. We were supposed to be celebrating my birthday in the park, but of course we had work to do.
Mrs Johnson’s award-winning carrots were still missing, and we were determined to find them. After tracking down the missing vegetables to a seedy house at the end of my block, Noah had stupidly decided to check out the inside for himself, leaving me alone with zero help. This was the first time I felt genuine fear striking through me, the first time I wanted to run and crawl under my bed.
The carrot thief was in fact the crazy old woman who screamed at cheese in the store– the one Mom told me to stay away from. Using my dad’s ancient binoculars and my mediocre lip reading skills, I watched the crazy lady hold Noah hostage in her kitchen, armed with an old World War 2 grenade she swore she would detonate.
It's not like I could follow him, I was in danger of getting caught too. Hiding behind the wall in front of her house, I had a perfect view of her kitchen window, and my friend awkwardly sitting at her table eating cookies. Had he switched sides!? my attention flicked to the chocolate cookie in my friend’s hand, my hands growing clammy around the binoculars. Could those cookies be forcing Noah to join the side of evil?
When Noah pointed toward the window, right at me, I ducked, slamming my hand over my mouth, stifling a cry.
I was so close to proving my Mom right, that I was putting myself in danger with this investigative hobby, and calling for her help, when no other than May Lee stepped out of the crazy old woman's house, hand in hand with an embarrassed looking Noah. Immediately, I hugged him. Then I hit him.
“Why did you sell me out, stupid head?!” I yelled. “What did she do to you?”
The boy blinked at me through thick brown hair. “She gave me a cookie.”
“What? But it could be controlling you!”
Noah pushed me away when I tried to check his ears for mind control devices. “Stop hitting me, I was telling her I had a friend waiting for me outside,” he grumbled. The boy refused to look at his rescuer, hiding under his hood. “She wanted the carrots to feed her bunny.”
A proud looking May held up the stolen carrots with a grin. “I snuck in the back window.” she shoved Noah with a giggle, “Sorry, what did you say about not needing me, Mr Know It All?”
Noah groaned, his gaze glued to the ground. Noah Prestley was stubborn. “She was like a thousand years old and was feeding her bunny when you attacked her. She didn't even tie me up, and besides,” he stuck out his tongue. “I didn't even need rescuing. She made me cookies and I got to hold Sir Shrooms.”
“Sir Shrooms?”
Noah giggled. “Her bunny.”
May folded her arms. “Say thank you, dumb butt.”
“I already said thank you!” Noah’s cheeks were burning bright. “You need to clean your ears!”
“No you didn't, I would have heard you.”
“Thank you.” Noah muttered under his breath.
The girl snickered. “What did you say, Noah?”
“I said thank you!” The boy ducked his head and I couldn't resist a giggle. He still refused to acknowledge being rescued by a girl. “You're still stupid.”
Despite Noah making it clear he did not want another member joining our secret gang, we welcomed May into our group with our ritual, which was a chocolate cupcake and pushing her into the town lake. (I did the same to Noah, and the tradition kind of stuck). May wasn't just valuable to us for her fighting skills.
She could talk her way out of a situation too. Noah and I got stuck in the principal's private bathroom investigating a small case of a stolen phone from a classmate. Our prime suspect was the principal himself, who had been the last person with it. I was convinced he'd stuffed the phone in his bathroom trash, after accidentally breaking it. We found numbers for phone repairs on his laptop.
Noah and I were searching the trash when he came back from lunch early. If May wasn't there to interrogate him on his favorite video games, we would have been caught.
That year, we were rewarded a special Junior police award at the Christmas parade for solving the mystery behind the disappearing holiday decorations (a teenage girl, who wanted to ruin Christmas for everyone). I still remember Mom’s scowl in the crowd.
She really did not like my obsession with finding and bringing Middleview criminals to justice.
Starting fourth grade, we became a trio of wannabe detectives, and even earned a name for ourselves. The Middleview Three. Mom tried to keep me inside, but by the age of ten, we were getting tip offs from the sheriff's daughter. We found missing cats, tracked down stolen vegetables, and even found a baby.
When our names started to appear in the local gazette, Mom grounded me for two weeks, and Noah’s father threatened to send him to private school.
May’s mother was strangely supportive, often providing snacks for stake outs, and when Noah cut his knee chasing a run-away dog, stitching him back up, and not telling our parents. We were on our fifth or sixth case when a new kid joined our class halfway through the year.
I wasn't concentrating, already planning out our stakeout in my notebook. It was our first serious case. All of the third grade had gotten food poisoning the previous day, and I was already suspicious of the new lunch lady.
I swore she spat in my lunch, and May came down with the stomach flu after eating slimy looking hamburger helper.
The new kid didn't get my attention until he ignored our teacher’s prompt to tell us three interesting facts about himself, and proudly introduced himself as the fourth member of the Middleview Four.
Noah, who was sitting behind me, kicked my seat, and May threw her workbook at me. They had a habit of resorting to violence when I was daydreaming.
Lifting my head, I blinked at a private school kid standing in front of the class with far too much confidence, a grin stretched across his mouth. Rich, judging by his actual school uniform and the tinge of a British accent. The kid had dark blonde hair and freckles. “My name is Aris Caine,” he announced loudly, “And I want to join The Middleview Four.”
“Middleview Three.” Noah corrected with a scoff, when fifteen pairs of eyes turned to us. I turned in my chair to shoot him a warning look. His death glare was typical. “We don't need anyone else,” he said through a pencil lodged between his teeth. The Mayor’s son had grown fiercely protective of our little gang.
I could already sense his irritation that some random kid was trying to join us.
Our confused teacher ushered the new kid to a seat, but he kept talking. “I was the smartest student in my old school,” Aris folded his arms. “I want to help you with your current case.” the boy cocked his head when I feigned a confused expression. “The food poisoning case?”
He nodded at my notebook. “I'm not stupid, I know you're already working on it.” Aris strolled over to Noah’s desk and pulled out the boy’s notes from under his workbooks. Noah had been studying the footage we salvaged from the faculty lounge. “You're looking at the wrong piece of footage,” he announced. “If you let me join, I'll lead you to the culprit.” he stabbed at Noah’s notes. “Not bad. But you're missing something.”
Noah leaned back on his chair. “Like what, new kid?”
Aris knew he had an audience of intrigued eyes. I think that thrilled him.
“You've been searching in the place most likely to have clues,” he murmured, “Which is the scene of the crime.”
Aris was right.
We were going crazy trying to find anything incriminating in the cafeteria– but all we had found was old custard and a scary amount of recycled pasta. Aris prodded at Noah’s notes again. “Why not look in the place least likely to hold a clue? You might be surprised.”
Something in Noah’s expression lit up, his eyes widening. “The teachers lounge,” he said, just as the thought crossed my mind, May audibly gasping.
“Mr Caine,” Mrs Jacobs was red faced. She had already seized several of our phones, and some earphones Noah had been using to listen to a potential culprit on a missing cat case. “Please take your seat and stop talking about things that do not concern children.”
She put way too much emphasis on the latter word.
I felt like telling her we were ten years old, not six. But that counted as talking back– and my Mom would be informed. So, I kept my mouth shut.
Noah, however, suffered from the doesn't think before he speaks disease.
“Well, maybe if the cops actually did their jobs,” he spoke up, “a group of children wouldn't have to help them.”
“Mr Prestley–”
“You know I'm right, Mrs Jacobs,” he said, with that innocent and yet mocking tone. “We put our old janitor in jail when we were in the second grade,” he laughed, and the rest of the class joined in. “It's not our fault the sheriff is totally incompetitant at his job.”
The laughs grew louder, but this time the class were laughing at him, not with him.
Mrs Jacobs pursed her lips, her hands going to her hips. “I believe the word you are trying to say is incompetent, which makes sense because you are failing at basic English. Perhaps if you focus on actual school work and not your juvenile Scooby Doo fantasies, you might be able to speak basic words.” the teacher’s eyes were far too bright to be mocking a ten year old.
Twisting around in my chair, Noah’s gaze was burning into his desk. The teacher’s attention turned to Aris, who was frowning at Noah. Not with sympathy or pity. No, he was disappointed that a member of the famous Middleview Three, who were known to go against adults, had backed down to a teacher with no snarky remark.
“Aris Caine.” Mrs Jacobs raised her voice. “Sit down.”
Aris slumped into his seat and pretended to zip his lips, before leaning over my desk and dropping a memory drive into my pencil case. “Here is the real footage,” he murmured, shooting Noah a grin. “Thank me later.”
“We’re not going to thank you, because we don't know you,” Noah spat back.
However, the footage the new kid provided was just what we needed, the puzzle piece that put everything together. We were right. The new lunch lady had rushed into the office before lunch time, grabbed a vial of something from her bag, and disappeared back through the door. We had been too busy studying the camera footage from the kitchen, to realise our clue was in fact inside the teachers lounge.
When the four of us stepped into our principals office, he regarded us with a scowl. I wasn't a stranger to his office. I had even picked my own seat, the fluffy beanbag near the door. The Middleview Three were in his office every week.
Usually for breaking into classrooms and the time Noah tried to jump into the vent because he saw it on TV. Principal Maine was drinking something that definitely wasn't coffee or water. His desk was an avalanche of paper, and I swore I could already see steam coming out of his ears.
“You three.” The man leaned forward, raising his brow at Aris, who looked way too comfortable at a school he had just joined. “And you've dragged the new kid into your antics! I can't say I'm surprised when I've been on the phone with four separate reporters who want details on this Middleview Three garbage.”
Noah’s eyes lit up. “Wait, really? What did you tell them?”
Principal Maine’s eyebrows twitched. “I told them the truth,” he leaned back in his chair. This guy had some serious stress-lines. “You are three stubborn children with zero respect for authority, who have broken multiple rules and are very close to acquiring criminal records before reaching the age of eleven. Which, might I say, is a first! The youngest person in this town to get a criminal record was Ellie Daley, back in the 80’s. She was thirteen years old.”
“We haven't broken any rules,” May said, “We’ve been catching bad people.”
The man’s lip curled. “We have a full force of officers whose jobs are to find bad people,” he said. “Middleview does not need the protection of three children who are barely old enough to know right from wrong,” his eyes found Noah. He was always the punching bag for our teachers, and I never understood why.
Like there was this on-going joke between the adults to point fun at him.
“Or left from right for that matter! Mr Prestley has demonstrated that several times. Which is why you are in school, why you three should be learning, instead of playing Sherlock Holmes.”
He shook his head. “Get on with it. Why are you here this time?”
I hated our principal’s condescending tone. He was angry. But I didn't think he'd be this angry. “Go on!” he urged us. “What did you solve this time?”
Principal Maine inclined his head. “Let me guess,” he said. “You've found the Zodiac killer. Well, that's quite the achievement.”
Noah opened his mouth to speak, and the man’s expression darkened. “Choose your next words very carefully, Mr Prestley. Your father may be able to cover up your detective games but I will happily lose my job over suspending you from this school.”
Noah’s eyes widened. “But that's not–”
“One more word.” Maine said, emphasising his threat by picking up his phone, like he was about to make important phone calls. My mom did that too when I refused to shower, or didn't eat my broccoli. “Do not test me.”
The new kid surprised us by stepping forward, the flash drive clutched in his fist.
“It wasn't them, Principal Maine, it was me.” he placed the evidence on the desk. Aris was a good actor. He was playing the innocent kid pretty well, I almost believed him. Until he winked at us. “I went to the Middleview– I mean, to these three because I didn't want to come and see you alone because I'm scared she'll poison me too.” Aris dramatised a sob, and in the corner of my eye, Noah’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.
May, however, was entranced, her eyes wide. The performance was award worthy. The shaking hands, the slight stutter in his words that was subtle enough to be noticeable– but not enough to be faking it.
Aris Caine was already our fourth member, and all of us knew it.
Principal Maine took the flash drive, a frown creasing his expression. He inserted it into his laptop, and just from studying his expression as he watched the footage, widening eyes and slightly parted lips that were definitely stifling bad words— I knew we had him. Aris made sure to give a commentary, which wasn't necessary, but I did enjoy the look on our principal’s shell-shocked face.
“That's the new lunch lady,” Aris pointed out. He started to lean over to prod the screen, but seeing the visible veins pulsing in our principal's forehead, the three of us dragged him back. Aris stumbled, and we tightened our grip.
I was already smiling, and even Noah was trying to hide a grin. This kid was definitely a member of the Middleview Three. “I haven't met her. But as you can see, she is putting something into the third grader’s food.”
“Poison,” May nodded. “Or, according to the police report–”
Maine went deathly pale.
“Salmon Ella.” Noah finished with a smirk.
The man didn't react.
But he did shut his laptop and excuse himself, immediately calling the cops.
I was grounded again after the food poisoning case. Worse still, I got sick for two weeks and was bedridden, so I missed out on two cases involving stolen birthday decorations. Noah was insistent that the new kid was not joining us. I received a multitude of texts cramming up my Mom’s notifications. She ended up muting him.
Hes NOT joynjng
I don't cre now smart he is I don't like him and Im teknicly the first member
May is being stoopid we can talk when your better get well soon OK???
Two weeks later, I stepped into class, and Noah had taken the seat next to Aris, the two of them enveloped in the mountain of pokémon cars on Aris’s desk. May was trying to play, but apparently she needed Pokémon cards to join. When I questioned them, Noah looked up with a grin. “Aris is cool now!”
His announcement stapled our fourth member.
Entering teenagehood made me realise Middleview was not a good town–and its people had masks. Even the ones I thought I knew. At twelve years old, we hunted down a child killer, a sadistic man who turned his victims into angels.
It didn't take us long to realise the people we put away as little kids wanted revenge. And in their heads we were old enough to receive proper punishment. Mom told me we would regret our so-called fame as the town's junior detectives, and I thought she was wrong.
I had spent my childhood chasing bad guys, so I was sure I could catch the real bad ones too. I was fourteen when we ran into our first real criminal who specifically wanted us. Danny Budge was the reason why Noah started going to therapy at fourteen, and why Aris refused to go near the edge of town.
May had taken time off to go see her family abroad, and I was put under house arrest. Seven year old Maisie Eaton had disappeared from her yard, and after searching for her for two nights, alongside the police who had learned to tolerate us working with them, we found her tied up inside an old barn.
Sitting cross legged on a pile of hay, was Maisie.
Awake. I could see her eyes were wide.
But she wasn't moving or struggling, it didn't make sense to me.
“Wait,” I nudged May. “She's not moving.”
Aris rushed forward to untie the little girl, only to trip on a wire, which was connected to a Final Destination style contraption. Aris lifted his head, pointing above him. One more step, and he would have sent a sharpened spear directly through the little girl’s head.
“Fuck!” Aris hissed, already freaking out. He was frozen. “What do I do?!”
“Stay calm,” Noah said from my side, the rest of us hiding behind an old car. The mayor's son had become our unofficial leader. Ever since hitting puberty, he was now our brawn alongside May. Noah jumped forward, watching for trip wires. “I'll save the kid. May! You help Aris.” before I could get a word in, he was dragging me to my feet. “Marin, you're with me.”
I nodded, stumbling in the dark, keeping my flashlight beam on the ground.
“You know what this means, don't you?” Noah said in heavy breaths, his fingers wrapped around my arm. “Maisie was innocent. There was no motive. She was just a distraction.” Noah let out a hiss. “Or even a lure.”
I did. But I didn't want to say it out loud, because then my Mom would be right, and I was admitting that there were multiple people trying to kill us.
Luckily, we saved Maisie. Her kidnapper, Danny Budge turned himself in with no word or explanation.
Later, we would find out he was related to our elementary school janitor.
The little girl was taken back to her mother, and the four of us stayed behind, peering up at the murder contraption specifically made to butcher us. Aris nudged me, and I almost jumped out of my skin. “You should probably keep this… quiet,” he said in a breath, his gaze glued to the long rope expertly tied to the ceiling.
“From your mother,” May added softly. She squeezed my hand. “Your Mom will kill us before they do.”
“We’re going to fucking die,” Noah said in a sing-song. “And I'm not even sixteen.”
He was right.
One year later, our most gruesome and horrific case hit us like a wave of ice water, and I admitted we were just four kids completely out of our depth.
Three townspeople had been found murdered in piles of bloody string.
The photos from the scene made me sick, and I was still recovering from our old janitor’s measly attempt at punishing us for ruining his life. We were stupidly blindsided by the string murders, and thought we were following a clue. The next thing I knew, I was tied up back to back with Aris in my old janitor’s basement while he caressed my cheek with a knife. “Am I supposed to be here?” Aris whispered, struggling in his restraints. “Did he just call me Noah?”
I knocked my head against his. “Don't tell him that! Idiot. What if he kills you?”
Funnily enough, Aris was right. Old Man Critter had mistaken Aris for Noah. The two of them were sandy blonde and reddish brown, one built like a brick wall while the other more wiry. However, to an old man with debilitating sight, I guess I could see it. Maybe if I squinted. So, after an hour or two of empty threats and knife play, Noah and May came to our rescue, tailed by the police, and… my mother.
I think I would have rather been tied up with Old Man Critter than face her wrath.
I was supposed to be at the library studying.
I shot Noah a death glare, and he offered a pitiful, almost puppy-like frown: Sorry! he mouthed. She made us tell her!.
Fast forward to when the others really needed me to investigate the string murders, and I was stuck inside.
Mom had gone as far as taping up my windows to make sure I didn't sneak out. I think me being kind of kidnapped, but not really by Old Man Critter, really set her into panic mode. I did tell her that he didn't hurt us at all, and just wanted to scare us. But Mom was past angry. She was impossible to talk to. May texted me halfway into a horror movie I was forcing myself to watch that another body had been found. Turning on the local news, she was right. This time it was a kid.
May told me to get my ass out of the house.
I knew where Mom hid the door keys, so at midnight when I knew she was sleeping, I snuck out and rode my bike to the rendezvous we had agreed to meet.
May was already there, a flashlight in her mouth, fingers wrapped around her handlebars.
“The boys?” I whispered, joining her.
“They're already there,” she said through a mouthful of flashlight. “Let's go!”
Aris was 99.9% sure we would find a clue inside the old string factory, so that's where we headed. Noah and Aris were already waiting outside, armed with flashlights. The two of them were quieter than normal. They didn't greet me or tease my absence from the gang.
“Okay, so here's what we're going to do,” Noah announced. His voice swam in and out of my mind when I tipped my head back, drinking in the foreboding building in front of us. A shiver crept its way down my spine, and suddenly I felt sick to my stomach, like something had come apart in my mind. I stumbled back, but something pulled me forwards, my mouth filling with phantom bugs skittering on my tongue.
I really didn't want to go in there…
I could sense my body was moving, but I wasn't the one in control. Looking up, there was something there at the corner of my eye. It was above me and around me, everywhere, sliced in between everything. But I couldn't look.
I couldn't look.
I wasn't allowed to look.
“Marin?” Noah twisted around to me, and his face caught in the dull light of the moon. “Hey, are you coming?”
Blinking rapidly, I nodded, despite seeing it with Noah too.
I couldn't look.
I wasn't allowed.
“Dude, are you good?”
My vision was blurring, and a scream was clawing its way up my throat. I took a step back, my eyes following his every movement. “Noah.” I didn't realise his name was slipping from my lips, a rooted fear I didn't understand setting my body into fight or flight.
Why…
I choked back tears. Why do you look… like that?
I held out my own hands, hot tears filling my eyes.
I looked up into the sky, at criss-crosses that didn't make sense.
“Yeah, I'm coming!” my mouth moved for me, and I joined the others, pushing open the large wooden door. I didn't remember anything past the old wooden door we pushed through. Going back to that memory over and over again, all I remembered was pushing the door.
I was found three hours later, inconsolable, screaming on the side of the road, my fingers entangled with…string. It was everywhere. Mom said I blocked out a lot, but I strictly remember blood slicked string covering me, damp in my hands and tangled in my hair.
There was no sign of the others.
Mom put me into the back of her car, and I slept for a while. My mother drove us far away from Middleview. I asked about my friends, but Mom told me they weren't real, that Middleview was a fantasy I had dreamed up as a child. She told me I was in a traumatising incident as a child, and mixed up reality and fiction.
Cartoons and my own life.
But they were real.
No amount of private therapists spewing the same shit could erase my whole life. I was strictly told that I had a head injury, that I imagined The Middleview Four like my own personal fantasy. I didn't start believing it until I grew into an adult and was prescribed some pretty strong meds, so I began to wonder if they were in fact delusions.
Mom’s job was a mystery I couldn't solve, even as a twenty three year old.
So, I followed her one night, hopping into my car when she left our driveway.
Her job was behind a ten foot wall surrounded by barriers.
Security guards were checking a car in, so I took my chance, and slipped through on-foot. What I saw behind the barrier was Middleview. The town I thought I hallucinated. I was immediately blinded by flood lights illuminating the diner from my childhood. Middleview. I took a shaky step forward, my stomach twisting.
It was a TV set.
No, more of a stage.
Inside, bathed in the pretty colours I remembered from my childhood, were my friends sitting in our usual booth, frozen at fifteen years old. The Middleview Four, minus me, were exactly the same as when I left them.
They were even wearing the same clothes.
May. Her orange pigtails bobbed along with her head. Aris was hunched over like usual, picking at his fries and dipping them in his shake. Except how could I take any of this seriously when they were surrounded by cameras?
Noah slammed his hands down on the table with a triumphant grin. “We are so close to cracking this case!”
I noticed his lips weren't moving with his voice.
I started toward them slowly, even when the truth dangled above me, below me, everywhere. I stepped over it, blew it out of my face, reaching shaky hands forward to pull them aside.
Aris laughed, and something moved above him.
“We were kidnapped last week. We are not close. You're just painfully optimistic.”
May nudged him, giggling. “Let him have this. He thinks he's our leader.”
Noah punched the air, and there it was again. Movement. “I am our leader!”
Closer.
I found myself inches away from my best friend, and my blood ran so cold, so painful, poison in my veins. Noah stood up, and I could see the reality of him in front of me. The reality of want I wasn't allowed to see. His head wobbled slightly when he smiled, mouth opening and closing in jerking motions. If I looked closer, his lips had been split apart to perfectly replicate a smile. I forced myself to take all of him in. All of Aris, and May.
The back of Noah had been hollowed out, a startling red cavern where his spine was supposed to be, where flesh and bone was supposed to be. Now, I just saw… strings. Looking closer, I could finally see them. Strings tangled around his arms, his legs, puppeteering his every move as he danced from string to string.
I grabbed Noah’s hand, and it was ice cold, slimy flesh that was long dead. He didn't move, but his eyes somehow found me. Noah’s expression flickered with recognition, before his strings were tugged violently, and he screamed, his eyes going wide, lips twisting.
“Marin?” His artificial eyes blinked, and he slowly moved his head.
“You… left… us.”
Noah’s lips curled, a deep throated whine escaping his throat. “You… left us!”
He twisted around, his lip wobbling.
“Why?!” his frightened eyes flicked from me to his own hands. All those inside jokes our teachers had, I thought dizzily. Was this what it was for? Was Noah Prestley nothing but comedic relief?
“Why… am I… cold?” Noah mumbled.
“Cut!” someone yelled.
I staggered back, words tangled in my throat. Noah opened his mouth, but he was pulled back, this time violently, his strings above jerking, tangling together.
“Allison!” a man shouted from behind me. “Why is your daughter on the stage? Get her out of here!”
I was paralysed, still staring at the hollowed out puppet who had been my best friend, when my mother’s arms wrapped around me so tight, I lost the ability to breathe. I was still staring at the strings cross crossed above me, Noah’s strings pulling him back. Aris’s strings forcing him to laugh. May’s strings bobbing her head in a nodding gesture.
“Marin,” Mom whispered into my back. “You cannot be here.”
“They're here,” was all I managed to whisper.
Her sobs shook against me. I didn't realise my mother was crying until I felt her tears wet on my shoulder. The words were entangled on my tongue, but just like the string above me, they were knotted and contorted. They were here. All this time they were here, and you made me think I was crazy?!
What did you do to them?
What did you DO?
“No, sweetie. No, they're not.” Mom’s voice was breaking, her grip tightening around me. The world was spinning and I was barely aware of myself kicking and screaming while my Mom struggled to shout over me. “I was going to expose them to the world,” she hissed out, dragging me away from Noah– away from his jerking, puppet-like mouth.
I couldn't comprehend that he existed as that, as a conscious thing that had been carved of its insides. “You were the property of an evil and very powerful little girl who owns this town and everyone in it,” my Mom spat in my ear.
“They made me keep my mouth shut, so I begged them to save one of you. Just one. I had to cut one of you down before I went crazy.”
I was still screaming when she calmly dragged me to my car, slipping a shot into the flesh of my neck. I remember the rain pounding against the window, my mother’s pale face shining with tears, her stifled sobs into the wheel.
“And I chose you.”
I woke up the next morning with what was supposed to be a wiped memory.
But I wasn't lucky enough to forget.
I am terrified of her finding out I remember her exact words from the car-ride home. I'm scared she (or her work) will make me forget them for real.
Mom told me that I once had strings too.
Strings that cut through me, cruelly entangling around me, suffocating my mind and controlling my every move. Strings that would soon pierce through me and turn me into a little girl’s doll.
But she saved me, cutting me down, when I was still human.
And now I guess I am a real girl.

u/SpacePaladin15 you may be blessed for creating this amazing world and super mega thanks to u/BiasMushroom and u/JulianSkies for proof reading this stupid fanfic of mine of course huge thanks to u/hutle-bulte for being the first to ask.
And if any of you and enjoy this and wanna be part of future chapters don't be shy to dm/pm me.
Memory Transcription Subject: Vien, Surveillance Camera Officer
***Date [Standardise Human Time]: November 19, 2136
I shouldn't have drunk too much last paw, now I'm suffering from a serious headache. ‘Why did I even believe that a girl I've met online would actually show up, meet me and go on a date instantly’ I thought to myself while I made my way to my assigned surveillance room, knocking before I entered.
Knock knock
“Come in”
“Good paw, Brev” Brev, my senior. Senior is an overstatement, he’s only a year older in the job. Can be annoying from time to time.
“Look who decided to— she didn't show up?”
“She didn't”
“Suk suk suk.” With an even more annoying laugh, ”Vien, my friend the chances of you being eaten by an Arxur are higher than you having a love life, suk suk suk Suk. Well I'm gonna leave now, guess who has a date? Me, not you! suk suk suk, bye bye Vien.”
Annoying headache and annoying coworker. How can this paw be any more exciting?
“Might as well work. South Park cams, check, North Park cams, check, West Park cams, check, East Park cams, check, zooming in, zooming out, check, everything's in order, now we watch.”
+++One Hour Time Skip+++
“A couple enjoying their day, a pup tripped, a Gojid smelling the flowers, another pup tripped, a human setting up a table, another coup— wait a human in the park?”
I was about to push the emergency button then thought. No, let's observe first, with the situation concerning the exterminators and the Magister who's pissed with the constant false alarm about humans, another false alarm will get me fired for sure.
The human finished setting the table and chairs. He put a bowl of something with a stick, sticking out of it. He then put up a sign ‘Ask me anything’ together with another one saying ‘Argue with me if you like’. “What are you trying to do, human?”
+++One Hour Time Skip+++
What are you doing there, human? Why are you just sitting there doing nothing, do something, anything?
Then in the corner of my screen a Venlil with black wool, green eyes and one floppy ear is shivering, but still approaches the human steadily and cautiously. Despite his state, his tail tells me otherwise. He is excited, excited at seeing a human. The human in question sits quietly behind the tables, the reflective mask makes it hard to tell where he is looking. Then the human saw the approaching Venlil and he fixed his posture.
He’s sprinting, why is he sprinting? He stopped? Now his back to shivering, what in the nightless Venlil Prime is happening to this man. He then finally reached the table of the man.
Coughs* “Well, hello there, do you have a question for me, buddy?" The man said with a friendly demeanor.
He looked around first, then he took a deep breath. "H-h-h-h-i th-th-th-ere hum-man, I c-c-come in p-p-p-peace in sear-rch f- for ans-s-swers.”
“Wait, is he faking to be frightened!? But, why?”
"Hahah—” did he just laugh? The man coughed and signaled for the Venlil to take a seat, “What's the question, my friend?”
He slowly moves to sit down, still faking his fright, delighted that his act fooled the human. He leans forward over the table and whispers, "Do humans have a thing for blood?”
What he said was barely audible. That confirms he has a case of Predator Disease. I should report this. Wait, I may be taking this without context, besides more evidence is important.
"A thing for blood? Can you explain more because we humans associate it with a whole lot of different things.” the human replied.
"R-right. Well, I'm not insinuating that it's a food thing, but if, for example, another human had blood smeared all over them would that make them more attractive as a mate for you?" The venlil then looked away shyly, mortified that he had said it so casually.
“What kind of brain do you have for you to say that?”
"Well blood isn't exactly viewed that way. I don't know about some parts of the world, but to my knowledge if you're smeared with blood you need medical attention. As for the attractive part, people's opinion on that varies, take myself for an example. My wife has dark hair, beautiful eyes, small stature and an amazing personality that I've fallen for, and I love her because of those traits. It's probably similar for you too, what about you? How do you prefer your partner? You wouldn't like them bathing in blood, would you?" Said the man jokingly.
“Even the human finds it wrong and a weird thing to ask.”
"Uuh" he said cringely "Kinda, yes".
“What in—” Even the human was shocked and cringing!?
“Governor Tarva, look at what you have done to our people!”
"Well it's your preference, nothing I can do about it, so long it's not her blood, probably? Hehehe” He can't even think of a proper thing to say.
“I have had enough of this, this is enough evidence to put him in a PD facility.” I was about to press the button and dispatch an exterminator to the site when he said.
"Ooook that is going to need some context right. So a few [years ago] I had a mate. We loved each other more than anything in the world, and we were going to have a kid together. It had been a particularly cold herd of paws, and we couldn't get anything to our house since it was out of town. So we had the bright idea of going to the woods to look for wild melroot, but then a shadestalker showed up. We tried to run away, but when that wasn't working, my beautiful mate took the knife we used to harvest the melroot… And killed the shadestalker. When I saw her standing there covered in blood, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. So that's why I asked.”
Wow that's kinda hot—what am I thinking? Her mate definitely has predator disease.
The human sighs, his voice then carrying concern and worry, "Thank you for giving the context, and thank god that you survived that incident. I can tell that you like strong, dependable women, it's normal, and it's unfortunate that you have to experience it in that way. Well, how is she now, hope she's doing well."
"That's not even the worst part. Apparently that particular shadestalker had been spotted by our neighbors, and then a day after a group of exterminators walked in on my mate nervously laughing and me crying tears of joy that she was safe, then they arrested her and took her to the PD facility. I tried to get her out of there but just 20 paws later, sh-sh-she d-d-died." At this point, the tears forming in his eyes start rolling down his cheek and the moment the first drop lands on the table he starts bawling like crazy.
"There, there.'' The man pats the venlil’s shoulder in hopes that it would relieve the pain. "I understand that at least a little. A year ago, I lost my son. He had just graduated from high school and I wanted to treat him, so we went to a ski resort. He always loved skiing, a tragedy happened. An avalanche, it took two days to find his remains. I still blame myself, but the pain of losing a wife and a child is different." His voice holds grief, sadness and understanding. Empathy. Maybe the federation is wrong about the predators.
Suddenly, one of the venlil’s ears flicked up, and he quickly wiped away the tears. He started to cower in his seat and the shaking ensued as he whispered "sorry" and then a group of exterminators entered the scene. I didn't push the button, did I.
The man’s head turned slightly to the exterminators, “What seems to be a problem officers?"
"We have gotten a tip that a predator and their diseased counterpart were planning some sort of bloodbath, and we came to stop it.” The cocky kolshian says. Is that Jaleef? Why does the most anti-human exterminator have to be the one to respond? And what bloodbath? Brahk.
"Can't help you there, officer. Human ears aren't built for that, and my hearing is getting duller by day. My friend over here and I were just talking about people we loved, that we unfortunately lost."
“Is he trying to shoo them away by being friendly? Go human, Go human, Go shoo them away.”
"Lollipop? They're sweet treats and vegan too.” He offers the thing, wishing they'll take it and leave.
Jaleef shrugs off the offer and gets even closer to the cowering venlil. "So this conversation never happened” then plays the audiofile of the venlil admitting to liking women covered in blood. At this point is positively cowering so much that it looks like he decreased 40 cm in size.
"P-p-please st-st-st-stop y-yo-you are taking th-t-this out of context.” he tried to clarify.
Jaleef and her group even got closer, positioning themselves around him. Even the human couldn't do a thing, flames a flame, predator or not, it's a painful way of dying.
He snaps as the stress of having to act afraid and weak has finally gotten to him. He screamed "Leave us alone, I needed to talk to someone about the incident that would just listen and not fall back on an aggressive bad exterminator. God, I just needed actual sympathy, and the fact that a predator was the only one on this spehing planet to do so says a LOT about you." He huffs, the shaking now are real, raw out of emotional exhaustion.
His outbursts garnered the attention of people around them. “I need to do something, his just a grieving man” I thought to myself “But how? … The lenses of the camera! If I zoom in and zoom out, they should notice the camera.” Please work, zoom in, zoom out, zoom in, zoom out Zoom in,— it worked, she noticed.
They're backing off “Now Sir please take the lollipop and leave. As you can see, my friend here has been lonely for quite some time. Can we just give him a break?" With a look of defeat Jaleef’s group left, but before they completely leave one left a message "Wrong move, and I'll arrest you for second thoughts."
"HAHAHAННАНАНАНАНАНАНА. You really unusual one huh. I am Kieran, Kieran ‘Philip’ Pines.” He then extends his arm for a handshake.
“Scandi of Shadestone Valley, really three names? Pleasure to meet you Kieran I live nearby, so perhaps I'll ask some more questions if I have any, but I'm running a bit late for work”
Kieran waves goodbye to Scandi and, as if nothing happened, he sits waiting for another person to ask questions.
When I asked how this paw could be more exciting, I didn't mean that!

This is how the meme movie reads to me and seems to line up with most of what's happened. I'll continue to revise and add to this post. This could all be wrong, I don't know anything.
Gamer, play forward (Pay Attention Meme)
I'm gonna to do something myself. I'm back and at full strength. (Thanos, Wolverine).
I'm amazed you're still here. I'm still holding and I've got a clever plan. (Cat's still there while exit music plays, Light of the Seven Plays).
First, we're going back into the green - but not for long. (Overture).
We can't forgive the sins of the past. One day we'll understand, but time to get ready for battle. (Gangs of NY - there's a pun here I don't get. The enemy is colored green but wearing red. It probably means something like naked shorts)
I'm gonna be doing something unexpected. (Car veers)
There's a way out and the dog days are over. (Dog Days - I have a tinfoil theory about horses here, but this is all I'm sure of).
Everyone assemble, we're going in for our last battle. (Cap is about to say "Avengers Assemble" here, its very significant in movie context)
Diamond hands are about to nuke the enemy. (Thor)
Law enforcement is coming to do a reckoning. (Tombstone, see reckoning definition, movie context).
I'm back and we're gonna send this thing into hyperdrive. (Pirates, MIB)
I have more complicated strategies in mind than "no fighting." It's gonna be a busy few weeks. (No Fighting - the end is significant, although ignored by most).
It's quite a fuckin thing. We're going to pretend to go out with a bang, directed by RK. I've got everyone's attention now. (Pikey Reaction)
The enemy isn't expecting this. (Troy)
Sometimes when you fuck around, you find out. No one is gonna top how hard we rag on the bears. (Arrested Development)
Our enemies are planning to blast us with noise. (The Town/Fury Road - the car people are the enemy per movie context)
Things are gonna get savage. (Kingsman)
We're aiming to shoot up. (Oceans 11, just has double meaning and is unclear to me)
There's a paperwork anomaly and we're gonna be dancing about it while pointing at RK. (Loophole)
The calls are a warning. The CAT is up and RK is playing the Riddler. (Paul Dano was RK in Dumb Money and the Riddler in The Batman. He's wearing an upside down alien head here. He's the alien.)
Let's play again. When your friend sends you a message, light it on fire (as in, spread the word). (Mr Robot)
Friends are going to be talking about how we're doing a requel of 2021. It's just a movie. (Requel)
But the idea of RK is scaring the bears. (Candyman)
People could walk away when the ATM happens, but RK and these memes are crazy and someone is calling (making calls). (No Country for Old Men)
The calls for Gamestop are going to be executed. (Braveheart)
We feel great about ourselves, but we have a scarlet letter on us. (Sexy walk meme)
Gamestop is going to do something extraordinary. It isn't enough to be back in the saddle again. (Prestige)
Everyone wonders what Gamestop is doing. People see the reaper coming for Gamestop. Code ROARING KITTY is on now. We're in prep mode. (Bourne)
The media is smack talking Gamestop (lyrics). But we're gonna mess everything up and turn things upside down. (Ozark/Daily Mail).
We've got a crazy plan. Come along! (Star Wars)
RK is being true to himself, but he might seem kind of crazy. (Wu Tang).
I'm going to be taking on a different personality. (This could alternately be Fortnite = Fortnight, 14 days - but he's playing a moon knight and that reading makes more sense in the narrative)
RK is always seen as the good guy. He's going to do something to contradict this. (Mr. Niceguy, lyrics)
RK is going to become DFV. (Fight Club, 1st YOLO, June 2)
How did I get so much money? Can't explain here. (Breaking Bad).
Everyone thinks I'm in charge even though I'm really not. (Oceans 11, AVOCADO-IN-MY-ANUS, movie context)
And the media has no idea what's really going on. (Rapid Fire)
It's not clear who's in charge. (ThoQuill)
People are questioning if they're really into RC or not. (Love Actually)
While everyone was gossiping about me/this, there's a secret plan. (Gossip Folk, devised a plan is in double dutch. I have other commentary on the Emojis but ask me if you really care)
FOMO is gonna set in. (Pizza)
RK is playing the black swan. (Spiderman/Black Swan)
There's a lot of drama and we like that. (Busta Rhymes)
You have questions. We've been waiting for this. It's all part of the plan. (Joker)
Now I've got everyone's attention. Part of the plan is getting caught. (Bain)
I just realized something that's been staring us in the face the whole time. (Usual Suspects, movie context)
There's a great comeback, but we're not gonna dumb it down for a mass audience. (RK, Seinfeld).
People don't want anything to do with Gamestop right now. Twitter is the best place for people to see what's going on. (SNL)
These Tweets are gonna bring all the freaks out. (Beat Saber)
We're gonna be everywhere. People can't escape us. (Red Right Hand).
We've turned into something else because of this stock. (Me, Myself & Irene, movie context)
The media will keep attacking us, but it's all gonna be in front of a live audience. (Truman)
We're gonna be fighting a lot of battles, but we have good motivation to do it. (Furi)
How do I know this will work? You gotta have instinct. Feel it. (Tenet)
We're going to convince others to go down the rabbit hole. (Alice/Matrix)
We're going to fight back/do something drastic. (K Police, see full music video for context)
In 2021 when Gamestop blew up, everyone was after me. I've waited long enough. No one suspects me. (Shawshank)
This is the Kansas City Shuffle. Everything you see (the meme movie/RK). It's a catalyst. Made you look. (KCS)
We're ready for battle. (Kill Bill)
Pay strict attention: CAT is watching us. (Pay attention)
I'm back (livestream), looking for a "sign" of something. (Brittney - livestream, June 7)
Time to release some documents that scare the bears! (Goosebumps)
Me and my friend are doing everything together. (Best Friends)
We're never gonna survive unless we're a little crazy. (Urban Jungle, this is literally a meme of someone in a red bandanna orchestrating something weird)
RK is going to surprise everyone. (Signs 1)
There are no coincidences. (SIgns 2)
Two things are coordinated/working together. It won't make sense to us yet though. (Signs 3, code just says Ovaltine).
People are going to see something they can't ignore. (Signs 4, movie context)
The news thinks RK seems seems genuine. It might be disturbing to some people. (Signs 5)
People are not going to understand this. (Unknown cartoon).
People see RK and think he just makes Gamestop memes. They find it kind of cute. (500 Days of Summer, still livestream)
They also think he might have gone a little crazy. (Shining)
People might want to be a hitman, but we're on another mission. (Sicario - this interpretation is up for debate).
A freight train hits two folding bears, then chaos. (Can't Stop what's coming, the bears chairs)
People are after us, but we're feeling free. (Bears edited out of Punkrocker video).
We're gonna be sticking it to the man but we're not going to break any rules. (School of Rock, break rules crossed out).
We're racing towards Catching Freedom. (Chickentown, horse #3 was Catching Freedom at Preakness)
And people will think this makes amazing story. (Everything, Everywhere)
It's going to change everything to not fear the reaper anymore. (Garden State)
RCs plans were a mystery. (Big Lebowski).
The media is going to blame me, but I have plausible deniability. (CNBC)
Nobody did the right thing and I'll come out of it looking good. (Bourne).
I'm going to be threatened. (Split - rapid blinking in cats means they feel threatened - could alternately mean something like 'play cute' if this is supposed to be slow blinking).
But the internet will say RK is not the villain. (It's crossed out)
And people are gonna stick by me. (Wilkos)
It's not going to be clear who is to blame (SNL, Whatcha Say lyrics).
This is art - people can see it any way they want to. (Two famous optical illusions)
6/10

We have been married since August. We have been together for 9 years. We don't have sex anymore. We don't touch anymore. I quit my job after the wedding because my job was affecting my mental health. I used that time to get a graduate certificate and apply for other jobs. It was hard to get a job and I finally started a new job one month ago. However, during the 9 months I was unemployed, our relationship has been horrible. I feel controlled. My husband has always made more money than me and has been more stable than me. The power imbalance between us makes me feel powerless.

1. His dad demanded to be the pastor ton our wedding
   
2. In the past, his family would say racist and ignorant things. Not towards me, but about people of my background. My husband never agreed, but he never said anything to appease his family.
   
3. He has made me lie for several years about living together since his family is very reglious. To the point where I would have to move my stuff out when his parents visited.
   

For these reasons, I feel second in our relationship and not a priority. He has apologized for this, but I still feel this way. He gets upset when I say this because he believes since he financially supports me , hasn't left me despite not having sex and fighting that this proves I am a priority.
In the past we would have intense fights and I couldn't figure out why. I went to a therapist about. I showed screen shots of our conversations. He told me that he is manipulating me, gaslighting me and trying to control me. I didn't believe the therapist. Two years later, I now see what he is talking about. It is hard to pinpoint how my husband does this because it is subtle. I am the type to be direct and react. I feel as if he does these subtle tactics and when I react, I am made to be seen as the problem. I feel as if people take his side because he is a white man and I am a woman of color. When I reach out to my mother for help, she makes me feel as if he is the best I am ever going to have, that everything is my fault, and that I am being crazy or dramatic. It is a very isolating feeling. I was convinced that I couldn't survive without him. I feel like his word is above mine and anything I say is lesser. Lately we have had these fights:

1. In January, my husband went on a business trip for 2 weeks. I don't drive. I didn't have a job. I live away from friends and family. It was hard for me. So, I went out to an arcade. I had no plans on interacting with anyone. I was felling lonely and sad. The lack of emotional intimacy, constantly being invalidated was making me crave it. Long story short, this guy started playing a game of pool with me and we started talking about my relationship problems and his problems with his recent ex. It felt so nice for someone to validate me and just listen. I felt it in my soul. Even if this guy was faking it, it just felt so nice. I know it was wrong. When he left to go to bathroom, I left and went home and cried. I felt terrible. He forgave me. I never had contact with that guy again. It turns out, my husband was out that night too, venting to women he met at his conference. He claims that what he did was different because it was a work event, and she was a professional therapist.
   
2. Two weeks later, I was sick with the flu. He was helping me get better. When I started to feel better, I wanted to work on our issues. I was calm. We were lying in bed. I showed text messages from years ago. I was trying to get him to understand I have had these issues for years. That I felt like I have explained myself over and over again, but I felt dismissed each time I have tried to talk to him. He started yelling saying he could not take it anymore and he wanted a divorce. I got violently ill and ended up in the hospital. He had no choice but to take me to the hospital. He apologized. I felt like I couldn't go anywhere I was financially reliant on him.
   
3. In March, I felt something wrong. I asked him all day if something was wrong. He said no. I felt like I was going crazy. I felt like he was being passive aggressive. Later that night, I wanted to talk about my feelings. He was scrolling on his phone and said " no one cares about that and yeah I am mad at you". That was enough to make me hysterical. I wanted to leave. I started packing my stuff, he blocked me from leaving and forced me to cuddle with him after the fight. I couldn't go anywhere, because I didn't have any money. I felt ashamed for snapping.
   
4. I finally have a job. My self-esteem has been bad. I haven't gotten my hair done since August. I haven't gotten my nails done. I have lost weight since August. I don't have clothes because they don't fit. I am going through depression. A few days ago, I noticed him gaslighting me again. I confronted him about it. I made a list about my issues in the relationship. The entire conversation, he shifted blame, dismissed, minimized and mocked me in the guise of a 'joke'. It was my final straw. I was not going to drop it. I realized my therapist was right.
   
5. Two days ago, I tried again. After three hours, he finally admitted that what he did was gaslighting, manipulating and invaliding me. I was shocked after years, he admitted it. He said he isn't in love with me anymore. I said I am not either. He said he wants sex, intimacy and feels lonely in the relationship. I feel the same. However, during this argument, he said I should take his word as gold. Any time I don't react the way he wants, he chalks it up to a 'miscommunication' and 'I have a lack of trust'. I was very upset about his 'gold' comment. I talked about how I feel like he doesn't respect me or my physical boundaries.
   
6. He accused me of cheating because I listen to audio porn. Said that it was shameful that I was listening to another man in my ear. Accused me of having an addiction. I listen to audio porn because it helps me relax, it makes me feel more positive, and it has helped teach me about what I like. I don't want to have sex when I feel invalided over and over again. I felt like it was meeting my needs when my husband kept shutting me down emotionally. He has indirectly made comments shaming me for masturbating. After he said this to me a few days ago I cannot enjoy audio porn anymore. I now feel horrible and guilt.
   
7. On Saturday, we went to the mall and instead of going into the store with me, he would sit outside. He didn't tell me that he was going to sit outside, and kind of just left me in the store. I felt like it was passive aggressive, and I felt like I was being punished in public. When I asked him about it at home, he says "What are you talking about, we had a good day, and you are ruining it". I noticed that that was gaslighting me and blaming me, making me feel as if I am crazy.
   
8. During sex, I told him he was going to deep and he said 'No I am not'. A few weeks ago, he continued to bend me over and dry hump me as a 'joke' even though I repeatedly said no. He sucked on my chest when I told him no. This was all done not in a violent manner, but he did not listen. Last night I confronted him about it, and he apologized. However, again, this afternoon he kept hugging me in bed when I said no.
   
9. This morning, he said when he saw my pretty eyes and my smirk, he fell in love with me again after just days ago saying he is not in love with me anymore. I feel crazy and don't trust my perception of reality anymore. I am on the fence. I did tell him I think he should move out for a while. He said that him moving out would be a step backward. I am on the fence about ending the relationship. I don't know what to believe anymore. I do have a new job now. I'm trying to work on feeling better by getting my hair done, makeup done and buying clothes. I am not perfect. when I feel like he is constantly dismissing me, I can yell. But I really do feel backed into a corner. Before I got my new job, I felt backed into a corner and desperate for him to acknowledge my issues. Sometimes I do feel like most of it is my fault because I can snap.
   

TL; DR,
We've been married since August, together for 9 years, but our relationship has deteriorated. After quitting my job for mental health reasons and struggling to find new employment, I felt controlled and powerless due to a financial imbalance. My husband’s family has been problematic, with racist remarks and demands that made me lie about our living situation. Despite his apologies, I feel like a second priority. Therapy revealed his manipulative and gaslighting behavior, which I initially dismissed but now recognize.
Recent conflicts have worsened our relationship, including passive-aggressive actions, disrespecting my boundaries, and accusing me of cheating for listening to audio porn. His lack of support and emotional invalidation has left me isolated and questioning my reality. Though I now have a new job and am trying to improve my self-esteem, I am uncertain about the future of our marriage.

Quell and Info
It was time for the first Triad Quell. President Arachne Monty stood atop the stage, dressed in a fancy pink dress. She slit open the envelope she held in her hand with a small knife, before reading aloud the card that had been inside.
“As a reminder that even the most prominent of the District’s people took part in the First Rebellion and actions of the rebels over time, this year’s tributes shall be reaped from the most prominent and well known families of the Districts.”
Many seemed excited for this quell, while the more known families spent the next two months training their children, just in case they were reaped.
It was decided that one of each of the two victors from every Games would perform all thirteen reapings. Hyperion Dalton (Game 102) volunteered to perform them over his fiancée and fellow victor, Euthanasia Chandler (Game 102).
District 12
Hyperion arrived in District 12, smiling over at his fiancée who sat on a chair next to Rue Mellark (Game 90). The two women watched as Hyperion approached the bowls, before Euthanasia took a deep breath.
Hyperion reached into the female bowl, removing a slip of paper from within. He read aloud the name of twelve year old Tibia Wex. A small girl with olive skin, black hair, and gray eyes walked to the stage, tears in her eyes. Tibia shook Hyperion’s hand, before Euthanasia gave the girl a hug.
Tibia was one of four children born to a Seam family. Her father was a prominent doctor, but had to work for cheap, as not many in the Seam had the money to pay him. Tibia was his youngest child and only daughter, and he was seen wiping away tears.
Hyperion quickly reached into the male bowl, removing the name of seventeen year old Flynn Ballard. A handsome young man with blonde hair and blue eyes walked to the stage, politely offering his hand to Hyperion, who shook it. Flynn offered a kind smile to Tibia, giving her a hug.
Flynn was the youngest of four children born to a large extended family of prominent doctors. Flynn’s older siblings already had jobs in the medical field, while Flynn wanted to gear more towards helping those in the Seam and the middle class section.
In the town hall, Tibia sobbed in her father’s arms, while her three older brothers, Thyme, Jethro and Barnaby, offered their sympathy. Tibia’s mother had died of a sickness long ago, leaving Tibia’s father and much older brothers to raise her. As a peacekeeper escorted her out, Tibia sobbed.
Flynn visited with his parents and older siblings, Medica, Galen, and Loyal. He told them he knew District 12 wouldn’t win again, and told his family that he loved them. Flynn also staunchly refused to kill unless absolutely necessary, which might bring him down in the arena.
On the train, Tibia and Flynn met with Rue and Euthanasia. Rue spent her time getting frustrated with Flynn for not wanting to work with weaponry, but at least admired his skills with plants, fruits, medicines, and poisons.
Euthanasia was heartbroken to have to work with a tribute so young on her first year, and she talked with Tibia about their families. Tibia had no hope with weaponry, not even a knife, so Euthanasia instead taught her about poisonous plants and fruits, how to set a trap, and medical skills.
For dinner, the tributes ate a large meal, with Tibia in particular eating large amounts of food. Flynn enjoyed the fruit, explaining that he didn’t eat meat, surprising Rue, who asked how he survived.
Flynn explained that he got his nutrients from fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds. He looked over at Tibia, and told her to eat as much as she could while she was in the Capitol. Tibia thanked Flynn, before turning back to her food.
Flynn explained to Rue that he wouldn’t ally with Tibia, as he didn’t want to watch her die. Tibia ate as much as she could, and when full, she asked Euthanasia if she could watch a movie.
The two settled and watched a movie about magic, and Tibia commented that she wished magic was real. Tears filled Euthanasia’s eyes as she told Tibia that she wished that as well.
The next morning, the tributes got off the train at Snow Station. Tibia appeared to fear the Capitolites, as she wasn’t used to the loud noise and bright flashes from the cell phone cameras.
Tibia clung to Euthanasia, who escorted her to the limo. Meanwhile Flynn poses for photos and signed autograph as, and was overall very polite, and even had a rather merry attitude.
At the apartment, the screen showed the fire at the Avenue of Tributes that had occurred a few months prior, as well as the permanent cancellation of the parade. The Avenue of Tributes would be turned into a concert and show venue from then onwards.
Rue turned on the television to show District 7’s reaping, commenting that District 7 hadn’t had a winner in a long time, but possibly could under new mentorship.
Rue commented that the most prominent family was probably the Branks family, which saw its tributes be removed and sent home, revived, and abducted from the Games. Rue said that the Branks family was one of the largest in District 7. She said that the other prominent and large families were the McKenzies, Oakleys, Masons, Seetles, Ashboughs, and Forestiers.
District 7
Hyperion admired the forest background, taking a photo with his cell phone. Hyperion saw Olive Branks and Whin Mason, prominent ax throwers and track and field Olympians who had replaced Asha Seetle due to Asha refusing to return to mentor. Both had been abducted from District 7’s Games alongside several others.
Hyperion chose a name from the female bowl, calling out seventeen year old Fern Branks. Olive seemed unsurprised by the reaping, as the Branks family was large. A tall, athletic looking young lady with two brown plaits of hair and green eyes walked to the stage.
As Fern shook Hyperion’s hand, she looked back at the crowd, where her parents and two siblings stood with shock on their faces. Fern stood on the stage, watching and hoping that one of her siblings or cousins wouldn’t be reaped.
Hyperion reached into the male bowl, choosing the name of fifteen year old Spruce McKenzie. A short boy with messy blonde hair and blue eyes walked to the stage. He shook Hyperion’s hand, looking annoyed as he removed a lock of hair from his eyes.
Spruce was born into a prominent line of lumberjacks. You often heard the McKenzie name associated with the Games as well, with two twelve year olds having competed. Cedaro in Game 78, and Red who had been abducted from District 7’s Games.
In the town hall, Fern visited with her parents and younger brother Joshua, and older brother Timber. She was surprisingly calm as she wished her family love, and she silently walked out of the room, promising that she and Olive “had a plan.”
Spruce visited with his parents, older brother Bark, and younger sister Eila. Spruce seemed hopeful about winning, and told his family he loved them, before being taken away.
On the train, Fern spoke with Olive, who revealed that she had been training all Branks youths aged 5 to 18. She had Fern show off her ax throwing skills, and the talent that Fern had was shocking to Whin and Spruce.
Spruce shyly asked Fern to ally with him, and Fern agreed. Spruce showed off his strong ax throwing skills, with Fern complimenting him and giving a few tips. Olive and Whin sat together and watched, discussing their recent marriages.
Olive secretly told Whin that she was three months pregnant, and asked Whin how his firstborn child, a son named Chane, was doing. Whin told her that he, his wife Ivy, and their son were doing well. He would go on to have three more children with Ivy.
Olive told Whin she had names planned for her children, as she planned to have four. Olive shared a particular liking for the name Willow, and later would even name her only daughter this. Olive and Whin talked about Asha and her three children, Axel, Alder, and Jacaranda.
Olive commented that she understood why Asha didn’t want to come back and mentor. Whin also seemed to understood what Olive meant, but they were interrupted by Spruce asking them to show their ax throwing skills.
Olive and Whin threw axes side by side, and Spruce asked them questions about the Olympic Games they had competed in. Olive won three medals in the four lap race, the relay race, and ax throwing, while Whin won four medals in weightlifting, the ten lap race, the relay race, and ax throwing.
Fern and Spruce seemed impressed by the talent of their mentors, and Spruce told Whin that he wanted to be just like him one day. Dinner was served shortly afterwards, and the tributes ate large amounts of food, with Olive even commenting on Fern’s large appetite.
The next morning the tributes arrived at the Capitol, with Fern and Spruce remaining polite to the Capitolites, both barely able to hold in their excitement.
At the apartment, the tributes watched as Olive set the television to show District 4’s reaping, commenting that District 4 is the biggest non career threat, as they usually are better fed and more athletic than other districts.
District 4
Hyperion admired the water beyond District 4’s reaping square, taking a photo. Hyperion commented to Head Peacekeeper Maximillian Plinth that he would love to vacation here sometime.
Hyperion sent a polite wave over to Sandy Sellick (Game 93) and Limerick Manx (Game 88) before stretching, eying the many youths below him.
Hyperion chose the name of seventeen year old Isla Herrix from the female bowl, watching as a young man with blonde hair let out a cry of despair. Baffin Herrix (District 4 Games) looked ready to cry as his younger sister was escorted to the stage.
Isla had blonde curly hair and green eyes, and was the youngest of Baffin’s branch of the Herrix family, who was known for Baffin’s acting career. She and Baffin were close, and Isla was also close with her two other older siblings. Isla shook Hyperion’s hand, a nervous smile on her face.
Hyperion then chose the name of seventeen year old Caspian Tyde from the male bowl. A handsome young man with ginger hair, a freckled face, and a kind smile walked to the stage.
The Tyde family was well known for their shrimp chip company, and Caspian was the eldest of three children.
In the town hall, Isla visited with her parents, older sister Atala, older brother Neptune, and older brother Baffin. Isla rushed into Baffin’s arms as the young man, older than Isla by four years, began giving her as much advice as he could. Isla was soon taken away, much to the tears of her family.
Caspian said goodbye to his parents, younger sister Marinella, and younger brother Finley. Caspian promised his distraught parents that he would do whatever it took to return him, and that he hoped to see them again. Caspian was then taken away as his younger siblings cried out for him.
On the train, Isla and Caspian met up with Sandy and Limerick, who began teaching them the basics of trident usage. Isla and Caspian apparently already knew how to use a trident, so Sandy taught them how to throw tridents from long distances.
Over time, Isla and Caspian became well versed in trident throwing, and Isla offered an alliance to Caspian, who agreed without hesitation. The two practiced throwing tridents together.
Sandy sat next to Limerick and the two started to talk about their families. Limerick spoke of his marriage to his wife, Devon Jimenez, who was revived after Game 88. He told Sandy about his daughter, Thalassa, and sons Angler and Dewey.
Sandy updated Limerick on her husband, Focus Snow, and their children, sons Deck and Admiral, and daughter Sirena. Both compared pictures of their families, smiling.
Isla and Caspian sat together and watched the 80th, 88th, and 93rd Games together. Caspian put his hand on top of Isla’s, who squeezed his hand. Caspian informed Isla that he was glad to be her friend and ally, and she agreed.
The train arrived at Snow Station late that night. Isla and Caspian posed for a few photos, but informed the Capitolites and news crew that they weren’t a couple, much to the surprise of everyone involved, even Sandy and Limerick.
In the limo, Isla told Sandy that she and Caspian just automatically clicked, and that they could revisit a romantic relationship if both won, or if one won and the other was revived.
At the apartment, Sandy showed Isla and Caspian the reaping for District 1. Sandy commented that she was excited to see how the reaping for the career Districts worked.
District 1
As it turned out, Districts 1 and 2 had a new method. The career volunteers would show off their skills to the mentors of their District, and the top three to five best males and females would each have their name in the bowl once.
One male and one female would then be reaped from this group of the strongest volunteers. Hyperion stood on the stage, excited to head off to his own District 2 next.
He spotted Mirai Kobayashi (Game 94) and Sardonyx Kensington (Game 101) seated side by side. Mirai shot Hyperion a look of ire, probably for getting her female tribute killing by lying the previous year.
Hyperion reached into the female bowl, choosing the name of eighteen year old Chardonnay Belcourt. A tall, athletic young lady with platinum hair and blue eyes walked to her spot, pure excitement shown on her face.
Chardonnay was the only daughter of Mayor Baron Belcourt. She also had an older brother named Duke. Both men watched with pride as Chardonnay shook Hyperion’s hand, an excited smile on her face.
Hyperion then chose a name from the male bowl. He looked over at Mirai after reading the slip of paper, before reading aloud the name of eighteen year old Sheen Kobayashi. Mirai’s eyes filled with excitement as her nephew walked to the stage.
Sheen had short black hair, handsome dark eyes, and a happy smile on his face. Sheen was one of three children born to Mirai’s older brother Valor. Sheen happily shook Chardonnay’s hand, before the two were taken into the town hall.
Chardonnay visited with her father and brother. She excitedly commented that she wondered how her cousins would feel now that she was the first Belcourt to fight in years.
Meanwhile Sheen visited with his parents, older brother Glitz, and younger sister Alexandra. Sheen promised to return and win for the Kobayashi family, and his father seemed hesitant to let him go. Sheen made a comment that “at least he wouldn’t die of his sickness now.”
Dollar met with Chardonnay, as Mirai wanted to mentor her nephew. He watched Chardonnay use a bow and arrow, and complimented her on her skills.
Sheen revealed to Mirai that he had a cancerous tumor that was in its final stage. Sheen admitted that he fought in the Games in order to die his way. Sheen made Mirai promise to name her son she was pregnant with after him, and Mirai tearfully promised.
Dollar continued to work with Chardonnay, and Mirai entered the room and informed Dollar and Chardonnay of Sheen’s condition. Even Chardonnay was silenced by this, and she promised she would let Sheen die a hero.
Upon arrival at Snow Station, Chardonnay used her showmanship to be in front of the news camera. Sheen also signed a few autographs, but the cameras were on Chardonnay most of the time, who struck model poses and even did an interview.
Back at the apartment, Chardonnay headed up to District 2’s floor, quickly striking up a friendship with Achillea and Remus Dalton, both of whom were cousins. They agreed to form the normal career pack, and Achillea and Remus were both respectful about Sheen’s plan.

This man abused me. I journaled a lot of it as a reminder and am starting to reread parts. But I had to throw most of them away because he found them and read them. So I’m once again trying to remove myself from this man and get him out of my head. I have idealized him so much that I don’t even know how to survive without him in my head. How can I stop minimizing this abuse he’s inflicted on me? When can I stop missing this man? All he’s done is make my life a living hell, but yet here I am still loving him. How do I let go?
I married this man and now he’s done all he can to destroy me. I filed for an annulment. But he’s taken my vehicle that doesn’t have a loan on it and left me with the one that I bought in my name after we married. He has crappy credit so that was why it’s in my name only.
I’ve made mistake after mistake with this man and he’s trying to make getting away from him just as difficult.

I am currently taking paypal for games, you always go first and cover fees
For game trades, you always go first and message me, usually it takes me about 1-2 days to get back to you at the latest
No reply means not interested
My Rep Page has not been updated in about 5 years, but I have a lot of trades finished
Bolded items are just the ones I would like to consider keeping so don't feel as though you need to offer more for the game
Wants
Oneshot
Subnautica
Stellaris (and dlc)
Fallout 4
Wishlist Items
Have
A Plague Tale: Innocence
ADOM (ANCIENT DOMAINS OF MYSTERY)
Bridge Constructor Portal
Chivalry 2 - Epic Edition
Deep Rock Galactic
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
Doom Eternal
Elite Dangerous
Endless Space 2 - Digital Deluxe Edition
Ghostrunner
Honey I Joined a Cult
Lost Ruins
Mass Effect Legendary Edition (temporarily unavailable)
MONSTER TRAIN (FIRST CLASS - COLLECTORS EDITION)
OUTWARD + THE SOROBOREANS AND OUTWARD SOUNDTRACK
PATHFINDER: WRATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS
Rebel Inc: Escalation
REMNANT: FROM THE ASHES - COMPLETE EDITION
SCP:Secret Files
SHOTGUN KING: THE FINAL CHECKMATE
Songs of Conquest
Spyro™ Reignited Trilogy
Surviving Mars
THE OUTER WORLDS: SPACER'S CHOICE EDITION
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 4 COMPLETE EDITION
Yakuza 4 Remastered
20XX
7 Grand Steps

observer (x3)

A Good Snowman is Hard to Build
A Juggler's Tale
A Mortician's Tale
A New Beginning - Final Cut
Aaero
Aces and Adventures
AER Memories of Old (x2)
Age of Wonders III
Ageless
Agents of Mayhem
AI War: Fleet Command
Alien Spidy
Aliens:Fireteam Elite
Alina of the Arena
All You Can Eat
Aragami 2
Arcade Paradise
Army Men RTS
Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation (x2)
Assassin's Creed® Origins
Assault Android Cactus
Atom RPG Trudograd
Atomicrops
AUTONAUTS VS PIRATEBOTS
Backbone
Bad End Theater
Banner Saga Trilogy - Deluxe Pack
Banners of Ruin
Bastion (x2)
Batman Arkham Origins (x2)
Battle Chef Brigade
Beacon Pines
Beat Hazard Ultra
Bee Simulator
Before Your Eyes
BEHIND THE FRAME: THE FINEST SCENERY
Beholder
BENDY AND THE DARK REVIVAL
Beneath Oresa
Between the Stars
Beyond a Steel Sky
Binary Domain
Bioshock Remastered
BioShock: The Collection
Biped
Black Book
Blade Assault
Blasphemous
Blazing Beaks
Bleed 2
Bloodstained®︎: Ritual of the Night
Bone - Episode 1 & Episode 2
Boomerang Fu (x3)
Borderlands 3 Super Deluxe
Boreal Blade
Boyfriend Dungeon
Broken Age (x2)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Brutal Legend
BUILDER SIMULATOR
Burly Men At Sea (x2)
Bury Me, My Love
Celeste
Chasm
Chicken Police
Children of Silentown
CHUCHEL Cherry Edition (x2)
CivCity: Rome
COMMAND & CONQUER REMASTERED COLLECTION
Company of Heroes 2 + Company of Heroes 2 - Whale and Dolphin Conservation Charity Pattern Pack
Conan Chop Chop
CONTROL STANDARD EDITION (Steam or Epic Games)
COOK, SERVE, DELICIOUS! 3
Coromon
Crowntakers
Crusader Kings Complete
Cultist Simulator (x2)
Curious Expedition
CURSE OF THE DEAD GODS
Cyber Hook
DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY: HOUSE OF ASHES
Darkside Detective
Darksiders Genesis
Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition (x2)
Darksiders Warmastered Edition
Dead In Bermuda
Deadly Days
Death Squared (x2)
Deathloop
Decieve Inc.
Deleveled
Desperados 3
Destroy All Humans!
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Disciples: Liberation
Distance
DISTRAINT 2 + Soundtrack
Distrust (x3)
Drawful 2
DUCATI - 90th Anniversary
Duke Nukem Forever
Duke Nukem Forever Hail to the Icons
Duke Nukem Forever The Doctor Who Cloned Me
Dungeons 3 (x2)
Dusty Revenge: Co-Op Edition
Dwarfs!?
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1: Blood Storm + DLC
EarthNight
Eastside Hockey Manager
Elderborn
Eldest Souls
Ellipsis
Embr
Emily is Away <3
ENCASED: A SCI-FI POST-APOCALYPTIC RPG
Endless Space® - Collection (x2)
Epic Chef
Eternal Threads
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Europa Universalis IV
Evan's Remains
Evergarden
EVERSPACE™
Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
Fallout 1
Family Man
Farmer's Dynasty
Fibbage XL
Fights in Tight Spaces
Figment
Finding Paradise
First Class Trouble
Five Dates
Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
Foretales
Fort Triumph
Founders' Fortune
Framed Collection
Framed Collection (x2)
Freddi Fish 2: The Case of the Haunted Schoolhouse
Freddi Fish 3: The Case of the Stolen Conch Shell
Freddi Fish 4: The Case of the Hogfish Rustlers of Briny Gulch
Freddi Fish 5: The Case of the Creature of Coral Cove
Freddi Fish and Luther's Maze Madness
Freddi Fish and Luther's Water Worries
Freedom Force
Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich
Friends Vs Friends
FTL
Full Metal Furies
Full Throttle Remastered (x2)
Fury Unleashed
Gas Station Simulator
Genesis Noir
Get In The Car, Loser!
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
God's Trigger
Golf Gang
Gonner
GRAV (Early Access)
Greedfall
GRID 2
Grime
Grow: Song of the Evertree
Growing Up
Guns of Icarus Online
Hacknet (x2) + Hacknet Labyrinths DLC (x1)
Haiku, the Robot
Hammerting
Hard Reset Redux
Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Heaven's Vault
Heavenly Bodies (x2)
Hell Let Loose
Hell Pie
Hello Neighbor Hide and Seek
Hellpoint
Hero Siege Complete + Cyberpunk Samurai + Demon Slayer Bundle + Extra slots & stash space + ClassShield Lancer + Shaman + Plague Doctor + Marauder + Amazon+Avenger Paladin DLCs
Heroes of Hammerwatch
Hexcells Complete Pack
Hidden & Dangerous 2: Courage Under Fire
Hidden & Dangerous: Action Pack
Hidden Folks
HITMAN™: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (x2)
HIVESWAP: Act 1
Hokko life
Hollow Knight
Hot Brass
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Hotshot Racing
Hyper Light Drifter
I am not a Monster: First Contact
I'm not a Monster
If Found...
Impostor Factory
In Between
In Sound Mind
Injustice Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition (x3)
INK Deluxe Edition
Iris and the Giant
Iron Harvest
Jack Move
JumpJet Rex
Jupiter Hell
Jurassic World Evolution - Deluxe Dinosaur Pack
Just Cause 3 XXL Edition
Kerbal Space Program
KeyWe
Kill it with Fire
KillSquad
Kingdom Classic
Kingdom Two Crowns
Kingdom: New Lands (x2)
Knights of Pen and Paper 2
Kraken Academy!!
Late Shift
Later Alligator
Lawn Mowing Simulator
Legend of Keepers
Legion TD2-MULTIPLAYER TOWER DEFENSE
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Premium Edition
LEGO DC Super-Villains Deluxe Edition
LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game
LEGO® Batman 2 DC Super Heroes™
LEGO® Worlds
Let's Explore the Farm (Junior Field Trips)
Let's Explore the Jungle (Junior Field Trips)
Levelhead
Leviathan Warships
Life is Strange 2: Complete Season
Life is Strange: True Colors
Lone Fungus
Lords and Villeins
Lostwinds
Lovecraft's Untold Stories
Lumino City
Luna's Wandering Stars
Machinarium
Mad Max
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Magicka
Maid of Sker
Majesty 2
Majesty Gold HD
Marooners
Masquerade: The Baubles of Doom
Massive Chalice
Meeple Station
Merchany of the Skies
Metal Hellsinger
Metro Exodus
Midnight Protocol
Mind Scanners
Mini Metro
MINIT (x2)
MirrorMoon EP
Monster Loves You
Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp
Moonlighter
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes
Morkredd
MOTHERGUNSHIP
Moving Out
Mr. Shifty
Mr.Prepper
Mushroom 11
My Memory of Us
My Time at Portia
Narita Boy
Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers
NBA 2K20
NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Necromunda: Hired Gun
Necronator: Dead Wrong (x2)
Neo Cab
Neon Abyss
Neon Drive (Steam)
Newt One
Niche (x3)
NICKELODEON ALL-STAR BRAWL
Nimbatus The Space Drone Constructor
Ninja Pizza Girl
No Time to Explain Remastered
No Time to Relax
Not For Broadcast
Not Tonight
Oaken
Offworld Trading Company + Jupiter's Forge Expansion Pack (x2)
Old Man's Journey
OlliOlli World - Rad edition
OlliOlli2: Welcome to Olliwood
Omno
One Step From Eden
Operation Flashpoint: Red River
OPERATION: TANGO
Opus Magnum
Orwell: Ignorance is Strength (x2)
Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You (x3)
Othercide
Otxo
Out of the Park Baseball 18
Overcooked! 2 - Surf 'n' Turf Pack
Overcooked! 2 - Too Many Cooks
Overgrowth
Overlord II
OZYMANDIAS: BRONZE AGE EMPIRE SIM
PAC-MAN™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION 2
Pajama Sam 2: Thunder And Lightning Aren't So Frightening
Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat From Your Head To Your Feet
Pajama Sam's Lost & Found
Pajama Sam's Sock Works
Pajama Sam: Games to Play on Any Day
Pale Echoes
Panzer Corps 2
Paper Fire Rookie
Paperbark
Paradigm (x2)
Paradise Killer
Party Hard (x2)
Patch Quest
PayDay 2
Peaky Blinders: Mastermind
Pesterquest
Pesterquest
PGA TOUR 2K21
Pikuniku
Pinstripe (x2)
Plague Inc: Evolved
Planet of the Eyes
Planet Zoo
PlateUp! (x2)
Plunge
Police Stories
Police Stories
Portal Knights
Primal Carnage: Extinction
Prodeus
Project Highrise (x2)
Project Winter
Psychonauts
Putt-Putt® and Pep's Balloon-o-Rama
Putt-Putt® and Pep's Dog on a Stick
Putt-Putt® Enters the Race
Putt-Putt® Goes to the Moon
Putt-Putt® Joins the Circus
Putt-Putt® Joins the Parade
Putt-Putt® Travels Through Time
Putt-Putt®: Pep's Birthday Surprise
Puzzle Agent
Puzzle Agent 2
Q.U.B.E. 2
Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut
Quest of Dungeons
Quiplash
Railroad Corporation
Railroad Tycoon 3
Railroad Tycoon II Platinum
Rain World
Raji: An Ancient Epic
Rapture Rejects + Safari outfit
Realpolitiks
Rebel Cops
Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville
RED SOLSTICE 2: SURVIVORS
Regency Solitaire
Regions of Ruin
Regular Human Basketball (x3)
Relicta
Remnants of Isolation
Resident Evil 0 HD REMASTER
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil HD REMASTER
Resident Evil Revelations (X2)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 Deluxe Edition
Retimed
Retro Game Crunch
Retrowave
Revita
Rime
Rise and Shine
Rising Dusk
Rituals
Road 96
Road to Ballhalla
Roadwarden
Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball
Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder™
Rocket Birds: Hardboiled Chicken
ROCKETSROCKETSROCKETS
Rogue Heroes:Ruins of Tasos
Roguebook
Rollerdrome
ROUNDS (x2)
Rustler
Rusty Lake Paradise
RÖKI
S.W.I.N.E. HD REMASTER
Saints Row: The Third
Sam & Max: Season 1
Sam & Max: Season 2
Satellite Reign (x2)
Scorn
Scourgebringer
Screencheat
Scribblenauts Unlimited (x2)
Secrets of Raetikon
Shadow Complex Remastered (Epic Games)
SHADOW TACTICS: AIKO'S CHOICE
Shady Part of Me
Shelter 2 (x3)
Shenmue I & II
shutshimi
Sid Meier's Railroads!
Sigma Theory: Global Cold War (x2)
SimplePlanes
SIMULACRA
Size Matters
Slipstream
Sniper Elite
Sniper Elite 3 (x2)
Sniper Elite V2
Snowtopia: Ski Resort Builder
Song of Horror
SOULCALIBUR VI
Souldiers
Speed Brawl
Spellcaster University
Spelunky
Spirit of the Island
Spirits
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: BATTLE FOR BIKINI BOTTOM - REHYDRATED
Spy Fox 2 "Some Assembly Required"
Spy Fox 3 "Operation Ozone"
Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal"
Spy Fox In: Hold the Mustard
Squad (Early Access)
StarCrossed
State of Mind
Staxel
Stealth 2: A Game of Clones
Stick Fight: The Game (x4)
Streamline Early Access
Streets of Rage
Stronghold Crusader 2
Subsurface Circular (x3)
Suchart:Genius Artist Simulator
Sudden Strike 4
Super Daryl Deluxe
Super Galaxy Squadron EX
Super Hexagon (x2)
Super House of Dead Ninjas: True Ninja Pack
Super House of the Dead Ninjas (x2)
Super Lesbian Animal RPG
Super Magbot
Super Time Force Ultra
SUPERHOT (x3)
Surgeon Simulator + Anniversary Ed. Content
Surviving the Aftermath
Swag and Sorcery
Sword Legacy Omen
SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising
System Shock 2
System Shock: Enhanced Edition
Tainted Grail: Conquest
Tales from the Borderlands
Tales of Berseria™
Tales of the Neon Sea
Tangledeep + Soundtrack
Tank Mechanic Simulator
Team Indie
Teleglitch: Die More Edition
Telltale Texas Hold'em
TemTem
The Adventure Pals
The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines
The Ascent
The Ball
The Battle of Polytopia
The Blackout Club
THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY: LITTLE HOPE
THE DARK PICTURES ANTHOLOGY: MAN OF MEDAN
The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos + Goodies + OST
The Dwarves
The First Tree (x3)
The Forgotten City
The Gardens Between
The Henry Stickmin Collection
THE INVISIBLE HAND
The Journey Down: Chapter Three
The Legend of Tianding
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
The Quarry Deluxe Edition
The Red Lantern
The Serpent Rogue
The Stillness of the Wind
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead - 400 Days
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
The Walking Dead: Final Season
The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
The Walking Dead: Season Two
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
The Wild Eight
The Witness (x2)
theHunter: Call of the Wild
Them and Us
There is No Light:Enhanced Edition
Think of the Children
Thirty Flights of Loving
This is the Police
This War of Mine
This War of Mine: Final Cut
Throne of Lies® The Online Game of Deceit (x3)
Tilt Brush
TIMEframe
Tin Can
Titan Quest Anniversary
Titan Quest Anniversary Edition
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove (x2)
Tokyo 42
Tooth and Tail (x2)
Torment: Tides of Numenera
Total Tank Simulator (x2)
Tower of Guns (x2)
Train Simulator 2017 + Platform Clutter + Town Scenery
Train Station Renovation
Tribes of Midgard
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince
Tropico 4
Turbo Gold Racing
Twin Mirror (x2)
Two Point Campus
Ultimate Chicken Horse (x3)
Undertale
Unmetal
Unpacking
Valfaris
Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York
Vane
Vault of the Void
Verdun
Vertiginous Golf
Vikings - Wolves of Midgard
Visage
Void Bastards
Volgarr the Viking
Wandersong
Wargroove
Waking Mars
WARHAMMER 40,000: CHAOS GATE - DAEMONHUNTERS
Warhammer: Chaosbane
Werewolf: The Apocalypse Heart of the Forest
West of Dead
Westerado: Double Barreled
Where the Water Tastes like Wine
WHO PRESSED MUTE ON UNCLE MARCUS
Wildfire
WINDJAMMERS 2
Windward
Wingspan
Wizard of Legend (x3)
World of Goo
Worms Revolution
WORMS RUMBLE + LEGENDS PACK DLC
Wuppo (x2)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds
WWE 2K Battlegrounds + Brawler Pass
WWE 2K23
XCOM: CHIMERA SQUAD
XCOM: ULTIMATE COLLECTION
Yes, Your Grace
Yooka-Laylee
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK HEADRUSH
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK SPORTS
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK TELEVISION
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 1 XL
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 2
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 3
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 4: The Ride
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK Vol. 6 The Lost Gold
Ziggurat
Zombie Night Terror
Others GameMaker Studio Pro
Ashampoo BackUp Pro 14
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7
Ashampoo WinOptimizer 18
Battleborn Starter Skin Pack
Darkest Dungeon Shieldbreaker DLC
Double Fine Adventure Documentary
GWENT - Ultimate Starter Pack
Killing Floor - Community Weapon Pack 1 DLC
Killing Floor - Community Weapon Pack 2 DLC
Killing Floor - Community Weapon Pack 3 DLC
Mage and Minions - $10 In-Game Currency
Music Maker EDM Edition
Music Maker: Hip Hop Edition
PAYDAY 2: Sydney Mega Mask
Starfinder: Pact Worlds Campaign Setting
XCOM® 2: Reinforcement Pack
XCOM® 2: Resistance Warrior Pack
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK MOVIES