Knitting skull and crossbones cell phone case
EnergyStorage
2013.02.22 00:54 Vailhem EnergyStorage
A reddit focused on the storage of energy for later use. This includes things like batteries, capacitors, *super*-capacitors, flywheels, air compression, oil compression, mechanical compression, fuel tanks, pumped hydro, thermal storage, electrical storage, chemical storage, thermal storage, etc., but *also* broadens out to utilizing 'more-traditional' energy mediums... where their focus is on their energy storage potential for later use, including even using 'the grid' for storage.
2009.05.07 11:28 arteh Gourmet
2012.12.27 17:32 photojacker Colorization Requests
/colorizationrequests is a subreddit dedicated to requesting and fulfilling [Free] or [Paid] commissions for colorizing images.
2024.05.21 15:49 After_Slice6743 Is this a HIPPA violation on our nurses part?
My husband and I get IV Ketamine therapy. There is this one nurse who flirts in my mind with both of us. My husband said that may just be her personality since we both got the feeling she was flirting with both of us. My husband is an attorney. When we were paying for our treatment she asked what he did for a living. He told her. She said that she was trying to get custody of her son and needed an attorney. He ignored her comment. Then she repeated herself, he said that it did sound like she needed one, still not making eye contact. Then I went to use the bathroom, came back out and my husband informed me she asked for his phone number so she could call him about her case. He instead told her the name of the law firm so she could look it up and talk to one of our paralegals. She never called. Next session again, she put the IV in my arm and touched me a lot more than I liked or thought was normal. Then next session, my husband was very out of it, and I helped him to the bathroom, and open toilet no stall. She tried to walk in so she could help him pee when I was right there, helping him stand up and unzip.... I literally had to ask her to leave. He has no memory of this because he was out of it. She acted like she was being cute. I don’t get it. Then again she asked for his phone number that session and he said call the office if she wants an appointment. It feels like she doesn't want an appointment but wants his personal cell. She also used my records to call my personal cell number and then chit chatted with me about nothing medical, no idea for why she called me to talk about my day..... We put a phone number that was disconnected after we got a new phone number a week before my husband's first session for my husband's medical profile so no idea if she has tried to text and call him. Then, she called recently to say they close at 5, but she'd stay late for us and it'd just be all of us at the clinic and it'd be private? Umm what???
We have discussed going somewhere else but the man who actually monitors the ketamine is amazing and we don’t want to give him up. She is the only nurse there.
Is this a HIPPA violation to try to use a patient as an attorney in the least? Are you allowed to use your patients' businesses for your benefit? Seems like conflict of interest.
submitted by After_Slice6743 to hipaa [link] [comments]
We have discussed going somewhere else but the man who actually monitors the ketamine is amazing and we don’t want to give him up. She is the only nurse there.
Is this a HIPPA violation to try to use a patient as an attorney in the least? Are you allowed to use your patients' businesses for your benefit? Seems like conflict of interest.
2024.05.21 14:15 DisastrousOpening477 Pixel 8 Pro review : 8 months in
Day one Pixel 8 Pro owner here. Thought I’d share my experience, after over 8 months of ownership.
P8P Bay 256GB has been my daily driver since its release. I use it with 5G on, screen at full resolution, dynamic "smooth display" refresh rate is on, no bluetooth or tethering. Brightness left on auto.
TLDR :
Positives = camera quality, great design, OS (with some caveats), great screen (some caveats too)
Negatives = everything else
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Camera : beautiful imagery has always been the signature of the Pixel line, and this release is no exception. Every shot has this mesmerizing "Pixel touch", and the new ultrawide sensor is finally on par with the main unit. Videos are world class too, not quite on the level of the iPhone but we'll get there eventually.
Beautiful and unique design : It's sitting in a clear case, and in a sea of generic, boring slabs, it really stands out and doesn't go unnoticed. People often ask me what kind of phone it is, most are still not aware that Google is making smartphones and has been doing so for almost a decade now.
Very long software support : Seven years of updates is unrivaled in the Android scene, albeit with the following you’ll understand no one would willingly keep this phone seven years, so it’s not really a positive.
Sleek OS : Android in its purest, cleanest form. Customization galore. However as I'll mention later this pure android is NOT running smoothly, so I don't know if this count as a positive.
Gorgeous OLED panel : A truly beautiful display, high-resolution, good brightness..unfortunately plagued by mutiple lags and frame drops in the UI, I'll get back to that. Now onto the negatives.
First off, we must address the elephant in the room. Battery life. This phone charges PAINFULLY slow and discharges EXTREMELY fast. The opposite of what you want, right ?
The 10 minutes top ups to 50% is a concept Google seemingly never heard of. You want half a charge ? Better sit & wait half an hour. Full charge ? Go watch a movie. Now the discharge, and this is where the real drama clocks in. This phone EATS battery, ON IDLE.
On your average 9 to 5 workday (no camera, no games, just basic apps) you’ll head home with 15% tops. Phone dead by 7pm, then full charge will eat 90 minutes off your schedule, better not be in a hurry.
Now try to make a bit of power usage out of your power user phone : A bit of pictures for work at 10am, a short 4K video at 1pm, a bit of Fallout Shelter on the toilet at 2pm. You’re now looking at a 4pm shutdown.
But let’s go real on the camera, after all this is a camera flagship and it should be your reliable companion on a field day. Starting at 10 am : pictures, videos, a bit of editing, about 40 pictures taken and 3 videos of 10 minutes each. Shutdown at 1PM.
The CPU just eats battery on IDLE doing NOTHING. Throw anything heavy at it and you’ll head home with a dead phone, one that died long before your day was over. Simple as that.
Keep in mind that this is my experience with a 8-months-old device, and it will get worse and worse as the battery cell degrades over time. One can only wonder how many cell replacements this phone will need to get to the end of its famed software support.
Now we need to talk UI and animations because this isn’t good either. Stellar 120hz OLED panel and stock android should be a recipe for smoothness, but not here. Actually, some animations including the cool lock screen clock are barely 60hz. Switching apps isn’t 120hz either, nor is scrolling. A TON of lags and various frame drops, resulting in a framerate like 40-90hz, never stable, with the occasional but very rare peak at 120. This isn't TW3 gameplay on a potato but simply browing menus and scrolling instagram on a 2023, 1159€ flagship phone from Google.
This phone FEELS slow, and yet consume an enormous amount of power to do so. Infuriating.
One day I had to handle a coworker’s A54 to tweak a few things. I was SHOCKED by the smoothness, this was indeed true 120hz, which only happens a few times a day on Pixel 8 Pro. I realized what I was missing on by handling an Exynos mid-ranger. I understand the need for a dynamic framerate, not locked at 120hz all the time to save battery. But only reaching 120hz 5 times a day and still having a mediocre battery life wasn’t what I had in mind.
Finally, the optical, under-display fingerprint scanner. This, my friends, is an antique piece of hardware that belongs to a museum. Remember the Huawei Mate RS from 2018 ? One of the first phones with UDFS. The optical technology was so experimental and unreliable (still is, most OEMs moved on to ultrasonic) that Huawei also included another optical fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, just in case. Well, this ancient tech is what you have on the Pixel 8 Pro, and no optical sensor backup in sight.
Sometimes, it can take up to 2 full seconds of contact to….successfully fail to unlock. After it fails 3 times or so, it will ask you to enter your password, making one-hand unlocks a luck job. Sometimes it will successfully unlock after a couple tries, but a couple tries of 2 seconds each makes unlocking your phone a 4 seconds job which is just painfully slow. The occasional one tap magic is as rare as the occasional 120hz peak in the UI. As for face-unlock, I know it's there but I disabled it because it doesn't work in the dark (no IR sensor) and I simply want to unlock my phone at waist height, without having to raise it to my face.
Pixel 8 Pro remembers me of an exotic sports car that might look incredibly cool from a distance but is actually a pain to live with on a daily basis. And indeed it does look incredibly cool. I remember seeing this phone as a much better pick than the generic Galaxy and the boring iPhone, but I’d rather go boring or generic than having to handle this mess of an hardware Google sold me for 1159€.
TLDR : Positives = Camera quality, great design Negatives = everything else
submitted by DisastrousOpening477 to pixel_phones [link] [comments]
P8P Bay 256GB has been my daily driver since its release. I use it with 5G on, screen at full resolution, dynamic "smooth display" refresh rate is on, no bluetooth or tethering. Brightness left on auto.
TLDR :
Positives = camera quality, great design, OS (with some caveats), great screen (some caveats too)
Negatives = everything else
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Camera : beautiful imagery has always been the signature of the Pixel line, and this release is no exception. Every shot has this mesmerizing "Pixel touch", and the new ultrawide sensor is finally on par with the main unit. Videos are world class too, not quite on the level of the iPhone but we'll get there eventually.
Beautiful and unique design : It's sitting in a clear case, and in a sea of generic, boring slabs, it really stands out and doesn't go unnoticed. People often ask me what kind of phone it is, most are still not aware that Google is making smartphones and has been doing so for almost a decade now.
Very long software support : Seven years of updates is unrivaled in the Android scene, albeit with the following you’ll understand no one would willingly keep this phone seven years, so it’s not really a positive.
Sleek OS : Android in its purest, cleanest form. Customization galore. However as I'll mention later this pure android is NOT running smoothly, so I don't know if this count as a positive.
Gorgeous OLED panel : A truly beautiful display, high-resolution, good brightness..unfortunately plagued by mutiple lags and frame drops in the UI, I'll get back to that. Now onto the negatives.
First off, we must address the elephant in the room. Battery life. This phone charges PAINFULLY slow and discharges EXTREMELY fast. The opposite of what you want, right ?
The 10 minutes top ups to 50% is a concept Google seemingly never heard of. You want half a charge ? Better sit & wait half an hour. Full charge ? Go watch a movie. Now the discharge, and this is where the real drama clocks in. This phone EATS battery, ON IDLE.
On your average 9 to 5 workday (no camera, no games, just basic apps) you’ll head home with 15% tops. Phone dead by 7pm, then full charge will eat 90 minutes off your schedule, better not be in a hurry.
Now try to make a bit of power usage out of your power user phone : A bit of pictures for work at 10am, a short 4K video at 1pm, a bit of Fallout Shelter on the toilet at 2pm. You’re now looking at a 4pm shutdown.
But let’s go real on the camera, after all this is a camera flagship and it should be your reliable companion on a field day. Starting at 10 am : pictures, videos, a bit of editing, about 40 pictures taken and 3 videos of 10 minutes each. Shutdown at 1PM.
The CPU just eats battery on IDLE doing NOTHING. Throw anything heavy at it and you’ll head home with a dead phone, one that died long before your day was over. Simple as that.
Keep in mind that this is my experience with a 8-months-old device, and it will get worse and worse as the battery cell degrades over time. One can only wonder how many cell replacements this phone will need to get to the end of its famed software support.
Now we need to talk UI and animations because this isn’t good either. Stellar 120hz OLED panel and stock android should be a recipe for smoothness, but not here. Actually, some animations including the cool lock screen clock are barely 60hz. Switching apps isn’t 120hz either, nor is scrolling. A TON of lags and various frame drops, resulting in a framerate like 40-90hz, never stable, with the occasional but very rare peak at 120. This isn't TW3 gameplay on a potato but simply browing menus and scrolling instagram on a 2023, 1159€ flagship phone from Google.
This phone FEELS slow, and yet consume an enormous amount of power to do so. Infuriating.
One day I had to handle a coworker’s A54 to tweak a few things. I was SHOCKED by the smoothness, this was indeed true 120hz, which only happens a few times a day on Pixel 8 Pro. I realized what I was missing on by handling an Exynos mid-ranger. I understand the need for a dynamic framerate, not locked at 120hz all the time to save battery. But only reaching 120hz 5 times a day and still having a mediocre battery life wasn’t what I had in mind.
Finally, the optical, under-display fingerprint scanner. This, my friends, is an antique piece of hardware that belongs to a museum. Remember the Huawei Mate RS from 2018 ? One of the first phones with UDFS. The optical technology was so experimental and unreliable (still is, most OEMs moved on to ultrasonic) that Huawei also included another optical fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, just in case. Well, this ancient tech is what you have on the Pixel 8 Pro, and no optical sensor backup in sight.
Sometimes, it can take up to 2 full seconds of contact to….successfully fail to unlock. After it fails 3 times or so, it will ask you to enter your password, making one-hand unlocks a luck job. Sometimes it will successfully unlock after a couple tries, but a couple tries of 2 seconds each makes unlocking your phone a 4 seconds job which is just painfully slow. The occasional one tap magic is as rare as the occasional 120hz peak in the UI. As for face-unlock, I know it's there but I disabled it because it doesn't work in the dark (no IR sensor) and I simply want to unlock my phone at waist height, without having to raise it to my face.
Pixel 8 Pro remembers me of an exotic sports car that might look incredibly cool from a distance but is actually a pain to live with on a daily basis. And indeed it does look incredibly cool. I remember seeing this phone as a much better pick than the generic Galaxy and the boring iPhone, but I’d rather go boring or generic than having to handle this mess of an hardware Google sold me for 1159€.
TLDR : Positives = Camera quality, great design Negatives = everything else
2024.05.21 06:12 RLOclen A Hike to Remember
I want to thank Meatcanyon and Wendigoon for starting Creepcast. I've played around with writing horror, and here is my first short story. I will post it for free in a few other places to see what people think. Please enjoy!
A Hike to Remember
By R.L. Oclen
Chapter 1
A woman sits with hastily pulled-up fire-red hair in the waiting room of the state patrol station. The procedurally sterile off-white walls and decade-old magazines do little for comfort. With her head hanging low, her shoulders pushing forward, and her boots rapidly tapping on the floor, something has to give.
"Please just let her be okay." The woman growls as a pair of officers come in from the field. The officers' demeanors quickly change when they see the familiar face.
"Tabitha, did Officer Nichols call you?" one of the state patrol officers asked sympathetically.
"Yes, he asked me to come in and pick up a few things," Tabitha said, shooting back a muted look.
" I'll let them know you're here." The officer said, nodding to Tabitha as they passed the security door. Tabitha leaned back against the hard plastic chair, staring blankly into the fluorescent light. She had done this dance in the macabre repeatedly over the past month. The last image of her younger sister, Lisa, still burned in her mind. Tabitha had always been protective over her younger sister after their parents died. A pang of guilt shoots through her chest as she thinks about her and Lisa's argument.
"Tabitha Hymm, Officer Nichols is ready for you."
"Okay," she stood up, shaking off her guilt, and followed the officer back. The familiar surroundings of the state patrol station blurred as Tabitha stared forward. She followed the officer as they came to a rustic wooden office door, which was embossed with "Officer Nichols."
The escorting officer turns the old brass door knob. "Sir, I have Tabitha Hymm here." A grizzled West Virginia Highway State Patrol veteran sits behind the desk and nods. The escorting officer steps aside, pushing the door open as Tabitha pushes past him and slumps in the awaiting chair like so many times before. An uncomfortable relationship had formed between the two, born out of necessity and duty.
"Cup of coffee?"
"No thanks. Let's just cut to the chase. You don't have anything new?"
The worn laugh lines and Officer Nichols's face flattens. His eyebrows contour sympathetically as he shakes his head.
"Tabitha, I don't have anything else new for you. I wanted to give you the clothes returned from the lab." Her face darkened at the same response she had heard many times.
"As we discussed two weeks ago, there is nothing new and no signs of struggle or foul play," Officer Nichols said while placing a box marked evidence on the table and sliding it forward. Tabitha began to weep at the realization of Lisa's clothes in front of her. In a coordinated queue, Officer Nichols brought out a box of tissues. Reluctantly, Tabitha took a few moments to unblur her vision.
"How does someone stop their car in the middle of the Remington West Virginia State Park, lock it, and then walk into the woods?" Officer Nichols clasped his hands together and sighed at her worn question.
"Tabitha, I wish I had an answer for why your sister stopped her car in the woods and simply walked off. We're still going through her cell phone, but no signs exist that anyone forced her. On that Tuesday morning, she pulled over to the side of the road, secured her car, and walked away." Officer Nichols said empathetically.
Tabitha became stoic at the same explanation she had heard many times before. " So what next?"
"You should go back to Ohio, and I'll contact you as soon as I have more information." She winced at Officer Nichols's words. Reality began to pull at her that bills and work wouldn't wait much longer.
"If I leave, she's gone for good."
" You staying won't bring her back." Officer Nichols said sympathetically.
" So is that it? She's just gone?"
" Tabitha, I'll be honest with you. In cases like this… when people do things like this. Recovery is harder in the spring due to the weather and the animals. You know her mental condition better than I do. I can't explain why she did what she did. But until I find a solution, a suicide note, some intention, or body. She's not here. Tabitha, I'm-"
" Don't you fucking say sorry!" Tabitha stood up, screaming at Officer Nichols, throwing the plastic chair backward against the wall. " I should just look for myself."
"No!" Officer Nichols said momentarily, gripping the desk as his face hardened, then relaxed. Tabitha was caught off guard by Officer Nichols, who was normally composed. "Tabitha, I know this is unbearable. I've sat on this side of the desk and had these conversations. Trust me; I need you to be safe if I need your help later."
Tabitha nods, knowing Officer Nichols is right. She reaches down, picks up the evidence box of her sister's belongings, and leaves.
" Tabitha, if you're heading home, don't stop your car; just keep driving." Tabitha stops to look at Officer Nichols, feeling an eeriness to his words.
" Goodbye, Officer Nichols," Tabitha said as she closed the rustic wooden door behind her. She counted the tiles as she exited the West Virginia State Patrol Station. Placing her sister's belongings carefully in the back seat of her Jeep, Tabitha then sat momentarily behind the steering wheel, staring at the emblem. The familiar numbness washed over Tabitha as she pushed the start button. She pulled onto the highway, driving to the motel that had been home for the last month or so. Muted pop music accented the drive back as her mind raced with questions. Once inside the two-and-a-half-star motel room, Tabitha sat her sister's belongings on the corner table, crumbled onto the bed, and cried.
***
Tabitha wiped the steam from the slightly spotted mirror above the bathroom sink. The hot water from the shower felt good and loosened some of the stress from her body. Looking back at her, Tabitha's face was framed by damp curls around her shoulders. Her face marked the stress of the past month. Frowning, she examined the bags under her eyes; sleep had to come tonight. Walking into the living area, She changed into her favorite gym shorts and oversized sleep shirt. The alarm on her phone flashed "7:00 am," so she could drive home five hours after breakfast.
Tabitha hated feeling comfortable in this once strange room, but falling asleep was getting easier now. Her eyes closed slowly as the ceiling fan droned evenly. At first, nothing came in her dreams, but she let her guard down and slipped further into sleep.
As she dreamed of floating overhead like a bird of prey, Tabitha soared over the vast Remington National Park. The high noon sun bore down on the crisp woods, perfectly contrasting sky and forest. The heat of the sun felt good on her feathers. Distant cries rang out through the dream-like forest, catching her attention. Tabitha tilted her wings toward the screams, feeling a sense of familiar curiosity.
She now recognized the sobs and cries for help as she flew closer, her sharp eyes locked on her sister leaning against a large oak tree. She glided overhead without care, examining the situation below. Lisa clung to the tree, her eyes darting back and forth, scanning upwards. Lisa's face reflected desperation, looking for help in any direction. Tabitha lazily circles Lisa several times before perching on a sturdy branch higher in one of the oak trees. She watched Lisa intently with hunger. She bellowed deeply, hearing the unnatural sound she made, catching Lisa's eyes. Lisa's expression changed; she became calm, almost uncaring, as she stared back at Tabitha's form. Hunger grew exponentially in Tabitha as she spread her large wings. Her large eyes gaze down at Lisa before diving straight for her sister.
Tabitha jolts awake to the alarm on her phone flashing "7:23 AM." She breathes in sharply, shaking off the last horrible thoughts from the reoccurring nightmare. The strange details become more vivid each time. The lingering memories of folk stories her mother told sat in the back of her mind. In those stories, the dead would reach out in dreams as a matter of warning. Leaning back on the headboard, she searched for the advice her psychologist gave her. During their last session, Dr. Ryland explained dreams are a form of self-actualization of guilt. He told Tabitha that it was natural to feel responsible when losing a loved one in this manner.
Tabitha grumbled, lightly running her hands through her red hair; she pushed everything to the back of her mind. "Get it together!" She grumbled to herself. She pushed herself off the bed and got ready to leave. It was going to be a long trip home, and the only thing she could do now was leave things in the authorities' hands. Packing up was pretty easy since she only cycled through the outfits she brought. The local laundromat must have made a small fortune off her. Tabitha took one last look at the box of Lisa's belongings before throwing them in her duffle bag. She was thankful she didn't have to spend another night in this room.
***
Tabitha sat behind the wheel, waiting for the 90's model minivan to finish their order so she could grab a breakfast burrito on the way out. Considering the situation, the Deer Stop Family Restaurant did have a good breakfast. Finally, pulling up to the 70-style drive-in board, Tabitha rolled off the order she had been accustomed to. " I'll take a large iced tea with the double breakfast burrito meal and hash browns, please."
" Would you like some happy hot sauce with that?"
" That's fine, and a few ketchup packets as well."
" Your total is $8.79. Please pull around."
She pulled around to her window, flashed her debit card, got the receipt, and waited for her food. Luckily, the young woman serving her wasn't very talkative in the morning. The last thing she wanted was a conversation about the weather or meaningless small talk.
" Here's your large iced tea and breakfast meal. Ketchup and happy hot sauce are inside."
" Thanks," Tabitha said while mustering her best fake smile. The woman only smiled and nodded as the service window automatically closed. She pulled into the parking lot and dug into breakfast. Turning the radio to the weather, Tabitha sat back and enjoyed her meal. The local DJ read through the headlines, making nonpartisan comments about politics and grumbling about improving the economy. Tabitha powered through the updates of the "out-of-state woman" who'd gone missing. It was nice that the local radio station gave Lisa's name, description, and a missing person's number for sightings or leads. Tabitha even interviewed with the local news and radio stations, hoping it would bring Lisa home. But she soon found all it brought was a sorrowful look from the locals as she interacted with them in her day-to-day life.
Finishing the last of her hash browns, Lisa wadded up everything in the paper bag and threw it in the back seat. The 9 AM weather report said it was nothing but clear skies and sun the rest of the week. Tabitha flipped the radio over to the greatest hit station, pulled out of the parking lot, and began her trip home. She memorized the roads, every bend and turn in the early weeks as she frantically looked for Lisa. There's something hypnotic about the trees: the way they flow together. The trees' green tops and the oak trees' wide trunks were a relaxing view. Tabitha enjoyed the lazy s-curves of the road, bending and winding around the hills and the trees. The occasional farmhouse or field dotted the sides of the road as she made her way to the main highway.
The blur of a semi-truck snapped Tabitha's attention as she pulled up to the mouth of the highway. She had four and a half hours ahead of her, which would be a long ride. Tabitha pulled onto the highway and picked up speed, noting sparse traffic. She relaxed into her seat, letting her gaze gloss over the blur of green foliage. Without warning, Tabitha caught a large shadow from the corner of her left eye. When she registered the black feathery form, Tabitha tensed up and slammed on the brakes as it swooped across the vehicle's hood. Quickly, she pulled the car safely off the road. She couldn't determine exactly what it was, but it was bigger than any bird she'd seen. It was a bird, right? Tabitha turned off her Jeep and grabbed the keys and cell phone. Standing before the Jeep, she looked over the grill to see if she made contact with the entity.
Bewildered, she scanned the tree line, spotting something in the distance. Sitting in the clearing of the large oak forest was an enormous black owl. It stared intently at Tabitha with bright, shiny yellow eyes. She pushed the lock button on her keys, causing the jeep to beep securely. She turned, looking across the open field, an enormous black owl perched in the upper branches of an old oak tree. Each step she took away from the road piqued her curiosity. Soon, Tabitha stood in the middle of the open field, staring intently into the eyes of the enormous owl.
The horn of a passing semi-truck blared, pulling Tabitha's attention away from the mysterious large creature. She looked back and saw that she had walked farther away from the Jeep than she had thought. She glanced back to the forest line only to see the enormous owl was deeper into the woods than before. She narrowed her vision to find the two large, bright yellow eyes staring back. Had it moved? The day's stress, care, and worry suddenly poured out of Tabitha. It was replaced by only curiosity and overbearing tranquility. She warmly smiled for the first time in months as her feet pulled her further into the woods.
Chapter 2
The tug of gravity pulls Tabitha to her senses as her body reacts, falling forward. Her arms thrust forward, bracing for impact. Water rushes around her face as she struggles to get her bearings. Quickly, Tabitha pushed herself up in the ankle-high stream she fell in. The haze slowly clears from her mind as she stares at the muddy water. The dull ache throbs up her legs. Tabitha can smell the sweat from her clothes. Her face contorted in panic as she quickly stood up in the water, looking for her cell. Thankfully, the device was still in her pocket, dry and unscathed.
"One o'clock. How can that be?" Tabitha says, slowly looking up from the screen to see the vast, dense West Virginia forest encompassing her view. She shakes her head back and forth with disbelief. A smile gently spreads across her face, with the last bit of tranquility leaving her body. How did I get out here? Her breathing becomes faster as her pulse begins to quicken. I'm in the forest. I'm all alone—just like Lisa!
"NO, NO, NO, NO! THIS FUCKING CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!" Tabitha screams into the void of trees. Her eyes well up with tears as she crumbles to her knees, gripping her phone tightly to her chest. Her sobs ring out through the thick oak trees. Her breath slows a little as she regains her composure. She begins to search her mind for anything. What is the last thing I can remember? The image of the black shadow crossing her vision while driving flashes into her mind.
"Okay, I got out of the Jeep, the…then what?" Tabitha says, trying to refresh her memories. She thinks her memory is not just gone; it's a black void in her mind. Complete blackness fills her mind right after remembering locking the Jeep and then turning to see the…
"Fuck I saw something. What was it!" Tabitha says, frustrated with her mind. She knew there must be a logical reason she was out here. Officer Nichols warned her not to go looking for her sister. She wasn't stupid; she just said that as a last-ditch effort to get him to do anything. Now I'm here.
"Run!" Tabitha heard Lisa's voice in her ear. Before she could turn around, she heard a loud bellowing coming from overhead. Fear shot down her back, reminding her of the nightmares she had over the past month. She shot forward full bore as something crashed to the ground behind her. Glancing back as she ran, a black mass of feathers convulsed between the broken branches of the trees. Its slick black feathers rippled across its surface as its bones crackled and flesh tore. Its body contorted and twisted from the shape of an owl to something bigger.
"Run, Tabby! Don't let it catch you!" Tabitha pushed forward, hearing Lisa's scream beside her face. Her breath burned in her chest, and she moved past the old oak trees bent over the creek bed. Her feet slammed rapidly, splashing along the side of the creek. Another loud bellow comes from behind as the trees bend and break to the force behind her. A small opening in the rocky creek bed catches her sight from the left. She dives into the crevasses, not caring where the fathoms lead. Tabitha tumbles in the pitch black, taking scrapes and sharp jabs from the rocks as she tumbles further into the void.
She finally tumbles to a stop on the sandy, wet floor of the cave. Her body aches from the sudden burst of exhaustion. The cool water running around her body from the creek is soothing despite her bumps and bruises. Pushing herself up, she scoots out of the water. Feeling her way forward, she finds a dry spot to collect herself. Quickly pushing her hand into her pocket, she finds her phone undamaged.
The sound of footsteps pushing against the creek fills the void around Tabitha as the light steps move closer to each other up the underground creekbed. She slowly removes her cell from her pocket and then shines the camera light toward the sound. A pair of scratched and bruised pale bare legs hold up a frail form in front of her in the creek. She wears the darkness as a shroud with nothing else to clothe her. Tabitha froze, not wanting to shine the light further in the pale form before her.
"Tabby, turn your light off. You need to save your battery." Tabitha turned off the light and then rushed forward, embracing Lisa—the how or why didn't matter, only the now. The pale form hugged her tightly. Tabitha felt her cold, bare skin. The darkness couldn't hide the feeling of the marks across her back and torso.
"Lisa, I'm-"
"Hush! I don't have much time. This wasn't your fault! I'm with Mom and Dad now. You have to survive, Tabby! Listen. Wait until the sun shines through the cracks, making a trail out. Follow it down the creek until you come to the opening. You'll see a large hill you hike up for a cell signal. And remember…If you can't see it… It can't hurt you. I love you-"
Tabitha stumbled forward before catching herself. The void in front of her arms was only filled by cool air. She looked up and noticed a faint glimmer of light pushing through the ceiling. She sat down, relaxing against the limestone wall of the cave, waiting for the trail of light to form.
***
After a few hours, the light shining through the cracks of the cave ceiling was bright enough to lead Tabitha to the other side. She stepped onto the creek bed, thankful for the sun hanging lower in the sky. Scanning the sky, Tabitha saw only a few clouds. The foothills of Appalachia backdropped the forest as she scanned for the hill. Her eyes found the trail leading up the steady slope of an impressive hill. The top of the hill was bare. Part of the hill must have sheared off in a landslide, leaving the top void of trees and a jagged cliff face. Tabitha started her hike up the back of the hill. She was careful to stay under the heavy canopy of the old trees, hopefully avoiding the creature's eyes.
She did her best to quiet her mind while hiking up the trail. Come on, almost to the top, then I can call 911, she replayed repeatedly in her mind. Her adrenaline made up for the lack of food since morning. She drank some water from a clean spot in the creek. She was placing her bet on rescue rather than worrying about the water.
Leaning against one of the trees, Tabitha took out her cell and measured the signal.
"Damn it, nothing!" She swore under her breath. She listened nervously and cautiously peered her head out from the tree line. Standing at the tree line, the cell phone still had a low signal. She pushed her anxiety down with a swallow and slowly stepped forward onto the bare rock. Tabitha was now out in the open. She walked with the cell phone pointed upwards, measuring the signal. Within three feet of the cliff face, her signal bar punched up to full. Tabitha began to punch in the numbers just as a pair of large yellow eyes appeared. She felt her legs become weak, and her vision blurred as the creature snared her in its gaze.
Tabitha ducked, missing the giant owl's claws as it swooped for her. She squinted her eyes shut, momentarily breaking the hold of the infernal beast as it crashed to the ground, tumbling down the path of old trees. On her hands and knees, she tucked the dialed phone back into her pocket. She heard the creature's loud bellowing, followed by the snapping of bone and flesh ripping. It was changing its shape to finish her off.
Tabitha tried to get up, but the flash of its eyes did something to her. Her legs were numb, her stomach was in knots, and she could barely put a few thoughts together.
"If you can't see it, it can't hurt you." Tabitha heard clearly in her left ear. She quickly pushed herself into a sitting position and fumbled for the key chain in her right pocket. Pulling the long chain of keys, luck charms, and keepsakes, her father's Swiss army knife dangled at the end. She slowly opened the half-inch blade. Her body wholeheartedly rejected her plan and tried to fight her. Every internal warning system sounded as her body fought against her as she brought the blade against the corner of her left eye.
She didn't know if she could do it until the creature bellowed in her direction. With one quick motion, the half-inch blade sliced across her left eye. The world dimmed and then went black on her left side. Behind her, the beast's thundering gallop was getting closer. Tabitha plunged herself into total darkness with the last bit of her strength. Her hand gripped tightly around the bloody knife as she folded forward onto the ground. She could feel herself weeping blood. She squinted, doing her best to stem the tide of blood loss.
A large feathered paw drove into Tabitha's right side, flipping her onto her back. She lay still as the hulking creature stood over her. It remained motionless, and Tabitha was confused about why it didn't move or bite her. Then she started to giggle, just a little at first. Then, laughing madly into the creature's face as it growled back at her. She could not see it; she couldn't see anything. Her mind couldn't be eaten!
The creature roared into Tabitha's face while plunging one of its sharp claws into her shoulder. Tabitha screamed in pain, slashing the knife downward. The blade hit something soft, and she ripped the blade down, rending whatever she had hit on the abomination. A bright yellow, foul-smelling liquid gushed in a torrent over Tabitha's face. She turned to cough, having swallowed a portion of it. The creature reared back, squealing in pain. Its hind leg came down hard on Tabitha's leg, snapping her tibia. She jerked her leg up, causing the creature to tumble forward and fall over the edge of the cliff side.
Tabitha heard the creature crash below at the base of the hill. A large dead tree speared the creature through its chest. Tabitha could hear the labored whines of the creature as its cries became weak and slowed. A wave of sickness hit her as she rolled over and vomited. The foul smell drenched her. She did her best to focus, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the phone. By memory, she typed in the unlock pin. She held her breath and placed her thumb where the call button should be.
She could hear the call being made then, "911. What is your emergency?"
"Please help me! A bear has attacked me, and I can't see. I think I am on a hill."
"Ok, ma'am, stay with me! Do you know where you are located?"
"No, I'm lost. Please send help."
"It's okay. Stay with me on the phone, and I'll use the cell signal to try to find you."
"I'm on top of one of the hills. I think I am lying on a bare roc-" Tabitha slipped unconscious with the cell still tightly in her hand. Her body began to tremble and convulse.
"Ma'am! Ma'am! Stay with me. I have help on the way."
Chapter 3
A young man in military fatigues frantically compiles images and reconnaissance data from his drone feed. Confirming his hunch, he commands the winged surveillance drone to make a hard left and send a live video feed. His eyes widened as he saw a large owl-shaped shadow crash onto the top of a hill. He watches in awe as the sleek black owl twists and shifts into something much larger, like a grizzly. As the drone turns, he sees a woman at the cliff's edge trying to steady yourself on her hands and knees.
He bolts up from the command module, jotting down the drone's coordinates on one of the printouts. The drab government-issued office motif for the watch station blurs in the corner of his eye as he rushes down the hallway to the watch commander's office.
"Sir, recon has eyes on AMOS! And it's feeding!" the man said, swinging the heavy wooden door open. He took the hastily compiled file and pushed it forward to the commanding officer.
An older, tanned man quickly stands, reaching for the files. His brow furls, seeing his charge is awake. "Keep eyes on it! Go Adams!" The young man nods, turning on his heel and bolting for the drone command module. As his office door slams shut from the subordinate officer, he grabs his headset and frantically dials the closest military outpost to the coordinates.
"Hello, Sergeant Klein; this is Agent Smith of Black Watch outpost 7948! Shadow is active, code Alpha, Mike, Oscar, Sierra. The coordinates and data package have been sent. A civilian is on the ground; deploy strike-and-rescue ASAP.
"We'll be up in five, Agent Smith! The line cuts as Agent Smith closes out the call on his headset and rushes to the door. The normally quiet watch station buzzes alive, with personnel flooding the central command station. The background echoes resource allocation calls, frantic typing, and the hum of cold computers warming up.
"Adams, get our eyes back on Amos!"
"Coming back around in 30 seconds." Thirty sets of eyes stare at the three giant screens, anxiously waiting for the drone feed to clear the bank of trees. The camera clears the tre top to see the giant feathered grizzly rear back slinging its massive head away from its prey. Its large yellow right eye spews bright yellow liquid all over the red-haired woman and the cliff face. The giant feathered grizzly missteps, crushing the woman's leg and causing the creature to tumble over the cliff face.
"Fuck!" Agent Smith yells in horror as he watches AMOS fall four stories, impaling a sharp, 3-meter-tall log lodged in the boulders. The command center freezes wide-eyed at the flailing dying creature on screen. Agent Smith pulls his cell out quickly and dials.
"Klein, Scrub the current request! AMOS is down! Switch to rescue and harvest now!
"What, someone took out AMOS?"
"YES! It's at the bottom of the cliff, bleeding out essence! The woman is covered in it as well. Clean as much of it off her as possible before you take her to the ER.
"Understood!"
Agent Smith, in a rage, slings his phone straight forward, connecting with Private Adams's skull. Adams flinches at the sudden impact of the hard plastic and covers his head. Agent Smith grabs the table in front of him and flips it over, sending the computer equipment crashing to the government-issued tiled floor.
"A two-year cycle gone! All that essence is gone! Now I have to wait another 24 months for AMOS to resurrect!" Agent Smith screams, causing the rest of the staff to recoil away in fear.
"Jones!" Agent Smith says sternly, turning to a petite woman on his left. She stares at him, pleading.
"Yes Sir?'
"Get Officer Nichols on my office line. That fuck up has some explaining. He should have told us AMOS was awake."
"Right away!" Jones quickly sits back down and begins dialing Nichols, thankful she doesn't have to deal with Agent Smith further. The command center quickly shifts gears as Agent Smith returns to his office.
***
Two Weeks later…
"Tabitha… Tabitha… This is Doctor Wilhelm. Wake up." The kind older gentleman said as they gently nudged Tabitha in her hospital bed.
"Where am I?" Tabitha asked, waking from what felt like years of sleep. She sat up, the world still pitch black, but an odd sense of the world around her seemed to hum just behind her eyes.
"You're in the hospital, dear; you scared us. Do you remember anything?" He said as he sat down on the side of her bed.
Tabitha thought for a moment the last parts after she slashed her eyes were a blur. She remembers people yelling and the sound of two or three helicopters over her. " No, it's really all just a blur."
"Well, it's probably for the best. You had some very serious injuries. The first night, we honestly didn't think you would make it. Then…" The doctor trailed off with a concerned expression, not knowing how to explain things further.
Tabitha felt his pulse quicken somehow. She didn't understand it but fully felt or sensed the doctor beside her. She sensed the two other nurses standing at the end of the bed. Her body didn't hurt. She felt great. She felt hungry.
"Doctor, you said had. What happened to my injuries?" She said calmly, trying not to startle the old doctor further.
"Well, Tabitha, it's the closest thing to a miracle I've ever seen. You had violent seizures from the minute you hit the entrance of the ER. We couldn't even set your leg. The medications we gave you had a minimal effect, and you thrashed so much that we had to restrain you. Then, the early morning check-in found you in a deep sleep. All but your eyes were completely healed. So we switched gears to support care and treated your eyes the best we could." He said, watching her reaction.
Tabitha leaned back in her bed, taking in the wild account. "Do you know how I healed so quickly?"
"What happened to you is beyond all scientific reason. A miracle is the only way the staff and I can explain it. I know you have been through a lot, but I want to check your eyes."
"Thank you for all your help, Doctor Wilhelm." She said, sitting up in bed.
"You are most welcome, dear. Now I am going to unwrap your eye-dressing. Hold still, please." he said as he reached up and pulled on the bandage tape. Tabitha felt a quick tug and felt the bandages loosen from around her head. The doctor slowly unwrapped the bandages. The doctor's brow wrinkled as he examined the two large black scabs covering Tabitha's eyes.
"Tell me if this hurts at all, ok?"
"Yes, doctor." She relaxes as the doctor's gloved fingers pass over the scab. He pushes and gently tugs at the side of one, and it starts to lift. He pulls on the scab more, and Tabitha begins to sense the light as it hits her eyelid.
"Oh, I can sense the light, Doctor Wilhelm!" She said, smiling.
"Wonderful! Nurse Allen, please hand me some saline solution. I think a little water will loosen these right up. Hold still; this may feel cold," he said as he reached for the solution. She felt the cool liquid flush over the left eye, then the right. The scabs fell away with a gentle tug from the doctor. She could see the light shine through her eyelids. She grinned widely, happy to have some form of sight left.
"Please open your eyes for me," he said as he sat back on the bed. Tabitha slowly opened her eyes. The flood of light was almost too much, causing her to squint. After a few moments, she adjusted to the fluorescent lights. Three figures began to take shape in front of her. First, the distinguished older features of Doctor Wilhelm came into view quickly, followed by the brunette and blonde younger nurses standing at the end of the bed. Suddenly, her vision snapped into place, crisp and clear.
"I can see perfectly! This is amazing! Thank you, Doctor Wilhem!" she said, turning to look directly into his eyes, but he stared back at her unmovingly.
"Doctor Wilhelm?" she said as her expression became more worried. Doctor Wilhelm just sat staring, intensely focused on her eyes. His expression was overbearingly calm. She glanced at the nurses, rigidly staring back at her with trapped, calm expressions. Doctor Wilhelm began to twitch slightly. It traveled from the base of his spine out to his limbs, finally convulsing.
"Doctor Wilhelm, are you okay?" Tabitha yelled as the doctor began to have a seizure and fell on top of her bed.
"Help Him!" She screamed at the two nurses only to see both of them crumble to the tiled floor. One of them bashed her head off the bed frame. Tabitha recoils back from Doctor Wilhelm in terror as he starts foaming at the mouth. She climbs over the bed rail and hits the tiled concrete floor with a thud. Her adrenaline surges as she bolts for the door, looking for help.
At the entrance of her hospital room, she sees another nurse leaving the adjacent room. "Please, my doctor and staff need help!" As the male nurse turns to see Tabitha, he suddenly goes stiff before collapsing into a violent seizure, spilling his cart over with him.
"What's happening!" Tabitha screams, thinking something is in the air, or everyone has come down with something. A pair of security guards round the corner, hearing the screams and commotion.
"Ma'am, are yo-" The guard freezes mid-stride as he makes eye contact with Tabitha. Both men start to convulse and topple over, thrashing violently on the hard tile.
"No, no, no, no!" Tabitha yells as she darts into the women's bathroom, a few doors up the hall. She runs in, terrified of the situation. She approaches one of the sinks, bracing herself against the cool porcelain. Her stomach turns, and she dry heaves in the sink. She steadies herself while turning on the cold water. Leaning in, she takes a drink. As she looks up, a glint of two yellow eyes catches her. Tabitha stumbles backward on reflex. Then, she sees her reflection in the mirror. Two completely bright yellow eyes stare back at Tabitha. She screams at herself in the mirror, not feeling hungry anymore.
The end.
I will
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A Hike to Remember
By R.L. Oclen
Chapter 1
A woman sits with hastily pulled-up fire-red hair in the waiting room of the state patrol station. The procedurally sterile off-white walls and decade-old magazines do little for comfort. With her head hanging low, her shoulders pushing forward, and her boots rapidly tapping on the floor, something has to give.
"Please just let her be okay." The woman growls as a pair of officers come in from the field. The officers' demeanors quickly change when they see the familiar face.
"Tabitha, did Officer Nichols call you?" one of the state patrol officers asked sympathetically.
"Yes, he asked me to come in and pick up a few things," Tabitha said, shooting back a muted look.
" I'll let them know you're here." The officer said, nodding to Tabitha as they passed the security door. Tabitha leaned back against the hard plastic chair, staring blankly into the fluorescent light. She had done this dance in the macabre repeatedly over the past month. The last image of her younger sister, Lisa, still burned in her mind. Tabitha had always been protective over her younger sister after their parents died. A pang of guilt shoots through her chest as she thinks about her and Lisa's argument.
"Tabitha Hymm, Officer Nichols is ready for you."
"Okay," she stood up, shaking off her guilt, and followed the officer back. The familiar surroundings of the state patrol station blurred as Tabitha stared forward. She followed the officer as they came to a rustic wooden office door, which was embossed with "Officer Nichols."
The escorting officer turns the old brass door knob. "Sir, I have Tabitha Hymm here." A grizzled West Virginia Highway State Patrol veteran sits behind the desk and nods. The escorting officer steps aside, pushing the door open as Tabitha pushes past him and slumps in the awaiting chair like so many times before. An uncomfortable relationship had formed between the two, born out of necessity and duty.
"Cup of coffee?"
"No thanks. Let's just cut to the chase. You don't have anything new?"
The worn laugh lines and Officer Nichols's face flattens. His eyebrows contour sympathetically as he shakes his head.
"Tabitha, I don't have anything else new for you. I wanted to give you the clothes returned from the lab." Her face darkened at the same response she had heard many times.
"As we discussed two weeks ago, there is nothing new and no signs of struggle or foul play," Officer Nichols said while placing a box marked evidence on the table and sliding it forward. Tabitha began to weep at the realization of Lisa's clothes in front of her. In a coordinated queue, Officer Nichols brought out a box of tissues. Reluctantly, Tabitha took a few moments to unblur her vision.
"How does someone stop their car in the middle of the Remington West Virginia State Park, lock it, and then walk into the woods?" Officer Nichols clasped his hands together and sighed at her worn question.
"Tabitha, I wish I had an answer for why your sister stopped her car in the woods and simply walked off. We're still going through her cell phone, but no signs exist that anyone forced her. On that Tuesday morning, she pulled over to the side of the road, secured her car, and walked away." Officer Nichols said empathetically.
Tabitha became stoic at the same explanation she had heard many times before. " So what next?"
"You should go back to Ohio, and I'll contact you as soon as I have more information." She winced at Officer Nichols's words. Reality began to pull at her that bills and work wouldn't wait much longer.
"If I leave, she's gone for good."
" You staying won't bring her back." Officer Nichols said sympathetically.
" So is that it? She's just gone?"
" Tabitha, I'll be honest with you. In cases like this… when people do things like this. Recovery is harder in the spring due to the weather and the animals. You know her mental condition better than I do. I can't explain why she did what she did. But until I find a solution, a suicide note, some intention, or body. She's not here. Tabitha, I'm-"
" Don't you fucking say sorry!" Tabitha stood up, screaming at Officer Nichols, throwing the plastic chair backward against the wall. " I should just look for myself."
"No!" Officer Nichols said momentarily, gripping the desk as his face hardened, then relaxed. Tabitha was caught off guard by Officer Nichols, who was normally composed. "Tabitha, I know this is unbearable. I've sat on this side of the desk and had these conversations. Trust me; I need you to be safe if I need your help later."
Tabitha nods, knowing Officer Nichols is right. She reaches down, picks up the evidence box of her sister's belongings, and leaves.
" Tabitha, if you're heading home, don't stop your car; just keep driving." Tabitha stops to look at Officer Nichols, feeling an eeriness to his words.
" Goodbye, Officer Nichols," Tabitha said as she closed the rustic wooden door behind her. She counted the tiles as she exited the West Virginia State Patrol Station. Placing her sister's belongings carefully in the back seat of her Jeep, Tabitha then sat momentarily behind the steering wheel, staring at the emblem. The familiar numbness washed over Tabitha as she pushed the start button. She pulled onto the highway, driving to the motel that had been home for the last month or so. Muted pop music accented the drive back as her mind raced with questions. Once inside the two-and-a-half-star motel room, Tabitha sat her sister's belongings on the corner table, crumbled onto the bed, and cried.
***
Tabitha wiped the steam from the slightly spotted mirror above the bathroom sink. The hot water from the shower felt good and loosened some of the stress from her body. Looking back at her, Tabitha's face was framed by damp curls around her shoulders. Her face marked the stress of the past month. Frowning, she examined the bags under her eyes; sleep had to come tonight. Walking into the living area, She changed into her favorite gym shorts and oversized sleep shirt. The alarm on her phone flashed "7:00 am," so she could drive home five hours after breakfast.
Tabitha hated feeling comfortable in this once strange room, but falling asleep was getting easier now. Her eyes closed slowly as the ceiling fan droned evenly. At first, nothing came in her dreams, but she let her guard down and slipped further into sleep.
As she dreamed of floating overhead like a bird of prey, Tabitha soared over the vast Remington National Park. The high noon sun bore down on the crisp woods, perfectly contrasting sky and forest. The heat of the sun felt good on her feathers. Distant cries rang out through the dream-like forest, catching her attention. Tabitha tilted her wings toward the screams, feeling a sense of familiar curiosity.
She now recognized the sobs and cries for help as she flew closer, her sharp eyes locked on her sister leaning against a large oak tree. She glided overhead without care, examining the situation below. Lisa clung to the tree, her eyes darting back and forth, scanning upwards. Lisa's face reflected desperation, looking for help in any direction. Tabitha lazily circles Lisa several times before perching on a sturdy branch higher in one of the oak trees. She watched Lisa intently with hunger. She bellowed deeply, hearing the unnatural sound she made, catching Lisa's eyes. Lisa's expression changed; she became calm, almost uncaring, as she stared back at Tabitha's form. Hunger grew exponentially in Tabitha as she spread her large wings. Her large eyes gaze down at Lisa before diving straight for her sister.
Tabitha jolts awake to the alarm on her phone flashing "7:23 AM." She breathes in sharply, shaking off the last horrible thoughts from the reoccurring nightmare. The strange details become more vivid each time. The lingering memories of folk stories her mother told sat in the back of her mind. In those stories, the dead would reach out in dreams as a matter of warning. Leaning back on the headboard, she searched for the advice her psychologist gave her. During their last session, Dr. Ryland explained dreams are a form of self-actualization of guilt. He told Tabitha that it was natural to feel responsible when losing a loved one in this manner.
Tabitha grumbled, lightly running her hands through her red hair; she pushed everything to the back of her mind. "Get it together!" She grumbled to herself. She pushed herself off the bed and got ready to leave. It was going to be a long trip home, and the only thing she could do now was leave things in the authorities' hands. Packing up was pretty easy since she only cycled through the outfits she brought. The local laundromat must have made a small fortune off her. Tabitha took one last look at the box of Lisa's belongings before throwing them in her duffle bag. She was thankful she didn't have to spend another night in this room.
***
Tabitha sat behind the wheel, waiting for the 90's model minivan to finish their order so she could grab a breakfast burrito on the way out. Considering the situation, the Deer Stop Family Restaurant did have a good breakfast. Finally, pulling up to the 70-style drive-in board, Tabitha rolled off the order she had been accustomed to. " I'll take a large iced tea with the double breakfast burrito meal and hash browns, please."
" Would you like some happy hot sauce with that?"
" That's fine, and a few ketchup packets as well."
" Your total is $8.79. Please pull around."
She pulled around to her window, flashed her debit card, got the receipt, and waited for her food. Luckily, the young woman serving her wasn't very talkative in the morning. The last thing she wanted was a conversation about the weather or meaningless small talk.
" Here's your large iced tea and breakfast meal. Ketchup and happy hot sauce are inside."
" Thanks," Tabitha said while mustering her best fake smile. The woman only smiled and nodded as the service window automatically closed. She pulled into the parking lot and dug into breakfast. Turning the radio to the weather, Tabitha sat back and enjoyed her meal. The local DJ read through the headlines, making nonpartisan comments about politics and grumbling about improving the economy. Tabitha powered through the updates of the "out-of-state woman" who'd gone missing. It was nice that the local radio station gave Lisa's name, description, and a missing person's number for sightings or leads. Tabitha even interviewed with the local news and radio stations, hoping it would bring Lisa home. But she soon found all it brought was a sorrowful look from the locals as she interacted with them in her day-to-day life.
Finishing the last of her hash browns, Lisa wadded up everything in the paper bag and threw it in the back seat. The 9 AM weather report said it was nothing but clear skies and sun the rest of the week. Tabitha flipped the radio over to the greatest hit station, pulled out of the parking lot, and began her trip home. She memorized the roads, every bend and turn in the early weeks as she frantically looked for Lisa. There's something hypnotic about the trees: the way they flow together. The trees' green tops and the oak trees' wide trunks were a relaxing view. Tabitha enjoyed the lazy s-curves of the road, bending and winding around the hills and the trees. The occasional farmhouse or field dotted the sides of the road as she made her way to the main highway.
The blur of a semi-truck snapped Tabitha's attention as she pulled up to the mouth of the highway. She had four and a half hours ahead of her, which would be a long ride. Tabitha pulled onto the highway and picked up speed, noting sparse traffic. She relaxed into her seat, letting her gaze gloss over the blur of green foliage. Without warning, Tabitha caught a large shadow from the corner of her left eye. When she registered the black feathery form, Tabitha tensed up and slammed on the brakes as it swooped across the vehicle's hood. Quickly, she pulled the car safely off the road. She couldn't determine exactly what it was, but it was bigger than any bird she'd seen. It was a bird, right? Tabitha turned off her Jeep and grabbed the keys and cell phone. Standing before the Jeep, she looked over the grill to see if she made contact with the entity.
Bewildered, she scanned the tree line, spotting something in the distance. Sitting in the clearing of the large oak forest was an enormous black owl. It stared intently at Tabitha with bright, shiny yellow eyes. She pushed the lock button on her keys, causing the jeep to beep securely. She turned, looking across the open field, an enormous black owl perched in the upper branches of an old oak tree. Each step she took away from the road piqued her curiosity. Soon, Tabitha stood in the middle of the open field, staring intently into the eyes of the enormous owl.
The horn of a passing semi-truck blared, pulling Tabitha's attention away from the mysterious large creature. She looked back and saw that she had walked farther away from the Jeep than she had thought. She glanced back to the forest line only to see the enormous owl was deeper into the woods than before. She narrowed her vision to find the two large, bright yellow eyes staring back. Had it moved? The day's stress, care, and worry suddenly poured out of Tabitha. It was replaced by only curiosity and overbearing tranquility. She warmly smiled for the first time in months as her feet pulled her further into the woods.
Chapter 2
The tug of gravity pulls Tabitha to her senses as her body reacts, falling forward. Her arms thrust forward, bracing for impact. Water rushes around her face as she struggles to get her bearings. Quickly, Tabitha pushed herself up in the ankle-high stream she fell in. The haze slowly clears from her mind as she stares at the muddy water. The dull ache throbs up her legs. Tabitha can smell the sweat from her clothes. Her face contorted in panic as she quickly stood up in the water, looking for her cell. Thankfully, the device was still in her pocket, dry and unscathed.
"One o'clock. How can that be?" Tabitha says, slowly looking up from the screen to see the vast, dense West Virginia forest encompassing her view. She shakes her head back and forth with disbelief. A smile gently spreads across her face, with the last bit of tranquility leaving her body. How did I get out here? Her breathing becomes faster as her pulse begins to quicken. I'm in the forest. I'm all alone—just like Lisa!
"NO, NO, NO, NO! THIS FUCKING CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!" Tabitha screams into the void of trees. Her eyes well up with tears as she crumbles to her knees, gripping her phone tightly to her chest. Her sobs ring out through the thick oak trees. Her breath slows a little as she regains her composure. She begins to search her mind for anything. What is the last thing I can remember? The image of the black shadow crossing her vision while driving flashes into her mind.
"Okay, I got out of the Jeep, the…then what?" Tabitha says, trying to refresh her memories. She thinks her memory is not just gone; it's a black void in her mind. Complete blackness fills her mind right after remembering locking the Jeep and then turning to see the…
"Fuck I saw something. What was it!" Tabitha says, frustrated with her mind. She knew there must be a logical reason she was out here. Officer Nichols warned her not to go looking for her sister. She wasn't stupid; she just said that as a last-ditch effort to get him to do anything. Now I'm here.
"Run!" Tabitha heard Lisa's voice in her ear. Before she could turn around, she heard a loud bellowing coming from overhead. Fear shot down her back, reminding her of the nightmares she had over the past month. She shot forward full bore as something crashed to the ground behind her. Glancing back as she ran, a black mass of feathers convulsed between the broken branches of the trees. Its slick black feathers rippled across its surface as its bones crackled and flesh tore. Its body contorted and twisted from the shape of an owl to something bigger.
"Run, Tabby! Don't let it catch you!" Tabitha pushed forward, hearing Lisa's scream beside her face. Her breath burned in her chest, and she moved past the old oak trees bent over the creek bed. Her feet slammed rapidly, splashing along the side of the creek. Another loud bellow comes from behind as the trees bend and break to the force behind her. A small opening in the rocky creek bed catches her sight from the left. She dives into the crevasses, not caring where the fathoms lead. Tabitha tumbles in the pitch black, taking scrapes and sharp jabs from the rocks as she tumbles further into the void.
She finally tumbles to a stop on the sandy, wet floor of the cave. Her body aches from the sudden burst of exhaustion. The cool water running around her body from the creek is soothing despite her bumps and bruises. Pushing herself up, she scoots out of the water. Feeling her way forward, she finds a dry spot to collect herself. Quickly pushing her hand into her pocket, she finds her phone undamaged.
The sound of footsteps pushing against the creek fills the void around Tabitha as the light steps move closer to each other up the underground creekbed. She slowly removes her cell from her pocket and then shines the camera light toward the sound. A pair of scratched and bruised pale bare legs hold up a frail form in front of her in the creek. She wears the darkness as a shroud with nothing else to clothe her. Tabitha froze, not wanting to shine the light further in the pale form before her.
"Tabby, turn your light off. You need to save your battery." Tabitha turned off the light and then rushed forward, embracing Lisa—the how or why didn't matter, only the now. The pale form hugged her tightly. Tabitha felt her cold, bare skin. The darkness couldn't hide the feeling of the marks across her back and torso.
"Lisa, I'm-"
"Hush! I don't have much time. This wasn't your fault! I'm with Mom and Dad now. You have to survive, Tabby! Listen. Wait until the sun shines through the cracks, making a trail out. Follow it down the creek until you come to the opening. You'll see a large hill you hike up for a cell signal. And remember…If you can't see it… It can't hurt you. I love you-"
Tabitha stumbled forward before catching herself. The void in front of her arms was only filled by cool air. She looked up and noticed a faint glimmer of light pushing through the ceiling. She sat down, relaxing against the limestone wall of the cave, waiting for the trail of light to form.
***
After a few hours, the light shining through the cracks of the cave ceiling was bright enough to lead Tabitha to the other side. She stepped onto the creek bed, thankful for the sun hanging lower in the sky. Scanning the sky, Tabitha saw only a few clouds. The foothills of Appalachia backdropped the forest as she scanned for the hill. Her eyes found the trail leading up the steady slope of an impressive hill. The top of the hill was bare. Part of the hill must have sheared off in a landslide, leaving the top void of trees and a jagged cliff face. Tabitha started her hike up the back of the hill. She was careful to stay under the heavy canopy of the old trees, hopefully avoiding the creature's eyes.
She did her best to quiet her mind while hiking up the trail. Come on, almost to the top, then I can call 911, she replayed repeatedly in her mind. Her adrenaline made up for the lack of food since morning. She drank some water from a clean spot in the creek. She was placing her bet on rescue rather than worrying about the water.
Leaning against one of the trees, Tabitha took out her cell and measured the signal.
"Damn it, nothing!" She swore under her breath. She listened nervously and cautiously peered her head out from the tree line. Standing at the tree line, the cell phone still had a low signal. She pushed her anxiety down with a swallow and slowly stepped forward onto the bare rock. Tabitha was now out in the open. She walked with the cell phone pointed upwards, measuring the signal. Within three feet of the cliff face, her signal bar punched up to full. Tabitha began to punch in the numbers just as a pair of large yellow eyes appeared. She felt her legs become weak, and her vision blurred as the creature snared her in its gaze.
Tabitha ducked, missing the giant owl's claws as it swooped for her. She squinted her eyes shut, momentarily breaking the hold of the infernal beast as it crashed to the ground, tumbling down the path of old trees. On her hands and knees, she tucked the dialed phone back into her pocket. She heard the creature's loud bellowing, followed by the snapping of bone and flesh ripping. It was changing its shape to finish her off.
Tabitha tried to get up, but the flash of its eyes did something to her. Her legs were numb, her stomach was in knots, and she could barely put a few thoughts together.
"If you can't see it, it can't hurt you." Tabitha heard clearly in her left ear. She quickly pushed herself into a sitting position and fumbled for the key chain in her right pocket. Pulling the long chain of keys, luck charms, and keepsakes, her father's Swiss army knife dangled at the end. She slowly opened the half-inch blade. Her body wholeheartedly rejected her plan and tried to fight her. Every internal warning system sounded as her body fought against her as she brought the blade against the corner of her left eye.
She didn't know if she could do it until the creature bellowed in her direction. With one quick motion, the half-inch blade sliced across her left eye. The world dimmed and then went black on her left side. Behind her, the beast's thundering gallop was getting closer. Tabitha plunged herself into total darkness with the last bit of her strength. Her hand gripped tightly around the bloody knife as she folded forward onto the ground. She could feel herself weeping blood. She squinted, doing her best to stem the tide of blood loss.
A large feathered paw drove into Tabitha's right side, flipping her onto her back. She lay still as the hulking creature stood over her. It remained motionless, and Tabitha was confused about why it didn't move or bite her. Then she started to giggle, just a little at first. Then, laughing madly into the creature's face as it growled back at her. She could not see it; she couldn't see anything. Her mind couldn't be eaten!
The creature roared into Tabitha's face while plunging one of its sharp claws into her shoulder. Tabitha screamed in pain, slashing the knife downward. The blade hit something soft, and she ripped the blade down, rending whatever she had hit on the abomination. A bright yellow, foul-smelling liquid gushed in a torrent over Tabitha's face. She turned to cough, having swallowed a portion of it. The creature reared back, squealing in pain. Its hind leg came down hard on Tabitha's leg, snapping her tibia. She jerked her leg up, causing the creature to tumble forward and fall over the edge of the cliff side.
Tabitha heard the creature crash below at the base of the hill. A large dead tree speared the creature through its chest. Tabitha could hear the labored whines of the creature as its cries became weak and slowed. A wave of sickness hit her as she rolled over and vomited. The foul smell drenched her. She did her best to focus, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the phone. By memory, she typed in the unlock pin. She held her breath and placed her thumb where the call button should be.
She could hear the call being made then, "911. What is your emergency?"
"Please help me! A bear has attacked me, and I can't see. I think I am on a hill."
"Ok, ma'am, stay with me! Do you know where you are located?"
"No, I'm lost. Please send help."
"It's okay. Stay with me on the phone, and I'll use the cell signal to try to find you."
"I'm on top of one of the hills. I think I am lying on a bare roc-" Tabitha slipped unconscious with the cell still tightly in her hand. Her body began to tremble and convulse.
"Ma'am! Ma'am! Stay with me. I have help on the way."
Chapter 3
A young man in military fatigues frantically compiles images and reconnaissance data from his drone feed. Confirming his hunch, he commands the winged surveillance drone to make a hard left and send a live video feed. His eyes widened as he saw a large owl-shaped shadow crash onto the top of a hill. He watches in awe as the sleek black owl twists and shifts into something much larger, like a grizzly. As the drone turns, he sees a woman at the cliff's edge trying to steady yourself on her hands and knees.
He bolts up from the command module, jotting down the drone's coordinates on one of the printouts. The drab government-issued office motif for the watch station blurs in the corner of his eye as he rushes down the hallway to the watch commander's office.
"Sir, recon has eyes on AMOS! And it's feeding!" the man said, swinging the heavy wooden door open. He took the hastily compiled file and pushed it forward to the commanding officer.
An older, tanned man quickly stands, reaching for the files. His brow furls, seeing his charge is awake. "Keep eyes on it! Go Adams!" The young man nods, turning on his heel and bolting for the drone command module. As his office door slams shut from the subordinate officer, he grabs his headset and frantically dials the closest military outpost to the coordinates.
"Hello, Sergeant Klein; this is Agent Smith of Black Watch outpost 7948! Shadow is active, code Alpha, Mike, Oscar, Sierra. The coordinates and data package have been sent. A civilian is on the ground; deploy strike-and-rescue ASAP.
"We'll be up in five, Agent Smith! The line cuts as Agent Smith closes out the call on his headset and rushes to the door. The normally quiet watch station buzzes alive, with personnel flooding the central command station. The background echoes resource allocation calls, frantic typing, and the hum of cold computers warming up.
"Adams, get our eyes back on Amos!"
"Coming back around in 30 seconds." Thirty sets of eyes stare at the three giant screens, anxiously waiting for the drone feed to clear the bank of trees. The camera clears the tre top to see the giant feathered grizzly rear back slinging its massive head away from its prey. Its large yellow right eye spews bright yellow liquid all over the red-haired woman and the cliff face. The giant feathered grizzly missteps, crushing the woman's leg and causing the creature to tumble over the cliff face.
"Fuck!" Agent Smith yells in horror as he watches AMOS fall four stories, impaling a sharp, 3-meter-tall log lodged in the boulders. The command center freezes wide-eyed at the flailing dying creature on screen. Agent Smith pulls his cell out quickly and dials.
"Klein, Scrub the current request! AMOS is down! Switch to rescue and harvest now!
"What, someone took out AMOS?"
"YES! It's at the bottom of the cliff, bleeding out essence! The woman is covered in it as well. Clean as much of it off her as possible before you take her to the ER.
"Understood!"
Agent Smith, in a rage, slings his phone straight forward, connecting with Private Adams's skull. Adams flinches at the sudden impact of the hard plastic and covers his head. Agent Smith grabs the table in front of him and flips it over, sending the computer equipment crashing to the government-issued tiled floor.
"A two-year cycle gone! All that essence is gone! Now I have to wait another 24 months for AMOS to resurrect!" Agent Smith screams, causing the rest of the staff to recoil away in fear.
"Jones!" Agent Smith says sternly, turning to a petite woman on his left. She stares at him, pleading.
"Yes Sir?'
"Get Officer Nichols on my office line. That fuck up has some explaining. He should have told us AMOS was awake."
"Right away!" Jones quickly sits back down and begins dialing Nichols, thankful she doesn't have to deal with Agent Smith further. The command center quickly shifts gears as Agent Smith returns to his office.
***
Two Weeks later…
"Tabitha… Tabitha… This is Doctor Wilhelm. Wake up." The kind older gentleman said as they gently nudged Tabitha in her hospital bed.
"Where am I?" Tabitha asked, waking from what felt like years of sleep. She sat up, the world still pitch black, but an odd sense of the world around her seemed to hum just behind her eyes.
"You're in the hospital, dear; you scared us. Do you remember anything?" He said as he sat down on the side of her bed.
Tabitha thought for a moment the last parts after she slashed her eyes were a blur. She remembers people yelling and the sound of two or three helicopters over her. " No, it's really all just a blur."
"Well, it's probably for the best. You had some very serious injuries. The first night, we honestly didn't think you would make it. Then…" The doctor trailed off with a concerned expression, not knowing how to explain things further.
Tabitha felt his pulse quicken somehow. She didn't understand it but fully felt or sensed the doctor beside her. She sensed the two other nurses standing at the end of the bed. Her body didn't hurt. She felt great. She felt hungry.
"Doctor, you said had. What happened to my injuries?" She said calmly, trying not to startle the old doctor further.
"Well, Tabitha, it's the closest thing to a miracle I've ever seen. You had violent seizures from the minute you hit the entrance of the ER. We couldn't even set your leg. The medications we gave you had a minimal effect, and you thrashed so much that we had to restrain you. Then, the early morning check-in found you in a deep sleep. All but your eyes were completely healed. So we switched gears to support care and treated your eyes the best we could." He said, watching her reaction.
Tabitha leaned back in her bed, taking in the wild account. "Do you know how I healed so quickly?"
"What happened to you is beyond all scientific reason. A miracle is the only way the staff and I can explain it. I know you have been through a lot, but I want to check your eyes."
"Thank you for all your help, Doctor Wilhelm." She said, sitting up in bed.
"You are most welcome, dear. Now I am going to unwrap your eye-dressing. Hold still, please." he said as he reached up and pulled on the bandage tape. Tabitha felt a quick tug and felt the bandages loosen from around her head. The doctor slowly unwrapped the bandages. The doctor's brow wrinkled as he examined the two large black scabs covering Tabitha's eyes.
"Tell me if this hurts at all, ok?"
"Yes, doctor." She relaxes as the doctor's gloved fingers pass over the scab. He pushes and gently tugs at the side of one, and it starts to lift. He pulls on the scab more, and Tabitha begins to sense the light as it hits her eyelid.
"Oh, I can sense the light, Doctor Wilhelm!" She said, smiling.
"Wonderful! Nurse Allen, please hand me some saline solution. I think a little water will loosen these right up. Hold still; this may feel cold," he said as he reached for the solution. She felt the cool liquid flush over the left eye, then the right. The scabs fell away with a gentle tug from the doctor. She could see the light shine through her eyelids. She grinned widely, happy to have some form of sight left.
"Please open your eyes for me," he said as he sat back on the bed. Tabitha slowly opened her eyes. The flood of light was almost too much, causing her to squint. After a few moments, she adjusted to the fluorescent lights. Three figures began to take shape in front of her. First, the distinguished older features of Doctor Wilhelm came into view quickly, followed by the brunette and blonde younger nurses standing at the end of the bed. Suddenly, her vision snapped into place, crisp and clear.
"I can see perfectly! This is amazing! Thank you, Doctor Wilhem!" she said, turning to look directly into his eyes, but he stared back at her unmovingly.
"Doctor Wilhelm?" she said as her expression became more worried. Doctor Wilhelm just sat staring, intensely focused on her eyes. His expression was overbearingly calm. She glanced at the nurses, rigidly staring back at her with trapped, calm expressions. Doctor Wilhelm began to twitch slightly. It traveled from the base of his spine out to his limbs, finally convulsing.
"Doctor Wilhelm, are you okay?" Tabitha yelled as the doctor began to have a seizure and fell on top of her bed.
"Help Him!" She screamed at the two nurses only to see both of them crumble to the tiled floor. One of them bashed her head off the bed frame. Tabitha recoils back from Doctor Wilhelm in terror as he starts foaming at the mouth. She climbs over the bed rail and hits the tiled concrete floor with a thud. Her adrenaline surges as she bolts for the door, looking for help.
At the entrance of her hospital room, she sees another nurse leaving the adjacent room. "Please, my doctor and staff need help!" As the male nurse turns to see Tabitha, he suddenly goes stiff before collapsing into a violent seizure, spilling his cart over with him.
"What's happening!" Tabitha screams, thinking something is in the air, or everyone has come down with something. A pair of security guards round the corner, hearing the screams and commotion.
"Ma'am, are yo-" The guard freezes mid-stride as he makes eye contact with Tabitha. Both men start to convulse and topple over, thrashing violently on the hard tile.
"No, no, no, no!" Tabitha yells as she darts into the women's bathroom, a few doors up the hall. She runs in, terrified of the situation. She approaches one of the sinks, bracing herself against the cool porcelain. Her stomach turns, and she dry heaves in the sink. She steadies herself while turning on the cold water. Leaning in, she takes a drink. As she looks up, a glint of two yellow eyes catches her. Tabitha stumbles backward on reflex. Then, she sees her reflection in the mirror. Two completely bright yellow eyes stare back at Tabitha. She screams at herself in the mirror, not feeling hungry anymore.
The end.
I will
2024.05.21 04:54 etoilebIeue AIO: for deciding to stop talking to my co-workers?
I work as a packer in a restaurant. My job should be pretty simple, but apparently it's more complicated than I realized (to put it in context, I'm neurodivergent, so I don't always pick up on these "secret rules" of things).
Anyway, what I do is pack the orders for delivery, hand them over to the motoboys, dispatch them and that's it. But as it turns out, I should know the location of each order not to only know the address, but to create a kind of route/logistics so that the motorcycle couriers don't have to go too far or too close, as well as not delivering orders to them that don't make them go from one side to the other all the time. Okay, so far I compreended it, especially since there's only one motorcycle courier in this restaurant, and on Fridays and Saturdays we only have one more.
What happens is that sometimes an order is so close that one of the waiters can just take it. That Sunday, I ended up delivering an order that was a bit far away for a waiter to deliver, while I gave the order that was SUPPOSED to be taken by the waiter to the motorcycle courier because it was right in front of the restaurant. When the manager found out about this, she immediately went up to me and shouted at me at the top of her voice, basically humiliating me. She didn't actually swear at me, at most she just said I'd fucked up, but she spent twenty minutes shouting at me loudly. All the staff heard and they all made fun of me for it.
The motorcycle courier went after the waiter and taked the order from him and everything was sorted out. No complaints from the customer. I know I screwed up badly, and I know that the reason for this was because I was distracted when the courier said something to me and, while I was answering, I picked up the customer's package and took it to the waiter, so yes, the mistake was purely my fault. However, the manager called me in for a chat and she spent a whole hour arguing with me to the point that I started crying in front of her, but she carried on talking until she asked me if we were done and I said yes.
Apart from the whole issue of how much she fought with me, she basically told me to stop talking because she thinks I spent this weekend talking too much and that I should go back to the way I was before this weekend. In this case, this problem is current, it started this weekend and only this weekend. If things don't improve, she's going to fire me.
I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to stay away from my colleagues completely, only talk about what's essential and nothing more than what's essential (both so that the manager doesn't fire me and out of bitterness at the fact that they've made fun of me), and I've also decided that I won't talk to the driver very much, since he has a constant habit of trying to get me to watch the videos he watches on his cell phone, and I've already made it clear that I can't. I'm an asshole if I do that. Am I over reacting? If so, or if not, is there anything I can do to improve and prevent something worse from happening?
submitted by etoilebIeue to AmIOverreacting [link] [comments]
Anyway, what I do is pack the orders for delivery, hand them over to the motoboys, dispatch them and that's it. But as it turns out, I should know the location of each order not to only know the address, but to create a kind of route/logistics so that the motorcycle couriers don't have to go too far or too close, as well as not delivering orders to them that don't make them go from one side to the other all the time. Okay, so far I compreended it, especially since there's only one motorcycle courier in this restaurant, and on Fridays and Saturdays we only have one more.
What happens is that sometimes an order is so close that one of the waiters can just take it. That Sunday, I ended up delivering an order that was a bit far away for a waiter to deliver, while I gave the order that was SUPPOSED to be taken by the waiter to the motorcycle courier because it was right in front of the restaurant. When the manager found out about this, she immediately went up to me and shouted at me at the top of her voice, basically humiliating me. She didn't actually swear at me, at most she just said I'd fucked up, but she spent twenty minutes shouting at me loudly. All the staff heard and they all made fun of me for it.
The motorcycle courier went after the waiter and taked the order from him and everything was sorted out. No complaints from the customer. I know I screwed up badly, and I know that the reason for this was because I was distracted when the courier said something to me and, while I was answering, I picked up the customer's package and took it to the waiter, so yes, the mistake was purely my fault. However, the manager called me in for a chat and she spent a whole hour arguing with me to the point that I started crying in front of her, but she carried on talking until she asked me if we were done and I said yes.
Apart from the whole issue of how much she fought with me, she basically told me to stop talking because she thinks I spent this weekend talking too much and that I should go back to the way I was before this weekend. In this case, this problem is current, it started this weekend and only this weekend. If things don't improve, she's going to fire me.
I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to stay away from my colleagues completely, only talk about what's essential and nothing more than what's essential (both so that the manager doesn't fire me and out of bitterness at the fact that they've made fun of me), and I've also decided that I won't talk to the driver very much, since he has a constant habit of trying to get me to watch the videos he watches on his cell phone, and I've already made it clear that I can't. I'm an asshole if I do that. Am I over reacting? If so, or if not, is there anything I can do to improve and prevent something worse from happening?
2024.05.21 04:26 etoilebIeue I need advice so I can try to not lost my first job
I work as a packer in a restaurant. My job should be pretty simple, but apparently it's more complicated than I realized (to put it in context, I'm neurodivergent, so I don't always pick up on these "secret rules" of things).
Anyway, what I do is pack the orders for delivery, hand them over to the motoboys, dispatch them and that's it. But as it turns out, I should know the location of each order not to only know the address, but to create a kind of route/logistics so that the motorcycle couriers don't have to go too far or too close, as well as not delivering orders to them that don't make them go from one side to the other all the time. Okay, so far I compreended it, especially since there's only one motorcycle courier in this restaurant, and on Fridays and Saturdays we only have one more.
What happens is that sometimes an order is so close that one of the waiters can just take it. That Sunday, I ended up delivering an order that was a bit far away for a waiter to deliver, while I gave the order that was SUPPOSED to be taken by the waiter to the motorcycle courier because it was right in front of the restaurant. When the manager found out about this, she immediately went up to me and shouted at me at the top of her voice, basically humiliating me. She didn't actually swear at me, at most she just said I'd fucked up, but she spent twenty minutes shouting at me loudly. All the staff heard and they all made fun of me for it.
The motorcycle courier went after the waiter and taked the order from him and everything was sorted out. No complaints from the customer. I know I screwed up badly, and I know that the reason for this was because I was distracted when the courier said something to me and, while I was answering, I picked up the customer's package and took it to the waiter, so yes, the mistake was purely my fault. However, the manager called me in for a chat and she spent a whole hour arguing with me to the point that I started crying in front of her, but she carried on talking until she asked me if we were done and I said yes.
Apart from the whole issue of how much she fought with me, she basically told me to stop talking because she thinks I spent this weekend talking too much and that I should go back to the way I was before this weekend. In this case, this problem is current, it started this weekend and only this weekend. If things don't improve, she's going to fire me.
I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to stay away from my colleagues completely, only talk about what's essential and nothing more than what's essential (both so that the manager doesn't fire me and out of bitterness at the fact that they've made fun of me), and I've also decided that I won't talk to the driver very much, since he has a constant habit of trying to get me to watch the videos he watches on his cell phone, and I've already made it clear that I can't. I'm an asshole if I do that. Am I the asshole if I do that? If so, or if not, is there anything else I can do to improve and prevent something worse from happening?
submitted by etoilebIeue to work [link] [comments]
Anyway, what I do is pack the orders for delivery, hand them over to the motoboys, dispatch them and that's it. But as it turns out, I should know the location of each order not to only know the address, but to create a kind of route/logistics so that the motorcycle couriers don't have to go too far or too close, as well as not delivering orders to them that don't make them go from one side to the other all the time. Okay, so far I compreended it, especially since there's only one motorcycle courier in this restaurant, and on Fridays and Saturdays we only have one more.
What happens is that sometimes an order is so close that one of the waiters can just take it. That Sunday, I ended up delivering an order that was a bit far away for a waiter to deliver, while I gave the order that was SUPPOSED to be taken by the waiter to the motorcycle courier because it was right in front of the restaurant. When the manager found out about this, she immediately went up to me and shouted at me at the top of her voice, basically humiliating me. She didn't actually swear at me, at most she just said I'd fucked up, but she spent twenty minutes shouting at me loudly. All the staff heard and they all made fun of me for it.
The motorcycle courier went after the waiter and taked the order from him and everything was sorted out. No complaints from the customer. I know I screwed up badly, and I know that the reason for this was because I was distracted when the courier said something to me and, while I was answering, I picked up the customer's package and took it to the waiter, so yes, the mistake was purely my fault. However, the manager called me in for a chat and she spent a whole hour arguing with me to the point that I started crying in front of her, but she carried on talking until she asked me if we were done and I said yes.
Apart from the whole issue of how much she fought with me, she basically told me to stop talking because she thinks I spent this weekend talking too much and that I should go back to the way I was before this weekend. In this case, this problem is current, it started this weekend and only this weekend. If things don't improve, she's going to fire me.
I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to stay away from my colleagues completely, only talk about what's essential and nothing more than what's essential (both so that the manager doesn't fire me and out of bitterness at the fact that they've made fun of me), and I've also decided that I won't talk to the driver very much, since he has a constant habit of trying to get me to watch the videos he watches on his cell phone, and I've already made it clear that I can't. I'm an asshole if I do that. Am I the asshole if I do that? If so, or if not, is there anything else I can do to improve and prevent something worse from happening?
2024.05.21 03:45 Nevetsny Summary
By request of mod, reposting this (thank you) So there is no motive, no weapon, no suspects, no leads, two cell pings that put at least two people by the body before it was discovered by anyone else (and then leaving by the scene), an immediate statement by LE that it wasn’t being investigated as a homicide, a body that was savagely disfigured, at least 10 people who were with Noah the night he died - all of whom were posting on social media and captured footage of the night - yet ALL Their phones were wiped cleaned and replaced.
Noah’s father works for Caleb Newton (who has been around previous deaths and allegedly was found to have Noah’s teeth in his pocket) but isn’t considered a suspect. CN struggles with communicating in a coherent manner and Noah’s best friend (Caleb’s son) who was with him the night of the murder has nothing to contribute and somehow went fishing the next day. Caleb was allegedly at the house of the party and hooking up with someone other than his wife Rosa when Noah walked in on them.
No one has appeared to have contacted the FBI. I would also think there are PI’s who would take this case pro bono for the notoriety and supposedly there are now two involved?
What I find fascinating is it seems if it weren’t for Reddit and other platforms, this case wouldn’t have maintained much awareness. Internet sleuths will figure this out then we can all watch in Netflix. Kudos to all those that unselfishly give their time trying to piece this all together.
submitted by Nevetsny to NoahPresgrove [link] [comments]
Noah’s father works for Caleb Newton (who has been around previous deaths and allegedly was found to have Noah’s teeth in his pocket) but isn’t considered a suspect. CN struggles with communicating in a coherent manner and Noah’s best friend (Caleb’s son) who was with him the night of the murder has nothing to contribute and somehow went fishing the next day. Caleb was allegedly at the house of the party and hooking up with someone other than his wife Rosa when Noah walked in on them.
No one has appeared to have contacted the FBI. I would also think there are PI’s who would take this case pro bono for the notoriety and supposedly there are now two involved?
What I find fascinating is it seems if it weren’t for Reddit and other platforms, this case wouldn’t have maintained much awareness. Internet sleuths will figure this out then we can all watch in Netflix. Kudos to all those that unselfishly give their time trying to piece this all together.
2024.05.21 01:06 AblePost7537 First-Time HomeBuyer Louisville Kentucky Mortgage Programs
Kentucky First Time Home Buyer Common Questions and Answers:
∘ WHAT KIND OF CREDIT SCORE DO I NEED TO QUALIFY FOR DIFFERENT FIRST TIME HOME BUYER LOANS IN KENTUCKY?
Answer. Most lenders will wants a middle credit score of 640 for KY First Time Home Buyers looking to go no money down. The two most used no money down home loans in Kentucky being USDA Rural Housing and KHC with their down payment assistance will want a 640 middle score on their programs. If you have access to 3.5% down payment, you can go FHA and secure a 30 year fixed rate mortgage with some lenders with a 580 credit score. Even though FHA on paper says they will go down to 500 credit score with at least 10% down payment, you will find it hard to get the loan approved because lenders will create overlays to protect their interest and maintain a good standing with FHA and HUD. Another popular no money down loan is VA. Most VA lenders will want a 620 middle credit score but like FHA, VA on paper says they will go down to a 500 score, but good luck finding a lender for that scenario. A lot of times if your scores are in the high 500’s or low 600’s range, we can do a rapid rescore and get your scores improved within 30 days.∘ DOES IT COSTS ANYTHING TO GET PRE-APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN?
Answer: Most lenders will not charge you a fee to get pre-approved, but some lenders may want you to pay for the credit report fee upfront. Typically costs for a tri-merge credit report for a single borrower runs about $50 or less. Maybe higher if more borrowers are included on the loan application.∘ HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN IN KENTUCKY?
Answer: Typically if you have all your income and asset documents together and submit to the lender, they typically can get you a pre-approval through the Automated Underwriting Systems within 24 hours. They will review credit, income and assets and run it through the different AUS (Automated Underwriting Systems) for the template for your loan pre-approval. Fannie Mae uses DU, or Desktop Underwriting, FHA and VA also use DU, and USDA uses a automated system called GUS. GUS stands for the Guaranteed Underwriting System. If you get an Automated Approval, loan officers will use this for your pre-approval. If you have a bad credit history, high debt to income ratios, or lack of down payment, the AUS will sometimes refer the loan to a manual underwrite, which could result in a longer turn time for your loan pre-approval answer∘ ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS IN KENTUCKY THAT HELP WITH DOWN PAYMENT OR NO MONEY DOWN LOANS FOR KY FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS?
Answer: There are some programs available to KY First Time Home Buyers that offer zero down financing: KHC, USDA, VA, Fannie Mae Home Possible and HomePath, HUD $100 down and City Grants are all available to Kentucky First Time Home buyers if you qualify for them. Ask your loan officer about these programs∘ WHEN CAN I LOCK IN MY INTEREST RATE TO PROTECT IT FROM GOING UP WHEN I BUY MY FIRST HOME?
Answer: You typically can lock in your mortgage rate and protect it from going up once you have a home picked-out and under contract. You can usually lock in your mortgage rate for free for 90 days, and if you need more time, you can extend the lock in rate for a fee to the lender in case the home buying process is taking a longer time. The longer the term you lock the rate in the future, the higher the costs because the lender is taking a risk on rates in the future.Interest rates are kinda like gas prices, they change daily, and the general trend is that they have been going up since the Presidential election in November 2016.∘ HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED TO PAY TO CLOSE THE LOAN?
Answer: Depending on which loan program you choose, the outlay to close the loan can vary. Typically you will need to budget for the following to buy a home: Good faith deposit, usually less than $500 which holds the home for you while you close the loan. You get this back at closing; Appraisal fee is required to be paid to lender before closing. Typical costs run around $400-$450 for an appraisal fee; home inspection fees. Even though the lender’s programs don’t require a home inspection, a lot of buyers do get one done. The costs for a home inspection runs around $300-$400. Lastly, termite report. They are very cheap, usually $50 or less, and VA requires one on their loan programs. FHA, KHC, USDAS, Fannie Mae does not require a termite report, but most borrowers get one done. There are also lender costs for title insurance, title exam, closing fee, and underwriting fees that will be incurred at closing too. You can negotiated the seller to pay for these fees in the contract, or sometimes the lender can pay for this with a lender credit. The lender has to issue a breakdown of the fees you will incur on your loan pre-approval.HOW LONG IS MY PRE-APPROVAL GOOD FOR ON A KENTUCKY MORTGAGE LOAN?
Answer: Most lenders will honor your loan pre-approval for 60 days. After that, they will have to re-run your credit report and ask for updated pay stubs, bank statements, to make sure your credit quality and income and assets has not changed from the initial loan pre-approval.HOW MUCH MONEY DO I HAVE TO MAKE TO QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN IN KENTUCKY?
Answer: The general rule for most FHA, VA, KHC, USDA and Fannie MAe loans is that we run your loan application through the Automated Underwriting systems, and it will tell us your max loan qualifying ratios.There are two ratios that matter when you qualify for a mortgage loan. The front-end ratio, is the new house payment divided by your gross monthly income. The back-end ratio, is the new house payment added to your current monthly bills on the credit report, to include child support obligations and 401k loans.Car insurance, cell phone bills, utilities bills does not factor into your qualifying rations.If the loan gets a refer on the initial desktop underwriting findings, then most programs will default to a front end ratio of 31% and a back-end ratio of 43% for most government agency loans that get a refer. You then take the lowest payment to qualify based on the front-end and back-end ratio.So for example, let’s say you make $3000 a month and you have $400 in monthly bills you pay on the credit report. What would be your maximum qualifying house payment for a new loan?Take the $3000 x .43%= $1290 maximum back-end ratio house payment. So take the $1290-$400= $890 max house payment you qualify for on the back-end ratio.Then take the $3000 x .31%=$930 maximum qualifying house payment on front-end ratio.So now your know! The max house payment you would qualify would be the $890, because it is the lowest payment of the two ratios.Kentucky First Time Home Buyer Common Questions and Answers:
Kentucky First Time Home Buyer Common Questions and Answers:
∘ WHAT KIND OF CREDIT SCORE DO I NEED TO QUALIFY FOR DIFFERENT FIRST TIME HOME BUYER LOANS IN KENTUCKY?
Answer. Most lenders will wants a middle credit score of 640 for KY First Time Home Buyers looking to go no money down. The two most used no money down home loans in Kentucky being USDA Rural Housing and KHC with their down payment assistance will want a 640 middle score on their programs. If you have access to 3.5% down payment, you can go FHA and secure a 30 year fixed rate mortgage with some lenders with a 580 credit score. Even though FHA on paper says they will go down to 500 credit score with at least 10% down payment, you will find it hard to get the loan approved because lenders will create overlays to protect their interest and maintain a good standing with FHA and HUD. Another popular no money down loan is VA. Most VA lenders will want a 620 middle credit score but like FHA, VA on paper says they will go down to a 500 score, but good luck finding a lender for that scenario. A lot of times if your scores are in the high 500’s or low 600’s range, we can do a rapid rescore and get your scores improved within 30 days.∘ DOES IT COSTS ANYTHING TO GET PRE-APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN?
Answer: Most lenders will not charge you a fee to get pre-approved, but some lenders may want you to pay for the credit report fee upfront. Typically costs for a tri-merge credit report for a single borrower runs about $50 or less. Maybe higher if more borrowers are included on the loan application.∘ HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN IN KENTUCKY?
Answer: Typically if you have all your income and asset documents together and submit to the lender, they typically can get you a pre-approval through the Automated Underwriting Systems within 24 hours. They will review credit, income and assets and run it through the different AUS (Automated Underwriting Systems) for the template for your loan pre-approval. Fannie Mae uses DU, or Desktop Underwriting, FHA and VA also use DU, and USDA uses a automated system called GUS. GUS stands for the Guaranteed Underwriting System. If you get an Automated Approval, loan officers will use this for your pre-approval. If you have a bad credit history, high debt to income ratios, or lack of down payment, the AUS will sometimes refer the loan to a manual underwrite, which could result in a longer turn time for your loan pre-approval answer∘ ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS IN KENTUCKY THAT HELP WITH DOWN PAYMENT OR NO MONEY DOWN LOANS FOR KY FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS?
Answer: There are some programs available to KY First Time Home Buyers that offer zero down financing: KHC, USDA, VA, Fannie Mae Home Possible and HomePath, HUD $100 down and City Grants are all available to Kentucky First Time Home buyers if you qualify for them. Ask your loan officer about these programs∘ WHEN CAN I LOCK IN MY INTEREST RATE TO PROTECT IT FROM GOING UP WHEN I BUY MY FIRST HOME?
Answer: You typically can lock in your mortgage rate and protect it from going up once you have a home picked-out and under contract. You can usually lock in your mortgage rate for free for 90 days, and if you need more time, you can extend the lock in rate for a fee to the lender in case the home buying process is taking a longer time. The longer the term you lock the rate in the future, the higher the costs because the lender is taking a risk on rates in the future.Interest rates are kinda like gas prices, they change daily, and the general trend is that they have been going up since the Presidential election in November 2016.∘ HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED TO PAY TO CLOSE THE LOAN?
Answer: Depending on which loan program you choose, the outlay to close the loan can vary. Typically you will need to budget for the following to buy a home: Good faith deposit, usually less than $500 which holds the home for you while you close the loan. You get this back at closing; Appraisal fee is required to be paid to lender before closing. Typical costs run around $400-$450 for an appraisal fee; home inspection fees. Even though the lender’s programs don’t require a home inspection, a lot of buyers do get one done. The costs for a home inspection runs around $300-$400. Lastly, termite report. They are very cheap, usually $50 or less, and VA requires one on their loan programs. FHA, KHC, USDAS, Fannie Mae does not require a termite report, but most borrowers get one done. There are also lender costs for title insurance, title exam, closing fee, and underwriting fees that will be incurred at closing too. You can negotiated the seller to pay for these fees in the contract, or sometimes the lender can pay for this with a lender credit. The lender has to issue a breakdown of the fees you will incur on your loan pre-approval.HOW LONG IS MY PRE-APPROVAL GOOD FOR ON A KENTUCKY MORTGAGE LOAN?
Answer: Most lenders will honor your loan pre-approval for 60 days. After that, they will have to re-run your credit report and ask for updated pay stubs, bank statements, to make sure your credit quality and income and assets has not changed from the initial loan pre-approval.HOW MUCH MONEY DO I HAVE TO MAKE TO QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE LOAN IN KENTUCKY?
Answer: The general rule for most FHA, VA, KHC, USDA and Fannie MAe loans is that we run your loan application through the Automated Underwriting systems, and it will tell us your max loan qualifying ratios.There are two ratios that matter when you qualify for a mortgage loan. The front-end ratio, is the new house payment divided by your gross monthly income. The back-end ratio, is the new house payment added to your current monthly bills on the credit report, to include child support obligations and 401k loans.Car insurance, cell phone bills, utilities bills does not factor into your qualifying rations.If the loan gets a refer on the initial desktop underwriting findings, then most programs will default to a front end ratio of 31% and a back-end ratio of 43% for most government agency loans that get a refer. You then take the lowest payment to qualify based on the front-end and back-end ratio.So for example, let’s say you make $3000 a month and you have $400 in monthly bills you pay on the credit report. What would be your maximum qualifying house payment for a new loan?Take the $3000 x .43%= $1290 maximum back-end ratio house payment. So take the $1290-$400= $890 max house payment you qualify for on the back-end ratio.Then take the $3000 x .31%=$930 maximum qualifying house payment on front-end ratio.So now your know! The max house payment you would qualify would be the $890, because it is the lowest payment of the two ratios.Joel Lobb Mortgage Loan Officer
Joel Lobb Mortgage Loan Officer
American Mortgage Solutions, Inc. 10602 Timberwood Circle Louisville, KY 40223 Company NMLS ID #1364Text/call: 502-905-3708 fax: 502-327-9119 email: [kentuckyloan@gmail.com](mailto:kentuckyloan@gmail.com)
http://www.mylouisvillekentuckymortgage.com/
NMLS 57916 Company NMLS #1364/MB73346135166/MBR1574
The view and opinions stated on this website belong solely to the authors, and are intended for informational purposes only. The posted information does not guarantee approval, nor does it comprise full underwriting guidelines. This does not represent being part of a government agency. The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the view of my employer. Not all products or services mentioned on this site may fit all people. NMLS ID# 57916, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).
2024.05.21 00:45 Quick_Neat_8809 Morgan dollars
How can you spot a fack one? I ask as there was an old timer at the flea market this weekend that had probably 200, different dates from late 1800's to early 1900's. He was asking $10.00 each for them, a few guys took a chance and bought 2 or 3. I was about 2 minutes late as a guy bought all he had left around 150 for the $10.00 each price. We looked at them, they looked real, the weight felt real. But we didn't know.
And before anyone says anything, most old timers around here don't have or use computers and almost none own a cell phone. And for kids, well, kids, a lot of kids today don't pay any attention to ol' mom and dad, even at holidays, at least around here.
Most thought they were real and the old guy didn't know what he had. A few thought they were fake. We couldn't see the subtle differences between a fake and a real one, if that was the case?
To give you some back ground on the flea market. 2 weeks ago I was a minute late from buying an original mint in box playboy Marilyn Monroe puzzle for a dollar. But I did get a haul of mint in box wood fishing lures for twenty-five cents each!
submitted by Quick_Neat_8809 to coins [link] [comments]
And before anyone says anything, most old timers around here don't have or use computers and almost none own a cell phone. And for kids, well, kids, a lot of kids today don't pay any attention to ol' mom and dad, even at holidays, at least around here.
Most thought they were real and the old guy didn't know what he had. A few thought they were fake. We couldn't see the subtle differences between a fake and a real one, if that was the case?
To give you some back ground on the flea market. 2 weeks ago I was a minute late from buying an original mint in box playboy Marilyn Monroe puzzle for a dollar. But I did get a haul of mint in box wood fishing lures for twenty-five cents each!
2024.05.21 00:29 mghow_genius I found a short story on facebook that I wanted to share
The Tragic Life of Wilbur
The man they just won’t leave aloneWilbur
Wilbur grew up with his parents, traveling salesmen, who never stayed in one place. Although Wilbur preferred to have a stable home, his parents would always blow off his suggestions.
“You already have a home. If you don’t like these accommodations, study hard and find a well-paying job when you grow up. If you can get there, I promise you, that you can buy a house and then live your life, however you want,” his mother would suggest.
“Listen to her. Your mommy knows the best,” his father would add.
Now, a Business Development Manager and a wiz when it came to numbers, he worked at a small startup company. Although the company made big profits from Wilbur’s ideas, it never really acknowledged his genius. He was proud of himself and his work, nevertheless. He took his parents’ advice and worked hard to get where he was. So, why won’t he be?
He got off work and was heading home when four masked men surrounded him. Before he realized anything, one of them held a gun at his temple, while the three others rummaged through his pockets. They pulled out his wallet, phone, and wristwatch, before punching him in the face. As Wilbur fell on all fours, bleeding out of his nose, the four men began kicking him from all directions, knocking the wind out of him.
“I didn’t resist. They took everything. Why are they still beating me?” were the last thoughts that went through his head.
He woke up in a hospital bed. The nurse who came to change the catheter bag was surprised and called the Doctor. Once the doctor came in and checked his vitals, he smiled at Wilbur.
“You are a lucky man,” he said. “You were in a coma for two months. We almost lost all hope. But you are awake now and your vitals are fine. You are stable. I think you will make a full recovery.”
And recover he did. After two more weeks in the hospital, he finally came out of the hospital. He thanked the Lord for bringing him back to the world of the living.
“Mother always said that I could get the life I wanted if I worked hard. It must be her blessings that brought me back again. Because I did work hard.” Wilbur smiled as his thoughts gave him inspiration and his parent’s memories evoked nostalgia.
Once he reached his apartment building, he checked his mailbox and found a letter for himself, along with some overdue bills. He put the bills in his pocket and opened the letter first since it was from his company. He froze after he read a few lines.
He had been let go for going AWOL for almost 3 months. The letter did hint that the office was aware of his predicament, but they just couldn’t “afford to keep him on a payroll with their tight budget” – the corporate version of “it’s not you, it’s me”.
With a heavy heart and the memories of his mother’s blessings, he took a deep breath and headed upstairs. Once he reached his apartment and tried to open the door, the key didn’t fit. Did they change the lock while he was away?
He went to the Landlord and knocked on the door. As soon as the landlord opened the door and saw him, his expression turned sour.
“Mr. Hanson. The key to my apartment isn’t working,” Wilbur said.
“I’m sorry to hear what had happened to you, Wilbur. You are a good man. You didn’t deserve it.” Hanson tried to change his sour expression to a sad one with obvious fakeness.
“Thank you, Mr. Hanson. About my- ”
“Yes. Unfortunately, the market has been horrible lately, with all the mugging in the area. Although the mugger gang has been arrested, the fallout remains. People just don’t want to rent these apartments anymore. So, I just couldn’t ignore it when I did find that couple willing to move into that apartment.”
“You gave my apartment to someone else?” Wilbur exclaimed.
“That’s my apartment, in case you forgot,” Hanson snapped, suddenly reverting to his true feelings. “I had the locks changed. You didn’t have much in the way of belongings, since the furniture in there are all mine. You can pick up your bag of clothes and laptop from the apartment manager.”
Wilbur just stood there, with his face in his hands. His whole life was crumbling down.
“Besides, you still owe me two months’ rent,” said Hanson quickly, finding a tinge of sympathy within him. “I will forgo that if you want.”
“I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Hanson’s eyes lit up as he saw an opening. “Well, I can make another arrangement for you, if you like.”
“That’d be great.” Wilbur’s eyes lit up with hope.
“I have an acquaintance. He owns a three-bedroom house downtown and lives alone. I convinced the association to let him keep that rundown house,” Hanson said.
“He will allow me to stay with him?” Wilbur asked, unsure of where this is going.
“Yes, yes. He’s a bleeding heart. Besides, I have some understanding with him. I am sure that he will let you stay, even rent-free.”
“Rent-free?” Wilbur couldn’t believe his ears. It sounded too good to be true.
“Of course. But you have to do me a favor in return.” Hanson leaned in closer, “Don’t ever try to rent a house in this area again. Live there, with my friend Gere.”
“Why?” Wilbur asked with genuine curiosity.
“There have always been muggings around these parts. But what happened to you was the last straw that made the prices of real estate go down around these parts. It’d be good to not have your face around to remind people of that… tragedy.”
“I understand,” Wilbur said.
“And one more thing,” Hanson added. “You will still owe me my two months’ rent and all the bills. With interest, of course.”
“Of course, Mr. Hanson,” Wilbur said with a smile. “After what you are doing for me, I would love to continue our relationship.”
Gere
Gere came home and threw his bag on the sofa before heading to the kitchen. He had to prepare a meal for his guest as well; the regular mac-and-cheese won’t do. Hanson’s phone call on short notice left him little time to prepare.
As he prepared some mashed potatoes, chili, and beans, he still wondered how he got roped into taking a roommate by a man whom he barely knew. Since Hanson was an important member of the realtor’s association, he just could not refuse the request. After all, it was Hanson’s influence that allowed him to keep his family home from being demolished by the realtors.
In retrospect, it might have been a good deal for Gere to cave in and sell the house to the realtors for demolition, but he just couldn’t do it. His grandfather, and subsequently, his father lived at this place. He had a lot of emotions attached to this place.
Ding Dong!
Gere wiped his hands on his aprons and turned off the stove that he had just lit up. He hurried to the door and opened it. There stood Wilbur, broken and tired with two large bags at his feet. Upon seeing this man, Gere’s heart melted. The scars on his body and the mismatched outfit spoke volumes about this man’s plight.
“Wilbur. Come on in.” Gere picked up his bags for him. Wilbur didn’t even have the energy to refuse the aid.
“Mr. Hanson told me what happened to you. It’s a tragedy. Really,” Gere said, leading Wilbur to his room. “Don’t you worry about anything here. You can stay here as long as you like, till you get back on your feet.”
“That’s awfully kind of you,” Wilbur said. “I’m really sorry to impose.”
“Not at all,” Gere replied. “You aren’t imposing. If anyone, it was Mr. Hanson who imposed. But honestly, if I am to keep this house, I need him to keep the Realtors on a leash. We have a mutual understanding.”
Gere put down the bags in the room and turned to Wilbur.
“He imposed, but I agreed. Not because of him, because of what happened to you. I just could not leave you out like that, man.” Gere gave him a pat on the upper arm and beckoned, “Come on. Wash up and come to eat. Dinner’s almost ready.”
Wilbur smiled at this generous man, genuinely thankful for his assistance. He was starving – hospital food leaves much to be desired and it was already late.
Cousins
Wilbur and Gere sat on the sofa, staring at the TV, but not focused on what was going on on-screen.
“So, these cousins of yours. They are not involved with anything bad, right?” Gere asked.
“Not at all, Gere. You know me. They are practically family.” Wilbur rubbed his eyebrows.
“What’s up with all these muggings?” Gere asked with severe annoyance.
“They had arrested the gang, last I heard. Yet, here we are. My cousins are scared to go out in that neighborhood and have requested if they could stay over, just for a couple of days.”
“Yeah. Of course. Your family is my family. You know that, right?”
“Thanks Gere. You are a saint.”
“Meh! Don’t worry. It’s not like I am using those rooms anyway.” Gere took a pause. “How’s your job search going?”
“Same old, same old. The job market isn’t really that good right now.”
“But it’s been four months already,” Gere said with genuine concern. “Now you are scaring me. What if I lose my job? In this market, I don’t think I can get another anytime soon.”
“Hey, man. Just be grateful that you still have your job. I don’t know what I will do. The exorbitant interest rates Mr. Hanson is imposing on me have been piling up. Now I must pay 3 months’ rent. Without a job, I can’t even repay one.”
“Don’t worry too much.” Gere rubbed Wilbur’s head. “Just bring your cousins in, enjoy some quality time with your fam.”
“Will do. How’s your Karate lessons going?” Wilbur asked.
“Got my Brown belt. Can’t skip classes when my office is paying for a hobby,” Gere said with a smile. “Much better than the gym membership they offered me.”
Mugging
Gere walked out of the bank, cashing his paycheck. Payday was always on the 7th of the month and he eagerly waited for this day, every month. He preferred to use cash since he would often have to lend some to his roommates - if one could call them that.
Gere walked down the pavement, counting the cash again. Distracted, he almost bumped into someone around the corner.
“Hey! Wilbur. What are you doing out here, man?” Gere asked with a tired smile.
“Gere, buddy. I need some money, very urgently,” Wilbur said.
“Well… sure. But you could have waited till I got home.”
Wilbur just snatched the wad of cash from his hands.
“Hey!”
“Thanks, man. I owe you one. I just need to pay Mr. Hanson back, before he increases the interest.”
Gere grabbed him by the arm and stopped him from leaving. “That’s not cool, bro. Give it back. We still have to budget for the whole month.”
“Let go of me,” Wilbur said, glaring at him.
“What’s gotten into- ” Gere was knocked in the head from behind, before he could finish his sentence.
As he drifted into unconsciousness, he remembered seeing Wilbur walk away with one of his cousins and his hard-earned money.
Interloper
Gere opened his door with the keys and froze at the sight. Wilbur and his cousins were sitting on the sofa, drinking beer and eating pizza while watching a game.
“You attacked me!” Gere exclaimed, seeing their audacity. “Give me my money and get out of my house.”
Wilbur put down his beer and shrugged, “Or what?”
“You caught me off-guard back then,” Gere growled. “Or what? Or else, I will make you.”
All four of them stood up and spread their arms. “Make me, then, fool. In case you haven’t noticed, you are outnumbered.”
Before Gere could say anything, one of the cousins rushed forth and threw a punch at him. Gere parried the blow with his forearm, moving in closer to hit him in the solar plexus with his knee. Regardless of how confident Gere was or his aptitude in fighting, Wilbur did have the number advantage.
Before Gere could even turn towards the other assailants, Wilbur and his cousins just grabbed him haphazardly from all directions and pinned him down to the ground. Wilbur turned to one of his cousins, once they secured Gere down.
“Call 911.”
“911?” Gere shouted. “Yeah. That’s a mighty fine idea. Bring out the boys in uniform.”
Bail
Gere sat in his cell with his head in his hands. He might have gotten a bit too excited and failed to explain the entire situation to the cops. In retrospect, even he would have considered himself a threat if he were in the cop’s shoes.There was a bang on the cell door. “Come on out. Your bail has been posted.”
Gere came out to see Phyllis, his lawyer, waiting to pick him up.
“Good to see me?” Phyllis asked.
“You have no idea,” Gere said, rubbing the bump on his head that he suffered when the Wilburs pinned him to the ground.
“You are in big trouble, Gere,” Phyllis reminded, handing him his belongings.
They walked out of the station, got into Phyllis’ car, and finally had the chance to talk. Gere explained everything to Phyllis.
“I see. I will be honest, Gere: things are looking bad for you,” Phyllis blurted in a matter-of-fact way.
“What? How so? They were in my house, with my money. You could just present them as intruders.”
“Intruders? Too many witnesses will admit that you let them stay with you for five months now. That won’t stick.” Phyllis increased the fan speed of the AC while driving.
“What? What about my money? They attacked me and stole it.” Gere felt his voice rising, yet again, just like it happened back with the police.
“You didn’t see the attacker, did you? You said you were attacked from behind.”
“But I saw them walk away.”
“Half unconscious and still without proof that they did it. Circumstantial at best.”
“But they attacked me at my house as well,” Gere yelled.
“When the cops came, the big guy had a bleeding nose and a severe bruise on his abdomen. They have the proof that you attacked them. You don’t. Now it’s their words against yours. And in court, four is better than one.” Phyllis turned the car and continued.
“Besides, that’s not your house either.”
“What do you mean that’s not my house?” Gere asked in genuine confusion.
“They got some documents from the realtor’s association. They are claiming that the house was due to be demolished due to some new regulations they had set up. Some Hanson drew up the papers.”
“Who is he to sign the deeds to my house?” Gere shouted in frustration.
“The head of The Realtor’s Association. Your house is halting the development of the area that the realtors are planning. Even the mayor approved it. But don’t worry. This is one thing we can bring to the court. All your neighbors are willing to testify your legitimacy as the owner as well as give character affirmation. I think there’s hope. Finger’s crossed.”
Evicted
Gere stood at his own doorstep, staring murder at Wilbur, smiling at him. Phyllis stood at a safe distance, not ready to get into a physical altercation, should one begin.
“Here’s your phone and your laptop, Gere,” Wilbur said, handing him the things.
With his judgment clouded by anger and confusion, he just took them from his hand.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Gere demanded.
“I am offering you your phone and laptop. It’s a good deal. Take it and leave. You are being evicted from House Wilbur.”
Gere walked up to Phyllis and handed her his possessions. Before Phyllis or Wilbur could realize what was going on, Gere turned around to land a mighty side-kick into Wilbur’s face.
Court
“Will you please tell the court what happened on October 7th?” the prosecutor inquired.
“I got mugged on my way home from the bank.”
“And you claim that Mr. Wilbur had mugged you, right?”
“Yes,” Gere replied.
“Did you see the attacker?”
“Yes.”
“Where did the attacker hit you?”
“On the back of my head.”
“Then how could you have seen him? Do you have eyes on the back of your head, Mr. Gere?”
The entire courtroom laughed. The judge silenced them with his gavel.
“I saw them leave before going unconscious.”
“So, you took this circumstantial evidence as a reason to go home and attack them? You weren’t even in your right mind, half unconscious.”
“I didn’t attack them. They attacked me first.”
“Your honor, let these four testimonies and Exhibit. B, photos of the injuries on Mr. Wilbur’s cousin’s body show that Mr. Gere was the first to attack.”
“Yes, that’s because they punched me and I blocked it, before fighting back!” Gere begged.
“So, you admit to attacking them.”
“Objection. Leading the witness.” Phyllis stood up.
“Sustained,” the Judge allowed.
“Regardless. There is no doubt about the attacks, given the evidence.”
“It was self-defense!” Gere shouted.
“Of course it was. Mr. Wilbur and his cousins have the right to defend themselves,” the prosecutor said with a wink.
“They came into my house and attacked me! How can they be defending themselves?” Gere asked.
“House Wilbur isn’t your house, Mr. Gere. We have documents to prove that.”
“Nonsense! All my neighbors have testified that I have been living there for generations!”
“If your neighbors love you so much and if you are such a great guy, according to them, why aren’t they taking you into their home? Why are you just spending your days harassing Mr. Wilbur? Is it not true that you have assaulted him multiple times after that and violated your restraining order?”
Gere remained silent.
“Let this be known, Milord, that Mr. Gere has even dug a tunnel under the boundary wall to sneak in and attack Mr. Wilbur. Luckily, his karate lessons being paid for by his company, could not help him against four grown men with the law on their side.”
“They mugged me and invaded my home!” Gere shouted.
“Are you denying that Mr. Wilbur has been mugged and subjected to terrible torture a few months back?”
“What? No. How is this relevant?” Gere asked.
“And even his cousins were mugged, which forced them to escape to your house.”
“My house.”
“Pardon me, your honor. I misspoke. It’s just a slip of the tongue. My client, Mr. Wilbur, wants nothing but to make peace with Mr. Gere. In fact, he has offered Mr. Gere his phone and laptop to broker peace.”
“They took my house! What am I going to do with a Laptop and a Phone? I want my house back!”
The judge shouted, “Order, Order.”
“Milord. Mr. Wilbur has a lineage dating back to the Native Americans. According to this Genealogy and this DNA report, he is one part Native American and thirty-one parts German. That means, his ancestors, the native Americans, were the original owners of all the lands around here. That makes him the rightful owner of that house today. Furthermore, Mr. Wilbur’s mother has promised him a home should he work hard. And we all know how much hardships he went through. He got mugged and hospitalized. Mr. Gere is denying that he and his cousins got mugged.”
The masses in the court and jury just nodded in agreement. Upon seeing this reaction, the Prosecutor raised his voice to present his closing statement.
“Mr. Wilbur is an innocent man, who just can’t catch a break. The muggers, you, and your neighbors; no one is just ready to leave Mr. Wilbur alone. His mother has promised him a home and you are denying him that. His ancestors were from here and you are denying him that.”
The judge turned to look Gere in the eyes, unblinking. The whole court remained silent for a few seconds before the Judge made his verdict.
“Should Mr. Wilbur want to press more charges against you, all of them will be added to your sentence. You, Mr. Gere, are a terrorist. And I condemn you to prison for life, without food, water, or electricity.”
2024.05.20 23:53 blokch8n Alienware R16 Broke and Smoking
As if the Alienware R16 that has never functioned properly since the day I got it brand new could get any worse it has. So far 6 hours of tech support, mailed into Dell and returned in the exact same condition it was sent in as. The technician's note said that it was fixed and that all they had done was reinstall Windows. The tech from Dell and us had already done that multiple times, I even bought a brand new Western digital black SSD just in case that was the issue. A week later after tons of complaining a tech shows up with a new motherboard installs it and it works for a few hours. The next morning it won't turn on at all. Nothing dead. The previous problem was that it froze within 15 minutes of it being on. Fast forward a few days the tech worked on itcary experience of this entire nightmare. Around midnight, I was going around the house, closing curtains, locking doors, and turning on the alarm when I found the machine smoking, it has never been moved or altered since the technician last worked on it nothing has changed. I had not tried to power it on since that following day the technician came and replaced the motherboard. I can’t give you an answer on how long the smoking was taking place, however I can provide you with a video that my wife was able to capture with her cell phone. I do not know how to share it. Google drive won't work and the file will not upload. Help me.
Repairing the machine is no longer a viable or acceptable option. Replacing the machine would be the obvious answer. Hopefully with a model that has proven to be unreliable, and dangerous. I can only wonder if this has taken place many times to other customers obviously that dated is not going to be shared.
I would like to reiterate, the fact that the option of repairing this device is not an option. I want a new, functioning machine. That simply works, as this one should have from day one. A month ago.
We have moved it to our pool house which is climate controlled, however, disconnected from the main house in the very unfortunate event that a capacitor or similar element causing a serious fire. It is in the exact same shape. It was when the video was shot. The only thing that is different is that it was moved from one point to another inside my home to a building outside my home, obviously for reasons involving fire potential.
submitted by blokch8n to Dell [link] [comments]
Repairing the machine is no longer a viable or acceptable option. Replacing the machine would be the obvious answer. Hopefully with a model that has proven to be unreliable, and dangerous. I can only wonder if this has taken place many times to other customers obviously that dated is not going to be shared.
I would like to reiterate, the fact that the option of repairing this device is not an option. I want a new, functioning machine. That simply works, as this one should have from day one. A month ago.
We have moved it to our pool house which is climate controlled, however, disconnected from the main house in the very unfortunate event that a capacitor or similar element causing a serious fire. It is in the exact same shape. It was when the video was shot. The only thing that is different is that it was moved from one point to another inside my home to a building outside my home, obviously for reasons involving fire potential.
2024.05.20 23:39 Strange-Bus8049 The first two chapters of my first book. Thank you for reading and give me your worst.
THE WRETCHES
A novel by Curtis Millwall
Chapter One
Ms Veronica Van Zyl was a slight woman who favoured sharp collars. Her black hair was always pulled back tightly into a short ponytail which never seemed to grow.
She walked very upright, defensively and inquiringly simultaneously. It may be noted that even while she was seated, this paradox of characteristics was apparent in her demeanour.
She would try the police station. Maybe they had Liesel’s address on file.
A Police Sergeant leaned lazily on his elbow, scribbling a report when she came in. He knew her. Child Services.
“I hear you are the new boss?” the policeman teased, not looking up from his writings. Veronica smiled openly and placed her purse on the counter.
“Yes”, she said, “since last week”.
The officer let out a sound of congratulations and shut the report book with a bang.
“So, Kruger is really gone?” he asked, incredulous.
“Retired “, Veronica answered.
“How long was he there?”
“Nearly fifteen years”, replied Veronica .
Similarly punctuated conversation speckled with intervals of light laughter ensued. It was eventually arrived at that Veronica was looking for the whereabouts of a person. A case she was working on, she said, and any help would be appreciated.
The Sergeant produced a large book with cardboard top and a red spine.
Veronica spelt out the name of Liesel Hart and the Sergeant scrolled through its contents, to no avail.
He checked again. No Liesel Hart.
“Do you think you can call Jepson District?” Veronica asked.
The Sergeant would usually have broken out into a soft chuckle at such an assuming request but found himself suddenly checked, remembering that Veronica’s new appointment gave her a certain rank within the force, even if she was just a Child Services Inspector.
“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” he thought as he picked up the receiver and churned out the number for the Jepson PD. “Extra work for nothing”, he thought resentfully, smiling at Veronica while the phone rang in his ear.
When the call was answered the Sargent spoke at length to his counterpart at the Jepson Police Department about sundry matters, none of which had anything at all to do with Veronica’s request. When he finally did broach the subject, it was in such a way as to make it seem like an afterthought and not the primary reason for his call.
He relayed the name Veronica had supplied and to his visible surprise, there was a hit on a case file active with the Jepson PD.
Liesel Hart had lodged a restraining order just two days ago at the station in Jepson District against a Mr Clyde Jerry.
Her current address is listed as 12 Holloway Lane, Jepson.
The Sergeant was secretly dismayed when the information was relayed. Veronica was openly pleased.
The long serving policeman usually celebrated using state resources to such purpose but he regarded this last piece of success as a foreboding omen. Veronica would surely use the police’s personnel for more favours of this kind in the future, he prophesied.
He scribbled the address on a sticky yellow note and pasted it with his thumb on the station’s wooden counter, for Veronica’s convenience.
Veronica wished she had come here first, instead of the airport and bus station. She immediately resolved to make the police station her first point of call for similar cases.
Peeling the note from the counter, Veronica thanked the Sergeant ‘so much’ and left.
Pleasant goodbyes from the Sargent followed her along with another congratulations on her new appointment.
“Trouble”, said the Sergeant rather loudly when Veronica had just exited.
“She is flying”, said a hidden Constable, from nowhere.
“She’s not like Kruger, this one”, scowled the Sergeant –
“Kruger never came here!’’
“And she is coming after her first week “added the Constable humorously, finally revealing himself by poking his neck around a corner.
The Sergeant clapped his hands together with a crack. He let out a worrisome drone which resonated throughout the lobby of the grey police station. The Constable joined in from his hideout, offering a wail of regretful lamentation that harmonised surprisingly sweetly with his superior’s.
“What’s the matter with you two? Shut up!” barked a prisoner from a cell down a nearby passage.
The prisoner added that they “should not quit their day jobs” and laughed heartily.
The two officers unanimously descended upon the haughty inmate in a chorus of terrible insults, a bombardment of verbal abuse so dreadful and relentless, that the prisoner retreated into the corner of his cell, mumbling.
The Constable performed the obligatory ceremony of running of his baton across the cell bars and the police station returned to its’ usual grim quietude, the Sergeant, to his paperwork.
“Trouble”, he muttered once more, scribbling.
The hidden Constable concurred with a sound which was not a word.
Chapter Two
Veronica thought she recognised the address on the paper the Sargent had given her. “Why did it look so familiar? she wondered “I’m sure I’ve seen this address written down somewhere before…” she thought to herself.
A large sign on the wall when she arrived jogged her memory. “Of course’, she thought.
The New Hope Women’s Shelter.
A facility which was directly under her departments jurisdiction. She recognized the address because it was a beneficiary of The Child Welfare Program.
Veronica entered the Shelter with an officious air and expected to be met with a reception area of some kind. Instead, she immediately found herself in what seemed to be a dining hall.
A dozen steel tables imposed themselves on the room and dozens more miscellaneous chairs of odd variety were stationed around them.
A large television perched on the wall, leaning more forward than what would ordinarily be considered ideal.
Several tattered posters curled up their corners on the walls, some depicting angels, others, cats.
The most prominent characteristic of the room however was how impossibly close and crammed together the furniture was. There seemed to be no visible path one could take to the other side of it.
“Hello?”, Veronica called out.
The only response she received was from a man on the television, who softly suggested that she might consider purchasing funeral insurance and began expounding upon the many benefits she might accrue if she were to purchase such a policy from Doves Funerals.
Perhaps she had taken the wrong door, she thought and went outside to seek an alternative entrance. There was none. A locked gate guarded the perimeter of the building.
She called out again from the doorway and when nobody answered, began calculating a path through the wilderness of mismatched dining room furniture.
An assorted array of swivel office chairs guarded the edges of the room, rendering circumnavigation impossible, or at the very least, ridiculous.
A baby cried in the distance and Veronica imagined it was probably the very child she had been looking for all afternoon.
In her efforts to advance by first moving an entire table from her path, she caused a particularly uncooperative plastic cup to topple to the floor several times.
A resident or possible employee of the Woman’s Shelter thrust her head in through the open window at the other end of the room, as a means to investigate the reason for the bouncing cup. She took a long look at Veronica, who was at that moment engaged in wrestling a large swivel chair.
Before Veronica could utter a greeting, the person disappeared with a muffled scowl.
The chair dispatched with, Veronica ventured down a rather narrow hallway and found a door labelled “Manager’’. It was ajar and she rapped on it smartly with a bony knuckle, “Hello?”, she asked through the gap, a little breathless.
“Come in”, said a man seated at his desk within, who without being seen, could be guessed to be one of substantial physical proportions, not muscular.
Veronica pushed the door.
It scraped horribly upon the floor as she did so occasioning an awful scratching sound. The more she pushed it, the more it chalkily scratched the tiles beneath it.
Somebody in an office nearby pleaded for the perpetrator of this audial assault to “Come on”.
Veronica opted to “Come in” instead.
“There’s a trick to it, you have to pull it up while you push it” the large man said knowingly as Veronica entered his office.
Veronica looked back at the door with disapproval and noted the extreme lack of skill of whoever it was that painted it.
It was done in a rich sky blue, which in and of itself is a fine colour for a door. It looked however, as if this particular door had been painted in less than a minute.
“Good afternoon”, she said archly.
She gripped her purse and approached his desk in her upright manner “My name is Veronica Van Zyl.
A nameplate on the Manager’s desk introduced him as Pastor John Lemmings and the man himself kindly asked what he could do for Mrs Van Zyl today.
Pastor John Lemmings was no stranger to being petitioned for assistance and he wrongly assumed Veronica was there to make arrangements for a relative to be sheltered.
“I’m with the Child Welfare Regional Office” Veronica stated coolly.
The effect of this announcement on this Shelter Manager was so pronounced that he produced an unpleasant screech of his own upon that unlucky floor when he pushed his chair back and rose to greet her.
He motioned for her to have a seat in a most gentlemanly manner and was rather abashed when she declined.
“How is Mr Kruger these days?” he said half stood behind his desk.
“He’s no longer with the department”, Veronica snapped, a little harshly, as if she was tired of hearing the question.
“Oh! is that so?”, said the large pastor, trying to be pleasant but clearly disturbed by the news. “You know Kruger used to come check on us every now and then to see how we were getting along. I assume you would like to see our bookkeeping? I have all the ledgers here.”
Pastor Lemmings sauntered over to a grey filing cabinet and opened the bottom drawer.
Veronica interjected, “No, I don’t need to see your books right now. This isn’t an audit.”
The shelter manger hunched over the half - opened drawer and looked at Veronica, puzzled.
“I understand you have somebody by the name of Liesel Hart in your shelter, Veronica explained.
She has a baby with her, a six- month old boy, is that correct?”
Veronica asked these questions in quick succession but did not wait for a reply. She had already gleaned the name of Liesel Hart in the admissions register which lay open on the manager’s desk. It was the latest entry.
Liesel Hart and her child, Clive Jnr were here.
“When did she arrive?” Veronica asked, choosing to wait for an answer this time.
The shelter manager seemed to still be contemplating Veronica’s first question and did not appear certain if there even was such a person under that roof at all. He decided it best to consult the admissions register, and began running his finger down the pages.
Veronica leaned in and tapped on the name at the bottom of the list.
“There she is”, she said “Liesel Hart”.
And there she was. Liesel Hart. Arrived yesterday. With Baby.
The Pastor suddenly exclaimed that he just remembered exactly the person Veronica was looking for. Her name was Liesel, she arrived yesterday and she had a small baby with her! A feisty woman, he said. Won’t let anybody touch the baby.
Veronica looked unimpressed that the manager could forget such a thing as the latest admission to his facility. The manager, noticing this, offered consolation in the fact that he was helping so many people that it was often hard to keep track of all their names.
It was at this point in their discussion that the two welfare workers were interrupted by the shelter’s cleaning lady, Agnus.
Agnus had overheard the conversation while she was mopping the doorway and she loudly announced that she too knew the precise person in question, the one Veronica was seeking – this person had a small baby with her and had arrived “the day before today”.
“Thank you, Agnus,” said Pastor Lemmings and bestowed a benign smile upon the informed Agnus.
Agnus returned it, clutching her mop and beaming at her reverend employer.
“Is she here now? “asked Veronica, addressing Agnus.
“Excuse me, sorry?” replied Agnus, turning sharply in Veronica’s direction with a start, as if by fright.
“Is she here now?”, Veronica inquired loudly and pointed down at the floor with her forefinger for emphasis.
“I don’t know”, replied Agnus softly, leaning on her mop and gazing vacantly at the spot on the floor where Veronica had pointed.
Agnus seemed perplexed that Veronica would think somebody could be therenow. The area she had pointed to was clearly devoid of humanity.
While she meditated on this, streams of grey liquid from the mop she leaned on began to seep onto the floor. Veronica recoiled at the sight and turned to the shelter manager impatiently.
“Call her”, Pastor John instructed
submitted by Strange-Bus8049 to FictionWriting [link] [comments]
A novel by Curtis Millwall
Chapter One
Ms Veronica Van Zyl was a slight woman who favoured sharp collars. Her black hair was always pulled back tightly into a short ponytail which never seemed to grow.
She walked very upright, defensively and inquiringly simultaneously. It may be noted that even while she was seated, this paradox of characteristics was apparent in her demeanour.
She would try the police station. Maybe they had Liesel’s address on file.
A Police Sergeant leaned lazily on his elbow, scribbling a report when she came in. He knew her. Child Services.
“I hear you are the new boss?” the policeman teased, not looking up from his writings. Veronica smiled openly and placed her purse on the counter.
“Yes”, she said, “since last week”.
The officer let out a sound of congratulations and shut the report book with a bang.
“So, Kruger is really gone?” he asked, incredulous.
“Retired “, Veronica answered.
“How long was he there?”
“Nearly fifteen years”, replied Veronica .
Similarly punctuated conversation speckled with intervals of light laughter ensued. It was eventually arrived at that Veronica was looking for the whereabouts of a person. A case she was working on, she said, and any help would be appreciated.
The Sergeant produced a large book with cardboard top and a red spine.
Veronica spelt out the name of Liesel Hart and the Sergeant scrolled through its contents, to no avail.
He checked again. No Liesel Hart.
“Do you think you can call Jepson District?” Veronica asked.
The Sergeant would usually have broken out into a soft chuckle at such an assuming request but found himself suddenly checked, remembering that Veronica’s new appointment gave her a certain rank within the force, even if she was just a Child Services Inspector.
“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” he thought as he picked up the receiver and churned out the number for the Jepson PD. “Extra work for nothing”, he thought resentfully, smiling at Veronica while the phone rang in his ear.
When the call was answered the Sargent spoke at length to his counterpart at the Jepson Police Department about sundry matters, none of which had anything at all to do with Veronica’s request. When he finally did broach the subject, it was in such a way as to make it seem like an afterthought and not the primary reason for his call.
He relayed the name Veronica had supplied and to his visible surprise, there was a hit on a case file active with the Jepson PD.
Liesel Hart had lodged a restraining order just two days ago at the station in Jepson District against a Mr Clyde Jerry.
Her current address is listed as 12 Holloway Lane, Jepson.
The Sergeant was secretly dismayed when the information was relayed. Veronica was openly pleased.
The long serving policeman usually celebrated using state resources to such purpose but he regarded this last piece of success as a foreboding omen. Veronica would surely use the police’s personnel for more favours of this kind in the future, he prophesied.
He scribbled the address on a sticky yellow note and pasted it with his thumb on the station’s wooden counter, for Veronica’s convenience.
Veronica wished she had come here first, instead of the airport and bus station. She immediately resolved to make the police station her first point of call for similar cases.
Peeling the note from the counter, Veronica thanked the Sergeant ‘so much’ and left.
Pleasant goodbyes from the Sargent followed her along with another congratulations on her new appointment.
“Trouble”, said the Sergeant rather loudly when Veronica had just exited.
“She is flying”, said a hidden Constable, from nowhere.
“She’s not like Kruger, this one”, scowled the Sergeant –
“Kruger never came here!’’
“And she is coming after her first week “added the Constable humorously, finally revealing himself by poking his neck around a corner.
The Sergeant clapped his hands together with a crack. He let out a worrisome drone which resonated throughout the lobby of the grey police station. The Constable joined in from his hideout, offering a wail of regretful lamentation that harmonised surprisingly sweetly with his superior’s.
“What’s the matter with you two? Shut up!” barked a prisoner from a cell down a nearby passage.
The prisoner added that they “should not quit their day jobs” and laughed heartily.
The two officers unanimously descended upon the haughty inmate in a chorus of terrible insults, a bombardment of verbal abuse so dreadful and relentless, that the prisoner retreated into the corner of his cell, mumbling.
The Constable performed the obligatory ceremony of running of his baton across the cell bars and the police station returned to its’ usual grim quietude, the Sergeant, to his paperwork.
“Trouble”, he muttered once more, scribbling.
The hidden Constable concurred with a sound which was not a word.
Chapter Two
Veronica thought she recognised the address on the paper the Sargent had given her. “Why did it look so familiar? she wondered “I’m sure I’ve seen this address written down somewhere before…” she thought to herself.
A large sign on the wall when she arrived jogged her memory. “Of course’, she thought.
The New Hope Women’s Shelter.
A facility which was directly under her departments jurisdiction. She recognized the address because it was a beneficiary of The Child Welfare Program.
Veronica entered the Shelter with an officious air and expected to be met with a reception area of some kind. Instead, she immediately found herself in what seemed to be a dining hall.
A dozen steel tables imposed themselves on the room and dozens more miscellaneous chairs of odd variety were stationed around them.
A large television perched on the wall, leaning more forward than what would ordinarily be considered ideal.
Several tattered posters curled up their corners on the walls, some depicting angels, others, cats.
The most prominent characteristic of the room however was how impossibly close and crammed together the furniture was. There seemed to be no visible path one could take to the other side of it.
“Hello?”, Veronica called out.
The only response she received was from a man on the television, who softly suggested that she might consider purchasing funeral insurance and began expounding upon the many benefits she might accrue if she were to purchase such a policy from Doves Funerals.
Perhaps she had taken the wrong door, she thought and went outside to seek an alternative entrance. There was none. A locked gate guarded the perimeter of the building.
She called out again from the doorway and when nobody answered, began calculating a path through the wilderness of mismatched dining room furniture.
An assorted array of swivel office chairs guarded the edges of the room, rendering circumnavigation impossible, or at the very least, ridiculous.
A baby cried in the distance and Veronica imagined it was probably the very child she had been looking for all afternoon.
In her efforts to advance by first moving an entire table from her path, she caused a particularly uncooperative plastic cup to topple to the floor several times.
A resident or possible employee of the Woman’s Shelter thrust her head in through the open window at the other end of the room, as a means to investigate the reason for the bouncing cup. She took a long look at Veronica, who was at that moment engaged in wrestling a large swivel chair.
Before Veronica could utter a greeting, the person disappeared with a muffled scowl.
The chair dispatched with, Veronica ventured down a rather narrow hallway and found a door labelled “Manager’’. It was ajar and she rapped on it smartly with a bony knuckle, “Hello?”, she asked through the gap, a little breathless.
“Come in”, said a man seated at his desk within, who without being seen, could be guessed to be one of substantial physical proportions, not muscular.
Veronica pushed the door.
It scraped horribly upon the floor as she did so occasioning an awful scratching sound. The more she pushed it, the more it chalkily scratched the tiles beneath it.
Somebody in an office nearby pleaded for the perpetrator of this audial assault to “Come on”.
Veronica opted to “Come in” instead.
“There’s a trick to it, you have to pull it up while you push it” the large man said knowingly as Veronica entered his office.
Veronica looked back at the door with disapproval and noted the extreme lack of skill of whoever it was that painted it.
It was done in a rich sky blue, which in and of itself is a fine colour for a door. It looked however, as if this particular door had been painted in less than a minute.
“Good afternoon”, she said archly.
She gripped her purse and approached his desk in her upright manner “My name is Veronica Van Zyl.
A nameplate on the Manager’s desk introduced him as Pastor John Lemmings and the man himself kindly asked what he could do for Mrs Van Zyl today.
Pastor John Lemmings was no stranger to being petitioned for assistance and he wrongly assumed Veronica was there to make arrangements for a relative to be sheltered.
“I’m with the Child Welfare Regional Office” Veronica stated coolly.
The effect of this announcement on this Shelter Manager was so pronounced that he produced an unpleasant screech of his own upon that unlucky floor when he pushed his chair back and rose to greet her.
He motioned for her to have a seat in a most gentlemanly manner and was rather abashed when she declined.
“How is Mr Kruger these days?” he said half stood behind his desk.
“He’s no longer with the department”, Veronica snapped, a little harshly, as if she was tired of hearing the question.
“Oh! is that so?”, said the large pastor, trying to be pleasant but clearly disturbed by the news. “You know Kruger used to come check on us every now and then to see how we were getting along. I assume you would like to see our bookkeeping? I have all the ledgers here.”
Pastor Lemmings sauntered over to a grey filing cabinet and opened the bottom drawer.
Veronica interjected, “No, I don’t need to see your books right now. This isn’t an audit.”
The shelter manger hunched over the half - opened drawer and looked at Veronica, puzzled.
“I understand you have somebody by the name of Liesel Hart in your shelter, Veronica explained.
She has a baby with her, a six- month old boy, is that correct?”
Veronica asked these questions in quick succession but did not wait for a reply. She had already gleaned the name of Liesel Hart in the admissions register which lay open on the manager’s desk. It was the latest entry.
Liesel Hart and her child, Clive Jnr were here.
“When did she arrive?” Veronica asked, choosing to wait for an answer this time.
The shelter manager seemed to still be contemplating Veronica’s first question and did not appear certain if there even was such a person under that roof at all. He decided it best to consult the admissions register, and began running his finger down the pages.
Veronica leaned in and tapped on the name at the bottom of the list.
“There she is”, she said “Liesel Hart”.
And there she was. Liesel Hart. Arrived yesterday. With Baby.
The Pastor suddenly exclaimed that he just remembered exactly the person Veronica was looking for. Her name was Liesel, she arrived yesterday and she had a small baby with her! A feisty woman, he said. Won’t let anybody touch the baby.
Veronica looked unimpressed that the manager could forget such a thing as the latest admission to his facility. The manager, noticing this, offered consolation in the fact that he was helping so many people that it was often hard to keep track of all their names.
It was at this point in their discussion that the two welfare workers were interrupted by the shelter’s cleaning lady, Agnus.
Agnus had overheard the conversation while she was mopping the doorway and she loudly announced that she too knew the precise person in question, the one Veronica was seeking – this person had a small baby with her and had arrived “the day before today”.
“Thank you, Agnus,” said Pastor Lemmings and bestowed a benign smile upon the informed Agnus.
Agnus returned it, clutching her mop and beaming at her reverend employer.
“Is she here now? “asked Veronica, addressing Agnus.
“Excuse me, sorry?” replied Agnus, turning sharply in Veronica’s direction with a start, as if by fright.
“Is she here now?”, Veronica inquired loudly and pointed down at the floor with her forefinger for emphasis.
“I don’t know”, replied Agnus softly, leaning on her mop and gazing vacantly at the spot on the floor where Veronica had pointed.
Agnus seemed perplexed that Veronica would think somebody could be therenow. The area she had pointed to was clearly devoid of humanity.
While she meditated on this, streams of grey liquid from the mop she leaned on began to seep onto the floor. Veronica recoiled at the sight and turned to the shelter manager impatiently.
“Call her”, Pastor John instructed
2024.05.20 23:37 Obvious_Ad4159 Author in Black - Chapter 1: The girl in the rain
The forest road was pitch black. Endless abyss of darkness only further deepened by no sounds, other than the heavy downpour. Trees on each side, leaning menacingly as if threatening to break free of their root and step onto the asphalt. What little light would there have been on a clear night, was now swallowed up by the stormy clouds above. There seemed to be no end in sigh to this rain.
Jessica stood on the side of the road, leaning on the rusted and bent metal railing, looking across to the other side. Her blond hair messy, her make up ruined, her olive green dress clinging to her body, soaked with water. Despite the disheveled look, the girl was there with a purpose. A simple goal, to be picked up by a passing driver as hitchhiker. Though that had proven a task more difficult that it seemed. The stretch of asphalt she was on, that cut through the woods, no longer was the busy road she remembered. A highway that was made not too far away, took the majority of traffic and people away from the winding roads.
But she did not mind, for the highway helped her. Like a sifter that separated regular sand from whatever larger chunk of rock one might find, the highway separated the mundane and tired people going between towns from the deviant and ill-intended people that still used the back roads. The wait may have been longer now, but that only increased the odds of finding her next potential victim.
Her patience paid off, as a pair of high beams appeared around a curve. The headlights seemed to be swallowed by the darkness of the forest, barely illuminating much. She moved from the railing and closer to the edge of the road, as the car pulled over in front of her.
The passenger side window rolled down some, and a voice of a man came from inside. "Everything alright hun? Need a ride?"
Without a word she reached for the handle. Unlocked, how typical. Her victims always gave themselves away with their eagerness. Their fake desire to help her only working against their attempts to mask their true intentions. She opened the door and sat inside the passenger side, before the car began moving once more.
"So, where to?" The driver asked.
The rhythmic squeaking of the windshield wipers masked her breathing. "Just on the other side of the woods. I'll let you know when to pull over."
Jessica glanced at the man. He was dressed nicely, most of them were. Sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing tattoos on both arms, that started at the wrist and disappeared up the sleeve. He had a few rings on, including a black ring on his ring finger. Not much of a surprise, some of them didn't even bother taking off their wedding rings. For when it came to the end result, it would not really matter anyways.
"For the next 300 meters, keep going straight." The GPS sounded off, breaking the silence for a brief moment.
"So, what are you doing all by yourself in this storm, in the middle of nowhere? That dress doesn't seem very waterproof." The driver smiled slightly, attempting small talk.
Jessica felt her guts churn, her insider burning with rage. But she chose to keep her silence, not wanting to ruin her plans. The man seemed to have picked up on the hint and kept on driving without another word.
"In the next 200 meters, turn left."
The rain was not letting up, the visibility still almost nonexistent. It felt to her as if the entire car was driven only by relying to the GPS.
"In the next 300 meters, turn left."
Another turn, now they were no longer on the main road that lead out of woods. The car was moving slowly, as the man kept following the GPS's advice, turning on narrower and narrower roads.
"You've missed my turn." Jessica said softly but sternly.
The man did not reply. He merely put the car in reverse, seemingly trying to get back to the main road.
"In the next 50 meters, turn right."
With a deep sigh, he turned off the GPS, before moving down another side road. Soon dirt and mud replaced the asphalt and the car seemed to struggle to move through it, only moving deeper between the trees. Jessica knew all there roads like they were hopscotch by now. She's been taken to each and every one of them, multiple times. She could remember every curve, every bend and bump, every oddly shaped tree on the side. Anger only seemed to bubble up inside her more, her hair standing on end at this point.
She's been there for years, waiting to get revenge on those who had confined her to these woods, to that very road, but they never showed up. So she's been taking care of others, men just like them, in hopes of saving other like herself from a gruesome fate she could not avoid.
The driver seemed frustrated too, driving like he was looking for something. Probably a spot where the rain would not be that much of a hindrance. Veins bulged on his neck and on the arm that was gripping the wheel, his knuckle turning almost white from how hard we was squeezing it. He did not speak, deep exhales giving away all she needed to know.
Her hair began to stand up on its own, her nail elongating, her skin turning pale and her eyes losing their youthful glow. "You've. Missed. My. TURN." She said once more, unfastening the seatbelt, her voice sounding like a growl.
The man turned towards her, locking eyes with her. His expression took her by surprise. Sheer annoyance and frustration. "Bitch I KNOW." He said, pronouncing it quickly, in one breath, while pointing his right hand at her, as the car stopped.
The lights in the car, the GPS and radio, even the wipers and headlights began to flicker and crackle. Jessica was still stunned, but her determination did not waver so easily.
"You think I live in Bummfuck Calamazoo, in the middle of the woods? Do I look like Tarzan? I missed my turn too, obviously we're fucking lost." He continued, before pressing his palms together and against his face, before inhaling deeply.
"Huh, what?" Jessica mumbled, fully confused at this point at his lack of proper reaction, her hair falling back down on her shoulders again.
"In 150 meters tu-"
"SHUTUP!" He smacked the GPS, turning it off again, before mumbling a few more cuss words at the device and taking another calming inhale.
"Listen, I'm sorry. I know how this might look, being picked up off the side of a lonely road at night by a stranger. Every woman's nightmare. I'm not taking any turns with nefarious intent, I just can't see shit and the GPS is making me drive in circles. I've been driving for half a fucking hour and I can't seem to find the exit. Having to rely only on the GPS cuz I can't see a fingers worth of distance in front of the car, ain't helping neither." Finally he leaned in his seat, running his hands across his head, before pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket. He put on in his mouth, offering her too without a word.
She nodded and pulled out a cigarette from the crumpled box, as the cars electronics slowly stopped going haywire.
"So, how long?" The driver asked, lighting her smoke and then his, drawing a long inhale.
"What?" She asked, somewhat relaxing in her seat as the confusion began to die down.
"How long you've been dead?" He said, still looking at the roof of the car, listening to nothing but the drumming of rain against the exterior.
Jessica was stunned, caught of guard entirely. The whole situation seemed surreal. Her victims screamed, prayed, tried to fight back, tried to run, but never this. A part of her wanted to open the door and run out into the night herself, back to the side of the road where he had picked her up. The man did not repeat the question, but the silence told her he was waiting on an answer.
"About..." She paused. "20 years, I think. Hard to keep track."
"Hmmmm, I see. They found you yet?" He continued, the calmness of his voice, like asking a kid what they've done in school, made her uneasy. The fact that she knew what each question meant exactly didn't help either.
"No. Wait, how do you know? Who the hell are you?" The ghost finally regained enough composure to ask.
"Sugar, I've been around the spooky block more than once. Who I am?" He paused, rubbing his beard as if thinking if he should answer or not. "Doesn't matter."
"So, what now? I mean, sorry, this is uncharted waters for me. Do I go back to the road side? Do you exorcise me? Do we sit here and smoke?" She sighed, giving up on the idea of trying to make sense of the situation.
"Now I call triple A and get someone to tow us out this mud and back on the main road. Then, if you do not mind, you show me where your remains are. So I can do you right by this world, at least." He pulled out his phone, before looking at with a sour frown. "Of course no fucking signal here."
"Oh, that's me. Sorry." She reached over, something she had not done in over 20 years, and gently tapped the phone, making the device work properly again.
The driver wiggled the phone as if saying "thanks", before sending his location to the tow company.
"We gotta wait for the rain to stop or at least die down before they can send anyone here." He said, putting on his coat and opening the driver side door. "So how about a little nightly stroll ay? Show me where they left you."
Without waiting for confirmation, he walked over to her side of the car and opened the door, while holding an umbrella. "Here, you've been rained on enough."
Jessica got our of the car, stepping under the umbrella, feeling an odd sense of warmth inside. She's never been this close to a man, since that horrid day, without tearing them apart in fury. The two made their way deeper into the woods, the man letting her lead the way. All she could think of was that perhaps now, her rage will finally see its end.
[]
Rattle of the keys woke up Boogie and Woogie, as they ran over to the front door barking and snorting.
"Hey boys, you've been good?" Miles said, walking in after trying to wipe his muddy shoes on the doormat with little success.
He bent down to pet his two dogs, before taking off his wet coat, as well as the remainer of his muddy and rain soaked clothes, leaving them as a pile on the floor for the bulldogs to sniff on for a bit, while he went and poured himself a drink.
"What a night." The naked man mumbled, sitting down on his couch and checking his automated answering machine.
"You have... 7... missed calls from.... Detective Anthony."
"Uuggghhh fuck." Miles groaned, getting up and walking over to his discarded pile of wet clothes and rummaging through it until he pulled out his cell phone.
Walking back to the couch with a glass of booze in hand, he kept the phone pressed against his left ear. It didn't take more than 4 buzzes before someone on the other side picked up.
"Heey, Ant-man. What's up?" Miles grinned, addressing the man on the line.
"Don't call me that." Said the tired voice. "Where have you been? I've been calling you all evening."
"Oh you know. Ran into a girl. You know the drill." The naked man replied.
"I see. She found?" Anthony asked.
"She is now. I'm sending you the location right now."
"Good. I'll send someone from the department there tomorrow."
"That can't be the only reason you called me 7 times." Miles continued.
"Right. Listen, we've got a case down in Waco. I could really use your... expertise on the matter." The Detective said.
"Now, what skills could the homicide department need from a horror novel author?" Miles cackled a bit, taking a sip and finishing with an exaggerated lip smack and exhale.
"Cut the bullshit Miles, it's way too late for this. You want to help, or do I gotta find another nutcase that can talk to corpses?" Anthony replied, his tone of voice going from tired to annoyed.
"Okay okay, don't get your badge stuck between your ass cheeks Detective. I'll be at your office tomorrow, as soon as my car get cleaned." The writer said before handing up the call and tossing his phone on the nearby cushion. He finished his drink, sighed and leaned against the couch, looking up the ceiling, the events of tonight still fresh in his mind.
(Hi y'all. This one is a bit less aliens and super powers and a big more idk. HorroThriller? I'm not sure. I mean, as long as humans are at the forefront, I think it does not violate any rules on here.
Decided to write something different, while cooking up part 6 for Sand & Steel, that should drop tomorrow, if my schedule allows it.
I hope you guys like it, let me know your feedback in the comments. Have a wonderful evening.)
submitted by Obvious_Ad4159 to HFY [link] [comments]
Jessica stood on the side of the road, leaning on the rusted and bent metal railing, looking across to the other side. Her blond hair messy, her make up ruined, her olive green dress clinging to her body, soaked with water. Despite the disheveled look, the girl was there with a purpose. A simple goal, to be picked up by a passing driver as hitchhiker. Though that had proven a task more difficult that it seemed. The stretch of asphalt she was on, that cut through the woods, no longer was the busy road she remembered. A highway that was made not too far away, took the majority of traffic and people away from the winding roads.
But she did not mind, for the highway helped her. Like a sifter that separated regular sand from whatever larger chunk of rock one might find, the highway separated the mundane and tired people going between towns from the deviant and ill-intended people that still used the back roads. The wait may have been longer now, but that only increased the odds of finding her next potential victim.
Her patience paid off, as a pair of high beams appeared around a curve. The headlights seemed to be swallowed by the darkness of the forest, barely illuminating much. She moved from the railing and closer to the edge of the road, as the car pulled over in front of her.
The passenger side window rolled down some, and a voice of a man came from inside. "Everything alright hun? Need a ride?"
Without a word she reached for the handle. Unlocked, how typical. Her victims always gave themselves away with their eagerness. Their fake desire to help her only working against their attempts to mask their true intentions. She opened the door and sat inside the passenger side, before the car began moving once more.
"So, where to?" The driver asked.
The rhythmic squeaking of the windshield wipers masked her breathing. "Just on the other side of the woods. I'll let you know when to pull over."
Jessica glanced at the man. He was dressed nicely, most of them were. Sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing tattoos on both arms, that started at the wrist and disappeared up the sleeve. He had a few rings on, including a black ring on his ring finger. Not much of a surprise, some of them didn't even bother taking off their wedding rings. For when it came to the end result, it would not really matter anyways.
"For the next 300 meters, keep going straight." The GPS sounded off, breaking the silence for a brief moment.
"So, what are you doing all by yourself in this storm, in the middle of nowhere? That dress doesn't seem very waterproof." The driver smiled slightly, attempting small talk.
Jessica felt her guts churn, her insider burning with rage. But she chose to keep her silence, not wanting to ruin her plans. The man seemed to have picked up on the hint and kept on driving without another word.
"In the next 200 meters, turn left."
The rain was not letting up, the visibility still almost nonexistent. It felt to her as if the entire car was driven only by relying to the GPS.
"In the next 300 meters, turn left."
Another turn, now they were no longer on the main road that lead out of woods. The car was moving slowly, as the man kept following the GPS's advice, turning on narrower and narrower roads.
"You've missed my turn." Jessica said softly but sternly.
The man did not reply. He merely put the car in reverse, seemingly trying to get back to the main road.
"In the next 50 meters, turn right."
With a deep sigh, he turned off the GPS, before moving down another side road. Soon dirt and mud replaced the asphalt and the car seemed to struggle to move through it, only moving deeper between the trees. Jessica knew all there roads like they were hopscotch by now. She's been taken to each and every one of them, multiple times. She could remember every curve, every bend and bump, every oddly shaped tree on the side. Anger only seemed to bubble up inside her more, her hair standing on end at this point.
She's been there for years, waiting to get revenge on those who had confined her to these woods, to that very road, but they never showed up. So she's been taking care of others, men just like them, in hopes of saving other like herself from a gruesome fate she could not avoid.
The driver seemed frustrated too, driving like he was looking for something. Probably a spot where the rain would not be that much of a hindrance. Veins bulged on his neck and on the arm that was gripping the wheel, his knuckle turning almost white from how hard we was squeezing it. He did not speak, deep exhales giving away all she needed to know.
Her hair began to stand up on its own, her nail elongating, her skin turning pale and her eyes losing their youthful glow. "You've. Missed. My. TURN." She said once more, unfastening the seatbelt, her voice sounding like a growl.
The man turned towards her, locking eyes with her. His expression took her by surprise. Sheer annoyance and frustration. "Bitch I KNOW." He said, pronouncing it quickly, in one breath, while pointing his right hand at her, as the car stopped.
The lights in the car, the GPS and radio, even the wipers and headlights began to flicker and crackle. Jessica was still stunned, but her determination did not waver so easily.
"You think I live in Bummfuck Calamazoo, in the middle of the woods? Do I look like Tarzan? I missed my turn too, obviously we're fucking lost." He continued, before pressing his palms together and against his face, before inhaling deeply.
"Huh, what?" Jessica mumbled, fully confused at this point at his lack of proper reaction, her hair falling back down on her shoulders again.
"In 150 meters tu-"
"SHUTUP!" He smacked the GPS, turning it off again, before mumbling a few more cuss words at the device and taking another calming inhale.
"Listen, I'm sorry. I know how this might look, being picked up off the side of a lonely road at night by a stranger. Every woman's nightmare. I'm not taking any turns with nefarious intent, I just can't see shit and the GPS is making me drive in circles. I've been driving for half a fucking hour and I can't seem to find the exit. Having to rely only on the GPS cuz I can't see a fingers worth of distance in front of the car, ain't helping neither." Finally he leaned in his seat, running his hands across his head, before pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket. He put on in his mouth, offering her too without a word.
She nodded and pulled out a cigarette from the crumpled box, as the cars electronics slowly stopped going haywire.
"So, how long?" The driver asked, lighting her smoke and then his, drawing a long inhale.
"What?" She asked, somewhat relaxing in her seat as the confusion began to die down.
"How long you've been dead?" He said, still looking at the roof of the car, listening to nothing but the drumming of rain against the exterior.
Jessica was stunned, caught of guard entirely. The whole situation seemed surreal. Her victims screamed, prayed, tried to fight back, tried to run, but never this. A part of her wanted to open the door and run out into the night herself, back to the side of the road where he had picked her up. The man did not repeat the question, but the silence told her he was waiting on an answer.
"About..." She paused. "20 years, I think. Hard to keep track."
"Hmmmm, I see. They found you yet?" He continued, the calmness of his voice, like asking a kid what they've done in school, made her uneasy. The fact that she knew what each question meant exactly didn't help either.
"No. Wait, how do you know? Who the hell are you?" The ghost finally regained enough composure to ask.
"Sugar, I've been around the spooky block more than once. Who I am?" He paused, rubbing his beard as if thinking if he should answer or not. "Doesn't matter."
"So, what now? I mean, sorry, this is uncharted waters for me. Do I go back to the road side? Do you exorcise me? Do we sit here and smoke?" She sighed, giving up on the idea of trying to make sense of the situation.
"Now I call triple A and get someone to tow us out this mud and back on the main road. Then, if you do not mind, you show me where your remains are. So I can do you right by this world, at least." He pulled out his phone, before looking at with a sour frown. "Of course no fucking signal here."
"Oh, that's me. Sorry." She reached over, something she had not done in over 20 years, and gently tapped the phone, making the device work properly again.
The driver wiggled the phone as if saying "thanks", before sending his location to the tow company.
"We gotta wait for the rain to stop or at least die down before they can send anyone here." He said, putting on his coat and opening the driver side door. "So how about a little nightly stroll ay? Show me where they left you."
Without waiting for confirmation, he walked over to her side of the car and opened the door, while holding an umbrella. "Here, you've been rained on enough."
Jessica got our of the car, stepping under the umbrella, feeling an odd sense of warmth inside. She's never been this close to a man, since that horrid day, without tearing them apart in fury. The two made their way deeper into the woods, the man letting her lead the way. All she could think of was that perhaps now, her rage will finally see its end.
[]
Rattle of the keys woke up Boogie and Woogie, as they ran over to the front door barking and snorting.
"Hey boys, you've been good?" Miles said, walking in after trying to wipe his muddy shoes on the doormat with little success.
He bent down to pet his two dogs, before taking off his wet coat, as well as the remainer of his muddy and rain soaked clothes, leaving them as a pile on the floor for the bulldogs to sniff on for a bit, while he went and poured himself a drink.
"What a night." The naked man mumbled, sitting down on his couch and checking his automated answering machine.
"You have... 7... missed calls from.... Detective Anthony."
"Uuggghhh fuck." Miles groaned, getting up and walking over to his discarded pile of wet clothes and rummaging through it until he pulled out his cell phone.
Walking back to the couch with a glass of booze in hand, he kept the phone pressed against his left ear. It didn't take more than 4 buzzes before someone on the other side picked up.
"Heey, Ant-man. What's up?" Miles grinned, addressing the man on the line.
"Don't call me that." Said the tired voice. "Where have you been? I've been calling you all evening."
"Oh you know. Ran into a girl. You know the drill." The naked man replied.
"I see. She found?" Anthony asked.
"She is now. I'm sending you the location right now."
"Good. I'll send someone from the department there tomorrow."
"That can't be the only reason you called me 7 times." Miles continued.
"Right. Listen, we've got a case down in Waco. I could really use your... expertise on the matter." The Detective said.
"Now, what skills could the homicide department need from a horror novel author?" Miles cackled a bit, taking a sip and finishing with an exaggerated lip smack and exhale.
"Cut the bullshit Miles, it's way too late for this. You want to help, or do I gotta find another nutcase that can talk to corpses?" Anthony replied, his tone of voice going from tired to annoyed.
"Okay okay, don't get your badge stuck between your ass cheeks Detective. I'll be at your office tomorrow, as soon as my car get cleaned." The writer said before handing up the call and tossing his phone on the nearby cushion. He finished his drink, sighed and leaned against the couch, looking up the ceiling, the events of tonight still fresh in his mind.
(Hi y'all. This one is a bit less aliens and super powers and a big more idk. HorroThriller? I'm not sure. I mean, as long as humans are at the forefront, I think it does not violate any rules on here.
Decided to write something different, while cooking up part 6 for Sand & Steel, that should drop tomorrow, if my schedule allows it.
I hope you guys like it, let me know your feedback in the comments. Have a wonderful evening.)
2024.05.20 20:58 Duckerton375 Do cell phones emit cancer-causing electromagnetic radiation or are my relatives crazy
My relatives with notoriously bad takes like being anti-vax, brought up another seemingly tinfoil hat discussion topic I’d like to know more about.
My mom and brother were talking about how (their words not mine) because your phone is constantly contacting cell towers and wi-fi using electromagnetic waves, it’s essentially transmitting dangerous radiation into your body. They insisted upon not sleeping with your phone next to you, and getting a “radiation blocking” or something type of phone case for when your phone is in your pocket. According to them there’s an increased rate of like brain cancer or something?
It seems like one step away from all those 5G conspiracy theories that went wild ago. Like I mentioned, it felt very sketchy pseudosciencey, tinfoil hat, type of thing PragerU would tell you to do. Anyone know more about this type of thing?
submitted by Duckerton375 to NoStupidQuestions [link] [comments]
My mom and brother were talking about how (their words not mine) because your phone is constantly contacting cell towers and wi-fi using electromagnetic waves, it’s essentially transmitting dangerous radiation into your body. They insisted upon not sleeping with your phone next to you, and getting a “radiation blocking” or something type of phone case for when your phone is in your pocket. According to them there’s an increased rate of like brain cancer or something?
It seems like one step away from all those 5G conspiracy theories that went wild ago. Like I mentioned, it felt very sketchy pseudosciencey, tinfoil hat, type of thing PragerU would tell you to do. Anyone know more about this type of thing?
2024.05.20 19:56 kainhttps WiFi cards
Hello! I know some are FreeBSD professionals. I don't understand anything at all, but I have doubts
Are there any "forecasts" on when FreeBSD will start to bring greater support for various things, but as a focus for now, WiFi cards?
It's not a criticism, it's just a discussion, as FreeBSD reminds me a little of Linux years ago.
I know that FreeBSD's focus is servers, but for developers, don't they have any intention of making the system at least usable as a daily desktop? In order to include broad support for hardware on the market, such as WiFi cards?
Is the philosophy of most BSDs to always focus on servers?
I've been trying for over a month to get my RTL8821CE wifi card to work, but I can't. After multiple attempts, I decided to install FreeBSD on a pendrive, as I haven't given up using it yet, but it's difficult. The only way I can access the network is through wifi thering, in this case, sharing the network from my cell phone to my host.
However, this doesn't make any sense, especially because it's a notebook. I'm not going to go around with my cell phone hanging with the cable on my notebook, jajajaja
Obs.:Sorry for the confusing English, as I don't know the language very well and I'm using Google Translate.
submitted by kainhttps to freebsd [link] [comments]
Are there any "forecasts" on when FreeBSD will start to bring greater support for various things, but as a focus for now, WiFi cards?
It's not a criticism, it's just a discussion, as FreeBSD reminds me a little of Linux years ago.
I know that FreeBSD's focus is servers, but for developers, don't they have any intention of making the system at least usable as a daily desktop? In order to include broad support for hardware on the market, such as WiFi cards?
Is the philosophy of most BSDs to always focus on servers?
I've been trying for over a month to get my RTL8821CE wifi card to work, but I can't. After multiple attempts, I decided to install FreeBSD on a pendrive, as I haven't given up using it yet, but it's difficult. The only way I can access the network is through wifi thering, in this case, sharing the network from my cell phone to my host.
However, this doesn't make any sense, especially because it's a notebook. I'm not going to go around with my cell phone hanging with the cable on my notebook, jajajaja
2024.05.20 19:51 karnson [WTS] 🥝Ships, Normal and cost saving CCU's and Paints🥝
Hi everyone! All of the costs you see listed below include fees, what you see is what you pay. My timezone is GMT+12 in case you’re wondering why I may be taking a while to reply to you, however rest assured I will when I’m awake!
If you’re new to trading on reddit, read this guide on how to link your RSI account to your Reddit account and then just reply below with … well anything really so I can see your RSI account in the flair then drop me a PM with what you’re after.
If there is something you want but don’t see listed such as a specific LTI CCU’d ship or if you have any questions on trading or CCUing then please feel free to drop me a DM. Note: I will not trade using chat’s and any chat requests will be directed to use DM’s. This is because chat’s can be deleted but DM’s cannot so it is safer for us both to use DM’s.
submitted by karnson to Starcitizen_trades [link] [comments]
If you’re new to trading on reddit, read this guide on how to link your RSI account to your Reddit account and then just reply below with … well anything really so I can see your RSI account in the flair then drop me a PM with what you’re after.
If there is something you want but don’t see listed such as a specific LTI CCU’d ship or if you have any questions on trading or CCUing then please feel free to drop me a DM. Note: I will not trade using chat’s and any chat requests will be directed to use DM’s. This is because chat’s can be deleted but DM’s cannot so it is safer for us both to use DM’s.
Referrals 🎖️
If you haven’t yet created your account, please read this guide on the referral system and consider using my referral code which is STAR-LN2R-X9QF. If you would like me to add a referral to your account it will be $25.Subscriber Store
I can get you anything listed here on the subscriber store at cost + PayPal fees, please feel free to send me a message and I’ll let you know what the total cost will be.Ships 🚀
| Stand Alone Ship | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Insurance | Status | Melt | Price |
| 600i Explorer Best In Show 2953 | 10Y | Flyable | 475 | 575 |
| Corsair Best In Show Edition 2953 | 10Y | Flyable | 250 | 305 |
| Redeemer Best In Show Edition 2953 | 10Y | Flyable | 330 | 400 |
| Vulture Best In Show Edition 2953 | 10Y | Flyable | 175 | 215 |
| LTI CCU'd ships | Insurance | Melt | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400i | LTI | 245 | 205 |
| Corsair | LTI | 245 | 205 |
| Eclipse | LTI | 295 | 255 |
| Hurricane | LTI | 190 | 165 |
| Reclaimer | LTI | 395 | 340 |
| Redeemer | LTI | 325 | 270 |
| SRV | LTI | 145 | 135 |
| Vanguard Sentinel | LTI | 270 | 235 |
CCU’s ➡️
| Standard CCU's from buyback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Melt | Price |
| Freelancer | 350r | 15 | 19 |
| Constellation Andromeda | 400i | 10 | 12.5 |
| Prowler | 600i explorer | 35 | 42.5 |
| C2 | 600i touring | 35 | 42.5 |
| Prospector | A1 | 45 | 54 |
| Sabre | A1 | 30 | 36.5 |
| Carrack | A2 | 150 | 180 |
| Hammerhead | A2 | 25 | 31 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Apollo Medivac | 35 | 42.5 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Apollo Triage | 10 | 12.5 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Ares Ion | 10 | 12.5 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Ares Inferno | 10 | 12.5 |
| Hull D | Arrastra | 25 | 31 |
| M2 | Arrastra | 55 | 67 |
| 325A | Avenger Titan Renegade | 5 | 7 |
| Nomad | Avenger Warlock | 5 | 7 |
| Cutlass Black | Buccaneer | 10 | 12.5 |
| Mole | C2 | 85 | 102 |
| Redeemer | C2 | 75 | 90 |
| Valkyrie | C2 | 25 | 31 |
| 300i | C8R Pisces Rescue | 5 | 7 |
| 600i Explorer | Carrack | 125 | 150 |
| M2 | Carrack | 80 | 96 |
| Constellation Aquila | Caterpillar | 15 | 19 |
| Eclipse | Caterpillar | 30 | 36.5 |
| Mole | Caterpillar | 15 | 19 |
| Cutlass Black | Centurion | 10 | 12.5 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Corsair | 10 | 12.5 |
| Mole | Crucible | 35 | 42.5 |
| Starfarer Gemini | Crucible | 10 | 12.5 |
| Prospector | Cutlass Blue | 20 | 25 |
| STV | Cutlass Red | 95 | 115 |
| Dragonfly Black | Cutter | 5 | 7 |
| Mustang Beta | Cutter | 5 | 7 |
| STV | Cutter | 5 | 7 |
| Roc DS | Cyclone AA | 5 | 7 |
| 325a | Cyclone MT | 5 | 7 |
| 125a | Cyclone RC | 5 | 7 |
| 125a | Cyclone RN | 5 | 7 |
| 125a | Cyclone TR | 5 | 7 |
| Constellation Taurus | Banu Defender | 20 | 25 |
| Blade | Eclipse | 25 | 30 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Eclipse | 60 | 73 |
| Prospector | F7C Hornet Wildfire | 20 | 25 |
| Prospector | F7C-M Super Hornet | 30 | 36.5 |
| Vulture | F7C-M Super Hornet Heartseeker | 25 | 30 |
| Prospector | Freelancer MIS | 20 | 25 |
| 125A | G12A | 5 | 7 |
| Prospector | Gladiator | 10 | 12.5 |
| Nomad | Gladius | 10 | 12.5 |
| Carrack | Hammerhead | 125 | 150 |
| Odyssey | Hammerhead | 25 | 31 |
| Nomad | Herald | 5 | 7 |
| Herald | Hull A | 5 | 7 |
| Nomad | Hull A | 10 | 12.5 |
| Prospector | Khartu-Al | 15 | 19 |
| Centurion | Legionnaire | 10 | 12.5 |
| Freelancer | Legionnaire | 10 | 12.5 |
| M2 | Liberator | 55 | 66.5 |
| 600i | M2 | 45 | 54 |
| Prowler | M2 | 80 | 96 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Mercury | 20 | 25 |
| 400i | Mercury | 10 | 12.5 |
| Carrack | Nautilus | 125 | 150 |
| Freelancer | Nova | 10 | 12.5 |
| MPUV-C | Nox | 10 | 12.5 |
| STV | Nox | 5 | 7 |
| C2 | Prowler | 40 | 48 |
| Valkyrie | Prowler | 65 | 78 |
| Constellation Taurus | Railen | 25 | 31 |
| Terrapin | Railen | 5 | 7 |
| Defender | Railen | 5 | 7 |
| Cutlass Black | Raft | 15 | 19 |
| Ballista | Razor | 5 | 7 |
| Freelancer Max | Razor EX | 5 | 7 |
| Mantis | Razor EX | 5 | 7 |
| Ballista | Razor LX | 10 | 12.5 |
| Mole | Reclaimer | 85 | 102 |
| Valkyrie | Reclaimer | 25 | 31 |
| Constellation Aquila | Redeemer | 15 | 19 |
| Mole | Redeemer | 15 | 19 |
| 325a | Reliant Tana | 5 | 7 |
| Vanguard Warden | Retaliator Bomber | 15 | 19 |
| Prospector | Sabre | 15 | 19 |
| Prospector | Sabre Comet | 30 | 36.5 |
| Constellation Taurus | San'tok.yāi | 40 | 49 |
| Terrapin | Scorpius | 20 | 25 |
| Constellation Taurus | Scorpius Antares | 30 | 36.5 |
| Prospector | SRV | 10 | 12.5 |
| Mole | Starfarer Gemini | 25 | 31 |
| Centurion | Talon | 5 | 7 |
| Freelancer | Talon | 5 | 7 |
| Centurion | Talon Shrike | 5 | 7 |
| Constellation Taurus | Terrapin | 20 | 25 |
| Caterpillar | Valkyrie | 45 | 54 |
| Mole | Valkyrie | 60 | 72 |
| Redeemer | Valkyrie | 50 | 60 |
| Blade | Vanguard Harbinger | 15 | 19 |
| Vanguard Sentinel | Vanguard Harbinger | 15 | 19 |
| Terrapin | Vanguard Hoplite | 15 | 19 |
| Constellation Andromeda | Vanguard Sentinel | 35 | 42.5 |
| Vanguard Warden | Vanguard Sentinel | 15 | 19 |
| Mercury | Vanguard Sentinel | 15 | 19 |
| Ares Ion | Vanguard Warden | 10 | 12.5 |
| Corsair | Vanguard Warden | 10 | 12.5 |
| Ballista | Zeus Mk II CL | 10 | 12.5 |
| Ballista | Zeus Mk II ES | 10 | 12.5 |
| Vulture | Zeus Mk II MR | 15 | 19 |
Paints 💥
| Time limited paints | |
|---|---|
| Paint | Price |
| 7 Pack Ghoulish Green (Mule, Herald, Vulture, Caterpillar, Buccaneer, Dragonfly, Cutlass) | 59 |
| 2951 Auspicious Red pack (Nomad & Freelancer) | 20 |
| 2952 Auspicious Red pack (Sabre and Constellation) | 20.5 |
| 2952 Fortuna pack (400i & 600i) | 28 |
| 2953 Auspicious Red pack (Carrack and C8 Pisces) | 28 |
| 2953 Fortuna pack (Hammerhead, Redeemer, Vanguard) | 52 |
| 100i - Auspicious Red Dog | 7 |
| 100i - Auspicious Red Dragon | 7 |
| 400i - Auspicious Red Dog | 14 |
| 400i - Auspicious Red Dragon | 14 |
| 400i - Fortuna | 14 |
| 600i - Auspicious Red Dog | 17 |
| 600i - Fortuna | 20 |
| Ares - Lovestruck | 14 |
| Ares - Meridian | 14 |
| Arrow - Lovestruck | 7 |
| Avenger - Invictus Blue and Gold | 7 |
| Avenger - Solar Winds | 7 |
| Buccaneer - Ghoulish Green | 9 |
| C8 Pisces - 2953 Auspicious Red | 7 |
| Carrack - 2953 Auspicious Red | 23.5 |
| Caterpillar - Ghoulish Green | 14 |
| Constellation - 2952 Auspicious Red | 14 |
| Corsair - Ghoulish Green | 13 |
| Cutlass Black - Skull and Crossbones | 13 |
| Cutter - Ghoulish Green | 7 |
| Cyclone - Lovestruck | 7 |
| Defender - Harmony | 14 |
| Defender - Ocellus | 14 |
| Defender - Wanderer | 14 |
| Dragonfly - Ghoulish Green | 6.5 |
| Drake Cutlass - Ghoulish Green | 6.5 |
| Drake Ultimate Ghoulunatics | 78.5 |
| Eclipse Meridian | 14 |
| F7 Hornet Mk II - Ironscale Paint | 11.5 |
| F7 Hornet Mk II - Paint Pack (Ironscale & Icebound) | 16 |
| Freelancer - 2951 Auspicious Red | 11.5 |
| Fury - Fortuna | 6.5 |
| Gladius - Invictus Blue and Gold | 9 |
| Gladius - Solar Winds | 9 |
| Hammerhead - Fortuna | 23.5 |
| Herald - Ghoulish Green | 9 |
| Hercules - Fortuna | 16 |
| Hercules - Invictus Blue and Gold | 20 |
| Hercules - Meridian | 16.5 |
| Hoverquad - Lovestruck | 7 |
| Khartu-Al - Harmony | 11.5 |
| Khartu-Al - Ocellus | 11.5 |
| Lovestruck paint 6 pack (Arrow, Scorpius, Cyclone, Hoverquad, Nomad, Ares) | 53.5 |
| Mercury Star Runner - Fortuna | 14 |
| Mercury Star Runner - Meridian | 14 |
| Meridian 4 Pack - Ares, Eclipse, Hercules, Mercury | 56 |
| Mule - Ghoulish Green | 6.5 |
| Nomad - 2951 Auspicious Red | 9 |
| Nomad - Lovestruck | 9 |
| Nox - Harmony | 5.5 |
| Nox - Ocellus | 5.5 |
| Nox - Wanderer | 5.5 |
| Prowler - Harmony | 20 |
| Redeemer - Fortuna | 16.5 |
| Razor - Fortuna | 11.5 |
| Reliant - Invictus Blue and Gold | 7 |
| Retaliator - Invictus Blue and Gold | 14 |
| Sabre - 2952 Auspicious Red | 11.5 |
| Scorpius - Lovestruck | 14 |
| Solar Winds 3 Pack - Avenger, Gladius, Vanguard | 28 |
| Talon - Harmony | 9 |
| Talon - Ocellus | 9 |
| Talon - Wanderer | 9 |
| Vanguard - Invictus Blue and Gold | 14 |
| Vanguard - Fortuna | 14 |
| Vanguard - Solar Winds | 14 |
| Vulture - Ghoulish Green | 11.5 |
| X1- Auspicious Red Dog Paint | 7 |
| X1- Auspicious Red Dragon Paint | 7 |
| Concierge Paint | |
|---|---|
| Paint | Price |
| Arrastra - Nocturne Paint | 17.5 |
| C8 Pisces Code Blue | 7 |
| C8 Pisces 5 Pack | 20 |
| Centurion - Beachhead | 10 |
| Centurion - 3 paint pack | 24 |
| Cutter - Cliffhanger | 4 |
| Cutter - Groundswell | 7 |
| Cutter - Nightfall | 4 |
| Fury - Black Star | 7 |
| Fury - Leatherback | 7 |
| Galaxy - Protector | 19.5 |
| Lynx - Moonrise | 7 |
| Mule - 3 paint pack | 10.5 |
| Mule - Smokestack | 5 |
| Pulse - 5 paint pack | |
| Pulse - Dominion | 7 |
| San'Tok.Yai - Tuiping | 9 |
| Scorpius - Tiburon | 14 |
| Spirit - 3 paint pack 2952 | 33 |
| Spirit - Crimson | 12 |
| Spirit - Intrepid | 12 |
| Storm - Summit | 9 |
| STV - Blue Steel | 4 |
| Ursa - Respite | 4.5 |
| Zeus - Solstice | 11.5 |
| Gear | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Melt | Price |
| Invictus 2953 Navy Blue gear pack | 3.5 | 5 |
| Invictus 2953 Military Grey gear pack | 3.5 | 5 |
2024.05.20 19:46 Straight-Parsnip-110 Arduino Vs Raspberry Pi for Web Interface?
Hey there,
I'm in the early stages of writing code for a project, using an Arduino Mega 2560 to communicate with the I-Bus system in my car (BMW E38). There is a library that someone has created for this, IBusTrx, which I will use for interacting with the bus (a single wire communication system that BMW implemented to save wiring between the different modules/controllers located around the car) , via one of the hardware serial ports on the Arduino.
One of the intended goals with this is to create both a bluetooth interface via an android app, as well as a website GUI over a local Wi-Fi network for remote control of certain functions in the car, for example window control from cell phone or laptop.
The current issue I face is how best to set up the web server and route data to and from the Arduino. I have experimentally set up a webserver using the Ethernet Shield 2 with an SD card that holds the files, and it can successfully serve all of the files necessary to the user. This admittedly clunky to work on and update the site, as the SD card needs to be transplanted to my computer every time the site needs a change, but it does work. I can make several HTML/JavaScript UI changes, test them on the site, and put the card back in the Ethernet Shield. The problem is passing data back to the Arduino from user input (i.e. clicking a button on the site to have the Arduino tell the car to lock the door). I am unsure of the best way to go about this.
As I see it, I have 2 options:
Option 1: Figure out how to interact with JavaScript from the Arduino. This was my original plan, though I am not sure where to begin. I have seen some solutions to this where the site is kind of hard coded and each line of html is written in the Arduino IDE and passed over line by line. This is a rather clunky way to work on the site. Right now it is set up as a regular webserver and the Arduino passes the files over to the user from the SD card, so that the files only need to be modified on the SD card to make site changes, which makes it much easier from a site design perspective than editing the Arduino code line by line for every change. I am not sure how I would be able to interact with the Arduino via JavaScript with it's current implementation, or if it is even possible. I would posit that, in the worst-case scenario for this approach, I could write a script that would convert the html file written for the site into Arduino code that would be sent line by line by the Arduino to the network client, but this would require all CSS to be built inline, and would not allow pictures/icons to be included with the site without great difficulty. This would also be costly in terms of computational resources, especially RAM.
Option 2: Set up the Arduino as only the communication gateway and event-handler for the I-Bus, and set up a Raspberry Pi to host the web server and track user inputs. The Pi would then pipe this info (presumably via UART or something unless someone has a better idea) back to the Arduino, which could in turn send back any data that the site needs (vehicle speed, lock status, et cetera). On the plus side, the Pi would make the web server much easier to update and tweak, and theoretically allow remote programming of the Arduino itself, as well as offloading computational load from the Arduino, leaving more resources available for other things. It would also simplify the Arduino code required to implement the bluetooth app as an added bonus because the Pi could handle communication with the phone. The downside of this method is that it would not be as self-contained as I had originally intended; I had wanted it to be just the Arduino board and it's add-on parts so that if someone wanted to also try it at home, they would only need the code and the Arduino Ethernet Shield, and to find a place to tap into the system power and I-Bus.
I am hoping to get advice on which option might be better suited to my needs, or if there might be something I hadn't considered in terms of an alternative approach. I am happy to upload what code I do have if it is wanted, though it is quite basic. It is essentially a slightly outdated online tutorial I followed and modified to work with libraries currently available for Arduino, and thus far the only thing it does it handle the network connection and serving the website/files. I would have no problem starting entirely over on the code.
I apologize if this is long-winded, just trying to make sure all relevant info is present. I look forward to any advice I receive, and I appreciate your time.
Thank you in advance,
Fremont
submitted by Straight-Parsnip-110 to arduino [link] [comments]
I'm in the early stages of writing code for a project, using an Arduino Mega 2560 to communicate with the I-Bus system in my car (BMW E38). There is a library that someone has created for this, IBusTrx, which I will use for interacting with the bus (a single wire communication system that BMW implemented to save wiring between the different modules/controllers located around the car) , via one of the hardware serial ports on the Arduino.
One of the intended goals with this is to create both a bluetooth interface via an android app, as well as a website GUI over a local Wi-Fi network for remote control of certain functions in the car, for example window control from cell phone or laptop.
The current issue I face is how best to set up the web server and route data to and from the Arduino. I have experimentally set up a webserver using the Ethernet Shield 2 with an SD card that holds the files, and it can successfully serve all of the files necessary to the user. This admittedly clunky to work on and update the site, as the SD card needs to be transplanted to my computer every time the site needs a change, but it does work. I can make several HTML/JavaScript UI changes, test them on the site, and put the card back in the Ethernet Shield. The problem is passing data back to the Arduino from user input (i.e. clicking a button on the site to have the Arduino tell the car to lock the door). I am unsure of the best way to go about this.
As I see it, I have 2 options:
Option 1: Figure out how to interact with JavaScript from the Arduino. This was my original plan, though I am not sure where to begin. I have seen some solutions to this where the site is kind of hard coded and each line of html is written in the Arduino IDE and passed over line by line. This is a rather clunky way to work on the site. Right now it is set up as a regular webserver and the Arduino passes the files over to the user from the SD card, so that the files only need to be modified on the SD card to make site changes, which makes it much easier from a site design perspective than editing the Arduino code line by line for every change. I am not sure how I would be able to interact with the Arduino via JavaScript with it's current implementation, or if it is even possible. I would posit that, in the worst-case scenario for this approach, I could write a script that would convert the html file written for the site into Arduino code that would be sent line by line by the Arduino to the network client, but this would require all CSS to be built inline, and would not allow pictures/icons to be included with the site without great difficulty. This would also be costly in terms of computational resources, especially RAM.
Option 2: Set up the Arduino as only the communication gateway and event-handler for the I-Bus, and set up a Raspberry Pi to host the web server and track user inputs. The Pi would then pipe this info (presumably via UART or something unless someone has a better idea) back to the Arduino, which could in turn send back any data that the site needs (vehicle speed, lock status, et cetera). On the plus side, the Pi would make the web server much easier to update and tweak, and theoretically allow remote programming of the Arduino itself, as well as offloading computational load from the Arduino, leaving more resources available for other things. It would also simplify the Arduino code required to implement the bluetooth app as an added bonus because the Pi could handle communication with the phone. The downside of this method is that it would not be as self-contained as I had originally intended; I had wanted it to be just the Arduino board and it's add-on parts so that if someone wanted to also try it at home, they would only need the code and the Arduino Ethernet Shield, and to find a place to tap into the system power and I-Bus.
I am hoping to get advice on which option might be better suited to my needs, or if there might be something I hadn't considered in terms of an alternative approach. I am happy to upload what code I do have if it is wanted, though it is quite basic. It is essentially a slightly outdated online tutorial I followed and modified to work with libraries currently available for Arduino, and thus far the only thing it does it handle the network connection and serving the website/files. I would have no problem starting entirely over on the code.
I apologize if this is long-winded, just trying to make sure all relevant info is present. I look forward to any advice I receive, and I appreciate your time.
Thank you in advance,
Fremont
2024.05.20 19:44 Cec1997 Petty Revenge on my shitty ex boss after she fired me because she hated me.
BUCKLE UP BABES BECAUSE THIS IS A DOOZY. I (26f) worked at an insurance company for 2 and a half years. I will just reference it as “INS CO” from now on. In my town, this company is prized for treating their employees well, so when I was looking for a job originally, I thought this would be a good company to work for. Well, I thought wrong. In general, yes, the company as a whole DID treat us well. They were VERY generous with PTO, we had a whole cafeteria to get lunch in, a coffee shop, every other Wednesday a massage therapist came to the building and gave us massages, and we even had our own employee gym.
However, my particular department I worked in was very lack luster. When I initially was hired onto this department, I had a manager who I will call “April”. We got along great. We had a great work relationship. However, there was a second manager who I will ABSOLUTELY call “Karen”. She was a micromanager, constantly walking up and down the isles in the office seeing if we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. There was a strict no cell phones policy at this company, which I abided by. But occasionally I would glance at my phone to see what a notification was, and lone behold Miss Karen was right there with a “put your phone away”. This happened several times. I wouldn’t even be texting. I would look at my phone and put it down. However, at the same time, I would catch her on her phone, not talking about work or business. She would just be casually talking with someone.
Hmm okay. So I bring it up with my manager “April”. It gets brought up to “Karen” with her boss. Those calls stop for a while, only to start back up again. “Karen” also liked to hide away in conference rooms so she wouldn’t have to do work.
When I tell you no one in the office liked “Karen” I’m not joking. This lady had the Karen haircut and everything.
Fast forward to October 2023. A bunch of company layoffs happen. It was a scary time. A bunch of people got let go, including two of my coworkers. As for “April”, I find out she got demoted from supervisor and was now on the same level as me. Who did that leave me with? “Karen”. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I began searching for jobs, but not actively doing so. Just casually. That is when all hell broke loose. “Karen” would have what she would call “coaching” sessions with me over simple mistakes I would make. Little did I know, she would be writing me up as well and not making it abundantly clear that this is what these coachings would lead to.
I had some issues with her involving her being extremely rude to me and honestly there were times she would set me up to fail and make me feel less than. That is when she would write me up. One time, I had offered help to my coworkers with letters because I was caught up on my work. She stormed up to my desk saying “you are not authorized to do that!” Wild right?
This all came to a head on march 22nd 2023, when I walk into work on a seemingly normal Friday morning. The day before we just got paid, I got tickets to go to Lollapalooza to see my favorite band and I was in a good mood. But “Karen” was waiting for me at the door. “Oh great.” I thought. I had a feeling what was happening. Long story short- I got fired.
Here are the exact reasons why: 1. I had a call disconnect on my line. No problem, It happens. I tried calling the customer back twice. It came up with that “line busy” tone. So most likely they were calling back already. “Karen” claimed I did not follow proper protocol. Well, not without lack of trying.
Unfortunately, where I live as an “at will” state, meaning employers can fire you for whatever they please. It sucks, but that’s just how it is.
I did not know if I wanted to cuss out Karen and her little butt buddy HR friend in the room, or laugh in her face with how stupid these reasons were. Regardless, I left and immediately started plotting my revenge on the drive home.
I still had her phone number in my phone in case I had an emergency. So before I deleted her contact, I decided to send a few gifts her way. I signed her up for ads and emails and other random spam messages to her phone number. So I hope this Karen enjoys her text messages for STI/ STD testing, planned parenthood and Viagra.
As for me, I got a new better job only 3 weeks later and I’m happier and still petty with that company and “Karen”. 😁
submitted by Cec1997 to CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]
However, my particular department I worked in was very lack luster. When I initially was hired onto this department, I had a manager who I will call “April”. We got along great. We had a great work relationship. However, there was a second manager who I will ABSOLUTELY call “Karen”. She was a micromanager, constantly walking up and down the isles in the office seeing if we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. There was a strict no cell phones policy at this company, which I abided by. But occasionally I would glance at my phone to see what a notification was, and lone behold Miss Karen was right there with a “put your phone away”. This happened several times. I wouldn’t even be texting. I would look at my phone and put it down. However, at the same time, I would catch her on her phone, not talking about work or business. She would just be casually talking with someone.
Hmm okay. So I bring it up with my manager “April”. It gets brought up to “Karen” with her boss. Those calls stop for a while, only to start back up again. “Karen” also liked to hide away in conference rooms so she wouldn’t have to do work.
When I tell you no one in the office liked “Karen” I’m not joking. This lady had the Karen haircut and everything.
Fast forward to October 2023. A bunch of company layoffs happen. It was a scary time. A bunch of people got let go, including two of my coworkers. As for “April”, I find out she got demoted from supervisor and was now on the same level as me. Who did that leave me with? “Karen”. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I began searching for jobs, but not actively doing so. Just casually. That is when all hell broke loose. “Karen” would have what she would call “coaching” sessions with me over simple mistakes I would make. Little did I know, she would be writing me up as well and not making it abundantly clear that this is what these coachings would lead to.
I had some issues with her involving her being extremely rude to me and honestly there were times she would set me up to fail and make me feel less than. That is when she would write me up. One time, I had offered help to my coworkers with letters because I was caught up on my work. She stormed up to my desk saying “you are not authorized to do that!” Wild right?
This all came to a head on march 22nd 2023, when I walk into work on a seemingly normal Friday morning. The day before we just got paid, I got tickets to go to Lollapalooza to see my favorite band and I was in a good mood. But “Karen” was waiting for me at the door. “Oh great.” I thought. I had a feeling what was happening. Long story short- I got fired.
Here are the exact reasons why: 1. I had a call disconnect on my line. No problem, It happens. I tried calling the customer back twice. It came up with that “line busy” tone. So most likely they were calling back already. “Karen” claimed I did not follow proper protocol. Well, not without lack of trying.
- On one singular occasion, I accidentally gave a caller an incorrect fax number. Sure, maybe if I was a robot I would not make that mistake.
Unfortunately, where I live as an “at will” state, meaning employers can fire you for whatever they please. It sucks, but that’s just how it is.
I did not know if I wanted to cuss out Karen and her little butt buddy HR friend in the room, or laugh in her face with how stupid these reasons were. Regardless, I left and immediately started plotting my revenge on the drive home.
I still had her phone number in my phone in case I had an emergency. So before I deleted her contact, I decided to send a few gifts her way. I signed her up for ads and emails and other random spam messages to her phone number. So I hope this Karen enjoys her text messages for STI/ STD testing, planned parenthood and Viagra.
As for me, I got a new better job only 3 weeks later and I’m happier and still petty with that company and “Karen”. 😁
2024.05.20 18:37 workitloud Let’s Make A List.
Ok. Name someone involved with this case. List what you know. Whether they were at the party. Which days? Did they supply alcohol? Were drugs involved? If you have additional information, work relationships, criminal history, odd coincidences, relationships to others, family relationships, whether they immediately got new cell phones, etc.
Silence. Is. Murder.
Post after the name with additional information. Ask questions. Give answers , and ask more questions. This is complicated. Someone involved directly with this case can come in anonymously (It is Reddit) and potentially put out some information here that they could not get out otherwise. This is important.
Information. Is. Power.
Silence. Is. Murder.
submitted by workitloud to NoahPresgrove [link] [comments]
Silence. Is. Murder.
Post after the name with additional information. Ask questions. Give answers , and ask more questions. This is complicated. Someone involved directly with this case can come in anonymously (It is Reddit) and potentially put out some information here that they could not get out otherwise. This is important.
Information. Is. Power.
Silence. Is. Murder.
2024.05.20 18:22 AnimorphsGeek I figured out how to make it work in modern times!
So, the biggest issue with a modern reboot is digital tracking, right? They would be caught in a matter of hours because the Yeerks would have checked the cell tower records of which cell phones got pinged in the vicinity of the construction site.
A good answer finally occured to me. The Chee. It would be great if for the first nine books, they're confused about how they haven't been caught yet, and terrified that it will probably happen at any moment. And then in book ten Erek is just like, "Oh, yeah, we've been saving your butts for months. We've been deleting your cell phone IP addresses from all 'Andalite Bandit' incidents. Let's set up our CheeVPN on your phones just in case."
Edit: why did no one tell me I accidentally wrote Yeerla instead of Yeerks lol
submitted by AnimorphsGeek to Animorphs [link] [comments]
A good answer finally occured to me. The Chee. It would be great if for the first nine books, they're confused about how they haven't been caught yet, and terrified that it will probably happen at any moment. And then in book ten Erek is just like, "Oh, yeah, we've been saving your butts for months. We've been deleting your cell phone IP addresses from all 'Andalite Bandit' incidents. Let's set up our CheeVPN on your phones just in case."
Edit: why did no one tell me I accidentally wrote Yeerla instead of Yeerks lol
2024.05.20 14:32 Moonbeam0773 Another article on Kouri’s lover, including statement he’s been granted immunity by prosecutors
 | Moscow Mule 'killer' Kouri Richins's handyman lover unmasked submitted by Moonbeam0773 to KouriRichins [link] [comments] By Shawn Cohen In Park City, Utah, For Dailymail.Com at 5:36 PM UTC on 17 May 2024 Moscow Mule 'killer' Kouri Richins's handyman lover unmasked In a new court filing seen by DailyMail.com, prosecutors revealed Kouri Richins, 34, was having an affair with handyman Robert Grossmann, 41 The romance began before her husband Eric Richins's March 2022 death and continued for months after, until Kouri evicted Grossmann from her property Grossmann wound up homeless, living out of a black Ford F150 pickup truck in Layton, Utah, and has had several run-ins with the law since Accused Moscow Mule killer Kouri Richins allegedly wanted her husband dead so she could move on with a man who later ended up homeless on the streets of a Utah mountain town, DailyMail.com can reveal. The 34-year-old married mom-of-three fell for handyman Robert Grossmann, 41, after he was hired to work on homes she was renovating, court papers show. 'If I was divorced right now and ask you to marry me tomorrow, you would?' Richins texted her lover in February 2022, just weeks before she allegedly poisoned her husband Eric, according to court documents filed this week by the prosecution. 'I just want to lay on the couch and cuddle you. Watch a murder documentary and snuggle!' Two weeks later, she texted Grossmann: 'Life is going to be different I promise', adding: 'I hate your hard days. I wish I could be there to turn them around for you. Can I try Friday? Give me a few days? Hang in there until then please?' Then on March 3, the night she allegedly poisoned her husband, she texted her boyfriend a photo of two people kissing that was captioned, 'love you.' Richins, who wrote a book on helping children cope with grief after her husband's death in 2022, has since been charged with his murder. She allegedly slipped a lethal dose of fentanyl into Eric's Moscow Mule – a vodka-based cocktail – at their home in Kamas, Utah. The prosecution didn't name the person they described as her 'paramour' in this week's court filing. But DailyMail.com obtained an earlier, unredacted court document that named the lover and provided additional details about their relationship. The document, a search warrant affidavit that authorities used to seize Grossman's cell phones in May 2023, show that their forbidden love ended eight months after Eric's death, when Kouri, who owned a real estate company, evicted Grossmann from one of her condos. The handyman wound up homeless, living out of a black Ford F150 pickup truck in Layton, Utah. He claimed Kouri had given him the vehicle, DailyMail.com has learned. Grossmann has since had several run-ins with police, including an arrest for trespassing, and for theft of a $14,000 trailer and a scissor lift he rented from Home Depot in Salt Lake but failed to return, according to police and court records reviewed by DailyMail.com. In February 2023, police in Layton, Utah found Grossmann sleeping in the truck on the side of a residential street, with the engine running. They found a case of beer with several open cans and cited him for having an open container, Layton Police told DailyMail.com. He was arrested for trespassing elsewhere in town two days later. Detectives in the murder case learned about Grossmann's relationship with Kouri through interviews with family and friends. Digging into the Layton incident, detectives reviewed police dashcam footage in which Grossmann can be heard saying that the F150 belonged to Kouri Richins, whom he identified as his 'girlfriend'. They cited this exchange in the affidavit, which stated that Grossmann had several phones they wanted to search, including at least two given to him by Kouri, which they used to communicate around the time of her husband's death. Grossmann, in recorded interviews, acknowledged that he was more than just Kouri's handyman. 'He was an extramarital sexual partner of Kouri prior to and after the death of her husband,' the affidavit states. The relationship, however, did not end well. Grossmann told detectives that Kouri had kicked him out of her condo in Saratoga Springs, Utah, in November 2022 and that he had been homeless ever since. Sources close to Kouri claim she evicted him because he was allegedly using meth. During a hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors in Summit County began to outline their case to show 'probable cause' that Kouri committed the murder. They said that her lover would be an important part of their case because they demonstrate a motive for murder. He has been given 'immunity', they noted. The court papers filed earlier in the week show Kouri's relationship with Grossmann heating up in the months leading up to her husband's death. Eric owned a successful masonry business. 'The defendant wished to leave Eric Richins for her paramour but believed that divorce would be financially difficult and could result in losing custody of their children,' the papers state. On December 7, 2021, two days before her boyfriend's birthday, Kouri booked the two of them a five-night romantic getaway to the Secrets Resort and Spa on the Caribbean island of St. Martin. The $4,211 trip was scheduled for that April – the month after Eric died. Ten days later, while wrapping Christmas gifts with a friend, she spoke about wanting a divorce, saying 'she felt trapped and stuck in the marriage and didn't see a way out. 'The defendant said in many ways it would be better if Eric Richins was dead,' according to the filling. The following day, Kouri allegedly texted Grossmann: 'I'm in love with a man that's not my husband' and 'I want to but I can't break up my family. It's having your cake and eating it too. I do just want to love you. I do love you.' 'I thought you were getting a divorce,' he allegedly replied. In early January 2022, Kouri consulted with a divorce lawyer, but left disappointed that she might be entitled to only half of their assets, the papers allege. 'The defendant didn't want half of everything,' the prosecution argued. 'Rather, she wanted all of everything. Accordingly, she determined to cause Eric Richins' death.' Around that time, she began inquiring about illicit drugs, texting Grossmann, 'Random question… Have you ever done anything besides smoke weed?' She told him she was watching the Hulu series Dopesick that same night about America's struggle with opioids. Later that month, Kouri applied for a $100,000 life insurance claim on Eric, which became effective 10 days before her first alleged attempt to kill him – on Valentine's Day 2022, the papers state. Prosecutors say Eric found out that his wife had also taken out a $250,000 home equity line of credit and spent it, withdrawn $100,000 from his bank accounts, and spent more than $30,000 on his credit cards. Kouri also stole about $134,000 from her husband's business meant for tax payments, according to the documents. Court records state that she agreed to repay her husband back when he confronted her about the missing money. Prosecutors alleged that Kouri purchased four different life insurance policies, which totaled over $1.9million between 2015 and 2017. In the latest legal fillings, it was revealed that Kouri had a negative bank account balance, owned lenders more than $1.8million and was being sued by a creditor. Authorities say that a former housekeeper, Carmen Lauber, hooked Kouri up with the fentanyl. Then on February 14, 2022, she slipped it into a sandwich she bought him at a diner in their hometown Kamas. She left the food with a note on the seat of Eric's truck for him to eat at lunch, the prosecution alleges. Eric felt so sick that he drank a bottle of Benadryl, self-administered his son's EpiPen, and went completely dark. But Kouri had left town to spend Valentine's Day with her lover, telling him she was out of town 'waiting for my cabinet installer guy,' according to the court papers. That afternoon, Eric texted a close friend: 'I think I almost died… I think my wife tried to poison me.' But Kouri, who is currently being held in Summit County jail in Park City pushed ahead with her plan, prosecutors allege. On February 19, the papers allege, she texted Grossmann: 'I want you today, everyday. Not just sexually, but physically, mentally, everyday when I wake up I do want a future together. I do want you. Figure life out together. If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!!! I love you….' 'Uhhh.. I have a crazy dream!' she continued on February 13. 'You quit your job. I divorce and come up with millions and millions. We buy midway and live in the guest house and rent out the huge house as a big event center!' She added that the center would be 'our daily job! And hang out every day? Raise some kids.. have a little farm? Deal?' Midway was an unfinished mansion Kouri had been planning to buy with her husband. Eric Richins died March 4. The following day, Kouri closed on the $3.26million property. Between March 6 and Eric's funeral on March 11, Kouri texted Grossmann 'love you' five times. They then met up in the mountains, parked in her vehicle and spoke for the first time since Eric's death. She asked whether he'd killed anyone while serving in the military in Iraq. He replied yes, prompting the defendant to ask how it felt, the papers state. Kouri texted him a link to the Secrets Resort on March 20, writing, 'Are we there yet? … Can't wait!!!' On April 9, she texted him, 'I think I want you to be my husband one day.' Kouri self-published her children's book about grief, 'Are You With Me?' on March 7, 2023. The following day, she was arrested for aggravated murder. The preliminary hearing for her trial, which was due to begin this week, has been postponed to June. Grossmann, for his part, was most recently arrested on January 20 of this year in Payson, Utah, after he allegedly spent more than an hour in a 7/11 bathroom and refused to come out. He left only after police threatened to force him out, then was discovered to be driving the truck without registration and with plates from another vehicle. He initially refused to identify himself, only giving his name after spending eight hours in jail. He was charged with multiple misdemeanors, but received a $690 fine, a 30-day suspended sentence and a year probation, records show. Grossmann could not be reached for comment. His lawyer in the Payson case did not immediately respond, while his lawyer in the Salt Lake case declined to comment |
2024.05.20 14:32 nomass39 There’s a death row inmate who we’ve executed over a dozen times. He won’t stay dead.
We killed Joseph Glass for the first time on August 18th, 1999.
I knew he was a strange case since day one. Never seen a guy so happy to die before. It was like we were doing him a favor. He refused the automatic appeal. He refused to be seen by a chaplain. He just wanted it over with. It had only taken a little over a year, and it was already time for him to make his appointment with God.
He freaked me out, just passing by his cell. He was like our very own Hannibal Lector, the way he just stood there in the back of his cell like he’d been waiting for you. The lights always burned out in any cell he was in, and maintenance had gotten tired of fixing them. Not that he seemed to mind in the slightest. The darkness seemed to swallow his top half, and all I could see were the whites of his beady little eyes poking out of all that black.
Billy drummed his baton against the bars. “Up and at ‘em, cowpoke,” he called in that mocking tone. “Time finally come for you to pay what you owe, you sick son of a—”
“Billy.” Warden Taft silenced him with a word. “If you can’t act like a professional, you’re going to have to sit this one out.”
Billy paused… and licked his chapped lips. “Naw,” he muttered. “This a show I can’t miss.”
Glass seemed to tick Billy off more than any prisoner before him. He liked ‘em to at least pretend to feel sorry for what they’ve done, or act scared of what’s coming to ‘em. This one didn’t even have the common decency to shed a tear. He was as stone-faced as a statue, even while being marched to the chair. Billy liked to joke sometimes that we ought to take the guy out back with some car batteries and really put the fear of God into him, get him to cut out that stoic act. I think he was only half-joking.
After what this guy did to those girls… well, Billy has a daughter, so I guess it struck a chord.
We all watched him fry. The warden, his closest men. The thin-faced man representing the Commissioner of Corrections. The prison physician. The families of those poor girls. It couldn’t have gone more by the book. Only oddity I’d noticed at the time was that the stench of death never quite left the clothes I’d worn that day.
And then the next morning, we came into work to see the whites of those beady little eyes staring at us from the darkness again. “Good morning, sirs,” he said, just as he did every morning, in that airy, hoarse little voice.
I’ll admit it. I dropped everything I was carrying, stumbled back, stammered like a confused child. Hell, I almost screamed. “You… you’re not… y-you’re supposed to be…”
“I don’t know what you mean, sir.” He leaned in like he was trying to stare a hole through my chest. His tone almost sounded disappointed. “You never came for me. You promised me that yesterday would be the end, sir, but you never came. I waited all night long. Why did you lie to me?”
Me and Taft looked at eachother. We both had the exact same question on our minds. If Glass was still alive… who the hell did we roll into the morgue last night?
“Jesus Christ.” Taft gagged when he pulled back the cadaver cover, stumbling away. “It’s Billy.”
I looked. I know I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it. And I’ll be forever haunted by the sight of my friend lying there on his back, mouth agape and cloudy eyes staring into the ceiling, open wide as if he’d spent his last moments in a state of terror.
The public never found out what happened. The cover up story was that poor Billy had been taken by cardiac arrest. Internally? It was the scandal to end all scandals. Worst case of incompetence and negligence in history, they called it. They brought the hammer down on anyone even tangentially involved. Me and Taft were out on our ears, and they would’ve prosecuted us too, but that would’ve required admitting it ever happened.
But I just could never wrap my head around it. Of those dozens of witnesses, not a single person noticed we were strapping a guard to the chair, not an inmate? It was impossible to the point of absurdity. Glass had been the man in that chair. I’d never been more certain of anything in my life.
Some months later, I noticed power flickering off all over the city one evening. It was brief, so I thought nothing of it. At least until I got a call from a familiar number the very next morning. “I understand you were one of the staff who regularly worked with one Joseph Glass. We would like to consult with you about an… evolving situation.”
“Oh?”
“At 7 PM yesterday, we attempted the execution of Joseph Glass for the second time.” There was a long pause, and when the voice returned, the professionalism had melted away, replaced with a baffled anxiety. “And, well… it, uh, it didn’t… it didn’t work.”
I blinked. “It didn’t… what?”
There came a long sigh. “Perhaps… it’d be best if you saw for yourself.”
And just like that, me and Taft had our jobs back.
Officially, Joseph Glass had been successfully executed on August 18th, 1999. Unofficially, they’d tried again six months later, just to tie up loose ends. This time, he hadn’t even had the courtesy to pretend to die. He just sat there on the chair, motionless and unaffected, while the CO who’d flipped the switch suddenly seized up and began to convulse, screaming and gnashing and wailing as electricity seared him beneath his skin, clawing at his chest until his eyes popped in his skull and rolled down his face like melted candle wax. All around him, lights flickering, machines bursting from pressure, electrical panels vomiting arcs of static. It was a mess.
The feds were crawling all over this case now, from a department I’ve never heard of. Something about investigating ‘preternatural activity’. They told me Glass was refusing to speak with anybody but the CO’s who’d once cared for him. Being walked into that interrogation room almost made me feel like I, myself, was a convict being marched to his execution.
Glass was staring at me when I walked in, like he’d been sat there, motionless, waiting for me. I expected nothing less. I took a shuddering breath as I sat across from him. I’d sat across from serial killers and psychos before and showed no hint of fear. But how could I not, now, sitting across from a man who can kill people without touching them? “Glass.”
“Officer Mendez.” His tone betrayed no emotion. “I had thought you’d abandoned me.”
I winced. “No. No, Glass, I’d just been… temporarily relieved. It’s… good to see you again. Would you like a glass of water?” I offered it to him. He didn’t even look at it. His eyes just bored into mine, relentless. “I… I’m here to ask you a few questions.”
Silence.
“Okay. Um… Glass, I need to know… how you killed Billy and Cramer.”
“I didn’t,” he replied. “It did.”
“It?”
“The thing standing behind you.”
I didn’t bother to turn around. I had enough experience with prisoners trying to trick me into looking the other way while they pulled off some half-baked escape plan. “Glass, please, let’s take this seriously,” I replied. “I’ve always treated you with respect, haven’t I? You’ve never had any problems with me.”
“Actually, I do. I have a problem with all of you.”
“Oh?”
“You here all believe that… death is a punishment.” There was the first hint of emotion I’d ever heard in his voice. “It’s not. It’s freedom — the only freedom. You promised me that gift. You promised me you’d let me die. You’ve given it to so many other prisoners, while leaving me behind. With all of your machines and your science and your knowledge… surely you can find a way, if anyone.”
My throat felt suddenly dry. I had to take a sip of the water myself, and hoped it would quell my burning nerves. “I… we’re… we’re trying our best, Glass. But you have to work with us. It may help if you told us… what, exactly, is preventing us from executing you?”
He moved for the first time. Leaning in, so slow as to be almost imperceptible. “It won’t let me die.”
And that’s when I felt a hand settle on my shoulder from behind.
Everything stopped. My lungs stopped inflating. I swear, my heart stopped beating, and my blood froze in place in my veins, and it all felt so cold. I could see the hand in the corner of my eyes, long and veiny and black. I could feel the breath on the back of my neck.
I’d once mocked the way deers froze in headlights. Now I understood. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t blink, I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even take a single breath. Even as my lungs began to cry out for air, and my vision blurred, and my thoughts melded together. All I could see was Joseph’s eyes staring into mine. Those infinite fathoms of darkness, that stygian sea that swirled and stormed and thundered in the blackness of his iris, and the eyes of things waiting a million leagues below the waters.
And I would have suffocated there, too terrified to even breathe, if those agents in black had not called off the interrogation then and come storming into the room.
Later, they showed me the tapes from the security camera. There’d been nothing behind me. Nothing placing its thin hand upon my shoulder. Nothing at all.
On May 7th, 2001, Glass was set to be executed for the third time — via hanging, or so I heard — in some government blacksite somewhere, far from prying eyes.
While it was set to happen, me and Taft were sharing glasses of scotch in his office, nominally to celebrate. Really, because we were scared. Taft always struck me as young at heart despite his years, but this was the first time the warden had ever looked truly, properly old. He watched the yard below as he had a drink. “Did I ever tell you why I chose this line of work, Mendez?”
I shook my head, and he sighed. “Back in `63, they found a woman’s body in the back seat of a burnt out car, in some state park near my neighborhood. A prostitute. One of her johns had… chopped her up. Burned all the evidence. And you know what got me, Mendez? Nobody cared. Nobody bothered to investigate. Who will notice one less hooker on the corner of 5th Avenue, right?”
“It… didn’t sit right with me. The way I see it, Mendez, every life matters. Even the ones we try and cast aside. Everybody’s got people who love them, and childhood memories, and all that. Everybody deserves justice. No matter who they were.” He set down his glass and looked me in the eyes. “So I joined the force. Got the case reopened. Found the guy. And I watched him fry. And I like to imagine she was there watching, too, as he burned.”
There was a tense moment. And then a chuckle. “Course, after that bullet to the hip in `71, I couldn’t walk the beat anymore. But I’ve been just as happy here. Watching justice be served… it makes me feel like there’s some kind of karmic order to the world. Good deeds and bad deeds get repaid in kind.”
It was clear there was something lurking beneath his words, some unspoken thesis. Eventually, with old, wrinkled, tired eyes, he said it. “I’ve thought about it, and… if Glass doesn’t die tonight, I’m finally going to retire, Mendez,” he confessed. “After what he did to those girls, what kind of… what kind of order can there be in a world, where a monster like that is just… beyond justice?”
I was shocked. Warden Taft always struck me as an unmoving fixture. What would we do without him? “He’ll die, sir,” I promised. “It’ll work this time. It has to.”
But he seemed deeply uncertain. With one last shuddering drink, he leaned forward. “His eyes.” He stared at my expression, as if desperate for me to understand, for me to know. “Those things… in his eyes. Haven’t you seen them?”
And at that moment, Taft was yanked up out of his chair.
It was so sudden, so inexplicable, I could barely register what I was witnessing. Some unseen force lifted him two or three feet above the ground, dangling him there. He choked, coughed and sputtered, desperate to gasp down air which would not come, and clawed at something around his neck which I could not see. He was hanging, I realized. And with wide, horrified eyes — the same as Billy’s had been — he silently begged me for help.
I sprang from my chair and wrapped my arms around his dangling legs. At first I tried to pull him down to the floor, but I realized it was only tightening the invisible noose around his neck. Then I tried lifting him as high as I could, which gave him some relief, but not much. Tears rolled down his face as it swelled and turned blue, and even though I could not see the noose, I could see the bruised purple skin where it had squeezed around his neck. All the while, I screamed myself hoarse. “Help! Somebody, please! Jesus Christ, we need help in here!” But nobody came.
And all of a sudden, some unseen forced seemed to sweep my feet out from under me.
I dropped like a bag of bricks, but I was so startled I maintained my grip around the warden’s legs. I fell and yanked him down with me, and his body suddenly jolted with a sickening crack.
It took me a while to manage the courage to look up at him. His neck had been stretched far too long, and his head was bent to the side at almost a 90 degree angle. Eyes wide, round and bloated tongue hanging from dry lips. And then whatever force had suspended him disappeared, and his body fell upon me while I screamed and screamed.
I came bursting from his office to find my coworkers casually chatting and working just outside. Somehow, despite all my screaming and begging while Taft was dying, none of them had heard a thing.
I took a page from Taft. I wanted out. We were dealing with something unholy here, something whose tendrils could reach any distance, and my life — who knows, maybe even my soul — was at hazard. But the agents in the sharp suits made one thing clear: if I refused to cooperate, well, I would make the perfect scapegoat for the murder of Warden Taft.
I was marched into the interrogation room to find a Joseph Glass that had abandoned all pretense of humanity. His eyes had darkened to a pure black. Or perhaps he had no eyes at all, only windows into some place of outer darkness. I was shaking like a leaf as I sat in front of him, feeling more like a prisoner than he was.
“M-m-mister… Glass.” No reply. I shuddered, trying to focus on my little piece of paper to distract myself from the blackness of his eyes. “I… I-I have some… questions I’m supposed to ask you. Is… is that okay?”
Silence. I take a deep breath. “How… old are you, Glass?” I thought it was just one of those basic questions. Conversation starters, really. I couldn’t have prepared myself for his answer.
“I am old, child.” His voice was nothing like I remembered. It was deep and low and rumbling, like there were multiple people speaking in unison, and all were equally ancient. “Older than you could possibly know. Older than this nation, and older even than the empire that once bore it.”
I had to fight the basic animal instinct to flee. Focus on the questions, I thought. “Why did you do… what you did to those girls?”
“Just so I could feel something again,” he whispered. “Anything.”
“Did you not feel the slightest bit of… guilt? Remorse?”
“You ask that… of me? Me, who has watched empires rise and fall?” He almost sounded amused. “Does time feel remorse? For time has killed far more than I. But mankind is like the hydra. All I’ve killed will be replaced by, essentially, identical stock, and in greater numbers. And then they will die and be replaced. And so the cycle will continue forever.”
“Did you expect me to pity them for being given the death I, myself, covet? Only the dead are given leave of the cycle. It is a blessing.” And suddenly, he stood from his chair, as if he’d never been restrained at all. “A blessing you promised me, Officer Mendes.”
I stared up at him in disbelief. “What — how did you —“ But I couldn’t even stammer a sentence out before he was upon me, crawling over the table with the eerie grace of a spider.
These were no longer the imperceptible hints of emotions I’d come to expect. It was like a switch had been flipped. Tears streamed down his cheeks, snarling with genuine rage, hurt, betrayal. And beneath those black seas in his eyes, all the things that haunted the fathoms below were rising to the surface. “You owe me a death. Make good on your word. Pay your debt.”
I cried out and recoiled from his every touch with disgust, but he was stronger than he looked. I couldn’t worm my way out of his impossible grip. “I won’t! Get off of me, you sick bastard!”
“Do it! Pay me what you owe!” It was like a thousand different voices screaming in my ear. Straining and weeping, I locked my hands around his neck and pressed my thumbs against his throat, trying to strangle him. But instead, I could just feel that grip upon my own neck, squeezing the life out of myself as my lungs burned for air. Yet I kept pressing harder and harder, as if hoping I might somehow break through whatever unholy force was protecting him.
And then those terrible hands grasped my shoulders again, and I was paralyzed by a terror that could be called nothing but ancient and primal. Like the thing standing behind me was the same force that had kept my ancestors huddled terrified in their caves a hundred thousand years ago, and every one of those voices was crying out to me through my very blood. And it pulled me from my chair, threw me as though I were weightless… and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the infirmary.
Once more, none of this was captured on the security camera. In the footage, I just enter the room and have a seat with strange, almost robotic movements. And then the both us just sit there, staring at eachother, without speaking, without moving, without blinking. For an hour.
After this, Joseph Glass entered a catatonic state, and from then on refused to converse with even me. Now that my usefulness had ended, the agents discarded me like yesterday’s trash. Don’t even seem to care if I tell anybody. Who would believe me?
I thought I’d gotten lucky. That my nightmare was over. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Go sorting through any public records, and you won’t find a single mention of the name Joseph Glass. They’ve squirreled him away in that off-the-books blacksite and scrubbed away every other trace of him. I’d say he’d been unpersoned, if indeed he could ever be called a person at all. But they’re still trying every execution method in the book. I don’t know quite why. Maybe it’s for research. I’m sure the US military would love to find the secret to making its men as unkillable as Glass. And besides, they’re not the ones who have to deal with the consequences.
On June 3rd, 2005, they tried a firing squad. I know this because me and my wife were out on our second honeymoon, slow dancing by the lake at night to our favorite song, when I felt a wetness against my chest. I looked down to see her eyes as gray and dull as foggy glass, and her chest shredded to swiss cheese by rounds that made no sound.
On December 23rd, 2012, they tried lethal injection. That was the day they found my son’s car wrapped around a tree, and baffled coroners discovered that he was dead before the accident even occurred, his bloodstream polluted with Pavulon and potassium chloride.
It’s been years since I’ve isolated myself from everyone I knew, hermiting away in this cabin out in the middle of nowhere, and yet the stench of death still follows me. Just a couple years ago, I found a news report mentioning my nephew. Apparently, he’d been found completely exsanguinated, his veins emptied utterly despite no signs of a struggle. God knows what kind of arcane methods of execution they’re trying by now.
He’s not going to let me walk away from this. Not while I still owe him a debt.
But I’ve been doing some research, too. Research into those untold legions of things I witnessed staring up from that blackened sea in Glass’s eyes. I’ve learned things men were not meant to know. Practiced rites, assembled tools, ingredients. And I think I know where they’re keeping him. Even though they blindfolded me, I counted the second between every turn on our way to the blacksite, and I’ve since spent weeks watching the place, cataloging every entry point.
Maybe I’m slipping into madness. Or maybe I’ve truly found the way to put an end to the horror. To finally give this monster the justice that Taft would have wanted for him. Joseph Glass had been right about one, single thing: I have to pay what I owe.
Even if it kills me.
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I knew he was a strange case since day one. Never seen a guy so happy to die before. It was like we were doing him a favor. He refused the automatic appeal. He refused to be seen by a chaplain. He just wanted it over with. It had only taken a little over a year, and it was already time for him to make his appointment with God.
He freaked me out, just passing by his cell. He was like our very own Hannibal Lector, the way he just stood there in the back of his cell like he’d been waiting for you. The lights always burned out in any cell he was in, and maintenance had gotten tired of fixing them. Not that he seemed to mind in the slightest. The darkness seemed to swallow his top half, and all I could see were the whites of his beady little eyes poking out of all that black.
Billy drummed his baton against the bars. “Up and at ‘em, cowpoke,” he called in that mocking tone. “Time finally come for you to pay what you owe, you sick son of a—”
“Billy.” Warden Taft silenced him with a word. “If you can’t act like a professional, you’re going to have to sit this one out.”
Billy paused… and licked his chapped lips. “Naw,” he muttered. “This a show I can’t miss.”
Glass seemed to tick Billy off more than any prisoner before him. He liked ‘em to at least pretend to feel sorry for what they’ve done, or act scared of what’s coming to ‘em. This one didn’t even have the common decency to shed a tear. He was as stone-faced as a statue, even while being marched to the chair. Billy liked to joke sometimes that we ought to take the guy out back with some car batteries and really put the fear of God into him, get him to cut out that stoic act. I think he was only half-joking.
After what this guy did to those girls… well, Billy has a daughter, so I guess it struck a chord.
We all watched him fry. The warden, his closest men. The thin-faced man representing the Commissioner of Corrections. The prison physician. The families of those poor girls. It couldn’t have gone more by the book. Only oddity I’d noticed at the time was that the stench of death never quite left the clothes I’d worn that day.
And then the next morning, we came into work to see the whites of those beady little eyes staring at us from the darkness again. “Good morning, sirs,” he said, just as he did every morning, in that airy, hoarse little voice.
I’ll admit it. I dropped everything I was carrying, stumbled back, stammered like a confused child. Hell, I almost screamed. “You… you’re not… y-you’re supposed to be…”
“I don’t know what you mean, sir.” He leaned in like he was trying to stare a hole through my chest. His tone almost sounded disappointed. “You never came for me. You promised me that yesterday would be the end, sir, but you never came. I waited all night long. Why did you lie to me?”
Me and Taft looked at eachother. We both had the exact same question on our minds. If Glass was still alive… who the hell did we roll into the morgue last night?
“Jesus Christ.” Taft gagged when he pulled back the cadaver cover, stumbling away. “It’s Billy.”
I looked. I know I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it. And I’ll be forever haunted by the sight of my friend lying there on his back, mouth agape and cloudy eyes staring into the ceiling, open wide as if he’d spent his last moments in a state of terror.
The public never found out what happened. The cover up story was that poor Billy had been taken by cardiac arrest. Internally? It was the scandal to end all scandals. Worst case of incompetence and negligence in history, they called it. They brought the hammer down on anyone even tangentially involved. Me and Taft were out on our ears, and they would’ve prosecuted us too, but that would’ve required admitting it ever happened.
But I just could never wrap my head around it. Of those dozens of witnesses, not a single person noticed we were strapping a guard to the chair, not an inmate? It was impossible to the point of absurdity. Glass had been the man in that chair. I’d never been more certain of anything in my life.
Some months later, I noticed power flickering off all over the city one evening. It was brief, so I thought nothing of it. At least until I got a call from a familiar number the very next morning. “I understand you were one of the staff who regularly worked with one Joseph Glass. We would like to consult with you about an… evolving situation.”
“Oh?”
“At 7 PM yesterday, we attempted the execution of Joseph Glass for the second time.” There was a long pause, and when the voice returned, the professionalism had melted away, replaced with a baffled anxiety. “And, well… it, uh, it didn’t… it didn’t work.”
I blinked. “It didn’t… what?”
There came a long sigh. “Perhaps… it’d be best if you saw for yourself.”
And just like that, me and Taft had our jobs back.
Officially, Joseph Glass had been successfully executed on August 18th, 1999. Unofficially, they’d tried again six months later, just to tie up loose ends. This time, he hadn’t even had the courtesy to pretend to die. He just sat there on the chair, motionless and unaffected, while the CO who’d flipped the switch suddenly seized up and began to convulse, screaming and gnashing and wailing as electricity seared him beneath his skin, clawing at his chest until his eyes popped in his skull and rolled down his face like melted candle wax. All around him, lights flickering, machines bursting from pressure, electrical panels vomiting arcs of static. It was a mess.
The feds were crawling all over this case now, from a department I’ve never heard of. Something about investigating ‘preternatural activity’. They told me Glass was refusing to speak with anybody but the CO’s who’d once cared for him. Being walked into that interrogation room almost made me feel like I, myself, was a convict being marched to his execution.
Glass was staring at me when I walked in, like he’d been sat there, motionless, waiting for me. I expected nothing less. I took a shuddering breath as I sat across from him. I’d sat across from serial killers and psychos before and showed no hint of fear. But how could I not, now, sitting across from a man who can kill people without touching them? “Glass.”
“Officer Mendez.” His tone betrayed no emotion. “I had thought you’d abandoned me.”
I winced. “No. No, Glass, I’d just been… temporarily relieved. It’s… good to see you again. Would you like a glass of water?” I offered it to him. He didn’t even look at it. His eyes just bored into mine, relentless. “I… I’m here to ask you a few questions.”
Silence.
“Okay. Um… Glass, I need to know… how you killed Billy and Cramer.”
“I didn’t,” he replied. “It did.”
“It?”
“The thing standing behind you.”
I didn’t bother to turn around. I had enough experience with prisoners trying to trick me into looking the other way while they pulled off some half-baked escape plan. “Glass, please, let’s take this seriously,” I replied. “I’ve always treated you with respect, haven’t I? You’ve never had any problems with me.”
“Actually, I do. I have a problem with all of you.”
“Oh?”
“You here all believe that… death is a punishment.” There was the first hint of emotion I’d ever heard in his voice. “It’s not. It’s freedom — the only freedom. You promised me that gift. You promised me you’d let me die. You’ve given it to so many other prisoners, while leaving me behind. With all of your machines and your science and your knowledge… surely you can find a way, if anyone.”
My throat felt suddenly dry. I had to take a sip of the water myself, and hoped it would quell my burning nerves. “I… we’re… we’re trying our best, Glass. But you have to work with us. It may help if you told us… what, exactly, is preventing us from executing you?”
He moved for the first time. Leaning in, so slow as to be almost imperceptible. “It won’t let me die.”
And that’s when I felt a hand settle on my shoulder from behind.
Everything stopped. My lungs stopped inflating. I swear, my heart stopped beating, and my blood froze in place in my veins, and it all felt so cold. I could see the hand in the corner of my eyes, long and veiny and black. I could feel the breath on the back of my neck.
I’d once mocked the way deers froze in headlights. Now I understood. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t blink, I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even take a single breath. Even as my lungs began to cry out for air, and my vision blurred, and my thoughts melded together. All I could see was Joseph’s eyes staring into mine. Those infinite fathoms of darkness, that stygian sea that swirled and stormed and thundered in the blackness of his iris, and the eyes of things waiting a million leagues below the waters.
And I would have suffocated there, too terrified to even breathe, if those agents in black had not called off the interrogation then and come storming into the room.
Later, they showed me the tapes from the security camera. There’d been nothing behind me. Nothing placing its thin hand upon my shoulder. Nothing at all.
On May 7th, 2001, Glass was set to be executed for the third time — via hanging, or so I heard — in some government blacksite somewhere, far from prying eyes.
While it was set to happen, me and Taft were sharing glasses of scotch in his office, nominally to celebrate. Really, because we were scared. Taft always struck me as young at heart despite his years, but this was the first time the warden had ever looked truly, properly old. He watched the yard below as he had a drink. “Did I ever tell you why I chose this line of work, Mendez?”
I shook my head, and he sighed. “Back in `63, they found a woman’s body in the back seat of a burnt out car, in some state park near my neighborhood. A prostitute. One of her johns had… chopped her up. Burned all the evidence. And you know what got me, Mendez? Nobody cared. Nobody bothered to investigate. Who will notice one less hooker on the corner of 5th Avenue, right?”
“It… didn’t sit right with me. The way I see it, Mendez, every life matters. Even the ones we try and cast aside. Everybody’s got people who love them, and childhood memories, and all that. Everybody deserves justice. No matter who they were.” He set down his glass and looked me in the eyes. “So I joined the force. Got the case reopened. Found the guy. And I watched him fry. And I like to imagine she was there watching, too, as he burned.”
There was a tense moment. And then a chuckle. “Course, after that bullet to the hip in `71, I couldn’t walk the beat anymore. But I’ve been just as happy here. Watching justice be served… it makes me feel like there’s some kind of karmic order to the world. Good deeds and bad deeds get repaid in kind.”
It was clear there was something lurking beneath his words, some unspoken thesis. Eventually, with old, wrinkled, tired eyes, he said it. “I’ve thought about it, and… if Glass doesn’t die tonight, I’m finally going to retire, Mendez,” he confessed. “After what he did to those girls, what kind of… what kind of order can there be in a world, where a monster like that is just… beyond justice?”
I was shocked. Warden Taft always struck me as an unmoving fixture. What would we do without him? “He’ll die, sir,” I promised. “It’ll work this time. It has to.”
But he seemed deeply uncertain. With one last shuddering drink, he leaned forward. “His eyes.” He stared at my expression, as if desperate for me to understand, for me to know. “Those things… in his eyes. Haven’t you seen them?”
And at that moment, Taft was yanked up out of his chair.
It was so sudden, so inexplicable, I could barely register what I was witnessing. Some unseen force lifted him two or three feet above the ground, dangling him there. He choked, coughed and sputtered, desperate to gasp down air which would not come, and clawed at something around his neck which I could not see. He was hanging, I realized. And with wide, horrified eyes — the same as Billy’s had been — he silently begged me for help.
I sprang from my chair and wrapped my arms around his dangling legs. At first I tried to pull him down to the floor, but I realized it was only tightening the invisible noose around his neck. Then I tried lifting him as high as I could, which gave him some relief, but not much. Tears rolled down his face as it swelled and turned blue, and even though I could not see the noose, I could see the bruised purple skin where it had squeezed around his neck. All the while, I screamed myself hoarse. “Help! Somebody, please! Jesus Christ, we need help in here!” But nobody came.
And all of a sudden, some unseen forced seemed to sweep my feet out from under me.
I dropped like a bag of bricks, but I was so startled I maintained my grip around the warden’s legs. I fell and yanked him down with me, and his body suddenly jolted with a sickening crack.
It took me a while to manage the courage to look up at him. His neck had been stretched far too long, and his head was bent to the side at almost a 90 degree angle. Eyes wide, round and bloated tongue hanging from dry lips. And then whatever force had suspended him disappeared, and his body fell upon me while I screamed and screamed.
I came bursting from his office to find my coworkers casually chatting and working just outside. Somehow, despite all my screaming and begging while Taft was dying, none of them had heard a thing.
I took a page from Taft. I wanted out. We were dealing with something unholy here, something whose tendrils could reach any distance, and my life — who knows, maybe even my soul — was at hazard. But the agents in the sharp suits made one thing clear: if I refused to cooperate, well, I would make the perfect scapegoat for the murder of Warden Taft.
I was marched into the interrogation room to find a Joseph Glass that had abandoned all pretense of humanity. His eyes had darkened to a pure black. Or perhaps he had no eyes at all, only windows into some place of outer darkness. I was shaking like a leaf as I sat in front of him, feeling more like a prisoner than he was.
“M-m-mister… Glass.” No reply. I shuddered, trying to focus on my little piece of paper to distract myself from the blackness of his eyes. “I… I-I have some… questions I’m supposed to ask you. Is… is that okay?”
Silence. I take a deep breath. “How… old are you, Glass?” I thought it was just one of those basic questions. Conversation starters, really. I couldn’t have prepared myself for his answer.
“I am old, child.” His voice was nothing like I remembered. It was deep and low and rumbling, like there were multiple people speaking in unison, and all were equally ancient. “Older than you could possibly know. Older than this nation, and older even than the empire that once bore it.”
I had to fight the basic animal instinct to flee. Focus on the questions, I thought. “Why did you do… what you did to those girls?”
“Just so I could feel something again,” he whispered. “Anything.”
“Did you not feel the slightest bit of… guilt? Remorse?”
“You ask that… of me? Me, who has watched empires rise and fall?” He almost sounded amused. “Does time feel remorse? For time has killed far more than I. But mankind is like the hydra. All I’ve killed will be replaced by, essentially, identical stock, and in greater numbers. And then they will die and be replaced. And so the cycle will continue forever.”
“Did you expect me to pity them for being given the death I, myself, covet? Only the dead are given leave of the cycle. It is a blessing.” And suddenly, he stood from his chair, as if he’d never been restrained at all. “A blessing you promised me, Officer Mendes.”
I stared up at him in disbelief. “What — how did you —“ But I couldn’t even stammer a sentence out before he was upon me, crawling over the table with the eerie grace of a spider.
These were no longer the imperceptible hints of emotions I’d come to expect. It was like a switch had been flipped. Tears streamed down his cheeks, snarling with genuine rage, hurt, betrayal. And beneath those black seas in his eyes, all the things that haunted the fathoms below were rising to the surface. “You owe me a death. Make good on your word. Pay your debt.”
I cried out and recoiled from his every touch with disgust, but he was stronger than he looked. I couldn’t worm my way out of his impossible grip. “I won’t! Get off of me, you sick bastard!”
“Do it! Pay me what you owe!” It was like a thousand different voices screaming in my ear. Straining and weeping, I locked my hands around his neck and pressed my thumbs against his throat, trying to strangle him. But instead, I could just feel that grip upon my own neck, squeezing the life out of myself as my lungs burned for air. Yet I kept pressing harder and harder, as if hoping I might somehow break through whatever unholy force was protecting him.
And then those terrible hands grasped my shoulders again, and I was paralyzed by a terror that could be called nothing but ancient and primal. Like the thing standing behind me was the same force that had kept my ancestors huddled terrified in their caves a hundred thousand years ago, and every one of those voices was crying out to me through my very blood. And it pulled me from my chair, threw me as though I were weightless… and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the infirmary.
Once more, none of this was captured on the security camera. In the footage, I just enter the room and have a seat with strange, almost robotic movements. And then the both us just sit there, staring at eachother, without speaking, without moving, without blinking. For an hour.
After this, Joseph Glass entered a catatonic state, and from then on refused to converse with even me. Now that my usefulness had ended, the agents discarded me like yesterday’s trash. Don’t even seem to care if I tell anybody. Who would believe me?
I thought I’d gotten lucky. That my nightmare was over. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Go sorting through any public records, and you won’t find a single mention of the name Joseph Glass. They’ve squirreled him away in that off-the-books blacksite and scrubbed away every other trace of him. I’d say he’d been unpersoned, if indeed he could ever be called a person at all. But they’re still trying every execution method in the book. I don’t know quite why. Maybe it’s for research. I’m sure the US military would love to find the secret to making its men as unkillable as Glass. And besides, they’re not the ones who have to deal with the consequences.
On June 3rd, 2005, they tried a firing squad. I know this because me and my wife were out on our second honeymoon, slow dancing by the lake at night to our favorite song, when I felt a wetness against my chest. I looked down to see her eyes as gray and dull as foggy glass, and her chest shredded to swiss cheese by rounds that made no sound.
On December 23rd, 2012, they tried lethal injection. That was the day they found my son’s car wrapped around a tree, and baffled coroners discovered that he was dead before the accident even occurred, his bloodstream polluted with Pavulon and potassium chloride.
It’s been years since I’ve isolated myself from everyone I knew, hermiting away in this cabin out in the middle of nowhere, and yet the stench of death still follows me. Just a couple years ago, I found a news report mentioning my nephew. Apparently, he’d been found completely exsanguinated, his veins emptied utterly despite no signs of a struggle. God knows what kind of arcane methods of execution they’re trying by now.
He’s not going to let me walk away from this. Not while I still owe him a debt.
But I’ve been doing some research, too. Research into those untold legions of things I witnessed staring up from that blackened sea in Glass’s eyes. I’ve learned things men were not meant to know. Practiced rites, assembled tools, ingredients. And I think I know where they’re keeping him. Even though they blindfolded me, I counted the second between every turn on our way to the blacksite, and I’ve since spent weeks watching the place, cataloging every entry point.
Maybe I’m slipping into madness. Or maybe I’ve truly found the way to put an end to the horror. To finally give this monster the justice that Taft would have wanted for him. Joseph Glass had been right about one, single thing: I have to pay what I owe.
Even if it kills me.
2024.05.20 14:21 Count-Daring243 Best Clear Crossbody Bags
 | submitted by Count-Daring243 to u/Count-Daring243 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/dn8oovbgqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae0959e22ea7026898187f2115a595f26c60b5cc Welcome to our exclusive roundup of the best Clear Crossbody Bags on the market! We understand the importance of style and functionality, and these bags deliver it all. With crystal-clear designs, you can flaunt your essentials while keeping them secure. Let's dive in and explore these top-of-the-line options to find the perfect clear crossbody bag for you. The Top 11 Best Clear Crossbody Bags
Reviews🔗PVC Clear Crossbody Bag for Stadium Events and Concertshttps://preview.redd.it/jb0lolugqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=404210978b129750f60c4b2ddf9d84c55cbf954c Last week, I decided to try out the new Clear Stadium Bag from Etsy. I must say, I was quite impressed with the quality and style of this purse. It looked incredibly attractive, and I could see the attention to detail that went into designing it. As someone who enjoys attending concerts and sporting events, I needed a bag that was stylish and practical. One of the things that stood out the most to me was the capacity of this bag. It was just the right size to fit all my essentials, like my phone, wallet, and some snacks for the event. The bag was designed to fit into the strict security standards of public areas, ensuring that I wouldn't have any issues getting into the event. However, there was one area where the bag fell short. The letters on the bag were slightly crooked, which made the overall appearance less professional. The seller was responsive, and I was able to contact them for a replacement. Overall, this Clear Stadium Bag is a great addition to my collection, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish and functional purse for their next concert. 🔗Clear Stadium Crossbody Bag from Dick's Sporting Goodshttps://preview.redd.it/xpn32c4hqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb04cb65b3a01e2ef6416870601644ff86d39d1 During a recent weekend trip to a sports stadium, I decided to give Dick's Sporting Goods Clear Stadium Crossbody Bags a try. With its clear, see-through design, I thought it would be perfect for keeping all my essentials in one place, while also being convenient and stylish. The first thing I noticed was the zip closure for the main compartment, which offers a secure way to store my belongings without having to worry about them falling out. Additionally, the adjustable webbing straps made it easy to adjust the bag to fit my body perfectly. One of the coolest things about this bag is its compatibility with clear bag policies at various stadiums and concerts. Measuring 21 cm width x 20.5 cm height x 7 cm depth, it's the right size for most requirements and offers a perfect balance between convenience and functionality. While I loved the overall design and performance of the Dick's Sporting Goods Clear Stadium Crossbody Bags, there were a couple of minor drawbacks I encountered. First, the strap length could have been a bit longer, allowing for better crossbody comfort and ease of use. Additionally, the material used (TPU) had a bit of a plastic feel to it, making it less comfortable than some other options available in the market. Overall, I would highly recommend the Dick's Sporting Goods Clear Stadium Crossbody Bags to anyone in need of a reliable and functional crossbody bag for sports or concert events. Despite some minor drawbacks, its clear, see-through design and secure closure make it a smart choice for anyone who wants to keep their belongings safe and organized while on the go. 🔗Stylish Clear Crossbody Bag for Gameday and Concertshttps://preview.redd.it/0z6jppghqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b8b6e502cd93046f7890369a3a04d2a90c35bdb I recently tried out this Clear Crossbody Pouch for a day out and was pleasantly surprised by its quality. The overall design is simple yet stylish, and the pouch measures just the right size for all my essentials - even fitting my phone with a protective case. One of the highlights of this purse is its adjustable shoulder strap, which made it comfortable to carry around all day. I appreciated being able to wear it as a crossbody or simply around my waist, depending on the situation. However, there were a couple of downsides to the pouch. Firstly, I found the strap to be a bit shorter than expected, making it less convenient as a crossbody option. Additionally, the purse seemed to rest more towards my waist rather than my hip, which wasn't a perfect fit. Despite these minor issues, I still had a great experience using this Clear Crossbody Pouch. It proved to be a practical and fashionable choice for a day out, especially in stadium situations where clear bags are required. I highly recommend this purse for anyone looking for a functional and stylish option for game days, concerts, and events requiring clear bags. 🔗Stadium-Approved Clear Crossbody Bag for Concerts and Eventshttps://preview.redd.it/a50iip0iqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab1ab69115afa482d035adf49950b84a341fffa5 In my recent experience, I've been using the Durecopow Clear Crossbody Bag as a daily accessory. The product exceeded my expectations in terms of functionality and design. The double-pocket design allows me to organize my belongings with ease, placing larger items such as my cell phone and lip balm in the larger compartment, while keeping my passport, keys, and wallet in the smaller pocket for enhanced security. A feature I particularly admire is the high-quality TPU material, which proved to be rainproof and resistant to odors. Additionally, the adjustable shoulder strap, ranging from 23.6 inches to 46 inches, made it convenient for both men and women to wear comfortably. While using this crossbody bag, I have found it to be a practical choice for various occasions, including sports events, concerts, and even casual outings. Its compact size and clear design make it easy to spot my personal belongings and ensure a hassle-free experience. One drawback, however, is that the bag arrived somewhat dirty, with smudges and fingerprints present from previous storage or handling. While the issue was not significant enough to discourage me from using the product, I wish the seller had taken extra care to ensure the product was clean upon arrival. Overall, the Durecopow Clear Crossbody Bag has become a reliable and convenient accessory in my daily life, addressing my needs for organization, functionality, and style. 🔗Stylish Clear Crossbody Bag for Game Dayhttps://preview.redd.it/ct0jyhaiqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8876c711836bd57bc7b68196866357d798c8649f I recently purchased the Haute Shore Clear Crossbody Bag to use during a stadium event. The bag is lightweight and surprisingly roomy, able to hold all my essentials, including a phone, keys, wallet, and a small fan for the hot day. The 2-inch solid black strap is comfortable to wear and perfectly complements the clear vinyl design. One of my favorite features about this bag is that it comes with multiple interchangeable strap options. I have the black and gold stars design which adds a cute touch to the bag. The zippered top and exterior front zip pocket provide added convenience for organizing my belongings on-the-go. Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase and highly recommend this bag to anyone attending events that require clear bags, like sporting events or concerts. Whether you're attending a game or traveling, this stylish and practical bag is sure to be a useful addition to your wardrobe. 🔗Stadium-Approved Clear Crossbody Bag with Extra Durable PVC Materialhttps://preview.redd.it/o7bvrqriqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98969cd6105e7d6ee93f5c3c7c04ff29ec67d6e4 I recently had the chance to test out the MoKo Clear Bag for a concert that I was attending. I was initially drawn to the bag's sleek design and how easily it could fit into my purse or backpack, making it a convenient option for those times when security checks are a must. Upon opening the bag, I was impressed by the thickness and durability of the clear PVC material. It not only made the bag waterproof, lightweight, and easy to dry, but it also provided a spacious capacity with two pockets. These pockets were perfect for storing my phone, cards, keys, and other small essentials. One of the best features of this MoKo clear bag is the visibility of the contents. This made it incredibly easy for me to pass through security checkpoints since they could see exactly what I had in my bag. This not only saved me time but also ensured that I could attend the concert without any issues. The adjustable shoulder strap made it comfortable to wear, and it even came in handy for situations when I needed to carry something with me for an extended period. The bag was perfect for stadiums, sports events, concerts, festivals, and even daily use. Overall, I was thrilled with the quality, style, and functionality of the MoKo Clear Bag. It's a must-have for anyone attending events with stringent security requirements, and I highly recommend it for its convenience and versatility. 🔗Stadium-Approved Clear Crossbody Bag for Concerts and Eventshttps://preview.redd.it/hgzjad2jqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d00ba8620ea5ad9db3d6be55aa2174c0aec8e2fb I recently got my hands on the YELOMIN clear crossbody bag and have been using it for various events like concerts and sports games. This bag is perfect for the clear bag policy at stadiums and festivals. The size is just right, fitting my mobile phone, keys, wallet, and water bottle. The transparent material allows me to keep an eye on my belongings without worrying about losing anything. What really stands out about this bag is the waterproof and tear-resistant PVC material it's made of. It has held up well to the wear and tear from everyday use. The adjustable shoulder strap is another huge plus, making it comfortable to wear as a crossbody bag or over the shoulder. One minor downside is that it's slightly smaller than I initially thought, but it still holds everything I need for a day out at a concert or game. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and would definitely recommend the YELOMIN clear crossbody bag to others. 🔗Stadium-Approved Crossbody Clear Bag with Customizable Special Touchhttps://preview.redd.it/xll15oejqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbb085ddd2e7d1b89ab452cf5ca00dc942a035d9 This Stadium Approved Clear Bag is a versatile accessory that's perfect for a variety of events, including concerts, festivals, and sporting events. The roomy size ensures that you can carry all your personal belongings, and the adjustable cotton strap makes it comfortable to wear. I love the gold zipper closure that adds a sleek finish. The water-resistant feature is an added bonus, keeping your belongings safe from unexpected weather. Customization is one of the highlights of this bag. You can add a special touch by personalizing it with your name, your favorite artist, or your beloved sports team. I found the checkout process to be seamless, and the customer service was prompt and helpful. Overall, this is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a stylish and practical clear crossbody bag for their next event. 🔗Stadium-Approved, Waterproof Clear Crossbody Bag for Ultimate Conveniencehttps://preview.redd.it/t2eqiztjqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce61b5a70c2023eab06f18697b96012edd274de6 I was recently in need of a clear crossbody bag for an event with strict security rules, and I stumbled upon the TSV Stadium Approved Clear Crossbody Bag. With its waterproof and sturdy design, this purse has become my go-to choice for concerts and festivals. The adjustable shoulder strap makes it perfect for all ages and genders, and the zippered front pocket keeps my essentials secure. One of the most appealing features of this bag is its durable construction, allowing it to withstand any moisture or potential spills. The clear PVC and soft nylon materials ensure that my belongings remain protected in wet environments. Additionally, the see-through design makes it easy for security personnel to inspect the contents, providing peace of mind during events. However, there are a few minor drawbacks. The top zipper feels somewhat flimsy, which may be a concern for some users. Also, the removable shoulder strap is not available, which could be an issue for some individuals who prefer not to have the strap around their shoulders. Overall, I'm impressed with the TSV Stadium Approved Clear Crossbody Bag. It offers the right balance of style, functionality, and security features, making it a solid choice for anyone in search of the perfect clear bag for workplaces or events. 🔗Transparent Crossbody Stadium-Approved Messenger Baghttps://preview.redd.it/f8wnhu4kqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8928c667961b2e9cf143b2b1a86d4dc8160e022e I recently got my hands on a Clear Messenger Bag Cross Body that's specifically designed for stadiums, and I have to say, it's a game-changer for those attending concerts, sporting events, or other crowded venues. Made of sturdy PVC, it's built to withstand some wear and tear while still keeping your belongings safe and easily accessible. One of the things that stood out to me was its capacity. Despite being a one-size-fits-all bag, it has enough room to store all your essentials, from your wallet and phone to a water bottle and snacks. Plus, the clear design allows for quick checks at the entrance without having to rummage through your bag. However, there's a catch – durability seems to be hit or miss. Some users have reported tears after just a few uses, while others have praised the bag for its long-lasting quality. It's also worth mentioning that although the bag can be machine washed, a few reviews have highlighted that the zipper may not hold up after a few rounds in the washing machine. In summary, this Clear Messenger Bag Cross Body is a handy and stylish solution for those who want to avoid the hassle of traditional security checks. Just be prepared for a bit of trial and error to ensure you get a bag that stands the test of time. 🔗Transparent Stadium Approved Crossbody Bag for Sports and Festivalshttps://preview.redd.it/i5i2hjgkqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=749064142ff0531dcecb30c472b2e5fea862f313 I recently stumbled upon the Hanmir Clear Bag, and I must admit that it was a game-changer for me. I've been going to concerts and sports events lately, and the usual hassle of trying to fit everything into a tiny clutch while going through the security line was quite frustrating. What drew me to this clear bag was its durability. Made from TPU material instead of PVC, it's more flexible and long-lasting than its counterparts. Plus, it's not just good-looking – it's also functional. I found it incredibly convenient to get through security lines quickly with this transparent bag. One of the best things about this clear crossbody bag is that it has a convenient inner pocket where you can keep your small essentials organized. And thanks to its perfect size of 10 by 9 inches, it fits my phone, wallet, and cosmetics comfortably. However, there are some cons to consider as well. For one, the strap could be longer to provide more comfort. And some users have mentioned that the bag tends to look smaller on photos than it is in real life. In conclusion, the Hanmir Clear Bag has been a great addition to my event-going experience. It strikes the perfect balance between style and functionality, and I would definitely recommend it to others in need of a reliable and practical crossbody bag for concerts and sports events. Buyer's GuideClear crossbody bags are stylish and functional accessories that offer practical storage while maintaining a sleek appearance. As you choose the perfect clear crossbody bag to suit your needs, consider the following features, considerations, and general advice in this buyer's guide. https://preview.redd.it/6h2cdt3lqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39afd25712aa4e7219de2fa87924da863b8aa4aa Size and ComfortWhen selecting a clear crossbody bag, consider both the size of the bag and its comfort. The bag should be large enough to carry your essentials such as a wallet, phone, and keys comfortably. However, ensure it is not too bulky or heavy that it becomes uncomfortable to wear for long periods. Adjustable straps can help you find the right fit and provide optimal comfort.Material and DurabilityThe material of the bag plays a significant role in its durability and overall quality. Most clear crossbody bags are made from PVC, acrylic, or polycarbonate. PVC is generally the most affordable and lightweight option, while acrylic and polycarbonate provide better durability and scratch-resistance. Look for bags with reinforced stitching and strong hardware to ensure long-lasting performance. https://preview.redd.it/zjev7pclqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a9b469e48173ec8879f88282e827e2857f8bfe5 Design and AestheticsClear crossbody bags come in various designs and colors. Some bags have a minimalist appeal, featuring a single compartment, while others may have multiple pockets for better organization. Consider your preference in terms of design and color when making your selection. Also, be mindful that some bags may have a subtle gradient or pattern on the inside, which might not be as clear as you would like.Security FeaturesSecurity is an essential factor when choosing a clear crossbody bag, as it helps protect your belongings from theft and pickpocketing. Look for bags with sturdy zippers or clasp closures, reinforced seams, and RFID-blocking technology, which can help protect your credit cards and identification from unauthorized scanning. https://preview.redd.it/y5ibjdulqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21b462bd6875f8a3009f21df59845a9620039759 Cost and ValueClear crossbody bags can range in price depending on the materials used, size, and design. While it's essential to find a bag that fits your budget, avoid sacrificing quality for the sake of savings. Choose a bag that offers good value for money and meets your storage needs and security requirements.When selecting a clear crossbody bag, consider the size, comfort, material, design, security features, and cost. Find a bag that offers the right balance of these factors to suit your lifestyle and requirements. With a wide variety of clear crossbody bags available on the market, you are sure to find the perfect one to complement your personal style and ensure your belongings stay secured and organized. FAQhttps://preview.redd.it/ujmhyvamqk1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=503ecfd8912efabcaf3f435a1051131d3a6424fc What are clear crossbody bags?Clear crossbody bags are stylish and practical accessories that allow you to carry your essentials while keeping them visible. These bags are made from transparent materials, making it easy to see what's inside without having to rummage through compartments.What items can I carry in a clear crossbody bag?You can carry a variety of items in a clear crossbody bag, such as your phone, wallet, keys, makeup, and other small personal items. The size and compartments of the bag will determine what you can fit inside.Are clear crossbody bags durable?The durability of a clear crossbody bag depends on the quality of the materials used and the design of the bag. High-quality bags made from sturdy materials can withstand everyday wear and tear. It's essential to choose a bag from a reputable brand to ensure its durability.How do I clean a clear crossbody bag?To clean a clear crossbody bag, use a mild detergent and warm water. Gently scrub the bag with a soft brush or cloth to remove any dirt or stains. Rinse with water and let it air dry. Avoid using harsh chemicals, as they may damage the bag's materials.What are the benefits of using a clear crossbody bag?Clear crossbody bags offer several benefits, such as easy access to your items, increased organization, and enhanced security. Since you can see what's inside, you'll know exactly where your items are located, making it easier to find them when you need them. Additionally, these bags are often made with security features, such as RFID-blocking technology, to protect your personal information from theft.How do I choose the right clear crossbody bag?
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