On a rainy Saturday afternoon not so long ago when internet connection was fluctuating in most homes, the 80-year-old Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, widow of the late Senator Heherson Alvarez, carrying a mini iPad, hurriedly alighted from a three-wheeled pedicab Toktok and stormed her way into a popular coffee shop in a mall in Manila.

A senior citizen in panic mode, she told the stunned baristas she’s looking for a Wi-Fi connection because she was about to interview retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio via Zoom.
The coffee shop, a known world brand, has Wi-Fi exclusive to its employees, so the old lady was told to try other establishments. She went from one coffee shop to another only to be told the same, until a kind stranger led her to a well-known beauty salon with a free internet connection.
The lady salon attendant was very accommodating to the octogenarian, even typing the password on her IPad. Of course, she needed to avail herself of their salon services. Initially, she opted for a haircut, but since she needed to talk and hear clearly who she was talking to, she settled for a foot spa with pedicure.
“They lowered the volume of the piped-in music, and since there were less customers because it’s been raining all day, I was able to do my interview,” Guidote-Alvarez said.
For the next half-an-hour, the hair dressers and manicurists working with their scissors, nail clippers and cuticle removers on their customers’ hair and fingernails, listened to Carpio and Guidote-Alvarez discussed how Filipino fishermen and the Philippine Navy ships helplessly negotiate their ways in Scarborough Shoal amid the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
“They were all very nice to me. I was able to finish my interview, with newly pedicured nails,” she told The Diarist.
For those who’ve worked with Guidote-Alvarez, her steadfast, almost stubborn, nature to accomplish a task, is nothing out of the ordinary. She would improvise, find alternatives, call up friends and former students, wake them up from sleep, just to get things done.
But now, in her 80s, legally blind and nearly deaf, she has mellowed down.
Cecile Alvarez with her mentors, National Artist for Literature Alejandro Roces, Jr and Fr. James Reuter. SJ
In her twilight years, Guidote-Alvarez has been solely hosting the 57-year-old Radyo Balintataw on DZRH, one of the oldest radio stations in the Philippines, where she tackles a wide range of topics, from climate change, women’s health, theater, culture, dance, to current issues, apart from playing old recordings of classic radio plays she produced and directed, dating back to the late ‘80s.
She shared with TheDiarist.ph how she started and continues to host one of the longest running advocacy programs on AM Radio.
Theater on TV
After founding the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) on April 7, 1967, or exactly 57 years ago, Guidote-Alvarez thought of the need to expose PETA’s members to television, so she started conceptualizing Balintataw, which in Filipino means the pupil of the eye, but in a larger context has something to do with having wild imagination, or what you might see if you have a third eye.

“I designed Balintataw as a bridge between cinema and the stage, where the youth being trained in theater skills can have a ready-made laboratory experience linked with the film and entertainment industry that would likewise have a natural on-the-job training and orientation regarding the theatrical discipline of working with a literary script, whether dramatic or comic—not the regular improvised script done on taping or copycat scripts from foreign themes,” Guidote-Alvarez wrote in her yet-to-be published Memoir of a Freedom Fighter’s Wife.
“A primary goal when I conceived PETA was to initiate and sustain artistic expression that draws meaning and power from the lives of the people, and sharing the literary gems with a greater number of audiences through a Broadcast Theater-Film Program with Balintataw on Channel 5,” she added.
“No matter how little the pay, at least it provided our local writers with a little honorarium. I sought permission for award-winning pieces of the Palanca Playwriting contest to be fleshed out to reach the masses. The much-awarded playwright Bert Florentino served as our literary manager, assisted by Mauro Avena. Eventually, Isagani Cruz took over when Bert left for the US,” she wrote.
“Writers need exposure and encouragement through a regular TV performance that will give them a sense of achievement and inspire them to keep on writing with some kind of honorarium. I was glad Lupita Aquino (now Kashiwahara) agreed to be TV director and Robert Arevalo as TV host.
She got members of the PETA Kalinangan Ensemble to serve as stage directors. “This is to undertake preliminary preparation with a rehearsal with the actors for character development and memorization and preliminary staging,” she wrote.
Five months after PETA was founded, Balintataw TV premiered on Channel 5 on Aug. 19, 1967, coinciding with the Buwan ng Wika birthdate of President Manuel Luis Quezon.
The first play, whose title escapes her now, featured Armida Siguion-Reyna and Maria Eva “Chingbee” Kalaw. She employed photo journalist and award-winning photographedocumentarist/cinematographer, Romy Vitug, to work with her in filming outdoor scenes for Balintataw.

In the pre-Martial Law Balintataw, among those initiated into television were Lino Brocka, Elwood Perez, Nick Lizaso, Maryo delos Reyes, Mario O’Hara, Joey Gosiengfiao, Behn Cervantes, and Frank Rivera.
Among the stage actors who crossed over to television were Lily Gamboa, Angie Ferro, Lorlie Villanueva, Jonee Gamboa, Joy Soler, Sherry Lara, Gardy Labad, Noel Trinidad.
Like with PETA, Guidote-Alvarez directed and managed Balintataw for five years. Because of Martial Law, she and husband Heherson went on exile in the US to escape a military shoot-to-kill order on Heherson, who was tagged as a subversive.
Post-Martial Law
Internationally acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz mentioned in several interviews how he learned writing radio and TV scripts in Balintataw.
This happened in the late 1980s, when the Alvarez couple returned from exile.
Despite its absence on the air in the Martial Law years, Balintataw was honored by Star Awards as among the 20 unforgettable outstanding broadcast programs in the Philippines.
“This encouraged me to consider reviving Balintataw on TV. Another blessing was a FAMAS award for having an important role in the development of cinema recognizing Balintataw as a bridge for synergizing cinema with the stage, providing a pathway of entry of our PETA artists into film and for movie stars to consider enriching their experience by acting on the legitimate stage,” Guidote-Alvarez wrote.
Though she didn’t return to PETA anymore because it had been surviving well and had its own set of officers led by Brocka, she just tapped some of its members for the return of Balintataw.
For 14 years, the Alvarez couple lived in the US as political exiles, shown here during a Ninoy Aquino Movement meeting. Cecile revived Radyo Balintataw upon their return in the late 1980s.
Channel 4 stint
“I arranged to revive TV Balintataw on Channel 4 in 1989. We began with a drama about a rebel returnee, title escapes me now, but I clearly remember it was written by Lualhati Bautista and directed by Maryo de los Reyes. We also had a good story series on the hazing of Lenny Villa, an Aquila Legis Frat neophyte,” she wrote.
At the time, Heherson had been elected senator after having served as Agrarian Reform Minister and eventually Cabinet Secretary during the first year of the Cory Aquino Administration.
“We were able to unravel the deadly hazing process from a fellow neophyte who broke the code of silence as we revealed graphically, acted the cruel process used. I had Jose Mari Avellana direct it. This presentation won all the awards. Lav Diaz was training with us and he started writing teleplays. We also had Nora Aunor in an adaptation of Bert Florentino’s The World Is An Apple, adapted by Frank Rivera, and I had Nick Lizaso direct.”

Emmy Awards
Balintataw TV was selected as one of five soaps for social change recognized by Emmy Awards. The Philippines was one of five countries cited, with Mexico, India, Brazil and Kenya.
“The nomination was made possible by the wonderful support from David Poindexter. It was a supreme honor for our country to be recognized in the Emmy Awards, to be cited among the five Third World countries using soap opera for social change.”
Poindexter was a Methodist minister and TV producer who founded the Population Communications International.
Surviving on radio
“In spite of the cry about how television can be deadening the minds of the people with copied themes with an eternal favorite love triangle story, there was really no funding for Balintataw,” she wrote.
“Sponsors would go naturally to the commercial stations where big stars were paid highly for the starring role. Balintataw may have substance but we could not afford payment of bankable stars,” she added.
“Financial stress forced me to drop TV and remain on radio because I didn’t want to kill Balintataw per se just because we didn’t have funds.”
Creative classroom
“We have focused on Balintataw as a creative classroom on the air. I was able to talk to Fred J. Elizalde of DZRH and the president of the network, Mr. Jun Nicdao,” she wrote.
In the ‘80s, the HIV/AIDS became a global epidemic and in the Philippines, the general populace was still clueless on how to deal with it.
“In order to get funding, the first series I did was about the explosive news regarding AIDS in Asia. I got the DOH Secretary at the time, Dr. Juan Flavier, to act as himself, providing the data. It was easier to start off with an AIDS radio serial.
They did a minimum of 13 episodes to raise awareness about the disease.
“From then on, some of our television scripts we transformed into a radio version. DZRH provided us with our initial production staff, so we used some from the network and some of its resident artists and drama talents. Our time slots were changing but always coming after the long-running horror drama, Gabi ng Lagim.
“We worked on the themes of overseas workers, the drug problem, corruption, aside from portraying contemporary and literary classics serving as social commentaries,” she wrote.
Women playwrights
“We dramatized the works of noted women writers and playwrights like Estrella Alfon, Genoveva Edroza Matute and Marilou Jacob, who is distinguished in being a founding president of Women’s Playwright International.
“Apart from our PETA staple of writers, we involved young, upcoming and budding university and community theater groups.
“We also had a lot of foreign plays, where we could feature theater festivals beyond borders. We could do Shakespeare, we could do Euripides but also the current playwrights in the Arab region we translated in our language.
“We brought in Chinese contemporary plays, Malaysian, Indonesian and from other women writers from ASEAN member countries.”
Virtual history book
“The significance of Balintataw is portrayed as a virtual history book on audio as it unveiled events in the country. Radio is fresh, instant and up-to date,” she added.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Balintataw became Guidote-Alvarez’s outlet and therapy. Having lost her husband on the second month of the pandemic, a widow cocooned at home, she began hosting it six days a week, learning how to use an iPad and interviewing via Zoom.
The word “Balintataw” has been associated with her name.
Visual artist and editorial cartoonist Benjie Lontoc in casual meeting told us how in his younger days, when AM Radio was a national past-time, he was surprised to hear a Filipino adaptation of No Exit by Jean Paul-Sarte. This was when radio was airing soap, fantasy adventures targeting housewives and children.
Another was the airing of Larawan as a radio play in the 1990s, with Guidote-Alvarez as the voice of Candida Marasigan.
Leopoldo Salcedo (left) as Manolo in a confrontation scene with Dante Rivero as Tony Javier in PETA’s 1968 ‘Larawan’ directed by Cecile Guidote-Alvarez. (Photo from PETA archives)
In the 1960s, she directed Larawan, the first Filipino adaptation of Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino for PETA’s second season. It ran from December 1968 to January 1969 at the Raha Sulayman Theater at Fort Santiago in Intramural. In the cast were Rita Gomez (Candida), Lolita Rodriguez (Paula), Leopoldo Salcedo (Don Manolo) and Dante Rivero (Tony Javier).
Guidote-Alvarez has a funny recollection of the radio play. It was Nick Joaquin himself who told her years ago how his pedicurist suddenly started a conversation about Larawan.

Joaquin was relaxing on the barber’s chair having a post-haircut pedicure and foot spa when the lady pedicurist asked him how the story would end. Joaquin was stunned because he didn’t want to be known in the barber shop as Nick Joaquin the famous National Artist for Literature, but just a regular customer.
“He told me he almost fell out from the chair. He was a very private person and the pedicurist recognized him as the playwright,” Guidote-Alvarez, laughing, told TheDiarist.ph.
When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, she was given only three years to live. It’s been more than two decades since then. She has also conquered COVID-19 twice.
Over and beyond her work in theater and various advocacies, Guidote-Alvarez is among the few surviving practitioners of AM Radio broadcasting.
The beauty salon incident wasn’t a first for the octogenarian radio host. She occasionally went back there to interview guests and record her shows whenever Wi-Fi connections in her home fluctuated.
Despite all setbacks, man-made or otherwise, the steadfast Cecile Guidote-Alvarez’s voice continues to be heard in this mass media platform in an era that knows mainly Spotify. As Joaquin wrote, “to remember and to sing, that is her vocation.”
(Except Saturday, Radyo Balintataw airs daily on DZRH 666 Khz AM radio after ‘Gabi ng Lagim’, and live streamed on radio.org.ph. Some episodes have been uploaded on YouTube.)

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• Liraz - Enerjy - انرژی (Tags: farsi, global disco, world, electropop, persian, pop, retro, world-disco, Tel Aviv Yafo) [Batov]
  
• i Häxa - Part Two (Tags: alternative, dark ambient, dark folk, electronic music, indie, trip hop, London) [Pelagic]
  
• Karen Willems - JUJU (Tags: soundtrack, avant-garde, percussive, sound collage, Maldegem) [Werf]
  
• ZILF - Reanimated (Tags: alternative, djent, indie, mathcore, metal, metalcore, rock, technical metal, thrash metal, United Kingdom) [Independent]
  
• Layale Chaker & Sarafand - Radio Afloat (ICR031) (Tags: arabic jazz, world, arabic jazz, arabic vocals, chamber music, improvised chamber jazz, improvised piano, jazz, jazz and improvised music, violin, world music, Brooklyn) [In a Circle]
  
• Ambient Jazz Ensemble - Spirit Dance (Tags: jazz, ambient, ambient jazz, ambient jazz ensemble, chillout, cinematic, cinematic jazz, jazz, lounge, lounge music, rnb, London) [Here & Now]
  
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• James Ilgenfritz - Stay Logged In On This Trusted Device (Tags: experimental, New York) [Infrequent Seams]
  
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• Thought Trials - This Has Always Been With You (Tags: rock, ambient, electronica, instrumental post-rock, post-rock, Buffalo) [Post.]
  
• Christopher Cerrone - Beaufort Scales (Tags: classical, classical contemporary music, classical, contemporary classical, electronic, experimental, new music, vocal, vocal ensemble, Brooklyn) [Cold Blue Music]
  
• wthAura - gumballs (Tags: alternative, experimental, rock, intstrumental, math rock, prog rock, Philadelphia) [Independent]
  
• Gabriel Dharmoo - Vestiges d'une fable (Tags: classical, experimental, avant-garde, classical, contemporary, contemporary classical, vocal, Toronto) [Centrediscs]
  
• Le Double - Le Double (Tags: alternative, electronic, contemporary classical, contemporary jazz, new music, poetry and music, Canada) [Corne de brume]
  
• Hvile I Kaos - Lower Order Manifestations (Tags: black metal, experimental, metal, chambermusic, neoclassical, occult, Los Angeles) [Independent]
  
• Viacrucis - Melhorament (Tags: atmospheric black metal, black metal, blackened death metal, death metal, metal, rouyn-noranda, atmospheric, cathar, metal noir, occitan, occitanie, Gaspé) [Independent]
  
• Gabriel Genest - As It Is (Tags: jazz, canadian jazz, chamber jazz, contemporary jazz, modern jazz, Montreal) [Independent]
  
• Darko - Greyscale (Tags: a wilhelm scream, melodic hardcore, propagandi, punk, strung out, technical melodic punk) [Lockjaw]
  
• Federico Bonacossa - Elettroarmonico (Tags: contemporary classical, electric guitar, experimental, New York) [New Focus]
  
• Hemotoxin - When Time Becomes Loss (Tags: death metal, melodic, metal, thrash metal, progressive, technical, San Francisco) [Independent]
  
• JISEI - POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS (Tags: deathcore, punk, beatdown, deathcore, falsegrind, hardcore, lgbtq+, trans, Vancouver) [Independent]
  
• Maudits - Précipice (Tags: metal, ambient, instrumental, post, Paris) [Independent]
  
• Avoid Humanity - Between Now and Never (Tags: metal, hardcore, Bucharest) [Independent]
  
• Kavyesh Kaviraj - Fables (Tags: creative jazz, jazz, avant garde jazz, contemporary jazz, jazz and improvised music, jazz piano, modern jazz, nu-jazz, Minneapolis) [Shifting Paradigm]
  
• Nebula Orionis - The Long Path to Nowhere (Tags: metal, ambient, atmospheric black metal, cinematic, cosmic, space metal, Russia) [Independent]
  
• TERAMAZE - Eli : A Wonderful Fall From Grace (Tags: metal, progressive metal, progressive rock, rock, Melbourne) [Independent]
  
• Gnarwhal - Altered States (Tags: hard rock, rock, fuzz, stoner, Yellowknife) [Independent]
  
• Lower Automation - Welcome to My Deathbed (Tags: alternative, experimental punk, goth, industrial, math punk, mathcore, noise rock, post punk, punk, Illinois) [Independent]
  
• MULA - Cúmulo abierto (Tags: punk, rock, spoken word, experimental rock, free jazz, improvised music, jazz, noise, noise ambient, prog, Bogotá) [Independent]
  
• Nyktophobia - To The Stars (Tags: black metal, death metal, metal, Datteln) [Apostasy]
  
• EVILYN - Mondestrunken (Tags: metal, brutal death metal, death metal, dissonant, dissonant death metal, experimental death metal, progressive, progressive death, progressive death metal, tech death, technical death, technical death metal, United States) [Transcending Obscurity]
  
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• Arx Atrata - A Reckoning (Tags: atmospheric black metal, metal, black metal, blackened doom metal, epic black metal, post black metal, Nottingham) [Independent]
  
• Progfox - Visitation III (Tags: Metal) [schitzocore entertainment]
  
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• Filip Żółtowski Quartet released by Alpaka Records - BiBi (Tags: electronic, hip hop, jazz, fusion, hip hop instrumentals, jazz, nujazz, Poland) [Filip Żółtowski Quartet]
  
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• SHOKRAN - Duat (Tags: metal, djent, math, oriental, progressive metal, solo guitar, Russia) [Independent]
  
• Black Dresses - LAUGHINGFISH (Tags: alternative, electronic, industrial, noise pop, sci-fi, Toronto) [Independent]
  
• Sushma Soma - THE MOUNTAIN HAS THE LAST SAY (Tags: carnatic, experimental, indian music, world, world music, tamil folk, Singapore) [Independent]
  
• Les Fantômes du jour - Ravages (Tags: progressive rock, rock, art rock, nantes, post-hardcore, post-metal, post-prog, post-rock, progressive metal, Nantes) [Ajna Management]
  
• Clear Clover - Spectate (Tags: industrial metal, metal, rock, ambient, electronic, industrial, instrumental, new age, progressive metal, vaporwave, Montreal) [Independent]
  
• A Wake In Providence - I Write To You, My Darling Decay (Tags: ) [Unique Leader]
  

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

So as the title suggests I need a little help with my shopping I took the rich parents trait to get 900 gold. With that in mind the characters, my buddy and I are playing a pair of Grippli Dandies treating adventuring as a popular lark that seems like a gay old time. Think Mr Toad and Mr Frog with a dash of Mr Toad from wind in the willows. They enjoy fine food and their ideas of the great outdoors is glamping. So I wanted to know if anyone had suggestions to help these silly little frog live their cottagecore dreams.
Edit So I did chat with some friends to build up an rv and felt I should share what I got so far.
Their notes Average Iron wood burning stove weighs 500lb. Cost of a finished product is 3X cost of materials. 500lb of iron is 50gp. Iron wood burning stove should cost 150GP. Masonry tiles X75= 22gp 5sp 450lb insulates the floor and corner where the stove is placed. Medium Tent 15gp 30lb Collapsible Bathtub 15gp 20lb Cot X4= 4GP 120lb Folding Chair X4= 8gp 40lb Folding table 10gp 20lb Privacy Shelter 5gp 10lb Shovel 2cp 3lb Wall Hook X12= 2gp4sp 6lb Huge Treasure Chest X5= 185gp 1250lb 30yrds Canvas 3gp 30lb 50ft Silk Rope 10gp 5lb Totals= 429gp 9sp 2cp Weight 2484LB Requires Heavy Wagon to support items + party + personal gear. +100gp Total cost 529gp 9sp 2cp.
Gives you a wagon that can be divided into 4 small but private rooms with curtain dividers. Hang the cots on the walls like Murphy Beds, everyone gets a huge Treasure Chest as a foot locker. Privacy shelter and shovel are for digging somewhere private to use the restroom when camp is set up. Tent + collapsible bathtub for the ability to bathe regularly. Folding table and chair are for meal times.

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIE) experienced a significant price drop on Friday, with its stock plummeting nearly 40%, from $2.70 to $1. However, the premarket session on Monday told a different story, with FFIE making a remarkable comeback, rallying by 82% and clawing back a substantial portion of its losses.
Table of Contents
Toggle Unexpected Turn of Events Meme Stock Frenzy Conclusion Unexpected Turn of Events
Following a tumultuous Friday, FFIE's weekend activity signaled a dramatic shift. The stock's premarket surge on Monday indicates a strong rebound, reflecting a significant tug of war between bullish and bearish investors.
Trading volume soared to nearly 1.3 billion shares, a stark contrast to its average of 70 million. This 60-fold increase in volume highlights the heightened interest and speculation surrounding the stock.
This volatility coincides with Faraday Future's announcement of its upcoming Q4 and full 2023 financial results. The anticipation of these financial disclosures has undoubtedly contributed to the stock's recent rollercoaster ride.
Faraday Future, known for its pioneering work in the Ultimate AI TechLuxury ultra spire market, aims to disrupt traditional luxury automotive brands like Ferrari and Maybach. By positioning itself not just as an electric vehicle manufacturer but as a software-driven intelligent internet company, Faraday Future envisions becoming a User Company, offering a shared intelligent mobility ecosystem.
Meme Stock Frenzy
Faraday Future's recent performance is also tied to the broader meme stock phenomenon. Despite Friday's severe dip, the stock had soared by as much as 122% earlier in the day, reflecting the wild price swings typical of meme stocks.
Over the past week, FFIE saw a staggering gain of more than 2,000%, driven by retail investor enthusiasm on platforms like Reddit's WallStreetBets. In fact, over the past 24 hours, Faraday Future was the third-most-mentioned stock on this popular forum, illustrating the continued hype and speculative interest.
Conclusion
Faraday Future's recent premarket surge underscores the extreme volatility and speculative fervor surrounding meme stocks. While the company's ambitious plans and upcoming financial results add layers of intrigue, the stock's movements are also heavily influenced by retail investor dynamics.
As the market awaits Faraday Future's financial disclosures, the stock's recent performance highlights both the potential and the peril inherent in meme stock investments. Investors should remain cautious and informed as they navigate this unpredictable landscape.

Top Home Furniture Picks for Every Room from Eya Home Living

In our quest to make our homes a reflection of our unique tastes and values, we've stumbled upon a gem that marries modern design with the rich tapestry of African craftsmanship: Eya Home Living. This online store isn't just another furniture retailer; it's a gateway to exploring home furniture pieces that tell a story, pieces that are as much about art as they are about function.
At Eya Home Living, the selection is curated with an eye for detail, quality, and sustainability, ensuring that each piece not only beautifies your space but also supports ethical manufacturing practices. We're excited to share our top picks from their collection, selections that promise to transform your living spaces into havens of comfort and style. Join us as we delve into the world of home furniture that stands out for all the right reasons.

Key Takeaways

• Eya Home Living Showcases Unique Furniture that combines modern design with African craftsmanship, offering pieces that are as functional as they are artistic, reflecting unique tastes and promoting ethical manufacturing.
• Importance of Choosing the Right Furniture cannot be overstated, impacting comfort, functionality, and personal style, while also being an investment in sustainability and quality craftsmanship.
• Trend Towards Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Furniture is growing, with an emphasis on materials, production processes, design, and certifications that support environmental consciousness in 2024 and beyond.
• Selecting the Best Furniture for Your Home involves evaluating space, needs, and design preferences, with Eya Home Living providing options that balance aesthetics with functionality for personalised living environments.
• Top Picks for Bedroom and Living Spaces from Eya Home Living illustrate the blend of beauty, functionality, and sustainability, highlighting pieces like the Malawi Sun Circle Headboard and the Rattan Stool - Urchin White.
• Care and Maintenance of Home Furniture are crucial for longevity and preserving aesthetic appeal, with tips provided for different materials including wood, rattan, resin, and bone, ensuring durability and continued style.

Understanding Home Furniture Basics

Continuing from Eya Home Living's unique online store which showcases the blend of modern design with African craftsmanship, let's delve into home furniture basics. This online store not only highlights the importance of choosing the right furniture but also showcases a variety of types to cater to every room's need.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Furniture

Choosing the right furniture is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it impacts the comfort and functionality of your living space. Furniture that is well-chosen can transform an ordinary room into a welcoming and comfortable area. Furthermore, the right furniture reflects your personal style and aesthetic preferences. It's about finding pieces that not only fit your space physically but also complement your home's character. Lastly, quality furniture is an investment. Selecting durable and sustainable pieces from stores like Eya Home Living ensures that your furniture will last, supporting ethical manufacturing practices and reducing the need to replace items frequently.

Different Types of Home Furniture

Home furniture varies widely, catering to different rooms and purposes within your home. Eya Home Living offers top picks for different areas of the home, demonstrating the variety available.
For the living room, key pieces include:

• Tables: Their Wooden Side Tables not only serve a functional purpose but also add a touch of elegance and warmth to your living room.
• Chairs/Benches: Offering comfort and style, the Rattan Stool - Urchin White, and Moroccan Resin & Bone Side Tables bring unique textures and designs into the room.

In the dining room:

• Tables: The same care and craftsmanship extend to the dining area, with tables designed to gather family and guests in a welcoming environment.
• Chairs/Benches: Matching or complementary chairs and benches, like the ones found in their collection, ensure a cohesive look while providing comfort during meals.

For the bedroom, selections include:

• Malawi Sun Circle Headboard: This piece makes a statement with its intricate design, instantly becoming the room's focal point.
• Malawi Cane Bench: Perfect for adding seating without compromising on style, it fits well at the end of a bed.
• Bamileke Tables - Brown: Ideal for use as nightstands, these tables add functionality and a hint of African artistry to the bedroom.

Understanding the basics of home furniture involves recognising the importance of selecting the right pieces and knowing the different types available to suit various rooms. Eya Home Living offers an excellent array of options that blend modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship, ensuring that every piece not only enhances your home but also reflects ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices.

Trends in Home Furniture for 2024

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Furniture

Sustainability and eco-friendliness stand at the forefront of 2024's home furniture trends, mirroring a global shift towards environmental consciousness. As consumers increasingly prioritise sustainability, furniture designers and manufacturers are responding with innovative solutions that both reduce environmental impact and deliver on style and functionality. These trends not only reflect a move towards greener living spaces but also signal a lasting change in the furniture industry's approach to production and design.
Materials: The use of sustainable materials is a key trend, with recycled metals, reclaimed wood, and bio-based fabrics becoming more prevalent in furniture production. These materials not only reduce waste and decrease the depletion of natural resources but also offer unique textures and finishes that enhance the aesthetic appeal of home furniture.
Production Processes: Eco-friendly production processes are gaining traction, with manufacturers investing in renewable energy sources and adopting practices that minimise carbon footprint. This includes reducing emissions, conserving water, and using non-toxic finishes, ensuring that the furniture not only looks good but is also better for the planet.
Designs: Sustainable furniture design is evolving, with a focus on durability and timeless appeal to discourage the throwaway culture associated with fast furniture. Modular designs that allow for customisation and adaptability are becoming increasingly popular, offering a sustainable option for consumers looking to update their interiors without purchasing entirely new pieces.
In 2024, the embrace of sustainable and eco-friendly furniture is more than a trend; it's a reflection of a broader societal move towards sustainability. As we continue to witness these changes, it's clear that eco-consciousness in furniture design and production is not just a passing phase but a fundamental shift in how we think about and interact with our living spaces.

How to Select the Best Furniture for Your Home

Selecting the best home furniture involves understanding the importance of comfort, style, and investment value, as we've experienced with Eya Home Living's offerings. Following our exploration of emerging trends and sustainable practices in home furniture, it's crucial to dive deeper into how to choose pieces that not only reflect these aspects but also integrate seamlessly into your personal space. Let's navigate through essential factors to consider.

Assessing Your Space and Needs

Evaluating your living space plays a pivotal role in home furniture selection. We recommend starting by measuring your rooms carefully to determine the size of furniture that will fit without overcrowding the space. Consider the functionality of each piece, ensuring it serves your lifestyle—whether you prioritise hosting, relaxation, or something entirely unique. For instance, the Malawi Sun Circle Headboard brings a touch of elegance to bedrooms catering to relaxation and style, while the Malawi Cane Bench offers versatile seating, ideal for both bedroom and living room areas.

Colour and Style Considerations

Colour and style are just as important as the functional aspect of home furniture. They should complement the room's existing aesthetic or help you establish a desired theme. Eya Home Living's pieces, with their blend of modern design and African craftsmanship, offer unique styles that can become focal points or seamlessly integrate with your current decor. The Bamileke Tables, with their intricate designs and rich brown tones, add a striking cultural element to any room. For those seeking a contemporary look with a touch of tradition, the Rattan Stool - Urchin White and Moroccan Resin & Bone Side Table offer distinctive textures and designs that can lighten up spaces while adding character.
When selecting home furniture, it’s essential we balance aesthetics with functionality, ensuring each piece serves a purpose while enhancing the overall look and feel of our homes. With thoughtful consideration of our space, needs, and design preferences, we can create inviting and personalised environments that reflect our unique tastes and lifestyles.

Our Top 3 Furniture Picks for the Bedroom

In selecting our bedroom furniture, we consider not only the aesthetic appeal but also the craftsmanship and the story behind each piece. Eya Home Living provides us with unique options that perfectly align with these values, especially when considering home furniture that adds character and warmth to spaces. Let's delve into our top three picks for the bedroom.

Malawi Sun Circle Headboard

Imported directly from Malawi, the Sun Circle Headboard is more than just a piece of furniture; it's a statement. Crafted with unwavering attention to detail, this headboard brings the warmth of the African sun right into your bedroom. The circular design, reminiscent of the radiant African sun, is not only visually striking but also symbolises life and energy, promising to infuse your room with a sense of vitality and positivity. It's made from natural materials, ensuring sustainability and adding an earthy touch to your decor. Ideal for those who seek to combine style with substance, the Sun Circle Headboard transforms any bedroom into a sanctuary of peace and warmth.

Malawi Cane Bench

Another gem imported from Malawi, the Cane Bench, stands out for its blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern design. Made from high-quality natural cane, this bench showcases the intricate weaving skills of Malawian artisans. Its sturdy, yet elegant construction offers both functionality and a visually appealing element to the bedroom. The natural material provides a soft, earthy vibe, seamlessly integrating with various design themes from minimalistic to boho chic. Whether used as a statement piece or a functional item at the foot of your bed, the Malawi Cane Bench adds a touch of authenticity and elegance to any bedroom setting.

Bamileke Tables

Concluding our list, the Bamileke Tables celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Cameroon. Known for their exceptional craftsmanship, these tables are carved from a single piece of wood, making each table unique. The intricate patterns and designs etched into the surface reflect the traditional Bamileke art, offering a piece that's full of history and character. Available in dark brown, these tables provide a versatile and functional addition to your bedroom, serving as bedside tables that perfectly complement our Malawi-inspired picks. Their robust construction and timeless design ensure that they're not just tables but heirlooms that will enhance your home's aesthetic for years to come.
By choosing these pieces for your bedroom, you're not just furnishing your space; you're embracing a global aesthetic that celebrates the beauty of African craftsmanship and the warmth of natural materials. Eya Home Living's selection of home furniture truly brings uniqueness and style to any bedroom.

Our Top 3 Furniture Picks for the Living and Dining Room

Building on the exploration of bedroom pieces, we now turn our attention to curating an exceptional living and dining space. Eya Home Living, with its focus on African craftsmanship, sustainability, and modern design, offers unique pieces that are not only functional but also embody storytelling through their materials and craftsmanship. Here, we delve into our top three picks for enhancing your living and dining room with unparalleled style and quality.

Rattan Stool

Our first recommendation, the Rattan Stool - Urchin White, presents an extraordinary blend of comfort and design. Derived from sustainably sourced rattan, this piece embodies the art of African craftsmanship. Its lightweight yet sturdy structure makes it a versatile addition to any living area, perfect for offering additional seating or serving as an eye-catching accent piece. The intricate weave pattern not only adds to its aesthetic appeal but also demonstrates the meticulous attention to detail characteristic of Eya Home Living's offerings. This stool, available at eyahomeliving.co.za, ensures durability and sustainability, making it a wise investment for eco-conscious homeowners aiming to infuse natural elements into their home furniture collection.

Wooden Side Tables

Next, we spotlight the Wooden Side Tables, a testament to the timeless beauty and natural warmth of wood. These tables, crafted from high-quality, sustainably sourced wood, reflect the essence of African artisanship. Their robust design guarantees longevity, while the unique wooden grain of each piece offers a distinct charm, ensuring no two tables are exactly alike. Ideal for the living room or dining area, they serve as the perfect platforms for your decorative items or as a convenient spot for your evening cup of tea. Available at eyahomeliving.co.za, these side tables not only add a touch of elegance to your space but also stand as symbols of sustainable luxury.

Moroccan Resin & Bone Inlay Side Table

Lastly, the Moroccan Resin & Bone Inlay Side Table merges the opulence of Moroccan design with the intricacy of African craftsmanship. Each table is a masterpiece, with handcrafted bone inlays set against a backdrop of smooth resin, offering a stunning visual contrast. This piece not only elevates the decor of any room but also introduces a slice of Moroccan culture into your home. Its durable construction ensures it can withstand the rigours of daily use, making it both a practical and picturesque addition to your living or dining room. Found at eyahomeliving.co.za, this side table is for those who appreciate the beauty of global craftsmanship and desire to add a luxurious yet ethical touch to their home furniture collection.
In our journey through Eya Home Living's diverse range, these three pieces stand out for their ability to transform living and dining spaces with their beauty, functionality, and sustainable values. Each item, from the Rattan Stool to the Moroccan Resin & Bone Inlay Side Table, represents a careful selection of home furniture that embraces modern design while honouring traditional African craftsmanship.

Care and Maintenance of Home Furniture

Regular Cleaning and Care Tips

Caring for home furniture ensures its longevity and maintains its aesthetic appeal. Each piece, from the Malawi Sun Circle Headboard to the Moroccan Resin & Bone Side Table, requires specific care to preserve its unique materials and craftsmanship. For wooden furniture, such as our Wooden Side Tables, we recommend regular dusting with a soft, dry cloth to prevent dust accumulation. Avoid using water directly on the surface to prevent warping or damage to the wood. For pieces incorporating rattan, like the Rattan Stool - Urchin White, a gentle vacuuming with a brush attachment helps remove dust without damaging the fibres.
Materials such as resin and bone in our Moroccan Resin & Bone Side Table necessitate gentle cleaning with a damp cloth, followed by immediate drying. Avoid harsh chemicals that can damage the intricate inlay work. The Malawi Cane Bench, featuring natural cane, benefits from occasional wiping with a mild soap solution to remove grime, ensuring the material stays robust and vibrant.

Dealing with Wear and Tear

Over time, home furniture can show signs of wear and tear, which, if addressed promptly, can be minimised or repaired. For wooden pieces, minor scratches can often be mitigated using a colour-matched wood marker or wax. Placing furniture away from direct sunlight and heat sources prevents fading and cracking, ensuring the Wooden Side Tables and the Bamileke Tables - Brown retain their rich hues and structural integrity.
Rattan furniture, showcased in our Rattan Stool - Urchin White, may require occasional tightening of screws to maintain stability, and exposure to too much moisture should be avoided to prevent mould growth and structural damage. In the case of resin and bone furniture, protecting surfaces from heavy objects and sharp edges helps preserve the meticulous craftsmanship of pieces like the Moroccan Resin & Bone Side Table.
By incorporating these care and maintenance strategies, you'll ensure your home furniture not only stands the test of time but continues to add unparalleled style and African craftsmanship to your space. We believe in the value of investing in quality furniture and taking the necessary steps to maintain its beauty and functionality for years to come.

Conclusion

We've explored the exquisite range and significance of choosing the right furniture with Eya Home Living, where modern meets African craftsmanship. Embracing sustainable trends is not just about style but also about making responsible choices for our homes and the planet. By selecting pieces like the Rattan Stool or the Moroccan Resin & Bone Inlay Side Table, we're investing in quality, sustainability, and unique design. Moreover, understanding the care and maintenance of such furniture ensures that its beauty and functionality remain intact over time. Let's cherish and maintain these pieces with the respect they deserve, ensuring they grace our homes for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Eya Home Living?

Eya Home Living is an online store specialising in modern furniture that showcases African craftsmanship, focusing on the importance of detail, quality, and sustainability in their pieces.

Why is choosing the right furniture important?

Selecting the right furniture is crucial for comfort, style, and ensuring your pieces are a valuable investment for your home, enhancing both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your living spaces.

What are the emerging trends in sustainable home furniture for 2024?

The emerging trends for sustainable home furniture in 2024 include the use of natural materials, artisan-crafted pieces, and a focus on sustainability, showcasing products like the Rattan Stool - Urchin White, which embody these principles.

What are the top furniture picks for bedrooms?

Top furniture picks for bedrooms feature unique craftsmanship and sustainable materials, such as the Malawi Sun Circle Headboard, known for its comfort and stylish design.

How can one maintain and care for home furniture?

To maintain and care for home furniture, one should regularly clean the pieces according to the material they are made of, protect them from sunlight and moisture, and address wear and tear, like minor scratches, promptly to preserve their beauty and longevity.

What strategies can be used to deal with wear and tear on furniture?

Strategies for managing wear and tear on furniture include using protective coverings, keeping furniture away from direct sunlight, and employing proper cleaning techniques specific to the furniture material to prevent damage and ensure its longevity.

Interior design is a multifaceted profession that combines creativity, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of human behavior to create functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces. Whether for residential, commercial, or hospitality environments, interior design can be categorized into various styles, each with its unique characteristics, history, and applications. Here, we explore some of the most popular types of interior design.

1. Modern Interior Design

Modern interior design is characterized by a sleek, uncluttered look that emphasizes clean lines, simple forms, and minimalistic aesthetics. Originating in the early to mid-20th century, this style often incorporates materials like steel, glass, and concrete. Furniture and decor items tend to have a functional, almost industrial feel. Neutral color palettes dominate, with occasional bold accents to add visual interest.

2. Contemporary Interior Design

Often confused with modern design, contemporary interior design is more fluid and current. It reflects the styles and trends of the present moment, incorporating elements from various periods. Unlike modern design, which is fixed to a specific time frame, contemporary design is ever-evolving. It features open spaces, natural light, and a mix of natural and man-made materials. Bold colors, geometric patterns, and innovative materials are common.

3. Traditional Interior Design

Traditional interior design draws inspiration from 18th and 19th-century European decor. It is known for its rich color palettes, ornate details, and classic furniture. This style includes elements like crown molding, wood paneling, and luxurious textiles such as silk and velvet. Traditional interiors often feature symmetry, with furniture and decor items arranged in balanced and orderly groups.

4. Transitional Interior Design

Transitional interior design blends the best of traditional and contemporary styles. It aims to strike a balance between the old and the new, creating a cohesive and harmonious look. This style uses a neutral color palette with pops of color and incorporates classic furniture with modern, clean lines. Transitional design is ideal for those who appreciate the elegance of traditional decor but want a more updated, less formal look.

5. Minimalist Interior Design

Minimalist design is all about simplicity and functionality. It takes the modern design ethos to an extreme, focusing on the essentials and eliminating unnecessary details. Spaces are open and uncluttered, with a monochromatic color scheme and an emphasis on natural light. Furniture and decor are kept to a minimum, often featuring simple, geometric shapes and high-quality materials.

6. Industrial Interior Design

Industrial interior design takes its cue from old factories and industrial spaces. It is characterized by exposed brick walls, concrete floors, and metal elements like steel beams and pipes. This style embraces raw, unfinished aesthetics, with a focus on practicality and durability. Furniture is often made from reclaimed wood and metal, and lighting fixtures have an industrial feel, such as vintage Edison bulbs.

7. Bohemian Interior Design

Bohemian, or "boho," interior design is eclectic and carefree, reflecting a sense of adventure and a love for diverse cultures. This style features a mix of colors, patterns, and textures, often incorporating vintage furniture and handmade items. Bohemian spaces are filled with plants, textiles, and decorative items collected from around the world. It’s a style that encourages personal expression and creativity.

8. Scandinavian Interior Design

Scandinavian interior design is known for its simplicity, functionality, and connection to nature. Originating from Nordic countries, this style uses a light, neutral color palette with natural materials like wood and wool. It emphasizes clean lines, minimalism, and coziness, often featuring elements like wooden floors, white walls, and simple, functional furniture. The concept of "hygge," or coziness, is central to Scandinavian design.

9. Mid-Century Modern Interior Design

Mid-century modern design emerged in the mid-20th century and is characterized by clean lines, organic curves, and a mix of materials. This style often features bold colors, graphic patterns, and innovative uses of traditional materials. Furniture pieces like the Eames chair and the Noguchi table are iconic examples. The design emphasizes form and function, with an aesthetic that remains popular today.

10. Rustic Interior Design

Rustic interior design emphasizes natural materials and a rugged, organic look. It often features elements like exposed wooden beams, stone walls, and reclaimed wood furniture. The color palette is earthy, with warm tones and natural textures. Rustic interiors create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, often incorporating elements like fireplaces, handmade decor, and vintage pieces.

Conclusion

Interior design is a rich and varied field, offering countless ways to create beautiful, functional spaces. Whether you prefer the clean lines of modern design, the eclectic mix of bohemian style, or the cozy charm of rustic decor, there's a design style to suit every taste and need. Understanding these styles can help you make informed decisions when designing your space, ensuring that it reflects your personality and meets your functional requirements.

As we all know Casinos in Goa are legal. Many of them visit Goa to play casino games.

Why Casino Gaming is Legal in Goa

Legal Framework

Casino gaming in Goa is governed by the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976. In the early 1990s, amendments to this act allowed for the regulation and licensing of casinos. This move was primarily aimed at boosting tourism and generating revenue for the state.

Economic Benefits

The legalization of casinos has significantly contributed to Goa’s economy. It has created numerous jobs, attracted high-spending tourists, and generated substantial tax revenue. This economic boost supports various public services and infrastructure development in the state.

Cultural Acceptance

Goa’s liberal and open-minded cultural backdrop, influenced by its history as a Portuguese colony, has facilitated the acceptance of casino gaming. The integration of casinos into Goa’s tourism landscape has been smooth, supported by the local population and authorities.

Top Casinos in Goa

1. Deltin Royale

• Location: Panaji, on the Mandovi River
• Highlights: One of the largest and most luxurious offshore casinos in Goa, Deltin Royale offers a wide range of gaming options including poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. The casino also features live entertainment, a gourmet restaurant, and a VIP gaming room.
• Why Visit: Known for its opulence and top-notch services, Deltin Royale is perfect for those looking for a high-end casino experience.

2. Casino Pride

• Location: Panaji, on the Mandovi River
• Highlights: Another popular offshore casino, Casino Pride is known for its vibrant atmosphere and affordable gaming options. It offers a variety of games such as Texas Hold’em, roulette, baccarat, and slot machines. The casino also features live performances and a buffet restaurant.
• Why Visit: Ideal for casual gamers and tourists looking for a lively and budget-friendly casino experience.

3. Deltin Jaqk

• Location: Panaji, on the Mandovi River
• Highlights: Deltin Jaqk is an offshore casino known for its excellent customer service and diverse gaming options. The casino offers games like poker, blackjack, and roulette, along with an extensive buffet and live entertainment.
• Why Visit: Deltin Jaqk is great for families and first-time casino-goers looking for a welcoming and enjoyable environment.

4. Casino Carnival

• Location: Panaji, inside the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa
• Highlights: This onshore casino offers a variety of gaming options including slot machines, blackjack, roulette, and poker. Casino Carnival also provides live music and entertainment, making it a great spot for a fun night out.
• Why Visit: Located within a luxury resort, Casino Carnival offers a convenient and comfortable gaming experience for hotel guests and visitors alike.

5. Casino Palms

• Location: Baga, inside the La Calypso Hotel
• Highlights: Situated in the bustling area of Baga, Casino Palms offers a range of table games and slot machines. The casino is part of the La Calypso Hotel, which provides additional amenities such as a swimming pool and restaurants.
• Why Visit: Perfect for tourists staying in Baga who want to enjoy gaming without traveling far from their hotel.

Tips for Visiting Casinos in Goa

1. Dress Code: Most casinos have a smart casual dress code. Avoid wearing flip-flops and shorts.
2. Entry Requirements: Make sure to carry a valid ID proof as entry is restricted to those above 21 years of age.
3. Currency: Casinos in Goa operate using Indian Rupees (INR). Some casinos may offer chips in exchange for cash.
4. Timings: Casinos typically operate 24/7, but it's always good to check their timings and any special events beforehand.
5. Responsible Gaming: Set a budget for your gaming activities and stick to it. Casinos offer various forms of entertainment, so enjoy the overall experience rather than focusing solely on gambling.

[ First / Previous / Next ]
Memory Transcription Subject: Hileen, Krakotl Fugitive Recovery Agent
Date [standardized human time]: November 28th, 2136
It'd been a while since I sat in Marlig's office for a talk face-to-face. Given the agency's secluded location at the edge of the downtown region, it was a chore to drop by when it wasn't for business, but I'd deemed the matter at hand to be worth my time.
I passed by Nampi at her desk on my way to the door and she gave me a coy glare as I carried on. Trying to ignore her risible ear waggle, I turned the corner to the door with my boss’s name painted on the glass panel where I could hear the frantic crumpling of paper.
Quietly, I entered Marlig's office without prompt as I knew he hated to be spooked by knocking. My mentor was surprisingly spry for a bird at his age, sorting through papers with one wing and an eye while using his talons with the other to set away the papers he had splayed out.
“Hileen!” he chirped. “Glad you could make it in today. I was just finishing up my paperwork. Take a seat.”
It was always nice to hear him drop the professional motif for a more grandfatherly attitude when speaking in person. I did as he suggested and took a seat while he grumbled to himself over the sorting. My eye caught a few of the old contracts he was rifling through and saw that some dated back to his days as an agent.
Eventually, he left some sitting out as he sequestered the rest back into their files, sorted by a dichotomy that only he and Nampi could comprehend fully. He motioned with a wing for me to peruse and I turned the first one to face me to find it was my first contract, signed by me in a sloppy fashion. “This takes me back a couple of years.”
“Slick bastard thought he could get away on a forklift but you showed him! Certainly more exciting than my first day!”
“Mm-hmm. And it was when I nearly got impaled that you had the idea to commission all of us utility vests.”
He chuckled, “I really should’ve done so sooner. Cuts and scratches were already a risk, but a forklift was a new one!”
I flipped through the pages of each report, finding that Marlig's notes were filled with praises of my work. There were highs and lows, but I was flattered to find that the grizzled krakotl held my performance in such high regard.
“Flawless interception!” read one footnote about me catching a runner. “Couldn't have done it better myself!”
Marlig waited patiently as I browsed quickly through each page, realizing more and more how the notes also marked improvements in my work. How I found it easier to talk down a rowdy client, or apprehend them in the case that they were beyond helping on my part. Flowery language plastered most pages with him fawning over my work as a doting father would to his prodigal child.
The trend took a sharp turn as the notes became fewer and more critical the closer the dates reached to the present. I brushed the others aside with a wing to peruse the final paper. “And this…”
“Is Tac. Your latest contract. The most recent in a line of declining performance since the interview. This has become a pattern, Hileen, and its consequences are beginning to reach beyond yourself. Paji and Vesek resigned recently for personal reasons, which leaves us even less hands on deck than before. That's four people to cover the entire municipal region, and maybe even beyond, should needs arise. Three, if we include this little probation I have you on.”
“What was I supposed to do? Marlig, these ‘jobs’ you've got us working on overstep the contracts we were signed on with. Our job is to make sure people obey their court-mandated duties, not drag them off to the facilities ourselves!”
“... So the trip we took to the facilities did bother you.”
A sigh clicked in my throat as he reminded me. “Is that what happens to the people we take in, Marlig? Is that what would've happened to your wife?”
His feathers ruffled.
“That's what happens to those who are too dangerous to the general public to be left roaming free. Not everyone we deal with winds up there, but everyone can be subject to it. Miskela sued for her exoneration and proved in court that she was not diseased. I brought you there to show you how it helps the people, but I see now that it was a mistake. I understand why you were so perturbed, really, but it's how things have been for centuries. It's how we've protected ourselves from the dangers out there.”
“You were willing to let Barsul be interned there, too.”
Marlig flinched and sighed as he swept the papers towards himself once I'd signaled I was done. He turned one eye to me while he sorted them.
“There's no room for favoritism, girl. I negotiated for him to be allowed to walk free, and look where that got me. That boy - your neighbor - suffered the consequences of my nepotism. So too would the girl, had nobody intervened.”
“Like Richard.”
“The human, yes. Or you. Or the police. Where does this sudden obsession with humans come from, anyway? I get notifications of you talking about the acceptance of them all the time on forums.”
“Does it even need explaining?”
“Well, I guess not, no, but it's certainly an about-face from the way you used to talk about them with me beforehand.”
“People can change, for better or worse. Which one I fall under remains to be seen.”
Marlig stroked at the plumage on his neck as he finished his sorting. “I hope it's the former, for your sake. Was there any reason you came to talk, or were you just checking that I hadn't gone senile?”
“Well, I was hoping to borrow your secretary for the evening.”
He perked up while his eyes narrowed and he laced his fingers together with curiosity. “You… want to spend an evening with Nampi?”
“It's not what you're insinuating, but yes.”
“I was insinuating nothing,” he warbled coyly. “Go ahead and take her, and make sure to split the bill at dinner.”
“Pain-in-the-ass geezer. I'll keep in touch if your friend causes any more trouble.”
“Keep in touch regardless. Miskela and I get lonely in our old age,” he called back. “Take care.”
I stepped out into the hallway and turned toward the desk where I could hear the secretary's claws tapping furtively at her keyboard. Nampi sat silently with her ears and tail in a relaxed position that implied a bored demeanor. There was barely any response as I stood before her, waiting politely for her acknowledgment that never came.
Hesitantly, I cleared my throat.
An ear raised in acknowledgement, but her focus remained on the screen of her computer. “Mhm?”
“Do you…?”
Her ear rotated toward me, though she still maintained a passive attitude as she continued to glare mindlessly at the monitor.
“Are you free this evening?”
“Well, I'm quite booked, I believe. Why do you ask?”
I was surprised at her curt, dry tone. She hadn't spoken with me like this since we first got to know one another.
“Well,” I started. “I realized something. Every time we went out, whether it was clubbing, or dinner, or even walking around the parks, you always footed the bill. And so…”
Slowly, her other ear perked up and I saw her keystrokes slow down as she listened in.
“I wanted to return the favor?”
Her lips smacked as she opened her mouth, though paused before she spoke. “How could you possibly do that?”
“With a little gesture of friendship.”
Nampi's horizontal pupil turned up toward me and her tail twitched.
I continued, “So that belt you're wearing? It's the same belt you've worn since we first met. And I know you're the pragmatic type who'd never spend a credit more than she needs to, except for all the times you do"- her ears twitched in indignance -"I wanted to see about getting you a little something… extra?”
Her paws raised from the keyboard and she leaned in, resting her snout on her palms. “Go on.”
The bubbly venlil's tail sold out her collected facade as it twitched with anticipation. She was cornered and she didn't even know it yet.
“Well, I found just the place on the other side of town where we can start. It's a place almost as rich and indulgent as yourself.”
“The Platinum Paw? I mean3”
Her ears folded back in embarrassment as she cracked. She wasn't cut out for acting anyway.
“So that's what it's called! Jeez, I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was called. Now what do you say? We go over there and find you something nice—”
I hadn’t even finished my thought before Nampi had grabbed her bag and was out the door, giving me a playful tail flick that said come and get me.

The place I suggested was in a shopping center on the opposite side of town, though easily accessible because of its proximity to the transport rails. Nampi had insisted on grabbing something to eat beforehand and so now gleefully bit into a bundle of stalks that had been “grilled” as explained from the food truck we'd stopped at.
Her tail flicked back and forth with her usual enthusiasm as we entered the massive complex of stores. The roofless plan allowed the natural, orange sun to flood the upper levels while artificial lighting illuminated the ground level wherever the light couldn't reach.
The place was built in the last decade by the previous City Magister in a bid for popularity, though ultimately for naught as he would lose the vote following a scandal involving an iftali priestess and a carved bar of soap. I had to say that despite being sick in the head, he sure had a great sense of decor.
Nampi snacked away, joining me in admiring the scenery as we continued to the place I’d planned out for us. Aimless chatter all melded together into a single, thrumming murmur as pedestrians navigated the many levels and stores offered in the place.
A troupe of children passed by us, held in a chain of tails and arms as they were escorted by a pair of venlil who I assumed were students and teachers on a school trip. I caught a whiff of a sweet, aromatic breeze and found it to come from a perfume shop on the same level as us; naturally, venlil were not to be found inside.
We passed a fountain where a couple sat on the edge, their tails twined together as they giggled and flirted. I turned and caught Nampi watching them as well, though she awkwardly returned to sucking the remains of her meal from her claws when we made eye contact. Her ears lifted when I raised a wing to signal to the store we were going to stop at first.
“Platinum Paw, The Greatest Fashion Emporium For Everyone!”
The title alone was painfully cliche, taken to the tenth power by the brightly lit store taking up three department slots. Despite the flashy exterior, though, it was the best place to shop for belts, brooches, and bracelets alike. Customers who looked like they earned my yearly salary in a week browsed the higher end brands while I brought my friend to the section I wanted to show her.
Her ears were held up as we stood together next to a shelf chock full of fashionable bags and bandoliers of every variety.
“Pick one,” I told her.
Nampi's ears shot to a straight pose in surprise, “Any?”
“Within reason. I've got a few extra credits to blow and I know nobody better to spend it on.”
With an inviting headtilt, I let Nampi peruse the shelves at her leisure. Her lips pursed together and her tail flicked with glee as she fingered at every piece that caught her eye. I chuckled at her outburst of enthusiasm while turning to find my own items to gloss over.
A breeze from outside nipped at my beak while I considered what I’d like to purchase. The place dripped with an atmosphere of faux hospitality, from the bright blue-stained floorboards to the radio prattling off advertisements in a sickeningly sweet tone to the faint, fruity aroma of scented cleaner. It was oppressive as only a fissan-owned company could be to the senses.
What I wouldn’t pay to see how a human would fare in such an environment.
I knew they were social creatures at least, but I had no doubt that the predatory senses of a human, so honed to hunting, would get overstimulated in this center of gaudy indulgence. Knowing I was something of a predator myself made me sympathize provided that even I had to squint to keep the pale lights inside from searing my eyes. I could only imagine how the arboreal eyes of a Terran would fare. I was so lost in thought imagining how lost the Terrans would be that I could almost ignore the obnoxious giggling and metallic rattling coming from behind me.
Risking a peek at the source, into my sight came a pair of venlil, one a male carrying a pair of bags as well as a couple more strapped to his belt. The bored expression in his eyes was not one of a man who was in high spirits. The other venlil was a woman who was the source of the noise.
Her mottled gray pelt was accented by a tasteful belt design, free of almost any practical functions but not flashy or excessive in garnishment either. At least, that’s what I would say, were it not for the braid of beads that dangled on the belt, jingling with each bounce of the lively woman’s stride. It was clear that such a gaudy accessory was intended to draw attention to her, though why was a mystery. Certainly, the shiny braids seemed designed as decoration first and practical second.
She turned about and I faced back to my browsing before she could catch me staring. Nampi was nowhere in sight, though I figured she was somewhere behind the shelf, sifting through every accessory on the section I'd suggested.
Clink.
Something pelted to my immediate right. I tilted my head to spot a tree nut shell clattering to the floor. Without being able to guess where it came from, I had to wonder what could've launched it over this way. Even with my keen eyesight, nobody in the crowd seemed to be a suspect.
Clink.
Another shell pelted my vicinity, ricocheting off of the floor and hitting the shelf I was standing next to. I ruffled my feathers in frustration - clearly, someone was trying to get my attention, though I couldn't make out who it was. Out of the corner of my vision, the woman from before eyed me curiously as I looked about, though I wasn't interested in engaging with her.
Thwack.
One more shell came flying and, unfortunately, the aim on this one was true, nailing me on the beak. Irritated, I stormed out of the store to find the source of the instigator. I scanned over the bodies to find anyone who could've been responsible for this indignity, eventually concluding that it came from the dining area across the walkway.
Whoever was responsible was in for an earful and I was already structuring which of the offender's family members would be acceptable as fodder for stray words. As I approached, I found the tables were mostly empty save for one, which made my heart begin to drop as I met eyes with the only occupant. Suddenly, I was much less inclined to hurl insults.
“Oh, hi there!” Qitel called out in a sickly sweet tone. “Come, take a seat! We have much to discuss!”
The Exterminator clutched a bag of tree nuts in his claws, a pile of discarded shells already gathered on the table next to him. He grabbed another as I approached, effortlessly prying the shell in half between two claws and tossed the contents into his mouth. “Good protein, these,” he commented as I sat down.
“Must be for that good arm you've got there,” I mumbled. I caught sight of a couple of bags beneath his chair, seemingly from one of the tech stores contained within the center.
“Bah, it's guesswork. So how are you? I haven't heard from you since we worked together!”
“I was just spending time with a friend, shopping and enjoying my time off.”
“Your time off? Oh, am I interrupting something?”
His snide tone irked me, though now wasn’t the time for interjections. “You are, Qitel,” I replied with no shortage of vitriol in my tone. “But I see no harm in chatting for a bit.”
“Good, because I have some merchandise”- he reached into his belt pocket and deposited a couple of items onto the table -“and you’re just the person to look into it, human sympathizer.”
I drew a terse breath in shock, but my worries were quelled when I considered that if Qitel had the power to do anything about it, he would’ve done so instead of approaching me so discreetly. A glance down at the item on the table showed that he was presenting what looked to be a tracker as well as a personal drive. “Found in the garbage,” he told me.
“The guild resorts to dumpster diving when they already have such a bloated budget now?”
“No, featherbrain, I have decided to keep this for myself. These items were found together, sealed in a plastic pouch, and placed in a garbage bin. The city has bans against electronics being placed into public bins, and so I was curious why this wound up in there. Managed to get my coworker, a techie, to crack it open and…”
Qitel reached into his belt again, glowering at me with the same condescending gaze he’d given me when I first saw his face. He seemed to revel in digging for the item as slowly as possible to waste my time. Finally, he found whatever he was looking for and revealed it as a printed piece of paper, folded into eighths. The snobby yotul threw the unfurled paper on the table and rolled it toward me.
I craned my neck to look at the parchment, though I was immediately perplexed by the text on it; it appeared to be some sort of form, going by the boxes with words on the inside, followed by blank lines. “Found on the drive, here,” Qitel told me, jabbing a claw to the storage. “Translator shows it as Terran writing.”
Drawing my holopad from my satchel, I held it over the paper with the translator to get an understanding. Surely enough, the language on it came up positive as a variant of Terran writing and I was affirmed in it being a form of some sort based on the wording of the text. The boxes seemed like an odd sort of job application, asking for the typical name, contacts, and prior work experiences, but quickly took a strange turn as it began asking for where their home on Earth was prior to arrival, what family they had on Venlil Prime if any, and where they worked, implying that they were seeking individuals who were already employed.
I knew little about human employment methods, but I didn’t imagine that sourcing individuals from other jobs was the most efficient way to gain a workforce. Terran service industries already dotted the planet while many humans also found work in local environments. So what was the angle that the creator of this application was going for?
Most concerningly was that the paper had no insignia, identifying marks, or noted address to return the form to. “And where did you find it again?”
“In the garbage, alongside this intact tracker that was activated at the time of recovery. Y’know, when I was dumpster diving. Text on the document showed it was addressed to one ‘Choctaw Nexus’.”
“A pseudonym of some sort?”
“Clearly. Short sorting through the archives shows the first name traces back to the group out east - perhaps you've heard about them. How the name and the items we have here are connected is beyond my understanding, but-”
“Well, this has been an absolutely riveting discussion about your collection of trash, Qitel,” I told him as I stood up to leave. “But this really sounds like an issue to be resolved by your fellow guildsmen.”
The sound of another shell splitting rang out as I turned away.
“I'm not through talking with you, predator.”
The sting as a piece nailed me in the back of the head prompted me to whirl back around, sticking my beak in the insolent yotul's snout. “Perhaps you've forgotten, little man,” I cooed in an equally bittersweet tone to the one he gave me before. “The krakotl never had a problem with settling issues the old-fashioned way before the interview. Try me and find out why I'm in the line of work I am.”
“Oh, we wouldn't want that in such a"- he waved his paw to a group of passersby who had stopped to gawk at my display -”public forum. Please, contain yourself.”
I had to force the feathers on my back to settle and I raised my head away from him. “What else is it you wanted, then?”
“Well, I'd appreciate if you took this merchandise off my paws,” he told me as he brushed the electronics and printout toward me.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you're closer to the humans than I'd ever care to be, and may be able to find out who this Choctaw Nexus is. Something about the package just feels… off. And I know when to trust my feelings. Besides, we both know that you know where Tac is, don't we?”
“I don't-”
“We have videographic evidence that you conspired with a human - of the aforementioned squatters, no less - and let the kid escape. You're not as sneaky as you think, and if we find this ‘Choctaw Nexus’ turns out to be a bad actor that can be traced back to them - and by extension, you - well, there’d be no talking down my boss from having you dealt with. By helping me find out who this is, you may yet be able to clear your name of any wrongdoing.”
I clenched my beak tightly to maintain a straight face. Qitel stood up with a flourish and discarded the bag he was carrying in a bin.
“See, the krakotl were never special for using threats and bullying to get results. It's because you were good at killing predators,” he jeered. “Now, if you don't mind, this primitive has appointments to attend to… old lady who got trampled courtesy of the humans and all. You stay out of trouble, Hileen, and stay in touch.”
The self-assured marsupial melded into the crowd in a matter of seconds, leaving me with a table containing dumpster trophies and a pile of shells. Reluctantly, I swept the shells into my wing and dumped them into the bin before gathering the other two items he'd left me and stuffing them into my bag. I'd been gone from Nampi long enough and she would notice my absence before long.
Crossing the walkway again, I could spot from where I stood that Nampi was indeed still in the Platinum Paw. I approached, and soon I found that while she didn't seem to have noticed me stepping away, she was definitely in a soured mood based on the sagging of her ears and tail. With my talons clacking on the floorboards, I hustled to her side and her mood chippered up ever so slightly as she heard me approach.
I chimed in, “Find anything?”
“Everything. I want everything, Red, and I can't decide on what I want. They all just look so great!”
From behind, a voice called out, “Nampi!”
We both jumped at the exclamation and turned about to spot the venlil lady I'd seen before spring from behind the shelf. The man poked his head from behind the shelf too, though less enthusiastically and with yet another bag in his clutches. My friend's eyes widened in surprise with her tail and ears perking up in kind. With a light in her eyes, she exclaimed, “Nalek!”
The two embraced with shrill squeals and laughter as Nalek's accompaniment and I traded awkward glances.
“It's been too long!”
“You never stayed in contact!”
The women exchanged giddy greetings and the pompous stranger turned to me, leering over me as though she was sizing me up.
“Who's your friend here?”
“Oh she's actually my-...”
Nampi paused for a moment, looking back to me.
“Yeah, she's a friend.”
“A friend,” Nalek repeated while her eyes flicked between Nampi and I. “Right.”
Somehow, I get the impression that that was judgemental.
“I'm Hileen, by the way,” I chirped, “if names are to be exchanged.”
“Hileen, that's a lovely name! And such plumage to match, it's a wonder you aren't swarmed by suitors!”
Internally, I groaned at the notion. The idea of being approached by someone to state their interest in me made me queasy, to say the least. Thankfully, I never had that issue growing up as most of the other drakes in school were too busy chasing girls who didn't have a lousy pigmentation mutation such as myself.
“I'm flattered,” I told Nalek before turning to the man whose name had yet to be introduced. “May we get your name?”
“Sask.”
His response was succinct and tonally flat, though there was a brief silence as I expected him to elaborate. Nalek's beads jingled as she lashed him on the calf with her tail.
“I'm Sask, Nalek's fiancée,” he added, throwing her a look to see if she was satisfied.
Nampi gasped with her paws over her snout. “Fiancée! Nalek, you're getting married and you never even told me!”
“Well, I felt a little guilty since it technically broke our pact we made when we were pups. You remember that?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? ‘Let she who bonds through betrothal first be cast out unto the world for all to admonish her!’”
Sask and I both gave inquisitive expressions. “You two spoke like that as pups?” Sask asked.
“Well, I'm paraphrasing,” Nampi admitted with a playful ear waggle. “But you get the gist.”
“Indeed, they do, sweet Nampi. Now, may I ask what you're doing bringing your avian friend here into this store on this fine claw?”
“Oh, no no, she's the one treating me! Isn't that right, Red?”
I saw her tail twitch and was sure it took restraint not to tickle my neck with it as we stood before her old friend.
“She's been a good friend,” I explained. “So I wanted to reverse the roles for once and treat her to something myself.”
Nampi skipped over to me and wrapped her arm around me, glancing back to her old friend. “See? We'd all be so lucky to have a… friend like her.”
“So I've witnessed. But perhaps you're a bit stuck, as I've seen you prancing up and down these aisles for a while, no? Maybe you don't know what you want?”
“Nalek, you know I've never been good about making my mind up.”
“Some things never change, you ditz. Tell you what: you and Sask go find us a seat and we can catch up all we'd like when we're not taking up aisle space, yes? So shoo! I'll help Hileen here pick one out for you!”
With a bored grunt, Sask made off with the goods he had strapped to himself, followed by Nampi who gave me one more playful tail flick before dashing off into the crowd. I looked back to the mottled snout of Nalek who watched her friend wander off with a wistful glance.
“She was my first, you know.”
“Your what now.”
“Love. Way back when we were growing from pups into young adults back in private education, we explored much together. We saw each other through a lot, including the less savory parts of finding a mate. When Nampi realized it wasn't the boys she was into, she turned to me, and I offered my hand as her stalwart companion… to a point.”
“You weren't interested in her the same way?”
“I'd grown up seeing her as a sister of sorts, so ultimately, when we split it off, we stayed close as friends and she never seemed to be bothered by it. She struggled to find others in school who had the same interests as herself, but she never fussed about it.”
Nalek's claws browsed over a set of pouched bandoliers made with intricate embroidering. “Have you two… spent the night together? Alone?”
Spiritually, I reeled from the inquiry. The whiplash from that question was equitable to being smacked by a human. “Wha- why? How's that pertinent to the subject at hand?”
“That sounds like a ‘yes’ to me,” she purred with a smug glance my way.
I didn't need to begin to list the different ways such a question was violating to our privacy, and yet this woman was treating it like a game.
“Not really your concern, ma'am.”
Nalek chuckled as she picked out one of the bandoliers and inspected it with her claws. “I'd like to think that she and I still have that old connection, despite everything. And to that end, I know that she's no slag and doesn't trust easy. To see her be so vulnerable around you and to talk so highly of someone who's clearly below her income level as a predator…”
She stretched the bandolier out to appreciate the design in its entirety.
“Well, that's something special. Here"- she foisted the accessory into my wings as I stood gobsmacked -"this just screams her name.”
“This is, like, double my budget.”
“Love don't come cheap, darling. You wanna see good things happen, sometimes you've gotta step out of your comfort zone and grasp for it!”
“I'm being lectured by a rich woman on finances.”
“It's a philosophy that goes beyond money, ‘Red.’ The humans have a saying, in their horrendously predatory nomenclature, that contains a kernel of truth: ‘you miss every shot you don't take’.”
Yep, that's definitely a human phrase.
Nalek's steely braid rattled with every flick of the tail as we proceeded through the checkout.
“You want things to change between you and her?” she continued. “Don't just wait for it to happen.”
She let the conversation rest there as we finished the purchase, possibly to let me recuperate mentally from the damage done to my account. Outside, we found our respective partners sitting at a table with Sask looking up in boredom as Nampi chatted away, though she immediately shut up and turned to me with excited flicks of her tail as she saw what I was carrying.
I held it toward her and she happily shot to her feet, effortlessly removing the tags with her claws and clipping it to her belt. Nalek clapped and waggled her tail as the giddy lady did a whirl about to let us admire the accessory. While I'd have preferred one with pockets to give it a more practical use, I decided to let Nalek have the victory as our mutual friend clearly enjoyed it.
The rest of the paw was a blur as the two friends chatted without end until Sask eventually reminded his betrothed that they had a schedule to attend to. Though Nalek offered to call us a taxi home as a gesture of kindness, I saw through her ruse to determine that she was trying to pull a fast one on me - the clever ear flick she gave as we boarded the automated vehicle sold it for me.
We sat in the seats as the vehicle took the express ride home.
Nampi cleared her throat before she spoke, “Thank you for taking some time to spend with me, I know you've had a lot less free time as of late.”
“It's a prison of my own design, if I must be honest. A feedback loop of working a job that doesn't guarantee a paycheck to pay for rent that keeps going up, and thus needing to work more.”
The venlil giggled and chided me, “You really should've stayed in university.”
“There's a lotta 'should haves’ that've led me to this point. No use wondering what could have been.”
“There's always a use for wondering what could have been, Hileen.”
She wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Every decision I make, I always wonder what I could've done differently that it'd have turned out better,” she explained as she waved her free paw to the sky. “It's how you grow as a person, Red.”
Her silky pelt felt heavenly in contrast to the chilly air from outside, making it hard to let her words sink in.
“You rich types seem chock full of philosophy. I wonder if I'll become a brooding orator when I get some cash to my name.”
The cab filled with laughter as we veered around the final corner to my neighborhood, as it was the closest stop. The door popped open accompanied by a chime from the drone, signaling for me to depart.
But before my talons could even hit the pavement, I felt Nampi's scrawny arms wrap around my waist and she let out a pitiful mewl again.
“You don't need to get off here,” she told me with a pouty expression. “We can spend the rest of the paw at my place.”
“I'd love it, but I need to water my plants and get the month's bills sorted before they're due. Again.”
One claw at a time, I plucked her paws from around my waist and the childish venlil conceded, giving me another ear waggle as I departed. “I'll see you tomorrow?” I asked her.
“If you still have eyes by then, then you can bet your ass!”
“I still don't gamble.”
“You'll come around to it eventually.”
I shut the door to the taxi and watched as it carted away the one venlil who I ever truly felt on the same wavelength as. Fiddling with the lock felt like more of a chore than usual at this time as I felt a little voice tugging at the back of my head.
“You miss every shot you don't take.”
The lock felt jammed as I began to jiggle it more vigorously with the electric key. Either the RFID or NFC readers were messed up, as the lock refused to accept my key. I looked up and down the street, though Nampi was now long gone for me to rescind my earlier rejection.
“Every decision I make, I wonder what I could've done differently.”
The door rattled as I grew more and more infuriated with the lock. Qitel's smug expression as he threatened me so boldly in public played back in my head, and I wondered what would've happened had I decided to go through with insulting his mother. Better yet, I wondered what could've been had I not backed down in the face of his unflinching confidence.
Bzzt. The lock rejected my key again.
“Raagh! You fucking useless hunk of junk!”
I squawked in anger and kicked against the door, careless of the consequences of having Markol back down here to admonish another of his tenants for causing a ruckus. The walls were surprisingly sturdy for how ineffective the venlil architecture looked on the surface and I reeled back in pain as my leg throbbed.
Click.
I looked to my left to see that it wasn't my door that came open, but that of the twins. The door cracked open ever so slightly, no doubt nudged by the force of my tirade and I sighed. Nobody was expected to be home at this time, with Vili being away and Luka leaving early to get a head start.
Luka had been given a stern talking-to by the landlord for allowing one of those cats into his apartment through neglect, and I was disappointed that he seemed to have not learned his lesson this time. In fact, it seemed he hadn't even thought to lock the door this time.
I took it upon myself to shut the door for him before turning back to my own apartment door. Grasping the key with one talon, I turned it ever so gently, though the lock still refused to give in.
With a bit more force, the torsion applied to the key felt as though it should've snapped it by now. Markol sure didn't waste any expense for the security for this place, doubtlessly as a result of his history in electronic security, but I wished now that he had provided a way in that didn't rely on privately sourced locks.
Considering my options as I stood trapped outside, I realized that I had never gotten around to paying for a new lock for Tadi. I'd considered contacting her to inform her that Tac had made it out of town safely, but that'd involve also telling her that her son was now in the care of humans as if that was a better outcome to her.
Stepping out front, I realized that there was one more option I hadn't considered: my window. I usually forgot to lock it after I was through letting air circulate and I was silently grateful to myself for this absentmindedness now more than ever. Sticking a foot on the threshold, I lifted myself in a way that'd allow me to have leverage to force the window open.
The window made me fight for every inch, but I felt a strange satisfaction as it slowly opened up into an entrance that I could squeeze my way through. I let out a sigh as my talons clicked against the cool floor and slid the window shut.
I laid my satchel on the couch and turned back to the door, ready to unleash my fury on the disobedient object. But as I reached for the lock to manually open the door, I noted that the lights on the RFID interface both flashed at once, blinking erratically. Red and green flickered without rhyme or reason, indicating that it was both active and inactive.
As pretty as the colors were, I now knew that Markol's locks were not as reliable as he had touted them about: typically, such would not occur unless the device was damaged deliberately, and yet nothing indicated that I'd had uninvited guests. One could pray that those cats didn't secretly know how to cobble together an ECM jammer, but my personal wager was on faulty equipment.
Settling in, I browsed my favorite soaps on the television. For what was intended to be a day of relaxation and show of affection for a friend, I found myself rather wound up over all the things that added up. Couples threw around flowery words and swooned over one another on screen as I felt the tension diffuse. My holopad rang and I turned it over to spot that Nampi was informing me that she'd arrived home safely.
>>> Feels empty here, all alone.
She made sure to drive the point home with a sticker of a venlil making a pouty expression.
Next time, I thought to myself, I'll get it right for you, Nampi.
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Back in the early 1970s (during the UFO Wave of 74), two of my brothers were living at home while in college. Where heavy into UFO investigation with MUFON and legendary NICAP UFO investigation organizations. My brothers got tired of being there after the fact and taking down pages of interviews and scientific dates on any trace evidence. So they got it into their heads to put their extensive knowledge of amateur radio, electronics, astronomy, and UFOs to good use. They mapped out “sighting hotspots” and then went out to those locations to camp out. When they spotted anything interesting, they attempted to make contact. It ultimately worked, and their new ‘little friends in those saucers’ tracked them back to our typical family home in the suburbs. The airspace above our home became a weekly UFO-sighting hot spot. So much so that it caught the interest of unmarked military surveillance and later the authentic men in black. Meanwhile, in the wee hours of the night or morning, we would have ‘Visitors’
I was involved in two of those visits as a six- and later eight-year-old. I woke up in the 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. hour twice. To find an intense blue light shining in from all windows of the house and in the shadows, it is within the house. The shadows moved with small figures not of this earth. I ran into my parents bedroom in panic and grabbed my father’s foot to shake him awake. Only to find his entire body move or slide across the surface of the mattress, as weightless as a balloon. I tried again! Again, the same response. I ran around the bed to my mother to shake her awake. She was lying on her side, her face facing me. Her eyes were completely open, and tears were streaming down her cheek. And she was just as weightless and frozen stiff as my father! I ran out of the room now, in panic, into my brother's bedroom. Both of them are the same, this time facing up stiff as boards in their twin beds. And finally, into my sister's room (she was four years older than me). My sister's eyes were open, and she was frozen stiff in bed, face up and in a screeching.
Panic and now in hysterics I backed out into the hallway. Weeping and hyperventilating. Because over my shoulder down the hall and into the living room, some twenty feet away. The shadows were coming at me from every corner. I ran back into my parents bedroom, grabbing their feet at the foot of the bed, screaming, Momma! Poppa!! Momma!! Poppa!!! In the panic, I made a last attempt to get some help. In my mind, screaming, my conscience told me over and over again, “They are all dead!”
That is when I felt two small hands come across the top of my shoulders from behind. Four fingers each dug into my shoulders. By the grip, they had a delicate female feel to them. But extremely elongated. And I heard a female voice, gentle as an angel, say. “They are alright, Little One.” The instant I heard that voice, I went limp; the hysterics, the panic, and the shear horror of the moment vanquished and disappeared as if they never existed. Even though facing forward, I watched as my parents weightless bodies float back and forth on top of their sheet-less bed, subsiding from my shaking them moments before. I was now just a silent observer, as if I were watching the scene unfold from above. My body is limp in the grip of this unseen being. Limp without any free will or even the ability to move.
She continued, “They are only sleeping. All is fine. You shouldn’t be up to see this.” I was escorted across the room. (We had a 3-bedroom, 1-story typical suburbian ranch.) Being the youngest, I was forced to have a corner of my parents bedroom. The room was divided by a fold-out wooden partition, though this night it was down. It escorted me across the room from behind, guiding me and pushing me forward towards my bed. Repeating the above line. Finally escorted to my bed, I was turned around and sat down on the edge of my bed. Until I faced it face-to-face.
As to what I saw before me, It’s on the cover of Whitney Stribers ‘Communion.’
She reiterated the above a third time, adding. “Now back to sleep with you,” I smiled at her and obeyed completely under her’s control. I swung my feet up into bed. Still sitting up, I turned to her one last time. Smiled again. And when I turned around in bed, Looking down. I saw something I cannot explain. which will sound unbelievable to any reader reading this. Including you.
I saw my body still in bed! And I laid down back into it!
And I went back to sleep. The next morning, I woke up at noon. My mother is shaking me awake. Since I had never slept so long before and had missed my Saturday morning ritual of cartoon watching, I woke up before everyone else, and my snackes set out for the whole Saturday morning cartoon watching ritual. It was noon. And my mom was a bit panicked at my not waking up. But finally, she releaved.
I did try to tell my parents what had happened. But parents, being parents, are confronted with such a story. “It was just a dream.”
My brothers, though, turned pale as sheets. They have had similar events, which I learned about much later.
Again, this was 1974. Before the UFO phenomenon became a subject of popular media and public consciousness, The UFO subject was still rather underground.
I did have a second encounter with “The Night Visitors,” as we call them. I again awoke in the middle of a possible abduction of my entire family. She was again there! But this time, it was rather peaceful. It was playful and surprising in that I was surprised here again. And I got a very distinct sense of amusement from her. And she kindly ordered me to go back to bed on my own this time. And I did it without question or putting up a fight.
Of course, my mother was across the room, her eyes open, her face frozen in panic, and a silent, frozen scream was across her face.
Those are but two of the dozens of UFO-related encounters my family had throughout the 1970s. Two of four things that personally happened to me! The two others did not involve a face-to-face encounter.
Those two events. Those two fully conscious memories and body-feel memories altered my entire life. In the late 1980s, I entered college myself. Cultural Anthropology Degree: I also joined MUFON as an investigator and several other formal academic-based organizations into the Paranormal, which I will not name here, and for the sake of their tenure and academic reputations, I wouldn’t like to be named. All in the hopes of finding answers. Personal answers and truths as to what my entire family and I experienced. In the decades since the on-and-off investigation, I have come in contact with and interviewed true ex-military intelligence operators, people in the know, and even former Apollo astronauts. Which btw will talk. Only if their stories will never come to light to the larger public. People will be people, even if NDAs are involved. Humans are, after all, notorious gossips. Over a backyard BBQ or sharing a few beers over a mutually enjoyed big game. They will tell you everything when they absolutely trust you as a friend.
I can tell you this. David Jacobs is not entirely alarmist in his hypothesis!
Nor is Richard Dolan’s and Dr.Steve Greers argument for purely benevolent visitors entirely true!
As benevolent as that female voice and being were to me,.
I will forever see the silent, tearful, frozen scream of my mother and my sister’s faces over that visitor's shoulder!
We must keep an open mind when it comes to this phenomenon and examine all possibilities!
After all, we are dealing with something totally alien and totally foreign!
And the likes of the late Stephen Hawking are entirely correct. “As we know from history, when the Spanish landed in the New World (North America), it did not go well for the native population.”
56, Anthropology Degree Holder, Male

I was encouraged to post this by Tarpy. Originally I posted it under the Experiencers sub. **
I want to start off by saying that, I'm not upset or mad at the experience. It was pretty informative and in-depth, from my point of view.
I went to bed with the intention of remembering my dreams/lucidity and even asked my spiritual patron to help me remember. The addage " be careful what you ask" certainly applies. I remember coming to in this what felt like underground base, kissing this girl next to me on this bed/table(?). And I was like wtf, and she goes "we're not supposed to be awake". I take the opportunity to look around at my surroundings and I see a sign that catches my eye across the room labled "Birthing Rooms". I think think to myself, what exactly is being cared for in that area?
Anyway, I remember fighting this anesthesia pretty hard so I could get a better look around and remember. The girl was very sweet but didn't want to be there and neither did I. We were both naked but neither of us were in the mood. So all I could think to do was wrap my arms around her and comfort her as best I could. She ended up falling asleep.
A little time passed and this male tech/nurse comes over and he goes "it looks like she fell asleep" and told me to get up, called me my first name and everything. He was very nice by the way, and he goes "it looks like you've had your back sliced open" (I've had back problems most of my life) and seemed to care how I was doing. All I could answer whenever he asked a question was 'mhmm'.
Anyway he told me not to touch him and l guess looked over my back. We started to walk down this ramp towards a shower area and goes "tell them that something went wrong with the procedure" and led me to an open shower stall. There was this guard sitting there, I guess to make sure no one flipped out or something. Had a badge and everything. He seemed like this was pretty routine and was pretty chill.
The male tech hands me this blue gel in this round plastic bottle and tells me to scrub with it really good to get all the bacteria and such off. Apparently I only had 15 minutes to do so. In my half awake state I stumbled over to the other shower stall and got the water running and made sure it was at the temperature I liked.
Next this I remember I was being escorted over to a row of computers with chairs pulled out. Metal folding chairs to be exact. They wanted me to take a survey on my experience (what?) and I sat sideways on the chair and then adjusted it. There was a pulldown option for how I was spiritually aligned (?) and the option read "Shadow Born - A dislike for the Light), so being an Occultist I was like "oh they know me" and chose that one. I don't remember much beyond that.
I will say the 'dream' felt very familiar. I had done this before and I casually knew the tech guy and the guard who watched me shower.
Anyway, I woke up in my bed, on my side with my boyfriend still asleep next to me. My brain wants to rationalize it as a dream, since I still have my socks on from when I went to bed.
I guess I'm looking for feedback and heck, if it wasn't a dream, tech guy or whoever monitors me (tinfoil hat) , feel free to reach out. I debated on even posting this, since I'm not sure if I'm even supposed to remember.
Like I said, I'm not upset but could really use some answers. I'd also like to point out that yesterday was my 42nd birthday. So, maybe that was something important too?

Live Results
Live Stream
We're back for a big Sunday of racing in absolutely BEAUTIFUL conditions! Most of the small boat titles have been awarded, and congrats to all newly-christened National Champions! I'm at NE Regionals again today so somewhat limited for time, so I'm keeping it to the Novice 8+s and Varsity 8+s and 4+s. In we go!

WN8+ (10:51 am)

Powerful showing from Purdue as they claim the championship! They took a half boat length lead off the start and stayed in control through the whole race. UCSB gave them no room to relax as they retained contact through the whole race, but Purdue would not be denied and crossed the line with their coxswain on UCSB's bow seat. The race for third was super compelling, with Bowdoin racing out to an early 5-seat lead on Illinois. Camera angles made it hard to tell, but somewhere in the third 500, Illinois hit Bowdoin with a move that Bowdoin simply could not respond to and took a lead heading into the last 500, and Illinois held on for the rest of the race to round out the podium. Great racing all around! Now let's see if Purdue's male counterparts can bring home the gold on the other side.

MN8+ (11:04 am)

Strong start by Coast, taking roughly half a length lead on the field through the first minute, but Purdue absorbed the blow and and had taken a two seat lead through the 1000m. By around 1250m Purdue had a bow-to-stern lead on OCC and looked to be in full control of the race for gold. Cameras focused mainly on the leaders so it was hard to tell, but it looked like a tight race for third between Minnesota and UC Davis with Bucknell just a bit off the pace and USC off the pace. Entering the last 500, Minnesota and UC Davis were in a dead heat for third while OCC and Purdue's positions were mostly unchanged. Entering the red buoys, UC Davis had maybe a one seat advantage, but Minnesota looked to be winding up one last killer sprint. UC Davis managed to hold onto their slight advantage for a bow deck win for third! Purdue finished off a dominant campaign with national title, OCC close behind ~4 seats back, and UC Davis absorbed late charges from Minnesota and Bucknell to take bronze, with Minnesota finishing 0.2s back and Bucknell 0.17 back of Minnesota!

WV4+ (11:18 am)

All weekend this has looked like FIT's race to lose, and they proved it with a dominant start off the line to have open water by the minute mark and multiple lengths of open water by the two minute mark. Behind them, a tight race for the last two medals formed, with Lafayette having a bow-to-stern lead over Texas and Virginia Tech locked in a dead heat up to the 1000m mark. Through the 1000m, VaTech took a strong move to take a length lead on Texas and chew into Lafayette's margin, though Lafayette maintained a full length lead on the challengers. Crossing the 1500 saw now meaningful change in the margins, with FIT walking away from the field while Lafayette maintained a stiff-arm lead over VaTech while Texas fell off the pace a bit. Entering the red buoys there was no drama, with FIT poised to claim it's second-straight ACRA title! Lafayette held its length advantage all the way to the line, and Virginia Tech crossed two seconds later to claim its bronze. Well raced by all!

MV4+ (11:32 am)

As they have all weekend, WashU St Louis asserted themselves early into this race, taking a bow-to-stern lead on defending champ Bowdoin by the two minute mark. Bowdoin held a two seat lead on Florida and three seat lead on Lafayette, though both those margins tightened to near even as the crews approached the thousand, while WashU continued to walk away from the field. By the time crews crossed the 1000m, Florida had taken a slight lead over Bowdoin while Lafayette fell a bit off the pace for the race to third. WashU continued to build their lead with some impressively clean rowing. Crossing the 1500m, WashU had open water over Florida, who was bow to stern on Bowdoin who was bow to stern on a sudden charge from Michigan State, who themselves were three seats up on Lafayette. WashU held their composure and put a bow on their dominant weekend of racing with an equally-dominant time of 6:41. while Florida held onto them for a 6:44 and Bowdoin absorbed the challenge from MSU to round out the podium with a 6:49. Big congratulations to WashU and a fantastic race by all the MV4+s!

M2V8+ (11:45 am)

Exciting start to the 2V8+! UVA with about a half boat length lead off the line with Michigan and UCLA close behind. By around 500m in, UVA was roughly half a length up on Michigan while Michigan was half a length up on UCLA. Going into the thousand. UVA was up by nearly a full length on Michigan who was likewise up on UCLA, and Purdue began a hard charge out of lane 6 to assert themselves into the medal conversation. By the 1250m mark, Purdue had walked past UCLA and was even with Michigan, and the Midwest dogfight started to push both crews into UVA's margin. UVA responded and held their coxswain on Michigan and Purdue's bowdecks. Heading into the last 250m, UVA looked primed to win gold while Michigan had started walking on Purdue, taking a 4-seat lead at the red buoys. As the crews crossed the line, we had Virginia in first, Michigan in second by half a length, and Purdue in third by half a length. Congratulations to all the medal winners!

W2V8+ (11:58 am)

Okay I'm happy for WashU's 2- but can we get to the race in progress and just play their audio over the video of the race? The W2V8+ grand final is literally happening right now we lost the entire first half of this race. Even though I'm 100% in favor of getting more athlete voices , just fold it into the existing coverage instead of wholesale ignoring races on the water. At the 1000m mark, Bowdoin had a length lead over Vermont, who had a narrow lead over UC Irvine, with no one else challenging for a medal. Bowdoin maintained their dominant lead, stretching it out to clear water entering the last 500m, and UC Irvine jumped first to take a lead on Vermont heading into the red buoys. Crossing the line, we had Bowdoin with clear water, with UCI in second with a half length lead over Vermont. Fantastic second half by Irvine, and well rowed overall by all boats!

MV8+ (12:36 pm)

WHAT A RACE! What an absolutely incredible race! Off the line it was UVA with the slightest of leads on UCLA, who themselves had a two seat lead on Notre Dame. By around the 750, Notre Dame clawed back up to be even with UCLA, and both were still down by a few seats on UVA. The real magic kicked in at the ~1100m mark though; ND and UCLA pulled back to be even with UVA, and for the next 700 meters, there were just three crews going absolutely ham, stroke for stroke down the course. One crew would take the lead and the others would immediately respond. Going into the red buoys, Notre Dame started to find another gear and walked up to a half boat length lead, with UCLA roughly two seats ahead of UVA. Then, in a moment of serendipity for UVA and tragedy for UCLA, the Bruins' 3 seat caught a crab with 100m to go. UVA immediately pounced on the mistake, and the crews crossed the finish line in order of Notre Dame, UVA (+1.5), UCLA (+1.9). Congratulations to Notre Dame on a monster performance, and while I'm heartbroken for my guys, it doesn't get better than that.
Also want to highlight, ACRA with THREE crews going sub-5:50 this year is wildly impressive. Club rowing is back baby.

WV8+ (1:00 pm)

What a finish to the regatta! Neither of the V8+ races disappointed. Vanderbilt jumped out to an early lead and had roughly half a boat length on Purdue going into the thousand, but Purdue simply would not let them go. Entering the last 500, Vandy held a 4 seat lead, but Purdue began a hard charge to continue applying pressure and was taking seats all the way to the red buoys, where the margin for first had dwindled down to just half a seat. Once the red buoys hit, Vanderbilt finally responded and simply would not let the Boilermakers past, holding on to their half seat lead to become national champions! It was hard to tell from the camera, but Northwestern held a half-length lead over UC Irvine to round out the podium and take third. Fantastic racing, fantastic regatta, and I can’t wait to do it again next year.