Thank you for all the beautiful mail!
~
u/Boomer1717 I love this empire state building construction postcard! Reminds me of that classic photo of construction workers eating their lunch on a high beam. Thank you also for the silly dog story! 🐶
u/a5k2h5 I will DO MY BEST, haha! Thank you for the encouraging postcard and inspiring quote. ✍️
u/hispanglotexan Thank you for the earth day card. I appreciated the coral reef fact! 🪸
u/EntireInevitable26 Thank you for this butterfly card! The poem you shared is so special. I love seeing handwritten poetry. 🦋
u/princecowboy Congrats on reaching 100! Isn't RAoC such a wonderful community?? 💌
u/Anxietys_Playground Thank you for the handmade "Persephone" card. I had forgotten about her connection to pomegranates! PS. You are my 200th RAoC card received! 🌷
u/banishment_thisworld I loved this little envelope inside an envelope! Glad to hear you're enjoying my very random mailing list. Extra thanks for the stickers! 🐰
u/cheeneebobeanie_ I can't believe this is a scratch-off card! I would have thought it was just a beautiful silver design. Thank you! 🌈
u/Keqani Thank you for this sunset postcard. I love all the stickers. I'll have to check out IU's music. 🌅
u/snerdboff I love this random happy mail! So pretty how you turns the used stamp into a new card. I had never heard of Planet Word, so I should definitely check it out! Thank you also for the extra stickers. 💟
u/melhen16 Thank you for the butterfly postcard with WV facts! I always enjoy the vintage stamps that you use. 🇺🇸
u/Mediocre_Radish_7216 I feel so fortunate to benefit from your decluttering efforts! The "Happy Friends Day" message actually made my day. I love this RAoC community! Thanks for all the delightful stickers and washi tape. 🤗
u/Rand_ston Wow, you picked the perfect destash for me! This weird geometry insect art is right up my alley! Thank you! 🐛
u/thecaledonianrose Such a distinguished cat! Thank you for this cool card. 😻
u/ArmadaKristy Thanks for sharing your delightful wedding TY postcard! The quote you included was so lovely too. 👰
u/chiquita61 x2 Thank you for the waterfall postcard! I love that the walkway is literally called "Mist Trail." 💧 Also, I love this handmaid mermaids card! Thank you for all the stickers. I highly recommend the Netflix documentary called Merpeople. 🧜
u/feellikebeingajerk Thanks for this card with the Ryan Lochte quote! You're so generous with stickers. Funny to hear about your Olympic mittens too. 🧤

We have a six foot privacy fence.. cannot see through.. even have cement bricks at the bottom to block any smell.. but we are surrounded by small dogs. 3 behind us and one to the right of us. I check to make sure no one is outside every time we go out.. but without fail.. ONE or sometimes multiple of them are outside and start barking which in turn sends my dog into an absolute tailspin. He then redirects his agression on our other dog. He is IMMEDIATELY over threshold when he hears the bark.. There is NO CHANCE to redirect , read body language, distract — because they bark and its OVER. He only goes outside on a long lead.. never alone. and at this point we only get out to to potty and back inside. We take him on 2 mile walks a day in a secluded area with very small chance of seeing a dog, mental enrichment in the house, scattter feeding at 6am outside
I just want him to be neutral in the back yard!! is that too much to ask?! I have been working so hard with him on recall, and it just.. it doesnt matter because the bark that I cant anticipate coming happens and its a loosing battle.. and im defeated.
His sister dog— Makes it NOT any easier. She then starts barking AT HIM as he is growling and fighting me as I am pulling him inside.
I think I need to talk to his vet about medication. I dont know anymore. We have had a trainer, behaviorist, and contiued efforts and NONE have made the back yard any better and the only reason our walks go.. somewhat ok.. is because we rarelllllyyy see another soul. I am at the end of my rope and feel like a prisoner in my own home.

My (F26) boyfriend John (M29) has been with me for about a year— he’s met my parents but not my brother. My little brother Tom (M10) is going through a “dog phase”, basically he likes to crawl around and bark and act like a dog. We think it’s hilarious and we ask him to do tricks and we give him candy as treats. It’s all good fun and he isn’t like messed up in the head, it’s just something he likes to do.
John and I had plans to go on a date tonight but I had a work emergency and had to rush to work, so I asked if he could come over and watch my little brother until my mom got home. He agreed readily (love him) but due to the time crunch I didn’t really tell him about Tom’s dog phase. I figured it wouldn’t really be an issue so I left once he got to my house and went to work.
I don’t get to check my phone at work often but John called and asked if it was okay to go outside with Tom, as he wanted to play outside. He also asked if Tom was okay, because instead of asking he just sat and kind of poked at John and then the door. I said yeah he’s fine but then I had to go back to work. I didn’t hear from them until I finished at work and went home, my mom was there but John wasn’t. My mom told me I needed to talk to John because he really upset Tom. I talked to Tom and he said that he was just playing and John started yelling at him and scared him.
Tom is really sensitive and if anybody talks sternly to him or disciplines him he considers it yelling, so I didn’t immediately assume John actually screamed at him or anything. John and I talked and I asked what happened and according to him, he went to our backyard with Tom and sat reading a book while Tom played.
He said he checked on him every five minutes or so and he was fine, but one time he looked up and didn’t see him so he looked for him. He says he found Tom going #2 by the side of our house and he told him to stop that, which scared Tom really bad. John says he sat Tom down and tried to explain that you shouldn’t do that outside and that if he had to go to the bathroom he could just go inside or ask John to take him, but Tom threw a fit and, according to John, “started kicking and shitting everywhere”. I didn’t believe him at first but he sent me a picture of his shoes which had poop on them and I also went outside where I could kind of see the residue on the floor. I talked to my mom and she’s extremely upset and says John had no right to discipline a child that isn’t his. I kind of agree with her but I also feel really bad that John got his shoes dirty.
I was talking to my friends to get a second opinion and they all said that I need to give John. This kinda upset me but I value their opinion highly so I’m not sure who I should believe. So AITA?

Only slightly hyperbole. Obviously I want a good game overall, but damn, can a brother get a nappy temp fade? Sometimes I wanna make my OC a black woman. Are bantu knots too much to ask for?
It's disheartening and othering to see game developers often make our hair an afterthought. When our characters don't reflect the diversity of Black hairstyles, it feels like a part of our identity is being overlooked. It's not just about having more hairstyles; it's about acknowledging the rich variety and cultural significance of Black hair. We're more than afros, braids, and dreads. Our hairstyles have history, meaning, and style that deserve recognition and representation.
In 2024, it's inexcusable to limit Black characters to just a handful of hairstyles while offering an extensive array for others. Our hair doesn't just grow in three styles. This lack of representation is not just a cosmetic oversight; it's a reflection of a broader issue of inclusivity in gaming. We want to see characters that look like us, that represent the diversity of Black hair - from twists and Bantu knots to fades and more.
How are we supposed to immerse ourselves in fantastical worlds, slaying dragons or navigating cyberpunk cities, when our avatars can't even accurately reflect us? Just take a look at this rdcworld1 video – it's a humorous take, but it underscores a real frustration in the gaming community. It's time for game developers to step up and give Black gamers the representation they deserve.
Bad Examples and Discussions for Context:

• How hard is it to make Spider-Man's hair?
• Black Representation in video games: Hairstyles
• You cannot make a convincing black person in Cyberpunk 2077
• Dear Video Game Character Creators: You Still Need Work
• The Natural: The Trouble Portraying Blackness in Video Games
• Why are black Hair options still so limited in Video Games
• How Character Customization be for Black People on Video Games
• Creating Myself In Monster Hunter World Rise
• We Need To Fix Black Hair in Video Games - The Blessing Show

BarbeWebsites for References:

• ibeenafrican Instagram
• trinaydidit Instagram
• Traditional African hairstyles
• 52 Beautiful Traditional African Hairstyles 2023
• 36 Gorgeous Traditional African Hairstyles for the Trendy Black Woman

Tutorials:

• Cornrow/Braids - Realtime hair breakdown/tutorial by Hazel Brown
• How To Create A Fade Hairstyle - Game Art by TriGon

Good Examples:

1. Image 1
2. Image 2
3. Image 3
4. Image 4
5. Image 5
6. Image 6
7. Image 7
8. Image 8
9. Image 9
10. Image 10
11. Image 11
12. Image 12
13. Image 13
14. Image 14
15. Image 15
16. Image 16
17. Image 17
18. Image 18
19. Image 19

Big shout out to Jeryce Dianingana for compiling the links! I just put them in reddit format.

“Get the fuck out of my house with this ‘ old country’ shit Sylvia, I’m serious. “ I hear my dad say from the kitchen downstairs.
“I give children and idiots three warnings. That’s your first. “ It takes me a second to recognize my aunt’s voice. I’ve only met her a handful of times, and it’s nearly 2am.
“Syl, he’s right, this is crazy. I’m Roma, I’m proud, but your part of the family, and mine are two separate things. “ My mom interjects. Her voice is calm and level.
I woke up about half way through whatever is going on, and I’m fuzzy on the details, but everyone involved is three kinds of pissed.
“So you say, but just because you ignore the other side, doesn’t mean the other side ignores you. “ Aunt Syl replies, I could never quite place her accent, but it makes her statement all the more sinister.
“Might as well make that the family motto.
Syl, there are a couple dozen other kids Nikolas’ age in the family. Half of which are already hip deep in whatever is going on nowadays, you don’t need him. “ Mom isn’t pleading, but I can hear she’s worried.
“Why are we trying to reason with your crazy aunt? Time to go Syl. “ My dad isn’t worried, he’s angry.
“That’s two. “ Aunt Sylvia replies.
I hear a chair squeak then fall to the floor.
“That’s three. “ Sylvia says, her voice is cold, and I swear I could almost hear an echo.
I can hear my dad start to quietly cough, he sounds like he’s trying to talk but can’t. My heart starts to race, I don’t understand what’s going on, but I know it’s bad.
“Syl! Jesus Christ, that’s my husband. “ Mom sounds more offended than scared now. I wish I could say the same.
I stand next to my cracked door, fear beginning to take hold.
I can hear my dad start to take long wheezing breaths, I have no idea if this is a good or bad thing.
“Happy?
Now that any hope of doing this quietly is over, Nikolas and I have a long drive ahead of us. He’s 16, he has a license, yes? “ I hear Sylvia say, sudden footsteps walking up the stairs.
“No, he’s not interested in driving. You can’t take him Syl. “ my mom sounds frantic, Sylvia’s steps are measured and heavy.
“Not interested? You sure we are related? You raise soft children. “ Sylvia ends this with a dismissive laugh.
The few minutes that followed were kind of a blur, with my mom trying to convince me that I was just going to visit family, as if I didn’t just hear everything.
It's a couple hours into a long drive in a small car when my brain finally catches up to the fact that I’m awake, and going 30 miles an hour over the speed limit.
Aunt Syl sits in the driver’s seat, she’s 40 something, olive skinned with pitch-colored hair. Her style, it’s, something.
Her outfit was the middle of a Venn diagram of hippie, punk rock and carpenter. Bracelets, flannel, paisley, and enough piercings I lost count.
“Any chance of putting both hands on the wheel? “ I say, I’m mad, but I don’t even really know why.
She holds up her left arm, and I’m shocked. It’s an ancient looking blued steel prosthetic. She flexes, the clawed, almost mitten-like hand.
“Go through too many steering wheels that way. “ She says with a smirk.
“What’s going on? “ I ask, after an agonizing fifteen minutes of silence.
“You’re a big boy, so if you want the truth, I’ll give it to you. There’s a job that needs to be done, a dangerous job. And I want you to do it.
Now, I want you, not because you’re strong, or smart, or special. We have many strong, smart, special boys.
You, I want, because you’re unknown, and, little one, disposable. “ Sylvia lets this comment hang like rotten fruit.
The next hour goes in silence, at no point do I even entertain the notion this is some kind of joke. Something about this woman’s energy, about the way she carries herself, it scares the shit out of me.
We board a plane, somehow she had all of my travel documents. Even stranger is that we get escorted past the security checkpoints, into first class.
The next words I say to Sylvia are, “You have to put that out! “ as she lights up a short, yellow, hand-rolled cigarette.
She grins, taking a long drag, it smells horrible, the cheapest roughest tobacco odor I’ve encountered.
She relaxes, a cloud of thick, grey smoke forming.
I’m stunned, not a single person says anything. At first I think maybe she’s some kind of, I don’t know, mobster or something.
But that isn’t quite right. No one is looking at her in fear, no one is telling anyone else not to say anything. It’s like no one notices what she’s doing.
“How does she do this? The little boy wonders.
I don’t come offering you a thankless task Nik. I come with an opportunity. “ Sylvia says before crushing the cigarette on the arm of a chair and tossing it into the isle.
I had questions, and between the fear and the confusion I asked every one of them.
The only response she gave me was, “You’ll see when we get there. “.
She was right.
The flight lands, and after an hour or so of driving the world’s oldest pickup through the English countryside, we wind up at an old farm house, in the middle of nowhere outside of Hammersmith.
The sign outside says “ Gritt Auctions” the letters are old, bronze and tarnished, the grounds are littered with car parts, statues, and errata of every type.
Dozens, maybe even a hundred people mill about each stopping for a moment to give a suspicious look at the interloper in their midst.
Sylvia seems amused at my nervousness. I try and give the rough looking folks around me as much space as I can.
“They’re family, mostly, by blood or marriage, with a handful of lost souls and hangers on. “ She explains.
I probably should have guessed, seeing my mom’s family name on the sign, but my brain is basically nothing more than fear, anxiety and jet lag at this point.
“When do I get to know what’s going on? “ I say, waving at a cousin of some form and receive a uniquely English rude gesture in return.
My ear is ringing, and I stumble , the left side of my face burning. I’d say Syl slapped me, but it was more of a polite punch.
“Don’t whine. You’ve been stolen from your mother, treated like a dog, and judging by Robert’s attitude, rejected by your family.
I don’t want to hear whining, you angry, soft boy? “ Sylvia stops and turns toward me. I notice the people around us stop their tasks, interested in our conversation.
“No… “ I begin, not wanting to piss her off.
I don’t even see the next slap, but it puts me on my ass.
“Next one’s with the left hand.
Are you angry Nikolas? “ Sylvia looms over me like a raven.
I feel something before I get to my feet, a hot, quick flash of hatred. A context free rage at the fucked up situation I’m in.
“Answer is still no. Because to be angry, I’d have to know a God-Damned thing about what’s going on.
But my lunatic aunt just picked me up and now I’m standing in the middle of whatever the English equivalent to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family is.
For all I know, I’m your new King. So no, I’m not angry, I’m annoyed, and maybe a bit worried my gene pool really needs some chlorine. “ I’m shocked at what I’m saying, but I see some smiles, hear a few laughs.
Sylvia’s face seems to soften slightly.
“There’s the Gritt in you. “ She says, starting to walk to an old barn.
I catch up to her as I attempt in vain to dust myself off.
Sylvia opens a small, strangely modern looking door, inside a row of lights automatically flip on.
In contrast to the rotten wood exterior, the inside of the barn looks modern, design wise it’s half way between a hospital and a car repair shop. Equipment of unknown purpose, gurneys and cages of all sizes and types surround me.
Sylvia walks to a door at the back, then pauses.
“Before I open this door, you need to understand something.
There is no fortune telling, or reading of cards here. The cloak of the traveller, the bangles of the gypsy, these are all ways of navigating the world to us. Ways to exist on the fringes of society.
The Gritt family, we trade in the unknown. We find, we collect, and we sell. And ours is no petty collection of trinkets and tools not meant for the hands of man.
Our grift, is livestock. “
The woman opens the door, and what I see, sitting, chained in one corner of the industrial cement walled cell shakes everything I thought I knew about reality.
He's six and a half feet tall, his skin a waxy yellow, and every spare inch is festooned with black stitching, rusted pieces of metal or small splinters of bone.
His face is noseless and asymmetrical, almost as if repaired or modified over and over. One eye is a small, sinister looking orb with a red pupil, the other a massive, almost reptilian thing, wildly twitching about.
He wears no shirt, but a long, grey hide Trenchcoat hangs down to his knees. I start to shake as I see it’s made from layers of stitched human skin.
He sneers at us, long, conical teeth catch the harsh halogen light.
The thing strains against the chains, but they bind him tightly enough to the wall he can barely move.
“You’re not lasting more than 4 seconds kid. Just turn the fuck around. I’ll have you slitting your wrists in the corner by nightfall. “ The thing says, it’s voice is foul, almost a physical force. Grating, rage filled, and with a lunatic edge to it that makes me question exactly how much those chains can take.
“ 3/10, Augustus, who do you think you are scaring with that limp dick of a threat? “ Sylvia says, confidently walking up to the creature.
It snaps it’s jaws with a sound like a rifle shot. No where near Sylvia, but enough to make me jump on the other side of the room.
“If I could stop being threatened and hearing my aunt talk about dicks, I’d be a huge fan. “ I say, something deep within me, pushing past the fear and lack of sleep, “And if anything feels like just telling me what’s going on instead of being vague and creepy, even better. “
The chained thing looks to me, curious. Sylvia smirks.
“Augustus is going to be forced to fight others like him until eventually he gets what’s coming to him for years of evil.
You, are going to stand next to him while he does it. “ Sylvia begins to walk away from the thing, ignoring vile threats of both the violent and carnal variety.
I try to follow her out the door and she blocks me.
“If your still sane and alive in the morning, I was right. Good luck soft boy. “ She says before closing the heavy metal door.
Without her, I feel tiny, that spark of rage is snuffed out and replaced with a cold sense of dread.
“You’re going to have to turn around sometime kid. “ The chained creature says.
I turn, slowly, resolving to make eye contact with the thing. I manage a second or two before looking away, the creature cackles, mocking me.
“Holy shit, they sent me an honest to God pussy. Whole family full of void fucked apes and they send me you?
The best part is, you don’t even get it. I can see what you’re thinking kid, I can see that tiny collection of hormones and goo you vainly call a brain going into overdrive trying to figure this out… “ Augustus starts.
The creature kept going, I don’t have an exact count but it was at least twelve hours.
I can only describe it as a verbal assault. Augustus drew from some dark wells, how it knew half of the things it did scared me as much as it’s clawed hands or, piranha-like teeth.
I lost something that night. The fears that thing drug up, the insecurities it played on, the secrets it knew, it crushed any childlike notions of safety or understanding the world I had.
Don’t take that the wrong way, I don’t mean it toughened me up. It broke any sense of confidence I had, took away any feeling of safety. That God Damned thing in the trenchcoat, changed me.
I’ve lost track of how long it’s been since I’ve slept, but I’m brought a tin plate heaped with eggs, sausage and for some twisted reason, brown beans. And realize it’s been at least a day since I’ve eaten.
I sit around an abused, graffiti carved picnic table with an eclectic combination of family I’ve never met. Syl sips a tea I can smell from ten feet away and looks at me like I’m a used car.
“I’m always right soft boy. Remember that. “ She says.
It takes a half dozen guys built like construction workers, with Sylvia following behind whispering things that wilt vegetation, to wrangle the creature into the back of an old, reinforced horse trailer.
The inside is covered in totems, runes, and other spooky looking errata. The entity becomes sluggish and disoriented as the heavy wooden doors close, and get sealed with a massive brass lock.
My mind begins to wander on the three hour trip through the back country of the UK. The sun sets, and my brain screams for sleep. That scream is silenced by the sense of mounting dread as we get closer to our destination.
We pull up to an abandoned theme restaurant, the parking lot is full, the windows are boarded, and the walls covered in graffiti. The place is huge, more the size of a small stadium than a diner.
The parking lot is full, the sputtering, sparking neon sign flashes “Faron’s Funhouse. “
It’s a few minutes outside of a town I forgot to catch the name of. We can see lights on the horizon, but there’s a feeling of wrong surrounding the building that makes them seem a million miles away.
A half dozen ‘cousins’ of mine move Augustus into a strange, almost coffin-like box made of wood, steel and glass, covered in trinkets and symbols. The thing sneers groggily from within, it’s mismatched eyes rolling in it’s skull.
I don’t hear Sylvia approach, I notice her as she smacks me in the back of the head hard enough to make my ears ring. The old, cruel woman is walking toward the doors of this meeting place.
“Eyes forward, sneer on your face, and walk like you know where you’re going. “ Are her only instructions.
For once, they’re clear and simple. What I see inside easily keeps my attention, and I’m equal parts scared and pissed off, so looking edgy and miserable is my default state.
At one point, this place was exactly what you’d think. I know you’re all expecting it to be a run down, rat infested haunted house now, but it was, stranger than that.
The place was well kept on the inside, but everything was either in use or repurposed to house the couple hundred eclectic customers milling around. In the centre, is a massive Lucite Cube, crystal clear and housing a ball pit, jungle gym and what looks to be a functional canteen, complete with a deep fryer and popcorn machine. It’s a couple hundred meters a side, and shaped like a flawed rectangle.
Smoke hangs in the air, my aunt greets old friends in a handful of different languages, I smile and nod, still trying to understand what the hell this place is.
We see Augustus being wheeled to the Lucite box, Sylvia cuts a laughing Cyrillic conversation short, and her and I make our way to the box that barely restrains the hatred and death inside.
At the other end of the Lucite Cube I see a few people dressed in blue and maroon uniforms ( if I were to guess vintage, from when this place served shitty food instead of violence.), they surround a massive, hulking, lanky thing. It’s obscured by smoke, and poor lighting, but it’s nine foot frame, and unnatural gait are clear.
The box holding Augustus sits about ten feet away from me, inside the massive cage. The front opens, my instinct is to step backward, get as much distance between me and the thing inside as possible, but instead, I’m shoved, before I can catch my balance, a workbook clad foot is in front of me.
I fall and stumble into the cage, I turn around to try and get out as fast as I can, I’m standing inches away from the creature, but I see Sylvia closing the clear, impermeable door.
It hits me then. For the first time since this ordeal started, I realize how grim things are.
Just like everyone else here, I’ve been raised on spooky shit packaged to be marketable. Little monsters, The Adams Family, Harry potter, hell let’s throw Pokemon and the like in there as it’s basically just dog fighting with a cute hat on.
And I thought what was happening to me, was somewhere on the Venn diagram of those things.
But as I see the impassive look on the face of a woman I’ve known since I was a child, ( at a distance or no.) as I’m locked in here with God knows what, I get it. I really get it.
His laughter is like an ice pick, I turn to face him, Augustus brushes himself off, casually looking around the massive arena.
“Just hit ya didn’t it, bud? “ He says, walking over to me, his steps impossibly quick, almost insect-like, “You’re not my trainer, or my wrangler, you certainly aren’t my fucking partner. “, the entity grabs my chin between two clawed fingers, “ You’re a bait dog. Something for me and that new blooded walking pun to fight over. “
My blood runs down his thumb, his grin cracks his face like a rotten melon, the monster pulls down, throwing me to the floor.
A buzzer sounds, and a three minute timer, projected in transparent red appears on the walls of the Lucite arena.
“If I’ve got to hunt you down in this shit-hole, things are going to be a lot worse for you. Stay put, bud. “ The trenchcoat clad thing says, casually walking toward the creature on the opposite side of the arena.
Closer now, I see it clearly. Inside of a pristine uniform, is a twisted attempt at the human form. The torso is lumpen, asymmetrical, but lean. It's arms nearly drag on the floor, yellow, infected looking flesh, weeping pus like a snail’s foot.
It's eyes are black caves, with just the hint of something deep within. It’s face is blank, a torn, haggard looking grey tongue runs over rotting green teeth.
The kid beside it looks around my age, he’s big though, just as confused and afraid as I am. He wears a similar uniform to the creature, but his looks, abused, torn, blood stained. Like it's been handed down from one unlucky owner to the next.
As the buzzer rings, the lanky, disgusting creature moves in a flash, tearing off the kid’s right arm and beginning to chew it.
The blood didn’t set me off, as terrible as it was. It was the three seconds between the act, and the poor kid realizing what happened that pushed me over the edge.
He started to scream, a horrible trapped animal kind of noise. He backs away from the monster beside him, gripping the crushed and torn remains of his forearm.
Augustus laughs, his trenchcoat drags on the floor, leaving a streak of blood as he walks.
“Man after my own heart.
So, I say, we split these sides of beef for two minutes then talk shop for a bit. Fuck these pretentious apes and their show. “ Augustus looks up to the massive thing. It remains impassive, gnawing on the hand.
“Don’t be like that. We both know two halves are better than one whole . Win-win for both of us“ Augustus gets a noise that sounds like an angry sewer pipe, and a dismissive wave of a long snake-like arm in response.
The thing in the trenchcoat shrugs, turning around and stalking toward me.
“You have no luck at all kid, I was going to let you go last.
But the pinworm back there wants to be a dick about things, so looks like things are getting started early. “ Augustus grins, his mouth opening shark like.
I stare down certain death, Augustus radiating fear, seeming to become more demonic with each step toward me.
From behind him, a noise.
I would have just assumed it was some part of the worm-like, filth ridden thing eating. Augustus clears up that misconception.
He turns, shaking, body language that of a wild animal.
“Was that a fucking snicker? A giggle? Are you fucking laughing at me, you literal fucking worm. “ He’s panting, hands twitching like dying insects.
He stands, inches from the other creature, dwarfed by it, teeth grinding, muscles straining.
The worm thing casually tosses the flesh bare hand toward Augustus. As it touches his coat, the arena erupts into a kind of wild, senseless, limitless violence.
It doesn’t feel like watching a fight, it’s more like a car wreck, or natural disaster. Pieces of jungle gym turn into lethal shrapnel as the blurred, filth spewing scrum destroys them.
I see the timer, 2:15. My mind starts to catch up, and I see the other kid, pale, whimpering, and trying in vain to staunch the blood spurting from his arm.
I’m running, low and likely poorly, pulling my belt from my pants, and thanking myself for actually listening when I was forced to take a first aid course for a summer job last year.
The kid is scared, he tries pushing me away, but I’m determined, and not down a couple pints of blood. I pull the belt with two hands, pull it through again and twist, it’s ugly, it’s not perfect, but the flow of blood begins to slow, then stop.
We crawl behind a prize counter, decades old candy and stuffed animals surround us as we cower. A liquid filled roar loud enough to crack the cheap glass cases fills the room.
The kid is looking rough, blood still trickling from the torn stump of his forearm. I see some plastic bags and get an idea.
I lean over to get them, and feel something strange, at first I think I pulled a muscle.
Then there is a deep, burning pain, instinctively I pull away, and turn around.
The kid is on his knees, sanity has left his eyes, a cheap hunting knife in his remaining hand he has a look of panic and determination on his face.
“We have to win. “ he says, lunging at me with the blade.
He’s slow, and I avoid it, but not by as much as I’d like. Blood runs down my back, for a moment I wonder how bad I’m hurt, but it doesn’t really matter right now.
I retreat, but the only thing keeping us from being torn apart by the whirlwind of shrapnel caused by the creatures is the counter, I can’t escape.
It's a stalemate, I’m no athlete, and the kid is built like a rugby player, but he’s missing a hand, and delirious from blood loss. I plead, I try and reason, and I dodge crazed strikes by increasingly narrow margins.
Something large, either thrown or knocked loose destroys the counter behind me. Suddenly all is chaos. I’m thrown into the kid in the uniform, plaster dust surrounds us in a grey cloud.
By the time the air clears the kid is on top of me. I have his wrist in one hand, keeping the split tip of the blade inches from my face.
The angle is too awkward, I can’t get any leverage. It’s not a stalemate, it’s a war of attrition that I’m losing.
I catch a glimpse of the two creatures. The worm thing is striking at Augustus, who stands still, limbs moving in arcing blurs deflecting the blows and tearing off chunks of foul, tainted flesh.
The tip of the knife begins to dig into my cheek. A drop of blood hits my eye.
I grab the makeshift tourniquet with a free hand and roughly yank forward. The kid on top of me screams, bloods begins to pour. Torn flesh and a gore soaked belt hit the ground.
For a moment the weight on me eases up, and I push the knife forward. But the kid, he’s too stupid or far gone to just back off. As I feel is strength start to fade, he presses himself harder.
I expect him to back off as I begin to drive the roughly sharpened back edge of the knife into his neck. But he doubles down, leaning forward, trying to press the knife toward me.
For a moment, every other fucked up thing going on around me doesn’t matter. The world is small, silent, and consists of nothing more than the image of the knife ripping away a fist sized strip from the kids neck.
He backs off when he realizes the extent of the damage. Staring at me shocked, as if just not realizing the consequences of his actions.
He dies slowly, poorly, and within inches of me. I feel no victory, no sense of being a winner, just a dark pit in the back of my mind. The loss of something that comes with taking someone’s life.
I stand, shell shocked, staring at the corpse. My safety the last thing on my mind.
The worm thing is hurt, and attempts to dive into the ball pit, but somehow, defying physics, Augustus grabs it, holding the half ton monster out with one hand.
He arcs the thing, slamming it into the floor behind him, the spray of gore and viscera rivals pyrotechnics, the force leaves a blood filled crater in the floor.
Without missing a beat Augustus starts to walk toward me, making a token effort of flicking pieces of bone and organ from himself.
I’m frozen, I know nothing I can do could stop whatever he has planned.
The creature picks up a jagged piece of lumber, and looks at the clock, “We’ve got 45 seconds of fun left kid. “ he says with a sneer.
But as he passes the counter, and sees the corpse the look of imminent violence turns into amusement.
“How’s it feel to be a child killer, bud? “, Augustus laughs, “Not that I can’t tell from the look on your face.
Fuck me, that knocked some gears loose didn’t it? “
The thing walks forward, looking me over like a collectable.
“I can’t let that go to waste, now can I? “ he slaps me lightly, “It’s going to be a fucking blast watching you break down kid, wonder what drives you nuts first, this kid being in your dreams, or the fact that, at some point I’m going to get bored and start giving you all the pain you feel you deserve? “
Of course, I made it out alive. It’d be kind of hard to have posted this if I didn’t.
But now, I sit in a dingy room in a farm house half way across the world from home. Surrounded by family and monsters, all of which seem out to get me. Being forced to risk my life in some kind of blood sport.
Maybe I’ll be back, maybe I’ll be dead by the next time I get a chance to post anything. If anyone has any help, please, post it in the comments. I’m in a dark place here and no one else seems to be on my side.

“Get the fuck out of my house with this ‘ old country’ shit Sylvia, I’m serious. “ I hear my dad say from the kitchen downstairs.
“I give children and idiots three warnings. That’s your first. “ It takes me a second to recognize my aunt’s voice. I’ve only met her a handful of times, and it’s nearly 2am.
“Syl, he’s right, this is crazy. I’m Roma, I’m proud, but your part of the family, and mine are two separate things. “ My mom interjects. Her voice is calm and level.
I woke up about half way through whatever is going on, and I’m fuzzy on the details, but everyone involved is three kinds of pissed.
“So you say, but just because you ignore the other side, doesn’t mean the other side ignores you. “ Aunt Syl replies, I could never quite place her accent, but it makes her statement all the more sinister.
“Might as well make that the family motto.
Syl, there are a couple dozen other kids Nikolas’ age in the family. Half of which are already hip deep in whatever is going on nowadays, you don’t need him. “ Mom isn’t pleading, but I can hear she’s worried.
“Why are we trying to reason with your crazy aunt? Time to go Syl. “ My dad isn’t worried, he’s angry.
“That’s two. “ Aunt Sylvia replies.
I hear a chair squeak then fall to the floor.
“That’s three. “ Sylvia says, her voice is cold, and I swear I could almost hear an echo.
I can hear my dad start to quietly cough, he sounds like he’s trying to talk but can’t. My heart starts to race, I don’t understand what’s going on, but I know it’s bad.
“Syl! Jesus Christ, that’s my husband. “ Mom sounds more offended than scared now. I wish I could say the same.
I stand next to my cracked door, fear beginning to take hold.
I can hear my dad start to take long wheezing breaths, I have no idea if this is a good or bad thing.
“Happy?
Now that any hope of doing this quietly is over, Nikolas and I have a long drive ahead of us. He’s 16, he has a license, yes? “ I hear Sylvia say, sudden footsteps walking up the stairs.
“No, he’s not interested in driving. You can’t take him Syl. “ my mom sounds frantic, Sylvia’s steps are measured and heavy.
“Not interested? You sure we are related? You raise soft children. “ Sylvia ends this with a dismissive laugh.
The few minutes that followed were kind of a blur, with my mom trying to convince me that I was just going to visit family, as if I didn’t just hear everything.
It's a couple hours into a long drive in a small car when my brain finally catches up to the fact that I’m awake, and going 30 miles an hour over the speed limit.
Aunt Syl sits in the driver’s seat, she’s 40 something, olive skinned with pitch-colored hair. Her style, it’s, something.
Her outfit was the middle of a Venn diagram of hippie, punk rock and carpenter. Bracelets, flannel, paisley, and enough piercings I lost count.
“Any chance of putting both hands on the wheel? “ I say, I’m mad, but I don’t even really know why.
She holds up her left arm, and I’m shocked. It’s an ancient looking blued steel prosthetic. She flexes, the clawed, almost mitten-like hand.
“Go through too many steering wheels that way. “ She says with a smirk.
“What’s going on? “ I ask, after an agonizing fifteen minutes of silence.
“You’re a big boy, so if you want the truth, I’ll give it to you. There’s a job that needs to be done, a dangerous job. And I want you to do it.
Now, I want you, not because you’re strong, or smart, or special. We have many strong, smart, special boys.
You, I want, because you’re unknown, and, little one, disposable. “ Sylvia lets this comment hang like rotten fruit.
The next hour goes in silence, at no point do I even entertain the notion this is some kind of joke. Something about this woman’s energy, about the way she carries herself, it scares the shit out of me.
We board a plane, somehow she had all of my travel documents. Even stranger is that we get escorted past the security checkpoints, into first class.
The next words I say to Sylvia are, “You have to put that out! “ as she lights up a short, yellow, hand-rolled cigarette.
She grins, taking a long drag, it smells horrible, the cheapest roughest tobacco odor I’ve encountered.
She relaxes, a cloud of thick, grey smoke forming.
I’m stunned, not a single person says anything. At first I think maybe she’s some kind of, I don’t know, mobster or something.
But that isn’t quite right. No one is looking at her in fear, no one is telling anyone else not to say anything. It’s like no one notices what she’s doing.
“How does she do this? The little boy wonders.
I don’t come offering you a thankless task Nik. I come with an opportunity. “ Sylvia says before crushing the cigarette on the arm of a chair and tossing it into the isle.
I had questions, and between the fear and the confusion I asked every one of them.
The only response she gave me was, “You’ll see when we get there. “.
She was right.
The flight lands, and after an hour or so of driving the world’s oldest pickup through the English countryside, we wind up at an old farm house, in the middle of nowhere outside of Hammersmith.
The sign outside says “ Gritt Auctions” the letters are old, bronze and tarnished, the grounds are littered with car parts, statues, and errata of every type.
Dozens, maybe even a hundred people mill about each stopping for a moment to give a suspicious look at the interloper in their midst.
Sylvia seems amused at my nervousness. I try and give the rough looking folks around me as much space as I can.
“They’re family, mostly, by blood or marriage, with a handful of lost souls and hangers on. “ She explains.
I probably should have guessed, seeing my mom’s family name on the sign, but my brain is basically nothing more than fear, anxiety and jet lag at this point.
“When do I get to know what’s going on? “ I say, waving at a cousin of some form and receive a uniquely English rude gesture in return.
My ear is ringing, and I stumble , the left side of my face burning. I’d say Syl slapped me, but it was more of a polite punch.
“Don’t whine. You’ve been stolen from your mother, treated like a dog, and judging by Robert’s attitude, rejected by your family.
I don’t want to hear whining, you angry, soft boy? “ Sylvia stops and turns toward me. I notice the people around us stop their tasks, interested in our conversation.
“No… “ I begin, not wanting to piss her off.
I don’t even see the next slap, but it puts me on my ass.
“Next one’s with the left hand.
Are you angry Nikolas? “ Sylvia looms over me like a raven.
I feel something before I get to my feet, a hot, quick flash of hatred. A context free rage at the fucked up situation I’m in.
“Answer is still no. Because to be angry, I’d have to know a God-Damned thing about what’s going on.
But my lunatic aunt just picked me up and now I’m standing in the middle of whatever the English equivalent to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family is.
For all I know, I’m your new King. So no, I’m not angry, I’m annoyed, and maybe a bit worried my gene pool really needs some chlorine. “ I’m shocked at what I’m saying, but I see some smiles, hear a few laughs.
Sylvia’s face seems to soften slightly.
“There’s the Gritt in you. “ She says, starting to walk to an old barn.
I catch up to her as I attempt in vain to dust myself off.
Sylvia opens a small, strangely modern looking door, inside a row of lights automatically flip on.
In contrast to the rotten wood exterior, the inside of the barn looks modern, design wise it’s half way between a hospital and a car repair shop. Equipment of unknown purpose, gurneys and cages of all sizes and types surround me.
Sylvia walks to a door at the back, then pauses.
“Before I open this door, you need to understand something.
There is no fortune telling, or reading of cards here. The cloak of the traveller, the bangles of the gypsy, these are all ways of navigating the world to us. Ways to exist on the fringes of society.
The Gritt family, we trade in the unknown. We find, we collect, and we sell. And ours is no petty collection of trinkets and tools not meant for the hands of man.
Our grift, is livestock. “
The woman opens the door, and what I see, sitting, chained in one corner of the industrial cement walled cell shakes everything I thought I knew about reality.
He's six and a half feet tall, his skin a waxy yellow, and every spare inch is festooned with black stitching, rusted pieces of metal or small splinters of bone.
His face is noseless and asymmetrical, almost as if repaired or modified over and over. One eye is a small, sinister looking orb with a red pupil, the other a massive, almost reptilian thing, wildly twitching about.
He wears no shirt, but a long, grey hide Trenchcoat hangs down to his knees. I start to shake as I see it’s made from layers of stitched human skin.
He sneers at us, long, conical teeth catch the harsh halogen light.
The thing strains against the chains, but they bind him tightly enough to the wall he can barely move.
“You’re not lasting more than 4 seconds kid. Just turn the fuck around. I’ll have you slitting your wrists in the corner by nightfall. “ The thing says, it’s voice is foul, almost a physical force. Grating, rage filled, and with a lunatic edge to it that makes me question exactly how much those chains can take.
“ 3/10, Augustus, who do you think you are scaring with that limp dick of a threat? “ Sylvia says, confidently walking up to the creature.
It snaps it’s jaws with a sound like a rifle shot. No where near Sylvia, but enough to make me jump on the other side of the room.
“If I could stop being threatened and hearing my aunt talk about dicks, I’d be a huge fan. “ I say, something deep within me, pushing past the fear and lack of sleep, “And if anything feels like just telling me what’s going on instead of being vague and creepy, even better. “
The chained thing looks to me, curious. Sylvia smirks.
“Augustus is going to be forced to fight others like him until eventually he gets what’s coming to him for years of evil.
You, are going to stand next to him while he does it. “ Sylvia begins to walk away from the thing, ignoring vile threats of both the violent and carnal variety.
I try to follow her out the door and she blocks me.
“If your still sane and alive in the morning, I was right. Good luck soft boy. “ She says before closing the heavy metal door.
Without her, I feel tiny, that spark of rage is snuffed out and replaced with a cold sense of dread.
“You’re going to have to turn around sometime kid. “ The chained creature says.
I turn, slowly, resolving to make eye contact with the thing. I manage a second or two before looking away, the creature cackles, mocking me.
“Holy shit, they sent me an honest to God pussy. Whole family full of void fucked apes and they send me you?
The best part is, you don’t even get it. I can see what you’re thinking kid, I can see that tiny collection of hormones and goo you vainly call a brain going into overdrive trying to figure this out… “ Augustus starts.
The creature kept going, I don’t have an exact count but it was at least twelve hours.
I can only describe it as a verbal assault. Augustus drew from some dark wells, how it knew half of the things it did scared me as much as it’s clawed hands or, piranha-like teeth.
I lost something that night. The fears that thing drug up, the insecurities it played on, the secrets it knew, it crushed any childlike notions of safety or understanding the world I had.
Don’t take that the wrong way, I don’t mean it toughened me up. It broke any sense of confidence I had, took away any feeling of safety. That God Damned thing in the trenchcoat, changed me.
I’ve lost track of how long it’s been since I’ve slept, but I’m brought a tin plate heaped with eggs, sausage and for some twisted reason, brown beans. And realize it’s been at least a day since I’ve eaten.
I sit around an abused, graffiti carved picnic table with an eclectic combination of family I’ve never met. Syl sips a tea I can smell from ten feet away and looks at me like I’m a used car.
“I’m always right soft boy. Remember that. “ She says.
It takes a half dozen guys built like construction workers, with Sylvia following behind whispering things that wilt vegetation, to wrangle the creature into the back of an old, reinforced horse trailer.
The inside is covered in totems, runes, and other spooky looking errata. The entity becomes sluggish and disoriented as the heavy wooden doors close, and get sealed with a massive brass lock.
My mind begins to wander on the three hour trip through the back country of the UK. The sun sets, and my brain screams for sleep. That scream is silenced by the sense of mounting dread as we get closer to our destination.
We pull up to an abandoned theme restaurant, the parking lot is full, the windows are boarded, and the walls covered in graffiti. The place is huge, more the size of a small stadium than a diner.
The parking lot is full, the sputtering, sparking neon sign flashes “Faron’s Funhouse. “
It’s a few minutes outside of a town I forgot to catch the name of. We can see lights on the horizon, but there’s a feeling of wrong surrounding the building that makes them seem a million miles away.
A half dozen ‘cousins’ of mine move Augustus into a strange, almost coffin-like box made of wood, steel and glass, covered in trinkets and symbols. The thing sneers groggily from within, it’s mismatched eyes rolling in it’s skull.
I don’t hear Sylvia approach, I notice her as she smacks me in the back of the head hard enough to make my ears ring. The old, cruel woman is walking toward the doors of this meeting place.
“Eyes forward, sneer on your face, and walk like you know where you’re going. “ Are her only instructions.
For once, they’re clear and simple. What I see inside easily keeps my attention, and I’m equal parts scared and pissed off, so looking edgy and miserable is my default state.
At one point, this place was exactly what you’d think. I know you’re all expecting it to be a run down, rat infested haunted house now, but it was, stranger than that.
The place was well kept on the inside, but everything was either in use or repurposed to house the couple hundred eclectic customers milling around. In the centre, is a massive Lucite Cube, crystal clear and housing a ball pit, jungle gym and what looks to be a functional canteen, complete with a deep fryer and popcorn machine. It’s a couple hundred meters a side, and shaped like a flawed rectangle.
Smoke hangs in the air, my aunt greets old friends in a handful of different languages, I smile and nod, still trying to understand what the hell this place is.
We see Augustus being wheeled to the Lucite box, Sylvia cuts a laughing Cyrillic conversation short, and her and I make our way to the box that barely restrains the hatred and death inside.
At the other end of the Lucite Cube I see a few people dressed in blue and maroon uniforms ( if I were to guess vintage, from when this place served shitty food instead of violence.), they surround a massive, hulking, lanky thing. It’s obscured by smoke, and poor lighting, but it’s nine foot frame, and unnatural gait are clear.
The box holding Augustus sits about ten feet away from me, inside the massive cage. The front opens, my instinct is to step backward, get as much distance between me and the thing inside as possible, but instead, I’m shoved, before I can catch my balance, a workbook clad foot is in front of me.
I fall and stumble into the cage, I turn around to try and get out as fast as I can, I’m standing inches away from the creature, but I see Sylvia closing the clear, impermeable door.
It hits me then. For the first time since this ordeal started, I realize how grim things are.
Just like everyone else here, I’ve been raised on spooky shit packaged to be marketable. Little monsters, The Adams Family, Harry potter, hell let’s throw Pokemon and the like in there as it’s basically just dog fighting with a cute hat on.
And I thought what was happening to me, was somewhere on the Venn diagram of those things.
But as I see the impassive look on the face of a woman I’ve known since I was a child, ( at a distance or no.) as I’m locked in here with God knows what, I get it. I really get it.
His laughter is like an ice pick, I turn to face him, Augustus brushes himself off, casually looking around the massive arena.
“Just hit ya didn’t it, bud? “ He says, walking over to me, his steps impossibly quick, almost insect-like, “You’re not my trainer, or my wrangler, you certainly aren’t my fucking partner. “, the entity grabs my chin between two clawed fingers, “ You’re a bait dog. Something for me and that new blooded walking pun to fight over. “
My blood runs down his thumb, his grin cracks his face like a rotten melon, the monster pulls down, throwing me to the floor.
A buzzer sounds, and a three minute timer, projected in transparent red appears on the walls of the Lucite arena.
“If I’ve got to hunt you down in this shit-hole, things are going to be a lot worse for you. Stay put, bud. “ The trenchcoat clad thing says, casually walking toward the creature on the opposite side of the arena.
Closer now, I see it clearly. Inside of a pristine uniform, is a twisted attempt at the human form. The torso is lumpen, asymmetrical, but lean. It's arms nearly drag on the floor, yellow, infected looking flesh, weeping pus like a snail’s foot.
It's eyes are black caves, with just the hint of something deep within. It’s face is blank, a torn, haggard looking grey tongue runs over rotting green teeth.
The kid beside it looks around my age, he’s big though, just as confused and afraid as I am. He wears a similar uniform to the creature, but his looks, abused, torn, blood stained. Like it's been handed down from one unlucky owner to the next.
As the buzzer rings, the lanky, disgusting creature moves in a flash, tearing off the kid’s right arm and beginning to chew it.
The blood didn’t set me off, as terrible as it was. It was the three seconds between the act, and the poor kid realizing what happened that pushed me over the edge.
He started to scream, a horrible trapped animal kind of noise. He backs away from the monster beside him, gripping the crushed and torn remains of his forearm.
Augustus laughs, his trenchcoat drags on the floor, leaving a streak of blood as he walks.
“Man after my own heart.
So, I say, we split these sides of beef for two minutes then talk shop for a bit. Fuck these pretentious apes and their show. “ Augustus looks up to the massive thing. It remains impassive, gnawing on the hand.
“Don’t be like that. We both know two halves are better than one whole . Win-win for both of us“ Augustus gets a noise that sounds like an angry sewer pipe, and a dismissive wave of a long snake-like arm in response.
The thing in the trenchcoat shrugs, turning around and stalking toward me.
“You have no luck at all kid, I was going to let you go last.
But the pinworm back there wants to be a dick about things, so looks like things are getting started early. “ Augustus grins, his mouth opening shark like.
I stare down certain death, Augustus radiating fear, seeming to become more demonic with each step toward me.
From behind him, a noise.
I would have just assumed it was some part of the worm-like, filth ridden thing eating. Augustus clears up that misconception.
He turns, shaking, body language that of a wild animal.
“Was that a fucking snicker? A giggle? Are you fucking laughing at me, you literal fucking worm. “ He’s panting, hands twitching like dying insects.
He stands, inches from the other creature, dwarfed by it, teeth grinding, muscles straining.
The worm thing casually tosses the flesh bare hand toward Augustus. As it touches his coat, the arena erupts into a kind of wild, senseless, limitless violence.
It doesn’t feel like watching a fight, it’s more like a car wreck, or natural disaster. Pieces of jungle gym turn into lethal shrapnel as the blurred, filth spewing scrum destroys them.
I see the timer, 2:15. My mind starts to catch up, and I see the other kid, pale, whimpering, and trying in vain to staunch the blood spurting from his arm.
I’m running, low and likely poorly, pulling my belt from my pants, and thanking myself for actually listening when I was forced to take a first aid course for a summer job last year.
The kid is scared, he tries pushing me away, but I’m determined, and not down a couple pints of blood. I pull the belt with two hands, pull it through again and twist, it’s ugly, it’s not perfect, but the flow of blood begins to slow, then stop.
We crawl behind a prize counter, decades old candy and stuffed animals surround us as we cower. A liquid filled roar loud enough to crack the cheap glass cases fills the room.
The kid is looking rough, blood still trickling from the torn stump of his forearm. I see some plastic bags and get an idea.
I lean over to get them, and feel something strange, at first I think I pulled a muscle.
Then there is a deep, burning pain, instinctively I pull away, and turn around.
The kid is on his knees, sanity has left his eyes, a cheap hunting knife in his remaining hand he has a look of panic and determination on his face.
“We have to win. “ he says, lunging at me with the blade.
He’s slow, and I avoid it, but not by as much as I’d like. Blood runs down my back, for a moment I wonder how bad I’m hurt, but it doesn’t really matter right now.
I retreat, but the only thing keeping us from being torn apart by the whirlwind of shrapnel caused by the creatures is the counter, I can’t escape.
It's a stalemate, I’m no athlete, and the kid is built like a rugby player, but he’s missing a hand, and delirious from blood loss. I plead, I try and reason, and I dodge crazed strikes by increasingly narrow margins.
Something large, either thrown or knocked loose destroys the counter behind me. Suddenly all is chaos. I’m thrown into the kid in the uniform, plaster dust surrounds us in a grey cloud.
By the time the air clears the kid is on top of me. I have his wrist in one hand, keeping the split tip of the blade inches from my face.
The angle is too awkward, I can’t get any leverage. It’s not a stalemate, it’s a war of attrition that I’m losing.
I catch a glimpse of the two creatures. The worm thing is striking at Augustus, who stands still, limbs moving in arcing blurs deflecting the blows and tearing off chunks of foul, tainted flesh.
The tip of the knife begins to dig into my cheek. A drop of blood hits my eye.
I grab the makeshift tourniquet with a free hand and roughly yank forward. The kid on top of me screams, bloods begins to pour. Torn flesh and a gore soaked belt hit the ground.
For a moment the weight on me eases up, and I push the knife forward. But the kid, he’s too stupid or far gone to just back off. As I feel is strength start to fade, he presses himself harder.
I expect him to back off as I begin to drive the roughly sharpened back edge of the knife into his neck. But he doubles down, leaning forward, trying to press the knife toward me.
For a moment, every other fucked up thing going on around me doesn’t matter. The world is small, silent, and consists of nothing more than the image of the knife ripping away a fist sized strip from the kids neck.
He backs off when he realizes the extent of the damage. Staring at me shocked, as if just not realizing the consequences of his actions.
He dies slowly, poorly, and within inches of me. I feel no victory, no sense of being a winner, just a dark pit in the back of my mind. The loss of something that comes with taking someone’s life.
I stand, shell shocked, staring at the corpse. My safety the last thing on my mind.
The worm thing is hurt, and attempts to dive into the ball pit, but somehow, defying physics, Augustus grabs it, holding the half ton monster out with one hand.
He arcs the thing, slamming it into the floor behind him, the spray of gore and viscera rivals pyrotechnics, the force leaves a blood filled crater in the floor.
Without missing a beat Augustus starts to walk toward me, making a token effort of flicking pieces of bone and organ from himself.
I’m frozen, I know nothing I can do could stop whatever he has planned.
The creature picks up a jagged piece of lumber, and looks at the clock, “We’ve got 45 seconds of fun left kid. “ he says with a sneer.
But as he passes the counter, and sees the corpse the look of imminent violence turns into amusement.
“How’s it feel to be a child killer, bud? “, Augustus laughs, “Not that I can’t tell from the look on your face.
Fuck me, that knocked some gears loose didn’t it? “
The thing walks forward, looking me over like a collectable.
“I can’t let that go to waste, now can I? “ he slaps me lightly, “It’s going to be a fucking blast watching you break down kid, wonder what drives you nuts first, this kid being in your dreams, or the fact that, at some point I’m going to get bored and start giving you all the pain you feel you deserve? “
Of course, I made it out alive. It’d be kind of hard to have posted this if I didn’t.
But now, I sit in a dingy room in a farm house half way across the world from home. Surrounded by family and monsters, all of which seem out to get me. Being forced to risk my life in some kind of blood sport.
Maybe I’ll be back, maybe I’ll be dead by the next time I get a chance to post anything. If anyone has any help, please, post it in the comments. I’m in a dark place here and no one else seems to be on my side.

I'm assigned male at birth (AMAB) but non-binary (x) hence my reddit username. I recently lost my life-partner (1 year mark) and I am attempting to fill an emotional and ... flirtatious void. (Aside: I have a psychologist and a psychiatrist in case there's any concern).
I've been looking to chat with Straight men [only] who are open/experimental for fun chat. I'm just in need of masculine comfort/emotional support. Looking for guys who are overprotective types that like checking in. I also adore the Himbo types, dorks/nerds as well as Daddies (especially if you enjoy being addressed as "Daddy"). I'm a huge comic book/anime nerd, so any guys into the same should get along with me great. I'd preferably like to connect with guys at least 30+ (especially older than me).
Interests: Comics (DC/MARVEL), animation, anime, manga, philosophy, theology, political science, gender studies, paranormal/occult
Favorite movies: BLACK SWAN, THE LAST UNICORN, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, HOME ALONE 2, US, HALLOWEEN (2019), anything MCU or DC ANIMATED
Currently on my Netflix watchlist: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, THE MIDNIGHT CLUB, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND, WEDNESDAY, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO, THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, KLAUS, A TALE DARK AND GRIMM, CASTLEVANIA, CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE
Currently on my Discovery+ watch list: THESE WOODS ARE HAUNTED, THE HAUNTED MUSEUM, TRUE TERROR, BELIVERS, MY HAUNTED HOUSE, WHERE MURDR LIES, DEADLY AFFAIRS, THE PERFECT MURDER, UNUSUAL SUSPECTS, FATAL VOWS, BLOOD RELATIVES, MARRIED WITH SECRETS, MANSION&MURDERS, FATAL VOWS, BEHIND MANSION WALLS, A CRIME TO REMEMBER, WHO THE \[BLEEP\], DEADLY WOMEN, PROPERTY BROTHER, FLIP OR FLOP, MILLION DOLLAR ROOMS, LOVE IT OR LIST IT.
Currently on my Hulu watch list: MOM, AMERICAN DAD!, BOB'S BURGERS, FRAISER, FUTURAMA, LIVING SINGLE, ANIMANIACS, TWO SENTENCE HORROR STORIES, BLEACH: THE THOUSAND-YEAR BLOOD WAR, THE GREAT
Currently on my Paramount+ watch list: STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, STAR TREK: PICARD, STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, STAR TREK: PRODIGY, DARIA, I LOVE LUCY
Currently on my CrunchyRoll watchlist: SAILOR MOON, CARDCAPTOR SAKURA, DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES, JUJUTSU KAISEN, X&Y, WHY RAELIANA ENDED UP AT THE DUKE'S MANSION, TAKT OP.DESTINY, THE PROMISED NEVERLAND, GOSIC, YONA OF THE DAWN, ANOTHER, SAMURAI TROOPERS, THE NGHT BEYOND THE TRICORNERED WINDOW, REIGN OF THE SEVEN SPELLBLADES, RAVEN OF THE INNER PALACE, MALEVOLENT SPIRITIS: MONONOGATARI, REVENGER, TOKYO GHOUL, BLUE EXORCIST, THE MILLIONAIRE DETECTIVE - BALANCE: UNLIMITED, TALES OF ZESTIRIA THE X, LINK CLICK, THE ANCIENT MAGUS' BRIDE, BUNGO STRAY DOGS, THE CASE STUDY OF VANITAS, ERASED, FATE/STAY NIGHT, RON KAMONOHASHI'S FORBIDDEN DEDUCTION, TEARMOON EMPIRE, THE SAINT'S MAGIC POWER IS OMNIPOTENT, SASAKI AND MIYANO, HEAVEN OFFICAL'S BLESSING, GHOST HUNT, UNDEAD MURDER FARCE
Be sure to check through my posts for other interests/selfies. If you happen to be local to Los Angeles county (or travel here regularly), I'd be interested in meeting in person as well.

Oofph it’s been a day of it. Started off fine walked the dogs & went in to town to get food shopping. The woman in the shop was being overly chatty, which is nice in a way but she held me up so then I missed my bus I was pleased to talk to her in the moment but when I realised the hold had me miss my bus I felt annoyed by it. There’s a time & a place & holding someone hostage to chat to them when they’re trying to complete a necessary unavoidable task to in order to just survive like just let me hurry things along so I can get back home away from it all. She was so nice though I feel bad even venting about it but I’m never gonna see her again probably I don’t even live locally so it was just taken up my time & taking me away from being at home with my dogs taking care of them & myself. So that was annoying. After missing my bus I went in a shop and got a gift for a relative but the shop owner was uptight about people knocking stuff over & I was no where near the shelves when I put my bag on my back & she was overcharging for her goods try & support independent shops & get screwed over & talked down to - I won’t be going back there. Silly cow. What else do I have to vent about. The coffee was too hot for a takeaway and too full. It spilled and burned. Someone told me they do Sunday lunch in a cafe I went to but they don’t & I felt misled & put out by that. My dog got his foot stuck in the door of his crate yelped and panicked and wouldn’t let me help him at first until I managed to distract him with food. Um what else? The voice of my ex abusive partner popped in to my head to annoy me. Just taunting me menacingly and disturbing me and my attempt to have a peaceful lie down.
Things that were good & went right that I’m grateful for. The bus driver was polite and professional I liked the distinguished gentleman he had a good spirit. I had a nice walk in the evening and the sky looked pretty. I ate some good nourishing food and I got to go for a swim. I had a couple of friendly chats which didn’t hold me up for time. I went to chapel and got to donate a little money in return for prayer requests, I got to pray in a peaceful place and I didn’t feel too much pain today. Thanks for reading about my ups and downs of today. Good night & I hope you have a good sleeep and pleasant dreams bye bye

Only slightly hyperbole. Obviously I want a good game overall, but damn, can a brother get a nappy temp fade? Sometimes I wanna make my OC a black woman. Are bantu knots too much to ask for?
It's disheartening and othering to see game developers often make our hair an afterthought. When our characters don't reflect the diversity of Black hairstyles, it feels like a part of our identity is being overlooked. It's not just about having more hairstyles; it's about acknowledging the rich variety and cultural significance of Black hair. We're more than afros, braids, and dreads. Our hairstyles have history, meaning, and style that deserve recognition and representation.
In 2024, it's inexcusable to limit Black characters to just a handful of hairstyles while offering an extensive array for others. Our hair doesn't just grow in three styles. This lack of representation is not just a cosmetic oversight; it's a reflection of a broader issue of inclusivity in gaming. We want to see characters that look like us, that represent the diversity of Black hair - from twists and Bantu knots to fades and more.
How are we supposed to immerse ourselves in fantastical worlds, slaying dragons or navigating cyberpunk cities, when our avatars can't even accurately reflect us? Just take a look at this rdcworld1 video – it's a humorous take, but it underscores a real frustration in the gaming community. It's time for game developers to step up and give Black gamers the representation they deserve.
Bad Examples and Discussions for Context:

• How hard is it to make Spider-Man's hair?
• Black Representation in video games: Hairstyles
• You cannot make a convincing black person in Cyberpunk 2077
• Dear Video Game Character Creators: You Still Need Work
• The Natural: The Trouble Portraying Blackness in Video Games
• Why are black Hair options still so limited in Video Games
• How Character Customization be for Black People on Video Games
• Creating Myself In Monster Hunter World Rise
• We Need To Fix Black Hair in Video Games - The Blessing Show

BarbeWebsites for References:

• ibeenafrican Instagram
• trinaydidit Instagram
• Traditional African hairstyles
• 52 Beautiful Traditional African Hairstyles 2023
• 36 Gorgeous Traditional African Hairstyles for the Trendy Black Woman

Tutorials:

• Cornrow/Braids - Realtime hair breakdown/tutorial by Hazel Brown
• How To Create A Fade Hairstyle - Game Art by TriGon

Good Examples:

1. Image 1
2. Image 2
3. Image 3
4. Image 4
5. Image 5
6. Image 6
7. Image 7
8. Image 8
9. Image 9
10. Image 10
11. Image 11
12. Image 12
13. Image 13
14. Image 14
15. Image 15
16. Image 16
17. Image 17
18. Image 18
19. Image 19

Big shout out to Jeryce Dianingana for compiling the links! I just put them in reddit format.

Okay so here’s what happened, I work at retail, I’m not gonna say where but it’s a pretty alright job all things considering, it pays well.
Yesterday, for some reason, I saw a bunch of costumers bringing their dogs to the store, it’s a big place so it’s easy for dogs to walk around freely. I say, as a joke “everyone seems to bring their dog inside the store today” the owner says “ell it’s either I bring him in or leave him in the car to die?”
So I said, as a joke mind you, “you could leave him at home where he has food and water” and he immediately overreacted to what I said. He calls me some of the worst obscenities imaginable, and the. When I apologized for the joke he told me the grow a spine and leaves. The costumer next to me simply sighed and told me not to worry about it.
So I go and report it to my manager and she said “the joke is innocent on its own, you should leave it to yourself, but you did the right thing by not fighting him”. Now something about me, when you start snapping at me, I’m going to snap back, but I couldn’t because I’d lose my job. If this happened while I was off shift, it would’ve been a different story.
So, now I’m wondering if what I did was innocent or not. I have a dog too, and I can be protective of him, even though he doesn’t go outside too much. So, AITA for the simple joke I made that offended this costumer?

Sometimes I feel as though being an autistic woman (or more compassionately as I would tell myself in the past, an aspergirl, after reading Rudy Simone’s book. Ironic given the name of the sub, I know) is it’s own distinct gender identity. I do not know how to describe it. I am a female, I am not a man on the inside or out, and nonbinary does not purely resonate, but I do not feel female either. Or a girl, or woman, I guess. When I am with other girls, I often feel alien, both entrapped in the purely female experience and internal feelings, yes, but also extremely alien both to the social customs, but also in the resonance of the identity. It’s challenging to call myself a woman in groups, use she/her pronouns as though I see myself in this identity. I’m like a different breed of woman, a type of subcategory I usually only find in other girls on the spectrum. Does anyone else feel a similar way? How has this changed your expression, friendships, or relationships? Any advise or comments would be welcome :)

So yesterday, I was fine. Then I went outside to collect trash (wearing gloves and iirc I hadn't taken off my dust mask yet) and spent some time doing that (I guess ~15 minutes or so but I'm not certain). When I came back in I felt odd and exhausted so I assumed it was heat, so I took my shoes off, drank water (then an electrolyte water when regular didn't do much), and stayed inside. I had some bug bites on my body and was itchy, I showed mom a spot on my back I noticed that wasn't there before and she said it looked like a rash, which cleared in the next few minutes.
Today, I'm somewhat lethargic (more than usual) my throat kinda hurts, my eyes and breath feel like I've been sobbing for twelve hours, I still feel odd, I've had more sinus issues today than usual (I have perpetual sinus issues so I assumed it must've been a sinus infection but the sinuses mostly cleared after taking a pill and some ibuprofen), every symptom is incredibly mild though. Only enough to suck and for me to realize I'm feeling off and since yesterday I thought I got sick but I was brushed off because of my history of overheating (got heat exhaustion once, was fine ultimately but now I get overheated real easily), I have been around allergens yesterday but I got sick when I was away from them outside and was wearing a dust mask (the allergen being dust).
The only peculiar things that I noticed around me was 1. After I'd gone inside, I noticed a dog outside who was starving (I was going to find a way to feed her without risks of attack or making her want to stay or return for more but she kinda disappeared somewhere) 2. More bugs than usual and 3. A soft hissing noise that I quickly walked away from and tbh could've been the wind hitting something near me
Of course, I've been working more than usual since we're moving and the guy didn't clean out his house much other than furniture and storage. He left lots of garbage and dirt (literally and figuratively). So common allergy symptoms + loss of energy from working makes sense. But it started while I was outside and not doing much work, so I'm not certain. My dad thinks it's the intense weather changes lately (nearby tornadoes, sudden heavy storms, heavy rain even when it isn't a storm...) which likely at least is contributing. I'm not certain though.

I (31F)have been with my SO (34M) for 14 years. We've known one another for a while like as friends of other people that we had gone out with but, one day I ended up at his house and we started talking and the connection was immediate. When we started out we used to go between his mums and my mums house and stay for like a week at a time in each. We were and still are inseparable. We told one another stories about our childhood and we realised that his mum had actually owned the same like restaurant/coffee shop building my mum had worked as a waitress at at one point while I was at still in high school. They didn't work together at the same time but I digress. Well my MIL's best friend at the time was her business partner and long story short this "bestie" was on the take from the business itself and it led to them having to close they fell out etc etc. Well in 2015 I started my job with the biggest rent-to-own store in the UK. The building I worked it was at the end of the high street before a subway under a road leads you out into the next kind of part of our city. I'd say around 3 years into me working this job a sweet shop opened about 15 shops up from where I work and when I walked past one day with my boyfriend he says to me "that lady who works in that sweet shop is my mums ex best friend. Now for the petty revenge... During my lunch breaks at my job, I was allowed to venture out of the building and get fast food or something from a nearby supermarket. I walked past this sweet shop most days on my way to get lunch and during the warmer months they put cardboard display boxes that contained bags of sweets. Not the POS kind either where they have that bit of shine to them but just brown cardboard boxes. Well I happened to see a little cute doggie frolicking up the street in front of me and peeing every few feet. I saw him peeing on those boxes and didn't stop him. Then, later on when I had left work and they were closing up and bringing in all these boxes I specifically waited til she was handling one of them to tell her "oh I saw a dog pee on those today" I walked away evil laughing inside. The funniest part for me is she has absolutely no clue who I am so, she had no idea I'd got a little petty revenge on behalf of my MIL. I later told my MIL and my boyfriend and they had a little laugh about it too...

In this scenario, I’m the BM. My ex and I have a 13-year-old son together . I’ve also been a SM to my son’s father‘s other child since she was 5. She’s now almost 30.
I would give background on the stepmother, but it would be too long. So I’m gonna ask that in another question because there’s another question I have for stepmother’s that I simply cannot wrap my head around.
But to put it simple she has severe mental health disorders. She’s legally not allowed around my son. Hence why my son’s father will stay over at my place for weeks at a time to stay with our son. Because she refuses to leave the house as the court order states she has to do if my son were to go over there.
Before you ask if we’re We’re doing it … no. I even have a separate bedroom for my son‘s father. Yes my son‘s father has a man cave in my house lol he does travel a lot for work so when I say he stays over for weeks at a time, half of that time he’s travelling for work between Canada and the states usually
Anyways stepmom She has 4 kids from 4 different men. None of them support her or her kids. But my son‘s father does it. He’s very well off. And when I say she has kids, I mean they range in age from 21 to 16.
Anyways, every year, my son’s father always treats me and our son on Mother’s Day. He used to do it for his daughter and her mom. and it never bothered me. I thought it was really sweet. So now he does it for myself and my son.
He’ll usually take us both out to dinner then he’ll get flowers or chocolate or stuffed bear or usual Mother’s Day stuff. Of course from our son. It’s not like he’s putting it on behalf of himself. Even though I know he’s paying for it lol
Every year my son’s dad and her argue about it. She always tries to plan family vacations around it. But luckily, my son’s dad is wise to it and he just says OK. You can take your kids and I guess I’ll just stay at our sons house.
Well, this year because she’s found out that my son father wants to divorce her, she’s now threatening to kill their dogs. Obviously, my son‘s father loves these dogs. I’ve never met them personally, but they’re golden retriever and OMG so cute!
He gave me his concern and I said well just bring them over. If he wants to stay at my house to cool off, the dogs are welcome as well.
Well, the crazy lady found this text message on his phone and went bat shit crazy as usual . So now son’s father is currently at my house and he’s going to stay until after Mother’s Day. No worries, she doesn’t know where I live so everybody is safe including the doggies. ❤️
No, I’m not gonna sit here and ask if this is normal behaviour because it is definitely not. And as a stepmother myself, I couldn’t even imagine doing this.
But my first question is would any of you be angry if your significant other just bought something for their child’s mom on Mother’s Day again on behalf of child.
I understand most if not 100% of you would not act like this woman does. Like I said she does have mental health issues. That’s why other than the court saying she’s not allowed around our child I don’t press charges on her when she’s sending me threatening text and all that. I know she just drinks a lot and she probably doesn’t remember it in the morning anyways.
Thanks so much! Sorry for extremely long. But if I didn’t give background, I would probably get completely different answers.

Would love to discuss this idea with other fans here. I'll be talking about a lot of story spoilers throughout the saga, so consider this a blanket warning. I'm discussing in broad strokes here, so if anything is unclear I can give more specifics in replies. To me this is probably the most prominent theme of the original saga (SSTB to NWFT).
​
As NWFT's release approaches I've been bringing a friend through The Amory Wars and C&C's work from start to finish. It's been interesting seeing someone with no connection to their music make their way through the story and comics. Starting with SSTB, the most apparent thing is how awfully women are treated in this universe. Besides Cambria herself, pretty much their only function is to be fodder for the development of the male characters. Josephine, Mariah, Ambellina, Erica, even Newo to a lesser extent. Sure, everyone is constantly dying all the time in this story, but it's impossible to ignore the pattern here.
SSTB is by far the worst for this and I think is basically a time capsule of Claudio's insecurities at the time as a young adult. Aside from Cambria, no woman is given true agency. Josephine is the worst for this. She shows up for like 3 pages, one of which is her being raped, and the other is her being murdered. That's it. Mariah is one-note and basically exists to develop Jesse's character as the true leader of the rebellion.
There's a bit of improvement in IKSSE. Chase has her own ambitions, and Ambellina at least gets to survive the book, though her existence is still entirely in service to Claudio K. The big issues here are mainly channeled through Al the Killer. It's still a sign that Claudio S. at the time really, really fixates on violence against women as a narrative device. But at least here, it's in its own self-contained subplot.
GA4 is where this theme gets a lot more depth. It lampshades what Claudio S has been doing. Ambellina is getting a bit too much agency of her own, and this causes Ryder to interfere directly. He forces her once again into that box, killing her for the sake of his own vision, for Claudio K's development. She doesn't get to be her own person. That's not how this world works. On top of that you have the whole metatextual layer between Ryder and Erica reflecting Claudio S. and Chondra's breakup at the time the album was written.
When you bring someone through The Amory Wars who has no connection to the band, it becomes even more apparent how disturbing it is. And I think that's the whole point of it. It's a sorry, fucked-up collection of Claudio's fixations and insecurities at the time the music was written. For three full graphic novels, save for a brief triumph at the end of IKSSE, it's been nothing but tragedy and violence, with this undercurrent of badly treated female characters. Presumably, it's going to end with the destruction of the entire system. Claudio spent years expressing all that negativity and neuroticism, and in the end, annihilates it to move forward. It's not a world worth saving.
​
I'll finish by touching on Vaxis and where I think it's going:
Clearly he has a much healthier relationship with this stuff now. Nia and Nostrand are very much equals. Claudio's attention is shifting to his responsibilities as a husband and father. This is also shown in how much the music has mellowed out since then. In the past, all he had was that aggressiveness and violence, which, yes, helped make a lot of incredible music, but reflected a much darker internal world that I doubt he identifies with any more. Instead, that aggression is something to be channeled and used as part of a much larger palette. Think The Dark Sentencer, Ladders of Supremacy.
Where Vaxis goes from here pretty much depends on how Claudio's kid comes into his own and the relationship they develop moving forward. Claudio turns himself inside-out for the sake of his art, warts and all, and I think that's really cool.

I (20F) have a much younger brother, our parents are devorced and we live in different homes, he lives with mom, I moved away for school. Our father never blamed himself for anything, he probably also has depression. He switched jobs quite offten and we used to bet on how long will he have one job. I stoped talking to him for about two years ago, I cut ties because of abuse. He never apologized, he told mom that he was sorry but never told me he was, and I think he did that to make sure I wouldnt involve the police. I didnt wanna do that because of my brother. Since my brother is male, father treated us a lot different, but I never payed much attention cuz I really love my little brother and he's amaizing. I knew he will not be violent towards him. We started talking and I saw that he was having a hard time so I was okay I'll try to help (dumb idea). As far as I remember he never cleaned anything after himself, he asked me to come and clean everything and he said that he will pay me to do it, I said okay, so first we made a deal to be one weekend, but he said that he is working, then another one, then another one and I got sick of it. I said that I will come to the house and clean it with or without him (I already bought the stuff that I needed for the first week). Thats when I get a message from my brother where he asked me if I'm coming today. So I asked father whats all that about? And he told me ohhh but I work tummorow, why would you clean alone, its a hollyday (he works on this day). He also said that we will clean what we can in the night before my brother comes. Lies. We went to pick up my brother and then we come to his place. There was mold everywhere. He keeps a dog inside the house alone and there was a lot of poop everywhere, its two floor house so we go upstairs and its better but still. Bread was everywhere, everything smelled really bad. I dont drive and we didnt have a bus to go anywhere, also as I said he can be abusive so I just rolled with it. I made sure the bed we slept in is fine, as soon as the sun went up I said we go in the city where I study. We go there, we spend amaizing day, but I was still really grossed out by the house, I knew mom didn't know about that so I called her and told her everything. She will not let my brother go there but I cant help but wonder was it too far?? I knew he used to guilt trip me for everything, he used to slut shame me since I was 12. I always wore modest clothes and I dont wear make up so I dont know where that came from. I mostly got scared for my brothers health to be honest and also for his mental health, so maybe this is for the best. The thing is I always tried to help my father, he got in debt when I was like 13-14 and I tried to get him out of it, I did save that house and thats what hurts the most, that house has been in my family for more then 300 years and now this scum is ruining it. The house is on my name but I dont think grandpa would ever approve me making him homeless, so Im not doing anything there, I still dont know how to help a person who blames everything on others and lies all the time, he cant see that he has a problem... So AITA?

Hi everyone, I just have a question as to what could have happened to the baby rabbits in my neighbours backyard.
Two days ago my neighbours dog got a hold of a few baby rabbits and sadly it didn’t end well. She found the nest and I peeked inside and saw two, one was moving for sure.
We covered it with a crate that was large enough for the rabbits but not the dog to fit through.
This morning at 8am, there was movement from the nest but we didn’t want to touch it again. There definitely was more fur added to it so we know mom had returned.
5pm I just checked and the babies are gone! The nest wasn’t disturbed at all and there was no blood.
I’m thinking a cat must of gotten them since nothing else should be out from 8am-5pm. Could have carried them away to snack on so there wouldn’t be blood?
I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what could have happened. I’ve read rabbits don’t move their young. My neighbours letting her dog out again and I just want to make sure there’s no possibility of them just being somewhere else in the yard.

I (22M) often used to look into the future for my happiness. "When I am this or when I get this, then I will be fulfilled“. But no expectation, or hope really had so much importance and gravity as the one to find love. I had the expectation that as soon as I would have my girlfriend, life would be great. This expectation mostly manifested itself as a daydream/fantasy. I would listen to romantic and dreamy music and make myself “high” with fantasy’s of me and my imagined girlfriend. It was such a great feeling. All of my daydreams had a cinematic, movie highlight quality. Idk f.e. like riding into the sunset together.
I did this probably everyday since I am 9 to this day. I did this so I could escape negative emotions, have hope, make boring moments stimulating, and to just feel good.
Today I have to deal with the consequences. All my daydreaming made and still makes me catch feelings pretty quickly for girls. But I realise now that I didn't really have feelings for many of the girls I dated, I had feelings for my fantasy of them. Every time I date a girl that I find somewhat attractive (physically and personality wise), I literally can't stop thinking and fantasising about her. This is because she becomes the portal to all the romantic daydreams I had during my life, she is the portal to my eternal bliss.
Obviously I know that a relationship won't fix all my problems. The honeymoon phase will hit hard, but after that its just like any other important relationship. There will be laughter, conflict, misunderstandings, things we can connect to, things we can't connect to etc. It won't be a cure for all, and most definitely won't be as perfect as my cinematic daydreams. Still my being or soul has been programmed for 10+ years, through all my daydreaming, to associate a relationship with bliss. And this is so deep inside of me, I just can't get it out of me. Its like someone that has been injured severely by a dog, and therefore can't encounter dogs without having a panic attack. Although this hypothetical person could logically understand that not all dogs are dangerous, they still have no control over their anxiety.
Right now I could not casually date someone that I am romantically interested in, like my friends can, without stressing and obsessing most of the day. I have such a high expectation of the outcome. This makes me overthink, and be anxious most of the time. F.e. the girl I am talking to now. I've met her two times. I think she's fun and attractive, but I don't think that we are super compatible. Still, I think every 10 minutes about her, and I get really anxious when she doesn't text back in a couple of hours.
I know that dating is filled with a lot of troublesome and pleasant feelings for everyone. But I feel like my experience is somewhat unique.
Has anyone else this problem? How do you solve this?