John persons and the pit
Videos of tradespeople and craftspeople skillfully performing their work
2011.02.08 12:01 TechnoL33T Videos of tradespeople and craftspeople skillfully performing their work
This community is a space for curated high-quality video content that showcases the talent and skills of trades-persons and crafts-persons as they engage in and practice their craft.
2016.03.10 02:14 dzibilchaltun Pit Bull Victim Support
We welcome victims (and their sympathizers) who wish to share their experiences and receive support without being censored by mobs of pit apologists. We document countless attacks on people, pets and livestock; expose all layers of propaganda and value safety and peace of mind in our homes and communities. “The truth is often ridiculed and scorned. It is then violently opposed, and then it becomes self evident.”
2008.09.23 12:16 UnsolvedMysteries: This reddit is about unsolved mysteries ...
This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. Whenever possible, actual redditors have participated in investigating the events. What you are about to read is not a news broadcast.
2024.04.26 09:53 Rat_burn07 "The Soldier" something I wrote a few years ago, wanted to share. [HR]
It was on a cool night when the soldier rode his horse into the village hidden deep within the forest. The canopy was so thick that the grass had hardly ever seen the light of day. Though the residents of the village had managed to get by for longer than any one person could remember, they were still a fragile group of people and as such had become the targets of a gang of thieves. After entering the village, the soldier was met by a tall man with a great beard who looked as though he were in his mid thirties.
“You hear ‘bout the break-ins?” asked the man.
“Yes, I am Lieutenant Godfrey of the royal army” the soldier replied as he dismounted his horse, “and who might you be?”
“The name’s Tom” replied the man
“Good to meet your acquaintance Tom, now could you give me details on these break-ins you have been experiencing?” said the Soldier
“Sure, but first let’s go inside” Tom said as he pointed towards the house to his left, “I’m sure you’re quite famished from the journey here”
“Thank you, is this where I will be staying while I am here?”
“I figured I’d let you stay with us while you figure out what’s been going on, it’s the least I could do”
Inside of the house sat a table with food on it meant for the soldier and the man’s family, the man’s wife greeted the soldier before the man’s son approached the table
The boy asked “Are you a knight?”
“No” replied the soldier
“But, I thought they were going to send a knight for us”
“Hey!” yelled Tom from the other side of the room, “Do not disrespect our guest like that”
There was a long pause before the soldier interjected, “It is okay, I did not take any offense, and really if anything I appreciate your hospitality” the soldier continued “I think it’s time we discuss these break-ins now, shall we?”
“Why yes” responded Tom, “over the last three weeks, give or take, everyone here’s been noticing things going missing. We believe it must be some sort of traveling band of thieves, there hasn’t been any signs of the break ins so we’re at our wits ends at this point”
After a few minutes of contemplation the soldier said, “I understand, tonight I’ll keep note of anything I see or hear. I’ll look for any signs of break ins in the morning”
“Who is it?” asked a feeble sounding voice on the other side of the door.
“My name is Lieutenant Godfrey, I have been sent here to investigate the recent break ins” replied the Soldier
The door opened to reveal an elderly woman who seemed as if she might collapse after even the most mundane of tasks.
“Ahh, well come on in and have a seat then” said the woman with a smile, “I am very glad to see someone has come to aid us during this time of strife”
“I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions” asked the Soldier as he sat in a chair across from the woman.
“Why yes, although I am not sure how useful any information I might have would be” stated the woman
“I’m sure it will be plenty useful, anyways, first I would like to know about that window” replied the Soldier as he pointed across the room.
“What’s wrong with that window?” asked the woman
“There is a dent in its frame and I would like to know if you know what might have caused it” exclaimed the Soldier
“Well, it could have been anything really” said the woman in a confused tone, “I don’t see what this has to do with the break ins”
The Soldier then retorted with, “I believe that the dent in that window frame could have been the result of forced entry through your window ma'am”
“Oh, well that might explain that thing I found out back” said the woman
“What thing?” asked the Soldier
“Well you see, a while back I found some strange tool in my garden, it was made from metal and was curved at the end” replied the woman, “I just thought it might have been one of the children’s toy’s”
After making a mental note, the Soldier asked, “Would you happen to know where it is now?”
The woman had a concerned look as she replied, “I had meant to ask the children about it but I seemed to have misplaced it somewhere around here, I am truly sorry sir”
“No worries ma’am, if you don’t mind, I may be able to find it” said the Soldier
“Why, go ahead and look if you think it will help put a stop to all this madness that’s been going on” replied the woman with a confident look
The Soldier looked around the house for this tool along with any other signs of intrusion. He started by searching underneath and behind the woman's furniture. He could tell that she hadn't looked in these areas due to the massive build up of dust amongst the otherwise well kept cottage. When he looked behind the woman's wardrobe he saw the slightest shimmer, at closer inspection he saw that it was the tool that he had learned about underneath the wardrobe. Before removing it, the Soldier made a mental note of its position and searched the rest of the room while developing a theory about what happened. The theory was that whoever originally botched the break-in attempt returned to reclaim the tool they used to commit the burglary but at last second left it somewhere secure to prevent being caught. As the Soldier was forming this theory, he took a look inside the wardrobe and was met with a peculiar sight. Inside the wardrobe was a tied up bag, a bag that had been much heavier than he had anticipated. He felt the bag from the outside, noting the malleable feeling to its contents. The Soldier then placed the bag on the woman's bed and carefully started to open it, the smell that came from this bag was so noxious that he needed to take a step bag to prevent himself from regurgitating his breakfast. When he was finally able to compose himself, the Soldier lowered the sides of the bag to see what it held. What met him was a horrific sight, in the bag was a mound of rotten flesh wrapped around a partly exposed skull. There were small chunks of hair left at the parts where the pale green skin remained. In the left eye socket there rested a shriveled up eye that looked as if it had all of its moisture squeezed out of it, in the right socket was the half decomposed remains of a rat that had once feasted upon the eye and parts of the person's brain tissue. The right side of the jaw was no longer intact with the rest of the head, inside of the mouth was a swollen tongue that was covered in small holes that resembled bite marks from some sort of small animal or insect. When it had finally registered what the Soldier had seen, he went into a flurry. He started screaming and hyperventilating amidst his panic. He fell to the floor and attempted to reach the door that led to the woman's living room, but all he could do was stumble over himself. The woman rushed into the room after hearing the commotion expecting only the worst just to find the Soldier curled up covered in sweat and incoherently whispering to himself.
"What happened?!" asked the woman with a great amount of concern, "L-Let me get you some water sir, come here, come sit out here a while"
Once the Soldier managed to compose himself somewhat he asked, "Why do you have something like that in there, in that sack?"
The woman's concerned face changed into a look of deep sadness as she explained, "Well, my husband, he was a swordsman in the royal army. He died on the battlefield maybe 20, 25 years back, why are you asking about this?"
Hearing this made the Soldiers face contort into a mixture of disgust and anger, "Why am I asking? You can't be serious, th-that thing in there, it isn't right. Are you some sort of mad woman?!"
"What are you going on about?" replied the woman, "I would have expected you of all people to understand"
"Understand? There's nobody as sick enough to understand what you've done" exclaimed the Soldier
"You should be ashamed to make such accusations, you are no Lieutenant" responded the woman in a harsh voice
The Soldier became pale and his eyes had a distant look in them as he stated, "You know nothing of me"
The Soldier walked back into the room to grab the morbid memento of the woman’s husband and attempted to make her understand the issue with what she had been doing. As he reopened the bag he was met with an even more shocking sight than he would ever have expected. Inside the bag was a helmet and chainmail hood meant for a common soldier. He knew what he had seen before, he had all the sights, smells, and textures of that head burned into his mind. Discovering the true contents of the bag disturbed the Soldier deeply, he was shaking uncontrollably as he stumbled outside forgetting all about the break-ins or the tool behind the wardrobe. He went back to the room he had been staying in order to recollect his thoughts as well as find some sort of reasonable explanation for what had happened. It didn't take long before Tom confronted him about his strange interaction with the woman.
“I heard ‘bout what happened between you and Paula today, care to explain?” said Tom with a very stern look.
“Listen, I just need some time to clear my head, I don’t really know what happened to me. I just need some time” pleaded the Soldier.
“Alright, I’ll let it go, however, if you pull any other weird shit with the people ‘round here you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay,” said Tom before following up with, “and that’s only if we decide we still want your service, understood?”
"Yes, I apologize for my misbehavior, it's unbefitting of a man in my position" replied the Soldier
Tom was satisfied with the Soldier's apology, so he left him to sort out his thoughts as he went about his day. The Soldier went through the situation step by step in his head finding a logical reason for what happened. After a few hours of ruminating, he figured that for the time being he would continue forward with the assumption that his tiresome journey to the village along with his prior experience in the army culminated into the vision he saw. Though he wasn't completely satisfied, this answer was enough for him to continue his duty. He walked back to Paula and apologized for his actions and asked to see the tool in order to further the investigation. The Soldier started by comparing the shape of the tools blade with the dents in the window so he could verify that it was in fact used to enter Paula's house. It only took a couple minutes before he was able to find the similarities between the blade and the window frame. After verifying the evidence the Soldier made an assumption about the intrusions, the perpetrators were highly skilled but included at least one inexperienced member. With this most likely being the case, the Soldier could catch one in the middle of a break-in attempt. With this in mind, he devised a plan to catch the inexperienced member of bandits. When Tom returned home later that day the Soldier pulled him aside.
"I have an idea of how we can catch one of the perpetrators, but I'll need you to help me" stated the Soldier
"Alright, what's your idea?" responded Tom
"I want to set up some traps, bear traps would work best, underneath people's windows" said the Soldier with a hint of excitement
"We don't have too many bear traps round these parts, but I'll see what I can do" replied Tom
"Thank you, that should be a huge help in finding these people" exclaimed the Soldier
"Did you happen to see who was okay with having bear traps around their properties by chance?" inquired Tom
"Now, I'm thinking it would be better if you were to ask them about that, after earlier I can't imagine they would be too open to what I have to say" replied the Soldier
"Alright, I'll ask them first thing tomorrow" said Tom
"Wait, why tomorrow?" Responded the Soldier who was now baffled, "We can catch them tonight"
"Sorry, but that just won't work. We don't have the time nor daylight to properly hide any of those bear traps effectively enough" Tom stated
The Soldier then sighed and said "Alright, we can do it tomorrow"
The Soldier then ate supper and headed to bed eager to enact his plan. After falling asleep, the Soldier found himself in a familiar situation. Surrounded in darkness and crawling in a pool of warm liquid, after crawling awhile he found a soft object that felt warmer than the liquid. When he felt this object he heard a voice faintly speak into his ear.
"Your cowardice is what sowed your fate, bare witness to the sins of your past" recited the disembodied voice
The Soldier's heart sank as he heard this, he tried desperately to scream or to cry but nothing came out. While he struggled, a dim light engulfed the object in front of him. What lied before the Soldier was the same head from the day prior only now the head had a body. The body looked as if it had been chewed up, spit out, and left to rot for years. His arms had exposed bones and muscle, his ribcage was decorated by what remained of his organs and had been knocked out of place. His legs looked like they had been ripped off from the shins with only the nerves and a thin layer of skin left intact. This sight made the Soldier completely freeze up, there was no more struggling, no attempts to scream or call for help, he just sat there in shock for what felt like hours if not days. After he froze up the corpse began to move, it slowly crawled towards the Soldier leaving bits and pieces of itself in the pool of liquid along the way. The Soldier tried his best to get up and run, he mustered all of his willpower but couldn't do anything more than shiver as the corpse got closer. The corpse started climbing on the Soldier after it reached him, the smell was unbearable. It then reached into its stomach, grabbed its intestine, then started wrapping it around the Soldiers neck. It wrapped the other end around its ribcage and applied enough of its weight onto it in order to restrict the Soldiers breathing but not enough to strangle him. The corpse then began to speak.
"You will always be a slave, bound by another and forced to do as they please. You are no longer allowed to exist, to live, without the permission of your master. If you were left to your own devices for too long, you would leave only a path of destruction and chaos in your wake. If you don't give in now, you are only prolonging the inevitable. Accept your fate or be left to suffer"
The Soldier woke up feeling dread from the pit of his stomach, however he didn't have the energy to do anything but lay there and think to himself. The images from his dream kept replaying over and over as he tried to think of anything else. His thoughts were so uncontrollable that he forgot about the break-ins, the village, and his plan for catching the inexperienced bandit. He was trapped in the endless cycle of thoughts and images that popped into his head. While stuck in his thought loop, his body moved on autopilot with him acting more as a bystander than an actual participant in his life. It was only at the end of the day when the bear traps had already been set and he was ready to head to sleep that he gained full control over his actions. Wary of what occurred the night before, the Soldier decided to stay awake and maybe even catch the bandit in the act. His approach was to keep watch through the window in his room for anything suspicious. Several hours had passed with nothing of significance happening, the Soldier was battling his desire to rest with a mix of determination and fear of what would meet him if he did succumb to sleep. The Soldier decided that some time outside patrolling the village could help fight off his exhaustion, however while on the walk he realized something. At least six hours had passed since he started watching, despite this the moon was in the same spot as it was when he decided to watch through the window. The Soldier knew that all that time had passed, he was used to spending long amounts of time without much to do so it couldn’t have been his imagination. The very moment he made this realization he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, there was a silhouette barely visible by the house to his left. He froze up as his eyes met a familiar looking man who had been ensnared by the bear trap. The man was moaning in a faint voice as he tried to remove his legs from the trap, only instead of disarming it he tried to force them out of it. The more he struggled the tighter the grip on his legs became as he grew more and more desperate for help. All of a sudden there was a snap. The bear trap had clamped down hard enough to sink into the man’s bones, this caused him to yell out in pain which in turn snapped the Soldier out of his frozen state. Trying to act fast, the Soldier ran over to the man and began to undo the trap. The man then started to completely start panicking when he noticed the Soldier. In a desperate act to flee, the man crawled in the opposite direction from the Soldier which in turn caused his legs to become shredded with only loose bits of skin left attached. The Soldier stepped closer to the man right before a bright light emanated their surroundings. Within only a fraction of a second it had become day and the man who only a moment before was howling in pain and wriggling around on the ground was now covered by various birds that were picking through his innards, this sight compelled the Soldier to shoo away the animals and take a look at the man. He nearly fell over as he came to realize why he had recognized the man, all it took for him to remember was for the man to be in the same state as he had seen him previously. The Soldier desperately fled back to Tom’s house, noticing the sun growing larger and dancing across the sky as he approached it. Where Tom’s house once stood was now only gallows with the bodies of the villagers draped from the ropes. The sky became covered in the sun's fiery essence as a group of men who looked half decayed shambled out from beneath the gallows platform. One of the men stepped forward and began to speak with a deep growl.
“Sin’s left unatoned for must be repaid in more than blood. Before you, lie those who are an affront to God, those who would never repent and must now give all that they have left as recourse”
The Soldier only had a single thought in his head, and that was to run. He scurried towards his horse hoping he could get out of the situation. He was relieved when he reached the stable without any pursuers, he was soon going to be able to leave the nightmare that he had found himself in. As he rode through the forest the trees around him started to wilt and shed their leaves which revealed that a group of hooded figures had been keeping pace with him from within the canopy. He tried making his horse run faster but the ground beneath them became soft and caused the horse to start sinking. Each step made them go lower and lower until the horse was incapable of moving any longer. The figures who had followed them now waited in the trees, watching for the Soldiers next move. His decision was to get off the horse and try to make it out of the forest on foot; this was immediately proven to be fruitless when the figures threw out hooks that had been fitted onto chains. Two of the chains were skillfully placed so that they would fit just below the collar bone while the remaining two hooked right into each of the Soldier’s thighs. The figures then dragged the Soldier back towards the village as he screamed and incoherently attempted to beg for his life. When they reached the village there were logs that had been set up to resemble a cone with straw beneath them, one of the figures stepped forward and removed its hood, revealing itself to be like a malformed human. Its skin had constricted to the point where the skeletal structure was exposed, it was missing a nose and both of its eyes. It pointed over to the gallows and then produced a wretched and ear piercing screech that was capable of bursting eardrums, in response the group of corpses cut down a young boy that became filled with life after hitting the ground. The corpses then dragged the boy over to the logs and sat in the stack of logs while restraining him. The hooded figures then started to chant as the remaining four removed their hoods, each taking out a torch from their robes and raising them into the air. Lightning then struck from the sky, which was now a deep red color, and ignited each torch individually. With their torches, the creatures set the log formation on fire as the boy screamed and cried hoping for a way out of the situation. When the boy tried to wriggle out of the corpse's grasp, one of them held him to its chest as he wept. The process was grueling and lasted far too long, but when the effigy was done burning and its sacrifice complete, a black cloud swirled in the sky directly above. As the cloud grew and swirled a funnel began to reach down towards the effigy, once the funnel had entirely obscured it something arose from within. Out walked a creature that stood on two legs with patches of fur covering its body, its eye’s resembled that of a goat’s with a third larger eye that resembled a human’s. It had sharp bones protruding from the tips of it’s fingers and feet. The heart was exposed in the chest with bone wrapping around it. It had a set of antlers that intertwined at the center in a concave shape. The creatures that had summoned the beast continued to chant in unison as they presented the Soldier to it. The beast then stepped over to him as a voice echoed throughout the entire forest.
“With every action comes a price, a debt to be owed. To Sin is to take on the largest of debt’s. When a man amasses far too large a debt he may come to believe that he owes more than he can give. He is wrong to believe this, with every price, is a way to pay. There is no debt too large for a man to pay, today all here will bear witness to what happens when a man has a debt greater than himself.”
The beast then walked within an arm's length of the Soldier before shutting the eye on its forehead. When the eye was completely shut the Soldier found himself somewhere he spent many years trying to forget, a battlefield. He felt his memories rushing back to him as he took in his surroundings. It didn’t take long for him to remember where he was, his platoon had just been blindsided and overwhelmed. He remembered making the decision to take the route he did despite being warned several times of the potential danger. As he looked around he noticed someone in particular, his younger brother who had been a part of his platoon, the man who he had seen in his dream and in the bear trap. The Soldier watched as his platoon was overpowered and his brother on the ground wounded, crying to him for help. He wanted to help, to do what he thought he should have done. The Soldier tried to muster up all the courage he could and in the end all he could do was run away, he ran as his brother was cut off halfway through his yelling by a blade straight through the throat. After he started running, he was suddenly right back where he had been before in the village with the Beast and the hooks. The Beast, now with its eye open, took the chains from the creatures and dragged the Soldier over to the black funnel that covered the effigy. The Soldier felt his body burning from the inside, he sat there for nearly an hour as parts of his skin started melting and his organs swirled inside of him like a stew. When it ended the skin that stayed on him was hanging off of his body, there were intense sharp pains throughout the inside of his body, and his brain had been tampered with so severely that he would be left in a permanent state of confusion. The Soldier then heard the same disembodied voice from before.
“You shall now be left to roam only these woods, with the company of your past sins. When it comes time for you to be useful, I will use you as needed.”
submitted by Rat_burn07 to shortstories [link] [comments]
“You hear ‘bout the break-ins?” asked the man.
“Yes, I am Lieutenant Godfrey of the royal army” the soldier replied as he dismounted his horse, “and who might you be?”
“The name’s Tom” replied the man
“Good to meet your acquaintance Tom, now could you give me details on these break-ins you have been experiencing?” said the Soldier
“Sure, but first let’s go inside” Tom said as he pointed towards the house to his left, “I’m sure you’re quite famished from the journey here”
“Thank you, is this where I will be staying while I am here?”
“I figured I’d let you stay with us while you figure out what’s been going on, it’s the least I could do”
Inside of the house sat a table with food on it meant for the soldier and the man’s family, the man’s wife greeted the soldier before the man’s son approached the table
The boy asked “Are you a knight?”
“No” replied the soldier
“But, I thought they were going to send a knight for us”
“Hey!” yelled Tom from the other side of the room, “Do not disrespect our guest like that”
There was a long pause before the soldier interjected, “It is okay, I did not take any offense, and really if anything I appreciate your hospitality” the soldier continued “I think it’s time we discuss these break-ins now, shall we?”
“Why yes” responded Tom, “over the last three weeks, give or take, everyone here’s been noticing things going missing. We believe it must be some sort of traveling band of thieves, there hasn’t been any signs of the break ins so we’re at our wits ends at this point”
After a few minutes of contemplation the soldier said, “I understand, tonight I’ll keep note of anything I see or hear. I’ll look for any signs of break ins in the morning”
That night, after the Soldier had fallen into a slumber, he experienced a terrible nightmare. In the dream he was in a pool of liquid that was warm and smelled of iron, he knew it could only be one thing but it was too dark for him to tell. As he crawled around, wrapped in darkness, he eventually came across something in a solid state. While attempting to determine the object that laid in front of him he heard a faint whisper, this whisper sent chills all the way down the soldier's spine and caused him to panic as he desperately crawled for anything that resembled safety. In his state of shock, the soldier awoke drenched in sweat. The intensity of the dream left the Soldier in deep contemplation over its contents, however as hard as he tried, he could not remember the words that had been whispered to him. While absolutely exhausted, the Soldier was eager to begin his assignment, he ate a light breakfast that had been prepared for him and set out to search for any valuable information he could get ahold of.The Soldier started his search by searching the perimeters of every house in the village. There were a total of nine houses in the village, a church, and a single barn used to house the village's livestock. Due to the canopy cover of the forest, the crops that the village grew consisted mainly of cabbage, beets, radishes, and carrots. There was also a spring located near the village with a waterfall created by the cliff that towered over the forest’s canopy. The Soldier knew that if there were a band of thieves camped nearby, that they would likely use the town's resources and the forest’s wild game to subsist off of. While checking the perimeters of each house, a few things would not leave the Soldiers mind. First was that there was no clear motive for this village to be targeted by thieves, let alone an entire band. The second thought was that even with no clear motive, the perpetrators had to be very skilled and experienced to pull off such a high number of break-ins with no evidence of forced entry. The last thought that the Soldier could not shake off was that of the dream he had experienced the night before as he tried to recall what had been said to him to shake him up as much as it had. At the seventh house that the Soldier inspected he had finally found a tangible clue that he could work off of, a slight dent in the frame of the window. Before drawing up any theories, the Soldier decided that it would be best to interview the occupant of the house in order to make sure the dent was not created by any other event as well as to inspect the inside of the house. The Soldier walked to the other side of the house and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” asked a feeble sounding voice on the other side of the door.
“My name is Lieutenant Godfrey, I have been sent here to investigate the recent break ins” replied the Soldier
The door opened to reveal an elderly woman who seemed as if she might collapse after even the most mundane of tasks.
“Ahh, well come on in and have a seat then” said the woman with a smile, “I am very glad to see someone has come to aid us during this time of strife”
“I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions” asked the Soldier as he sat in a chair across from the woman.
“Why yes, although I am not sure how useful any information I might have would be” stated the woman
“I’m sure it will be plenty useful, anyways, first I would like to know about that window” replied the Soldier as he pointed across the room.
“What’s wrong with that window?” asked the woman
“There is a dent in its frame and I would like to know if you know what might have caused it” exclaimed the Soldier
“Well, it could have been anything really” said the woman in a confused tone, “I don’t see what this has to do with the break ins”
The Soldier then retorted with, “I believe that the dent in that window frame could have been the result of forced entry through your window ma'am”
“Oh, well that might explain that thing I found out back” said the woman
“What thing?” asked the Soldier
“Well you see, a while back I found some strange tool in my garden, it was made from metal and was curved at the end” replied the woman, “I just thought it might have been one of the children’s toy’s”
After making a mental note, the Soldier asked, “Would you happen to know where it is now?”
The woman had a concerned look as she replied, “I had meant to ask the children about it but I seemed to have misplaced it somewhere around here, I am truly sorry sir”
“No worries ma’am, if you don’t mind, I may be able to find it” said the Soldier
“Why, go ahead and look if you think it will help put a stop to all this madness that’s been going on” replied the woman with a confident look
The Soldier looked around the house for this tool along with any other signs of intrusion. He started by searching underneath and behind the woman's furniture. He could tell that she hadn't looked in these areas due to the massive build up of dust amongst the otherwise well kept cottage. When he looked behind the woman's wardrobe he saw the slightest shimmer, at closer inspection he saw that it was the tool that he had learned about underneath the wardrobe. Before removing it, the Soldier made a mental note of its position and searched the rest of the room while developing a theory about what happened. The theory was that whoever originally botched the break-in attempt returned to reclaim the tool they used to commit the burglary but at last second left it somewhere secure to prevent being caught. As the Soldier was forming this theory, he took a look inside the wardrobe and was met with a peculiar sight. Inside the wardrobe was a tied up bag, a bag that had been much heavier than he had anticipated. He felt the bag from the outside, noting the malleable feeling to its contents. The Soldier then placed the bag on the woman's bed and carefully started to open it, the smell that came from this bag was so noxious that he needed to take a step bag to prevent himself from regurgitating his breakfast. When he was finally able to compose himself, the Soldier lowered the sides of the bag to see what it held. What met him was a horrific sight, in the bag was a mound of rotten flesh wrapped around a partly exposed skull. There were small chunks of hair left at the parts where the pale green skin remained. In the left eye socket there rested a shriveled up eye that looked as if it had all of its moisture squeezed out of it, in the right socket was the half decomposed remains of a rat that had once feasted upon the eye and parts of the person's brain tissue. The right side of the jaw was no longer intact with the rest of the head, inside of the mouth was a swollen tongue that was covered in small holes that resembled bite marks from some sort of small animal or insect. When it had finally registered what the Soldier had seen, he went into a flurry. He started screaming and hyperventilating amidst his panic. He fell to the floor and attempted to reach the door that led to the woman's living room, but all he could do was stumble over himself. The woman rushed into the room after hearing the commotion expecting only the worst just to find the Soldier curled up covered in sweat and incoherently whispering to himself.
"What happened?!" asked the woman with a great amount of concern, "L-Let me get you some water sir, come here, come sit out here a while"
Once the Soldier managed to compose himself somewhat he asked, "Why do you have something like that in there, in that sack?"
The woman's concerned face changed into a look of deep sadness as she explained, "Well, my husband, he was a swordsman in the royal army. He died on the battlefield maybe 20, 25 years back, why are you asking about this?"
Hearing this made the Soldiers face contort into a mixture of disgust and anger, "Why am I asking? You can't be serious, th-that thing in there, it isn't right. Are you some sort of mad woman?!"
"What are you going on about?" replied the woman, "I would have expected you of all people to understand"
"Understand? There's nobody as sick enough to understand what you've done" exclaimed the Soldier
"You should be ashamed to make such accusations, you are no Lieutenant" responded the woman in a harsh voice
The Soldier became pale and his eyes had a distant look in them as he stated, "You know nothing of me"
The Soldier walked back into the room to grab the morbid memento of the woman’s husband and attempted to make her understand the issue with what she had been doing. As he reopened the bag he was met with an even more shocking sight than he would ever have expected. Inside the bag was a helmet and chainmail hood meant for a common soldier. He knew what he had seen before, he had all the sights, smells, and textures of that head burned into his mind. Discovering the true contents of the bag disturbed the Soldier deeply, he was shaking uncontrollably as he stumbled outside forgetting all about the break-ins or the tool behind the wardrobe. He went back to the room he had been staying in order to recollect his thoughts as well as find some sort of reasonable explanation for what had happened. It didn't take long before Tom confronted him about his strange interaction with the woman.
“I heard ‘bout what happened between you and Paula today, care to explain?” said Tom with a very stern look.
“Listen, I just need some time to clear my head, I don’t really know what happened to me. I just need some time” pleaded the Soldier.
“Alright, I’ll let it go, however, if you pull any other weird shit with the people ‘round here you’ll have to find somewhere else to stay,” said Tom before following up with, “and that’s only if we decide we still want your service, understood?”
"Yes, I apologize for my misbehavior, it's unbefitting of a man in my position" replied the Soldier
Tom was satisfied with the Soldier's apology, so he left him to sort out his thoughts as he went about his day. The Soldier went through the situation step by step in his head finding a logical reason for what happened. After a few hours of ruminating, he figured that for the time being he would continue forward with the assumption that his tiresome journey to the village along with his prior experience in the army culminated into the vision he saw. Though he wasn't completely satisfied, this answer was enough for him to continue his duty. He walked back to Paula and apologized for his actions and asked to see the tool in order to further the investigation. The Soldier started by comparing the shape of the tools blade with the dents in the window so he could verify that it was in fact used to enter Paula's house. It only took a couple minutes before he was able to find the similarities between the blade and the window frame. After verifying the evidence the Soldier made an assumption about the intrusions, the perpetrators were highly skilled but included at least one inexperienced member. With this most likely being the case, the Soldier could catch one in the middle of a break-in attempt. With this in mind, he devised a plan to catch the inexperienced member of bandits. When Tom returned home later that day the Soldier pulled him aside.
"I have an idea of how we can catch one of the perpetrators, but I'll need you to help me" stated the Soldier
"Alright, what's your idea?" responded Tom
"I want to set up some traps, bear traps would work best, underneath people's windows" said the Soldier with a hint of excitement
"We don't have too many bear traps round these parts, but I'll see what I can do" replied Tom
"Thank you, that should be a huge help in finding these people" exclaimed the Soldier
"Did you happen to see who was okay with having bear traps around their properties by chance?" inquired Tom
"Now, I'm thinking it would be better if you were to ask them about that, after earlier I can't imagine they would be too open to what I have to say" replied the Soldier
"Alright, I'll ask them first thing tomorrow" said Tom
"Wait, why tomorrow?" Responded the Soldier who was now baffled, "We can catch them tonight"
"Sorry, but that just won't work. We don't have the time nor daylight to properly hide any of those bear traps effectively enough" Tom stated
The Soldier then sighed and said "Alright, we can do it tomorrow"
The Soldier then ate supper and headed to bed eager to enact his plan. After falling asleep, the Soldier found himself in a familiar situation. Surrounded in darkness and crawling in a pool of warm liquid, after crawling awhile he found a soft object that felt warmer than the liquid. When he felt this object he heard a voice faintly speak into his ear.
"Your cowardice is what sowed your fate, bare witness to the sins of your past" recited the disembodied voice
The Soldier's heart sank as he heard this, he tried desperately to scream or to cry but nothing came out. While he struggled, a dim light engulfed the object in front of him. What lied before the Soldier was the same head from the day prior only now the head had a body. The body looked as if it had been chewed up, spit out, and left to rot for years. His arms had exposed bones and muscle, his ribcage was decorated by what remained of his organs and had been knocked out of place. His legs looked like they had been ripped off from the shins with only the nerves and a thin layer of skin left intact. This sight made the Soldier completely freeze up, there was no more struggling, no attempts to scream or call for help, he just sat there in shock for what felt like hours if not days. After he froze up the corpse began to move, it slowly crawled towards the Soldier leaving bits and pieces of itself in the pool of liquid along the way. The Soldier tried his best to get up and run, he mustered all of his willpower but couldn't do anything more than shiver as the corpse got closer. The corpse started climbing on the Soldier after it reached him, the smell was unbearable. It then reached into its stomach, grabbed its intestine, then started wrapping it around the Soldiers neck. It wrapped the other end around its ribcage and applied enough of its weight onto it in order to restrict the Soldiers breathing but not enough to strangle him. The corpse then began to speak.
"You will always be a slave, bound by another and forced to do as they please. You are no longer allowed to exist, to live, without the permission of your master. If you were left to your own devices for too long, you would leave only a path of destruction and chaos in your wake. If you don't give in now, you are only prolonging the inevitable. Accept your fate or be left to suffer"
The Soldier woke up feeling dread from the pit of his stomach, however he didn't have the energy to do anything but lay there and think to himself. The images from his dream kept replaying over and over as he tried to think of anything else. His thoughts were so uncontrollable that he forgot about the break-ins, the village, and his plan for catching the inexperienced bandit. He was trapped in the endless cycle of thoughts and images that popped into his head. While stuck in his thought loop, his body moved on autopilot with him acting more as a bystander than an actual participant in his life. It was only at the end of the day when the bear traps had already been set and he was ready to head to sleep that he gained full control over his actions. Wary of what occurred the night before, the Soldier decided to stay awake and maybe even catch the bandit in the act. His approach was to keep watch through the window in his room for anything suspicious. Several hours had passed with nothing of significance happening, the Soldier was battling his desire to rest with a mix of determination and fear of what would meet him if he did succumb to sleep. The Soldier decided that some time outside patrolling the village could help fight off his exhaustion, however while on the walk he realized something. At least six hours had passed since he started watching, despite this the moon was in the same spot as it was when he decided to watch through the window. The Soldier knew that all that time had passed, he was used to spending long amounts of time without much to do so it couldn’t have been his imagination. The very moment he made this realization he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, there was a silhouette barely visible by the house to his left. He froze up as his eyes met a familiar looking man who had been ensnared by the bear trap. The man was moaning in a faint voice as he tried to remove his legs from the trap, only instead of disarming it he tried to force them out of it. The more he struggled the tighter the grip on his legs became as he grew more and more desperate for help. All of a sudden there was a snap. The bear trap had clamped down hard enough to sink into the man’s bones, this caused him to yell out in pain which in turn snapped the Soldier out of his frozen state. Trying to act fast, the Soldier ran over to the man and began to undo the trap. The man then started to completely start panicking when he noticed the Soldier. In a desperate act to flee, the man crawled in the opposite direction from the Soldier which in turn caused his legs to become shredded with only loose bits of skin left attached. The Soldier stepped closer to the man right before a bright light emanated their surroundings. Within only a fraction of a second it had become day and the man who only a moment before was howling in pain and wriggling around on the ground was now covered by various birds that were picking through his innards, this sight compelled the Soldier to shoo away the animals and take a look at the man. He nearly fell over as he came to realize why he had recognized the man, all it took for him to remember was for the man to be in the same state as he had seen him previously. The Soldier desperately fled back to Tom’s house, noticing the sun growing larger and dancing across the sky as he approached it. Where Tom’s house once stood was now only gallows with the bodies of the villagers draped from the ropes. The sky became covered in the sun's fiery essence as a group of men who looked half decayed shambled out from beneath the gallows platform. One of the men stepped forward and began to speak with a deep growl.
“Sin’s left unatoned for must be repaid in more than blood. Before you, lie those who are an affront to God, those who would never repent and must now give all that they have left as recourse”
The Soldier only had a single thought in his head, and that was to run. He scurried towards his horse hoping he could get out of the situation. He was relieved when he reached the stable without any pursuers, he was soon going to be able to leave the nightmare that he had found himself in. As he rode through the forest the trees around him started to wilt and shed their leaves which revealed that a group of hooded figures had been keeping pace with him from within the canopy. He tried making his horse run faster but the ground beneath them became soft and caused the horse to start sinking. Each step made them go lower and lower until the horse was incapable of moving any longer. The figures who had followed them now waited in the trees, watching for the Soldiers next move. His decision was to get off the horse and try to make it out of the forest on foot; this was immediately proven to be fruitless when the figures threw out hooks that had been fitted onto chains. Two of the chains were skillfully placed so that they would fit just below the collar bone while the remaining two hooked right into each of the Soldier’s thighs. The figures then dragged the Soldier back towards the village as he screamed and incoherently attempted to beg for his life. When they reached the village there were logs that had been set up to resemble a cone with straw beneath them, one of the figures stepped forward and removed its hood, revealing itself to be like a malformed human. Its skin had constricted to the point where the skeletal structure was exposed, it was missing a nose and both of its eyes. It pointed over to the gallows and then produced a wretched and ear piercing screech that was capable of bursting eardrums, in response the group of corpses cut down a young boy that became filled with life after hitting the ground. The corpses then dragged the boy over to the logs and sat in the stack of logs while restraining him. The hooded figures then started to chant as the remaining four removed their hoods, each taking out a torch from their robes and raising them into the air. Lightning then struck from the sky, which was now a deep red color, and ignited each torch individually. With their torches, the creatures set the log formation on fire as the boy screamed and cried hoping for a way out of the situation. When the boy tried to wriggle out of the corpse's grasp, one of them held him to its chest as he wept. The process was grueling and lasted far too long, but when the effigy was done burning and its sacrifice complete, a black cloud swirled in the sky directly above. As the cloud grew and swirled a funnel began to reach down towards the effigy, once the funnel had entirely obscured it something arose from within. Out walked a creature that stood on two legs with patches of fur covering its body, its eye’s resembled that of a goat’s with a third larger eye that resembled a human’s. It had sharp bones protruding from the tips of it’s fingers and feet. The heart was exposed in the chest with bone wrapping around it. It had a set of antlers that intertwined at the center in a concave shape. The creatures that had summoned the beast continued to chant in unison as they presented the Soldier to it. The beast then stepped over to him as a voice echoed throughout the entire forest.
“With every action comes a price, a debt to be owed. To Sin is to take on the largest of debt’s. When a man amasses far too large a debt he may come to believe that he owes more than he can give. He is wrong to believe this, with every price, is a way to pay. There is no debt too large for a man to pay, today all here will bear witness to what happens when a man has a debt greater than himself.”
The beast then walked within an arm's length of the Soldier before shutting the eye on its forehead. When the eye was completely shut the Soldier found himself somewhere he spent many years trying to forget, a battlefield. He felt his memories rushing back to him as he took in his surroundings. It didn’t take long for him to remember where he was, his platoon had just been blindsided and overwhelmed. He remembered making the decision to take the route he did despite being warned several times of the potential danger. As he looked around he noticed someone in particular, his younger brother who had been a part of his platoon, the man who he had seen in his dream and in the bear trap. The Soldier watched as his platoon was overpowered and his brother on the ground wounded, crying to him for help. He wanted to help, to do what he thought he should have done. The Soldier tried to muster up all the courage he could and in the end all he could do was run away, he ran as his brother was cut off halfway through his yelling by a blade straight through the throat. After he started running, he was suddenly right back where he had been before in the village with the Beast and the hooks. The Beast, now with its eye open, took the chains from the creatures and dragged the Soldier over to the black funnel that covered the effigy. The Soldier felt his body burning from the inside, he sat there for nearly an hour as parts of his skin started melting and his organs swirled inside of him like a stew. When it ended the skin that stayed on him was hanging off of his body, there were intense sharp pains throughout the inside of his body, and his brain had been tampered with so severely that he would be left in a permanent state of confusion. The Soldier then heard the same disembodied voice from before.
“You shall now be left to roam only these woods, with the company of your past sins. When it comes time for you to be useful, I will use you as needed.”
2024.04.26 09:24 lunatichorse A few more storyteller options are needed for Anomaly
We've all seen the complaints- without activating the monolith the Anomaly events you get are pretty barebones- basically shamblers and some distress signals with fleshbeasts. The last update added some storyteller options to control the percentage of Anomaly events relative to others but in my opinion it doesn't fix the main problem- that the more interesting events are hidden behind the higher monolith levels.
So I think an option to enable those advanced anomalies in normal playthroughs where the monolith was not activated would be great- even if it's something like a 1% chance (this again could be adjustable from the storyteller options). So you can still try to live out your peaceful cannibal yayo utopia dreams but maybe a Revenant shows up. Or that last person that joined the colony and was a great chef starts dripping gray flesh out of some orifice. Or the Stellarch really wants you to look after this strange golden cube. The three obelisks might crash down, or a pit gate might open or that disgusting flesh heart might try to infest your map, chimeras might decide to pay you a visit, or devourers, or some waxy corpse that looks just like your husband might appear in the colony one day. Those are cool events and having them happen spontaneously would be amazing even if only for the storytelling it would generate.
The best horror stories are the ones where ordinary people are faced with extraordinary events and creatures . But the way Anomaly locks events behind the monolith requires you to play out a very specific scenario where your colonists are very much playing with fire and provoking the monsters (Void Provocation anyone?). It's like my colonists are the marines in Aliens going on a bug hunt mission - but I want them to be the hapless cargo truckers in Alien that had no idea what was going to happen when they answered the distress call.
submitted by lunatichorse to RimWorld [link] [comments]
So I think an option to enable those advanced anomalies in normal playthroughs where the monolith was not activated would be great- even if it's something like a 1% chance (this again could be adjustable from the storyteller options). So you can still try to live out your peaceful cannibal yayo utopia dreams but maybe a Revenant shows up. Or that last person that joined the colony and was a great chef starts dripping gray flesh out of some orifice. Or the Stellarch really wants you to look after this strange golden cube. The three obelisks might crash down, or a pit gate might open or that disgusting flesh heart might try to infest your map, chimeras might decide to pay you a visit, or devourers, or some waxy corpse that looks just like your husband might appear in the colony one day. Those are cool events and having them happen spontaneously would be amazing even if only for the storytelling it would generate.
The best horror stories are the ones where ordinary people are faced with extraordinary events and creatures . But the way Anomaly locks events behind the monolith requires you to play out a very specific scenario where your colonists are very much playing with fire and provoking the monsters (Void Provocation anyone?). It's like my colonists are the marines in Aliens going on a bug hunt mission - but I want them to be the hapless cargo truckers in Alien that had no idea what was going to happen when they answered the distress call.
2024.04.26 09:21 robZombie0930 Comic grading
 | submitted by robZombie0930 to marvelcomics [link] [comments] |
2024.04.26 09:17 mistermark21 A JW sent me a link to his website containing a testimony
It seems that as the more rational and "honest hearted ones" leave, only the mentally ill and narcissists remain.
A JW on Quora sent me a link to his webpage which "explains" his testimony.
https://www.dinsmoreadvisoryservice.com/
He's clearly tried his best to make it look academic:
The main points that I want to call attention to is that:
Introduction:
When I was a youngster, I became aware that I was different because I could see and hear what other people were left totally unaware of. This did not lead to any sort of sickness and I was not troubled by any of this because it seemed so natural to me. I mentioned Ernest Angley because this is when I first met the Spirit Being who introduced me to Jehovah some decades later when I turned 30 years of age. My first experience was probably when I was perhaps seven years old. This was before Ernest Angley occupied Grace Cathedral in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio on State Road. What I attended with my mother and brother was a tent meeting. Ernest Angley was not there that night. Two women possibly his wife and sister were holding the meeting and laying on hands so that the Holy Ghost would fill the people. When they were done all the people were laying on the ground unconscious except for my mother, brother, and me. We three were the only ones left standing. I did not find out until decades later why that happened like that. Behind the two women who were officiating, I could see two spirit beings sitting on what looked like Thrones. They were floating in the air behind the altar. One was Jesus and the other was the same Spirit Being that brought me up before Jehovah God decades later. He spoke as I approached the altar and said, He comes to me with a mind like that and asks me to heal his foot... What he was talking about was that I had repeatedly sprained my right ankle and so I wanted it healed. Hey, I was just a youngster in elementary school LOL (Laughter). Having an exceptional mind meant nothing to me at that stage of my life. I just wanted to run and play.
On a more serious note, after I turned 14 years of age I got baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on April 14, 1962. I had disregarded my previous experience with the Holy Ghost as a youngster. I was now part of Theocratic Ministry School and going door to door while offering bible studies to my neighbors. My previous experience however had left me wary because I knew that I was not anointed for the Ministry. I will not say that I am not anointed because there is something obviously different about me. When preachers claim to receive the call they often mean something spiritual although they do not often explain it. I had plenty of experiences however this did not qualify me for the ministry. Jesus told his followers to wait for the Holy Spirit (Power from on high) before trying to represent him (Luke 24:49). This was what was missing for me.
A couple of years later at about age 17, I was at the beach at Bakers Acres near Akron Ohio. I was there on my beach blanket and reading a book about King David by author Frank G. Slaughter. Suddenly, the same spirit being came down and looked at what I was doing. He spoke and said, He is reading about himself. That experience stayed with me and gave me a hint as to why I am so aware of the spirit world and have a unique perspective on everything.
In 1978 I was pulled out of my body at (age 30) and brought up before Jehovah (January 6th, 1978) I was in my room on a Friday night trying to sleep and suddenly a Spirit person that I recognized from the Nazarene Church that I attended as a youngster came into the room and said Sit up. Jehovah will speak to you now. As I sat up suddenly I started floating and I looked behind me and there was my body still sitting up and laying on the bed. The next thing I was aware of was that I was in the spirit realm and there was Jehovah God who was talking to the Spirit Being who has been with me since I attended the Ernest Angley tent meeting so many years ago, He was asking Jehovah about the Great Tribulation and when it would occur. The only reply that I heard was I do not want him to see it. Then Jehovah started talking about me dying before the Great Tribulation happens. I was then introduced to Jehovah as someone who I had refused to serve just because I did not have the mind for it. Jehovah then condemned me for unfaithfulness as he started speaking to me. He then came up close to me face to face and said, From now on you are going to have to earn the attention you get from me. I remember this happening on a Friday night, Saturday morning, which is Jewish Sabbath. I continue to wonder how I can earn his attention. I am not even sure that I have the same protection that I once had. I have hope that I have not been rejected because of what Jehovah said to me.
About three years later (age 33) I was again in my room although a different apartment building. I was thinking about all that had happened to me over the years, many experiences that I have not even mentioned in this letter and wondering why this had all happened to me. So, I asked audibly, Where is Jesus? and suddenly he was there. He spoke to me audibly saying I am Jesus. I then saw a pair of dark eyes peering down on me. There were two other spirit beings with him and they seemed to form a pyramid around me. Then he said to his companions, I know I am not supposed to speak to him. I just cannot stand to let him think that he is alone. Then without referring to The Shade mentioned in Psalms 121:5 he said, You are to become the Anointed One of God. This is what that mark means on your hand. This was news to me because the Bible does not mention this. He continued to speak to me, and what was said after that remark agreed with what I remembered during my first experience at the Ernest Angley Crusade about twenty-five years earlier. I suppose this experience with Jesus lasted for about ten minutes and then he was gone. When he was done speaking, I understood why I had not been touched by the Holy Ghost so many years previously.
I do not engage in Spiritism because there are Biblical teachings against this. Please do not misunderstand me. All of my experiences are connected to my interest in God and the reaction of the spirit world to that activity. Perhaps the best way to explain it is spiritual growth. If you center your life around God, then you will experience things that the people around you remain unaware of. Psalms 119:18 and 2nd Kings 6:17
Main Points on what you should know:
Jehovah did not speak to me about Israel and the Palestinians. Whether they are the mixed company that has been gathered (Isaiah 11:10-12) is not something that I have direct knowledge about. What happens to them is now up to Jehovah.
I say these things about the mixed company that left Egypt under Moses because all through the Bible Jehovah speaks of his people in the present tense as though they were still alive. This is because they are. Jesus said that God is God to the living and not of the dead. (Matthew 22:32) Jehovah also speaks of his servant David centuries after he presumably died as though he were still alive because he was. (Isaiah 37:35). I saw Pat Robertson say on the 700 Club a few years ago, that he did not believe in Soul Sleep. That remark stayed with me because it was a little unusual for a minister to say. I do however know by personal experience with Jesus that he exercises his power over Death and the Hades on a regular basis both with humans and animals. (Revelations 1:18) I know that the Bible does not mention this about the animals except that I had an experience with one of my cats after she died. Also, Jesus did not deny that humans continue to get reborn. Instead, he made a distinction between rebirth and the resurrection in that a change is made which makes resurrection different than the rebirth. He was talking to the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. (Matthew 22:23-33). Rebirth seems to be beneficial to the spirit. I am telling you what I have experienced.
Conclusion:
When people tell you that religious faith is a private matter, do not believe it. When the Great Tribulation hits the earth, it will not be because some politician made a mistake in Washington DC. The Bible says, There will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. (Matthew 24:21, NW Translation) When that happens you will want to be saved by Jesus or protected by Jehovah. I was taught when I was young that the name Jesus means, Jah Saves. The name Jah refers to Jehovah who is Jesus's Father. This agrees with Isaiah 43:10 where Jehovah says he is the only God and Savior. The disciples say that Jesus is savior because they had been given to him. (Acts 4:12, John 6:37, John 17:6) The Angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) What I am trying to explain to you is that either you are saved, or you need protection. If you are saved then from what I hear, you know it. If this is, you then CONGRATULATIONS!
I am now talking to the rest of you who need protection from what will soon come onto the earth. The angel speaking to the prophet Daniel spoke of the time of trouble and that everyone who was written down in the book would escape. (Daniel 12:1) I believe that the book the Angel was referring to be was the (Book of Remembrance) one that began to be written listing those who were constantly thinking about Jehovah. (Malachi 3:16) In Jehovah's eyes the past two or three thousand years are only two or three days to him. (Psalms 90:4, 2nd Peter 3:8)
There is much more that I could say however you should be going to the Kingdom Hall in your neighborhood and ask for a Bible Study with Jehovah's Witnesses. You will learn that the Earth was made for mankind and was given to us to inhabit with the abundance of peace both for humans and animals. (Psalms 37:11; Isaiah 11:7,8)
If anything that I said seems confusing and you have questions or if you want to share your experiences, then please contact me.
James W Dinsmore (REDACTED. SEE HIS WEBSITE IF YOU WANT THIS INFO)
Internet sites My Business explanation site https://www.dinsmoreadvisoryservice.com My Testimony site https://www.dinsmore.biz
My business name Dinsmore Advisory Service, LLC
References:
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 2013, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, NY, New York, USA Retrieved from: https://www.jw.\[B\]org/en/publications/bible/nwt/books/psalms/121/
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses Retrieved from: https://www.jw.\[B\]org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/meetings/
Ernest Angley Ministries Retrieved from: https://www.ernestangley.org
Jews at the Western Wall Retrieved from: https://www.bibleplaces.com/westernwall/
Reverend Pat Robertson Retrieved from: http://patrobertson.com/
700 Club Retrieved from: https://www1.cbn.com/700club
submitted by mistermark21 to exjw [link] [comments]
A JW on Quora sent me a link to his webpage which "explains" his testimony.
https://www.dinsmoreadvisoryservice.com/
He's clearly tried his best to make it look academic:
My Testimony
Abstract: (Summary)The main points that I want to call attention to is that:
- (1) I asked for direction from Jehovah before beginning this project.
- (2) Jehovah God is here and the Jews praying at the Western Wall are not just talking to themselves. (Jeremiah 23:23)
- (3) It looks like the Great Tribulation is about to strike the Earth, soon after my death.
Introduction:
When I was a youngster, I became aware that I was different because I could see and hear what other people were left totally unaware of. This did not lead to any sort of sickness and I was not troubled by any of this because it seemed so natural to me. I mentioned Ernest Angley because this is when I first met the Spirit Being who introduced me to Jehovah some decades later when I turned 30 years of age. My first experience was probably when I was perhaps seven years old. This was before Ernest Angley occupied Grace Cathedral in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio on State Road. What I attended with my mother and brother was a tent meeting. Ernest Angley was not there that night. Two women possibly his wife and sister were holding the meeting and laying on hands so that the Holy Ghost would fill the people. When they were done all the people were laying on the ground unconscious except for my mother, brother, and me. We three were the only ones left standing. I did not find out until decades later why that happened like that. Behind the two women who were officiating, I could see two spirit beings sitting on what looked like Thrones. They were floating in the air behind the altar. One was Jesus and the other was the same Spirit Being that brought me up before Jehovah God decades later. He spoke as I approached the altar and said, He comes to me with a mind like that and asks me to heal his foot... What he was talking about was that I had repeatedly sprained my right ankle and so I wanted it healed. Hey, I was just a youngster in elementary school LOL (Laughter). Having an exceptional mind meant nothing to me at that stage of my life. I just wanted to run and play.
On a more serious note, after I turned 14 years of age I got baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on April 14, 1962. I had disregarded my previous experience with the Holy Ghost as a youngster. I was now part of Theocratic Ministry School and going door to door while offering bible studies to my neighbors. My previous experience however had left me wary because I knew that I was not anointed for the Ministry. I will not say that I am not anointed because there is something obviously different about me. When preachers claim to receive the call they often mean something spiritual although they do not often explain it. I had plenty of experiences however this did not qualify me for the ministry. Jesus told his followers to wait for the Holy Spirit (Power from on high) before trying to represent him (Luke 24:49). This was what was missing for me.
A couple of years later at about age 17, I was at the beach at Bakers Acres near Akron Ohio. I was there on my beach blanket and reading a book about King David by author Frank G. Slaughter. Suddenly, the same spirit being came down and looked at what I was doing. He spoke and said, He is reading about himself. That experience stayed with me and gave me a hint as to why I am so aware of the spirit world and have a unique perspective on everything.
In 1978 I was pulled out of my body at (age 30) and brought up before Jehovah (January 6th, 1978) I was in my room on a Friday night trying to sleep and suddenly a Spirit person that I recognized from the Nazarene Church that I attended as a youngster came into the room and said Sit up. Jehovah will speak to you now. As I sat up suddenly I started floating and I looked behind me and there was my body still sitting up and laying on the bed. The next thing I was aware of was that I was in the spirit realm and there was Jehovah God who was talking to the Spirit Being who has been with me since I attended the Ernest Angley tent meeting so many years ago, He was asking Jehovah about the Great Tribulation and when it would occur. The only reply that I heard was I do not want him to see it. Then Jehovah started talking about me dying before the Great Tribulation happens. I was then introduced to Jehovah as someone who I had refused to serve just because I did not have the mind for it. Jehovah then condemned me for unfaithfulness as he started speaking to me. He then came up close to me face to face and said, From now on you are going to have to earn the attention you get from me. I remember this happening on a Friday night, Saturday morning, which is Jewish Sabbath. I continue to wonder how I can earn his attention. I am not even sure that I have the same protection that I once had. I have hope that I have not been rejected because of what Jehovah said to me.
About three years later (age 33) I was again in my room although a different apartment building. I was thinking about all that had happened to me over the years, many experiences that I have not even mentioned in this letter and wondering why this had all happened to me. So, I asked audibly, Where is Jesus? and suddenly he was there. He spoke to me audibly saying I am Jesus. I then saw a pair of dark eyes peering down on me. There were two other spirit beings with him and they seemed to form a pyramid around me. Then he said to his companions, I know I am not supposed to speak to him. I just cannot stand to let him think that he is alone. Then without referring to The Shade mentioned in Psalms 121:5 he said, You are to become the Anointed One of God. This is what that mark means on your hand. This was news to me because the Bible does not mention this. He continued to speak to me, and what was said after that remark agreed with what I remembered during my first experience at the Ernest Angley Crusade about twenty-five years earlier. I suppose this experience with Jesus lasted for about ten minutes and then he was gone. When he was done speaking, I understood why I had not been touched by the Holy Ghost so many years previously.
I do not engage in Spiritism because there are Biblical teachings against this. Please do not misunderstand me. All of my experiences are connected to my interest in God and the reaction of the spirit world to that activity. Perhaps the best way to explain it is spiritual growth. If you center your life around God, then you will experience things that the people around you remain unaware of. Psalms 119:18 and 2nd Kings 6:17
Main Points on what you should know:
Jehovah did not speak to me about Israel and the Palestinians. Whether they are the mixed company that has been gathered (Isaiah 11:10-12) is not something that I have direct knowledge about. What happens to them is now up to Jehovah.
I say these things about the mixed company that left Egypt under Moses because all through the Bible Jehovah speaks of his people in the present tense as though they were still alive. This is because they are. Jesus said that God is God to the living and not of the dead. (Matthew 22:32) Jehovah also speaks of his servant David centuries after he presumably died as though he were still alive because he was. (Isaiah 37:35). I saw Pat Robertson say on the 700 Club a few years ago, that he did not believe in Soul Sleep. That remark stayed with me because it was a little unusual for a minister to say. I do however know by personal experience with Jesus that he exercises his power over Death and the Hades on a regular basis both with humans and animals. (Revelations 1:18) I know that the Bible does not mention this about the animals except that I had an experience with one of my cats after she died. Also, Jesus did not deny that humans continue to get reborn. Instead, he made a distinction between rebirth and the resurrection in that a change is made which makes resurrection different than the rebirth. He was talking to the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. (Matthew 22:23-33). Rebirth seems to be beneficial to the spirit. I am telling you what I have experienced.
Conclusion:
When people tell you that religious faith is a private matter, do not believe it. When the Great Tribulation hits the earth, it will not be because some politician made a mistake in Washington DC. The Bible says, There will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. (Matthew 24:21, NW Translation) When that happens you will want to be saved by Jesus or protected by Jehovah. I was taught when I was young that the name Jesus means, Jah Saves. The name Jah refers to Jehovah who is Jesus's Father. This agrees with Isaiah 43:10 where Jehovah says he is the only God and Savior. The disciples say that Jesus is savior because they had been given to him. (Acts 4:12, John 6:37, John 17:6) The Angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) What I am trying to explain to you is that either you are saved, or you need protection. If you are saved then from what I hear, you know it. If this is, you then CONGRATULATIONS!
I am now talking to the rest of you who need protection from what will soon come onto the earth. The angel speaking to the prophet Daniel spoke of the time of trouble and that everyone who was written down in the book would escape. (Daniel 12:1) I believe that the book the Angel was referring to be was the (Book of Remembrance) one that began to be written listing those who were constantly thinking about Jehovah. (Malachi 3:16) In Jehovah's eyes the past two or three thousand years are only two or three days to him. (Psalms 90:4, 2nd Peter 3:8)
There is much more that I could say however you should be going to the Kingdom Hall in your neighborhood and ask for a Bible Study with Jehovah's Witnesses. You will learn that the Earth was made for mankind and was given to us to inhabit with the abundance of peace both for humans and animals. (Psalms 37:11; Isaiah 11:7,8)
If anything that I said seems confusing and you have questions or if you want to share your experiences, then please contact me.
James W Dinsmore (REDACTED. SEE HIS WEBSITE IF YOU WANT THIS INFO)
Internet sites My Business explanation site https://www.dinsmoreadvisoryservice.com My Testimony site https://www.dinsmore.biz
My business name Dinsmore Advisory Service, LLC
References:
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 2013, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, NY, New York, USA Retrieved from: https://www.jw.\[B\]org/en/publications/bible/nwt/books/psalms/121/
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses Retrieved from: https://www.jw.\[B\]org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/meetings/
Ernest Angley Ministries Retrieved from: https://www.ernestangley.org
Jews at the Western Wall Retrieved from: https://www.bibleplaces.com/westernwall/
Reverend Pat Robertson Retrieved from: http://patrobertson.com/
700 Club Retrieved from: https://www1.cbn.com/700club
2024.04.26 09:10 Schasbeele Sharing names of prospective buyers with your client
Hello all,
I hope you can help me settle a debate. I work in corporate finance (M&A, so I mainly help shareholders sell their businesses). Part of preparing for a process (and keeping your client updated) is setting up a list of potential buyers (during the preparation phase), as well as maintaining the current status with those buyers (throughout the process).
So during preparation phase it would be an Excel with [x] number of potential buyers, key contact person, where their offices are located, relevant notes, etc.
During the process it would be the same Excel, but with a log including e.g. comments like: "Interested to sign an NDA and have an introductory call with the client", or "Not interested due to a shift in strategy away from acquisitions", etc..
My question is: am I allowed to share the above information incl. contact person with my client? So no personal information about that contact person, only the fact that I have been speaking to [John Doe] at [Company XYZ], and what his feedback was from the standpoint of the company he works for.
submitted by Schasbeele to gdpr [link] [comments]
I hope you can help me settle a debate. I work in corporate finance (M&A, so I mainly help shareholders sell their businesses). Part of preparing for a process (and keeping your client updated) is setting up a list of potential buyers (during the preparation phase), as well as maintaining the current status with those buyers (throughout the process).
So during preparation phase it would be an Excel with [x] number of potential buyers, key contact person, where their offices are located, relevant notes, etc.
During the process it would be the same Excel, but with a log including e.g. comments like: "Interested to sign an NDA and have an introductory call with the client", or "Not interested due to a shift in strategy away from acquisitions", etc..
My question is: am I allowed to share the above information incl. contact person with my client? So no personal information about that contact person, only the fact that I have been speaking to [John Doe] at [Company XYZ], and what his feedback was from the standpoint of the company he works for.
2024.04.26 08:14 redditduk [MEGALIST] SG Gigs Concerts Raves - May 2024: Labour Day Week (26 Apr - 9 May)
Ed Note: Till Monday 29 Apr atm, Tuesday 30 Apr by today, May Day gigs over the weekend
I am on telegram: search sg music chat or visit t.me/sgmusicchat
submitted by redditduk to singaporemusicchat [link] [comments]
26 Apr, Fri
- BOYS LIKE GIRLS Live - 2nd Show@Scape), SCAPE Ground Theatre (orchard somerset), $91
- Indie Punk: Cb Dogs, Class sinners, Prospexx, Haal, & darkwave synthpop, doom & roll phil studio @ high street ctr L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $25 doors
- SP Garage Band: The Garage: D.I.Y, Singapore Poly The Hall Prince Albert Drive
- NLB: Chris Brass (singer-songwriter) - Open Stage Originals, National Library (bugis), L1 Lobby, free,
- Jazz @ The Projector: Arima Nights - Michelle & Joe's Jazz Cine Social, the projector cinema golden mile tower, from $25
- Maduro Jazz: An Iconic Jazz Night by The G&T Duo (Rachma & Ernest Tan) ft Namie Rasman (of the Waves), maduro @ sofitel sentosa, IG 📸 $38+ drink credits
- Jazz Lounge Intercontinental: Alemay Fernandez, Intercontinental Hotel Singapore (bugis), lobby lounge, tix 🎟 $38
- Jazz Loft: E J Hughes Quintet ft Rick Smith and Weixiang Tan, Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis), IG📸, $24
- Blu Jaz: New Stream Brass Band, L1, free/bar
- Simply Jazz: Evolution Quartet, simply jazz bar @ CHIJMES (city hall), free/bar
- YST Conservatory: Cello Sessions I 2pm , nus yong siew toh conservatory L1 concert hall main, Cello Sessions II 430pm, free
- "Under the sky of Paris" - Family Concert, Violin-Accordion Duo, 36/38 Armenian Street (opp. Peranakan Museum), (S179942), $58 for 2
- El Pico Cuban Members Club: Havana Social Club #001, 6 Hongkong St (clarke quay), free
- Food MarketPlace at EXPO Grand Opening with 文慧如 Boon Hui Lu , Music Food Court, at old Timbre+ Eastside, Singapore Expo Carpark area, free
- Street Party DJ Drone Show: Opening of CQ @ Clarke Quay - Cold Cut Duo, DJs Caden & Ghetto from Zouk, Clarke Quay center, free DRONE show at 830pm
- Esplanade: Tracing Origins – The Life and Times of Cantonese Opera’s Laosheng《溯源》粤剧老生 – 戏剧人生 with Tung On Opera Orchestra - Day 1 of 2, Theatre Studio, $38
- Esplanade: ITE Singer-Songwriters , indoor concourse, free
- Esplanade: Enter the world of Ballroom Dancing with Dancer’s Dream Studio , outdoor theatre, free
- >> Others
- Musical Comedy: The Nifty Fifties (1950s) tribute, XCL American Academy, free
- Sangamam '24 by Raffles Indian Cultural Society , Raffles Institution Performing Arts Centre, $8
- Cronkite Satellite Live Looping, PassionWave @ Marina Bay, 11 Rhu Cross (tg rhu, stadium side), free
- Bushmen Reggae, highlander bar @ millenia walk, free
- Lasalle: The LASALLE Show 2024: School of Contemporary Music Fest 2024 – BA (Hons) Music graduate recitals Last, LIVE at Lasalle mcnally campus (rochor) and online, *free
- DJ, XPULSE pres. HARDTECHNO "BOILER ROOM", Por Vida Skateboarding @ GR.ID mall (bencoolen, dhoby), IG 📸 , $27
- DJ, FAILSAFE!: dcln (of sarco) x Inflake - live electronic music, 42 Waterloo St (bras basah), IG 📸$12
- DJ, WhoHurtYou❓Underground Presents: Avenged Sevenfold (tribute) & Friends (00s alt rock metal dj party), Projector X Golden Village Ruby Lounge @ Cineleisure Orchard L6, $24
- DJ, The Intersection welcome party - DJs Vunkylao, Izal (hiphop rnb) dance battle weekend, luxuria lounge @ tekka place mall (rochor)
- DJ, Here Kitty Kitty: FRESH Fridays @ Here Kitty Kitty (Throwback Hip Hop, R&B, Reggaeton), a Speakeasy & Cocktail Lounge @ Clarke Quay S179024, free/bar
- DJ, BLASÈ April - Kiara B'day Bash Edition - monthly Hip-hop, Rnb, Dancehall and Reggaetón event., Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis) L2 neon lounge, IG, $16
- DJ, W Singapore Sentosa Cove Friday Funk & Soul - DJ Anwar , bar
- DJ, Club Hell: Swimming in Hell, gay lgbt club @ 113 telok ayer st
- DJ, OverEasy: DJ KFC, american diner @ one fullerton (beside Merlion)
- DJ, Wallich Manor Bussin Friday w Dj Koflow & Anrev, hiphop vibe, wallich manor (tg pagar)
- DJ, Potato Head Taz Anguillia, potato head keong saik, bar
- DJ, Vertigo 26: KidG of EatMePopTart (electronic, indie, funk, throwback pop), next to mint museum, free/bar
- DJ, Offtrack: Retromigration 🇳🇱, music gastro bar @ 34 North Canal Rd (next to hong lim park, clarke quay)
- DJ, Tipsy Unicorn: King Promise (🇬🇭 Afrobeat LIVE) pres by Fuego Night, Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club 🏖 @ 36 Siloso Bch Walk (Sentosa), $71
- DJ, .WAV(Y) Remixed Presents: FRANCHISE (🇦🇹 riddim baile funk hiphop) with PRAV, XG & KNRCK - hiphop vibe, Mortar & Pestle rooftop bar @ 269 South Bridge Rd, , $19
- DJ, iki: Uncaged with Muttiah Ashnim (deep progressive house, tehcno, indie dance), club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), , $22
- DJ, Highh Club Serotonin, Highh Party @ Pan Pacific Hotel, 7 raffles blvd (esplanade, promenade)
- DJ, ARK 11: revelry Enter: “INTERGALACTIC” , club at orchard central @ L11 (somerset)
- DJ, Cherry, HAVOC x ENTITY presents: CROSSOVER PT.2 DJ Som J, Limmy, YX, 133 cecil st (cbd), $22
- DJ, High House: Groovetop pres. Wantigga (🇳🇱), supported by YA5TH , High House Rooftop Lounge 🗼@ 1 Raffles Place (old 1-altitude), IG📸 $38
- DJ, HighHouse: One with Aldrin & Mings, lower floor
- DJ Sivilian Affairs x MUGIC presents Chucheewa & Logisticman (🇹🇭), Joe Delon (🇬🇧), and Miss Lil., tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $35, tix $32
- DJ, Thugshop Presents - All Night Long with .VRIL (🇩🇪Ambient, IDM, Peak time Techno, Electro), headquarters techno-house club @ 66A boat quay, $36,
- DJ, Marquee: GARETH EMERY (🏴trance), nightclub @ marina bay sands shoppes, $30
Other Arts / Musicals
- Till 1 May: SIFAS Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society Festival, Daily Music Festival at SIFAS Audiotrium @ 2A Starlight Rd (farrer park), free unless otherwise stated
- Till 28 Apr: Musical - Secondary: The Musical by Checkpoint Theatre (written & composed by weish of .gif sub:shaman, dir huzir sulaiman), Victoria Concert Hall, $45
- Till 28 Apr: Musical - Little Shop of Horrors adapted by SING'THEATRE (comedy rock) SOTA Drama Theatre, $38 Till 28 Apr: Theatre - Molière’s Tartuffe: The Imposter by Wild Rice, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre @ Wild Rice, Funan (city hall), $35 ($25 students)
- Till 28 Apr: Theatre - Open Stage presents MOSAIC... celebrating Theatre - 4 short plays in 2hrs, Blackbox Theatre at Drama Center, National Library (bugis), from $35
- Till 30 Apr: Various - Per°Form Open Academy of Arts and Activations), 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road (robertson quay, fort canning mrt), tix & info 🎟 donation
- Till 11 May: Theatre - Backstage Betrayal, A Crack the Case Mystery (Some Mature Content), KC Arts Centre @ 20 Merbau Rd (robertson quay, fort canning mrt), $68
- Till 9 Jun Musical: Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, marina bay sands, $80
- 26-28 Apr: Boutique Fair at F1 Building: fea. Rehyphen - Life is a Mixtape - cassettes and music related paraphernalia , F1 Pit Building (promenade building), $6 for 3 day entry
- 27 Apr (Sat): The Everyday Museum Weekend by Singapore Art Museum (SAM): retirement plan/pelan pesaraan - sound artist Tini Aliman, spooner rd (old tg pagar railway area),
- 27- 28 Apr, 4-5 May: The Everyday Museum: Roving Theatre inspired by Hilmi Johandi's Stagecraft: Landscaped Grounds, Start at SAM Tg Pagar Distripark
- ℹ: more info
- 27 Apr: FREED BALLET STARS (G), The Star Vista Theatre (buona vista), $128
- 27 Apr : Mandarin Storytelling Kids: 好饿的小蛇 (A Very Hungry Little Snake), GRUB Stevens Rd (stevens), $28,
- 28 Apr (Sun): Hendrick's Sunset Cinema Tanjong Beach, Sentosa Tanjong Beach (harbourfront), $48
- 29 Apr (Mon): The KUMAR Show April 2024 Edition, ikigai izakaya the riverwalk, $45
- 4 May: Standup Comedy - Amit Tandon : Hamare Zamaane Mein, Nexus Auditorium @ Cuppage Plaza (somerset), $69
- 24 Apr- 25 May: European Film Festival 2024
27 Apr, Sat
- CNBLUE live in singapore 2024 , Indoor Stadium, $168
- TBA (aka Coboy Junior / CJR, 🇮🇩 pop) live, Capitol Theatre (city hall), $108
- 白鲨JAWS Band - Live in Singapore (🇨🇳 rock), Wire Entertainment @ Atrix building, 82 Lorong 23 Geylang (aljunied mrt), S388409, IG 📸 $55
- M-pop: FNM Mini Hari Raya Show - HADY MIRZA, Bo Jenggo, Dayak Konspirazy, Ezam Ernandy, The Coral Ballroom at 18 Kaki Bukit Rd 3 (kaki bukit mrt), S415978, tickets now at $78
- Indie Rock: The Jansen (🇮🇩 power pop punk) ft Intermission, Camping, Krunkle, Cave Sex, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $35 doors
- SakuraFest: Singapore K-On Club, Taiko Drums, J-JAZZ Maestros, ANIME TRIBUTE by Rina-Hime, YOASOBI tribute by Lihannah, X Side Man (canto and japanese hits), WHEELERS Estate Seletar @ 2 Park Ln S798386, info ℹ free
- DOUJINFES @ Heartlands: Day 1 - Reiko, Halim, DJ Rogue (anime culture, ani-song), Beyblade Compeition, hometeamNS @ bedok reservoir, IG 📸, 11am-7pm, free
- Indie Pop Singer-songwriter: Sunroom Sessions #5 - Trevor Wong, kai.zen, Nino, Elaine, Vananko (bedroom pop, jazzy pop, soul), Sunroom Studios @ 63 Hillview Avenue, L10 (hillview mrt), tix 🎟 $20
- Indie Rock Acoustic: Rabak Records: Reflections - ft acoustic sets with Nosedive, Days of Television, Late Culture (normally indie rock, dream/gaze), Crane @ Claymore Connect 442 Orchard Rd, L1 (orchard mrt), $18
- Indie Pop Gig: Late 4 SCH! by OVERDRIVE!! - ft ICEBOX, REGINA SONG, LAST MUNUTE, DJ KIKS, Everrich Industrial Building L5 @ 1 Tannery Lane, Singapore 347719 (tai seng/potong pasir mrt), $25
- Experimental Contemporary Music: WA #8! - Weird Aftertaste (vaporwave, metal, synthpop, youtube covers, hiphop, sensitive number for ladies), The Music Parlour @ Peninsula Shopping Ctr L4 (city hall), tix 🎟 $27
- Noise Electronic, Doom Stoner Rock Metal: MATARAMBANG - Rumang, Kushna, Terminal Liner, ORQAN 🇮🇹, IBLISS and Tripping Haze Ceremony 🇲🇾, rad studio 345, $25 doors
- Jazz Loft: Mei Lin Hii - Tango Appassionata (tribute to Astor Piazolla, a night of south american classics),Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis), IG info 📸 $24
- Maduro Jazz: Through the Years - A Disney Night with pianist Gabriel Hoe, maduro @ sofitel sentosa, $38+ drink credits
- Embassy of Portugal: 50th Anniversary of the Carnation Revolution - Concert by SENZA, School of The Arts (bencoolen, dhoby ghaut), Drama Theatre, free
- Choral: Raffles Singers Presents: NOX, Victoria Concert Hall (city hall/raffles place), $27,
- Choral: Sing On III: Contemplation by NTU Choir Alumni, The Arts House at 1 Old Parliament Ln (bs new parliament), $28
- Chamber Opera?: Opera Pot - Puccini’s Madama Butterfly abridged - Butterfly's Dream - Day 1 of 2, stamford arts centre @ 155 Waterloo St (Bugis mrt), tix 🎟 $35
- SIT Symphonique: [Renaissance III]](https://www.instagram.com/p/C53bHcBSzP3/), SIT @ Dover, free/rsvp
- SCO: Journeying Together - Shao En and Singapore Chinese Orchestra 一起走过 - 邵恩与新加坡华乐团 (G), Singapore Conference Hall @ 7 Shenton Way, $20
- Esplanade: Tracing Origins – The Life and Times of Cantonese Opera’s Laosheng《溯源》粤剧老生 – 戏剧人生 with Tung On Opera Orchestra - Day 2 of 2, Esplanade Theatre Studio, $38
- Esplanade x SSO: Ravel's Spain by Singapore Symphony Orchestra, ESPLANADE concert hall, $15
- Esplanade contemporary classical: The Vast One by Tze Toh and TO ensemble - human x A.I, music x visual projections, Electronic Sound Design, Indian, Chinese, Japanese music, modern jazz and classical orchestra, recital studio $25
- Esplanade free: Cantare Children's Choir , indoor concourse 1115am,free
- Esplanade free: NUS Jazz Band (jazz, soul, fusion, funk, bossa nova, blues), indoor concourse 545 645 745pm,free
- Esplanade: SIFAS Festival of Arts 2024: Rukmini Kalyanam, a Dance Drama Produced by Kalakshetra Foundation (🇮🇳), $40
- SIFAS Festival: ‘SHUBHALAAP’- A Baithak session with Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi, Miilind Kulkarnai on Harmonium & Pandurang Pawar on Tabla , SIFAS Annexe at 3 Race Course Ln (farrer park), $25
- Other Events:SIFAS Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society Festival, Daily Music Festival at SIFAS Audiotrium @ 2A Starlight Rd (farrer park), free
- Esplanade free: My Life is a Dance! by Republic Polytechnic’s dance and martial arts groups, featuring NUS Dance Ensemble, outdoor theatre 7pm 830pmfree
- Esplanade: Visual Arts Artist Talk by Hong Shu-ying , recital studio foyer, free/rsvp
- Esplanade: Visual Arts Curator's Tour of Visual Art Exhibitions, various, free/rsvp
- >> Others
- Teochew Opera: Nam Hwa Blazes: The Spring's Opera, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Hall L7 @ 1 Straits Blvd (shenton way), free/rsvp
- FREED BALLET STARS (G), The Star Vista Theatre (buona vista), $128
- White Jazzy Picnic Time, Luxuria rooftop lounge @ Tekka Place Mall (rochor), (S218227), $20
- Gig: FiveTen Bar: Saturday Live Lever with Michael Ang chinese classics & contemporary, Bar @ 15 Neil rd (maxwell)
- Nanyang Girls High Concert Band: Appassionata 24 ft Nanyang String Ensemble, Nanyang Girls High Siew May Auditorium (tan kah kee mrt), $15
- Authentico Wind Ensemble: Impressivo IV - An Evening of Tribute & Honour ft Holy Innocent’s High School Symphonic Band , School of The Arts (SOTA), bencoolen/dhoby mrt, $20
- Vintage Vinyl Market Gillman: Little Island Brewing Co Gillman Barracks: Groovy Vintage Market, at Gillman Barracks (labrador park mrt)
- Gig - Handle Bar Gillman: Handle Band night - The Southern Express and John & Bernie Project, at gillman barracks
- Gig - Blackbird Gillman: Peep Show (rock), Blackbird Music Bar @ Gillman Barracks (labrador park)
- AidilFEASTri Raya Festival 2024: Special edition of both malay and indian cultures, by Malay Heritage Centre, Indian Heritage Centre (IHC Little India), 5 Campbell Lane (S209924), free
- Cultural Rhythms: Rentak x Raya with SMU Rentak, Indian Heritage Centre, free
- Cultural Rhythms: An Afternoon of Dance, Indian Heritage Centre , free
- Rail Corridor Performance: retirement plan/pelan pesaraan by sound artist Tini Aliman and Cristiana Cott - The Everyday Museum by Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Access to Rail Corridor at Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal (spooner rd, outram area), ℹinfo
- DJ, .KRATE PRESENTS: THE ANNIVERSARY - ROAD TO .KARNIVAL - FT. FERNG (Hong), BONGOMANN, Aman Anand, Erwin Lindin, Taz Angullia, Mari b2g Mako, Scape Ground Theatre (somerset orchard), $35
- DJ, 🗼🏖 Manifest Pool Party ALL FEMALE LINE UP - Jalpari X Phoeniks + Kylie Nicole X Zafirah + A&E + Rui Tang (🇹🇭) - normally house n techno, 1-Altitude Coast @The Outpost Hotel Sentosa, $43
- DJ & Live, 🏖 [Vibranté - South American & Latin Festival, and 12th Anniversary of Group of DJs Asia ft Benson on Sax, Navin on Percussions], Sand Bar 🏖 @ 53 Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa, tix 🎟 $25
- DJ, LifeOnFastForward & WM pres. Welcome to the Jungle - multi house & techno night - DJs ASEL, KMANN, Sucra, Jaya Le Thai, Synapse, Primer & Metrognome, Lysia, Mortar & Pestle rooftop bar @ 269 South Bridge Rd, tix 🎟 $22
- DJ, AFROGROOVE #32 - Afro Club Night with DJ Jag, Marie, DaBishoponDMix, Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis), L2 neon lounge, $15
- Party DJ, Agni Presents: HOLI SLAY - Neon paint party, queer friendly Projector X Golden Village No Spoilers Bar @ Cineleisure Orchard L5, $35
- DJ, Club Hell: Kpop in Hell, gay lgbt club @ 113 telok ayer st, $30
- Drag Party & DJ: RIOT! cum Baby Boy , hard rock cafe cuscaden (orchard), $40
- Just the DJ, BABY BOY vol 34: DANCE PRANCE REVOLUTION, $25 Dance Crew Showcase IG 📸
- Drag Party & DJ: The Elysium Society - Music Theatre Drag Queen Victoria Wondersnatch, DJ IMX and Thomas, WOOBAR at W Sentosa Hotel @ 21 Ocean Way (Sentosa Cove), $25
- DJ & Drag, Two Queens Asia pres. King Sized ft Drag Kings of Manimal, club iki @ ikigai izakaya riverwalk (clarke quay), door $25
- DJ Dance Battle: Hip Hop Battle - Kings and Queens, L5 by O School at Gr.ID Mall (1 Selegie Rd)
- DJBBQ, The Gentle Records Hari Raya BBQ (leans retro grooves, asian boogie, funk ) ft DJs Zai, Shane2sSweet, Sam Cheong, Ryotaro, Hiddy, pasir ris park
- DJ, Tiki Techno Night at One Ten, One Ten @ 110 Amoy Street, Restaurant & Cocktail Bar (telok ayer mrt, cbd)
- DJ, Offtrack: Instant Doubles: Bongomann + MZA (soul jazzy uk garage), music gastro bar bs hong lim park @ 34 N Canal Rd (clarke quay)
- DJ, Moonstone: Night Fever with Aldrin (70s 80s Disco Party) , Moonstone BAR @ 103 Amoy St, free/bar
- LIVE & DJ Tropika presents Gabriele Poso (🇮🇹🇨🇺 Afro-Latin, Disco, Conga, band), El Chido at Pullman Singapore Hotel @ 1 Hill Street (city hall), $45
- DJ, Wallich Manor Wallich's House Party with Seng Wei & Widenski (🇪🇪), Wallich Manor Lounge @ Sofitel City Centre Hotel L6 (tg pagar)
- DJ, Marquee: Marquee Cirque, marquee nightclub @ marina bay sands shoppes, $45 or student dc
- DJ, Cherry: Keep it Comfy (rnb afrobeats amapiano), 133 cecil st (cbd)
- DJ, High House: Fred E & James Selva (melodic house & techno), High House Rooftop Lounge 🗼@ 1 Raffles Place (old 1-altitude), $38
- DJ, Zouk: Glam, One Dance, Slime Hiphop Battle, zouk club clarke quay, from $35
- DJ, Tipsy Unicorn: BASSJACKERS @ Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club (🇳🇱 dutch electro house, hardstyle, techno), Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club 🏖 @ 36 Siloso Bch Walk (Sentosa), $20
- DJ CÉ LA VI: Pres. FABIO NEURAL (🇮🇹 tech house), marina bay sands hotel rooftop bar-club 🗼, [IG 📸]((https://www.instagram.com/p/C498ymNRqT3/) $38
- DJ, 1880: TEMRY (🇩🇪 neo-soul and afro-house), 1880 Members Club @ 1 Nanson Rd (Robertson Quay), $60
- DJ, BTGD: FRANCA (🇩🇪🇳🇱 house , techno - electro disco, deep, melodic) ft EJ MISSY supported by Morabito x Soul Collective, Behind the Green Door @ 97 Duxton Road (maxwell), $36
- DJ, Tuff: Thugshop x Unmute pres. SEDEF ADASI (🇩🇪 acid, progressive, electro, tech house), tuff club @ 138 robinson rd cbd, $36,
28 Apr, Sun
- Debbie Gibson: Electric Youth 35th Anniversary Live in Singapore, Gateway Theatre Bukit Merah, $128
- Teresa Cheung (張德蘭) in Concert ft Johnny Yip (葉振棠), ESPLANADE concert hall, $78
- One Night With George Lam 林子祥新加坡演唱会 ft Sandy, Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom, $68
- Jazz Day at Botanic Gardens: Jazz Au Jardin - VOilah! France Singapore Festival x Jazz Association (Singapore) - Celebrating International Jazz Day , Singapore Botanic Gardens Shaw Foundation Stage, 530pm, free
- Jazz Loft: OTAKU NIGHT - Season 2 (Anime-themed jazz funk), Blu Jaz L3 @ bali ln (bugis), $24
- Heavy Metal Indie: NITRO CIRCUS - Antacid🇲🇾, Dogfight 🇲🇾, Demonslaught666 🇨🇳, Klütch, Witchseeker 🇸🇬, Wire Entertainment @ Atrix building, 82 Lorong 23 Geylang (aljunied mrt), (S388409), speed, thrash, blackened etc, IG 📸 $31
- Indie Rock: Raya Kembali Lagi - ft. Purely Pale, Anak Laut, Uranophobia, Banana Foster, Quitline, Les Frankenstein, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), , rsvp form 🎟 $10 presale $15 doors
- Solo Guitar Live Music With Daniel Purnomo, Dancing with Friends STudio L2 @ Adelphi (city hall), $23
- DOUJINFES @ Heartlands: Day 2 - Sibelle, Reina, Cosplay Competition, DJ Rogue (anime culture, ani-song), hometeamNS @ bedok reservoir, IG 📸, 11am-7pm, free
- Chamber Opera?: Opera Pot - Puccini’s Madama Butterfly abridged - Butterfly's Dream - Day 2 of 2, stamford arts centre @ 155 Waterloo St (Bugis mrt), tix 🎟 $35
- Saints Alumni Band: Saints Hallelujah XVII, Victoria Concert Hall, $25
- Esplanade x SIFAS: Festival of Arts 2024: Classical Confluence - Hindustani and Carnatic music by Jayateerth Mevundi & Abhishek Raghuram ESPLANADE, $36
- Other Events:SIFAS Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society Festival, Daily Music Festival at SIFAS Audiotrium @ 2A Starlight Rd (farrer park), *free *
- Esplanade music: Eclectic Echoes - contemporary music for piano, percussion, saxophone - ft Germaine Goh, Julia Tan and Samuel Phua, recital studio 7pm, $10
- Esplanade dance: Let's TAP!! with Dance Thrilogy , indoor concourse 545 645pm, free
- Esplanade performance: Squad Game by Jump Rope Federation Singapore, KA Kreative by Kalari Academy & SG Cheer Force, outdoor theatre 7pm 8pm, free
- warmup: JumpMania - The fun and craziness of rope jumping by Jump Rope Federation Singapore, courtyard 615pm, free
- >> Others
- Jazz: Fly Me to the Moon: An Evening of Jazz Melodies by Drum Prodigy - Celebrating Jazz Day ft Anthony Chong, shamroz Khan, Moshigen Muniandy, Aleem, Sivraranjini Das, Nazri Johar, Drum Prodigy School @ Bras Basah Complex L2 (bugis/bras basah/city hall)
- Vintage Vinyl Market Gillman: Little Island Brewing Co Gillman Barracks: Groovy Vintage Market , at Gillman Barracks (labrador park mrt)
- AidilFEASTri Raya Festival 2024 Day 2 - special edt of both malay and indian cultures, by Malay Heritage Centre, Indian Heritage Centre (IHC Little India), 5 Campbell Lane (S209924), free
- Cultural Rhythms: Gema Ghazal with Orkes Melayu Mutiara, @Indian Heritage Centre 5 Campbell Lane, free
- Cultural Rhythms: Joyful Melodies with Sheer-Nas & Friends, @Indian Heritage Centre 5 Campbell Lane, free
- DJ, CHOICE CUTS pizza & records: DJ Scratch Jam! and Open Deck Juggle ft Andrew Chow, Ollie Des, Rattle and Anrev , at 446 Joo Chiat Rd (future marine parade mrt), free
- DJ, The Intersection Brunch Jam & Beatmaker Session ft Vunkylao, FARIZI, Kenzo, Jumble (scumboys), CVLoops , Stage, Live Music & Restaurant @ 60 Prinsep Street (bencoolen), $30 with food
- DJ, Zouk: SUNDAEZ with DJ George Leong - the return of - by UNLEASH, Zouk, Mr World Singapore, gay event, zouk clarke quay, tix 🎟 $38
29 Apr, Mon - Golden Week, International Dance Day
- INCUBUS Live in Singapore, The Star Vista Theatre (buona vista), , $118
- BLOOD RED THRONE (🇳🇴 Death metal) - Live in Singapore ft End of All, Phil's Studio @ High Street Centre L3 (clarke quay/city hall), $52
- Acoustic: Tony & Will - the Mini Show (acoustic love songs), Blu Jaz @ bali ln (bugis), $32
- Esplanade: Short Film Screenings by Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Film & Media Studies and Temasek Polytechnic School of Design, free
30 Apr, Tue - International Jazz Day, International Workers' Day Eve
..coming soon2024.04.26 07:57 adulting4kids Newsletter #2 January 4, 2024
January 4, 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎊🕛🥳 I'd like to see how you all are feeling about the content that gets posted here. I sometimes post on my profile,🔥 usually longer articles from scholarly pursuits.
♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒♓⛎ I have a newer subreddit based on my Tarot content, at tarotjourneys for the most recent content that I have been working on in that subject area. I'm not sure if I will have new subreddits for different subjects, or if I can keep it together here. I am going to be posting and cross posting so join both or don't, just read and connect with me here, or there!
Also next week will be the first contest in the annual anthology📒 that will be good for you guys to start getting involved in this community. Post will go up on the 8th and stay up one week. There is going to be a three week option for submitting and then we will be selecting the first winner 🏆 on February 7th. Announced on February 9th. Next month contest will be February 8th. And so on.🏆🪶🥠🥡
🌹🌹🌹Prizes for the short story and poetry is $100 cash and promotions, as well as a place in the annual anthology! Our artwork is going to be a prize of $50 and featured in materials and online, then it will be a 🌹🌹🌹Anthology chapter👀 introduction, and compete for the cover, with the monthly winners. The same dates apply to the three different contests.👀🌹
Anyone can enter, up to three submissions in each category! First entry in each category is free. Each additional entry is just $10 via PayPal or Cash App. If you don't have the ability to pay, we have a few waiver.
Our sponsors will be featured in the first post so even if you don't want to enter, read about us then!!!🕛❤️🔥
🔥This will be a great way to get published! I can't wait to see you guys enter!🔥
This is January 4, 2024 newsletter #2.
This is our featured subject for January. We are going to focus on getting ready for working towards sobriety, if you struggling with bad habits or are addicted to something that's causing you more harm than good - check out the resources, articles and readings that are designed to accomplish the initial assessment of getting clean 🫧🪥. No judgement, no mandatory participation, just some things that are designed to make it easier to start that process.
January 4, 2024
🏠🏡 JANUARY = CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE MONTH You are the house!🏠🏡
I'd like to see how you all are feeling about the content that gets posted here. I sometimes post on my profile,🔥 usually longer articles from scholarly pursuits. I have a newer subreddit based on my Tarot content, at tarotjourneys for the most recent content that I have been working on in that subject area. I'm not sure if I will have new subreddits for different subjects, or if I can keep it together here. I am going to be posting and cross posting so join both or don't, just read and connect with me here, or there!
Also next week will be the first contest in the annual anthology that will be good for you guys to start getting involved in this community. Post will go up on the 8th and stay up one week. There is going to be a three week option for submitting and then we will be selecting the first winner 🏆 on February 7th. Announced on February 9th. Next month contest will be February 8th. And so on.
Prizes for the short story and poetry is $100 cash and promotions, as well as a place in the annual anthology! Our artwork is going to be a prize of $50 and featured in materials and online, then it will be a Anthology chapter introduction, and compete for the cover, with the monthly winners. The same dates apply to the three different contests.
Anyone can enter, up to three submissions in each category! First entry in each category is free. Each additional entry is just $10 via PayPal or Cash App. If you don't have the ability to pay, we have a few waiver.
Our sponsors will be featured in the first post so even if you don't want to enter, read about us then!!!
This will be a great way to get published! I can't wait to see you guys enter!
This is January 4, 2024 newsletter #2.
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]
HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎊🕛🥳 I'd like to see how you all are feeling about the content that gets posted here. I sometimes post on my profile,🔥 usually longer articles from scholarly pursuits.
♈♉♊♋♌♍♎♏♐♑♒♓⛎ I have a newer subreddit based on my Tarot content, at tarotjourneys for the most recent content that I have been working on in that subject area. I'm not sure if I will have new subreddits for different subjects, or if I can keep it together here. I am going to be posting and cross posting so join both or don't, just read and connect with me here, or there!
Also next week will be the first contest in the annual anthology📒 that will be good for you guys to start getting involved in this community. Post will go up on the 8th and stay up one week. There is going to be a three week option for submitting and then we will be selecting the first winner 🏆 on February 7th. Announced on February 9th. Next month contest will be February 8th. And so on.🏆🪶🥠🥡
🌹🌹🌹Prizes for the short story and poetry is $100 cash and promotions, as well as a place in the annual anthology! Our artwork is going to be a prize of $50 and featured in materials and online, then it will be a 🌹🌹🌹Anthology chapter👀 introduction, and compete for the cover, with the monthly winners. The same dates apply to the three different contests.👀🌹
Anyone can enter, up to three submissions in each category! First entry in each category is free. Each additional entry is just $10 via PayPal or Cash App. If you don't have the ability to pay, we have a few waiver.
Our sponsors will be featured in the first post so even if you don't want to enter, read about us then!!!🕛❤️🔥
🔥This will be a great way to get published! I can't wait to see you guys enter!🔥
This is January 4, 2024 newsletter #2.
This is our featured subject for January. We are going to focus on getting ready for working towards sobriety, if you struggling with bad habits or are addicted to something that's causing you more harm than good - check out the resources, articles and readings that are designed to accomplish the initial assessment of getting clean 🫧🪥. No judgement, no mandatory participation, just some things that are designed to make it easier to start that process.
January 4, 2024
🏠🏡 JANUARY = CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE MONTH You are the house!🏠🏡
Quotes from Individuals in Recovery:
- Russell Brand:
- "The mentality and behavior of drug addicts and alcoholics are wholly irrational until you understand that they are completely powerless over their addiction and unless they have structured help, they have no hope."
- Robert Downey Jr.:
- "Job one is get out of that cave. A lot of people do get out but don't change. So the thing is to get out and recognize the significance of that aggressive denial of your fate, come through the crucible forged into a stronger metal."
- Eminem (Marshall Mathers):
- "I knew that my first thought was always negative. But now I have learned to just brush it off."
- Demi Lovato:
- "I had to learn the hard way that I can’t do parties anymore. Some people can go out and not be triggered, but that’s not the case for me."
Cited Readings on Addiction and Recovery:
- "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction" by Gabor Maté:
- This book provides a compassionate and holistic understanding of addiction, exploring its biological, psychological, and societal roots.
- "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction" by David Sheff:
- A memoir that chronicles a father's struggle to understand and support his son through addiction and recovery.
- "Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions" by Russell Brand:
- Russell Brand shares his personal journey through addiction and recovery, offering insights into the 12-step program and mindfulness practices.
- "The Big Book" (Alcoholics Anonymous):
- The foundational text of Alcoholics Anonymous, providing guidance, stories of recovery, and the principles of the 12-step program.
- "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy" by David Sheff:
- David Sheff explores the science of addiction and potential solutions, examining both personal and societal perspective.
- Anthony Hopkins:
- "I believe that we all have a basic need to feel safe. And when we don’t feel safe, we feel threatened, and when we feel threatened, we tend to react in various ways."
- Nicole Richie:
- "I have to be careful. I have to live in balance. I can’t stay up all night but then need to be on time in the morning. But I’m finding my way."
- Elton John:
- "I am a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things. Life is full of pitfalls, even for someone like me."
- Jamie Lee Curtis:
- "I was the wildly controlled drug addict and alcoholic. I never did it when I worked. I never took drugs before 5 p.m. I never, ever took painkillers until 5 p.m."
- "Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction" by Maia Szalavitz:
- This book challenges traditional views on addiction, exploring the role of learning and choice in the development and treatment of addiction.
- "Memoirs Aren't Fairytales: A Story of Addiction" by Marni Mann:
- A personal memoir that offers a raw and honest account of addiction, detailing the author's journey from addiction to recovery.
- "Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America" by Beth Macy:
- This investigative work explores the opioid crisis in America, shedding light on the complex factors contributing to addiction.
- "Clean: The Journal" by Chris Niosi:
- This interactive journal provides prompts, exercises, and reflections for individuals in recovery, helping them navigate their journey.
- "Ninety Days: A Memoir of Recovery" by Bill Clegg:
- Bill Clegg shares his personal experiences of recovery in this memoir, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding one's life.
More Quotes from Individuals in Recovery:
- Matthew Perry:
- "I've had a lot of ups and downs in my life. I've learned a lot from my failures, but the best thing about failure is you get to learn from it."
- Drew Barrymore:
- "Recovery is an acceptance that your life is in shambles and you have to change it."
- Rob Lowe:
- "I'm nearly nine years sober, and there's a great quote I read about three years ago that had a huge impact on me. It's from the great Winston Churchill, who said, 'Success is never final, and failure is never fatal.'"
- Kristen Johnston:
- "I’ve been sober for over 14 years now, and the way I live my life is, I don’t think of it like I stopped drinking; I think of it like I started living."
- "High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict's Double Life" by Tiffany Jenkins:
- A memoir that provides a gripping account of addiction and recovery, exploring the author's journey to rebuild her life.
- "Recover to Live: Kick Any Habit, Manage Any Addiction" by Christopher Kennedy Lawford:
- This book offers a comprehensive guide to various forms of addiction and provides practical strategies for recovery.
- "The Sober Diaries: How one woman stopped drinking and started living" by Clare Pooley:
- A personal and humorous account of one woman's journey to sobriety, sharing insights and reflections on life without alcohol.
- "Guts" by Kristen Johnston:
- Kristen Johnston's memoir delves into her experiences with addiction and recovery, providing a candid and humorous perspective.
- "This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness, and Change Your Life" by Annie Grace:
- Annie Grace explores the psychology of alcohol consumption and provides insights to help individuals change their relationship with alcohol.
More Quotes from Individuals in Recovery:
- Craig Ferguson:
- "I had a simple perception of success as getting things that I thought I needed to be happy. I thought that happiness was success. I don’t think that anymore."
- Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers):
- "I've made a lot of mistakes and I don't regret any of them. Sometimes those things take you to the most amazing places."
- Jamie Lee Curtis:
- "I know my limits. I know that if I drink again, I will die. Every morning I wake up, I make that choice."
- Steven Tyler (Aerosmith):
- "It’s not about how much you drink. It’s about why you drink. It’s when life gets good, do you celebrate? Or when life gets tough, do you drink?"
- "In My Skin: A Memoir of Addiction" by Kate Holden:
- A memoir that explores the author's experience with addiction and her journey toward recovery.
- "Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics" by Herbert L. Gravitz and Julie D. Bowden:
- This book addresses the specific challenges faced by adult children of alcoholics and provides guidance on healing and recovery.
- "The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober" by Catherine Gray:
- A personal and practical guide to quitting alcohol, sharing the author's journey to sobriety and the positive changes it brought to her life.
- "The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath" by Leslie Jamison:
- Combining memoir and research, this book explores the cultural and personal aspects of addiction and recovery.
- "Girl Walks Out of a Bar: A Memoir" by Lisa F. Smith:
- Lisa Smith's memoir chronicles her journey from high-functioning addiction to recovery, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs of sobriety.
I'd like to see how you all are feeling about the content that gets posted here. I sometimes post on my profile,🔥 usually longer articles from scholarly pursuits. I have a newer subreddit based on my Tarot content, at tarotjourneys for the most recent content that I have been working on in that subject area. I'm not sure if I will have new subreddits for different subjects, or if I can keep it together here. I am going to be posting and cross posting so join both or don't, just read and connect with me here, or there!
Also next week will be the first contest in the annual anthology that will be good for you guys to start getting involved in this community. Post will go up on the 8th and stay up one week. There is going to be a three week option for submitting and then we will be selecting the first winner 🏆 on February 7th. Announced on February 9th. Next month contest will be February 8th. And so on.
Prizes for the short story and poetry is $100 cash and promotions, as well as a place in the annual anthology! Our artwork is going to be a prize of $50 and featured in materials and online, then it will be a Anthology chapter introduction, and compete for the cover, with the monthly winners. The same dates apply to the three different contests.
Anyone can enter, up to three submissions in each category! First entry in each category is free. Each additional entry is just $10 via PayPal or Cash App. If you don't have the ability to pay, we have a few waiver.
Our sponsors will be featured in the first post so even if you don't want to enter, read about us then!!!
This will be a great way to get published! I can't wait to see you guys enter!
This is January 4, 2024 newsletter #2.
2024.04.26 07:41 TerribleSell2997 Household Robots Market Increasing Demand, Growth Analysis and Future Outlook by 2031
Household Robots market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 19.3% during the forecast period (2024-2031). Household Robots can perform duties like cleaning the floor, pool, windows, lawn and can connect to wi-fi networks efficiently used for various purposes, including training, counseling, and entertainment.
Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/household-robots-market
An important turning point in the development of home robots is the continuous growth of Artificial Intelligence (Al) technologies. Businesses are working towards creating new robot models with sophisticated features and capabilities. The market is witnessing a transition from single-task robots (like vacuum cleaners) to multi-tasking robots like the Samsung Jet Bot Al+, which has features like item detection and self-emptying. Furthermore, niche robots catering to certain requirements like pet sitting, senior citizen support, and amusement are developing. For instance, in October 2021, AIRROBO, the smart home appliance brand with a focus on AI-enabled technologies, supported by world-leading AI and humanoid robotic company, UBTECH Robotics, AIRROBO launched its two new products — the AIRROBO Robot Vacuum T10+ and the AIRROBO Robot Vacuum T9. It provides users with a 45-day hands-free cleaning experience and an allergy-friendly environment when it comes to cleaning.
full report of Household Robots Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/household-robots-market
· Market Coverage
· Market number available for – 2024-2030
· Base year- 2023
· Forecast period- 2024-2030
· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
· Inc., and others
Market Segmentation
Global Household Robots Market by Type
o Domestic
o Entertainment
o Leisure
Global Household Robots Market by Component
o Hardware
o Software
o Service
Global Household Robots Market by Application
o Vacuuming & Mopping
o Lawn Mowing
o Pool Cleaning
o Companionship
Global Household Robots Market by Distribution Channel
o Online
o Offline
Regional Analysis
o North America
o United States
o Canada
o Europe
o UK
o Germany
o Italy
o Spain
o France
o Rest of Europe
o Asia-Pacific
o China
o India
o Japan
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia-Pacific
o Rest of the World
Company Profiles
o Blue Frogg Robotics SAS
o Dolphin Robotics & Automation
o Indiegogo, Inc.
o LG Electronics Inc.
o Maytronics Ltd.
o Neato Robotics, Inc.
o Robomow
o SoftBank Robotics Group
o Samsung
o Panasonic Group
o Roborock Inc.
o ILIFE
o Bobsweep Inc.
o SharkNinja Operating LLC
o Karcher
o John Deere Group
The Report Covers
About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Orion Market Research
Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari
Email: info@omrglobal.com
Contact no: +91 780-304-0404
submitted by TerribleSell2997 to Nim2908 [link] [comments]
Get Free Sample link @ https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/household-robots-market
An important turning point in the development of home robots is the continuous growth of Artificial Intelligence (Al) technologies. Businesses are working towards creating new robot models with sophisticated features and capabilities. The market is witnessing a transition from single-task robots (like vacuum cleaners) to multi-tasking robots like the Samsung Jet Bot Al+, which has features like item detection and self-emptying. Furthermore, niche robots catering to certain requirements like pet sitting, senior citizen support, and amusement are developing. For instance, in October 2021, AIRROBO, the smart home appliance brand with a focus on AI-enabled technologies, supported by world-leading AI and humanoid robotic company, UBTECH Robotics, AIRROBO launched its two new products — the AIRROBO Robot Vacuum T10+ and the AIRROBO Robot Vacuum T9. It provides users with a 45-day hands-free cleaning experience and an allergy-friendly environment when it comes to cleaning.
full report of Household Robots Market available @ https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/household-robots-market
· Market Coverage
· Market number available for – 2024-2030
· Base year- 2023
· Forecast period- 2024-2030
· Segment Covered- By Source, By Product Type, By Applications
· Competitive Landscape- Archer Daniels Midland Co., Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Cargill
· Inc., and others
Market Segmentation
Global Household Robots Market by Type
o Domestic
o Entertainment
o Leisure
Global Household Robots Market by Component
o Hardware
o Software
o Service
Global Household Robots Market by Application
o Vacuuming & Mopping
o Lawn Mowing
o Pool Cleaning
o Companionship
Global Household Robots Market by Distribution Channel
o Online
o Offline
Regional Analysis
o North America
o United States
o Canada
o Europe
o UK
o Germany
o Italy
o Spain
o France
o Rest of Europe
o Asia-Pacific
o China
o India
o Japan
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia-Pacific
o Rest of the World
Company Profiles
o Blue Frogg Robotics SAS
o Dolphin Robotics & Automation
o Indiegogo, Inc.
o LG Electronics Inc.
o Maytronics Ltd.
o Neato Robotics, Inc.
o Robomow
o SoftBank Robotics Group
o Samsung
o Panasonic Group
o Roborock Inc.
o ILIFE
o Bobsweep Inc.
o SharkNinja Operating LLC
o Karcher
o John Deere Group
The Report Covers
- Market value data analysis of 2023 and forecast to 2031.
- Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
- Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
- Key companies operating in the global household robots market. Based on the availability of data, information related to new product launches, and relevant news is also available in the report.
- Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future.
- Analysis of market-entry and market expansion strategies.
- Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who-stands-where’ in the market.
About Orion Market Research Orion Market Research (OMR) is a market research and consulting company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team of analysts and consultants. OMR offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, consulting and other research-based services. The company also offer Digital Marketing services through its subsidiary OMR Digital and Software development and Consulting Services through another subsidiary Encanto Technologies.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Orion Market Research
Contact Person: Mr. Anurag Tiwari
Email: info@omrglobal.com
Contact no: +91 780-304-0404
2024.04.26 07:37 Greatlakes_10 6 Expert Tips for Successful Healthcare SEO By Great Lakes DP
 | 6 Expert Tips for Successful Healthcare SEO By Great Lakes DP submitted by Greatlakes_10 to u/Greatlakes_10 [link] [comments] In the intricate and ever-changing realm of healthcare, establishing a visible and robust online presence is not just a choice — it’s a necessity. Consider this: when a potential patient initiates their quest for medical assistance, their expedition often commences with a straightforward Google search. This pivotal moment is where the prowess of a Healthcare SEO Agency like Great Lakes Digital Partners shines. With adept strategies, the specialists can enhance your digital presence, ensuring you not only stand out but also forge meaningful connections with those in need. Let’s delve into six expert tips meticulously crafted by Great Lakes DP to revolutionize your approach to healthcare SEO, making it more effective and patient-centric. Tip 1: Dive Deep into Keyword ResearchKeywords act as the beacon that guides potential patients to your digital doorstep. An expert Healthcare SEO Agency goes beyond just scratching the surface; they dig deep into the language your patients use. This involves identifying not just general terms but also specific phrases that potential patients might use when they feel vulnerable and are seeking help. For instance, rather than targeting broad keywords like “healthcare,” they might focus on “pediatric asthma specialist in Atlanta” or “Miami emergency dental care.” This strategy involves:
Tip 2: Streamline Your Site’s StructureA seamless site structure isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s crucial for functionality. It ensures that when search engines and humans alike step into your site, they encounter a clear path rather than a maze. A well-structured site is akin to a well-organized hospital where everything is signposted, from emergency rooms to specialist clinics, guiding visitors effortlessly to their destinations. For example, Cleveland Clinic’s website is a testament to effective site structure, where patients can easily navigate from symptoms and conditions to treatment options and doctor profiles. Key actions of their Healthcare SEO Service Agency include:
Tip 3: Craft Content That MattersIn healthcare, content can be transformative. It’s not just about what you say; it’s about how you say it. Effective healthcare content speaks directly to needs, empathizes, and educates. It’s the difference between a doctor who speaks in medical jargon and one who takes the time to explain diagnoses and treatments in terms the patient can understand. Consider the Mayo Clinic’s blog, which offers comprehensive, patient-friendly articles that cover a wide range of conditions and treatments. A Healthcare SEO Agency focuses on:
Tip 4: Optimize for Your Local CommunityLocal SEO is about being a visible and vital part of your community. It’s about showing up when it matters most — in local searches. This approach is particularly effective for practitioners like family doctors, dentists, and physical therapists, who serve a predominantly local population. For instance, a physical therapy clinic in Michigan could benefit significantly from optimizing its online presence to appear when local residents search for “best physical therapist near me” or “Michigan physical therapy.” Effective Healthcare SEO Services that prioritize local search strategies include:
Tip 5: Embrace Social Media DynamicsSocial media is the pulse of your patient community. It’s where you listen, share, and engage. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer unprecedented opportunities to connect directly with patients, share important health updates, and even manage public health crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare providers utilized social media to disseminate timely information about the virus, preventive measures, and vaccination schedules. These platforms enable you to:
Tip 6: Measure, Learn, and AdaptThe only constant in SEO is change. Thriving requires not just initial action but ongoing adaptation. Regularly measuring and analyzing your Healthcare SEO Service provider’s efforts can help you understand what’s effective and what’s not, allowing you to make informed decisions that keep your strategies aligned with industry best practices. For example, Johns Hopkins Hospital’s continuous improvements to its website UX and content have kept it at the forefront of healthcare digital marketing. Regularly:
ConclusionMastering these six tips through a specialized healthcare SEO agency can significantly elevate your online visibility and patient engagement. It’s about more than just being found; it’s about creating connections and building trust. This strategic approach doesn’t just enhance your online presence — it transforms it, making your healthcare services more accessible and impactful. By optimizing your digital strategy, you’re not just improving your SEO — you’re enhancing the quality of care you provide, ensuring that when patients search for help, they find not only answers but also hope.Looking for SEO for your healthcare business and drive organic traffic? Let’s talk today! Source : Tips for Healthcare SEO |
2024.04.26 07:35 CIAHerpes I’m a cleaner for haunted houses. Skulls pierced with black daggers keep appearing [part 3]
Obizuth grinned like a corpse as hundreds of candles and oil lamps burned all throughout the mansion’s massive basement. I quickly flicked off my flashlight, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. Both Big George and Obizuth had been totally consumed by whatever foul black magic ritual they were performing and, thank God, hadn’t noticed me.
The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
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The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
2024.04.26 07:33 CIAHerpes I’m a cleaner for haunted houses. Skulls pierced with black daggers keep appearing [part 3]
Obizuth grinned like a corpse as hundreds of candles and oil lamps burned all throughout the mansion’s massive basement. I quickly flicked off my flashlight, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. Both Big George and Obizuth had been totally consumed by whatever foul black magic ritual they were performing and, thank God, hadn’t noticed me.
The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
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The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
2024.04.26 07:29 CIAHerpes I’m a cleaner for haunted houses. Skulls pierced with black daggers keep showing up [part 3]
Obizuth grinned like a corpse as hundreds of candles and oil lamps burned all throughout the mansion’s massive basement. I quickly flicked off my flashlight, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. Both Big George and Obizuth had been totally consumed by whatever foul black magic ritual they were performing and, thank God, hadn’t noticed me.
The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
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The black, twitching appendages ascending out of her scalp started to whip through the air as Big George pushed the dying boy’s body forwards. The boy’s legs buckled. He fell forwards, smacking his head against the concrete floor with a dull cracking sound.
The demonic female knelt forwards, the chains rattling and clanking together. The skull she wore around her neck grinned up at me as it swung in wide arcs. She reached forwards with an inhumanly long arm. I could see the white bones of her hands peeking out through deep sores eaten into her flesh.
The boy continued to choke on his own blood, gurgling as his breathing slowed. His final breaths started to come erratically. Obizuth flipped him over. His dilated, sightless eyes stared up into her obsidian ones as his heart furiously pumped his remaining life’s essence onto the cold, gray concrete below.
The strange spiked appendages growing out of her head reached down and stroked the boy’s corpse-white cheek lovingly. She grinned, showing off a mouth filled with needles. Thousands of them gleamed like metal. Her gray lips pulled back, revealing blackened gums.
“Oh, what a beautiful tribute,” she croaked in a voice that sounded like she had been gargling with razor blades. “So young and innocent. So sinless…” Her voice stretched out the last word, hissing like a snake. The boy’s final death gasp came after a long period of him not breathing. I heard a shuddering exhale, wet with the slick blood that bubbled from the deep slash across his neck.
As that hissing sound continued, the spider leg appendages twisting out of her head tightened around the boy’s face and body. Obizuth’s eyes seemed to glow with an inner light as the hissing grew louder and more insistent. It escalated into a deafening cacophony. I put my hands over my ears. I think I might have screamed, but I couldn’t hear anything above the demonic roar coming from this eldritch abomination.
The boy’s dilated pupils began to bubble with an interior white light. Like a stream overflowing its banks, I saw the light pulse and rise before falling into his eyes again. Obizuth’s demonic eyes streamed a dark purple effulgence that made everything in the room look like it was illuminated by a black light. Her appendages had begun to bite deeply into the dead boy’s skin, causing rivulets of blood to stream down from dozens of wounds.
Like a viper rising out of a basket, the light formed into a thread. Slowly, almost lazily, it rose towards Obizuth’s open, grinning mouth. She kept hissing as the boy’s consciousness or soul or whatever it was disappeared behind her mouthful of needles and into her enormous body. Then the demonic sound abruptly cut off. Her mouth snapped shut with a faint metallic clang.
“Your tribute is worthy,” Obizuth growled in a deep voice filled with pleasure and satisfaction. “Step forward and accept your ascension to divinity, Acolyte. You are now a master of the Left-Hand Path.” With an arrogant half-smile, Big George drew nearer the abomination. She wrapped her spider-like appendages around his face. The pointed ends caressed his cheek lightly. He didn’t flinch or draw away. Instead, he only continued to emanate his cryptic smile.
Then the pointed tips bit deeply into his skin. His mouth opened in a silent scream. I watched in horror as the appendages pulsed with peristalsis. They looked like intestines moving food. Big George’s body started to glow as some dark, fetid liquid gushed from the hollow ends of the demonic appendages into his flesh. Some of it flowed from his bleeding wounds, mixing with his bright red blood as it dripped onto the floor below.
His face lit up like a jack-o-lantern as his eyes shone with the same purplish light that Obizuth had emanated during the tribute ritual. I noticed with horror that the skull with the black dagger shoved through its crown had also started to glow, sending out cascades of blinding violet beams.
Something gripped my heart like a clenching fist. I felt a suffocating sense of rising panic and dread. I knew I needed to stop this Satanic ritual before completion. If Big George truly became immortal and had demons and countless enormous monsters at his disposal…
I shuddered at the very thought of what that could mean for my town, my state or even the world.
Without stopping to think about what I was doing, I reached for the pistol holstered around my waist. I had loaded it with real bullets, not the salt and iron ones Big George had given me. I didn’t know if that would turn out to be a wise decision or a fatal one.
With sweaty hands, I raised the gun, pointed at Big George and fired.
***
The next thing I remember, the room seemed to be exploding with light. Blinding white mixed with twisting violet as it strobed violently. I ran back up the stairs as a whooshing sound followed me and then a deafening, inhuman shriek.
“You killed him!” Obizuth screamed in a voice like thunder. “You worm, I’ll strip the meat from your bones.” The house shook. Xavier and Katrina ran towards me, their faces chalk-white and their mouths open. They screamed something, but I couldn’t hear it over the roaring of the demon below. Xavier had his gun out. I saw Katrina holding something in her hand, clenched tightly in her fist, but I didn’t know it was.
Finally, the roaring from below stopped. I heard with dread and horror what Xavier had screamed at me.
“We’re surrounded!” he said. “The doors are all blocked.” As if to emphasize his point, I heard a window smashing followed by a sound of splintering wood coming from both the front and back of the house. Heavy footsteps started to ascend the basement stairs. The boards of the stairs screamed with a shriek of tortured wood under the weight of the behemoth. My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I had killed Big George before he could complete the final ritual apparently, but I still felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
Obizuth reached the top of the stairs. Her massive frame tried to squeeze through the threshold of the door like a trapdoor spider emerging from its tunnel. She gave a twisted, lunatic laugh.
“I’ll rip you limb from limb,” she screamed as she ripped one arm out of the door. The appendages writhing on the top of her head slid through behind her. We met eyes for a brief moment. She had eyes like a snake, slitted and predatory. The irises shone with a silvery gleam.
We had all started to run without needing to say anything. Xavier and Katrina tore through the kitchen and towards the elegant stairway in the front chamber. I followed close behind, the gun still clenched in my hand. I kept looking back, ready to shoot, but Obizuth was still pulling herself through the solid framework of the threshold. I heard boards snapping and walls shaking, and I figured we only had seconds to hide.
***
The mansion’s hallways loomed before us. We ran down a hall randomly, up a set of spiraling side steps to the third floor and looked for somewhere to barricade ourselves in and come up with a plan. I needed time to think. Big George was dead, so I certainly wasn’t getting any more information from him. I wondered why he had wanted us to bring a witch when her powers might be used against him and the horde of demons he had brought to this place. I would find the answer soon enough.
We found a room with old oak tables and chairs piled up on one wall. A giant oval window looked out onto the floating pyramid nearby. We quietly closed and locked the door before starting to stack tables and chairs in front of it, wedging one chair under the handle to try to add some support to the ersatz barricade.
***
We gathered close, all of us in a high state of excitement. I saw death flashing before my eyes. I looked out the window and saw more dark red abominations streaming out of the pyramid. It was the first moment of peace we had. Katrina quickly started speaking, vomiting out the words as fast as she could as if she feared attack at any moment.
“We need to stop the ritual as soon as possible,” she said. “He has opened a gateway to Naraka, but the door is still mostly closed. I have seen references to this ritual in an ancient medieval book on the black arts written by the Mad Arab. They say he sold his soul and wrote a ten-thousand page volume called ‘The Eldritch Tome’ in a single night with all of the foulest rites and rituals poured into it. I have never actually seen a copy of it, but I’ve seen it referenced in other books. Big George must have somehow gotten hold of it.
“The ritual to open the doorway to Naraka usually ends up with the blood of a witch being poured into the pit below the pyramid. Once the last of her blood gets drained from her body, then the door will be permanently opened, and demons will flood into this world at will.”
“What are we supposed to do?” Xavier asked. “We’re just three people, and only two of us even have guns.”
“I have some things that may be useful in my satchel, if we need to…” she started to say when a slamming boom shook the wall. I walked over to the window, not seeing anything nearby that could have made the noise. Then I looked straight down and saw it.
The creature had dangling clumps of rotted black hair over its face. It climbed up the wooden wall like a mountaineer, punching its skeletal claws into the wood over and over, each crater making a splintering crack echo through the room. Its face didn’t look up at us, which somehow made it even worse. The top of its head had split open with squirming larvae eating their way through its skin. It seemed to shiver with nervous energy, a pale, white abomination from an acid fiend’s worst nightmare rising up to meet us.
“Oh God,” Xavier said, stumbling back from the window. He looked like he was about to pass out.
“Listen to me!” Katrina whisper shouted. “We need to get to the basement and take the sacrificial dagger out of the skull. That is the nexus of power holding all of this together.” She shook her head. “Big George must have been working on something like this for many years. I can’t imagine the amount of people he would have had to kill to…”
A shattering cacophony interrupted her. Looking back towards the window, I saw the demonic figure hovering outside the window it had just broken. It tried to slither through, tearing chunks of its decaying flesh off on the sharp tips of broken glass.
Its hair, black and squirming with larvae, reached down to its waist and covered its face and chest. But as it pressed its bleeding body into the broken window, its hair pulled back from its face for a moment, and I saw a female visage straight from Hell.
She had garish dark stitches running across her face like intersecting railroad tracks. They held the wet, squirming flesh loosely to the dark red metallic bones gleaming underneath. She grinned, showing a mouthful of dark crimson needles the same color as the pyramid.
She pulled herself through the window like a tick burrowing into skin, ripping off pieces of pale, naked flesh on the jagged pieces of glass. Dark blood streamed from many wounds, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
“Give… me… the witch…” she hissed, pulling herself up straight. She looked at us with eyes as empty as an abyss. “I… smell… her blood…” Katrina grabbed her chest, hyperventilating and gasping as a panicked, anxious expression overtook her features.
The demon’s head ratcheted as if she had gears in her neck, moving in a blur of movement before stopping to look at each of us in turn. Her grin spread across her face as her mouth fell open. Like a snake unhinging its jaw, I watched her mandible fall down below her neck. There was a rending sound as the stitched-up flesh across her cheeks tore from ear to ear. The thousands of sharp needles in that gaping, grinning maw glistened as she ran forward toward Katrina.
Xavier took the Weaver stance, raising his pistol and straightening his arms. With a booming crack like a shout from God, he fired over and over, first hitting the abomination’s right leg. Her kneecap exploded in a shower of bone fragments and rotten, gray flesh. Her leg collapsed underneath its weight, snapping with a sound like a ceramic pot shattering.
She continued to crawl forward without any sign of pain, leaving streaks of cold, clotted blood squirming with countless worms on the hardwood floor behind her as she went. She gnashed her needle-sharp teeth together, giving a metallic clattering as she advanced, her eyes still fixed on the witch with a supernatural intensity. She started to gnash her teeth so fast that I saw needles breaking off.
“Your blood…” she hissed again, spitting needles and dark blood. She swiped at Katrina’s leg with a clawed hand, wrapping it tight around her calf. Pieces of sharp bone poked out through the rotted tips of her fingers. With a squeal of pain, Katrina jumped back, but the hand held on.
I walked forward, pressing the barrel of the gun directly to the back of the abomination’s head. I stepped on her back, pushing her to the floor then emptied the entire clip into her skull.
Her head exploded in a splash of rotting gore. Sharp needles and fragments of red bone splattered back on me. Her throat gurgled in a dying explosion of breath, her claws still tightly wrapped around Katrina’s leg, the fingers curled up like a dead spider. Rivulets of blood streamed down Katrina’s leg.
“Oh God, she’s still got me,” Katrina shrieked, panic marring her face. She looked like she might pass out at any moment. She looked down at the mutilated nightmarish monstrosity still clutching her flesh and wavered on her feet. I ran over to help. Xavier circled around the other side, examining the hand. We tried prying the fingers open, but the hand held tightly shut like the fingers of a marble statue.
“Shit man,” he said, sweating heavily. He nervously tried prying off one finger at a time. With a sound like bones shattering, he finally worked one finger loose. After a few more seconds, he cracked another open and, finger by finger, eventually loosened the whole hand. The tips had been embedded deeply in the layers of fat and muscle of Katrina’s leg, but luckily they hadn’t gone deep enough to puncture any major blood vessels. They pulled out of her skin with a wet, sucking sound.
“We need to get out of here. Big George is dead. I can’t believe the whole time he was leading us here as sacrifices,” Xavier said.
“Especially me,” Katrina said, and as if the universe had a sense of humor, at that moment the windows went dark. I looked outside to see swarms of the flying monstrosities who had earlier emerged from the pyramid hovering right outside the window. Like a cross between a spider, a dragonfly and a scorpion, they pressed against the glass with their eerily human faces at us, their iridescent, insectile wings furiously beating and blocking out the light. With faces like those of hairless mutated children, they examined us, their heads all twisting eerily towards Katrina like predators smelling prey. Their mouths opened, revealing countless needle teeth that gnashed furiously.
Their large stingers flexed with enormous bulging muscles, the sharp balls ending in curving, needle-like points. I saw with some consternation that the tips of their stingers constantly emitted drops of ruby-red venom. Like drops of blood dripping down, the crimson poison ran down their hard red exoskeletons.
I had loaded some of the bullets Big George had given us into the pistol, deciding to see if they would work. If he had wanted us alive as extra tributes, then he might have given us an actually effective means of repelling these demons so that we could survive long enough to fulfill his evil plan.
I heard an angry, predatory roaring from the floor below us. It was the voice of Obizuth, a choked, predatory growl that made her sound as if she had been gargling with sulfuric acid. Her voice came out like a slowed-down recording, stretching out and vibrating the floor.
“The witch… give me the witch, you worthless vermin… I can smell her blood… it smells sweet… so close…”
Without warning, one of the creatures took advantage of the distraction and flew in through the window. Its head ratcheted towards Katrina, its body twitching with excitement. Then it wrapped its muscular tail around her, keeping the writhing, dripping stinger away from her skin. She screamed, beating her fists against its hard crimson shell. Before I could even raise the gun, it flitted back toward the window in a blur of motion.
“Oh shit!” Xavier screamed, running after Katrina. I felt frozen solid for an endless moment as the abomination jumped, Katrina’s face still looking backwards towards me with a pleading expression in her terror-stricken eyes. Its wings fluttered with a sound like helicopter blades slicing the air. In a graceful, curving arc, it flew through the room and escaped outside the shattered window with Katrina still wrapped tightly in its tail. Her panicked shrieks quickly faded into the distance.
“We can’t let it get away!” he continued yelling, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. I shook my head.
“You need to go to the basement and dismantle the skull holding this ritual together,” I said quickly. Another one of the freakish flying scorpions had begun to crawl through the window like some kind of demented vole emerging from its burrow. I shot at it with the salt-and-iron bullet. It gave a very human scream, its face and exoskeleton starting to melt as if it had been sprayed with a corrosive acid. It fell to the ground, seizing and kicking, rolling on its back with its sharp, spidery legs kicking out. Xavier reloaded, running over and blowing the top of its fleshy, hairless head apart with a few point-blank shots from his pistol.
“I can’t believe the salt-and-iron shit actually works somewhat,” Xavier said as more flying beasts smashed through windows. He reloaded and tried to keep them at bay. I ran to the barricade and began throwing chairs and tables aside.
“I’m going to try to get Katrina back before she gets sacrificed,” I said. “You need to get to the basement and take the dagger out of the skull and stop all of this. At any cost. We’re all counting on you.” He nodded grimly. I ran out into the hallway, turning left. Xavier ran out behind me and headed towards the servant’s stairs. I glanced back, wondering if I would ever see him alive again.
I fled towards the front door of the house and the massive stairway in the entrance chamber. I got as far as the end of the hallway and started turning when I ran into the first of the crawling abominations that swarmed all over the mansion.
It looked like a giant centipede with thousands of long bristles that formed skittering legs the color of pale straw. Waves of motion rippled through the legs, propelling the abomination forwards in a blur. It had a mouth like a leech, a sucking, slimy circular hole with hundreds of triangular teeth spiraling in towards the center. Its enormous, black compound eyes glistened with a colorful sheen. There was no recognizable emotion in those eyes, no glint of compassion or understanding or anything human. They looked as blank and empty as the eyes of a mannequin.
I had filled the pistol’s chamber with salt-and-iron bullets. With uncertainty in my heart as to how effective this would be, I raised the gun. The beast, nearly ten feet long and coming at me like a runaway train, gave a deep, throaty growl that vibrated the floor. As fast as I could, I pulled the trigger, emptying the entire chamber.
The first bullets hit it in the face. Its flesh immediately began to drip and melt like candle wax, its insectile eyes bursting apart in a stream of blue blood the color of antifreeze. And yet its legs continued to skitter towards me even as it gave a long, bubbling hiss. Its mouth continued to suck at the air as if it could already sense the tasty human blood that would flow into its alien mouth.
I tried to sideswipe it as its heavy body thudded to the ground and skidded across the hallway towards me. Even without eyes, its dying body seemed to sense my presence, perhaps feeling the vibrations or smelling me. Its body slid into an S-shape, its sucker coming straight for my chest. I was out of bullets and cringed back.
Inches away, it exhaled a long, shuddering breath and finally collapsed.
***
I sprinted through the opening, savoring the few moments of peace. I heard crashing and shattering coming from all around the house. There was a scream of tortured wood on the first floor, and I heard glass smashing. Something laughed like a hyena, an inhuman, high-pitched cackle that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, I wondered who drew the short straw on this one- me or Xavier.
I reached the sprawling, elegant staircase, standing on the top. It was wide enough to drive two cars down it with room to spare. The front door stood, one door hanging off its hinges at a 45 degree angle, the other splayed out on the floor.
From the kitchen on the first floor, I heard rapid gunfire. Xavier screamed. He sounded like he was either laughing or crying, or maybe both.
“Come get it, fuckers!” he shrieked in a lunatic voice. “Come fucking get it! I’m not afraid to die!”
I ran out the door, the blinding sun staring down at me like a burning eye. As my vision adjusted, I looked over at the pyramid. Only a few hundred feet away now, but a few hundred feet had never seemed so far.
***
I sprinted across the garden, seeing strange, burrowing trails of piled dirt running in random curving lines under the earth. Something about that caused me to shiver. Creatures flew over the trees and mansion by the dozen, circling and howling with inhuman cries.
I heard Katrina’s terrified voice. Looking through the trees, I saw her, still held tightly in the flying abomination’s thick tail. Obizuth walked calmly along the dirt trail towards Katrina, giving her a motherly smile.
“Do not feel bad, girl,” Obizuth hissed in a serpentine voice. “Your blood will forever join Naraka and Earth together as one. You are the most important living person on this world right now. You will bring the ancient ones out, and we will take our rightful places as the rulers of these worthless masses of life.”
Ozibuth walked towards Katrina and the surrounding creatures. I saw a long sacrificial dagger held in her hand. The handle looked like it had been carved from bone. The finely-honed obsidian blade gleamed black in the ruby-red glow of the light emanating from under the pyramid.
“Please, don’t do this,” Katrina pleaded. “So many people will die.” Obizuth laughed, a sound like the tortured grinding of metal. Obizuth only grinned wider, raising the dagger and walking forward.
I sprinted towards them as silently as I could. I had put a new magazine in the pistol already, this time with real bullets. I fired at Obizuth’s arm holding the dagger.
The shot went wild, hitting a tree next to her head and causing splinters and smoke to rain down on Obizuth. Without surprise, she turned, the gray, dead flesh of her face stretching tight as her expression formed into a scowl.
“You will join her in eternal agony for that,” Obizuth shrieked as a torrent of creatures poured towards me. Something reached down from under the soil and grabbed my ankle. I looked down, seeing the clotted black hair of another one of those things that had attacked us in the mansion. Her hands were skeletal, the flesh worn down to the bone in most spots. They were smeared with blood and covered in dirt and grime.
I shot into the ground and felt the hand release me. But as I looked up, a massive tail wrapped around my body. I felt myself being lifted up. The flying scorpion creature jumped into the air with a shrill flutter of its wings. My stomach dropped as we rose a dozen stories and then fell back to the ground in a graceful arc. It brought me down in front of Obizuth’s pleased face.
I still had a few shots left. I raised the pistol and fired at the leader of this nightmare.
The first bullet shattered her ankle. She fell with a grunt, her lips pulling apart in a predatory growl, the chains wrapped around her body tinkling like wind chimes. I aimed the second shot at the creature holding Katrina. It burst through its face with a shower of blue blood.
As rapidly as I could, I turned the pistol to the one holding me and fired. It smashed into its back along the length of its spine. Its tail began twitching and seizing. I fell hard as it dropped me. I saw the vicious stinger swinging inches in front of my face. Crawling away, I knew I was a goner. I tried to reload as I crawled, but more cold hands reached up from the earth and grabbed me. The clip fell from my numb fingers.
I reached where Katrina lay on the ground, shocked and gasping. She had fallen hard when the beast released her and it had apparently knocked the wind out of her.
“I’m here,” I said, grabbing her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m here, Katrina. At least you won’t die alone. I’ll stay with you until the end.” She nodded, her face pale and sad.
I noticed the pyramid floated above a bottomless pit in the earth that slowly belched thin wisps of smoke. I looked down for a moment and saw a scene that will give me nightmares for as long as I live.
It was like looking down through a telescope into another world. Rocky cliffs dozens of stories high towered over flat, lifeless stone roads. Everything burned with a violent intensity. Blue flames shot out of the ground and black smoke rushed up into the air. The smell of scorched flesh and smoke was overwhelming.
Thousands of people rushed in different directions, burning and screaming. Their skin fell off in strips and their bodies blackened, but by the time they had taken the next step, they would be fully healed.
Countless creatures from a nightmare surrounded them, ripping into their flesh, grabbing them from the air and dragging them under the ground. Yet no matter how many disappeared or got taken away, more of these naked, emaciated people would come in to fill their place, sprinting for their lives in every possible direction yet finding no solace. I saw some people trampled underfoot, their crying, screaming faces pressed hard against the flaming ground as thousands of bare feet ran over them.
“It’s Hell,” I whispered, knowing the truth. “Naraka is Hell.” Katrina only nodded.
***
Obizuth rose to her feet, her shattered leg already healing. More of the creatures swarmed around her. Dozens of the women with the skull faces and clotted, black hair climbed out of the pit, their grinning skulls showing off their sharp needle teeth.
They grabbed at us with cold hands, the loose skin of their hands nearly falling off the bones. I cringed, my skin shivering. They pinned our arms behind our backs and pulled our heads back as Obizuth came over in a fury.
“You will die slowly,” she said. “I will skin you alive before I cut your throats. So much the better for the ritual. The pyramid feeds on agony. Know only that all the ones you know and love will follow you soon. Perhaps that will give you some solace.” She gave us a twisted grin, the needles in her mouth glistening.
Obizuth’s hand shot out like a snake grabbing a mouse. With a quick slice, she took off Katrina’s left pinky finger in the space of a moment. Katrina didn’t even cry out, simply looking down with a stunned expression. Bright red blood spurted from the wound.
Then Obizuth put the knife to Katrina’s chest, deciding to start the skinning.
In an adrenaline-fueled spike, Katrina ripped her right arm free. I saw she still had her hand clenched tightly. In a blur, she threw a shower of something at Obizuth’s face. Obizuth screamed, pulling back. The knife fell out of her skeletal hands. Her mouth opened inhumanly wide, her scream shrieking across the forest like a steam-whistle.
She looked up at us. I saw her face melting, pieces of the loose, gray skin sliding off to show the metallic, red bones underneath. But Katrina had used her one shot. Obizuth shook with outrage, one of her eyes dripping out of its sockets. I saw thick granules of salt, dull shreds of iron and sharp pieces of silver embedded in her skin.
Her other eye focused on Katrina with a cold fury.
“You will pay for that, witch,” she said, breathing hard. She started to come forwards again, looking even more nightmarish than before. But she was cut off by a deep, roaring sound that vibrated the earth under my feet.
Then the earth trembled as in an earthquake, sending the creatures falling over. Obizuth stayed on her feet, wavering like a sailor on a ship. Her eyes went wide. The creatures all around us began howling and shrieking in tones of fear and panic. They started rushing back towards into the pyramid or fleeing to the pit beneath it. The pyramid had started to descend with a deafening cacophony. As it lowered into the pit of fire and smoke and tortured souls, the hands released me.
“No…” Obizuth said, falling to her knees. She began to crawl towards the pyramid. She reached the edge and pulled herself over, tumbling down into the void below. With a jumble of inhumanly long, rotted legs and arms, she fell and was gone.
Within the space of a minute, we found ourselves alone. The earth continued to shake as the tip of the pyramid disappeared beneath the surface. The soil started to fill in the hole on its own, as if an imaginary hourglass had been overturned.
Soon, the spot where Hell had been unleashed looked like nothing more than a massive dirt square. We were alone.
“Are… are we dead?” I asked, hyperventilating and stuttering. “What is this?”
“No!” Katrina said enthusiastically. “No, someone must have stopped the ritual.” Her eyes widened. “Xavier.”
We sprinted towards the house. Panic and relief fought in my chest. What about Xavier? If he had stopped it, he must still be alive, right?
***
I found Xavier’s swollen, green body in the basement. A nightmarish, fifteen-foot long snake had wrapped around his torso and sunk its giant fangs into his leg. At his feet lay the skull, the jaw bone broken off and teeth scattered across the floor like litter on a sidewalk.
In his right hand, he still held the black ritual dagger tightly. Its blade had bit deeply through the snake’s eye and into its brain.
They had died together, hugging like two lovers who just carried out a suicide pact.
***
As I left his funeral later that month, I had the Grateful Dead blasting on my car. I listened to the lyrics with sadness. They reminded me of Xavier.
“Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride, Hot as a pistol but cool inside. Going where the wind don’t blow so strange, Maybe off on some high cold mountain chain. Lost one round but the price wasn’t anything. A knife in the back and more of the same.
“Like a steam locomotive, Rolling down the track, He’s gone, He’s gone, And nothing’s going to bring him back.”
I thought of his swollen body, the expression of purpose eternally frozen on his dying face.
And I knew that he was undoubtedly the best trainer a man could ever wish to have.
2024.04.26 07:25 djhenry A conversation about being pro-choice and a Christian
Hello u/throwthisaltawaypls. I decided to post this conversation on my profile as a thread. It's a lot easier to comment and format than using chat or private messages, if you don't mind this not being as private.
The question is why am I pro-choice? My basic view is that the use of a person's body against their will for the benefit of another person is exploitation. I don't like abortions, and I consider all of them to be a tragic loss of human life. However, I don't think it is my place to force anyone to continue a pregnancy against their will. You didn't ask this specifically, but I have a feeling you're wondering how I hold this view while also being a Christian. As a follower of Jesus, I feel I am called to love God, love my neighbor, and emulate the example of Jesus. The fundamental problem when it comes to unwanted pregnancies is that I can't offer to care for the child myself. I can't nourish or shelter an unborn child. If the mother is otherwise unwilling to carry it to term, then my only options are to do nothing and allow her to have an abortion, or to use coercion and force to make her continue. As I said above, I consider this to be exploitation. Is this unwillingness to use force simply me being weak in my faith or afraid of cultural judgement? Maybe sometimes. But it is more than that. In the gospels about Jesus, there is not a single recorded instance where he condemns any Romans or gentiles. He doesn't even tell them that any of their acts of brutality and injustice are wrong. Jesus was seemingly unconcerned about the sins of those who were not God's followers or people, even when those actions hurt him deeply, like when John the Baptist (his cousin) was beheaded, or when he himself was taken to the cross. I don't see any instructions or examples in the New Testament where Christians are called to use force or violence to compel non-Christians to uphold our morals and values. On the contrary, we are often commanded to live at peace with those around us (Romans 12:18 and Titus 3:1-2).
I think an obvious question here is, do I believe we should never use force, and my answer is no. I think there are times when we should intervene. Things like murder and theft are horrific injustices that will tear apart the fabric of society if not checked, and that is the key there. What is good for society overall. That might sound like a secular idea, but I consider it a biblical command. Jeremiah 29:7 instructed the Jews in exile to seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they were forced into exile. I think the New Testament understanding of this is very much the same, to love our neighbor. So, I advocate for things like good roads, better public education, better healthcare, and so on. All things that I think help to fulfill the command to love my neighbor. So, what about abortion? In order for our society to function and thrive, I think we need to allow certain immoral things to exist. For example, basic rights and civil liberties. Over the millennium of history, we have found that the best societies that seem to do the most good for people are those that have a strong value on personal rights. This means that sometimes we allow things that we consider immoral to be legal. Adultery is a good example of this. Many countries have made adultery illegal, but those that have, routinely see more abuse, corruption, and injustice when trying to apply these laws. Keeping government intrusion out of the sex lives of consenting adults, I think it is a good thing. So though I consider adultery to be incredibly selfish and awful, I think it should be legal. I put abortion in the same category. For the people who obtain abortions, I think they will be accountable to God for their actions. I don't see it as being against my faith to allow for abortions, and even to advocate for their legality because it makes society better overall. That said, that doesn't mean I can't do anything. I can still advocate for the unborn, and do whatever is in my power to provide for mothers in vulnerable situations. I'm a big supporters of sex education, affordable birth control, housing, education, etc. I want to see fewer abortions, and anything that can help reduce them without taking away a woman's right to choose, I'm all for.
Does that all make sense? Do you have any follow-up questions, or do you think I have some flaws in my arguments or beliefs?
submitted by djhenry to u/djhenry [link] [comments]
The question is why am I pro-choice? My basic view is that the use of a person's body against their will for the benefit of another person is exploitation. I don't like abortions, and I consider all of them to be a tragic loss of human life. However, I don't think it is my place to force anyone to continue a pregnancy against their will. You didn't ask this specifically, but I have a feeling you're wondering how I hold this view while also being a Christian. As a follower of Jesus, I feel I am called to love God, love my neighbor, and emulate the example of Jesus. The fundamental problem when it comes to unwanted pregnancies is that I can't offer to care for the child myself. I can't nourish or shelter an unborn child. If the mother is otherwise unwilling to carry it to term, then my only options are to do nothing and allow her to have an abortion, or to use coercion and force to make her continue. As I said above, I consider this to be exploitation. Is this unwillingness to use force simply me being weak in my faith or afraid of cultural judgement? Maybe sometimes. But it is more than that. In the gospels about Jesus, there is not a single recorded instance where he condemns any Romans or gentiles. He doesn't even tell them that any of their acts of brutality and injustice are wrong. Jesus was seemingly unconcerned about the sins of those who were not God's followers or people, even when those actions hurt him deeply, like when John the Baptist (his cousin) was beheaded, or when he himself was taken to the cross. I don't see any instructions or examples in the New Testament where Christians are called to use force or violence to compel non-Christians to uphold our morals and values. On the contrary, we are often commanded to live at peace with those around us (Romans 12:18 and Titus 3:1-2).
I think an obvious question here is, do I believe we should never use force, and my answer is no. I think there are times when we should intervene. Things like murder and theft are horrific injustices that will tear apart the fabric of society if not checked, and that is the key there. What is good for society overall. That might sound like a secular idea, but I consider it a biblical command. Jeremiah 29:7 instructed the Jews in exile to seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they were forced into exile. I think the New Testament understanding of this is very much the same, to love our neighbor. So, I advocate for things like good roads, better public education, better healthcare, and so on. All things that I think help to fulfill the command to love my neighbor. So, what about abortion? In order for our society to function and thrive, I think we need to allow certain immoral things to exist. For example, basic rights and civil liberties. Over the millennium of history, we have found that the best societies that seem to do the most good for people are those that have a strong value on personal rights. This means that sometimes we allow things that we consider immoral to be legal. Adultery is a good example of this. Many countries have made adultery illegal, but those that have, routinely see more abuse, corruption, and injustice when trying to apply these laws. Keeping government intrusion out of the sex lives of consenting adults, I think it is a good thing. So though I consider adultery to be incredibly selfish and awful, I think it should be legal. I put abortion in the same category. For the people who obtain abortions, I think they will be accountable to God for their actions. I don't see it as being against my faith to allow for abortions, and even to advocate for their legality because it makes society better overall. That said, that doesn't mean I can't do anything. I can still advocate for the unborn, and do whatever is in my power to provide for mothers in vulnerable situations. I'm a big supporters of sex education, affordable birth control, housing, education, etc. I want to see fewer abortions, and anything that can help reduce them without taking away a woman's right to choose, I'm all for.
Does that all make sense? Do you have any follow-up questions, or do you think I have some flaws in my arguments or beliefs?
2024.04.26 07:13 Fine_Ad_1918 Notes of The First Contact War 1: The Fist [SSB]
thanks to u/bluefishcake for letting me use his setting, thanks to u/Sp3zn4s696, u/AnalysisIconoclast, u/An_Insufferable_NEWT, u/SpaceFillingNerd, and everyone at the SSB discord. You guys helped me do what i thought was impossible. I have been a long time lurker, and this is my first post here. please give feedback and tell me what I can do better. I would greatly appreciate anything I can do to make this more enjoyable. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 5 months ago, Solo Nobre, UN Interstellar Directorate Sgt. Everett Janson An annoying buzz sucked me out of the pleasant dream; it faded away within mere moments. 5:00 AM, just like always I rose from my bed, stretching and blinking the last remains of sleep from my eyes as I surveyed the darkened shapes within my room. The apartment seemed to be just as I left it, with the slim window by my bedside offering a slice of the metropolis of New New York. God Bless noise-blocking windows. If not for them I wouldn't sleep at all. I sit up on the center of the bed and take care of my prosthetics. Can't keep them on me during sleep, the damn things have a mind of their own when I dream. I grimace as I tune them, the process always being unpleasant. Damn penny pinching VA. Couldn't spend a dime more for proper neuro-link, I sigh as I finally finish the re-calibration of the final prosthetic and attach it into the socket in my arm. I flex the mechanical muscles and smile, "Works fine." Breakfast was a meager affair, with coffee and cold dinner from yesterday being the main highlights. I make sure to add one ration bar for the midday slump; just in case. I sit at the table, chewing on a stale chunk of nutri-bread as I look at my second-hand Omnipad; my current recommended feed being a mess of news stories. Let's see.... A Shil'vati tourist murdered by extremist group on Franklin. Negotiations between the Alliance and the Imperium over the Asherna system stall to a halt. Directorate marines take out Consortium slavers, who established a base on Pandora II … I hummed to myself, washing the taste of synthetic nutrients down with a swig of coffee. Another boring week then? I swipe a metallic finger across the glassy surface of the Pad, switching to my current messages. A frown crossed my face as I gazed upon the first message. Another denied claim, VA being cheap as always. I shook my head at that, marking it as read before moving onto the rest of the messages. Old buddies want to get drunk, my sister in law is asking for money again, can’t she keep a job and... I frowned again as I saw something new, actually new. Message marked... delivered by interstellar courier? My frown deepened. "The hell?" “Dear Sgt. Janson, I am As’lia, a film student at Empress' Zah’rika’s Academy for Young Ladies. I am directing a documentary series about the recent conflict between The Imperium and The Directorate. Currently I am attempting to find veterans of both sides so they could share their stories. My series has been recently approved by both of our governments' Ministries of Culture in order to foster more mutual respect for our peoples. I am currently able to offer you 650,000 credits for your participation and another 40,000 per month in recurring payments, however, you will have to provide your own transportation to Shil. Please contact me if you are interested. Sincerely, As’Lia” What the heck, am I dreaming? I thought to myself, putting my pad away and grabbing my work bag. I”ll deal with that message later tonight, this can’t possibly be real. Why would anyone want a grumpy, sad excuse for a soldier for their documentary? I zoned out as I fell into my normal routine at work, trying to make the most of the long day working as a Bailiff. I had to sit through case after case of people who did something utterly moronic. There was a money launderer who physically washed the money, a drug dealer who was actually selling boxed cake mix, and worst of all, a man who smuggled mint candies into Shil territory. I finally managed to get back home around 12:30 AM. Exhaustion washed over me as I flopped down onto the battered couch in the living room, the message from As’Lia floating to the surface of my mind. Despite my misgivings, I had to face the facts. Working a job I hate, fighting with the VA for what I rightly deserve, and being another lonely, forgotten veteran in a nation with millions just like me. After that, I knew what I had to do. I responded to the inquiry with a resounding yes before sending 50,000 CUs to my sister in law with a message stating “Don’t ask for more” before getting all my affairs in order. 3 months ago, Solo Nobre Spaceport, UN Interstellar Directorate
Sgt. Everett Janson I am standing in front of the ship that will take me, others who received the message and the first Directorate Embassy to Shil. As I stepped aboard, I was greeted by a Naval Infantryman who showed me to my berth. The ship was a retrofitted Heavy frigate. From the moment I stepped on board, I felt like I was finally home. The berth I was assigned to already had two others in it. A large bulky warborg, and a tall willowy man with an eyepatch, we all introduced ourselves, the Warborg was called Fred, and he used to serve with Cerberus. The other man was named John, and he's a Naval officer and diplomat. As soon as we made basic pleasantries, an announcement went out for “all documentary personnel, please report to the meeting room.” The meeting room wasn’t much, just a bunch of chairs, a large computer screen and a table bolted to the floor. Once we all filed in, I saw that there were two more members of the group, but I didn't have much time to look around, because soon after we entered, a man in a fine suit came into the room. “Hello folks, I assume that you all know why you are here” at this there were various nods to the affirmative “great, well here are some extra orders from central military command. You are to represent the Directorate in the most positive light possible, you are to figure out any flaws in the Imperium's defenses, and you are to promote coexistence between our two nations.” The suited man then closed his pad and asked “any questions?” At that, there was silence, the suited man smiled, and left the room. All the rest of us shared introductions. The other two were named Rosalina, and Margit. They were a strike pilot, and a tanker respectively. We all started chatting and played cards for a while. Funnily enough, we were all deployed to Orvet III for the initial Shil invasion. John and Rosalina fought in orbit, and Fred, Margit, and I all fought on the ground. We all realized that we met before, Fred’s Platoon was relieved by my company, and Margit’s company. Rosalina and John provided support fire during the final push to defend Orvet. A discussion started sharing what everyone did during the other parts of the war. Fred was deployed to provide naval infantry an extra boost in boarding actions, Margit was like me, we both spent our time fighting in the frontlines, Rosalina was deployed to harass Shil shipping, and John seemed to have the most interesting time, he launched attacks against Shil worlds, killed a Shil princess, and secured Alliance support for our war effort. We were all surprised that he was going to Shil. I would bet that there is still a sizable bounty on his head for his deeds. After talking for many hours we said our goodbyes and went back to our berths to get some sleep. 8 Hours ago, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson Finally we made planetfall onto the surface of Shil, the others all have business to attend to elsewhere, and so I am by myself. I am supposed to be at the academy at 4:00 pm, and it is 8:00 am now. My luggage was already at the embassy and with nothing to do, so I decided to go on a guided tour of the city. Having found a reputable company and booking a 4 hour tour of the city. The guide himself was a small, skinny looking Shil boy who upon seeing me nearly freaked out, to be fair, now that I think about it, I do look pretty goulish. The skin on my face is literally stapled on, and I am probably more metal than flesh. After he calmed down, I asked him “where to first?'' After that, he started leading me around the city and talking without end. I learned more history and politics in that first hour than I have learned throughout school. Even the horrified looks and hushed whispers of the passersbys didn’t detract from the marvels. We passed life-like statues, beautiful buildings, and exquisite architecture. Man, maybe there would be less crime in New New York, if the architecture was anything other than brutalist prefabs. Although the one young girl who took one look at my grimacing countenance dropped her cone, pointed and wailed upon seeing the effects of what could generously be called meatball surgery did dampen my spirits just a little. I didn’t really know what “the enemy’s heart” would actually look like, I may have expected a place even more brutalist than my home world, not something with green spaces, and color in every hue of purple. Soon we were coming upon the imperial palace, goddamn, this is beautiful, why don’t we have things like this? Oh right, the Shil bombed it. I decided to ask my guide about a good place to get lunch. Soon, it was time for me to get to the Academy. I got a taxi and asked the driver in my broken Shil to “take me to Empress' Zah’rika’s Academy for Young Ladies.” The taxi ride was quite nice, I got to see more sights that weren’t covered by the walking tour I took previously. After a nice 20 minute ride in silence, I arrived at the academy. The Academy was quite large and imposing. I walked through many halls that were filled with artwork that is truly amazing. It took me a bit to get there, the Academy was like a maze. After 20 minutes of backtracking and checking a pretty outdated map that I had. I finally found my way to the room where filming was being done. The room was large, filled with film equipment, and painted a disgustingly vivid shade of violet. There was a large table with many Shils sitting on one side, and a bunch of empty chairs on the other side. Huh, I guess I am the first human here. The Shil on the other side of the table started to glare at me, especially at my FISTer patch. I sat there in an awkward silence, hoping that something, anything, would happen. Finally after 12 minutes of silence, the other humans filed into the room. Good, at least I am not the target of their ire any more. About 8 minutes later two young Shils walked into the room. The first one introduced herself as As’lia, she was the one who sent the message that brought me here. She said “ welcome all, thank you for coming to participate in interviews for my new documentary about the conflict”. She then looked around, and saw me, in my old uniform, my cybernetics polished to a dull shine. She said “ok, do you want to go first?” I replied with “I guess”. Present day, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson “Six years,” I sighed, “It has been six years since we found out we aren’t alone in the cold, cruel universe. Six years ago humanity was just recovering from the Razing of The Rim," I continued, "we were not ready, nor were we expecting to have to fight alien invaders. The war was 4 years of brutality We lost two planets, millions of lives, and a large part of our navy, but we were able to inflict severe losses to their population, their pride, and their willingness to invade random worlds. Now, we have peace, fragile as it might be, but peace nonetheless.” The purple skinned girl started raising her hands simultaneously up to her shoulders, and I broke my eyes off from the camera lens. What did that even mean? she repeated the gesture, faster and faster, until she sighed. “More emotion, it needs more emotion!” “Sorry,” I muttered, rehearsing what I’d just said- what else was there to say? They came, they saw, they attempted to conquer - though at least at a heavy cost. I’d bet that there are now thousands of Shil’vati Marines with a well-earned fear of drones and tanks now. We tried it again, and this time she seemed satisfied enough until we came to the new part. “A few months ago, I got an email from some Shil’vati film student who wanted to interview me for a docu-series about the war. At first I couldn’t imagine: ‘me, a human sergeant, going to the homeworld of my nation’s greatest enemy, to help some film student pass their class’. But I then took a look at my life and thought maybe this might actually be a good thing. My goal is to show the other perspective on the war that greatly affected both of our nations.” Six years ago, 14 days to invasion 93rd Mechanized Infantry battalion, 2nd company, Orvet III, UN Interstellar Directorate Cpl. Everett Janson It is dark and cramped in the belly of the CV270. The troop bay is practically a freezer under the lacking winter sun. My company had been doing exercises out in the woods near Karlov city, and we were finally heading back to base. We, the men and women of the 93rd Mechanized Infantry, had been posted here in response to the Free World secessionist crisis. The free world league was crushed, and the Rim was brought back into compliance, but we were still here. Erik, my squad leader, opened up his hip flask of some dubious liquid that was probably against regulation and offered it around. “Come on Janson, sure you don’t want some,” he growled in his gravelly voice, I replied with a curt “nope” and went back to dozing off, dreaming of an actual bed to lie my head on. Right as I attempted to drift back off to sleep, a crackly message came over the troop bay radio. “The corvette Pendant, and the Q-ship Henry Kissinger, have detected something big on sensors. Readiness 3 declared. All personnel are to be deployed in anti-invasion positions.” With this pronouncement, the entire squad stopped their banter and the became deadly serious. The driver kicked the engine into full gear to the Aton Ridge, a set of hills and forests that the 93rd was to hold. The other vehicles in the company rushed there too. In two hours, we were at the ridge. The place was abuzz with activity, naval Seabees worked with our engineers to set up comms, prefabs, and entrenchments. There were Warborgs with their glossy black armor and unsettling amber eyes, helping move entire howitzers and crates of ammo that must weigh at least 600 pounds. Infantry and armor crowded the area and waited, we waited for something, anything to take our minds off the terror of the idea that we will have to fight aliens. Every day, more combatants arrived. On day one, Two heavy infantry companies and one Mech company of Cerberus Mercs arrived. On day two, a bunch of policemen and logistics personnel showed up. On day three though, an entire regiment of Free World League remnants who caused us no end of trouble during the Razing, arrived with artillery, a signal platoon, a bunch of AA weapons, and tanks. Their CO said “a cease fire has been signed between us, we will defend humanity from the alien threat.” I liked his attitude but I wasn't as hopeful as him. The free worlders’ gear was old and but serviceable, but their tanks were practically 4 person coffins. Despite that, if they were hull down, they should be fine. We swore that no damn alien would take the ridge, unless we were all dead or ordered to fall back. Six years ago, 1 day to Invasion 93rd Mechanized Infantry battalion, 2nd company, Orvet III, UN Interstellar Directorate Cpl. Everett Janson We spent 13 days on the ridge just entrenching, with more forces arriving daily to turn our position into a fortress. We don’t know if it would be enough, though. We did our best to get any rest that we can before the inevitable invasion. At about 11:20 that night, we got another radio message “The system defense fleet has engaged and crippled the enemy fleet, but was forced to retreat under withering enemy fire. Readiness 2 declared. Prepare to repel the invaders, LONG LIVE THE DIRECTORATE!!!” With that we ran to our positions and waited. I was sent to assist the missile company, and the other anti orbit forces. Within 12 minutes, I was sitting on the side of a mobile anti-orbital gun and fiddling with my computer, trying to connect the gun batteries together. As I looked off into the distance, I saw missiles, loaded with bomb pumped lasers, shoot off into the sky. The cold winter air was filled with chaff, jamming waves, and other methods to reduce the accuracy of orbit to ground fire. I just sighed, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I turned to senior gunner Goldman, and offered him one too. He took it, and muttered “480 CUs that this will be worse than the siege of Tau IX, back during the Razing.” Another gunner yelled out “nah, make it 900”, soon all the gunners started shouting even higher amounts of cash. It took the gun officer to get all of them to shut up and get back to work. In just a few hours, the gun officer yelled out “ready up, the aliens are overhead.” The gun crew, and all the gun crews across the ridge sprung into action. They fired up the computers and the control software rotated all the pieces into place. I yelled out “battery set, fire when ready.” The gun officer shouted “load Nuclear, Set airburst”, the senior gunner shouted “coils at 100%”, and the other gunners set the autoloader with 8 missiles. The gun officer then growls “wait until they hit high atmo, I want the shots to be as effective as possible.” It didn’t take long though for the guns to fire. The shot being flung at hypersonic speeds made an incredibly loud crack as it sped through the atmosphere, soon it engaged its engine and went into the murderous final stretch. Across the region, it looked like fireworks were grazing through the sky. The computer stated “good hit, scratch 8.” We didn’t care, I routed orders to batteries, and the batteries obeyed. Soon shot two was fired, with the same results, more shuttles being turned into slag. The active camouflage tarps that were set up over the guns didn’t hide much because of the huge flashes of projectiles coming out from under them. But for every shuttle we downed, 5 more took their place, and as we kept up our steady barrage, the aliens’ orbit to ground fire became more accurate. The gun crew I was with took this as a sign to switch to kinetic shipkiller rounds. Due to the haze of chaff and jammers, the alien ships had to enter the atmosphere, and this made them a good target for our batteries. Throughout that night, we destroyed frigates, transport ships, and maybe a cruiser. But the cost was high, many of our positions were blown to kingdom come by lasers from orbit, a lot of us died at the ridge in the night. When the morning finally came, there were scorched pits everywhere. We cheered because the enemy's orbit to ground shots didn’t kill us all. But now the enemy had made planetfall, and I went to rejoin the 2nd company, my work with the Missile company finished. I grabbed up my com equipment, my spare mags, and my laser designator and got in a nice, slightly less cold than average foxhole. All around us, I heard the hiss of alien lasers striking into the ground around the area inaccurately and the crack of our retaliatory counter fire. Both of which were really just meant to suppress the enemy at this range. The Aliens made landfall later that day, but boy did we have a nasty surprise for them. Their landing sites were rendered into glass by nuclear weapons the minute they committed to any given landing zone. Poor bastards, I wouldn’t wish that fate upon anyone. Yet, I delivered that fate for thousands of them, I called out coordinates into the Coms, and marked them with a laser designator. About 30-60 seconds later, a nuke, airburst, or kinetic strike hit their positions. Their laser fire tried to find our silos, our mobile batteries, and our subs. They weren’t having the best luck with that. The flash of ionized air was almost as common as the mushroom clouds of our low yield nukes. The sound and light of it all was overwhelming. It was beautiful, and horrifying in equal measure. It was a symphony of artillery, and I had the honor of conducting it. My baton, my designator. My tailcoat, a suit of Battle Plate. I was caught up in the flow of it so much, that I nearly caused a blue on blue. After that mishap; I was relieved of duty, and rotated back so I could rest. Present day, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson As'lia turned to me first and asked “Mr. Janson, what unit were you in?” I replied with “93rd mechanized, at Aton ridge.” “What did you do during the conflict?” I gave a grim smile and said “Don’t you mean the invasion?” This answer seemed to make her wince in discomfort, but she didn’t answer. I didn’t care either way. “I was a FISTer, I called in artillery, directed orbital fire, and did my best to blunt your forces' advances,” I answered. “Did a good job too.” She didn’t seem to fully understand the significance of my post. Next she asked “Why did you fight? You could have had a nice life anywhere else, but you chose to fight in a backwater in your outer rim.” I truly smiled at that one. Time to spread some Directorate propaganda. I spoke carefully, “I fought because I believe in the Directorate, not the government or the powerful, but the people. I fight for the people and their security.” She states impassively. “That is an admirable goal.” She continues by asking me “did you have friends in the army?” I reply with, “ I had some great friends, sadly I haven’t kept in touch with them” She then asked “have you killed anyone”... continued in the comments
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Sgt. Everett Janson I am standing in front of the ship that will take me, others who received the message and the first Directorate Embassy to Shil. As I stepped aboard, I was greeted by a Naval Infantryman who showed me to my berth. The ship was a retrofitted Heavy frigate. From the moment I stepped on board, I felt like I was finally home. The berth I was assigned to already had two others in it. A large bulky warborg, and a tall willowy man with an eyepatch, we all introduced ourselves, the Warborg was called Fred, and he used to serve with Cerberus. The other man was named John, and he's a Naval officer and diplomat. As soon as we made basic pleasantries, an announcement went out for “all documentary personnel, please report to the meeting room.” The meeting room wasn’t much, just a bunch of chairs, a large computer screen and a table bolted to the floor. Once we all filed in, I saw that there were two more members of the group, but I didn't have much time to look around, because soon after we entered, a man in a fine suit came into the room. “Hello folks, I assume that you all know why you are here” at this there were various nods to the affirmative “great, well here are some extra orders from central military command. You are to represent the Directorate in the most positive light possible, you are to figure out any flaws in the Imperium's defenses, and you are to promote coexistence between our two nations.” The suited man then closed his pad and asked “any questions?” At that, there was silence, the suited man smiled, and left the room. All the rest of us shared introductions. The other two were named Rosalina, and Margit. They were a strike pilot, and a tanker respectively. We all started chatting and played cards for a while. Funnily enough, we were all deployed to Orvet III for the initial Shil invasion. John and Rosalina fought in orbit, and Fred, Margit, and I all fought on the ground. We all realized that we met before, Fred’s Platoon was relieved by my company, and Margit’s company. Rosalina and John provided support fire during the final push to defend Orvet. A discussion started sharing what everyone did during the other parts of the war. Fred was deployed to provide naval infantry an extra boost in boarding actions, Margit was like me, we both spent our time fighting in the frontlines, Rosalina was deployed to harass Shil shipping, and John seemed to have the most interesting time, he launched attacks against Shil worlds, killed a Shil princess, and secured Alliance support for our war effort. We were all surprised that he was going to Shil. I would bet that there is still a sizable bounty on his head for his deeds. After talking for many hours we said our goodbyes and went back to our berths to get some sleep. 8 Hours ago, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson Finally we made planetfall onto the surface of Shil, the others all have business to attend to elsewhere, and so I am by myself. I am supposed to be at the academy at 4:00 pm, and it is 8:00 am now. My luggage was already at the embassy and with nothing to do, so I decided to go on a guided tour of the city. Having found a reputable company and booking a 4 hour tour of the city. The guide himself was a small, skinny looking Shil boy who upon seeing me nearly freaked out, to be fair, now that I think about it, I do look pretty goulish. The skin on my face is literally stapled on, and I am probably more metal than flesh. After he calmed down, I asked him “where to first?'' After that, he started leading me around the city and talking without end. I learned more history and politics in that first hour than I have learned throughout school. Even the horrified looks and hushed whispers of the passersbys didn’t detract from the marvels. We passed life-like statues, beautiful buildings, and exquisite architecture. Man, maybe there would be less crime in New New York, if the architecture was anything other than brutalist prefabs. Although the one young girl who took one look at my grimacing countenance dropped her cone, pointed and wailed upon seeing the effects of what could generously be called meatball surgery did dampen my spirits just a little. I didn’t really know what “the enemy’s heart” would actually look like, I may have expected a place even more brutalist than my home world, not something with green spaces, and color in every hue of purple. Soon we were coming upon the imperial palace, goddamn, this is beautiful, why don’t we have things like this? Oh right, the Shil bombed it. I decided to ask my guide about a good place to get lunch. Soon, it was time for me to get to the Academy. I got a taxi and asked the driver in my broken Shil to “take me to Empress' Zah’rika’s Academy for Young Ladies.” The taxi ride was quite nice, I got to see more sights that weren’t covered by the walking tour I took previously. After a nice 20 minute ride in silence, I arrived at the academy. The Academy was quite large and imposing. I walked through many halls that were filled with artwork that is truly amazing. It took me a bit to get there, the Academy was like a maze. After 20 minutes of backtracking and checking a pretty outdated map that I had. I finally found my way to the room where filming was being done. The room was large, filled with film equipment, and painted a disgustingly vivid shade of violet. There was a large table with many Shils sitting on one side, and a bunch of empty chairs on the other side. Huh, I guess I am the first human here. The Shil on the other side of the table started to glare at me, especially at my FISTer patch. I sat there in an awkward silence, hoping that something, anything, would happen. Finally after 12 minutes of silence, the other humans filed into the room. Good, at least I am not the target of their ire any more. About 8 minutes later two young Shils walked into the room. The first one introduced herself as As’lia, she was the one who sent the message that brought me here. She said “ welcome all, thank you for coming to participate in interviews for my new documentary about the conflict”. She then looked around, and saw me, in my old uniform, my cybernetics polished to a dull shine. She said “ok, do you want to go first?” I replied with “I guess”. Present day, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson “Six years,” I sighed, “It has been six years since we found out we aren’t alone in the cold, cruel universe. Six years ago humanity was just recovering from the Razing of The Rim," I continued, "we were not ready, nor were we expecting to have to fight alien invaders. The war was 4 years of brutality We lost two planets, millions of lives, and a large part of our navy, but we were able to inflict severe losses to their population, their pride, and their willingness to invade random worlds. Now, we have peace, fragile as it might be, but peace nonetheless.” The purple skinned girl started raising her hands simultaneously up to her shoulders, and I broke my eyes off from the camera lens. What did that even mean? she repeated the gesture, faster and faster, until she sighed. “More emotion, it needs more emotion!” “Sorry,” I muttered, rehearsing what I’d just said- what else was there to say? They came, they saw, they attempted to conquer - though at least at a heavy cost. I’d bet that there are now thousands of Shil’vati Marines with a well-earned fear of drones and tanks now. We tried it again, and this time she seemed satisfied enough until we came to the new part. “A few months ago, I got an email from some Shil’vati film student who wanted to interview me for a docu-series about the war. At first I couldn’t imagine: ‘me, a human sergeant, going to the homeworld of my nation’s greatest enemy, to help some film student pass their class’. But I then took a look at my life and thought maybe this might actually be a good thing. My goal is to show the other perspective on the war that greatly affected both of our nations.” Six years ago, 14 days to invasion 93rd Mechanized Infantry battalion, 2nd company, Orvet III, UN Interstellar Directorate Cpl. Everett Janson It is dark and cramped in the belly of the CV270. The troop bay is practically a freezer under the lacking winter sun. My company had been doing exercises out in the woods near Karlov city, and we were finally heading back to base. We, the men and women of the 93rd Mechanized Infantry, had been posted here in response to the Free World secessionist crisis. The free world league was crushed, and the Rim was brought back into compliance, but we were still here. Erik, my squad leader, opened up his hip flask of some dubious liquid that was probably against regulation and offered it around. “Come on Janson, sure you don’t want some,” he growled in his gravelly voice, I replied with a curt “nope” and went back to dozing off, dreaming of an actual bed to lie my head on. Right as I attempted to drift back off to sleep, a crackly message came over the troop bay radio. “The corvette Pendant, and the Q-ship Henry Kissinger, have detected something big on sensors. Readiness 3 declared. All personnel are to be deployed in anti-invasion positions.” With this pronouncement, the entire squad stopped their banter and the became deadly serious. The driver kicked the engine into full gear to the Aton Ridge, a set of hills and forests that the 93rd was to hold. The other vehicles in the company rushed there too. In two hours, we were at the ridge. The place was abuzz with activity, naval Seabees worked with our engineers to set up comms, prefabs, and entrenchments. There were Warborgs with their glossy black armor and unsettling amber eyes, helping move entire howitzers and crates of ammo that must weigh at least 600 pounds. Infantry and armor crowded the area and waited, we waited for something, anything to take our minds off the terror of the idea that we will have to fight aliens. Every day, more combatants arrived. On day one, Two heavy infantry companies and one Mech company of Cerberus Mercs arrived. On day two, a bunch of policemen and logistics personnel showed up. On day three though, an entire regiment of Free World League remnants who caused us no end of trouble during the Razing, arrived with artillery, a signal platoon, a bunch of AA weapons, and tanks. Their CO said “a cease fire has been signed between us, we will defend humanity from the alien threat.” I liked his attitude but I wasn't as hopeful as him. The free worlders’ gear was old and but serviceable, but their tanks were practically 4 person coffins. Despite that, if they were hull down, they should be fine. We swore that no damn alien would take the ridge, unless we were all dead or ordered to fall back. Six years ago, 1 day to Invasion 93rd Mechanized Infantry battalion, 2nd company, Orvet III, UN Interstellar Directorate Cpl. Everett Janson We spent 13 days on the ridge just entrenching, with more forces arriving daily to turn our position into a fortress. We don’t know if it would be enough, though. We did our best to get any rest that we can before the inevitable invasion. At about 11:20 that night, we got another radio message “The system defense fleet has engaged and crippled the enemy fleet, but was forced to retreat under withering enemy fire. Readiness 2 declared. Prepare to repel the invaders, LONG LIVE THE DIRECTORATE!!!” With that we ran to our positions and waited. I was sent to assist the missile company, and the other anti orbit forces. Within 12 minutes, I was sitting on the side of a mobile anti-orbital gun and fiddling with my computer, trying to connect the gun batteries together. As I looked off into the distance, I saw missiles, loaded with bomb pumped lasers, shoot off into the sky. The cold winter air was filled with chaff, jamming waves, and other methods to reduce the accuracy of orbit to ground fire. I just sighed, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. I turned to senior gunner Goldman, and offered him one too. He took it, and muttered “480 CUs that this will be worse than the siege of Tau IX, back during the Razing.” Another gunner yelled out “nah, make it 900”, soon all the gunners started shouting even higher amounts of cash. It took the gun officer to get all of them to shut up and get back to work. In just a few hours, the gun officer yelled out “ready up, the aliens are overhead.” The gun crew, and all the gun crews across the ridge sprung into action. They fired up the computers and the control software rotated all the pieces into place. I yelled out “battery set, fire when ready.” The gun officer shouted “load Nuclear, Set airburst”, the senior gunner shouted “coils at 100%”, and the other gunners set the autoloader with 8 missiles. The gun officer then growls “wait until they hit high atmo, I want the shots to be as effective as possible.” It didn’t take long though for the guns to fire. The shot being flung at hypersonic speeds made an incredibly loud crack as it sped through the atmosphere, soon it engaged its engine and went into the murderous final stretch. Across the region, it looked like fireworks were grazing through the sky. The computer stated “good hit, scratch 8.” We didn’t care, I routed orders to batteries, and the batteries obeyed. Soon shot two was fired, with the same results, more shuttles being turned into slag. The active camouflage tarps that were set up over the guns didn’t hide much because of the huge flashes of projectiles coming out from under them. But for every shuttle we downed, 5 more took their place, and as we kept up our steady barrage, the aliens’ orbit to ground fire became more accurate. The gun crew I was with took this as a sign to switch to kinetic shipkiller rounds. Due to the haze of chaff and jammers, the alien ships had to enter the atmosphere, and this made them a good target for our batteries. Throughout that night, we destroyed frigates, transport ships, and maybe a cruiser. But the cost was high, many of our positions were blown to kingdom come by lasers from orbit, a lot of us died at the ridge in the night. When the morning finally came, there were scorched pits everywhere. We cheered because the enemy's orbit to ground shots didn’t kill us all. But now the enemy had made planetfall, and I went to rejoin the 2nd company, my work with the Missile company finished. I grabbed up my com equipment, my spare mags, and my laser designator and got in a nice, slightly less cold than average foxhole. All around us, I heard the hiss of alien lasers striking into the ground around the area inaccurately and the crack of our retaliatory counter fire. Both of which were really just meant to suppress the enemy at this range. The Aliens made landfall later that day, but boy did we have a nasty surprise for them. Their landing sites were rendered into glass by nuclear weapons the minute they committed to any given landing zone. Poor bastards, I wouldn’t wish that fate upon anyone. Yet, I delivered that fate for thousands of them, I called out coordinates into the Coms, and marked them with a laser designator. About 30-60 seconds later, a nuke, airburst, or kinetic strike hit their positions. Their laser fire tried to find our silos, our mobile batteries, and our subs. They weren’t having the best luck with that. The flash of ionized air was almost as common as the mushroom clouds of our low yield nukes. The sound and light of it all was overwhelming. It was beautiful, and horrifying in equal measure. It was a symphony of artillery, and I had the honor of conducting it. My baton, my designator. My tailcoat, a suit of Battle Plate. I was caught up in the flow of it so much, that I nearly caused a blue on blue. After that mishap; I was relieved of duty, and rotated back so I could rest. Present day, Shil, Shil'Vati Imperium Sgt. Everett Janson As'lia turned to me first and asked “Mr. Janson, what unit were you in?” I replied with “93rd mechanized, at Aton ridge.” “What did you do during the conflict?” I gave a grim smile and said “Don’t you mean the invasion?” This answer seemed to make her wince in discomfort, but she didn’t answer. I didn’t care either way. “I was a FISTer, I called in artillery, directed orbital fire, and did my best to blunt your forces' advances,” I answered. “Did a good job too.” She didn’t seem to fully understand the significance of my post. Next she asked “Why did you fight? You could have had a nice life anywhere else, but you chose to fight in a backwater in your outer rim.” I truly smiled at that one. Time to spread some Directorate propaganda. I spoke carefully, “I fought because I believe in the Directorate, not the government or the powerful, but the people. I fight for the people and their security.” She states impassively. “That is an admirable goal.” She continues by asking me “did you have friends in the army?” I reply with, “ I had some great friends, sadly I haven’t kept in touch with them” She then asked “have you killed anyone”... continued in the comments
2024.04.26 07:13 Cizalleas Saxon — 747 (Strangers in the Night): in 1979, that British heavy rock band made a song about *an actual historical aviation incident*! which was somewhat of an innovativity in the theme/lyrics department৺. So an introduction to the 'backstory' of that song might be occasioned.
 | ৺ And it seems to many others aswell, which can easily be verified by searching online about it (and by noting the size of the crowd in that video of a live performance of the song!) … if it's not already known through direct interaction with rock-heads. For-instance, the following is a wwweb-article about it. submitted by Cizalleas to progrockmusic [link] [comments] Louder — Metal Hammer — Dom Lawson — The story behind Saxon's 747 (Strangers In The Night)The very beginning of the backstory is a colossal electricity outage , @ 1965-November-9th, that extinguished mains electricity across a vast tract of North-Eastern USA + somewhat of South-Eastern Canada. See the following wwweb-article about it.Fishwrap — Jenny Ashcraft — November 9, 1965: The Great Northeastern Blackout .The song became one of their very-most renownedest ones - ie 747 - Strangers in the Night - & is about a passeger-aeroplane, which was low on fuel & therefore unable to divert elsewhere, just managing to land, during that blackout, @ John F Kennedy Airport, New York , even though all electric lights on the ground were utterly extinguished … for which landing the pilot received much praise. He did land by the light of the Moon! The incident was the prompt for introduction of new aviation regulations that stipulate that every flight must be planned such that an amount of fuel shall remain aboard @ arrival @ the planned destination sufficient for a diversion to another airport.Some details were changed - likely simply to facilitate the singing of the lines of the song : the flight was not Scandinavian Airlines Flight 101 , but rather Scandinavian Airlines Flight 911; & the aeroplane was not a Boeing 747, but rather a M_ͨDonnell-Douglas 11 .Boeing 747s did not infact exist (welllllllll - prototypes did) @ that time.So I'd venture, then, that doing a song premised on all that sortof thing, which is a substantial departure from what rock music had thitherto typically been about, *is an instance of 'prog-rock'* … all-be-it maybe an isolated instance for the band that performed it.Some exerpts from the above-lunken-to article.❝“The first album was an amalgamation of our earlier bands joining together and everyone writing songs as a team,” says Biff. “Things like Stallions Of The Highway and Backs To The Wall, the more frantic things, they were written together as a band. There were a few that me and Paul [Quinn, Saxon guitarist] had that were a little more proggy and lyrically a bit deeper, and a couple that the other guys had that were more bluesy, a more 70s vibe.”❞❝[…] 747 (Strangers In The Night) stood out as an unexpectedly subtle and affecting piece of songcraft, one that offered something distinctly different from the burgeoning metal scene’s usual lyrical preoccupations of fantasy, horror and partying. “I must admit there was a lot of street fighting and girls in our lyrics, for sure,” Biff chuckles. “But 747 was always a melancholy song. It had to be. I just had this image of the power cut as you’re coming in to land, and the airport lights blink out. These planes were being diverted elsewhere and the city’s in darkness. I thought that was a powerful idea. I also thought it was quite cool that strangers were meeting in the blackout. They say that there was a baby boom nine months later. A lot of people became friends through it, shall we say! Ha ha ha!”❞The song was actually inspired bythe first installment ofBritish Broadcasting Corporation's serial documentary Connections, presented by the goodly James Burke , whose speciality @ the BBC was scientific & technological matters, which was broadcast in Britain by that network in 1979. The goodly Biff Byford of the band was watching the installment - @ exactly the same time as I myself also was, as it happens, which I find a tad eldritch, considering it! - & it sparked the flash of inspiration that was the very inception of the song.So … I've tried this again, then. Although I know from personal experience - and it's extremely plainly evident by the briefest perusal of online sources about the matter - that this backstory of the song is the occasion of considerable curiosity amongst rock-heads, when I first posted about it all trace of that curiosity seemed utterly to have vanished !! 🤔Although, @ that previous posting, I mentioned the television documentary before mentioning the song … which might have confounded some somewhat.And it might also help, posting this, to dispel a certain misconception about the song that is out-there to be encountered in folk whom the backstory has reached only partially , & who are under the misprision to-the-effect that the song is about an aeroplane crash , which it is not , & which it would be somewhat unfitting, ImO, for a rock-band to do a song about. |
2024.04.26 06:56 ChiMeraRa Symbiosis in Synchronicity
Existence takes on many different forms, numbers and words can exist, a house can exist, a person can exist, consciousness can exist, the universe can exist, and God may even exist.
Synchronicity is also a form of existence, the way the elements come together, they form a type of symbiosis with each other, each one feeding on the other, dignifying the other’s existence.
How curious symbiosis means living together, or existing together, because that is the form of existence that allows for a particular type of existence with synchronicity.
When all the pieces come together, that is when it can exist.
Only when the coinciding elements are recognized in the observer, that is when synchronicity comes to life, and the way they exist is that we recognize them, affirming at the very same time, our very own existence.
At its core, synchronicity is inevitable causality, and what we feel towards them is neurochemical, nothing more.
Meaning that the feeling we have towards synchronicity was preprogrammed. Because our brain has to be capable of employing the neurological and psychological neurochemical profile that allows us to have those thoughts.
And they are thoughts about existence.
Johns Hopkins Press calls this emergence of the psyche, it is when the person is coming to terms with the reality of their own psyche, they seek order and logic, and invariably, they find it, and when they do, they can grow as a human being through learning.
The reality of a person who experiences synchronicity is almost always challenged by questions about his or her very own existence.
Who am I? Am I special?
To bare witness to ethereal connections, to experience a sliver of the supernatural.
It is a force.
It is a force much like gravity, but instead of working on everything equally, synchronicity works on some things more be it form, shape, or essence.
To bare witness to synchronicities is to exist at the apex of their existence, why they came together is not as important as how at most times, it is only because of the observer’s consciousness, that the coincidence can become a synchronicity.
It is having a special relationship with the universe, like a symbiosis, they exist through our consciousness when we recognize them, and we get our own affirmations and wonders out of them.
submitted by ChiMeraRa to Synchronicities [link] [comments]
Synchronicity is also a form of existence, the way the elements come together, they form a type of symbiosis with each other, each one feeding on the other, dignifying the other’s existence.
How curious symbiosis means living together, or existing together, because that is the form of existence that allows for a particular type of existence with synchronicity.
When all the pieces come together, that is when it can exist.
Only when the coinciding elements are recognized in the observer, that is when synchronicity comes to life, and the way they exist is that we recognize them, affirming at the very same time, our very own existence.
At its core, synchronicity is inevitable causality, and what we feel towards them is neurochemical, nothing more.
Meaning that the feeling we have towards synchronicity was preprogrammed. Because our brain has to be capable of employing the neurological and psychological neurochemical profile that allows us to have those thoughts.
And they are thoughts about existence.
Johns Hopkins Press calls this emergence of the psyche, it is when the person is coming to terms with the reality of their own psyche, they seek order and logic, and invariably, they find it, and when they do, they can grow as a human being through learning.
The reality of a person who experiences synchronicity is almost always challenged by questions about his or her very own existence.
Who am I? Am I special?
To bare witness to ethereal connections, to experience a sliver of the supernatural.
It is a force.
It is a force much like gravity, but instead of working on everything equally, synchronicity works on some things more be it form, shape, or essence.
To bare witness to synchronicities is to exist at the apex of their existence, why they came together is not as important as how at most times, it is only because of the observer’s consciousness, that the coincidence can become a synchronicity.
It is having a special relationship with the universe, like a symbiosis, they exist through our consciousness when we recognize them, and we get our own affirmations and wonders out of them.
2024.04.26 06:51 Inner-Ad-1016 I miss my ex and I’m scared it’s too late
just to start off I’m a female and am currently struggling with my sexual identity. I label myself as bisexual but I don’t even know anymore.
About a year ago in march I got into a relationship with a girl. She’s gorgeous, positive and just an amazing person overall. Before I met her I was severely depressed and had struggled with SH, after I met her we started to become friends. We hung out a lot, had similar interests and liked the same music. one night we got drunk and ended up making it official.
After that our relationship was amazing, the best I’ve ever had, honestly. She was so caring and actually interested in me and my opinions. During the relationship I was my happiest and was out of the depression I was in before.
After some time I started to get busy and a bit depressed, not making time for her but I still cared and wanted her in my life but I wasn’t communicating with her properly and she broke up with me. The break up wasn’t messy or anything, she let me down softly and let me know that we were on good terms. I was fine with it. We didn’t talk much after though.
But about a couple months ago we started texting on Snapchat again, talking about music. Throughout the conversation I flirted a bit, my feelings for her never went away and us talking made me giddy and happy.
Throughout the convo she called me cute and a few other things that made me feel like she was still interested in me and we actually made plans to hang out the next day but she cancelled, I was fine with it.
Later that night though we were texting and she mentioned her girlfriend and honestly my heart sank. I felt weird and hurt but I still wanted to talk to her but abstain from trying to be romantic with her and try to be friends with her again. Then, she sent a paragraph about how she didn’t mean to flirt with me the night before and that she doesn’t want to lead me on. I felt hurt but understood and apologized for overstepping the night before, told her it’s okay and asked if we were still cool to which she said yes.
Then she unadded me on snap. It hurt and I didn’t know why but I didn’t want to bother her by adding her back.
Skip to now, I have a boyfriend and I’m unhappy. He’s a great guy but I just can’t connect with him the way I could with my ex. I literally can’t get her out of my head and it hurts because I realized I might actually love her. I want to be on her life, even if I’m just a friend. And I’m so scared I’m too late, I feel like I love her, I genuinely feel like I love her and it makes me want to cry so bad.
I saw her the other day and felt so…crushed. She’s literally ethereal and seeing her made my stomach pit. I wanted to talk to her, hug her, and cry but I just couldn’t. I was scared she’d ignore me.
After though I tried texting her but I’ve been left on delivered since Monday.
I don’t know what to do cause all I can think about is her. I just want some closure between us, just a conversation, just one. But idk how to go about it, I want to but I’m scared of what might happen.
Please, leave advice if you can, I really need it right now..
(ALSO!!! refrain from posting this on other apps-TIKTOK AND IG SPECIFICALLY!)
submitted by Inner-Ad-1016 to TrueOffMyChest [link] [comments]
About a year ago in march I got into a relationship with a girl. She’s gorgeous, positive and just an amazing person overall. Before I met her I was severely depressed and had struggled with SH, after I met her we started to become friends. We hung out a lot, had similar interests and liked the same music. one night we got drunk and ended up making it official.
After that our relationship was amazing, the best I’ve ever had, honestly. She was so caring and actually interested in me and my opinions. During the relationship I was my happiest and was out of the depression I was in before.
After some time I started to get busy and a bit depressed, not making time for her but I still cared and wanted her in my life but I wasn’t communicating with her properly and she broke up with me. The break up wasn’t messy or anything, she let me down softly and let me know that we were on good terms. I was fine with it. We didn’t talk much after though.
But about a couple months ago we started texting on Snapchat again, talking about music. Throughout the conversation I flirted a bit, my feelings for her never went away and us talking made me giddy and happy.
Throughout the convo she called me cute and a few other things that made me feel like she was still interested in me and we actually made plans to hang out the next day but she cancelled, I was fine with it.
Later that night though we were texting and she mentioned her girlfriend and honestly my heart sank. I felt weird and hurt but I still wanted to talk to her but abstain from trying to be romantic with her and try to be friends with her again. Then, she sent a paragraph about how she didn’t mean to flirt with me the night before and that she doesn’t want to lead me on. I felt hurt but understood and apologized for overstepping the night before, told her it’s okay and asked if we were still cool to which she said yes.
Then she unadded me on snap. It hurt and I didn’t know why but I didn’t want to bother her by adding her back.
Skip to now, I have a boyfriend and I’m unhappy. He’s a great guy but I just can’t connect with him the way I could with my ex. I literally can’t get her out of my head and it hurts because I realized I might actually love her. I want to be on her life, even if I’m just a friend. And I’m so scared I’m too late, I feel like I love her, I genuinely feel like I love her and it makes me want to cry so bad.
I saw her the other day and felt so…crushed. She’s literally ethereal and seeing her made my stomach pit. I wanted to talk to her, hug her, and cry but I just couldn’t. I was scared she’d ignore me.
After though I tried texting her but I’ve been left on delivered since Monday.
I don’t know what to do cause all I can think about is her. I just want some closure between us, just a conversation, just one. But idk how to go about it, I want to but I’m scared of what might happen.
Please, leave advice if you can, I really need it right now..
(ALSO!!! refrain from posting this on other apps-TIKTOK AND IG SPECIFICALLY!)
2024.04.26 06:41 igreggreene Barron Read-Along 22: "Hand of Glory"
Barron, Laird. “Hand of Glory”. The Book of Chthulhu II. Night Shade Books (2012).
Write-up courtesy of u/ChickenDragon123
Johnny Cope is a gun for hire in the roaring twenties. After a hotel ambush nearly kills him, he intends to exact retribution, only to find himself dragged into the occult.
Johnny asks politely if he can take his "bodyguards" along on a little investigation to find out who wants him dead, and Arden agrees. Enter Phil Wary (Helios Augustus), While Johnny was down and out, Augustus paid him a call, claiming to know about a man named Conrad Paxton, who allegedly killed Cope's father and now is trying to finish the job on his son. Johnny has questions, so drives into Olympia for a little chat. Augustus' evidence isn't strong, but he's persuasive enough, and shows Cope a film reel by the late auteur Eadweard Muybridge that depicts some rather unpleasant images, and ends with a young Paxton, Muybridge’s stepson, skittering about like a spider. Johnny is unnerved but determined to follow through, so Augustus points him toward Ransom Hollow and the Corning sisters, who originated the claim that Paxton killed Cope Sr.
The sisters are a creepy bunch. Upon the approach to the house a naked man is seen slipping between the hedges, before disappearing. Inside the house, is filled with the sounds of a child crying despite the fact that the women claim to be spinsters without children. Apparently, it's the darkening of the moon, and they are doing some kind of ritual to prolong their lives. The chosen ambassador, Carling Corning, tells Johnny their side of the story: Paxton sucked the soul out of Cope's father through ritualistic photography. Cope writes it off as insanity but is quick to take the talisman that Carling offers him as protection, and leaves behind one of his "bodyguards" in exchange.
In town, he debates the merits of proceeding with his revenge as he finds his way to a dive called Satan's Bung. Soon a "band" of sorts takes the stage, led by Daniel Blackwood. The Blackwood gang expresses their interest in Cope, and invites him out into the boondocks, where Cope assumes he's about to be murdered. Instead, Blackwood asks him to whack Paxton for him at a party Paxton is throwing the next day. Blackwood’s hands are tied, since he swore an oath not to harm Paxton, but the time for their arrangement is coming to a close and Cope has a reputation. Cope is hesitant, and Blackwood draws in close before noticing the talisman and flinching away. Cope agrees to think about it, and is sent on his way alongside his bodyguards.
At this point it’s clear that black magic of some sort is being practiced by almost everyone in Ransoms Hollow and Johnny's initial instincts are to get out of there, but an appearance by the Blackwoods makes it clear that the only path forward is through. Johnny goes to the Paxton’s shindig, gets there early and is surprised when, despite his threats, Paxton is quite welcoming and dismisses his guards. Johnny leaves his own men outside, speaking privately with Paxton as guests arrive. Paxton it seems is something of a failed anti-Christ figure for many in the hollow. He claims to believe in black magic and Satan only so far as it follows natural law. Satan, he claims, isn't interested in us. He says the Copes’ evil is of the lower-case variety, while his is proper Evil. Alas, the Crones, the Blackwoods, they had hopes for him, and he can't live up to them.
Paxton also claims that Helios Augustus is the one who killed Cope's father. Augustus was a friend of Conrad's father, and put him on the path to dark magic, and disturbing imagery in the first place. Then when Muybridge died Augustus wanted his remaining film reels and Paxton refused to give them up. Ever since, Augustus has been trying to kill Conrad and now he has at last succeeded. Conrad’s tired now, and just wants it over with. (I am greatly summarizing, and the details here are fascinating. Really worth reading the story for yourself if you haven't).
Despite himself, Cope believes the man but kills him anyway. Paxton is after all upper-case Evil by his own admission, and even if he didn't kill Cope's father, Cope wants to be sure. Shortly after, Helios Augustus enters and, upon seeing Johnny, deploys the titular hand of glory taken from the late Cope Sr. Johnny finds himself paralyzed as Helios gloats, largely confirming Paxton's account and looting the room for occult treasure. Then he leaves, mentioning that the Blackwoods have claim to Johnny, though he leaves the lit hand close enough for Johnny to blow it out, freeing himself from paralysis. From there Johnny makes his escape, mowing down a number of Blackwood thugs and setting fire to the manor before fleeing the burning estate.
When he gets home, all is forgiven. He's back in the good graces of Mr. Arden, and even needed in a fight with a rival crime boss. Johnny is glad to hear it, though he’s now developed higher aspirations than to merely be like his father. When he searches for Augustus at the Broadsword Hotel, the proprietor informs him that Helios has left for parts unknown. Johnny half expected it, and the story closes with him musing on how he'll get his vengeance.
Cope's foils are interesting then. The antagonist of the story, Helios Augustus, is a man of flash and style, wholly at odds with Cope's earthy demeanor. Augustus is a deceiver, a Lucifer far more effective than Conrad Paxton, the failed antichrist. He's a dark Gandalf, kicking Cope out the door in an attempt to claim the dragon's hoard. This is at odds with Cope who, though a criminal, is a fairly honest man, a Ronin of the Roaring Twenties. He displays a bizarre sort of honor almost as much as his violent tendencies. He shoos call girl Pearl out of the way when the Long and the Short come gunning, and he expresses remorse over the fate of a prostitute his father brained in his defense years ago.
It's that honor that separates Cope from the other foil of the story: Conrad Paxton. Paxton may be genial, but he's also clear that he is a monster. Murdering another schoolboy, for reasons unknown, and his sister for reasons that are hinted at. He willingly allies himself with the forces of darkness. His geniality is born of exhaustion rather than empathy. Paxton is a monster, capital-E Evil, but apathetic towards his own existence. In some ways it's an apathy that Cope shares. For a large chunk of the story, Cope is resigned to his fate. What separates him from Paxton (apart from the practice of black magic) is that Cope will still fight it. It's also interesting that Paxton lacks faith and understanding in his chosen field of Darkness. Paxton is a man of reason. He believes in Satan with the same tired understanding as most Christians. Sure, the arch-devil is out there but his interest in this plane has long waned. Despite this lack of faith, he still flinches from the talisman Cope was given by Carling Corning, only to decry it as fake a moment later. It's interesting that mere moments after his death there is a hellish miracle in the form of the Hand of Glory. I think the reason Paxton is a failed antichrist is he doesn't believe in what he's preaching. He's apathetic. There is the disappointment. Blackwood, the Crones, and Augustus are enthusiastic about the darkness. Zealots in Lucifer’s army, if you will. In comparison, Paxton is dead weight.
It's also important to note that Paxton and Cope both live in the shadow of a father’s legacy. Both men live in their father’s homes and carry on their occupations. Paxton apparently has some talent like his father did (though whether this is in black magic or photography is left somewhat vague and it could go either way.) In the same way, Cope has his father's gifts. He works for the same mob boss, doing the same work. Paxton is a mirror for Cope. More refined, but also drained of anything to live for. He is less passionate, less empathetic, and less honorable. He is (I suspect) what Cope would be in ten years’ time if the events of the story hadn't pushed him to want to be more than his father's son. When faced with death, Paxton is fine with it. Cope, though, finds that there is more life, and more fight in him.
It's interesting to view “Hand of Glory” as the opposite of John Lanagan's “Technicolor” in how it was composed. See Historical Notes below.
submitted by igreggreene to LairdBarron [link] [comments]
Write-up courtesy of u/ChickenDragon123
Johnny Cope is a gun for hire in the roaring twenties. After a hotel ambush nearly kills him, he intends to exact retribution, only to find himself dragged into the occult.
Summary
Johnny Cope is a man with a reputation. His father started it, serving as the preferred troubleshooter for a gangster until his heart gave out. Johnny stepped right into his father's shoes, breaking heads and pulling triggers as necessary to fuel his vices and pay his creditors. The inciting incident is a hotel room ambush by a pair of hit men nicknamed "the long and the short." Johnny manages to turn the ambush around, but he's almost killed in the process, barely making it home before bleeding out. When he wakes he is under the "protective custody" of gangster Mylon Arden. The Long and the Short, while not exactly popular, were useful, and Johnny's fate is in limbo until things can be worked out.Johnny asks politely if he can take his "bodyguards" along on a little investigation to find out who wants him dead, and Arden agrees. Enter Phil Wary (Helios Augustus), While Johnny was down and out, Augustus paid him a call, claiming to know about a man named Conrad Paxton, who allegedly killed Cope's father and now is trying to finish the job on his son. Johnny has questions, so drives into Olympia for a little chat. Augustus' evidence isn't strong, but he's persuasive enough, and shows Cope a film reel by the late auteur Eadweard Muybridge that depicts some rather unpleasant images, and ends with a young Paxton, Muybridge’s stepson, skittering about like a spider. Johnny is unnerved but determined to follow through, so Augustus points him toward Ransom Hollow and the Corning sisters, who originated the claim that Paxton killed Cope Sr.
The sisters are a creepy bunch. Upon the approach to the house a naked man is seen slipping between the hedges, before disappearing. Inside the house, is filled with the sounds of a child crying despite the fact that the women claim to be spinsters without children. Apparently, it's the darkening of the moon, and they are doing some kind of ritual to prolong their lives. The chosen ambassador, Carling Corning, tells Johnny their side of the story: Paxton sucked the soul out of Cope's father through ritualistic photography. Cope writes it off as insanity but is quick to take the talisman that Carling offers him as protection, and leaves behind one of his "bodyguards" in exchange.
In town, he debates the merits of proceeding with his revenge as he finds his way to a dive called Satan's Bung. Soon a "band" of sorts takes the stage, led by Daniel Blackwood. The Blackwood gang expresses their interest in Cope, and invites him out into the boondocks, where Cope assumes he's about to be murdered. Instead, Blackwood asks him to whack Paxton for him at a party Paxton is throwing the next day. Blackwood’s hands are tied, since he swore an oath not to harm Paxton, but the time for their arrangement is coming to a close and Cope has a reputation. Cope is hesitant, and Blackwood draws in close before noticing the talisman and flinching away. Cope agrees to think about it, and is sent on his way alongside his bodyguards.
At this point it’s clear that black magic of some sort is being practiced by almost everyone in Ransoms Hollow and Johnny's initial instincts are to get out of there, but an appearance by the Blackwoods makes it clear that the only path forward is through. Johnny goes to the Paxton’s shindig, gets there early and is surprised when, despite his threats, Paxton is quite welcoming and dismisses his guards. Johnny leaves his own men outside, speaking privately with Paxton as guests arrive. Paxton it seems is something of a failed anti-Christ figure for many in the hollow. He claims to believe in black magic and Satan only so far as it follows natural law. Satan, he claims, isn't interested in us. He says the Copes’ evil is of the lower-case variety, while his is proper Evil. Alas, the Crones, the Blackwoods, they had hopes for him, and he can't live up to them.
Paxton also claims that Helios Augustus is the one who killed Cope's father. Augustus was a friend of Conrad's father, and put him on the path to dark magic, and disturbing imagery in the first place. Then when Muybridge died Augustus wanted his remaining film reels and Paxton refused to give them up. Ever since, Augustus has been trying to kill Conrad and now he has at last succeeded. Conrad’s tired now, and just wants it over with. (I am greatly summarizing, and the details here are fascinating. Really worth reading the story for yourself if you haven't).
Despite himself, Cope believes the man but kills him anyway. Paxton is after all upper-case Evil by his own admission, and even if he didn't kill Cope's father, Cope wants to be sure. Shortly after, Helios Augustus enters and, upon seeing Johnny, deploys the titular hand of glory taken from the late Cope Sr. Johnny finds himself paralyzed as Helios gloats, largely confirming Paxton's account and looting the room for occult treasure. Then he leaves, mentioning that the Blackwoods have claim to Johnny, though he leaves the lit hand close enough for Johnny to blow it out, freeing himself from paralysis. From there Johnny makes his escape, mowing down a number of Blackwood thugs and setting fire to the manor before fleeing the burning estate.
When he gets home, all is forgiven. He's back in the good graces of Mr. Arden, and even needed in a fight with a rival crime boss. Johnny is glad to hear it, though he’s now developed higher aspirations than to merely be like his father. When he searches for Augustus at the Broadsword Hotel, the proprietor informs him that Helios has left for parts unknown. Johnny half expected it, and the story closes with him musing on how he'll get his vengeance.
Thematic Analysis
The Beautiful Thing that Awaits Us All is a very different collection from Occultation or Imago Sequence. Imago was (at least in my view) about snapshots of different worlds. Different lives. Different viewpoints. Occultation is about relationships. How they can be eaten away and manipulated. The Beautiful Thing, though, is about Death. It's about the Cycle. The ring. "Hand of Glory" is similar to a lot of Laird's other work. The archetypes are the same. Cope is a "poet-barbarian" with a lot more intellect than most will credit him, and a mean sense of honor. His failure in education is more due to lack of interest than lack of intellect. Cope moves through the world with a kind of fatalism. When he dies it will be at the end of a gun barrel, and he knows it. If he's ever asked for last words they'll probably be along the lines of a shrug and a "Fate's a bitch. What can you do?"Cope's foils are interesting then. The antagonist of the story, Helios Augustus, is a man of flash and style, wholly at odds with Cope's earthy demeanor. Augustus is a deceiver, a Lucifer far more effective than Conrad Paxton, the failed antichrist. He's a dark Gandalf, kicking Cope out the door in an attempt to claim the dragon's hoard. This is at odds with Cope who, though a criminal, is a fairly honest man, a Ronin of the Roaring Twenties. He displays a bizarre sort of honor almost as much as his violent tendencies. He shoos call girl Pearl out of the way when the Long and the Short come gunning, and he expresses remorse over the fate of a prostitute his father brained in his defense years ago.
It's that honor that separates Cope from the other foil of the story: Conrad Paxton. Paxton may be genial, but he's also clear that he is a monster. Murdering another schoolboy, for reasons unknown, and his sister for reasons that are hinted at. He willingly allies himself with the forces of darkness. His geniality is born of exhaustion rather than empathy. Paxton is a monster, capital-E Evil, but apathetic towards his own existence. In some ways it's an apathy that Cope shares. For a large chunk of the story, Cope is resigned to his fate. What separates him from Paxton (apart from the practice of black magic) is that Cope will still fight it. It's also interesting that Paxton lacks faith and understanding in his chosen field of Darkness. Paxton is a man of reason. He believes in Satan with the same tired understanding as most Christians. Sure, the arch-devil is out there but his interest in this plane has long waned. Despite this lack of faith, he still flinches from the talisman Cope was given by Carling Corning, only to decry it as fake a moment later. It's interesting that mere moments after his death there is a hellish miracle in the form of the Hand of Glory. I think the reason Paxton is a failed antichrist is he doesn't believe in what he's preaching. He's apathetic. There is the disappointment. Blackwood, the Crones, and Augustus are enthusiastic about the darkness. Zealots in Lucifer’s army, if you will. In comparison, Paxton is dead weight.
It's also important to note that Paxton and Cope both live in the shadow of a father’s legacy. Both men live in their father’s homes and carry on their occupations. Paxton apparently has some talent like his father did (though whether this is in black magic or photography is left somewhat vague and it could go either way.) In the same way, Cope has his father's gifts. He works for the same mob boss, doing the same work. Paxton is a mirror for Cope. More refined, but also drained of anything to live for. He is less passionate, less empathetic, and less honorable. He is (I suspect) what Cope would be in ten years’ time if the events of the story hadn't pushed him to want to be more than his father's son. When faced with death, Paxton is fine with it. Cope, though, finds that there is more life, and more fight in him.
Thematic elements that didn't fit in this essay:
Cope is bookended by Helios and Paxton. Paxton, who died young, and Helios, who seems to have unnaturally long life. Cope, to the best of my knowledge, hasn't appeared again, and any revenge he might have attempted against Helios probably went poorly.It's interesting to view “Hand of Glory” as the opposite of John Lanagan's “Technicolor” in how it was composed. See Historical Notes below.
Historical Notes
Holy Bleep. This one has some interesting stuff in it. So, I'll be honest, out of the ones I asked Greg for, “Hand of Glory” was the one I was least interested in. I thought it was a well-written but ultimately well-worn story. Now, though, I’m really excited to share my thoughts on this one. This story is insane, and the historical context is fascinating. So, Eadweard Muybridge is a real person, and almost everything about him in the story is true as far as I can tell. The only exceptions are the last reel with Conrad Paxton, and Conrad Paxton in general. Both are fictional. However, there are some fascinating insights here.- The opening lines, presumably written by Paxton, are in reference to Muybridge's "Buffalo Running across the plains." You can find it on his Wikipedia page. It's either a dream version or maybe some updated darker version of Muybridge’s actual work.
- Muybridge's filming of people doing everyday things naked actually happened. Again, see Wikipedia. It's bizarre, and the story is actively bleeping with my brain.
- Muybridge had a son in real life (Florado who is briefly referenced in “Hand of Glory”). He also had a photography company. Both had the name Helios. It was Florado's middle name and the name of the company. Clearly Laird is emphasizing how close Muybridge and Helios Augustus actually were. I had to double check that both Helios and Paxton were fictional people after this.
Discussion
- In terms of genre, how do you categorize “Hand of Glory”? Horror? Dark fantasy? Noir fantastic?
- Is there a significance - thematic or otherwise - to the hand of glory being the hand of Johnny Cope’s late father?
- Of all the characters in this story, who do you consider to be the most dangerous?
2024.04.26 06:36 PinkPearl_37 I (24F) don’t know how to handle my mother who didn’t believe me about being abused. TW - SA & Self Harm
Hello everyone! This might be lengthy to just give everyone a backstory as to how deep the situation is for me.
So, as the title says, I was abused when I was a child. It lasted between the ages of 9-13 and was sodomized by my stepfather everyday. So needless to say, that’s been a lot to unpack and deal with over the years.
But, I’m having problems with my mother more than what i’ve been through with my stepdad. We will refer to my mother as M.
When I was a child I tried 2 separate instances to come forward about the abuse. I told her when I was nine right as the abuse started happening. It was mild touching, digital penetration, etc. And so she had a “family meeting” where she sat down my stepdad and I to discuss the “accusations”. He sat there and covered his face and the only thing he would say was,” You know she’s lying M”. She seemed inconvenienced through a child’s eyes but later told me she was angry at him. But ultimately, she dismissed what I had disclosed and brushed it off to me “over exaggerating”.
Obviously since my stepfather, we will call him Ray, pretty much knew he could do whatever and I wouldn’t be believed, that’s when the abuse escalated.
So fast forward to when I’m 15. The abuse had stopped when I was 13 and I don’t know why tbh. I guess i was too old for him? But I was cutting, suicidal, etc. I was cutting myself from the middle of my thighs on my side all the way up to my ribs to avoid them being seen. One day I wore shorts that were too short and my mom saw. She got pissed? Even though she’s a cutter herself. So she went to the school and asked the guidance counselors what she should do. I told her that I wanted to kill myself one afternoon when he wasn’t home (he was a truck driver at the this time) and she got pretty upset with me. Told me that I have nothing to be suicidal about and was dramatic. Went and got her pistol and put it on the coffee table and told me to shoot myself in the head. I was pretty shocked that she would do something like that and told her that I’d rather take myself out in a way that was less messy and traumatic for her to see. She told me that if i didn’t shoot myself right then and there then I wasn’t suicidal enough to actually do it and therefore I was being dramatic.
Ultimately the guidance counselor recommended therapy. My therapist had sensed I had pretty significant trauma in the past and gave me a trauma questionnaire. I disclosed I had been sexually assaulted by my stepfather. DSS and the police were at the house that night.
I had to get placed out of my home and they prevented me from seeing her because she was threatening me. Saying that we had been through this situation before and why was I trying to keep up a lie from so many years ago.
For the next year she defended him heavy. Paid for his attorney fees out of a fund that was set aside for me for when I turned 16 and needed a car. There was around 5k in that account at the time. She also campaigned against me to the entire family saying how I was a liar and needed attention. She eventually got the entire family to side against me except for my maternal grandmother and my next door neighbor we had lived next to at the time. The neighbor was extremely close to our family and we considered her as part of our family.
One isolated day I’ll never forget is she came over to my grandmother’s house where I was living per DSS’s orders. My grandmother acted as a mediator and allowed me and my mother to talk. She sat there and berated me for 20 mins. She said that even if I had gotten assaulted it was my fault, I was a slut, I wanted her man and was jealous I couldn’t have him, how she viewed me as the mistress, wanted nothing to do with me, and whatever else she said that day. The way she looked at me is burned in my memory. There was no love in her eyes, only pure hatred. There was a DSS court case and a criminal court case. The DSS one was in 2016 and I was required to testify. I gave a 2 1/2 hr testimony that day. He plead the 5th the entire time.
After that day, she flipped the script completely. She was apologetic but it didn’t seem sincere. She wanted me to move in with her because she had kicked Ray out of the house. He was staying at hotels and was required to wear an ankle monitor. I moved in because I wanted to make things work with her, I loved her.
Once I moved in she started sleeping with a married man. He had a rental property and wanted to move out of his family’s home to live there. His past tenants were hoarders and the place was filthy. I wanted to hang out with my mom and re-establish a relationship. If I wanted to hang out with her, I had to help her clean that rental property for him on the weekends. He was a fire fighter so she would have me drive her to the fire station, she would spend the night there, then I could take the car home so it would look like she wasn’t there if his wife drove by. His wife had known he was sleeping with another woman at this time. I was 16 with no license yet. Eventually the fire fighter wanted to make his marriage work. This devastated my mom. He had come over to pick up a few of his things he kept at our house. His wife drove him that day lol. But, as he was inside, my mom was screaming and yelling begging him not to go. She cut her arm. About 5 or 6 pretty deep cuts not not enough to get stitches for them. Blood was dripping everywhere and I was walking behind her cleaning up the blood around the house. A week later she had a suicide attempt. She was placed in a treatment facility and diagnosed with BPD.
From then on she was on a ‘healing journey’. Taking medicine and going to therapy. But, at this time I wasn’t taking medicine or going to therapy. I had lost my health insurance because I was on my stepfathers plan. I later got added to hers but for only a short amount of time.
By this time I’m 17 fixing to turn 18 in a few months. I started dating my now husband and she started dating a man named Jason. Jason was homeless and an ex addict. No judgment to addicts, I myself have a very addictive personality. But after the first date, she wanted him to move in. I’m literally not kidding. I told her given the past few men she’s been with that it wasn’t a good idea. That she just needed to focus on herself for a while and that I didn’t feel comfortable living in a house with a man she didn’t even know. She didn’t take any of that into consideration and told me that he would be moving in next week. Pretty much hinting that if i didn’t want to live with him, for me to move out. I moved 2 weeks before my 18th birthday into my boyfriend’s house. A month after my 18th birthday, we had criminal court for Ray. He took a plea deal for 7 years. The amount of charges he had would’ve equaled 20 years if he had gambled with a trial. I HATED Jason. He was manipulative and he had become an alcoholic and was verbally abusing my mom. I tried to tell her so many times that he was bad news. He made her cut contact with me and she did. She married him later that year.
So their marriage was toxic to say the least. She would gain some clarity and make him move out then a month or two later, allow him to move back in. Very on and off with them. I had moved into the neighborhood directly next to hers so we tried building our relationship up again. We got pretty close for a while. I would bring her coffee every morning before I went to work. She worked from home. But yeah, it was nice for a minute. We never really talked about what happened though. So I’m going to fast forward a lot here now. It’s summer of 2023 and I get a letter from the state corrections saying Ray will be released at the end of the year. They wanted me to write a witness statement to submit to the parole board. In my statement I had disclosed how the abuse wasn’t only physical but emotional as well. People always overlook the emotional aspect when talking about CSA. I explained how part of that emotional manipulation was isolating me from everyone including my mother and how he pitted us against each other. I hated her and she hated me during the abuse. He would ask me how school was, he would call the school when i was getting bullied, he was buying me clothes and taking me to get my haircut, he was my best friend. And she was.. nobody. Just another body living in the house as far as I was concerned. Anyway, so I ended up reading my letter to her to get her opinion and she pretty much confirmed that she hated me when I was a child.
That was such a huge eye opener for me.
Because for years I tried convincing myself that she loved me and we had a connection. Like i was in denial that how she felt about me back then was true. So when she verified that information, it flipped a switch in me. I immediately no longer felt any remorse for her and all she had been through the last few years. (She always would say the abuse situation with Ray was just as hard on her as it was on me)
She tried justifying it by saying that it wasn’t her fault because he was such a good manipulator. How HE made her believe I was a nasty, lying, little kid that was dramatic and ungrateful for what I had in my life. I was ‘nasty’ because i would intentionally not bathe to try to prevent him from assaulting me. I would lie about my homework because as soon as i came home from school, i was getting assaulted, so of course i didn’t feel like doing my homework after the assaults.
But basically, she admitted that they would sit there and talk shit about me. She also admitted she had sex with him to where I could hear it to make me jealous because she thought I wanted her man. Ever since she told me that stuff, I have just had this hatred towards her. I have even told her I resented her and that I didn’t want to be close to her. She tells me that is a problem I need to fix in therapy.
So now, since I’ve created distance from her, she’s like doing the most. She calls me her ‘sweet angel’, her only reason for living, has a portrait of my face tattooed on her body, copied exactly one of my tattoos and the exact placement on her body. (The tattoo represents how strong my past self was for going through all that bullshit with her and Ray) She says that she loves me unconditionally and apologizes deeply for how she’s acted in the past. She tries to hug me anytime I see her and when I pull away or deny it, she says it makes her sad. But then will turn around and say “Once you become a mother, you will understand why I acted the way I did.” Or “You can’t judge me for how I acted when you’re not even a mother yourself.” Because of her, I don’t want to have children.
She even texted me today calling me ‘her sweet’ and ‘baby angel’ which physically made my body recoil. She says she’s changed but turns around and acts so weird with my husband. She calls him her son, says he’s the favorite, and even made a whole speech at her wedding to her newest husband to my husband. I whole heartedly feel like if my husband was the type to cheat, she’d try to have sex with him.
So with all of that being said. I still feel conflicted with her and I. I want to believe she’s changed so bad. I crave that mother daughter relationship and protection I never had. But part of me wonders if that’s just my inner child trying to make past wrongs right or if it’s what I truly want as a grown woman today.
What should I do? How should I handle this? People say to go completely no contact but part of me just can’t seem to let her go. I’ve tried to offer us going to therapy together and she’s not interested in it. Part of me still feels like a bad daughter for hating her as much as I do. I don’t know i’m so conflicted and don’t know what to do. Please give me some advice guys.
PS- Thank you for reading this far if you have. I know it’s a lot, sorry. <3
submitted by PinkPearl_37 to Advice [link] [comments]
So, as the title says, I was abused when I was a child. It lasted between the ages of 9-13 and was sodomized by my stepfather everyday. So needless to say, that’s been a lot to unpack and deal with over the years.
But, I’m having problems with my mother more than what i’ve been through with my stepdad. We will refer to my mother as M.
When I was a child I tried 2 separate instances to come forward about the abuse. I told her when I was nine right as the abuse started happening. It was mild touching, digital penetration, etc. And so she had a “family meeting” where she sat down my stepdad and I to discuss the “accusations”. He sat there and covered his face and the only thing he would say was,” You know she’s lying M”. She seemed inconvenienced through a child’s eyes but later told me she was angry at him. But ultimately, she dismissed what I had disclosed and brushed it off to me “over exaggerating”.
Obviously since my stepfather, we will call him Ray, pretty much knew he could do whatever and I wouldn’t be believed, that’s when the abuse escalated.
So fast forward to when I’m 15. The abuse had stopped when I was 13 and I don’t know why tbh. I guess i was too old for him? But I was cutting, suicidal, etc. I was cutting myself from the middle of my thighs on my side all the way up to my ribs to avoid them being seen. One day I wore shorts that were too short and my mom saw. She got pissed? Even though she’s a cutter herself. So she went to the school and asked the guidance counselors what she should do. I told her that I wanted to kill myself one afternoon when he wasn’t home (he was a truck driver at the this time) and she got pretty upset with me. Told me that I have nothing to be suicidal about and was dramatic. Went and got her pistol and put it on the coffee table and told me to shoot myself in the head. I was pretty shocked that she would do something like that and told her that I’d rather take myself out in a way that was less messy and traumatic for her to see. She told me that if i didn’t shoot myself right then and there then I wasn’t suicidal enough to actually do it and therefore I was being dramatic.
Ultimately the guidance counselor recommended therapy. My therapist had sensed I had pretty significant trauma in the past and gave me a trauma questionnaire. I disclosed I had been sexually assaulted by my stepfather. DSS and the police were at the house that night.
I had to get placed out of my home and they prevented me from seeing her because she was threatening me. Saying that we had been through this situation before and why was I trying to keep up a lie from so many years ago.
For the next year she defended him heavy. Paid for his attorney fees out of a fund that was set aside for me for when I turned 16 and needed a car. There was around 5k in that account at the time. She also campaigned against me to the entire family saying how I was a liar and needed attention. She eventually got the entire family to side against me except for my maternal grandmother and my next door neighbor we had lived next to at the time. The neighbor was extremely close to our family and we considered her as part of our family.
One isolated day I’ll never forget is she came over to my grandmother’s house where I was living per DSS’s orders. My grandmother acted as a mediator and allowed me and my mother to talk. She sat there and berated me for 20 mins. She said that even if I had gotten assaulted it was my fault, I was a slut, I wanted her man and was jealous I couldn’t have him, how she viewed me as the mistress, wanted nothing to do with me, and whatever else she said that day. The way she looked at me is burned in my memory. There was no love in her eyes, only pure hatred. There was a DSS court case and a criminal court case. The DSS one was in 2016 and I was required to testify. I gave a 2 1/2 hr testimony that day. He plead the 5th the entire time.
After that day, she flipped the script completely. She was apologetic but it didn’t seem sincere. She wanted me to move in with her because she had kicked Ray out of the house. He was staying at hotels and was required to wear an ankle monitor. I moved in because I wanted to make things work with her, I loved her.
Once I moved in she started sleeping with a married man. He had a rental property and wanted to move out of his family’s home to live there. His past tenants were hoarders and the place was filthy. I wanted to hang out with my mom and re-establish a relationship. If I wanted to hang out with her, I had to help her clean that rental property for him on the weekends. He was a fire fighter so she would have me drive her to the fire station, she would spend the night there, then I could take the car home so it would look like she wasn’t there if his wife drove by. His wife had known he was sleeping with another woman at this time. I was 16 with no license yet. Eventually the fire fighter wanted to make his marriage work. This devastated my mom. He had come over to pick up a few of his things he kept at our house. His wife drove him that day lol. But, as he was inside, my mom was screaming and yelling begging him not to go. She cut her arm. About 5 or 6 pretty deep cuts not not enough to get stitches for them. Blood was dripping everywhere and I was walking behind her cleaning up the blood around the house. A week later she had a suicide attempt. She was placed in a treatment facility and diagnosed with BPD.
From then on she was on a ‘healing journey’. Taking medicine and going to therapy. But, at this time I wasn’t taking medicine or going to therapy. I had lost my health insurance because I was on my stepfathers plan. I later got added to hers but for only a short amount of time.
By this time I’m 17 fixing to turn 18 in a few months. I started dating my now husband and she started dating a man named Jason. Jason was homeless and an ex addict. No judgment to addicts, I myself have a very addictive personality. But after the first date, she wanted him to move in. I’m literally not kidding. I told her given the past few men she’s been with that it wasn’t a good idea. That she just needed to focus on herself for a while and that I didn’t feel comfortable living in a house with a man she didn’t even know. She didn’t take any of that into consideration and told me that he would be moving in next week. Pretty much hinting that if i didn’t want to live with him, for me to move out. I moved 2 weeks before my 18th birthday into my boyfriend’s house. A month after my 18th birthday, we had criminal court for Ray. He took a plea deal for 7 years. The amount of charges he had would’ve equaled 20 years if he had gambled with a trial. I HATED Jason. He was manipulative and he had become an alcoholic and was verbally abusing my mom. I tried to tell her so many times that he was bad news. He made her cut contact with me and she did. She married him later that year.
So their marriage was toxic to say the least. She would gain some clarity and make him move out then a month or two later, allow him to move back in. Very on and off with them. I had moved into the neighborhood directly next to hers so we tried building our relationship up again. We got pretty close for a while. I would bring her coffee every morning before I went to work. She worked from home. But yeah, it was nice for a minute. We never really talked about what happened though. So I’m going to fast forward a lot here now. It’s summer of 2023 and I get a letter from the state corrections saying Ray will be released at the end of the year. They wanted me to write a witness statement to submit to the parole board. In my statement I had disclosed how the abuse wasn’t only physical but emotional as well. People always overlook the emotional aspect when talking about CSA. I explained how part of that emotional manipulation was isolating me from everyone including my mother and how he pitted us against each other. I hated her and she hated me during the abuse. He would ask me how school was, he would call the school when i was getting bullied, he was buying me clothes and taking me to get my haircut, he was my best friend. And she was.. nobody. Just another body living in the house as far as I was concerned. Anyway, so I ended up reading my letter to her to get her opinion and she pretty much confirmed that she hated me when I was a child.
That was such a huge eye opener for me.
Because for years I tried convincing myself that she loved me and we had a connection. Like i was in denial that how she felt about me back then was true. So when she verified that information, it flipped a switch in me. I immediately no longer felt any remorse for her and all she had been through the last few years. (She always would say the abuse situation with Ray was just as hard on her as it was on me)
She tried justifying it by saying that it wasn’t her fault because he was such a good manipulator. How HE made her believe I was a nasty, lying, little kid that was dramatic and ungrateful for what I had in my life. I was ‘nasty’ because i would intentionally not bathe to try to prevent him from assaulting me. I would lie about my homework because as soon as i came home from school, i was getting assaulted, so of course i didn’t feel like doing my homework after the assaults.
But basically, she admitted that they would sit there and talk shit about me. She also admitted she had sex with him to where I could hear it to make me jealous because she thought I wanted her man. Ever since she told me that stuff, I have just had this hatred towards her. I have even told her I resented her and that I didn’t want to be close to her. She tells me that is a problem I need to fix in therapy.
So now, since I’ve created distance from her, she’s like doing the most. She calls me her ‘sweet angel’, her only reason for living, has a portrait of my face tattooed on her body, copied exactly one of my tattoos and the exact placement on her body. (The tattoo represents how strong my past self was for going through all that bullshit with her and Ray) She says that she loves me unconditionally and apologizes deeply for how she’s acted in the past. She tries to hug me anytime I see her and when I pull away or deny it, she says it makes her sad. But then will turn around and say “Once you become a mother, you will understand why I acted the way I did.” Or “You can’t judge me for how I acted when you’re not even a mother yourself.” Because of her, I don’t want to have children.
She even texted me today calling me ‘her sweet’ and ‘baby angel’ which physically made my body recoil. She says she’s changed but turns around and acts so weird with my husband. She calls him her son, says he’s the favorite, and even made a whole speech at her wedding to her newest husband to my husband. I whole heartedly feel like if my husband was the type to cheat, she’d try to have sex with him.
So with all of that being said. I still feel conflicted with her and I. I want to believe she’s changed so bad. I crave that mother daughter relationship and protection I never had. But part of me wonders if that’s just my inner child trying to make past wrongs right or if it’s what I truly want as a grown woman today.
What should I do? How should I handle this? People say to go completely no contact but part of me just can’t seem to let her go. I’ve tried to offer us going to therapy together and she’s not interested in it. Part of me still feels like a bad daughter for hating her as much as I do. I don’t know i’m so conflicted and don’t know what to do. Please give me some advice guys.
PS- Thank you for reading this far if you have. I know it’s a lot, sorry. <3
2024.04.26 06:28 Wait-what74 going to my first glass animals concert
i have been looking forward to going to one of their concerts for years & i got pit tickets. i was wondering what to expect & if there’s any songs that are like guaranteed (especially from HTBAHB) (really any of their super bass-y songs). also thinking about if there’s anything that would enhance the experience. i’ve done shrooms twice (never a full-on trip, just enough for the lights to be funky & both times were at crowded events) and am wondering if rolling is better or same as weed. i can be a pretty anxious person but ive never dosed so much that i spiral — ive been able to catch myself before it gets that far. ive been wanting to try molly too & ive pictured my first time trying it to be at a glass animals concert, because they’re sooo sick. any tips or ppls experiences would be great!
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2024.04.26 06:25 lesbiansteviapacket Dogs of War opinions
I didn’t personally enjoy it but I could see why others may. My biggest concern was the solo. I love John 5 and it feels Motley for the first few licks until boom divebomb then it’s John 5 being John 5
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2024.04.26 06:04 jeremyjava Copying over a comment below I made in a thread about the “super rich” and how some, of course, are big snobs but others are humble and will remember a small gift of chocolate, long after receiving it.
My mother, a wonderful artist of many mediums, including chocolate, had a saying (not sure if she coined it or not):
Be known as the person who has chocolate.
This has worked well for me in so many ways like when I was paycheck to paycheck working at big law firms… chocolate lured over C-level ppl like John Roberts (pre-scotus). Years later it drew over top brass and talent at big ad agencies when I was a working creative. Cut to today, I gave a Pure protein bar to one of the stable guys where my wife keeps her horse.
Doesn’t matter who ppl are, they all appreciate it and it started up good talks maybe even friendships. It was an actually a pleasant surprise to have the “stable boy” (a grown Guatemalan man) say to me and my wife, “Thank you so much! Your husband always has chocolate and he always shares it. Everyone appreciates it so much!”
I didn’t know he even remembered that since it’s been months since I’d seen him.
RIP Mom.
submitted by jeremyjava to chocolate [link] [comments]
Be known as the person who has chocolate.
This has worked well for me in so many ways like when I was paycheck to paycheck working at big law firms… chocolate lured over C-level ppl like John Roberts (pre-scotus). Years later it drew over top brass and talent at big ad agencies when I was a working creative. Cut to today, I gave a Pure protein bar to one of the stable guys where my wife keeps her horse.
Doesn’t matter who ppl are, they all appreciate it and it started up good talks maybe even friendships. It was an actually a pleasant surprise to have the “stable boy” (a grown Guatemalan man) say to me and my wife, “Thank you so much! Your husband always has chocolate and he always shares it. Everyone appreciates it so much!”
I didn’t know he even remembered that since it’s been months since I’d seen him.
RIP Mom.