#ALABAMA ATTITUDE SUCKED

[are-we-really-doing-this]

Athena my GIRL, NEVER STOP

[crushedsweets]

I fear to stain your clothes with blood; Stain them, I don't care 'Eyeless' Jack Nyras in Creeped: BACKSTORY

PT. 2: PRESENT DAY General disclaimer: This AU is an amalgamation of headcanons, fanon, canon, and the occasional rewrite. There is an overarching story that HEAVILY strays from their canon stories. TW for toxic relationships, descriptions of gore/torture, cannibalism

BACKGROUND

➣Jackson Nyras was born on December 1, 1995 in North Dakota. He was the eldest of 6 children, with 3 little sisters and 2 little brothers.

➣His household was always bustling. Sunlight flooded every window as his father chased his little brothers, tossing them into the air with shrieking laughter. All while Jack found himself in the warmest place, besides his mother in the kitchen and chopping up bell peppers.

➣Jack's childhood home was always drenched in warmth. From the rowdy children to his mother's decor. Vibrant vases of marigolds littered the house.

➣Night after night, Jack would lead dinner. He'd feed the household and let his mother rest, regardless of Jack's own plate of homework waiting for him.

➣Jack was exceptional. Dedicated to his family and his education, he managed to graduate high school at only 16. His family gave him a bittersweet send off to Alabama to attend the Heersink School of Medicine.

➣Jack put his all into school. He maxed out his credits, spent hours doing homework, refused any friendly invitations just so he could prioritize his education. 3 years later, Jack received a bachelors in biology and was accepted into medical school. Once again, an early graduate. Exceptional.

➣It was 2014 when he met Jennifer Gold, a bubbly blonde in a nursing program. She shared a few classes with him and practically chased him down to give him a torn note with her number. It embarrassed him, watching this girl barrel down the stairs just for him. He'll admit, he never gave people the time of day. But she was beautiful, and she was smart, and he was tired of isolating himself for school. Besides, she'd be a good influence - she was just as focused on school as him. A nursing student, too.

➣Jack didn't think he could love someone like he loved Jenny. He reserved all his affection and care for his family, never once has a classmate cemented themselves in his life like this. Night after night, she came to his apartment. He'd cook for her, she'd wash the dishes. They'd settle down under a blanket and she'd doze off against him as they watched a movie. In the dark of the night with the soft blue light illuminating the room.

➣For their 6 month anniversary, Jack gifted her a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. Jenny was special, he thought. Warm, loud, safe.

➣But in time, Jack had to share her attention. Her club seemed to suck in a lot of her energy, especially as their relationship progressed. Hours slipped away from them, and he began to accept that he'd go several days without a simple text. ➣It seemed a little odd to Jack. Anytime he inquired about the club, she brushed it off as something religious. He didn't even know she practiced any religion, but Jack wasn't the type to pry. It just seemed odd, but it was her thing. He didn't want to intrude.

➣It sure didn't help when her attitude soured. It started with neglect, until she became aggressive. He would find unsavory messages between her and other men, and somehow, the night would end with her crying and Jack fumbling out apologies. It seemed that every night she came over, rain pounded against his windows. It was a warning he chose to ignore.

➣Her voice grew piercing. He'd send her texts, tapping against his cobalt blue phone case. Jack's anxiety shot through the roof as the months progressed. Anytime he heard that 'ping!', his blood turned to ice and he hesitated to check his phone. Insults were frequently barreled his way.

➣It didn't make sense how this happened. He could study her all he wants, but she grew unpredictable. Cold, quiet, dangerous.

THE SACRIFICE

➣Only after several weeks of thick tension did Jenny come to him softly. Knocking at his door, slotting herself between his arms, whispering how she missed him all day long. Peppering kisses along his shoulders and asking if he could spend more time with her.

➣Of course he obliged. Sure, it was a little weird that 'spending more time' meant dragging him to a club meeting, but that wasn't a problem. He'd go to any pointless meeting to have his Jenny back, despite the odd air emanating from the situation.

➣The group was unassuming. A handful of college-aged students laughing together in a random library's study room, sharing drinks and lukewarm pizza. Breaking a few of the library's rules, adding to Jack's nervous demeanor. It wasn't until Jenny handed him a disposable cup filled with red punch that he calmed down. He relaxed a bit too much, he began to notice. His vision started to blur and his limbs tingled. He whispers to Jenny that he feels unwell. She laughed at him, nudging him back and telling him to stop being weird.

➣So Jack stopped. Everyone's laughter began to subside. His mind swarmed until his body slumped forward and everything went dark. He had passing moments of consciousness, times where he could feel large arms throwing him into a trunk and hushed whispers from the front seat. He could feel the ride starting smooth, until he faded right back out.

➣Jack fully came to a couple hours later. He didn't know where his glasses were, he didn't know where Jenny was, he didn't know where he was. He tried to sit up, only to realize he was restrained. He turned his head, realizing he was chained to a fucking table. A cheap, foldable, plastic table easily found at the nearest Walmart. He couldn't see the metal stakes dug into the dirt and obnoxiously duct taped to the table's legs, cementing it to the ground.

➣He heard matches strike. Several candles illuminated the cold, dingy cave he realized he was in. He craned his head upwards and, to his horror, was met with several cloaked figures.

➣Deep, purple cloaks cascading to the ground and hoods that shadowed their faces. Jack shouted obscenities and demanded an explanation. He thrashed at his restraints until a large, calloused hand slammed his shoulder back down and tightened the cuffs till they harshly pinched at Jack's skin. The pain quickly humbled his attempts.

➣It was pathetic how quickly he began to cry. When grimy fingers were shoved into his mouth and tore fishing hooks through his cheeks. They were tightly tucked behind his head, forcing his mouth open. With every violent thrash, the same hands grabbed his skull, lifted it as high as it could with his restraints, and slammed it harshly into the table. Jack lost consciousness again, far too overwhelmed with the situation.

➣He woke up again to a metallic, inky taste. He was choking on something, gagging and turning his head to vomit. His eyes shot open again to a cloaked figure looming over him. He couldn't even process the chants echoing off the cave walls, he was only focused on that damn mask. It was round and a dirty navy blue, with deep black cavities resembling eyes. His own eyes searched for some humanity. His gaze trailed to their neck, falling upon a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. ➣Jenny. He tried to scream at her, but the hooks torn into his cheeks prevented real words. He didn't understand what she was doing. And he sure as hell didn't know what was in the rusty metal bucket in her hands. He could only see dark liquid dripping off the sides, not even able to distinguish the exact hue. ➣Skinny hands dug into the bucket with a squelch. She lifted a long entrail out of the bucket, and immediately it clicked in Jack's mind. He tried to plead but his choked gargles fell upon deaf ears.

➣Jack didn't know how much time passed. He was force-fed organs, choking them down and occasionally throwing them back up. He spent the first 30 minutes convincing himself they belonged to an animal, but the ritualistic chants and curious whispers told him otherwise.

➣All he wanted was to keep falling unconscious. Every time he felt himself slipping away, relief washed over him. Until he was woken up to new pain. Calloused hands once again yanking at his own, pinning them harshly to the table. He didn't realize what they were doing until he somehow gargled out a scream to the pain of a knife being lodged beneath his nailbed and violently tearing the nail off of each digit. It's like they were violently declawing a wolf.

➣Jenny had dropped the bucket by this point, opting to gently smooth his hair back as his torture progressed. As if that was supposed to be comforting. In the passing seconds that he could stand to keep his eyes open, he stared at her mask, pleading for mercy with his bloodshot eyes.

➣All he received were pathetic strokes against his cheeks, and all it did was further agitate the hooked wounds her accomplice gave him.

➣The worst, and final, part of the ritual eventually took over his body. A small pocket knife being shoved beneath his eyelids, carving out the organ and carelessly plopping them right into that bloody bucket. Jack's throat was torn from his cries. His entire body ached, his digits trembled violently, and the agonizing pain Jenny inflicted once again knocked Jack out.

➣He wasn't conscious when she peeled back his lids and used a stupid, dirty spoon to scoop an inky, black substance into his sockets. He wasn't conscious when they unhooked his jaw. He wasn't conscious when the warm, brown tone of his skin was dusted into a bloodless grey.

➣Frankly, he wasn't even conscious when his body began to move again. Something new completely took over, gearing his body up with newfound strength and adrenaline.

AFTERMATH

➣In hindsight, this was a stupid plan. Performing a ritual to honor a faceless being in its own forest? One that wants to be left alone? So far away from the city, too. They knew it would stop people from hearing Jack's screams, but they hadn't thought about their own.

➣Jack's body, possessed by an unknown entity, tore itself off of the table. Jenny was the first victim, but only for a moment. He quickly moved on to the others, about 10 more college-age students to tear apart.

➣As he hunted them through the forest, his body continued to change. The strength of his jaw increased tenfold while his teeth tore into their flesh. Between the unintentional crunches of their bones, cracks of Jack’s joints were muffled. His body began to grow, stretching him from 6’2 to an alarming 6’7. Jack’s eyesight was gone, but every other sense intensified and he had two new ones. His now bat-like ears offered him echolocation, and his sensitive skin provided thermavision. It was a horrifying sight, especially to the peering proxies watching from a distance. 

➣He ate until he threw up. Then he ate again. The cycle continued until the corpses were strung across the forest, and Jack’s body took heavy steps back to the cave. Similar to his torture, his consciousness slipped in and out. Him and the demon fighting for control of his body. He fell to his knees in front of Jenny’s corpse, which was left relatively untouched, aside from the broken neck. 

➣He fell on top of her, screaming and sobbing into the crook of her mangled throat, his bloody hands gripping into his lover’s waist. Shakily, he began to slip the mask off of her. He saw his angel’s face quickly losing heat. His hands fumbled with that damn cloak, eventually finding poorly sewn on buttons. He frantically took it off of her, just wanting to hold her before she fell too cold again. 

➣He rested his head against her breasts, desperately seeking a heartbeat. His sobs settled down for a while as he violently shook against her, unsure where to go from here. He was hyper aware of the heat seeping from her body. He just waited in silence until he fell asleep against her. ➣He woke up to gore. His sweet Jenny, her body once left relatively intact, torn apart by his hands. Her torso was shredded, revealing cracked ribs and several missing organs. Why was he doing this to her? He wasn't hungry anymore.

➣In shame, he brought that mask to his face. He couldn't eat with it on, at least.

PT. 2: PRESENT DAY

[ronnie-quinn-doodles]

💚👑 Lexi (Hazbin Hotel OC) 👑💚

CW: Abuse, family vloggers

Being half-koala/half-rhino, Lexi is an autistic sinner demon that loves all things colorful. They are obsessed with scene and emo culture and have an appreciation for the arts. However, their life is not all sunshine and rainbows. Before dying with their ableist, conservative, Christian, family-vlogging parents (Jennifer and Mark) from an EF5 tornado that struck their hometown in Alabama, they were abused by them and were exploited on social media without their consent. Lexi was blamed for the deaths by Jennifer and Mark and became cursed to be in their family vlogs for Voxtube and Voxtagram. During this time, the parents slowly became overlords due to their soul-sucking popularity of their family vlogs and forced their child to sell their soul via contract.

Lexi escaped their hellhole of a home to the Hazbin Hotel in hopes of being redeemed so they could go to Heaven and no longer be trapped under their parents’ tyranny. However, their sassy, teen-like attitude and disregard for authority is holding them back. They act this way as a way to cope with the abuse they had to go through.

Voice claim: Demi Lovato

[astrid-delacour]

Weird things my friends have said as marauders quotes, part 8

Sirius: *pats Regulus* your hair fucks up

Sirius: I need to have an existential crisis on your couch asap

Remus: does your spine ever feel loose?

James: my tupperwares a secretive little bitch

Regulus: this is definitely not an oval 

Barty: well not with that attitude  

Remus: I do not have a mummified Dick in my cane

Remus: suck what

James: your butt

Remus: my butt???

James: I was gonna say duck but butt sounded more …. Sophisticale 

Evan: I can’t grip your knee your leg is too wide 

Regulus: did you just accidentally call me daddy

Barty: no that was intentional 

Barty: Christians are the kinkiest motherfuckers 

Sirius: see that would be smart but I am not a smart man

Barty: I’m not joining the cult, I have too many cults

Sirius: that fits the sweet home Alabama vibe of our friend group 

Sirius: I can have a little cannibalism as a treat

Evan: his music just gives customer service

Regulus: we’ll count pennies until our problems go away

Dorcas: that’s sounds a little autistic of you 

Dorcas: songwriting; it’s 90% fiction, 10% real resentment 

Regulus: ah yes, head rush, the one true cure all

Regulus: okay gonna go eat, drowning can be postponed 

Sirius: Im not "trying" to date your dad, I just am

Peter: I’m being racist towards lollipops now 

Evan: I’m might’ve not died but part of my humanity did

Evan: I don’t know what that was but that sure as hell wasn’t 3. You’re dead bro

Evan: if your legs are doing the splits you better close ‘em bro

Regulus: no one wants to smoke your body cigars Barty

Barty: you could also just take a big swig of water and *chewing motions*

Sirius: I want to eat water in the shape of a penis

Barty: I would 1000% peg someone with my leg dick

Evan: we’re not making a thirst trap for ninjas Barty

Evan: only nerds get shadow fandub vocal stims 

[the-firebird69]

We have seen some things recently that are disturbing and it is about bugs infesting people and Mac proper no trumps are drowning people and abandoning people and abusing them and they do check who they are and Jason wants revenge and wants to take this area and he wants to stop the clones it's becoming big deal for them every time they turn around they're being messed with by these idiot clowns and it's these Trump jackasses or all over our son all day long and what he says is you're going to get the hell out of here and they really suck I mean screwing up pretty bad and everybody hates them they're going to send in units to remove them and it is a joint effort and from all over the world now they're going to send people into stop the clones and the trumps and they're fighting them and they're using weaponry and they don't like them it is now going into overtime with this moron in his jackasses and they don't want him here or anywhere near our son it said it too you said it's time to make as many comments as possible and we don't want him here making comments he's an ass and is misrepresenting us all and they are moving to remove him at this moment he is going to be declared an outlaw before the sheriff's office and this puts has been threatening our son for many many years and he just sits back and thinks that's where stuff is coming from and he is getting beat up pretty badly right now his Force here in Florida a portion of it has evacuated as of today and I guess worse in Florida will be cut about 35% out of it not accounting for what happens with the storm and other such things which are coming up he's not a person who people want to be here he is an evil man and they do say it all day long it's been asked to leave by many people and pretty soon he's going to be told to leave there's a large group of concerned citizens who are forming at the border of Florida Alabama and Georgia to keep him Trump out and it is a growing effort there's a lot of people who don't like him there's a lot of people who can't stand him who are enduring it and they're getting together now and we can see it regarding Tommy f and they do not want Tommy F here and they noticed that the attitude is very lame by the trumps if anything didn't want to do any work to repel him or just wait him or anything like that and they were found encouraging him and he's trying to figure out what it means if anything and that's Tommy and he is actually looking at what Trump has been doing because he's influenced him to do some pretty evil things. We are on the watch right now on the storm and on Tommy F and his actions we are going to intervene if we can we are getting a lot of people who are helping we are going to try and stop these clones and Trump's and we will assist mostly in the south and we do not anticipate too much resistance from them because they are getting weaker here and weaker as the days go by but people are yes very tired of seeing this asinine show you're not supposed to put real murders on TV and you're not supposed to put real investigations on TV it is much more illegal than anything you see us on posting because he's posting to what looks like nobody now you can say all you want but you go on TV and you're saying and doing things that are extremely illegal and you look very stupid for not knowing it and people are going to take you down using it very soon what happens is you go to a prison and you get sick and you get burned and it's idiocy we are watching as all of you start crumbling and coming apart at the seams and we do not want you dragging or sun into it and you've been threatening him his whole life it is going to happen soon there is news we're going to publish

Thor Freya

Olympus

[venomous--fics]

Anon requested: Okay but imagine this: reader quarantining with Eddie (and venom too ofc)

A/n: Day 2 of the V Weekathon! How many of you guys have seen the movie so far? Inbox is open if anyone wants to request or chat!

Every day seemed to be filled with more and more boredom. You three had run out of things to do, and by the marks on the calendar, it's only been 3 days. With a huff, you slouched back on the couch and dropped the tv remote onto the cushion, "I'm bored."

"Hi, bored." Eddie replied, half heartedly waving his hand, "I'm Eddie."

You whined a little as you laid your head in his lap, looking up at him, "No, really...I think I'm gonna lose my shit if we have to stay inside any longer."

Eddie didn't even flinch, or look at you. He just took a sip of his drink and continued to stare at the tv, "This isn't exactly fun for me either."

"Or me. Don't forget me."

"Or him." Eddie added.

You ran your hands over your face, groaning, "We could take a nap."

"We just woke up from a nap."

"We could play monopoly again."

"We don't say the M-word anymore." Eddie said flatly, still staring at the tv.

"Right. Right." you sighed, racking your brain for literally any other thing to do, "Well, we couldn't play that anyways. Venom tore the board in half."

"We can tape it." Venom chirped, "I promise I won't rip it again."

"That's what you said yesterday about Chutes and Ladder's, you liar." Eddie cut in, setting his cup on the table.

"I am not a liar. I really promise to not rip things anymore."

"We could bake a cake." you interrupted them.

"We already baked two of them." Venom said, drawing your attention to the dirty kitchen where two of the ugliest decorated cakes sat on the counter.

"How about...We clean up our messes?"

You heard two sets of groans as Eddie laid his head on the back of the couch.

"Guys, c'mon, help me." you whined, kicking your feet into the end cushion, "I'm so-"

"Bored. We know."

"Bored. We know."

"There's gotta be something we can do."

There was a really long pause as you looked up at Eddie again, seeing him just stare at the ceiling.

"Anything at all." you said, twiddling your fingers, "Anything that'll pass the time."

"We have movies."

"We've already watched most of them." Eddie said, taking his turn to whine, "This shit sucks."

"We have Netflix." Venom replied, not appreciating Eddie's attitude.

You and Eddie both shared a questioning look. You opened your mouth, but Eddie seemed to speak first, "Who the hell is paying for it? It's not me."

"Who said it was OURS?" Venom spat.

You sat upright, "Venom? Did you steal someone's Netflix account?"

You were expecting an honest answer. Maybe the old lady downstairs didn't get it and gave some sort of info to Eddie. Or, more likely, Venom had overheard someone talking about it in passing.

"We don't steal- Okay, rephrasing that real fast, we don't steal personal accounts...In this household."

A small tendril whipped over to Eddie's jacket and rummaged through it before slinking back over and handing you a small, crumpled card. You took a minute to look it over, realizing that Venom had simply swiped this from some criminal or some poor soul he ate.

"Oh." you said, "Well, I mean..In that case..I guess-"

"What are we watching first?"

"We're gonna have a serious talk about your kleptomania." Eddie sighed.

"That's not a movie. Try again."

While they bickered, you picked a movie that you were certain Venom had never seen. Normally he loves- Surprisingly- Romance movies. You and Eddie would've pegged him to be, of course, the loud action type. But, no. His reasoning is that he just like how quiet and nice they are.

You picked Lilo & Stitch. It wasn't a romance, but you were sure it would check some sort of box with Venom. Eddie didn't protest much outside, "I've seen this a million times."

To which you replied, "Well, what will a million and once more hurt?"

Needless to say, Eddie was the one who wound up crying a little.

"What's wrong?" Venom almost seemed just as upset, "Didn't you like it?"

Eddie wiped his eyes on his sweatshirt, "No, it was good."

You leaned forward a little.

"Why's everyone lookin' at me?" he asked, sniffling, "It's just that the little guy didn't have a family. Leave me alone."

"It's okay, Eddie."

"It's okay, Eddie."

You, with the help of Venom, got cozy in his lap and snatched the remote, "Let's pick a movie that'll sure make you feel better."

Eddie continued to wipe off his face, "I can see you picking The Notebook. Give it here, it's my turn."

You held the remote out of his reach, trying to hit the play button.

"You said feel better, not worse." Eddie was trying to hold you in his lap and yoink the remote all at once.

While you two play fought, Venom was the one who saw his chance and took it. With the remote in his grasp, and you two at his mercy, you and Eddie joined forces in an attempt to get the remote back.

"Stop before he puts on Sweet Home Alabama again." Eddie said, trying to swipe at the tendrils as Venom tossed the remote around.

You were now standing on the couch, frantically waving your hands around, "I'll make you a hot fudge sundae!"

Venom pondered his choices, but he chose violence. You both had to deal with whatever he chose.

[whaleofatjme1920]

Coughing in the Bathroom (Eyeless Jack X F!Reader)

🌸 Coughing in the Bathroom

[Eyeless Jack X F!Reader]

[Warnings: Slight blood, slight language, slight alcohol, emotional cheating]

Part 2

        In the world you live in, there’s a terrible thing called ‘Hanahaki Disease,’ and while it is ultimately rare, it is still feared widely throughout the globe. Love is an emotional virtually everyone feels, and it is through that monetary softness that the disease may take root. It affects those whose love is unrequited. 

        Five years ago, you never thought you would be under its spell. 

        The first time you met Eyeless Jack was a mess of combined hot headedness and a ‘my horse is bigger than yours’ type of deal. He was so brash and such a know it all! How could you NOT butt heads with him? The two of you spawned a little rivalry, and that rivalry grew to love. 

        How could you not fall in love with him? He’d been everything you’d ever wanted, and in your line of work, that’s hard to find. You’re what’s known as an ‘independent,’ someone who does not work directly under the Slender Man, but often crosses paths with him due to common goals and your abilities. While there is nothing inherently supernatural or otherworldly about you, you do have the gift of clairvoyance. Your clairvoyance isn’t super special, as you’re only prone to glimpses of the future based on current actions and what might (you are the world’s greatest predictor). 

        Jack IS supernatural. He’s not human, calls himself ‘a demon of some sorts.

         The Slender Man saw potential in the two of you from your rivalry and decided to put the two of you together. It was that proximity that led him to falling helplessly, hopelessly, and ardently in love with you. 

        You never saw that coming. 

        Jack had told you he loved you when the two of you had just finished some of the grossest work you’ve done to date. He didn’t want to go back to the safe house the two of you had been holed up in with various other independents and instead urged you to hang out on the roof with him. 

        “Why are you rummaging through their fridge?” You asked, hands resting on your hips with a smile on your lips. 

        “Beer?” He finally asked as he poked his head out from the door. 

        You suppressed a chuckle and threw caution for the night to the wind. “Yeah, sounds good.” 

        With that, Jack tossed you a bottle, before snatching one for himself. Normally, he doesn’t drink, but he felt as if he needed the liquid courage to face you. He felt like he was being obvious with his intentions, but you’d managed to miss every gesture and hint he threw up to this point. If you’re anything like he is, you’re dense. 

        The two of you walked upwards and opened the door to the roof and were greeted by the lights of the city. The two of you don’t spend much time in people cluttered areas, but when you do, you always spend a moment together. He took a seat next to you on one of the lawn chairs hanging around and cracked the drink open, practically gulping it down. 

        “Are you thirsty?” You chuckled before opening your own. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you down one like that before,” you noted before taking a much smaller sip yourself. 

        Jack shifted uncomfortably for a moment as he took the bottle from his lips. It’s not that he was uncomfortable with you, but he was uncomfortable with the possibility that if you didn’t feel the same way, he could be subjected to the disease that’s claimed the lives of some damn good proxies and independents who fell in love with humans they never had a chance with. He hates getting sick, but he doesn’t think he can handle a broken heart and lungs full of flowers. 

        “No I-,” he took a deep breath. “Reader, I think you’re great.”

        You laughed slightly. “I think you’re great too.”

        Jack shook his head and took another swig before he attempted to speak again. “Not like that, it’s… I’m bad with words,” he sighed, feeling overwhelmed. The man isn’t used to speaking about his feelings. 

        You raised a brow. You know Jack, your Jack, to be someone concise, clear and to the point. He’s not one to fumble over his words. He’s not one to get bashful. You know where this is going, you can see it in your mind’s eye, but you won’t say it because a part of you enjoyed his aversion. “Right now you totally suck at speaking,” you lightly joked, which made him crack the tiniest smile. 

        That’s when he shot you a look. “You already know what I’m trying to say, don’t you?” He deadpanned, eyes narrowed at you slightly in accusation. 

        You let out a laugh and nodded, hand up in submission, “I did,” you giggled. 

        “I swear,” Jack breathed out as he tossed his bottle to the stone floor before he snatched yours and repeated the action. Before you could be surprised, he took you in his arms, his lips pressed to yours in a kiss full of everything he just couldn’t say. 

        Your arms wrapped around him, pleased that he had gotten to the point. 

        Jack has always made your heart flutter. He’s charming, but in his own way. Even though you have future vision to some varying degree, he has never failed to surprise you. For your first anniversary, he had brought you to the most beautiful flower field you’d ever seen. 

        “Have you always known that this was here?” You asked, eyes shining over the field full of lavender, sunflowers, poppies and other wildflowers. The scent rivaled that of the Slender Man’s garden. 

        “I spent the past year cultivating it,” he said as he wrapped his arms around your waist from behind, his head resting on top of yours. “Thought you’d appreciate it.” 

        “And I’m guessing you built the gazebo too?”

        “Had some help from the proxies. Hoodie is surprisingly good at craftsmanship,” he said with a small chuckle. Jack pressed kisses to the crown of your head. 

        You allow him to sway you as you listen to the birds sing from the surrounding trees. “Is this what you were up to?” You asked. 

        Jack breathed out and shrugged. “A magician never reveals his secrets,” he teased.

        You turned around in his grasp and wrapped your arms around his shoulders, hands loosely connected ‘round the back of his neck. “You suck,” you teased, sticking your tongue out before you pressed a kiss to his nose. 

        Jack laughed, his smile rivaling the warmth of the sun. “Thought that was your job,” he mused, making you gasp and smack his chest. He laughed again before you dropped the feigned annoyed attitude and joined him. 

        The rest of your anniversary was held under that gazebo, talking well into the night. 

        When the nights were hard and you were bruised from jobs that were rough, he was always there to pick you back up. You’d come back to the Slender Man’s mansion in need of minor medical attention and had only come to his home because it was close to where you’d gotten banged up. 

        “You can just wait in the waiting room,” a female proxy said as her green eyes scanned you over with little concern. She gestured for you to head down the hall to your left. “You won���t miss it.” It seemed your injuries paled in comparison to the gunshots, knife wounds, musical instruments to the skull and other more hefty injuries. 

        You thanked her with a small smile and then walked down the hall. You’d never really spent extended time in the Slender Man’s mansion; you had no reason to. You didn’t serve directly under him. Still, it was nice to be in something regal looking rather than a dirty field house wondering if the first aid kid was even usable or not. 

        You took a seat once you finally reached the waiting room, displeased to see that there were so many other people - mostly proxies - waiting for service. Some of them looked on the verge of passing out due to blood loss. How had no one attended to them yet? You waited and waited, watching as the more in danger patients were taken in before you finally nodded off. Your dreams were for the most part, empty, but your vision showed you that Jack was here, working. That thought alone was enough to wake you back up. 

        When your eyes reopened, you were overcome with emotions to see Jack in the doorway waiting for you to get up and follow him to the back. You scrambled up from your seat, mindful of not outwardly showing you were in a relationship (the Slender Man detested such bonds) and tried your best to remain cool and level headed. 

        Jack, who wore his mask, showed no signs he had any business with you until he brought you into a secluded room where he could attend to your injuries. The moment the door closed, he took off his mask and looked you over, worry lined on his face. “What’s wrong? Is it serious? O should have seen you sooner. Are you hurt-”

        “Woah, woah,” you tiredly chuckled as you took his rapidly moving hands into yours. “It’s just minor bruises and cuts. Just wanna get them disinfected. I might’ve also sprained my wrist,” you sheepishly admitted. 

        Jack’s face fell again. “Jeeze, I should have seen you earlier,” he muttered to himself, moving around the room to get the supplies he needed. He slapped on his medical gloves again, and then got to work, leaving no part of you untouched. When it stung, he hushed you with words of love. “How did this happen?” He asked quietly. 

        “Alcoholic guy had way more power than I originally expected,” you winced. “I saw the possibility of him throwing me, but not him almost tearing off my wrist by slamming it in a door.” 

        “He what?” Jack growled. 

        “He’s dead now, don’t worry,” you said before you flashed Jack a reassuring look. 

        Jack seemed barely placated by your words and continued working. 

        When he finished working, he pressed a kiss to your forehead and gave you a look that told you he didn’t want you to leave. 

        “I have to,” you said as you allowed him to snake his arms around you. “I’ll be seeing you soon though, right?” 

        “I’m gonna be stuck in this area for a while,” he mumbled into your shoulder. “And you? You’re leaving Alabama right?” 

        You hesitantly nodded and sighed into him before you took in his scent that instantly calmed you. “Yeah, unfortunately. I have some work calling me out east,” you continued as he tensed in your arms. “Besides, I’m getting the vibe that if I stay much longer, the Slender Man is gonna be pissed at us.” 

        If Jack had eyes, he’d roll them. “I don’t care what he wants or likes,” he replied. That’s not entirely true, but love does weird things to people. “Stay a moment longer.” 

        You did. 

        There were times in your five year relationship that the two of you were split up for extended periods of time mostly on the whims and requests of the Slender Man. Those times you were apart were hard. And unfortunately, the two of you couldn’t actually text or call. Phones, electronics in general, were considered liabilities for people like you due to tracking and everything else. It just wasn’t safe, and BEN can only do so much. 

        Instead, the two of you would write letters to each other and enlist the help of Jeffery’s dog, Smile. Of course, the dog doesn’t always enjoy playing mail-dog, but he does enjoy the treats and favors he gets from the two of you. 

        The fifth year of your relationship with him had been a particularly long, hard separation due to distance. The two of you traded letters weekly via Smile. Everything from little anecdotes to how much you missed each other was shared between them until you got a letter that was calm before the storm. 

        ‘Dear Reader, how have you been? I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write back to you, but Slender has put me on a really weird task. It’s time consuming as all hell and I kinda hate it. I’ve been placed with the proxies for a little while, and they all say ‘hi’ and hope you’re well as much as I do. … I love you, J.’ Of course, interspersed in the letter was a whole treasure trove of everything Jack had been up to. 

        ‘Dear Jack, I’m glad to hear you’re doing alright. I’ve been lighting up the Midwest's farm fields - I don’t know why (I do have my inklings), but the proxies I’m currently with get it. They’re a nice bunch, but the one with a pig mask is kinda mean? Maybe you’ll have to fight him or something. There’s also talk of us converting some people to the proxy side, which is weird because it’s not my territory, but I’ll do what’s asked of me. What’s the task you’re currently up to? I love you, R.’ 

        It had been a few weeks since you got the next letter, and that letter was the beginning of your end. You just didn’t know it yet, and you purposely blinded your future vision to it. 

        ‘Dear Reader, I’m so sorry it took so long to get this letter back to you! I hope I didn’t worry you, but things have once again been really, really busy. In truth, I’m not supposed to tell you about this, but as long as he doesn’t find out… I can trust you with this, but you need to promise you won’t tell anyone else? I suppose it doesn’t matter because the whole of our society is going to be talking about it regardless. We’ve never seen something like this before. Zalgo (may his name burn for all eternity) had a kid, right? They call her Leia and she’s been causing a storm of issues for the tall man. We got a hold of her and she’s been under our watch since. She’s powerful, I’ll give her that. In a way, it’s admirable, but she’s also Slender’s biggest threat. The weirdest thing? She willingly gave herself up to us because she’s got daddy issues. Can you believe that? Zalgo’s favorite kid has daddy issues. She’s naturally murderous towards proxies so Masky, Toby, Hoodie and Kate have to be extra mindful of her. For the most part, she’s with me. We talk a lot, but I have no idea if I can trust her. She’s a great conversationalist though - nothing like her father. She doesn’t look anything like him either (you have seen his human form, right?) In fact, nothing about her screams spawn of Zalgo. She looks… normal, if that’s the right word. Other than that, her attitude reminds me of you. Funny, right? She asks about you every now and then, which is odd because I try not to mention you unless it’s with Hoodie. Hoodie says hi, by extension. She seems to not like you despite having never met you, which is also incredibly strange as she’s been nothing but kind to me and the proxies (despite her trying to kill them when her instincts take over). I digress, and I miss you. I love you, J.’ 

        You’d read that letter over so many times poking and prodding it. The energy didn’t feel right, and your mind had shown you glimpses of what was to come. But of course, still in love with him, you acted like nothing was wrong and the future you had seen wasn’t absolute. 

        The first time you met Leia was largely an accident. A short while after you’d gotten that letter from Jack, you ‘swung by’ the area he was in and decided on a surprise visit. You knew Masky well enough, and the proxy had never been angry with you for visiting prior to. What difference would this one have been?

        You knocked on the door in a way that only Masky would recognize to be greeted by the unmasked proxy. 

        “You’re here for him, aren’t you?” He asked, a tired smile coming onto his lips. 

        You nodded excitedly. “Where is he?” 

        “Back room, with uh-”

        “She already knows,” both Hoodie and Kate said in unison as they barely spared a glance over their shoulders from the terrible movie playing on Lifetime. 

        Masky shot a slight glare towards his teammates but relented and moved aside in the doorway. “Have fun,” he said as you stepped inside. “Don’t do anything stupid and if you do, do so quietly?” 

        You slapped Masky’s shoulder and walked down the hall. You took a brief moment to wave to Toby who was reading something in one of the rooms before you reached the end where you heard laughter. To be polite, you knocked on the door, and to your surprise, it was not Jack who answered the door. 

        There she stood with long silver hair and the most alluring blue eyes you’d ever seen, her skin as warm as the cinnamon that floated on top of hot chocolate in the winter. She gave you a sickly saccharine smile before she turned her head over her shoulder to address Jack, “Reader is here,” she giggled. 

        You bit back a grimace but smiled when Jack got up and gently moved Leia aside in the doorframe to greet you. 

        “It’s so good to see you,” he said as he took you into his arms before he crushed you in his grip. “How have you been?” He whispered in your ear before he peppered your face with kisses. 

        You wished you could have enjoyed the moment as you laughed in his arms, but your eyes fluttered open for just a moment to see Leia’s unamused expression. “I’m okay,” you replied in a tone lacking the enthusiasm Jack expected to hear. 

        “Are you sure?” He asked as he checked you over to ensure you physical self was safe. His hands cupped your cheeks as you were forced to look up at him. 

        “Of course,” you replied in an attempt to play it cool. 

        “If you say so,” he trailed off before taking your hand in his and leading you to sit next to him on the bed. 

        From there, the world’s most awkward conversation took place between Jack and Leia with you attempting to cut in every once and a while. You saw it in little glimpses. 

        Her eyes never left his sockets, and he allowed it. 

        When her hand touched his knee, he made no motion to move it. 

        When she laughed, he smiled in a way that only you had been used to seeing. 

        He talked with her with so many inside jokes, you felt as if you were just peeking in on someone else’s conversation, not one you were invited to.

        Gradually, through the hour, he’d moved closer to her than he had you. While his arm remained loosely wrapped around your waist, he’d leaned forward to hear her better. He watched her interaction first after he shared a story. His focus was on her. You’d left his field of vision. 

        A few weeks into your fifth year was all it took. 

        Things did not get any easier from there. Eventually, you were moved to helping the group in regards to Leia. According to Slender, it was to ‘protect her’ from her father and her now murderous siblings. That’s when the rift grew wider, and the roots took hold. 

        See, after that first in person interaction with Leia, you’d felt a scratchiness in your lungs. At first, you chalked it up to being under the weather, but after being moved to Masky’s group, you knew nothing would ever be the same. Your worst fear had come true, and all it took was a pair of blue eyes. 

        Physically, Jack was still yours. He’d hold you, kiss you and touch you like you were still his. He never physically left your side, nor did his flesh betray your relationship. No, it was something much deeper than that that brought about the sprouts that took hold in your lungs. 

        Emotionally, he’d left you the moment he laid sockets on her. Why did he give in so easily? Who knows - boredom? A premature seven year itch? You’re not sure. But you saw it - you saw his heart leave the space it once shared with you and take up residence with hers, and it was painful. So, so painful. 

        He looked at her like she owned the moon and commanded the tides. 

        He smiled at her in a way he used to smile with you. 

        He spoke to her in a tone so gentle, you assumed he’d only used it for you. 

        He spoke with you less frequently, and when he did, it was much shorter and to the point. Whenever you prodded him, he had chalked it up to being stressed and that of course, he still loved you. 

        “You’re just being paranoid.” 

        He told her things you’d never even scratched the surface of. 

        She viewed him as hers. 

        And he allowed it without leaving the safety net that was you. 

        Of course, this did not go unnoticed by the proxies. None of them wanted to get directly involved though. 

        Hoodie was amongst the most disturbed as he was usually the first to call out Jack’s bullshit and the first proxy to inquire about you and your wellbeing. Despite not spending any time with you, Hoodie viewed you as a good friend. 

        "You realize what you're doing isn't cool, right?" Hoodie said as he walked back to the temp house with Jack. 

        "I'm not doing anything," Jack replied. "This about Leia?"

        "No, it's about Pennywise we met last year - of course it's about Leia," Hoodie hissed as he rolled his eyes. "You're digging a hole you won't be able to get back out of. You know that, right?"

        Jack lightly shoved Hoodie's shoulder in response. He was uncomfortable with what Hoodie had insinuated, mostly because Hoodie's BS meter is never far off the mark and normally strikes true. But when he entered that house and saw Leia sitting at the table, he couldn't help but take his place at her side. 

        Perhaps Kate just believes in girl code, but as a fellow being under the Slender Man’s control, she’s got her eye out for you. She believed wholeheartedly that what Jack was doing was scummy, but of course, her focus is on you. It came in mugs of hot chocolate and late night living room talks. She cares, just quietly. 

        "Don't overwork yourself, okay?" She said softly as she draped a blanket around your shoulders. 

        You'd been nodding off much more in the living room than in the room you shared with Jack. "What?" You said sleepily. 

        Kate chuckled softly and let you rest your head on her lap. "Turn your brain off for a while with me and let's watch this gods awful movie." Anything to get your mind off of what's going on and if this movie does it for you, that's good enough for the moment. 

        "Yes, ma'am," you tiredly rib, a smile on your lips. 

        Toby is inexperienced when it comes to these things. He was the first person to find you hacking up forget-me-nots. That was a scary experience as he’s never seen the Hanahaki before. He’s too young and too inexperienced, where would he have seen it? 

        He can distinctly remember walking with you, patrolling the area for threats when you suddenly stopped. It’d been a few months of you in his group's care, and he’d seen you retreat into yourself the longer Jack spent time with Leia. He knew it, just didn’t know how to go about it. 

        “What’s w-w-wrong?” He asked. 

        You waved for him to go on. “I’m fine-” you tried to wheeze out before you began violently coughing. 

        Toby initially thought you were going through what Masky did. He’s handled that before and naively thought he could help you until he rushed to your side to see the small forming pile of blue flowers covered sparsely in drops of blood. “Oh n-n-no,” he whispered as he knelt at your side. He held you like you were glass. “R-Reader-”

        “I said I’m fine!” You tried to reason before coughing once more, this time more blood than cursed flower. 

        “Does t-t-this look f-f-fine to you?” He asked in stress and worry. “We n-need to t-t-tell M-Masky or J-Ja-”

        “No,” you coldly cut off as you wiped your mouth of the blood that dribbled down your chin. 

        Toby wanted to fight that notion badly, but instead focused on getting you back safe. “I-I’ll tell M-Masky we s-saw some n-n-not deer on t-the p-property,” he murmured as he carefully picked you back up. 

        You allowed him. 

        Masky knew the moment you walked back into the temp house with Toby holding you as inconspicuous as he could. It’s unfortunate, he thinks, because he knows what that’s like - to love someone and physically suffer because of it. 

        One day, he’d sent everyone out of the house except for you and urged you to sit down and have some apple cider with him to ‘celebrate’ his favorite season, fall. 

        “Let’s not beat around the bush,” he began. “You’ve got it.”

        You shifted uncomfortably and averted your gaze from his and chose to look into your apple cider than his eyes. “What?”

        “Reader,” Masky sighed as he sat up in his seat. “Please…”

        “It’s not that serious,” you attempted to retort. “It’s not… It’s not that bad.”

        “You’re delusional,” Masky said. “I saw the flowers in the trash bin.”

        You rolled your eyes but crossed your arms over your chest anyways in an attempt to soothe yourself. 

        “You know what happens, right?” He continued, leaning forward. “It either takes you or you get the surgery done.” 

        A pregnant pause passes before you reluctantly speak. 

        “Is… Is it really that bad?” 

        Masky nodded, “From experience? Yeah,” he mumbled. 

        You gave him a look of both sympathy and intrigue. 

        “The Operator forced me to get the surgery,” he admitted. 

        You look into his eyes and see for the first time that he’s empty. His dark brown eyes, that are full of amiability, protective nature, it’s all a front. He doesn’t actually feel that way - it is what is expected of him, but he is hollow. 

        “What happened?” You asked shyly, unsure if that’s too sensitive or not. 

        “I don’t quite remember as that’s an outcome of having the surgery,” Masky hummed. “But I remember that I loved him- I don’t feel it, obviously - but I remember that I loved him more than anything, would’ve moved mountains for him, and then he died,” he sounded vaguely perturbed by the words, but they did not reach his heart. “I think his name was Jay.” 

        You felt something pierce your heart, but it was interrupted by the flowers in your lungs blooming through your mouth. 

        Masky held you as you coughed petals and blood in the bathtub. 

        You promised Masky you were going to speak things over with Jack. You promised you were going to solve this. But when he spoke to you with his empty words coated in honey, the pain became too much to bear. It hurt. Seeing him hurt. Hearing him hurt.

        “Jack?” You ask quietly, slowly sitting up in the bed you shared with him, much too used to his arms not being slinked around your form by this point. 

        He roused slightly in the bed before he opened his eyes. “Yeah? What’s up?” He asks, a slight bite in his voice from being woken up. 

        “Can we talk about something?” 

        “Can’t it wait?” He sighs in a slightly exasperated tone. 

        You shake your head, and through the darkness, Jack’s form sloughs in defeat. 

        “What is it?” He asks. 

        “Are we okay?”

        “Of course we’re okay.”

        “Are you sure?”

        “Yes.”

        “Do you love me?” 

        “I love you more than anything,” he replies, hand gripping yours. 

        He feels like ice. 

        “And what about Leia?”

        “She’s a really good friend of mine.”

        He suddenly feels warm. 

        “I’m sorry for waking you.” 

        “It’s nothing, now go to sleep, baby. We can talk about this in the morning,” he says with a small yawn before falling back into the comfort of slumber. 

        Your other hand at this point, has wrapped over your mouth to stifle the sounds of silence and the threat of flowers crawling up from your esophagus. You suffer in silence for a few minutes until you’re certain he’s asleep, then quietly excuse yourself to the bathroom. 

        You begin to cough as softly as you can, not wanting to be a burden to anyone in the house as forget-me-nots begin to fill up the sink. Blood splatters on the porcelain as well as the mirror. Your eyes are full of tears. You feel cold, much too cold. 

        As you continue to empty your lungs in vain, the light flicks on. You’re in too much pain and absorbed in velvety petals to realize it at first. 

        “I thought I told you to handle this,” Masky’s exhausted voice chides gently, his eyes dipping to the mess you’ve left in the basin of the sink. 

        You grip the edge of the sink before hacking up the rest of what the garden in your lungs has to offer before slinking down to the tile floor, utterly exhausted. “Turn the light off,” you whisper. Your back rests against the tub. 

        Masky does as you ask, allowing the moonlight to overtake as the main source of light in the small bathroom. His shoulders sag slightly as he joins you on this floor, his arm around your shoulders. “Get some sleep,” he says softly, allowing you to rest your head on his shoulder. 

        You smile softly as the flowers continue to clog up your lungs. It looks like another fit is coming. 

        “Just let it pass,” he murmurs softly into your ear, his head resting loosely on top of yours as you attempt to suppress the flowers from reemerging. “It’ll be over soon.” 

        You move your eyes to look at his profile before you take in the scent of cigarettes. You continue to feel your lungs grow heavy with blossoms when you hear Leia’s door open. Her steps pad quietly along the wooden floor as she crosses the hall to the room you used to share with Jack. “You promise?” You manage to choke out before stifling your coughs as quietly as you can. Your eyelids are growing heavier. You can hear your heartbeat through your chest to the hallways of your ears. Leia has slipped into bed with Jack. You hear him shift. He’s holding her now. 

        “I promise,” he says gently, holding you just a little tighter. 

        You close your eyes and listen to Masky hum, hoping sleep washes over you soon.

[donghuamuqing]

SORRY for making my cousin vinny aus for every fandom im in but straight up dustin and lucas get arrested in some bumfuck town in alabama or mississippi or wherever because everyone thinks they murdered some poor store clerk when they actually accidentally stole a can of beans and a sleeve of crackers so theyre panicking like lawyers are tons of fucking money dude!! and dustins like yo wait… remember that friend from highschool who said he was gonna become a lawyer because he loved arguing and being right so much?? lets check up on him see how hes doing

Mike is a lawyer now, but hes failed the bar exam 4 times and never actually been in court arguing for a case hes only ever done personal injury BUT he still loved arguing and being right so he comes down with will in tow (because obviously he does why wouldnt he wills his bf and lucky charm) and they throw the town into a TIZZY like gay people real?? And mike is 6 foot with dark black hair down to his shoulders who has dark makeup smudges under his eyes and big oversized sweaters and will is the most beautiful absolute prettiest person on the planet earth with his big hazel eyes and nice hands or whatever so mike rocks up to the court room like heyyyy guys my best friends *nudge play along* and dustin and lucas are courtroomed into becoming best friends with him again

Mike sucks ass at lawyering lowkey and he has an attitude problem so he gets contempt of court a few times bc the judge (hopper) HATES HIS GUTS and wants to make him fail because he hates him and also believes lucas and dustin are guilty and will has to work to keep enough money to continue bailing mike out whos like… ok but im learning on the job honey thats how this goes and wills like OK sure but i thought we were going on vacation!! You are getting owned by the entire state of alabama rn!!! BABE!!! and keeps trying to help by reading the law book hopper gave mike. And anyway mike is actually really goof at lawyering and he eventually gets everything in order except theres a few problems like he and will arent speaking bc mike blew up at him for being a little better at lawyering than mike who actually went yo school for it and hes panicking bc two innocent guys could possibly get fried for something they didnt do and itd all be mikes fault but then he finds some of the photos will has taken and realizes holy shit i have the proof RIGHT HERE that theyre innocent this is perfect i need to make a phone call and get this show on the mf ROAD

Wills still mad but hes calling up mikes old law teacher (murray) for help and mikes like babe babe babe i need you as a witness and will just turns around like wtf no and mike just grabs him and drags him into the seat and then boom bam they win the case with will getting marissa tomeis badass monologue about car tires and theyre happily in love again and lucas and dustin get off the charge and they all live happily ever after. The end

[probablyasocialecologist]

I’m from Alabama. It sucks that people so callously dismiss us. And even Alabamians who are conservative don’t deserve to be killed/hurt in tornadoes like wtf

Exactly! It speaks to an extremely callous and generalising attitude.

Kent in England is dominated by the Conservative Party, both via MPs and county councillors. That wouldn't make it funny or right if random people living in Kent (conservative voters or not) died in floods or heatwaves or other disasters

[cathkaesque]

So the votes are in and the high hopes of the left are squashed: Amazon workers in Bessemer did not vote in enough numbers to start a union at the Alabama facility. The postmortems are coming in, written by people who, during the campaign at least, were not voicing their concerns about what is now termed the ‘inevitable’ defeat. The question is, why does the left get sucked into this collective delusion time and time again? It’s not just union campaigns, but parliamentarism too. The warning signs are all there. In their heart of hearts they know it’s not going to pan out because the basic building blocks of class power are simply not there (by which we mean: workers calling the shots). But still, the collective hope is like a blinding drug and those with a more sober head should just stop being killjoys and ruining their buzz, man!

This recent Amazon union campaign highlights a major problem on the so-called left. This is the suggestion that any kind of critical assessment or debate in the moment – when it might actually lead to something constructive and a change of strategy – is viewed as undermining the dedication of actual workers and efforts by the working class to organise. This says more about the detachment of the left, who have a rather paternalistic attitude towards workers – the innocent and inexperienced folks who will be undermined if we raise some questions about how things are going. Because so much support is symbolic these days, rather than practical, there doesn’t seem to be much space to have these ‘difficult conversations’ without being written off as an armchair cynic or know-it-all doomsdayer. Why can’t we have these honest discussions in a place of good faith, where there is an acknowledgement that we’re all on the same side, we all want the same thing – workers to take control of their situation -, that robust questioning is seen as a sign of a healthy and robust movement, rather than as divisive?

It also conflates ‘workers’ with ‘unions’ and ‘union strategy’, when they are normally quite separate things. This isn’t to say that workers themselves don’t involve themselves in union activity, but the Bessemer campaign was so obviously a top-down election exercise, with workers’ voices largely absent, that it should have been fine to voice critical thoughts on the union strategy without undermining workers’ efforts within it. It might have even opened up some space within the union for workers to question the union strategy, which, amongst all the hype around this union drive, would probably have been quite difficult.

This is easier to do if we’re all just speaking to each other as workers in struggle. But all too often, the left is seen as a separate political force, that finds itself tiptoeing around workers and unions as if they have the monopoly on economic struggles and ‘we left politicos’ can’t tread on their toes. We shouldn’t prop up this false division between the so-called left (who supposedly only engage in ‘political’ struggle) and the workers (who only supposedly engage in ‘economic’ struggle) because it leads to a skewed idea of who controls what, as well as a hierarchy about who should be engaging in what.

We are all workers who need to learn from each other. If you don’t think you’re a worker, and can’t speak to other workers on this level, then it becomes more difficult to have the debates and conversations necessary to build class power. We can’t cede workers’ control to unions, and we all should be demanding more from organising efforts than the usual ‘inoculation-ten-step-approach’ that supposedly guarantees success but never does. In the current assessments of ‘what went wrong’, most people are still focusing on the ‘failure of the campaign’ or ‘nasty manipulation from management’ or legal barriers – but, aside from the ‘workers as class traitors’ angle, are still not trying to really understand workers reasons for rejecting the union.

Organising is not an election and it’s not about door-knocking and having a million conversations to ‘convince’ people what is in their interests. It didn’t work to get Corbyn elected, and it certainly didn’t work in Bessemer. I mean, do we really have to convince people what’s in their interests? is it not more about finding ways to struggle that doesn’t require heroes? And discussing effective struggle around concrete issues? The left is all about ‘learning lessons’ but seems incapable of doing more than flog this dead horse. The social situation is too scary at the moment for us to settle for this. We need to expect and demand more.

For some thoughts on the alternative organising take at Amazon, check out this excellent article from an Amazon worker in Chicago. Workers there just did a ‘walk-out’ against the newly imposed megacycle shift. Not getting anywhere near as much publicity as what went down in Alabama, but with way more potentials and worker-led initiative. Amazon warehouse workers and drivers in Italy also went on the first nationwide strike in the company’s history last month, and got nowhere near the news attention either. We should ask ourselves in whose interests it is that all the media and lefty focus is on this one (failed) union drive in Bessemer, rather than on other Amazon workers’ engaged in actual struggle.

[ginalinettiofficial]

a usa starter pack

alabama / deep south, conservative, hillbillies

alaska / far north, cold, nature, conservative rich white ppl + lots of native culture

arizona / hot, dry, scorpions, great mexican food

arkansas / yeehaw

california / socal is california of tv, norcal is hippies smoking a lot of weed

colorado / weed capital of the states, also lots of nature and skiiing

connecticut / to quote an SNL skit: “the haunting in connecticut?? what’s scary about connecticut?? losing your tennis racket at the pottery barn??”

delaware / ngl i never remember that delaware exists and i’ve never met anyone from here or heard anyone mention delaware ever. might be fake

florida / where the craziest shit happens. giant swamp with many major party areas as well as hella alligators, crazy politics, retirees, and felons galore. we all stan and fear florida

georgia / southern af but also p black. deep bible belt but atlanta is POPPIN and a super fun city.

hawaii / we colonized them and now like to invade their home regularly as tourists which sucks. hawaii is a cool little nation w lots of volcanoes

idaho / they make potatoes and racists

illinois / north side of the state is where chicago is, a HUGE liberal center in the US. very midwestern. as you get more south, becomes rural, small town, conservative middle america.

indiana / v conservative politically, illinois’ twin and bud, that’s where we get all our guns and fireworks. v midwestern. parks and rec is set in indiana and that’s p much all u need to know

iowa / worst state in the union everyone from iowa is just WEIRD yes i AM an iowa hater and i am PROUD. if u tell me ur from iowa i don’t trust you

kansas / they’re p chill. conservative state w some fun cities and midwestern weather. kansas city is cool

kentucky / horse races and hillbillies

louisiana / it’s a damn party. deep south, major french influence from back in the day, swamps, large african american population, new orleans is a jam, debatably the most melodic of southern accents

maine / rich white ppl in vests and chinos sailing on boats and eating lobster

maryland / baltimore & DC make maryland a pretty blue state

massachusetts / boston owns all of our assess. beautiful sprawling state w lots of old ass houses cuz it’s colonial and shit. boston has over a hundred universities so the whole area is very youthful and fun

michigan / michigan is vaguely shaped like a mitten so if u ever ask a person from michigan where they’re from they hold up their hand and point to somewhere on it as if their hand is a map

minnesota / the canada of the US. snowy, cold, midwestern af, hockey, casserole, mall of america

mississippi / s o u t h. education?? never heard of her. quality of life?? good joke

missouri / basically rhymes with misery and that’s all you need to know

montana / i think they have mountains and ranches and white ppl but don’t quote me on that

nebraska / even their cities are rural

nevada / las vegas and a whole lot of desert

new hampshire / whomst knows. one of those small east coast states

new jersey / new jersey is the florida of the north

new mexico / again, the border crossed them. basically arizona jr but they get mad if u say that

new york / nyc and then a bunch of suburban ppl who are mad they’re not from nyc but will go to their graves denying it

north carolina / racist white ppl who talk way too much about the confederacy in 2019

north dakota / one of the dakotas has that mountain with the four heads carved into it. that’s IT

ohio / ohio is deceiving cuz it has about six major cities and they’re all like fun and cool???? they all start w the letter c tho so good luck remembering which is which

oklahoma / ooooooooooklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains (there’s a musical called oklahoma and it’s iconic) they share kansas city with kansas which is fun. cross between the south and the midwest

oregon / hipsters and rain

pennsylvania / philly is poppin, pittsburgh is slightly less poppin, scranton is where the office is set

rhode island / she smol

south carolina / see north carolina but with more ghosts and better food

south dakota / see north dakota

tennessee / memphis and nashville are FUN. p southern, p conservative, GREAT barbecue and huge music scene

texas / it’s texas

utah / mormons and conservatism

vermont / this is where bernie sanders and the people who make ben & jerry’s ice cream are all from

virginia / dc is in the north part of virginia which helps to split it into nova, the blue/urban/liberal part of the state, and sova, the conservative confederate lovin’ christians

washington / oregon but even more rain

west virginia / might be fake

wisconsin / cheese and beer and classic midwestern attitudes

wyoming / she’s a beaut ngl. it’s basically one big national park with some ppl sprinkled in here and there. harrison ford lives here

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 60)

"The Queens of Dirty Secrets"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@lovemythsworld

@kellysimagines

@crystalbaby12

@southsidequeen

Luna's no angel. She cheated on Justin. Once. With Tommy. For 9mnths. She didn't lie when she said she'd never had a one night stand.

--------------------------------------------------

Luna had met Tommy randomly at a Rancid show in Queens. She went alone that night because Justin was out of town at Rehab #2. Tommy spotting her first. Being 6yrs older than her, he had introduced himself confidently. The two of them easily falling into quick banter as if they had known each other for ages. Luna drawn into his deep, blue eyes and overwhelming personality. Asking if he could buy her a drink, she had told him immediately that she had a boyfriend. Tommy laughed and said he didn't care to Luna's rolled eyes as she told him No Thanks and made her way to the stage. She had to get away from him. There was something in her bones that didn't trust herself near him. She was right. Halfway through the show, he slid up behind her, wrapping his strong arms around her tiny waist. She had recognized his scent automatically and against her better judgment, let herself stay in his presence. More then slightly drunk, Luna bounced with Tommy to Rancid as he kept his left arm around her waist, while running his right hand up and down her slender body. Making her heart pound with the music's fast beat. It was during Red Hot Moon that he took the plunge, slipping his hand up her leather skirt. Tommy fingerfucked her in the crowd that night. Luna letting him. She was blinded by his being and the feeling of his thick fingers inside of her as the punk tune floated through her head. Tommy liked that she hadn't resisted and the way he could feel her low moans against his chest. Body shaking in his arms. Luna literally cumming in his hand to her senses. Angry with herself, she had pushed Tommy out of her and disappeared into the crowd, still seeing stars. Licking his fingers, he watched her go, amused at how he thought he could taste peaches. Justin had come home a week later, promising to stay clean. "This time." Leaving Luna raked with guilt. Yet, she couldn't help that every time she masturbated, that moment and THAT man in Queens popped into her head. It was around 3mths later that Luna ran into Tommy again. At a bodega on 133rd Street. Unable or unwilling to deny their chemistry that time, she climbed into his Eleanor when he'd asked if she wanted to take a blunt ride. They had wound up by the East River, making out heavily in Tommy's mustang. Luna refusing to fuck him, Tommy getting tested in less then a week. Luna knew it was wrong the whole time but she couldn't deny the energy between the two of them. Tommy seemed to make her lose all of her common sense. He had a way of sucking Luna into his strong, charismatic, no bullshit attitude. It was a change and escape from the darkness that seemed to be consuming her and Justin. From the moment he saw and watched her, Tommy was mesmerized by Luna's beauty, rawness and sass. They were a wild a rollercoaster ride, twisting and turning. Dipping and soaring. Leading Tommy and Luna to fuck and party all over the five boroughs for almost a year. She only broke it off when he told her he loved her. Realizing that she loved him too but knowing that despite everything, she would never leave Justin. She had crawled out of his bed that night, with tears rolling down her cheeks. As she got dressed, she babbled on about how their relationship wasn't fair to him. And that she was sorry. Too hurt by her rejection, he let her go. She willingly walked from Queens to Brooklyn that night. Contemplating suicide for the first time in her life during those long hours. Luna never told a soul. Not even Ashley. Tommy and Luna's paths never crossing since then.

--------------------------------------------------

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Tommy smiles at Luna. "No love?" His blue eyes dare her.

Reluctantly, she stands as he swoops her up. Tight and strong. Placing her arms around his neck, a ton of memories flood them both as they embrace. Fitting like two puzzle peices. Feeling the intimacy Luna wiggles out of his grasp, sitting back down.

"You still look great, Little One." The nickname both excites Luna and makes her cringe at the same time. "You just get better with age, don't you?" He asks her, pulling out the stool and sitting next to her. It's been over 5yrs since they last saw each other. "Eh! Lemme get another round here." He calls to the bartender, pointing between himself and Luna. She's quiet, trying to keep her composure.

"You should leave. You should leave. You should leave. You should leave. You should leave." Her brain keeps repeating over and over.

"So, where's the boyfriend?" Tommy's words break Luna's thoughts like a sledgehammer.

She thinks about her words before she speaks them. "We're not together anymore." She tells him without looking at him. His eyes are deadly.

"No fucking shit!!" Tommy slams his hand on the bar. Partly amused, partly irritated. "So, what the fuck did it take for you to finally leave his loser ass?" He asks bluntly.

Luna looks at him now. Square in the eye, with a flash of anger. She tells him coldly "He hung himself in our bedroom."

"FUCK." Tommy let's out. "What a fucking pussy." He has no filter.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Luna glares at him.

He shakes his head and places his hand on the small of her back. "I'm sorry. I guess he never got clean, hunh?"

Luna sighs. Tommy knows more about Luna and Justin's relationship than their closest friends. Looking at him directly again. She says "No. He actually started using needles sometime in the last 6mnths. I threatened to leave him and I'm pretty sure that's why he fucking killed himself." Luna doesn't break eye contact from Tommy. Besides Colson, he's the only person she's ever uttered those words to.

He breaks away as his heart drops for her. "When?" He asks her quietly, looking into his drink.

"Almost 3yrs ago." She answers him.

Looking up, he slides his left arm around her shoulders as he uses his right hand to pull her barstool closer to him.

"You need to fucking leave. You need to fucking leave. You need to fucking leave." Her brain keeps telling her as she feels her body flush from the closeness of his.

"Are you okay?" He asks, lowly in her ear.

"Yeah... Look I'm seeing someone..." She spits out.

Tommy erupts into laughter, not bothering to move his arm. "Some things never change, hunh? You're still caught up and I still don't give a fuck." He tells her matter of factly. Their faces are close together.

Luna knows it's true. She pulls away to finish the rest of her drink, reaching for the other round Tommy had ordered.

"This is different. I'm happy." She tells him to his smirk.

"Yeah?" He laughs again. "Then why are you alone in a bar at a punk show, just the same as I found you before?" He snips at her.

Annoyed, she states again that this is different. Still taunting her, arm still around her shoulder. He asks how. Shaking him off of her, she tells him it just is. He's making her think about Colson and Justin drug use similarities.

"Okay." He leans in close to her. "How long?"

Luna takes another drink. Closing her eyes, she turns her head and opens them at him. "Two months."

"Only two months?? Fuck, I've got a hell of a shot." He laughs, lifting his glass to cheers her as he slides his arm back around her. He knows the crazy control he has over her.

"Fuck you. No, you don't. I'm in love with him. Have been since before you. Fuck. I sold my apartment and am basically living with him." The words explode out of Luna's mouth.

All Tommy hears is two words in her whole statement. "Before me?" He asks, showing a hint of emotion.

Luna sighs again. Not being able to side step him or want to, she places her hand on his right one that's on the bar now. "I met him almost 10yrs ago. When I was still with Justin. Our vibe was really intense and I ran away. He's from Cleveland so we didn't cross paths again until recently.

"Fucking Cleveland?" What? Are you dating Drew fucking Carey??" He gives her a dirty look, throwing his hands up. He knocks her shoulder as her one hand flies up with his. Wincing from the hit, she looks up at him with her big, blue eyes. Shaking his head, he brings his right hand up to stroke her face. "You should've left him for me, a long time ago."

In her heart, Luna isn't sure if she disagrees.

The band begins to rumble.

Tommy hears it too.

"You wanna bump?" Tommy asks her with a gleam in his eye.

"Nah, I've been off that shit since we split." She tells him. Tommy was the biggest cocaine distributor in all five boroughs. Probably even bigger now.

"C'mon, you know I got that pure." He coaxes her.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm gonna go catch a cigarette before the band kicks in." She tells him, sliding off her stool. "It was good to see you." She says him to his unhappy look.

--------------------------------------------------

Outside Luna tries to call Colson again. He doesn't answer. Checking her watch, it's not even 11P. Hearing the band kick on, she finishes her cigarette, rummaging through her bag for her camera as she walks back in.

Annoyed, she thinks to herself "He never answers when I'm fucking home." Glancing at the bar as she makes her way to the stage, she sees that Tommy is gone.

--------------------------------------------------

Colson and Casie are passed out on the couch in Ohio. They had finished their FortNite match and fallen asleep watching Maleficent. Colson's phone ringing in the kitchen.

--------------------------------------------------

The band is amazing. They're called Product of a Government. They're fast and loud with INCREDIBLE lyrics. Ripping through Trump, Pence, Alabama, Kavanaugh and Brock Turner. Luna makes her way up front. Shooting them as they play. Bouncing and bobbing to their melodies and the crowd.

Once the show ends, Luna approaches them on stage.

"Hey." She greets them. They stop what they're doing like most men do when Luna speaks. "You guys are uniquely incredible." She praises them. "Are you signed?" She asks.

The guys look around at each other. "Nah..." They answer in unison.

"I'm Luna." She says, reaching her hand out. "I'm a local artist who just broke free of my lable. I'm gonna start my own. I think you guys would be a great launch."

The guys each shake her hand individually. Yet leerily. Because, what GIRL, starting her own lable is going to help them.

She sees their reluctance. "Check me out before you decide." She tells them as a group. "Luna Smith. That Brooklyn Bitch." She says as she turns to walk of stage.

The name rings in an ear. "Fuck. Like THAT Brooklyn Bitch???" A voice asks behind her. They've heard of her folklore.

"The only one." She turns around smiling. She's got 'em. "It's not up and running yet, so do you. But let's exchange numbers and if you're not signed by then. I've got you." Luna shrugs.

She exchanges numbers with all members. Reassuring them she got great shots during their set. Luna secretly pleased to still be known for her photography above all.

Tommy watching her on stage.

--------------------------------------------------

Tommy catches her outside smoking. He can't help but yearn for her as she glances over her shoulder at him with those eyes.

"Lemme buy you a drink. To make up for earlier." He says approaching her.

Luna rolls her eyes as she inhales. "Okay." She agrees against her better judgment, as always with him. She finishes her Newport before following Tommy back into the bar.

--------------------------------------------------

Luna's always enjoyed Tommy's company. It's one of the things that made her fall into him so easily. He's funny, sharp and nasty. Three qualities Luna fully enjoys.

They exchange stories of the passed missed years. Deals, robberies, and beat downs, amongst many other illegal activities.

Luna telling him about ICE and the shots exchanged. Tommy's impressed and worried at the same time. Wanting to look at her wound to her laughing decline.

Loose and always able to tell his truth to Luna, Tommy divulges that he fell in love after her. It hurts but she listens.

Luna's one of the few that Tommy trusts, who know's his whole life. He tells her how he lost control and killed his girlfriend because she had turned on James.

Luna isn't surprised. She knows Tommy's undying loyalty to his friend. It's a commonality they share. She's also seen what Tommy is capable of first hand. Never towards her, but they had been together long enough and he had trusted her deeply enough to show her all of him. To this day, he wonders if it was him that scared her and if that was the reason she wouldn't leave Justin for him.

It wasn't.

She can see the torment all over him. Without thinking, she stands up, slides in between his legs and pulls him close for a hug.

The moment their bodies connect there's a surge. Luna's cheeks flush as she feels Tommy's dick grow against her. She mentally shakes it off and holds him for a moment, stroking the back of his neck and hair. His breath is warm on her collarbone. Realizing what can happen, Luna pulls away gently.

"What were you doing on stage?" Tommy asks her, feeling her about to go. Looking for any reason to make her stay.

"Oh! I think I'm gonna start a record lable myself." She tells him, shifting gears as she slides back onto her stool.

Luna tells him her idea as she bitches about Charles, this weird fame that's creeping up on her and how she feels exposed.

"That's why you need you an undercover brother." He teases her. "I'd keep you tight."

"Shut up." Luna tells him, rolling her eyes. She knows she has to get the fuck up outta there soon.

Finishing her drink, Luna looks at Tommy. "I gotta go." She tells him.

"Lemme drive you..." He coaxes with a grin.

"Noooooo..." Luna laughs, shaking her head.

"No fucking way in hell." She thinks to herself. "You are in this with Colson, Loons. FUCK NO!! FUCK THIS MOTHERFUCKER." Knowing in all honesty she doesn't trust herself around Tommy. With him, she undercover hurts people and makes bad decisions.

"Okay, lemme walk you out then and hail you a cab." He tells her. Luna agrees, tipping the bartender before they head out.

--------------------------------------------------

Luna lets Tommy lead her outside. It's too easy to fall into his strong step.

Standing on the curb, he teases her about her upcoming fame. They're too close to each other. Laughing, Tommy scoops up Luna in his big arms, gripping her ass. Falling out of reality for a second she wraps her legs around him.

"I knew you loved me." He grins.

Luna can't help but smile while reaching to place a hand on his throat. She closes her eyes for just a moment. Breathing him in before dropping her legs. She moves her hand down and pushes against his defined chest as she slides off of him.

"Mmmmm... Let Daddy take you home, Little One." Tommy moans as her body slips through his hands.

"FUCK." Luna thinks as the simple words bring her back to their enticing kink. She feels her pussy plump. "You've gotta fucking GO!" Her brain screams at her.

Luna spots a cab. Throwing a hard whistle, it pulls over for her.

Unable to help herself, she kisses Tommy hard on the lips. "I did love you." She states before jumping in the cab and hustling it off.

Tommy stands there, the same way he laid the night she left him. Confused, heartbroken and longing for her.

--------------------------------------------------

"WHAT THE FUCK LUNA!?!" She scolds herself. Shaking her head, she leans back in the cab. "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?!!... Well, at least you didn't fuck him this time." She battles with herself. Still worried about Colson. "You're a fucking ASSHOLE." She thinks of herself.

--------------------------------------------------

Back at her B&B, Luna feels guilty as fuck. It's too late to call so she Snaps Colson.

Luna bumps two 30s, swallows a bar and burns through three joints trying to calm her mind from tonight's bullshit.

"Fucking Tommy....... I never thought... FUCK." She feels her body heat up as her heart aches. Her mind rejecting him in the moment. "How the fuck did you even end up here?" Luna wonders drunk. Slightly confused about her entire fucking life.

--------------------------------------------------

To be continued......

[achrisstevenson]

The Illustrious Wendy Van Camp Interview!

Author Interview: Chris J. Breedlove

October 23, 2019

Wendy Van Camp

2 Comments

I asked Author Chris Breedlove what his motto for being a writer was.  He answered:

A Writer is… A humble, receptive student and negotiator But the heart that beats within his/her breast Is a determined savage Unfamiliar with surrender

Please welcome this savvy science fiction author to No Wasted Ink.

My name is Chris Harold Stevenson and I’m 67 years young. I go by the pen name Christy J. Breedlove for my YA books and stories. Yes, I changed gender entirely. That’s another story.

My early writing accomplishment were multiple hits within a few years: In my first year of writing back in 1987, I wrote three SF short stories that were accepted by major slick magazines which qualified me for the Science Fiction Writers of America, and at the same time achieved a Finalist award in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. This recognition garnered me a top gun SF agent at the time, Richard Curtis Associates. My first novel went to John Badham (Director) and the producers, the Cohen Brothers. Only an option, but an extreme honor. The writer who beat me out of contention for a feature movie was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. My book was called Dinothon.

A year after that I published two best-selling non-fiction books and landed on radio, TV, in every library in the U.S. and in hundreds of newspapers.

I have been trying to catch that lightning in a bottle ever since. My YA dystopian novel, The Girl They Sold to the Moon won the grand prize in a publisher’s YA novel writing contest, went to a small auction and got tagged for a film option. So, My latest release is Sceamcatcher: Web World, and it’s showing some promise. I’m getting there, I hope!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I considered myself a writer when I published the two shorts in Amazing Stories magazine. I actually considered myself an author after my first non-fiction book was published and hit the media. It seems I had to have legitimate credits in order to claim such status.

Can you share a little about your current book with us?

I can give you the basic summary, or the extended blurb:

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half-blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Native American lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world filled with murders, beasts, and thieves. How can they find the center of the web where all good things are allowed to pass? Where is the light of salvation? Are they in hell?

What inspired you to write this book?

It all started with a dream catcher. This iconic item, which is rightfully ingrained in Indian lore, is a dream symbol respected by the culture that created it. It is mystifying, an enigma that that prods the imagination. Legends about the dream catcher are passed down from multiple tribes. There are variations, but the one fact that can be agreed upon is that it is a nightmare entrapment device, designed to sift through evil thoughts and images and only allow pleasant and peaceful dreams to enter into the consciousness of the sleeper.

I wondered what would happen to a very ancient dream catcher that was topped off with dreams and nightmares. What if the nightmares became too sick or deathly? What if the web strings could not hold any more visions? Would the dream catcher melt, burst, vanish, implode? I reasoned that something would have to give if too much evil was allowed to congregate inside of its structure. I found nothing on the Internet that offered a solution to this problem—I might have missed a relevant story, but nothing stood out to me. Stephen King had a story called Dream Catcher, but I found nothing in it that was similar to what I had in mind. So I took it upon myself to answer such a burning question. Like too much death on a battlefield could inundate the immediate location with lost and angry spirits, so could a dream catcher hold no more of its fill of sheer terror without morphing into something else, or opening up a lost and forbidden existence. What would it be like to be caught up in another world inside the webs of a dream catcher, and how would you get out? What would this world look like? How could it be navigated? What was the source of the exit, and what was inside of it that threatened your existence? Screamcatcher: Web World, the first in the series, was my answer. I can only hope that I have done it justice.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I’m a fruit salad of other known writer’s influences. Oh, like what I consider stylists: Poul Anderson, Virgin Planet, Peter Benchley, The Island and Jaws, Joseph Wambaugh, The Onion Field and Black Marble, Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, Alan Dean Foster, Icerigger trilogy, and some Stephen King. Anne Rice impresses with just about anything she has written. I think it’s the humor and irony that attracts me the most–and it’s all character-related

How did you come up with the title of this book?

After I had the idea/premise for the book, having researched similar works, if any, I found that I had something very unique. It dawned on me to name the book Screamcatcher since it was a play on words and it sounded impactful. Again, I researched that word and only found that it was used in a short story about a kid having a tooth extraction. I knew then that I was home free. I was continuously complimented by all of the publishers and editors who saw the title. It’s the first book in the series, and I have sub-titles for the other two as well, which are sold and just about ready for editing.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I’m not very heavy-handed when it comes to delivering messages in my books. I want to avoid any preaching at all costs. I do include the basic/standard survival, loyalty, courage and persistence themes in my young characters, as well as emotional growth and cooperation. I did hide, or rather include, a very deep and subtle message in the story that I think most will gloss over or not recognize altogether. And that is my belief that sometimes the nice guy finishes first and gets the gal. I wanted something that swerved away from the controlling, domineering alpha male that is so often seen in other works of YA and romance. I wanted a slow burn sweet romance that was touching. Quite a few reviewers recognized this message and I got kudos for it. That was a RELIEF.

Are experiences in this book based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

The main character Jorlene (Jory) is named after my sister. Although she does not resemble the FMC physically, she does so in an emotional sense. Her boyfriend, Choice Daniels, is named after my great-nephew. All of my books contain the names of my extended family members. And there are parts of them that show through in the personalities of the fictional characters.

What authors have most influenced your life? What about them do you find inspiring?

Other than those stylists mentioned above, I had direct contact with members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Alan Dean Foster, Richard Curtis, Robert Bloch, Bob Heinlein, Clive Barker, and others. From their Youtube instruction videos and articles, JK Rowling, Anne Rice, and Stephen King have inspired me tremendously with their no-nonsense attitude about hammering those keys in spite of depression, lack of motivation or pure laziness.

If you had to choose, is there a writer would you consider a mentor? Why?

That honor would go to Poul Anderson who wrote back to me habitually and gave me guidance in the industry when I needed it the most. He took out his valuable time to befriend me and answer so many questions. Can you tell I’m a dinosaur yet?

Who designed the cover of your book? Why did you select this illustrator?

Carlone Andrus of Melange Books, Fire & Ice YA division rendered the cover after reading the book. I had a different idea in mind, but she absolutely nailed it. The compliments have never stopped coming. Most of the plot is revealed on the cover but you would have to search very hard to put it all together.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Watch your spending on ads–they can be grossly ineffective. Use social media and generously interact with fellow writers and readers. Don’t abuse FB and Twitter solely for the purpose of “Buy My Book.” Join writing groups and learn from the pros. Ask politely for reviews–don’t pressure, harass or intimidate. Be creative. Target your genre readers. Offer incentives and freebies. Craft a newsletter and send it out bi-monthly. Don’t take critiques as personal attacks–learn from honest opinions. Don’t despair. Never give up. Revenge query. I run a writer’s advocate blog and I pull no punches.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

If you think that you’ve had it tough, I recommend you watch Magic Beyond Words, the life story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Books just don’t happen. They are nurtured and raised from infancy, just like a budding writer is. This business might quit you, but you cannot quit the business. Stay active and attentively writing.

Chris J. Breedlove Sylvania, Alabama

FACEBOOK TWITTER AMAZON PAGE BLOG

Screamcatcher: Web World

[the-firebird69]

US House approves spending bill to avert government shutdown | Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-aims-pass-spending-bill-avert-weekend-government-shutdown-2024-03-06/

They've been doing this for years and using temporary funding and spending tons of money and then a lot of the money for it and not deducting what they spend and they're using the money to try and buy illegal things and they keep on threatening everybody with chaotic world and country did not find their own government and today we said we've had enough of them doing this every time and we're going to start arresting them for grafts and corruption and the pseudo empire is up to it too and they suck they're just as criminal and they're just bothering our son all the time like idiots would so we're going through all this stuff and our son said we're intelligent there must be a solution these people suck so bad I decided we know what the solution is and then he said that we're going to replace them and foreigners and we should start doing it in places to train it's going to be a different formula in a different ball game and we've been doing it and you have been pushing it to happen here quite a bit it is a lot of pushing to do this week. There's another thing going on too he has to handle your problems and get involved with your court cases and decide the outcome and pay for it and all of it no matter what he's doing so he started to crucify your dumb m************ and you're all going away and we're helping and it's true

This is gone online out this is going on long enough it's ridiculous you each have more money for the weekend they need to do you get the stupid funding and it just looks ridiculous and you're bothering us

+we're going to lay down some guidelines if you don't follow them you're doomed and you said you declare war and we don't care if you do it or not no you don't need you to declare war on this idiots and what you doing is an illegal action anyways and we're deciding what to do about it now we're coming in already once again and none of you notice so I'm going to take more and we're taking a hold of her all of the world too and nobody knows

-good morning after Stan today for his attitude I'm going to take his stuff and her stuff we don't need you idiots. In the trip to Arizona is canceled and he can go there for a different reason.

-we also have several other things for people to think about they blew their own plan they want us to do the job no matter what and I'm trying to do by threats and it never works and they're just dumb

-we're up to it now and we're getting rid of you and we're going to flush several things are proving that it's true firstly this huge invasion of yours didn't happen and you're still trying to build up in Alabama and Georgia and throughout the South and you're ruining the place it's becoming inhabitable the areas too big areas too and it's probably 0.5% of the general populace but we don't want you continuously doing that to come here to Florida to screw around just to get rid of yourselves it's stupid and it's illegal in the United States to wage war in the United States and Trump should be executed publicly if you march down the road in the line we can apply you up and pseudo empire is going to be forced to do that it's too costly to sit here and watch you do the stupid s***

-the stashes and cashes in the Western hemisphere were rated last night we said 15% maybe and they're already empty 25% and it was rated to about 20% so they're at 45% empty almost half and the loser doesn't react appropriately and we don't care and yeah if you have the AI it'd be gone long gone by now and in the Eastern hemisphere they're building up there's 65% empty and they're going to take it we think 20 to 25%, bring it up to 90% empty possibly and this stupid chapter will be over and people have to sit here and listen to your whining

-huge armies are descending on your stashes and caches huge and they are wiping your people out right now last night you were 3.5% out of the off Island roughly 12% and it's more like 4% or 4.5%, but right now they're going to wipe out probably 1% of your entire force bring it to 3.5% actually and they're not going to stop there they said in the cities are going to be attacking so today it might be another 0.5% with that and you're planning to attack the bunkers of the pseudo empire who knows you could lose 2% and your islands are being attacked back more luck and pseudo empire they're attacking them too and it's minority more locked and foreigners and they're using them for real it is a big force today they plan on wiping out tons of you. And yeah sure that's what it's about you are not watching your rear Sherry and that's what happened and you're not being nice to her son at all and that's also what happened and your treatment of him is bogus it's idiocy we tell you not to and now you've got to pay through the nose like everybody else who does it

-we're watching here quite thoroughly we hear you saying really really dumb stuff all day long so I'm going to put you down what you're saying and pretty soon in an hour or two we're going to start going nuts on Sunday dude it would be easier to have you dream of potato es they don't want

-we're going to put APB out on anyone who has caused violent action on her son or if in part of it to eliminate them right now and I'm elevating their risk level we're not tolerating you anymore you're not doing anything but trying to do it again

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

Oh yeah and f*** you Brad

Zues

Hera

[jobone123]

Anyways this blog socialism has become an interrogation but bleeding SAT WROTE IT

You PEOPLE are obviously dead because WHAT SAT SAYS U SAID

All my years I know a dead city when I blog I DONT WRITE THE BLOG THE BLOG WRITES ME ATTITUDE

You PEOPLE deserve to die and after 15 years of working for FLORIDA fears snow in desert I FEEL HONORED TO FINALLY BURY U PEOPLE

You PEOPLE are on a fishing expedition STEVE BANNON

Searching for hate PEOPLE to hate what I say WITH A BLACK SAT OTS NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND give sat ideas to tell PEOPLE because I'm drunk!

Black PEOPLE SUCK big white dirty cock

Anyways you PEOPLE are retarded n boring to make it to FLORIDA s grave site I WISH U A WERE BURIED IN THE DESERT because FLORIDA never should of been in the game 1 plane THEY GOT BLACK PEOPLE GUARDING YACHTS yikes

Anyways u wanna hear how YACHT feel in love with blondes n killed her son DEAF ISLANDERS WITHOUT BOATS DAUGHTERS BATTLE

U want to hear more war stories SO U CAN TELL STATES he hates ALABAMA he said it in his blog OR TO FEAR OTHER PEOPLE INTO AVOIDING ME MURDER

Anyways you PEOPLE are too dead to notice you were never life or you wouldn't be here in YACHT SUNRISE whatever downtown did the mass murders WORKED YOU PEOPLE WOULD GET HIT BY CARS still dry IF JAYSON WASNT BLOGGING your dead n stupid TO MANY JASON SAID THIS SEE IF JAYSON SAYS HES PREETIER THEN THE BLONDE

Anyways you PEOPLE are stupid n need black men to inspire u YIKES N OUCH

Anyways you PEOPLE are 100 murders too many COVID190 downtown worked# now I can sick here and milk all day WHOOPS

[auburnfamilynews]

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Tigers return their top 4 linebackers from 2019 and signed a loaded class this past recruiting cycle. Could this be the best unit in the SEC?

“Doesn’t matter we aren’t having a season!!!”

Yo, we get it. Things are pretty shaky right now with all these out of conference games being cancelled. Confidence is quickly dwindling that there will even be a college football season this year and that sucks.

But until that decision is actually made, we are going to soldier on as if a season of some sort still happens this fall.

And if a season does happen, one unit Auburn fans are going to have a lot of fun watching is the linebackers. Travis Williams took over as Auburn’s linebackers coach in 2016 and immediately turned a unit that had been a consistent weakness in Auburn’s defense to a consistent strength. 2020 might be the best bunch to date.

KJ Britt, Chandler Wooten, Zakoby McClain and Owen Pappoe are all back. Auburn signed three blue chip prospects in the 2020 class. This unit is going to be VERY good. But will it be the best?

The Auburn football sages here at the Temple of College & Magnolia are here to dispense their wisdom once again on why Auburn will or won’t have the best linebacker corps in all of the SEC this season.

AUNerd

This one is legitimately tough for me. There are 3 strong contenders for this honor in my opinion: Alabama, Auburn and Georgia. The Crimson Tide’s backers struggled at times last fall but that’s because by the of the season they were starting two true freshman. They are a year older and now they return Dylan Moses who missed all of last season with an injury. He’s been consistently mocked by experts to be a 1st round draft pick next spring.

But I would rank them 3rd at the moment. Auburn returns their outstanding foursome this fall. KJ Britt is unquestionably the best run stopping backer in the country and with some improvements in coverage could challenge Moses for that top spot in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Owen Pappoe started every game despite being a true freshman and is poised for a monster sophomore season. At times, I thought Zakoby McClain was the best linebacker on the field last fall while Chandler Wooten is a leader who can play all three positions in Auburn’s scheme.

The homer in me wants to go Auburn but if I am being honest, I think heading into the fall I would give Georgia the nod. Monty Rice is a beast and is back to lead this nasty UGA defense once again. Tae Crowder is gone but will be replaced by Nakobe Dean who graded out the highest of all freshman linebackers per PFF. Former blue chips Quay Walker, Trezman Marshall and Channing Tindall serve as backups while Azeez Ojulari has a chance to be a breakout pass rusher off the edge.

I love Auburn’s group but I am going to give just the ever so slightest of nods to the Dawgs and then take a very long shower.

Verdict: No

Jack Condon

I can’t believe Nerd chose not to #BarnHard above, but it’s alright. I’ll get us rolling in the right direction. While you may be looking at the raw talent and recruiting rankings of some other linebacker groups in the SEC, there are some intangibles that only come with time that fall in Auburn’s favor.

Nerd went through some of the superlatives with Britt, Pappoe, McClain, and Wooten, and while they’re not as highly-regarded as some of the studs in Athens or Tuscaloosa, the group itself will be better. With K.J. Britt as an undoubted leader in the middle, Auburn’s group won’t be in the wrong mindset or positioning at all. We’ve now seen the fireworks from a player like Zakoby “Mac Jones is my favorite player” McClain, and Owen Pappoe learned a ton from being in the rotation as a freshman.

I think one of the most important benefits for Auburn this season will be the “minister of culture” attitude that it seems like Chandler Wooten has taken on. With all of the recent events around the country, he appeared to shoulder the outward vocal responsibility for the team, and he did so in a mature and eloquent manner. Having someone like that in the room will only make the other linebackers strive for greatness.

Plus, you’ve got the added positive that they’ve all played together for an entire year now. Yeah, Alabama’s got Dylan Moses, but they lost Anfernee Jennings and Terrell Lewis. Georgia’s got some fantastic young guys as well, but both teams are going to be going through the growing pains of meshing as a unit. This season especially, that’s going to be even more difficult to do than ever. No spring practice, and possibly less fall practice. That’s why Auburn has the edge this season.

Verdict: Yes

Will McLaughlin

Nerd and Jack have already hit on basically every point I would have made here. K.J. Britt did a tremendous job filling the role left by Deshaun Davis the prior before. I’m excited to see what Britt does for an encore and the continued emergence of Owen Pappoe. With no spring practice and an experienced group coming back across the board, I will choose to Barn Hard to answer this question!

Verdict: Yes

Josh Black

They will but they won’t get the credit for it. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better collection of linebackers based on talent and experience than K.J. Britt, Owen Pappoe, Chandler Wooten, and Zakoby McClain. What Travis Williams has done in restoring the pride of the Auburn linebackers is inspiring. K.J. Britt is one of the most sound tacklers Auburn has had in a decade and matches it with a toughness and ability to lay the wood that we weren’t used to seeing 4 years ago.

But you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere outside of this here website that will agree with Auburn’s linebackers being the best in 2020, and the reason is because of the lack of experience in front of and behind them. I could easily see Georgia’s group getting the nod this year with all that they return defensively. Shoot of Alabama’s group ever stays healthy they’ll be a sexier pick.

Bottom line, go ahead and get ready to be called a homer this fall for believing in the Auburn linebacking corp. But also be prepared to be right.

Verdict: Yes

James Jones

Short answer: Yes, because they had it last year and didn’t lose anyone.

Long answer: The only question here is whether or not Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson made that much of a difference for Britt and company. We know they were great, but were they so great that they made the men behind him look like all conference players? I don’t think that gives this group enough credit. KJ Britt is a potential first round draft pick. Owen Pappoe is the perfect linebacker for the way football is played today. Chandler Wooten made the most of his chances, and he would be a star on other teams. Zackoby McClain only made the kind of play that kids dream about in their backyards*. This is the most talent Auburn has had at linebacker since 2003, which included one of the greatest linebackers in Auburn history in Karlos Dansby, an incredibly smart and agile Dontarrious Thomas in the middle, and the one man in common with both groups: Travis Williams.

Verdict: Yes

*-I was a kid during the Pat Dye era. To heck with offense, I wanted to be a linebacker

DrewMac

I am really happy I am right after my good buddy James Jones, especially with that line of being an Dye-hard Auburn man. Everyone above me has made some solid points and pretty much everything I had thought up to say. The only thing missing is that ZacKoby McClain is from Valdosta, GA and if you want football players, you get real ones in South Georgia. Auburn is EXTREMELY solid at the linebacker position which they have got to be since we lose two men on the front along with Nick Coe. Are they the best in the conference though? Maybe? Here’s the thing though, get me in the conversation of being the best and that’s all I can really ask for, because being in the conversation, leads to this...

HOW DID THIS JUST HAPPEN!???!?!?! pic.twitter.com/lyJ2tkj465

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 30, 2019

Verdict: Uh-huh

Ryan Sterritt

I’ll be honest, I haven’t done my homework this offseason. I haven’t bought my Athlon and Lindy’s, and I haven’t been looking at other team’s depth charts, unless that team is Arizona State in my NCAA 14 dynasty. But you see, I’ve painted myself into a bit of a corner.

Instead, I’m going to lean on Auburn’s returning sack leader to have an even bigger year and put himself in position to be Auburn’s first 1st round draft pick at linebacker since Takeo Spikes.

Yeah, that quote was me in last week’s roundtable, predicting KJ Britt to lead Auburn in sacks and become a first round draft pick. I’m going to double down on my love for KJ Britt, especially when he’s being paired with @TheFreak.

Verdict: Yes

You’ve heard our sage advice, now it’s your turn. Will Auburn have the best linebacker corps in the SEC this season?

War Eagle

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/7/13/21320690/c-m-roundtable-will-auburn-have-the-best-linebacker-corps-in-the-sec