#Camcorder Review

[melancholicstation]

WHEN I WAS A WAITRESS WEARING A WHITE DRESS - jfk jr. intern!reader headcanon's

day 7 of melancholichristmas is here, sorry for the delay!

you come in extra early into the office before everyone gets there with your hair rollers still in to get started on work early and john definitely catches you one time

so. many. woollen sweaters in spring-time colors

johns definitely one of those bosses who get downnnn at work christmas parties

like that man is on a dance-floor rampage...

he's soo this one video

will 100% walk you to your train stop to make sure you get on the train safe

cause he's a gentleman trust that!

doesn't ask you on a date until you've moved to a different magazine so it isn't a weird power-balance type situation

I have this weird sixth sense that he has a irate fear of cats

so when he comes over to your place and meets your 3 cats his nervous system cannot be calmed down whatsoever...

also would 100% close AND lock the door to the bedroom whenever y'all are in there just so the cats don't interfere

would clown the hell out of you if you wear those tabi mary-janes into the office

but that's okay cause he just doesn't get it

your chaotic nightstand of trinkets deeply offends jfk jr's instincts to a more minimalist style

he lovessss a rare lamb chop let me tell you that for free

he definitely walks into the george office with lip stick stains on his t-shirt

like exactly this shirt, except its real and not embroidery

you guys love drinking a melancholic beer on a nyc rooftop

you both take a lot of cute couple videos outside of work on a shared camcorder

and then you review them at the end of the year on new years eve together over dirty martini's!

has the appearance of a woodland nymph scared when watching scary halloween films

specifically david lynch's 'eraserhead' and the 1960s film 'eyes without a face'

you charm his mother by telling her that you've read war and peace three times and by gifting her a signed first edition copy for her collection:

sorry if this is very short, been feeling a little burnout that's all!

[ecofear]

ok so i was reading a review for the cipher that said it was poorly written and made no sense. i just encountered the part they quoted to prove their point.

they were like “how did he balance the bottom of a phone on his hip and have it to his ear? is he a contortionist?”

what they’re forgetting is this book was published in 1991 and the dude owns a VHS player and they use a camcorder and he works at a VHS rental store

he’s holding one of those fat ass home phones with a base you can carry around and one of those curly wires attached. he’s squished the base into his hip while he’s walking around packing a bag.

like are we this stupid? ARE WE??????

[scorpiussage]

The Lost Footage of You | Part 1 (Tom Buckley/OC)

Pairing: Tom Buckley (Red Lights)/OC

Summary: Tom gets called to a review a very odd case involving a young woman and some unexplainable found footage. 

Warnings: Violence, very dark themes

i.

Tom hates dealing with cops and he’s certain they hate him just as much. They watch him with open disdain as he gets buzzed through the locked security check points that keep the patients at Creekwood Sanitarium in and the regulars of society out. 

A nurse with the look of someone exhausted down to their soul meets him once he’s completely through security. She holds out a laminated visitors pass and he barely gets the chance to grab it and fix it to his clothes before she’s marching away from him down the main entrance corridor. 

“You’ll get thirty minutes to talk to her, so make it count,” the woman utters boredly, her gait surprisingly fast given her overall disposition and it causes Tom to have to power walk in order to keep up with her.  

“Er— right,” Tom replies weakly, trying to get his thoughts in order, “Has she said anything since being admitted?”

The nurse shoots him a sharp eyed, pursed lip look, “No.” 

Tom mentally adds “Nurses” to his ever growing list of things and people he hates. 

This entire case is sort of an unconventional one for Tom. Usually he’s exposing supposed psychics and tarot readers as fraudulent— never has he been asked by law enforcement to work on a case. 

Two weeks ago, six people were found brutally murdered at what appeared to be some sort of séance. A seventh person was found unconscious at the scene, a one Y/F/N Y/L/N, and with her a camcorder and a purse full of tapes. Now, Tom hasn’t seen the tapes yet, (he’s still waiting for clearance from the county judge to be allowed to watch them) but he’s been told roughly what they consist of. Whatever is on those tapes has law enforcement quaking in their boots. 

Tom has been called in to not only determine the validity of the tapes, but to also see if the young woman involved has some sort of supernatural ability. The police certainly think that the tapes are supernatural in nature. 

For a psychiatric facility, the living quarters of the patients and the inmates are actually pretty nice compared to the standard. Y/N has her own room and it has a few furnishings like a desk and a cushioned chair near the barred window. She’s sitting in said chair, starring out into the gray gloom of the facility grounds and the forest beyond them. 

This is the first look that Tom is getting of her and while they told him she was young, he’s still surprised. She can’t be older than 25 and she’s shockingly beautiful too. He sort of freezes in place when their eyes meet for the first time. He feels all too like the skinny weird kid he used to be and being faced with the local hottie. 

“Remember Mr. Buckley, 30 minutes,” the nurse says, shocking Tom out of his trance as she leaves the two of them alone, locking the door behind herself. 

Tom clears his throat awkwardly and takes a seat on the edge of Y/N’s desk, realizing too late that it probably makes him look like a middle school teacher trying to seem down to earth. 

“Hello,” he says with a weak smile, “I’m Dr. Tom Buckley.” 

“You don’t look like a doctor,” Y/N replies with a voice so soft that Tom has to lean forward to hear her better. 

“Er— I’m not a medical doctor, actually I’m a physicist.” 

Trying to grasp onto what to say next, Tom pulls the desk chair out and brings it over to where she’s sitting, placing himself in front of her, “I’m sort of a specialist in my particular field.” 

The woman stares at him blankly and it prompts him to start info dumping, “I deal with uncovering frauds who claim to be psychic or to have supernatural abilities. Not to say that that’s what you are, but that’s why I’m here.” 

The woman nods, “The police think I killed all those people.” 

Tom winces, “Um, yeah, they do.” 

Sinking into her chair she regards him with those piercing eyes of hers, almost making him feel like he’s being dissected. 

“Sometimes things happen around me that don’t make sense,” she says after a while, cutting off Tom who was about to start asking questions if only to fill the silence, “I carry around a videocamera to document everything.” 

“Have you? Documented these weird happenings?”

Y/N fidgets, her eyes darting to look back out the window, “A friend of a friend of a friend heard about me and requested me to do this séance? Like with a ouija board and stuff? I didn’t really want to do it but he said he’d pay me for my time.”

She takes a deep breath here, seemingly struggling to say out loud what occurred, “I told them it was a bad idea. The weird things that happen around me? The energies don’t like being taunted and I told those people that but they didn’t listen to me.” 

Tom quickly pulls out a notebook and pen, ready to take notes, “Can you tell me a bit more about these ‘energies’? What do they do?” 

“I— I wouldn’t call them ghosts, that seems too simple to what they are. They just— they’re always there, following me around? They get mad if I ignore them too long or if I try to provoke them.” 

“What do they do if you ignore them?” He asks. 

Y/N bites her lip nervously, eyeing him like she’s trying to decide if he’s trustworthy or not. She must come to the conclusion that he is, because she turns around in her chair and lifts up the back of her shirt. 

Tom’s notebook and pen go clattering to the floor, his shock audible in the horrified gasp he lets out. Big ugly bruises and weeping claw marks mar her back, in locations and styles that she would not be able to do to herself. 

Tom thinks that this case is going to end up being more than he bargained for. 

ii.

Tom isn’t sure what to expect when he finally gets approval to view the video tapes. He’s left alone in an unused interrogation room with a small box TV and a larger-than-he-expected stack of tapes. None of them are labeled and the cop that escorted him to the room fucked off without saying anything. 

With a deep sigh, Tom grabs the first tape on the top and pushes it into the VCR. It starts off how all home made videos are want to do, with jumbled, unfocused images before they finally settle.

It’s Y/N filming herself through the reflection of a bathroom mirror. She’s breathing heavily and the camera is shaking with her unsteady hands. Gulping audibly, she starts talking, “It’s— uh— Tuesday, August the 5th. The noises are back.” 

She jumps when a loud thump echoes in the background. She swings the camera to face a closed door— either the door to the bathroom or a closet, Tom can’t tell. Everything is still and quiet before another bang visibly rattles the door in its frame. Like someone slammed their fist into it. 

Y/N drops the camera in fright, the visual becoming that of her feet and the bottom of the door. 

Tom is both captivated and horrified, this whole thing is playing out like a real life horror movie.

“Don’t do it, don’t open the door,” he mutters to himself, both literally and figuratively on the edge of his seat. He holds his breath when she cracks the door.

She stands there for a moment before reaching down and picking up the camera. The door is now open to show a tightly packed linen closet. There’s absolutely no where a person could hide in that. 

Tom turns off the TV. 

iii.

The next time Tom goes to visit her, it’s during the patients’ outside recreational time. She’s sat off by herself under the shade of a large tree and she’s ripping up fistfuls of grass boredly. Tom rubs his sweaty palms on his pants before taking a seat near her. 

“Hey,” he greets awkwardly, “How are you?”

She shrugs and he tries to figure out what to say next. 

“How long have weird things been happening to you?” He eventually lands on, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

“Since I was a kid, I guess? My mom kept making us move because she was convinced the houses we lived in were haunted.” 

The ‘but it’s actually me’ goes unsaid. Tom feels a lot of sympathy for her, he can’t imagine being terrorized by unseen forces for years. He doesn’t really know how to express that sentiment to her though without flat out saying her life is a fucking horror movie. 

Deciding to change trajectory of the conversation, he asks, “Can you tell me more about that night?”

“It was supposed to be a seance,” she tells him and then after a long pause adds, “I think.” 

He frowns, “You think?”

She brushes the loose grass off of her palms, “The set up was really weird. Everyone was in a circle and they made me sit in the middle.”

“You were in the middle?”

She nods, “I brought my camera, but they told me I wasn’t allowed to film. I lied about turning it off and left it recording inside my bag. I just felt weird about the whole thing.” 

Tom bites at his thumb as he thinks. He hasn’t made it to the video of that night yet and this conversation is creating more questions than answers. 

“What happened next?” He finally asks. 

“That’s the thing. I can’t remember.” 

iv

Tom doesn’t know how many more of the tapes he can watch. Each one is more horrifying than the last and if it were him, he would’ve taken a swan dive off a building out of sheer terror. 

For not the first time, he wishes Margaret was still alive to give him some guidance on what to do. Part of him feels relief that there’s another with strange abilities, but not at the suffering of this poor woman. 

He’s only halfway through the stack and he feels like this entire experience has aged him 10 years. With an exhausted sigh, he pops the next one into the VCR and hits play. 

The video starts off with a visual of the end of her bed before she turns the camera around to show her face. The lighting is poor, coming only from the faint glow of her bedside lamp. 

“It’s 2:38 am,” her voice is in a hushed whisper like she’s afraid of being overheard, “There’s something under my bed.” 

She peeks the camera over the edge of her bed to show her wooden floors. Nothing happens for a long moment before the camera jolts as the bed is shaken in its frame. She lets out a scream and buries herself under the covers like a child would, bringing the camera with her. The video goes on with a close up of her panicked face until eventually she falls asleep. 

Tom feels like he’s the only one who’s capable of protecting her. 

to be continued...

Part 2

[theres-a-body-here]

Ghostface x Creep!reader (Smut)

It's been a while since you last hung out with Danny, so you snatched him up from the campfire when you were both free. Now, you're both seated under the shade of a towering tree in the forest beyond the warmth of the fire.

You're engrossed in reviewing the footage you've captured on your camcorder, your attention fixated on the scenes of fear and struggle you've documented. The glow from the small screen casts a faint, white light across your wolf mask as you immerse yourself in your trial recordings.

Beside you, Danny sits in a relaxed posture, his signature knife dancing deftly in his fingers. His actions are almost meditative. There's a comfortable silence that envelops the both of you.

Ghostface glances over at you, taking in the sight of your focused expression on the camcorder. He watches for a moment before speaking up, his voice deep and low-toned.

"You know wolfie, if you wanted to capture some real footage, I could always star in it for you."

He winks at you with a hint of playful smugness as he twirls his knife between his fingers expertly.

A faint smirk tugs at your lips as you listen to his proposition. "You're such a dork," you retort, rolling your eyes behind your mask as you sift through the recordings, discarding the mundane ones that don't meet your standards.

Ghostface chuckles lowly at your response, leaning in closer to you. "You know I'm not just any dork, babe. I'm your dork," he says as he places a hand on your thigh, his touch both possessive and comforting all at once.

A playful grin tugs at your lips beneath your mask. "You're stupid," you tease, a light-hearted retort that carries a hint of affectionate mockery.

You lean into the moment, your gaze meeting his beneath your mask. "Besides," you add with a teasing lilt in your voice, "you'd be a terrible subject."

"Oh really?" Ghostface says, his hand sliding up your thigh slightly. "I think I could come up with some pretty interesting footage for you." He leans in closer to you, his warm breath ghosting over the side of your mask as he speaks.

You don't respond, but your breathing becomes heavy as the sound fills the air. You want to see where this is going.

Ghostface takes your silence as a cue to continue, his hand now resting on your crotch. He gives it a gentle squeeze before starting to rub you through the fabric of your pants.

Your breath hitches as your hold on your camcorder tightens. It makes a creaking sound from how hard you're gripping it

Ghostface continues to rub you, noticing your reaction and enjoying the power he has over you. He leans in closer and whispers in your ear. "Do you like that, Wolfie?"

He then reaches over with his other hand and starts to tug at the mask covering your face. "Let me see that pretty little face of yours," he whispers before pulling off your mask completely, revealing your features to him.

Danny's reaction draws your attention. His low whistle reverberates in the air, an admiring sound that fills the space between you. You feel a subtle warmth creep up your cheeks, your usual composed demeanor momentarily disrupted by his unabashed admiration.

"Well, well, look at you," he comments, his voice laced with lust. His own mask is the next to come off, revealing his face to you. The tension in the air seems to shift as you both stare at each other.

Your instinctive response is to avert your gaze, a mix of embarrassment and flustered disbelief coloring your features. "S-shut up, dumbass," you growl.

Ghostface smirks as he watches your flustered reaction, his hand moving down to grasp at your chin and turn you back towards him. "Don't be shy now, cutie," he says in a low voice that sends shivers down your spine. "I love seeing that pretty face blush."

He then leans in for a kiss. This one is intense as his tongue slides into your mouth and dances with yours. His hand moves down to undo the button of your pants, his fingers slipping beneath the waistband of your underwear to rub directly against your sensitive skin.

You let out a low moan as his tounge explores your mouth. You manage to grab your camcorder and point it at the scene

"I need.....I need to record this for later," you barely manage to spit out between kisses as Ghostface presses your body against his.

Ghostface pulls back slightly as he sees you grabbing your camcorder, one eyebrow quirked in amusement. "Well, if that's what you want," he says with a chuckle before leaning in to kiss you again.

He then starts to undo his own pants, pulling them down along with his underwear to reveal his thick cock. It stands proudly erect and ready for action, gleaming with pre-cum at the tip.

you immediately point the camera at his cock. Wanting to get every angle. You want this footage to be something you come back to for a long time.

Ghostface smirks as he sees you pointing the camera at his cock, and he takes advantage of it by reaching over to grab your head and pull you in closer. "Go ahead, doll," he says lowly. "Get every angle."

He then starts to stroke himself slowly, watching with dark hunger as you record him with your camcorder. His other hand moves back towards your crotch, rubbing against you even harder now as he gets more turned on.

"You're such a dirty little voyeur, aren't you?" he murmurs in your ear before nipping at the lobe playfully.

You let out another moan as you feel your body shaking with desire. Your camcorder shakes in your hand as you try to keep a good view of the show.

Ghostface chuckles darkly as he watches you struggle to hold onto the camcorder, enjoying the sight of your desperation. He continues to stroke himself slowly, letting out a low groan as he feels his own pleasure building.

"You like watching me touch myself, don't you?" he asks in a husky voice as his fingers move faster over his cock. "Do you want me to come for you on camera?"

"Yes.....please yes..." You hated how pathetic you sounded. But all shame seemed to dissipate as you focused on getting the perfect angle on Danny.

"Hmm, anything for you babe," Ghostface purrs seductively. He continues to stroke himself slowly while looking into the camera, his eyes dark with desire as he does so.

He then leans back slightly so the camcorder has a better view of him, and starts stroking himself even harder. His hips start to thrust forward into his hand with each stroke, his breathing becoming more ragged.

Ghostface continues to stroke himself hard and fast, his cock twitching in anticipation as he gets closer and closer to the edge. His breathing becomes more ragged now, each exhale coming out as a low groan of pleasure.

Ghostface grunts and moans with pleasure as he strokes himself faster and harder, his body writhing with ecstasy. The sound of your heavy breathing mingling with his own fills the air.

As you keep recording him with your camcorder, Ghostface pulls you in close once more so that you can feel his body trembling against yours. "I'm gonna come all over myself for you," he pants out breathlessly before giving picking up the pace.

"Oh fuck... I'm gonna come..." he growls out before letting out a loud cry of pleasure as he spills his hot load all over his hand, causing you to zoom in closer to capture every detail on camera.

As you watch Danny climax on camera, your entire body is warmed up with pleasure. You shudder as you zoom in on his cock and the hot cum that's dripping down from it.

Ghostface lets out a few more low groans as he finishes coming, his hand slowly moving up and down his cock to milk every last drop of cum from it. He then looks over at you with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Did you enjoy that, wolfie?" he asks in a low voice before leaning in to kiss you again.

This was definitely going into your daddy compilation

Masterlist here

[grumfield]

Are you actually trying to find footage of the Loch Lomond kiss??

i mean…it’s the holy grail why wouldn’t i want to. shoot for the moon land among the stars and so on and so forth i did lost media stuff before so i thought I’d just try and poke around

that being said i’m starting to realize a few things, and that’s that

1) a lot of the videos people claim were full uploads of footage that got taken down aren’t actually—when i retrieve them from archiving they’re just images with the bootleg audio overlaid and

2) which is that I’m starting to be increasingly dubious that the kiss happened before Acquiesce, which is where I’ve framed a lot of my initial search. I think maybe it was before Columbia or the Swamp Song warmup. Based on what the newspapers/reviews of the time say about it/what happened, and listening to the audio, I don’t think there just isn’t enough time for what they’re describing to have happened. Every news outlet says just a vague “start of the show” but only one mentions Acquiesce, and the space between that and Columbia is only a few seconds…hmm…but maybe not. I’m trying to get a clearer picture, and the audio before acquiesce does have liam yelling about some bullshit and that gets immediately cut off followed by some laughing in the crowd for a few seconds, so it’s possible, but there’s something about the timeline that’s nagging me

whatever. Anyways sorry for the report i’m currently just waiting to see if the guy who had the original camcorder footage is willing to share the full thing with me uncut and until then I’m just doing my fucking uhhhh.

[givehimthemedicine]

NINA and the magic of VHS ✨📼

I think I just figured out a big part of how NINA works. here's how Brenner is "altering" past events.

something just hit me about this footage that's been staring me in the face this whole time.

before I come to my Big Point, let me establish a few things:

the camera codes don't match

s4 keeps giving us camera POV footage that's labeled per camera. we see codes like CAM 071, CAM 039 and CAM 114.

what's weird about that? nothing, except... here are what the tape labels in the NINA library look like:

alphanumeric codes like CAM B2, CAM A5, CAM TR2. not a single one with just the three-digit numerical codes.

k, put a pin in that.

the NINA library is so spotty

Brenner tells El, "Everything that took place in my lab was captured on video tape. Every success and every failure."

but the dates we saw in that closeup are so sparse. it takes only a dozen tapes to span a month of footage leading up to the massacre (a time period you'd think they'd save every second of):

CAM B6 08-10-79 CAM B5 08-12-79 CAM A2 08-20-79 CAM B5 08-25-79 CAM TR1 09-2-79 CAM RR2 09-4-79 CAM C6 09-6-79 CAM RR1 09-6-79 CAM C4 09-7-79 CAM B5 09-7-79 CAM TR2 09-8-79

no idea what a lot of these camera codes denote, but it's not too hard to guess RR means Rainbow Room.

I can tell you off the top of my head that there are four cameras in the Rainbow Room. and one in each corner of the training rooms, at least one apiece in test rooms, bedrooms, hallways. at least one apiece in observation chambers of test rooms - otherwise the One banishment footage wouldn't exist (is that a bit odd now that I think of it?).

and that's not including the tripod cameras with which are recorded close up footage like plinko and the cat.

so, why so few dates and camera angles?

@lilly-flowerr once kindly calculated an estimate about how many VHS tapes would be produced from 100+ cameras' worth of continuous footage for the duration of the HNL program and the result was in the ballpark of several million.

tbf, Brenner never claimed this was all the footage. so I figured, likely, this library actually just houses a pared-down selection of footage relevant to the massacre.

but the problem with that idea is... consider how when we see El get NINA'd with RR footage: she's being shown four views of the room at once. that's already impossible, based on the selection we see available in the library. there aren't even four RR camera views represented on that shelf, let alone all from the same day.

pin that too.

live feeds vs playback

I thought hey, if those camera POVs had dates and everything on them, why isn't that stuff on El's NINA videos? are they hiding that data to facilitate screwing with her?!??

which, yeah. but here's the One banishment footage that Brenner watches alone. no dates on that either:

so I went to look for other times we've seen lab playback to see if there are ever dates.

Hopper checking out the pipe in season 1; Owens reviewing Will's checkup:

that's actually a plot point on the Hopper one because he decided the lab was lying to him about which night that footage was of - if the tapes showed dates onscreen, that wouldn't have been an issue.

so then I thought, ok, if that data doesn't appear on playback, it must only display on monitors showing live feeds, and that stuff doesn't actually get recorded onto it. right?

well here are some live lab feeds: El and the cat; detained Nancy and Jonathan; scientists watching Will's checkup; Owens directing Bob to safety from demodogs. no dates anywhere.

so... if there's no data on live feeds or on playback.... where ARE those dates on the NINA cameras being displayed? there's no internal viewer on those security cameras, like looking through a camcorder viewfinder, so it's not like it's merely "the camera's view" unseen by any actual entity.

so like... who's seeing that? how are we seeing that?

pin that too. I promise we're getting close.

OSD (on screen display)

quick bit of context for those who didn't grow up with VHS.

in VHS days, your video camera (if you had it configured to do so) would put the date onto your home movies. it wasn't a separate layer you could turn on/off after the fact, like DVD subtitles. if that feature was turned on while you were filming, that date was forever fused onto the footage itself. any time you ever played that tape back, you would see that date. there's no way to get rid of it.

osd however - PLAY PAUSE FFW and all that - those labels aren't fused onto the actual footage. they appear momentarily only as you navigate the tape with your VCR. DVD players do the same thing, you're probably familiar.

you can watch the osd labels appear/disappear as Joyce investigates Will's Halloween tape, while the date stays put.

they give us the live camera view of Bob (which has just the date) vs Joyce playing it back on her VCR later (which has the date and also osd). why the timestamps are different is a whoooooole other post.

so now that we're all on the same page about how dates vs. osd works on VCRs,

I'll bring you to the only time I DID find dates on lab playback:

4x6 when Brenner pops this tape in his VCR.

"who's even seeing those ?" Brenner. yeah, that's not my stunning realization. but look what we see up in the top left corner: osd. PLAY.

so here finally is my point: if PLAY appears on the screen as a result of Brenner hitting play on his VCR....

let me direct your attention to the upper left corner of that other footage:

those camera POV shots all say 🔴REC.

those aren't recordings.

they ARE recordING.

Brenner is taping these past events, live, during NINA.

"how do you explain Little El showing up in some of the camera povs? brainwash her all you want, but she would show up big on a tape being recorded in 1986."

indeed! which is why I'm not going so far as to claim Brenner is recording The Actual Past. what I do believe is that he's recording El's memories of the past, in which she is Little El.

"and how are you gonna say Brenner is able to record El's memories right out of her head with a VCR? yes this is fiction, but VHS technology isn't. c'mon."

it's not actually that far fetched! El canonically has a very similar ability - it's been swept under the rug in comparison to the glamor of telekinesis, not used since season 1, but it's well established:

she not only can hear people remotely, but also relay what only she is hearing via radio/intercom to where others can then hear it.

Brenner was filming this test on a tripod camera, which wouldn't have been affected by the cut in power that happened when El started relaying. so he walked away from this moment with a recording of something only El was able to hear.

which is exactly how NINA works. add video technology, and there ya go. if it didn't already exist in 1983, this scene was Brenner discovering the concept.

onward:

Brenner's tapes aren't the tapes El is being shown.

watch this in 4x7: he inserts this tape, hits play, and then we cut to El in NINA, watching all the monitors flash to life with footage of herself in the infirmary for her bullying concussion.

the implication from the editing is that this particular VHS yields that particular footage for El to watch, but that's a false assumption they want us to make.

first, playing one VHS doesn't result in several screens with different footage rolling all at once. one VHS only holds one camera feed. all NINA's monitors can't be fed by one VCR.

second, "Infirmary" would most likely be abbreviated "I" or "IR". the tape he played said CAM TR2, which could stand for either Training Room or Test Room. El experiences 9/8/79 "memories" of both, so I'm not sure which this would be. regardless, it's not Infirmary.

third, as we've covered before, all the lab footage El is shown inside NINA is devoid of dates and cam codes. that's not characteristic of the tape we saw Brenner play in his VCR.

fourth, as we also covered before, not all the camera angles El's seeing are even represented on that shelf of massacre-month tapes.

so Brenner may indeed have captured everything in his lab on video tape, but the VHS library we and El are shown while he says that? pretty sure that's NOT what these tapes are.

it's implied that he's popping tapes into his VCR at the same time El's off in her memories. but if it's not for the purpose of showing them to her.... what is he doing with his?

"but nat, his finger hit play, not record."

well they're not gonna SHOW us him hitting record or we'd guess!

he's hitting play to get the tape queued up to the right spot to record on, which you gotta do with a VHS or else you could overwrite something important that's already on there.

if Brenner is recording whatever El is seeing, wouldn't that help explain:

the varying appearance of El as both big and little within the camera povs. at this moment, El is big because she's aware she's her current self (she's fully conversing with Brenner). this is definitely not really past footage, because it's not like Little El stood up on a chair and yelled into a camera in 1979. after this point though, she accepts what's going on and submits to the "memories" in which she is little, so she's seeing herself as little, so from then on she appears as Little El on the fresh tapes.

the different camera labeling within NINA and its library of tapes - they need to differentiate between old/real/fake/new camera views.

the sparsity of the VHS library - maybe only key moments need to be overwritten

this camera-yelling moment actually is a potential match for one of the tapes on the shelf. it's Sept 4, 1979, and it's in the Rainbow Room. CAM 071 09/04/79 could be the overwriting of CAM RR2 09-4-79. on the other hand, if that were true I'd expect to also see 09-4-79 training room and hallway footage to match those other povs we saw, and I don't, so idk.

the light circle game is the only NINA footage we ever get to see both live camera POV and playback of (although it's not actually the same moment, the dates and cams are different). the numeric camera code on both of these is part of my support for the numeric camera codes representing new footage.

regarding the date and cam code being different on those two bits of nearly identical footage…. what if I... plugged this into Multiplayer NINA theory real quick and said that maybe CAM 126 is fake-old footage that's been more recently rerecorded in someone else's NINA? that maybe that's what's on all of Brenner's tapes before he records El's new stuff onto them?

so here's my current thinking of how NINA works:

decide how you wish El remembered an event and compile cherrypicked real footage and/or staged footage supporting your version of events.

manipulate and gaslight El so that she doubts the veracity of her own memories.

drug her and throw her in a sensory deprivation tank where your selected footage clockwork-oranges her into "fully re-experiencing" your version of events.

presto! the most powerful person in the world now believes your version of events is true because she genuinely remembers it.

by means of El's electronic relay abilities (induced with a buttload of drugs), these false memories that only El is seeing, inside her mind, are displayed for all to see on monitor in NINA's control room.

pop a plain old tape into a plain old VCR and hit record, capturing whatever's on the monitor.

presto! now you have irrefutable original video footage of a past event that never happened.

now you can show that proof to someone else - the government, the media.... or perhaps more importantly another NINA subject, as an ingredient in your tampering with their memories.

so. I can't prove the ol' MindFucker4000 is also a time machine, not in this post, but I do still feel like there's time stuff involved as well. because I can't think of a way right now to claim that recording someone's manipulated memory of the past actually changes that past, meddles with timelines, etc.

can you? I don't have all the nuts and bolts ironed out, but I welcome your thoughts while mine gel!

[fagsex]

what happened to comprehension oh my god. girl in film: "im filming some of these bits to be able to show to my dad how hes changing and its scaring me. i hope with this visual itll help him and our family". reviews: "entirely unrealistic movie??? why would a girl record her family so much?? and in a downward spiral?? doesnt make any sense i dont get it crashed in the second half 1/10 stars dont watch this". also this is 2007 and the girl got a camcorder. shes going to record her and her family a lot even beforehand. and people will complain about unrealistic found footage ie too much of the 'good' stuff and then complain about 'padding'. this one was insanely realistic and well put together. i feel like im in the twilight zone sometimes

[amateur-selfshipper]

I haven’t had time to draw my Poppy Playtime self insert but I wanted to share what I’ve come up with for her so far!

Her name is Penny McCarrell

Her parents were part of a child education & fundraising group that ended up partnering with Playtime Co. for Playcare. Her parents didn’t want to leave Penny and her older brother alone at home when other family members & family friends weren’t available to look after them, so they would often come with them to work and play with the other kids. Penny became fast friends with Theo Grambell, as well as his “imaginary friend”

After Theo became the candidate for CatNap, Penny and her family were told that he was adopted/no longer there and couldn’t give them any information about where he was.

Penny’s parents had been growing increasingly suspicious of how the children in Playcare were treated, and Theo’s absence was the the last straw. They stopped working with the company and kept their children far away from it.

Shortly after, the news broke that a child’s remains had been found in Elliot Ludwig’s estate, and the entire McCarrell family was horrified.

For years, Penny not only dealt with that grief of what could have been when you became friends as kids and then never saw each other again, but also the horror of never knowing what actually happened to Theo…

—

Now (2005), Penny is a jaded 22 year-old college student who yearns for the friendships and connections she had an easier time forming when she was younger

She ends up returning to the Playtime Co. toy factory when the college group she’s part of chose the company as the subject of their Journalism class. Penny is in charge of recording with a camcorder

Penny is frustrated when the other people in her group treat it as an “ooo spooky” true crime thing instead of something serious & sensitive when the reason she suggested it was to try and get some closure for what happened.

I still haven’t figured out how the following series of events play out, but Penny gets left behind and falls deeper into the building. Her original plan is to just stay put until help comes, but after reviewing the footage from her camcorder she realizes that she is not alone down there…

Stay tuned for Part 2!

[benjaminallhope-fulltimemind]

Here's my thoughts and review of the movie The Final Showing, in general it's a 5/10.

TLDR: the movie has an interesting premise but falls short and could use improvement, but for what they had for the budget I commend it for trying to make the most of it.

Plot overview: The movie follows Stuart (Robert Englund) who is a film purist who despises the current film world because he views it as vulgar and cheap. After being laid-off from his job as a projectionist and forced to work at the concession stand, Stuart decides to take his revenge and make his own film. Stuart manages to capture Martin (Finn Jones) and Allie (Emily Berrington), a young couple who have come to his theatre to watch The Hills Have Eyes 2 and make out. After drugging Allie and incapacitating his manager, Stuart traps the couple in the theatre overnight. He then proceeds to use the building's CCTV system and a handheld camcorder to make his own horror movie.

Review: The premise is fun and I like the acting though I wish the runtime was longer to help establish our characters more, we don't really get to see much of their relationship. The female lead also gets drugged early on so she's more of a prop than an actual character. The music is okay and doesn't really do anything but does help set the scene and build tension. The ending was interesting with the villain winning in the end, I also like how he manipulates the situation and gives off a kindly old man persona. The movie is somewhat comedic, I did laugh like once. The DvD I had for it didn't have any special features or bonuses which is a shame, I wish there was more to it. They could've done more with the idea if there were more characters to bounce off each other and a longer runtime since everything moves too fast for me.

Here's a photo for proof I own this movie.

[sourcreammachine]

youtube algorithm went insane and recommended me a video uploaded 17 hours ago with 54 views of a guy in-depth reviewing a box fan on a 2008-style camcorder except it’s in 2023

what

[sophisticated-creepy]

Dessert was brought out to the diners of a rich tiramisu paired with the house version of a Goodnight Kiss cocktail (or mocktail), the specialty nightcap’s colored liqueur glinting almost sinisterly of ruby bloodstone in the tall, fluted glasses. The dining room was filled once more with conversation and laughter, as crooner’s music of days gone by lilted sweet serenades to round out the intimate atmosphere of opulence. Having been served, Lola reached for Stanley, turning off the tape recording feature, and stuffed it with her pen and notepad away back into her purse to fully enjoy the company of her friends.

“Well, no newspaper man,” she said with a slight shrug as she spooned into her dessert. “But still a good play nonetheless. For a moment there, they had me believing the chef was the one who committed the crime.”

          “That would have been a neat twist if two people attempted to plot against Fernsby in the same night,” Modesta said with a laugh.

          “What if all of them had tried to murder Fernsby?” Jack asked, the group responding in more laughter at the convoluted thought.

          “Although I am slightly disappointed none of you got to see Mr. Newspaper Man, maybe Jack got a shot of him at some point during the play,” Lola said, motioning with her spoon at the camcorder.

          “I’ll keep an eye out for him when I review the footage for editing,” Jack said, making a mental note of the idea. As the friends continued in their conversation, a woman with soft brown hair and eyes, wearing a gold nameplate secured to her black jacket lapel, approached their table.

          “Pardon me for intruding, but who among you is Mr. Glenbrook?” she asked, her smile sweet and charming.

          “I am. How may I help you?” Raphael asked.

          “My name is Annie, and I’m the Director of Hospitality. There’s no need to rush dessert, but when your party is ready, I’ll be guiding you on your stay tonight at the Manor House,” Annie said. “That includes a tour of the upper levels where you’ll be lodging.”

          “That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Annie,” Raphael said.

          “My pleasure. Whenever you all are ready, come find me at the hostess stand located where you first walked in.” Annie gave another brilliant smile to the group and then departed.

          “Ooh! My stomach just got filled with so many butterflies,” Lola announced with a shiver. “I still can’t believe we’re all staying the night. This is honestly the best thing you guys could have ever done for me. Thank you.”

          “The night’s only just getting started,” Modesta reminded.

          “Plenty of time and opportunities for you to get your spooky on,” Lazare added.

          “I can’t wait!” Lola exclaimed, nearly vibrating in her chair with excitement to explore the old Manor House and its potential spookies. The friends enjoyed the remainder of dessert relaxed in one another’s conversation and company whereupon gathering themselves, agreed it was time to meet up with the Director of Hospitality at the hostess station, eager to get the rest of their night underway. Annie greeted them with her award winning smile as the cluster of five congregated in the main foyer outside the dining room.

          “All right, is everyone ready to get started?” she asked, collecting a clipboard of papers and a packet full of specialty room keys from the hostess podium. “Did you enjoy dinner?”

          “Everything has been terrific,” Lola said. “We also really enjoyed the play. It was so much fun and so clever. Real quick, could you tell us who the director is? I’d like to tell them how much I enjoyed the show, if I could.”

          “Certainly. He’s right over there.” Annie raised her hand to flag down the play’s director who lingered somewhere behind the group of friends. Lola turned, expecting to see Mr. Newspaper Man walk in their direction, however, it was instead Detective Babcock who swaggered forward.

          “Oh! Detective Babcock is the director?” Lola asked, her jaw dropping open from surprise.

          “He is, as well as the writer of the play,” Annie replied. “Detective Babcock, these guests wished to congratulate you on tonight’s performance,” she said once the actor reached the podium.

          “Ah! That’s always nice to hear. Thank you,” Detective Babcock beamed, his eyes bright and smile cheerful as he faced the others.

          “Yes,” Lola stammered, recovering from her initial shock. “As I told Annie, it was indeed quite the clever show.”

          “I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves,” Detective Babcock said with a slight bow of appreciation.

          “I have just one quick question,” Lola began, ignoring the confused stares from eyes she felt penetrating the back of her head from her friends. “All the cast members were in the play tonight, yes?”

          “They were,” Babcock answered, a small wrinkle of question forming between his eyebrows as his head canted to the side.

          “I mean, not their characters, but the actual actors themselves? How many actors are normally in your plays?”

          “We’re a small troupe,” Babcock said. “There’s only just the five of us.”

          “So, then, who was the actor waiting in the---.”

          “Sweetie, I think you’re confusing your murder mysteries,” Raphael interrupted, placing his hands on Lola’s shoulders. “Remember? There were characters staged in the wings at the show we saw last weekend.”

          Lola looked up into her fiancé’s face, his eyes silently pleading for her to read his unspoken thoughts. “Oh…that’s right,” she drawled. “You’re right,” she said again, adding more confidence to her tone as she nodded along with Raphael. “Silly me, last week must have slipped my mind. Sorry, Detective, for getting confused.”

          “No need to apologize,” Babcock said. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show. Have a good rest of your night,” and he tipped the brim of his hat in farewell before departing.

          “Let’s get started, shall we?” Annie asked, stepping out from behind the podium. “Let me first show you to your rooms. Follow me, please.” With a beckoning wave, Annie led the group to a set of thickly carpeted stairs inside the foyer that ascended towards the upper levels, but as Lola took her place first in line, she felt her arm tugged backwards, and turned to find Modesta holding her sleeve.

          “Is there a particular reason why you felt the need to make that man uncomfortable?” Modesta asked, her voice a whisper so their tour guide didn’t overhear.

          “He wasn’t uncomfortable,” Lola said, matching her friend’s whisper. “I was trying to find out more information about newspaper man.”

          “I’m beginning to think there is no ‘newspaper man’.”

          “So am I,” Lola agreed, oblivious to the dripping sarcasm of Modesta’s comment. A gentle tug at her hand had Lola turning once more to the front of the line as Raphael led her up the stairs with him, at which point the friends gathered close on the second level landing so Annie could begin her official tour.

          “These rooms were once the dwelling spaces of the Northcott family members. Each room has been curated and furnished to personify each individual’s personality, based on what we know of their lives. Here, is young Edgar’s room, the only child of Cornelius and Lillian.” Annie stopped at a large paneled door of oak halfway down the long hallway as she rounded the banister, using one of the fancy keys from the packet at her clipboard to unlock the room, and swinging the door wide open, she gestured for everyone to enter. Edgar’s room was painted a soft, butter yellow with plush carpet covering the floor, while a full bed plumped with blue brocade and golden damask accents drew the focus as the main focal point of the splendid room. Decorating the walls were oil paintings depicting ocean scenes of large ships in calm seas. A fireplace of white painted brick boasted a sturdy mantle with vintage children’s toys resting on its top, and a toy chest with its contents spilling out of even more toys, was tucked against one side of the hearth. A bookcase displaying child-like trinkets was centered on the opposite wall of the fireplace next to a thick clothes closet and a small en suite.

          “Although Edgar followed in his father’s footsteps of the cannery business, we wanted to give his room that essence of youthful wonder, given he was the founders’ only child,” Annie explained as she watched the group “ooh” and “aw” over the space. “Now, this room will be Lazare Pyrite’s for the night,” Annie said, looking at her clipboard to find the guest’s name.

          “That’s me,” Lazare spoke, raising his hand, and Annie smiled as she passed along the room keys to him.

          “Let’s move on to the next room, shall we?” Annie said, continuing the tour. She led them next to the end of the hallway, where a cozy sitting area was furnished and staged with leather wingback chairs and a table set with items for teatime in the nook of bay windows overlooking the front of the grounds. A door was to the left and right of the setting, and Annie took them to the left, unlocking the paneled oak door with another ring of fancy keys from her clipboard packet.

          “This is Mr. Northcott’s room,” Annie declared as the door swung open on silent hinges. The chamber was a vast contrast to that of his son Edgar’s dwellings, for this room had painted walls of deep, hunter green, adorned with cherry accented furniture upholstered in vibrant tapestries. The bed was much larger as well, also dressed in deep, hunter green to match the walls, and dangling overhead was a gold, three-armed chandelier. Three pillows were propped against the sturdy headboard, as well as only three chairs placed in front of the fireplace between a large closet and en suite, and three paintings of hunting scenes decorated the walls. The room was grand, to be sure, and carried a weighty presence despite its minimalistic aesthetic.

          “Mr. Northcott was a studious, no nonsense man, especially in his business affairs, so this room reflects the dedication he had for the cannery,” Annie informed. “This will be Jack and Modesta’s room for the night.”

          “That’s us, thank you,” Jack said, taking the offered keys.

          “Perfect. That leaves Mr. and Mrs. Glenbrook’s room next. This way please,” and Annie ushered the group to the last bedroom available across from Mr. Northcott’s room. “I present to you, Lillian’s Suite,” and Annie held the door open for Lola and Raphael. Lillian Eleanor Northcott’s room was the personified breath of fresh air, with lilac painted walls decorated smartly with gilded framed paintings of delicate ladies with mischief behind their eyes, while antique lace hung from the windows in floor to ceiling curtains. The furnishings were sleek and polished, every detail executed down to the finest touch, including a vase of freshly cut roses sitting in the middle of a table between two chairs in front of the white brick fireplace. The large bed, dressed in a dusty rose duvet and mauve linen sheets, had a chandelier above it, dripping in clear cut crystal and glass beads. A massive armoire, vanity, and chest of drawers lined the walls appropriately, as well as several fully stocked bookcases, the slender tomes locked behind glass panels to preserve the brittle spines and pages. A special detail to the impressive suite, one that did not go unnoticed, was a silver tray on the davenport at the end of the bed with an ice bucket chilling a bottle of champagne, two fluted glasses, and a notecard in gold filigree which read “Happy Birthday” attached to a single long stemmed rose.

          “Lillian exemplified love and femininity, which we tried to recreate when furnishing her room. There’s also a claw footed soaker tub in the en suite, original to the home, as well as a delicacy ahead of its time,” Annie shared. “What do you think?”

          The moment Lola first walked into the room, she instantly fell in love. It was as if Lillian’s spirit still lingered in the lavish bedchamber, living her days in the routine of her life before tragedy ended too soon her existence. Lola could easily imagine the lady of the house going from one piece of furniture to the next, perhaps humming to herself while pinning her hair at the vanity, or spending countless nights reading while in front of a cozy fire. Little fragments of Lillian’s essence filled the space with warmth and life despite her being cold and dead.

          “Well, Lola?” Raphael asked, coming to stand by her side. “Is the room to your liking?”

          “It’s absolutely perfect,” Lola breathed. Her eyes continued to roam the walls and tables, unable to stay focused on one particular thing for too long before darting to the next enticing, pretty object, until eventually landing on the amused and handsome face of her beloved. “It’s perfect,” she repeated. “Thank you.”

          “Happy Birthday,” and Raphael leaned down to kiss her sweetly.

          “Now that everyone has had a chance to see the upper rooms, let’s continue on our tour,” Annie said, and the group of friends assembled in the hallway as the pleasant guide led the party towards the staircase.

          “Can you tell us what kinds of spooky things happen up here?” Lola asked. “It’s no secret this place is haunted. Surely there’s some type of paranormal activity happening up here, right?”

          “You are correct. From what I’ve learned based off the haunted guided tours, not much ‘ghostly activity’ happens specifically in the bedrooms,” Annie answered, “however, guests do tend to hear footsteps walking above them on the third floor at all ends of the night.”

          “What’s on the third floor?” Modesta asked.

          “That would be the old servants’ quarters,” Annie replied.

          “Are we able to tour the servant quarters?” Lazare asked.

          “Unfortunately, no, access to that area is closed to the public at the moment while renovations are taking place.”

          “What’s behind this door?” Lola asked, stopping at the top of the landing before following Annie down the stairs.

          “Oh, that’s Lillian’s library,” she said.

          “A library? Can we go in?” Lola grabbed for the crystal doorknob on instinct, but the knob wouldn’t budge beneath her hand.

          “I’m sorry, but the library is closed as well due to renovations, and not open to the public at this time.”

          “Come along, Lola, all that means is we have more reasons to come back at a later time,” Raphael said, his tone laced with humor while he twined their fingers together with one of his large hands to gently coax her down the stairs with the rest of the group. She gave a small pout, turning over her shoulder only to watch the door grow further out of reach, not that she was able to enter the library anyway, but thoughts of being free to investigate the door later that night chased away her frown, replacing the downturn of her lips into an upturned quirked smirk, no doubt wrought with mischief, and, consequently, trouble.

          “Have you had any personal experiences dealing with the ghosts while working here?” Jack asked.

          “I’ve heard the classic knocks and occasional banging every now and again, but I’ve grown so accustomed to it, I hardly even realize it’s happening,” Annie replied with a light laugh. “Though, one time, I believe I saw the Gray Lady.”

          “You’ve seen Lillian?” Lola all but shouted in excitement. “Where?”

          “I was in the basement getting the event space ready for a large dinner party. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and when I turned to see who it was, I saw what looked like a gray cloud move from the bottom step go into the kitchen. It was only brief, but I could distinctly make out a high-neck collared dress, with hair styled in the period of Lillian’s time, and just the briefest glimpse of her profile.”

          “That’s so wild,” Lola stated, in awe of Annie’s story.

          “What makes it even more startling, is that I was the only one in the Manor House at that time, and no one was due to the house for another three hours. So…do you folks want to see the basement?” A resounding “yes” was made by all, Annie laughing at the obvious exuberance and delight of the group, and took them to the lower level that housed the restaurant’s kitchen as well as the private event space, where a side door led partiers to the outer grounds, opening to the gazebo and carriage house as well as the sprawling landscape of the backyard edged by the Dead Forest.

          “Since you all are staying the night, let me go ahead and give you some basic rules,” Annie said, her statement gaining everyone’s attention. “This space, as well as the main level, are open for you to explore. I must insist that you please refrain from taking any bottles from the bars, and if a room is locked, that means it is unavailable to the public, so please don’t force your way into any secured space.”

          Lola felt the tingle of eyes turning to her at Annie’s last comment, but she ignored the feeling, contributing the sensation to her zealous imagination and halfway guilty conscience at plotting to revisit the off-limits library.

          “An hour after closing time, myself and the rest of the Manor House staff will depart. We will lock the front doors, but you are more than welcome to explore the grounds using this side entrance. Your room keys have an extra key that go to this lock. In the morning, simply lock the door on your way out and drop your keys in the return box against this outer wall.”

          “What time is check out?” Raphael asked.

          “The cleaning crew comes in at 8:00, so we advise guests to be gone by 7:30,” Annie said. “Are there any questions?” When none were spoken, Annie smiled. “Great! I hope you all enjoy your evening.” She looked to her watch, then back to the others. “It’s closing time now. Happy slumbers, everyone.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

It's my birthday today!!

What a better way to celebrate a birthday than by getting a new chapter? It's my birthday treat to you all! This story is unfolding in so many new layers I hadn't expected, so get ready for a wild ride!

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the story so far, even if there has been quite a bit of a lag in posting. I appreciate everyone out there reading this, so thank you from the bottom of my heart! You're the best!

Have a great day, and until next time, happy reading!

~Melissa

[zombiemagickeepsmealive]

Movie #180 watching every zombie movie ever. Voodoo (1995) is nearly impossible to find. I was about to give up when one of the torrents suddenly worked. And I don't get why? It wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad.

A dumb guy surprises his girlfriend by moving to her university, joins a frat/cult, and narrowly avoids becoming zombified like the others. It's a really old-style psuedo-voodoo thing, but it was still intense. It didn't need a ton of gore, but it had some. Zombies were frat guys who had their souls stolen and were controlled by the head frat guy who wanted eternal life.

The reviews of this movie are in the gutter. Everyone shits on it. Maybe I've been watching too many movies made with a camcorder, seven dollars, and no actors, but this movie had plot, suspense, horror, Corey Feldman even! And I thought he was pretty cool until I googled him just now. For fuck's sake, can men take their insecure tiny brains away and stop ruining women's lives? For once?

Well that fucking taints a lot of my childhood favorites. New rule: never praise a male celebrity and never look him up.

6.5/10

[vpjdrums]

Tomtoc Navigator-T61 Rolltop Backpack 20L Review

I Recently ordered a backpack after years of using shoulder bags. I still like my briefcase/shoulder bags for client meetings or office scenarios, but they’re just not convenient for travel or out in the field work. I didn’t need a backpack specifically for cameras because I use a Sony point/shoot camera and/or a small Sony camcorder, so no extra lenses or flashes are needed to be packed. But, I definitely need something that can protect my MacBook and other gear/necessaries.

That’s when I discovered @tomtocbags a relatively newer designer/manufacturer of laptop sleeves/bags/backpacks and gear cases. I really like the modern and sleek designs of their offerings. I also like their sustainability features: Manufactured with at least 50% recycled materials, manufactured at facilities that protects the rights and health of workers, and made with chemicals safer for people and the environment. They seem to be going for the market taken up by more expensive bag manufacturers like Timbuk2. Tomtoc was a refreshing and pleasant finding.

What I like about this backpack:

Modern, sleek, sustainable, and durable design.

Ample room for gear, clothes, and other necessities. Especially when rolled all the way up. Nice padded protective pockets for both a laptop and tablet, and slots for additional gear/tech.

Water resistant materials and waterproofed front pocket and back access zippers.

Expandable side pockets that can easily accommodate larger water bottles.

Quick access back zipper for laptop/tablet pockets, luggage strap on back, and a nice key hook/strap inside front side pocket.

Comfortable back padding and padded shoulder straps (no sternum strap, which I don't mind) with three carabiner loops on each side.

Price points that are much less than what companies like Timbuk2, Stubble&Co, and Wandrd are charging.

My wishlist for Tomtoc:

Side mount/compression straps to secure a longer umbrella, taller water bottle/thermos, and/or tripod would be nice. The backpack does have two top loops on both sides of bag that a carabiner paracord (see 1st above photo) or something like a Think Tank Photo Disguise Strap could be attached to.

I would have liked the inner lining to be orange, bright yellow, or lime green for visibility when searching for things inside.

I would have liked the bag to be a little larger at least aesthetically. I’m taller/larger (6’ 1” over 200lbs) so when not fully rolled up it looks a little small on me. Not an issue when the backpacks fully packed and rolled up (expands from 17 to 20L) though. However, I can see the size being a benefit when traveling by plane or when getting around in a city environment.

Though not that big of a deal, waterproofing the top and front side zippers like the front pocket and back access ones would be a smart move going forward.

Along with the carabiner loops, I wouldn't mind seeing a D ring on one of the shoulder straps in the future. But, nothing that a carabiner paracord (see 2nd above photo) wouldn't solve.

Final thoughts:

The Tomtoc 17-20L Navigator Roll Top Laptop Backpack definitely strikes a nice balance between great quality and affordability, making it one of the best minimalist roll top backpacks available at this price range. Not only is it constructed with durable materials, but the inside is ample enough for clothes and gear perfect for both short leisure and business trips, and also daily commutes and onsite work. Definitely recommend this backpack. Looking forward to checking out more of their products.

Update: I attached an 8Link Quick Release Magnetic Sternum Strap. Helps when I’m carrying more than usual and especially while traveling/away.

[theres-a-body-here]

Ghostface with Creep!reader

A new killer has been snatched by the Entity. Something about their cheap Halloween werewolf mask and casual clothing made some of the realms residents uneasy

Was drawn to you from the beginning

Not in the way you'd expect

He was offended

He saw you as a cheap imitation. A copycat

A masked killer that stalks their victims and records their last moments?

You were basically begging to be stabbed

The Entity shut that down real quick before he could push his blade into your liver

He made sure to downright ignore you after that event

That was until he spectated your trials

As the Entity's favorite, he had many "perks". Being able to spectate matches as they happened was one of them

You weren't bad, but you weren't great

He'd grit his teeth whenever you'd prioritize filming the survivors with your video camera instead of injuring them

He'd facepalm whenever you'd swing at a vaulting survivor, only to hit the wall

He needed to intervene

Don't get it wrong. Not for your sake, but for his

Danny hates copycats, but he hates it even more when said copycat is shit at it

Makes him look bad

After your trial, he grabs you by your arm and pulls you deep into the forest

The Entity hasn't stopped him yet, so you guess he isn't trying to kill you again. You let yourself get dragged along

Get ready for a long rant followed by an even longer lesson in stalking

"What the fuck was that? You didn't even bring one slowdown perk. Come on now. If you're going to imitate me, at least do it with finesse." Behind his mask, Danny's lips twisted into a snarl.

You occupied a spot on a toppled tree trunk, engrossed in reviewing recordings on your video camcorder. Evidently, his lecture failed to captivate your attention.

"The Entity seems to be pleased with my performance. If I was doing bad she would've let it be known. Get off my back"

Your voice retained an air of calmness, though the underlying hint of a threat was unmistakable.

Despite how it appeared, you and Danny have started to "hang out" more after that

It usually goes like this: you exit a trial and Ghostface begins to hound you over your mistakes. However, he always gives a few pointers before he leaves for his own trials

He would never admit it, but he slowly started warming up to you

Not even 2 months later, Danny shares his perks with you

"Here you faker. Maybe now you'll finally get more than one kill per trial"

He still criticizes and taunts you as you both sit near the fire with the other killers within hearing range

But it's more friendly than malicious

Amidst the silence around the campfire, Danny couldn't resist taking a playful jab at your looping skills, a smirk playing on his lips. "You know, I've seen toddlers with better footwork when it comes to catching survivors."

You shot him a mock glare. "Hey, not all of us can be stealthy killers with years of practice."

A chuckle escaped from Danny's masked lips, but before the moment could settle, Frank chimed in with a taunt of his own. "Yeah, Danny's right. I've seen snails with better chasing skills."

The campfire's atmosphere shifted instantaneously. Danny's chuckles ceased, replaced by a tense stillness. His masked gaze settled on Frank with an intensity that sent shivers down the spines of those around.

Danny's voice was low and controlled, his anger barely contained. "You've got a death wish, asshole?"

Frank seemed to realize his mistake too late, his face paling behind his own mask under the weight of Danny's glare. He stammered, trying to backtrack, "I... I didn't mean..."

But Danny's patience had worn thin. He stood abruptly, the menace radiating from him unmistakable. "You listen, and you listen well. You don't get to insult them. Only I do."

Frank swallowed hard, his bravado evaporating. "I... I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean anything by it."

Danny's gaze didn't waver, his message conveyed without a need for further words. Frank nodded frantically, looking as though he'd just escaped a close encounter with the Entity itself.

Danny's shoulders visibly relaxed as he resumed his seat by the fire, his attention returning to you. His voice regained its familiar tone of teasing, but there was an undertone of possessiveness. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes, talking about how you managed to lose a survivor while they were practically walking backward."

You and Danny didn't exactly exemplify the poster image of a perfect and conventional friendship dynamic, but it worked out well enough

Masterlist here

[thecrewofthecoppercoloredcupids]

New Story - "The Reviews Are In" by Lupan Evezan

“What’s this?” Frederick asked.

“A commercial the Crew tried to film, almost five years ago.” Jenny said. “It didn’t go very well, for anyone involved.”

“ThEiR aNnIvErSaRy Is CoMiNg Up.” Thymon explained. “So We ThOuGhT, aS tHaNkS fOr AlL tHaT tHe CuPiDs HaVe DoNe FoR uS, wE’D sOrT oF… rEmAkE iT fOr ThEm.”

Jenny nodded.

“And this is the only place we could get everyone together without raising suspicion.”

“Everyone?” Roz asked suspiciously, glancing at her fellow waiter. “Who’s everyone?”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Jenny replied. “No one you wouldn’t know.”

She switched on the camcorder, then angled it at the empty chair.

“Now,” she said, putting on an announcer’s voice, “Won’t you happy people tell us how the Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids changed your life?”