#Christmas Eve massacre

[sheilamurrey]

The Grayzone Speaks to Survivors of Christmas Eve Massacre in Gaza Refugee Camp

The Grayzone goes to the scene of one of the most heinous crimes Israel committed in the besieged Gaza Strip: the Christmas Eve massacre in Maghazi …The Grayzone Speaks to Survivors of Christmas Eve Massacre in Gaza Refugee Camp

[lobstermatriarch]

Merry merry!

[baybelletrist]

#things that make me cry-laugh

So becuase I’m living in an appartment building and have no yard into which I may release Charlie when his little doggy bladder fills up, I end up walking him at strange hours of the night in all manner of weather, becuase I love him.

So tonight it’s single-digits and snowing, and while we’re walking back, I see a big gray tabby curled up with it’s back to us on the porch of one of the houses that’s not yet occupied.  It doesn’t look up at us when we pass by, or when charlie doubles back and starts climbing the stairs to sniff it.

Understandably worried that someone’s pet is lose or that one of the ferals is goign to be a kitty popsicle, I hurry home, collect the cat carrier and go back to the porch to bring kitty in from the cold.  Since I will probably need both hands to carry it back and there’s enough ambient light, I don’t take a flashlight.

Kitty must be very asleep becuase it doesn’t look up when I put the crate down, or when I walk up to it, but the *second* I touch just one of its little kitty fluffs, It’s head pops up with the loudest, deepest “brrp?” cat start-up noise ever.

…and I realize by the large tufted ears and buff shoulder muscles that the thing I am attempting to pick up is not an unusually large tabby.  

It’s the fucking Bobcat.

Fortunately, instead of maiming me, like my idiot ass deserves, it lets out a demonic YEEEAAUGH and flings itself off the porch, fleeing into the night, and I sit there waiting for my heart to start beating again, presumably to tell it’s bobcat buddies all about it’s attempted alien abduction.

So how is everyone else’s night going?

[thelittlestspider]

free movies

nowhere

the living end

the doom generation

mysterious skin

chopping mall

black christmas

beneath the skin

possibly in michigan

hellraiser 1

hellraiser 2

kill bill 1

kill bill 2

leave her to heaven

it's a wonderful life

bram stoker's dracula

evil dead 1

evil dead 2

army of darkness

hell house llc 1

hell house llc 2

hell house llc 3

aliens

vampire hunter d (1985)

vampire hunter d: bloodlust

mikey and nicky

perfect blue

ganja and hess

nosferatu (1922)

carnival of souls

stepford wives

texas chainsaw massacre (1974)

gentlemen prefer blondes

fight club

carrie (1976)

the thing (1982)

the lost boys

butch cassidy and the sundance kid

phantom of the paradise

velvet goldmine

the devils (1971)

possession (1981)

crash (1996)

get out

paris is burning

the watermelon woman

eraserhead

an american werewolf in london

whatever happened to baby jane?

all about eve

southern comfort

[odbuoyjemmity]

current favourite nevemoor theory/idea/headcanon?

an oldie but a goodie: the christmas eve battle is an effort to try to hide a ghostly hour of the courage square massacre

[bvnnyblood]

"if your left leg is halloween, and your right leg is christmas, can i come in between the holidays?"

what spending the holidays with the chuckle boys is like 🫶

★ halloween with schlatt is straight out of a cheesy romance novel. going on pumpkin patch dates, watching horror movies until the sun rises and you're cuddled up on the couch with jambo. for man of his stature and size, the poor thing cannot stand blood and gore, so there’s a limit to how much he can take at once. no texas chainsaw massacre, no saw, and definitely no terrifyer.

he’s hiding behind every possible corner with a mask on and giddy breath leaving his lips. the amount of times he’s seen you get so scared. the look on your face is so priceless that he can’t help but laugh seeing you clutch your chest as you give him a weak shove.

★ thanksgiving with charlie is the sweetest of times. the two of you waking up side by side, the light pouring into your bedroom as he presses soft kisses to your temple. the two of you going last minute shopping for the little things, like seasoning and cranberry sauce. sitting at home together all curled up on the couch, waiting in anticipation as you wait for santa to arrive in the macy’s day parade.

every year he brings out this stupid apron that you can never seem to figure out where he hides. he has to, because if you ever got your hands on it, you would burn it. it was a part of a matching set, but you had only been able to get rid of one of those stupid things. his apron had a rather large and smug turkey with the words, “i made the stuffing” in a small text bubble. every year he brings it out, and every year he chuckles at the tainted and heated flush he sees from you.

★ christmas with ted is something right out of a hallmark movie. the two of you buying each other small gifts for the twelve days of christmas just to find each other awake in the middle of the night on christmas eve, trying to put presents under the tree for the other. he showers you in cheesy holiday pick up lines and always seems to have a candy cane in his pocket. you never found the box anywhere. and yet almost every time you see him, he has a candy cane in his mouth and his kisses taste like peppermint.

there’s a lot of things to describe ted, but the three things that come to mind when it comes to ted around christmastime are as follows: smooth, cheesy, and romantic. the two of you are watching some kind of holiday-themed movie when you feel his arm wrap around your shoulder. “huh, that’s funny. i don’t remember hanging up mistletoe.” you hear him say, a stupid grin on his face as he turns to you. you look up and there you see his hand dangling above you, mistletoe hanging loosely in his fingers before he’s smothering you with his lips.

[haveyouseenthishorrormovie]

SUMMARY: Five years after a Christmas-Eve massacre, a crazed killer returns to an impending condemned water-treatment plant to terrorize and kill again. Only this time, the lone survivor from that tragic night is waiting to make this Santa-clad monster pay for what he did.

[l-u-c-i-i-e]

On the Wild Hunt in the Northern Alps (part.1)

In Haute-Savoie, the wild hunt, in its most explicit forms, with the terms hunt, hunter, high hunt is attested; it passes with its dogs and brings a "bloody leg" that leaves an indelible stain [in the minds.] Following the Jura mountains further north, we find it defined as "the nocturnal race of sorcerers and witches on their broomsticks in the air".

In the city of Chamonix, it is known under the name of the "Band of the Green Count": it is formed of headless riders, mounted on headless horses. A little further, this "Company of the Green Count" which will also be renamed "Contreverse" (which comes from the Latin "contra", against and "versum" turned), is a procession of spirits that throws terror during winter nights.

Again, a little further on, packs of "dogs" are very common ; we speak of "Dogs of Bad Weather", whose howls can be heard moving at a crazy speed between the cliffs of the mountains. (...) Ch. Guillon describes the "flying hunt" that passes : "some say Christmas Eve, others say the eve of the Kings" […] like a waterspout in the icy air, with furious curses, barking of mad dogs, galloping of distraught horses. Who leads this hunt? In our country we think that it is the ancient King Herod, in expiation of the massacre of the innocents, […] and God forbid you ever cross his path, because he howls like a damned man and his dogs would jump on your neck."

[1. Extract translated and arranged by me of an article in Persée : "Le Roi Hérode, chasseur sauvage en Savoie et Dauphiné" Christian Abry  Alice Joisten. 2. The Nazguls, LOTR,2001.]

[maniacwatchestheworld]

A stupid DPxDC prompt thing but this time it was requested! (#6)

Oh, @daemonlogical. What you suggested definitely had some juice to it. But alas! I do not know that you realize what you asked of me! But here it is! A prompt thing! With Calendar Man and the Danny Phantom Christmas Truce! Tis under the cut because it got surprisingly long and also gets a bit... Dark...

T'was the night before Christmas and in Arkham Asylum, Julian Day was fussing over an item-

Of "great importance!" is what he would say, To fulfill his great mission! He had to obey!

For those not in the know, Julian has a compulsion. To criminally praise each special day, or suffer mental abruption.

To the citizens of Gotham he is known as "Calendar Man." They think him a joke, but they misunderstand.

He's in Arkham for a reason- few still remember the crimes- Cults and acts of terror! Involvement with which he would deny.

And as for today... Why, it is Christmas Eve! He had concocted a plan intended to make everyone grieve.

For ghosts had been appearing all over town! They made tensions rise! Pandemonium was surely inbound.

All that it needed was someone to pull the trigger. He had accepted this role with much glee and with vigor.

For Julian had heard some days before, That the ghosts too celebrated Christmas! A temporary ceasefire to their ongoing wars.

And he heard that on this day of the holiday truce, The Box Ghost would be hosting! Now this! He could abuse.

So he packed some boxes, wrapped in ribbons with care, And once taken from Arkham, fitted with anti-ghost weapons meant to kill and impair!

To be left outside, abandoned along city streets, And when the Box Ghost passes by? What an irresistible treat!

He would take them all back to his festively decorated lair, And as the truce party would start, they would all be unaware-

That all the ghosts present were in some great danger! And when the bombs would go off-! Most would be wounded or killed... But then the remainder...

Would not know who to blame, so all would accuse! That the truce was a mistake- An excuse for the inevitable coup!

The truce would be over! The ghosts all would then slaughter- One another... But soon... A discovery! Their plans, they would alter.

For the true perpetrator of these deaths... It was clearly the humans! So they'd all invade Earth... And leave it in ruins.

Julian thought it wonderful- A Christmas Day massacre! And he had the pleasure to be the one to make it occur.

So with this one last package, all ready to go... The plan will begin! Will it succeed? That, I do not know...

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

Thank you for the tags @whatsintheboxmh @thisbuildinghasfeelings @heartstringsduet @carlos-in-glasses @alrightbuckaroo @bonheur-cafe & @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut 💕 looking forward to reading all your wips this morning! Here’s a little sneak at a scene from Reyes Family Nochebuena.

Carlos is feeding TK a taquito when his mom storms into the kitchen with Tía Lucy hot on her heels. She’s carrying a green pot with a lid on it.

“I say we toss it.”

“Lucy!”

“Not in an obvious way, she doesn’t have to know! Oh! Swap it out with your mole.”

“What’s going on?” Carlos interjects as the two make their way to the counter where Andrea drops the pot down with a disgruntled groan.

“What’s going on is that your mom is too damn polite and insists on putting Tía Linda’s shitty mole out on the table.” She turns an outraged eyebrow in Andrea’s direction. “Am I the only one who remembers what happened last year?”

“No,” Andrea says defeatedly.

“Thirty-five people and four toilets!”

Paul starts coughing on the sangria he just took a sip of while TK makes a choking sound of his own around his taquito. Carlos pulls him closer so he can rub his back while Lucy continues her tirade.

She’s got one hand waving dramatically in the air to emphasize her point. “Honestly I'm surprised you didn’t have to burn the whole house down.”

Carlos remembers the mole massacre of Christmas 2022 well. TK had been one of its victims. Carlos hadn’t had a chance to warn him about Tía Linda’s lethal mole, and later he’d barely been able to get TK home without incident. He’d spent the rest of the evening rubbing TK’s belly and kissing his head until he fell asleep. Not the worst way to spend an evening, but he’s not keen on a repeat for their first Christmas Eve as a married couple.

“Well,” Andrea says softly. “Maybe I’ll just… leave the lid on.”

“Coward.”

“You better weld it shut, Ma,” Carlos helpfully supplies. He’s rewarded by a murderous look from his mom and an approving smirk from Lucy.

Tagging @chicgeekgirl89 @fitzherbertssmolder @guardian-angle22 @strandnreyes @ladytessa74 @tarlosmalec @louis-ii-reyes-strand @herefortarlos @tellmegoodbye @carlos-tk @birdclowns @freneticfloetry @apothecarose @basilsunrise @rmd-writes @thebumblecee @reasonandfaithinharmony @welcometololaland @reyesstrand @your-catfish-friend @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @iboatedhere @ithilien-writes @itsrandomnobody7 @liminalmemories21 @lightningboltreader @never-blooms @noxsoulmate @ambiguouspenny @theghostofashton @paperstorm and OPEN TAG 🏷️

[6-and-7]

Final Scores for Classic vs. New Who

Classic: 81 New: 71 Tie: 5

Additional breakdowns below the cut

By Doctor:

1 vs. 9: 10 1: 4 9: 5 Tie: 1

1 vs. 10: 19 1: 7 10: 12

2 vs. 10: 17 2: 8 10: 9

2 vs. 11: 4 2: 3 11: 1

3 vs. 11: 24 3: 13 11: 11

4 vs. 11: 11 4: 8 11: 2 Tie: 1

4 vs. 12: 30 4: 12 12: 17 Tie: 1

5 vs. 12: 5 5: 3 12: 2 Tie:

5 vs. 13: 15 5: 12 13: 3 Tie: 0

6 vs. 13: 8 6: 4 13: 3 Tie: 1

7 vs. 14: 3 7: 0 14: 3 Tie: 0

7 vs. 15: 9 7: 6 15: 2 Tie: 1

4 vs. Shalka: 1 4: 1 Shalka: 0 Tie: 0

Cushing vs. 8: 1 Cushing: 0 8: 1 Tie: 0

Individual Stories

An Unearthly Child vs. Rose The Daleks vs. The End of the World The Edge of Destruction vs. The Unquiet Dead Marco Polo vs. Aliens of London/World War Three The Keys of Marinus vs. Dalek The Aztecs vs. The Long Game The Sensorites vs. Father's Day The Reign of Terror vs. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances Planet of Giants vs. Boom Town The Dalek Invasion of Earth vs. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways The Rescue vs. The Christmas Invasion The Romans vs. New Earth The Web Planet vs. Tooth and Claw

The Crusade vs. School Reunion The Space Museum vs. The Girl in the Fireplace The Chase vs. Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel The Time Meddler vs. The Idiot's Lantern Galaxy 4 vs. The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit Mission to the Unknown vs. Love & Monsters The Myth Makers vs. Fear Her The Daleks' Master Plan vs. Army of Ghosts / Doomsday The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve vs. The Runaway Bride The Ark vs. Smith and Jones The Celestial Toymaker vs. The Shakespeare Code The Gunfighters vs. Gridlock The Savages vs. Daleks in Manhattan / Evolution of the Daleks

The War Machines vs. The Lazarus Experiment The Smugglers vs. 42 The Tenth Planet vs. Human Nature / The Family of Blood The Power of the Daleks vs. Blink The Highlanders vs. Utopia / The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords The Underwater Menace vs. Voyage of the Damned The Moonbase vs. Partners in Crime The Macra Terror vs. The Fires of Pompeii The Faceless Ones vs. Planet of the Ood The Evil of the Daleks vs. The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky The Tomb of the Cybermen vs. The Doctor's Daughter The Abominable Snowmen vs. The Unicorn and the Wasp The Ice Warriors vs. Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead

The Enemy of the World vs. Midnight The Web of Fear vs. Turn Left Fury from the Deep vs. The Stolen Earth / Journey's End The Wheel in Space vs. The Next Doctor The Dominators vs. Planet of the Dead The Mind Robber vs. The Waters of Mars The Invasion vs. The End of Time The Krotons vs. The Eleventh Hour The Seeds of Death vs. The Beast Below The Space Pirates vs. Victory of the Daleks The War Games vs. The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone Spearhead from Space vs. The Vampires of Venice Doctor Who and the Silurians vs. Amy's Choice

The Ambassadors of Death vs. The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood Inferno vs. Vincent and the Doctor Terror of the Autons vs. The Lodger The Mind of Evil vs. The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang The Claws of Axos vs. A Christmas Carol Colony in Space vs. The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon The Dæmons vs. The Curse of the Black Spot Day of the Daleks vs. The Doctor's Wife The Curse of Peladon vs. The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People The Sea Devils vs. A Good Man Goes to War The Mutants vs. Let's Kill Hitler The Time Monster vs. Night Terrors The Three Doctors vs. The Girl Who Waited

Carnival of Monsters vs. The God Complex Frontier in Space vs. Closing Time Planet of the Daleks vs. The Wedding of River Song The Green Death vs. The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe The Time Warrior vs. Asylum of the Daleks Invasion of the Dinosaurs vs. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship Death to the Daleks vs. A Town Called Mercy The Monster of Peladon vs. The Power of Three Planet of the Spiders vs. The Angels Take Manhattan Robot vs. The Snowmen The Ark in Space vs. The Bells of Saint John The Sontaran Experiment vs. The Rings of Akhaten Genesis of the Daleks vs. Cold War

Revenge of the Cybermen vs. Hide Terror of the Zygons vs. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS Planet of Evil vs. The Crimson Horror Pyramids of Mars vs. Nightmare in Silver The Android Invasion vs. The Name of the Doctor The Brain of Morbius vs. The Day of the Doctor The Seeds of Doom vs. The Time of the Doctor The Masque of Mandragora vs. Deep Breath The Hand of Fear vs. Into the Dalek The Deadly Assassin vs. Robot of Sherwood The Face of Evil vs. Listen The Robots of Death vs. Time Heist The Talons of Weng-Chiang vs. The Caretaker

Horror of Fang Rock vs. Kill the Moon The Invisible Enemy vs. Mummy on the Orient Express Image of the Fendahl vs. Flatline The Sun Makers vs. In the Forest of the Night Underworld vs. Dark Water/Death In Heaven The Invasion of Time vs. Last Christmas The Ribos Operation vs. The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar The Pirate Planet vs. Under the Lake/Before the Flood The Stones of Blood vs. The Girl Who Died The Androids of Tara vs. The Woman Who Lived The Power of Kroll vs. The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion The Armageddon Factor vs. Sleep No More Destiny of the Daleks vs. Face the Raven

City of Death vs. Heaven Sent The Creature from the Pit vs. Hell Bent Nightmare of Eden vs. The Husbands of River Song The Horns of Nimon vs. The Return of Doctor Mysterio The Leisure Hive vs. The Pilot Meglos vs. Smile Full Circle vs. Thin Ice State of Decay vs. Knock Knock Warriors' Gate vs. Oxygen The Keeper of Traken vs. Extremis Logopolis vs. The Pyramid at the End of the World Castrovalva vs. The Lie of the Land Four to Doomsday vs. Empress of Mars

Kinda vs. The Eaters of Light The Visitation vs. World Enough and Time / The Doctor Falls Black Orchid vs. Twice Upon a Time Earthshock vs. The Woman Who Fell to Earth Time-Flight vs. The Ghost Monument Arc of Infinity vs. Rosa Snakedance vs. Arachnids in the UK Mawdryn Undead vs. The Tsuranga Conundrum Terminus vs. Demons of the Punjab Enlightenment vs. Kerblam! The King's Demons vs. The Witchfinders The Five Doctors vs. It Takes You Away Warriors of the Deep vs. The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos

The Awakening vs. Resolution Frontios vs. Spyfall Resurrection of the Daleks vs. Orphan 55 Planet of Fire vs. Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror The Caves of Androzani vs. Fugitive of the Judoon The Twin Dilemma vs. Praxeus Attack of the Cybermen vs. Can You Hear Me? Vengeance on Varos vs. The Haunting of Villa Diodati / The Ascension of the Cybermen / The Timeless Children The Mark of the Rani vs. Revolution of the Daleks The Two Doctors vs. Flux Timelash vs. Eve of the Daleks Revelation of the Daleks vs. Legend of the Sea Devils Trial of a Time Lord vs. The Power of the Doctor

Time and the Rani vs. The Star Beast Paradise Towers vs. Wild Blue Yonder Delta and the Bannermen vs. The Giggle Dragonfire vs. The Church on Ruby Road Remembrance of the Daleks vs. Space Babies The Happiness Patrol vs. The Devil's Chord Silver Nemesis vs. Boom! The Greatest Show in the Galaxy vs. 73 Yards Battlefield vs. Dot and Bubble Ghost Light vs. Rogue The Curse of Fenric vs. The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death Survival vs. Joy to the World Dr. Who and the Daleks vs. Doctor Who the TV Movie Shada vs. Scream of the Shalka

[secular-jew]

Another 105 civilians from the Christian Mwagaful community, were murdered in Nigeria by Alfonja Jihadi Fulani militias who are ethnic cleansing Nigeria of its Christians in the state of Plateau and elsewhere. The UN and the world is ignoring Islamic Jihad in Nigeria.

This follows the news of 300 deaths during targeted attacks on Christian villages in Plateau State on Christmas Eve.

"40,000 Nigerians have been slaughtered and 3 million displaced. Why no protests?"

There are no protests because the victims are the wrong victims, and the perpetrators are the wrong perpetrators.

A report from Makurdi Diocese’s Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace has revealed there were 119 militant attacks targeting predominantly Christian communities in one state alone in 2023.

Islamists also murdered 414 people and injured, raped or kidnapped almost 100 more in Benue State last year.

The former Muslim President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari is Fulani. He orchestrated the Biafra massacre that resulted in the deaths mostly by starvation of some two million Christian Biafrans, after Biafra attempted to break away from Muslim controlled northern Nigeria.

[willow-al-najjar]

Funeral prayer for more than 70 Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli massacre, in which Israeli killed women and children on Christmas Eve, heavily striking Al Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza.

[gallusrostromegalus]

Ok tumblr is starting to glitch so that's all the Family Lore for tonight. If you don't want to read half a million bizarre stories you can block the tag "Christmas Eve Family Lore Reblog Massacre"

[bloodyknucklesforme]

Your Father's Daughter

The lone survivor of the Riley family massacre, Gemma struggles with her past, her school and her ghost of a father

Daughters always look like fathers. Suppose that’s why she never really liked her face. Hooded eyes, long nose, thin lips. Spitting image of him, honestly. He was never around yet always looking at her in the mirror.

She wished she looked like her mum. She couldn’t even remember what she looked like, probably never did. She died when she was a baby.

Gemma Riley, orphan on paper. Only survivor of her father’s Christmas eve family annihilation. Her mother had hid her in a sock drawer, not even a year old.

Mix of inheritance and all the donations she got in the aftermath was why she’d gotten the opportunity to be expelled from another private school.

"The Captain will not be pleased to hear about this." The headmistress had said. Gemma wasn't around long enough to bother learning her name. "I feel bad for you, Gemma. You were given a tough start but that's not an excuse to continue this behavior. Fighting, stealing, cursing. Now smuggling alcohol onto campus? Do not mistake your father for a role model."

"Cunt." She snapped. It wasn't out of some protectiveness for her father's name. She knew the supposed truth, that he was framed for the killings, but he never talked to her about it. The Captain did. He was her legal guardian.

Her dad was dead, legally at least, so his visits were sporadic. Less often than the Captain's. A weekend trip once a summer, letters hand delivered whenever she went 'home', nothing on Christmas for obvious reasons.

She was put on a train back to London where the Captain would chew her out and then a couple weeks off before he found a new school that would take her. His rank and the residual pity helped quite well.

"When did you dye your hair?" the Captain asked as she got into his car. Black box dye, stolen of course, a few weeks back. Her dad was blonde, she used to be.

"Couple weeks ago," she shrugged.

"Looks nice." He lied. It was already starting to fade and look like shite. "Your dad's at the house."

That's why he wasn't scolding her.

She never fully understood if it was the nationally infamous murder part or the special ops part that guided her father to close all the blinds and cover half his face whenever he visited. Combination probably.

"You snuck alcohol into the dorms?" Her father snapped as soon as the Captain shut the door behind them. He took her bags and headed upstairs, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. "Four schools in as many years! What the fuck, Gemmie!"

She hated that nickname. Too familiar. This was the first time she'd even seen him since the start of the school year. Missed Christmas and her birthday but not a chance to fight with her.

"I don't know what to do with you." He sighed. "Aren't you tired of leaving friends and school? Fighting all the time? Dragging Price to soothe over whatever fuck up you did this time? Do you think he has time for that?"

"More than you."

For a brief moment she thought he was going to hit her. He never had before but his hand twitched in a way that made her step back. His eyes softened instantly.

"I don't want to put you in danger."

"It's not like the world doesn't know I exist! Front page news, whole family murdered on Christmas except for the baby. A father's mercy before killing himself and burning the house down." She'd read all the articles, watched the documentaries and news reports, listened to that one shitty podcast that harassed her for an interview. "I've grown up being known as the girl Simon Riley couldn't kill. That you left me on the neighbour's doorstep."

"You know that's not what happened." He shook his head, irritation stitched across his brow.

"You didn't abandon me?" She wanted to hurt him. "You couldn't have tried to explain what happened? You had evidence and you had Price. You couldn't come back for me?"

She remembered it had been years before she saw him again. She was three or maybe four. Her nanny had been given the afternoon off. The Captain introduced to a tall man wearing a neck gaiter. She was afraid of him even after being told he was her dad. He'd drifted in and out of her life since then.

It was exciting at first, a special treat a couple times a year. He'd sometimes bring a gift. Spend an afternoon with her. Always cooped up at home or the ultra special weekend camping trip up North. Then came the broken promises. He'd say he was coming and never show or be so late it didn't matter. She stopped answering his calls, they were always cut short. She stopped responding to texts, he couldn't respond again for a week or more.

"Gemmie, I-"

"Don't call me that. It's fucking ridiculous that you think you can come in and parent me when you choose. I don't know you!"

She hated how much the mask hid. She hated that most of the time he wouldn't show his face even to her. She hated that she looked like him.

"You're just a fucking stranger that I'm unlucky enough to look like!" She turned and ran upstairs before he could say anything more. She locked her bedroom door and shoved her desk in front of it for good measure. Tears bullied there way around her eyes but she held them back from falling. She wouldn't cry over him. She did that too much.

The Captain knocked on her door a couple hours later.

"He's gone. I just want to talk."

She pushed the desk out of the way and opened the door.

"I'm sorry, love." He opened his arms for a hug but she turned away to sit on her bed. He followed, taking the desk chair. "I won't make excuses for him. I know he should be more attentive, be around more. It's hard for him."

"It's fucking hard for me."

"I know." He sighed, clasping his hands between his knees and staring at the floor. "I should try more too."

"I don't really think it matters anymore. Gonna be eighteen in two years. I'll figure out my a-levels or whatever. Don't really want to go back to another boarding school. I promise I won't have the police at your door."

"We can talk about it more tomorrow. Just you and me. I'll get us a Chinese for dinner, yeah?" He patted her shoulder as he stood up, stopping at her door. "He does care. Blame me for work taking up all his time. He does important things, love."

"I'm not one of those things though."

He didn't respond to that, shutting the door behind him.

The next letter she got from him was a couple days later. The Captain slid it underneath her door. It was full of photos. A young woman with strawberry blonde hair. Some of her in a hospital bed and holding a newborn, standing next to an older woman holding that same newborn, another of her standing next to someone. The man had been cropped out but she could tell from the tattooed arm wrapped around her that it was her dad's arm. They were all photos of her mum.

'You look like her' was scribbled on the small piece of paper folded up with the photos.

[eretzyisrael]

by ILAN HULKOWER

Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez posted a Christmas Eve message Sunday that got her into hot water for comparing Jesus Christ to modern day Gazans.

“In the story of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in a massacre of innocents. He was part of a targeted population being indiscriminately killed to protect an unjust leader’s power. Mary and Joseph, displaced by violence and forced to flee, became refugees in Egypt with a newborn waiting to one day return home. Thousands of years later, right-wing forces are violently occupying Bethlehem as similar stories unfold for today’s Palestinians, so much so that the Christian community in Bethlehem has canceled this year’s Christmas Eve celebrations out of both safety and respect,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Instagram.

“And yet, also today, holy children are still being born in a place of unspeakable violence — for every child born, of any identity and from any place, is sacred. Especially the children of Gaza,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez added.

The “right-wing forces” occupying modern-day Bethlehem in the New York Democrat’s tale is presumably a reference to Israel, however the city was handed over by Israel to the Palestinian Authority back in 1995 as part of the Oslo Accords, The Jerusalem Post noted. There is also further irony in that Jesus was born in the Roman client kingdom of Judea, which was named after the Jewish people, PBS noted. It was only after the 2nd century CE that due to a major Jewish revolt, the Romans renamed the land Palaestina [Palestine] after the Philistines in order to sever any Jewish connection to the land, the Jewish Virtual Library explains.

Her post was met with widespread derision. “AOC describes Israel as a ‘violent right wing occupying force’ in [her] Christmas post. No mention of Hamas terror, the victims of Oct. 7 attack,” Jacob N. Kornbluh, a senior reporter for The Forward, tweeted.