#Quality Women’s Slippers

[sunny-footwear]

Know about Quality women’s Footwear — More than Just Accessories — Sunny Footwear 

Do you know? Footwear is as important as the clothes we wear. Yes, it plays a very important role in everyone’s life and provides a comfort to walk. In this article, we will discuss about the womens’ footwear, its importance and from where to purchase the quality of pairs.

Footwear also means shoes, slippers and flats. They are not just providing comfort but also give a touch of style to our appearance. If you are in search of Quality Women’s Slippers for yourself and to give a pair to your special one, then selecting the right pair is important to get comfort and style. It enhances the personality of an individual. They come in a variety of sizes, styles and colours. Choose the footwear according to your comfort and style.

Where to buy the best footwear for women-

You can purchase the right Slippers Shoes for Ladies online, from retailers, and also from the local shops. As there are a number of options to buy the product make sure to select the option as per your requirements and you feel comfortable in it.

When purchasing things online always check the reviews first and also do comparisons about the product price and quality with others to grab the best deal. Whereas, Local shops and retailers have good staff that helps you in selecting the best pair for your needs that might be unique to find anywhere else.

It is important to invest in the quality footwear to receive comfort, durability and style. Always select a reputable manufacturer that makes the designs using quality material. This ensures you will receive the right product and your feet will feel healthy. Whether you are shopping for footwear online or in-store, there are plenty of options available. Always select the pair that makes the difference in your life and value your purchase.

How to find the right pair of stylish and Casual Footwear for Women?

Here are some important aspects mentioned that help you in finding out the best for you from many options available.

Material – Check the material of the slippers and opt for the pair that is made with high-quality material. The footwear is durable in nature and ensures feet stay healthy if made with quality material.

Design and Style- Look at the design of the slipper and buy the product suits with your style and support the feet. Select the footwear with anti-slip property, as it prevents accidents on slippery floors.

Breathability: Quality footwear offers breathability property and it allows the feet to breathe, preventing sweat and odour buildup.  Your feet always feel fresh and breath when wearing quality shoes.

You can have casual footwear for everyday activity and a pair of stylish flats for Women from a good store to add charm to your life. These are not only to wear for fashion statements; footwear plays a significant role in overall foot health.

[muu-kun]

Muu Masterpost: Fashion & Aesthetic mini blurb

I'm not going to get into heavy specifics over his preferences for style across the years in this post, but instead will only being honing in on the most recent development. One built strictly on the strategy of appearing taller, therefore older and more desirable in his mind.

Being scraping by the barrel allowing him to be considered 5ft4 (though if we are going into specifics, he falls at 5ft3 and 3/4 quarters), he's not really one to stand out as the largest man in the room by any means. A trait not at aided by his almost left in time youthful appearance directly caused by the only just recently diagnosed Kallmann Syndrome.

As of yet, he has no desire whatsoever to utilize testosterone as a means of assisting him in appearing more like his age appropriate peers, and is instead opting more for the aesthetic of appearing larger since he's not anticipated to grow on hormone treatments as is anyways. That and he so greatly admires his jovial androgyny regardless of how well it fares amongst those around him.

The method of choice to achieve such a resemblance has been none other than to begin predominantly wearing three specific pieces alongside each other for the time being, and to elevate it from there over time. Those pieces are none other than very specific shirts with long, oversized bell sleeves at their ends to hide his hands, making indiscernible where his hand ends, and where the remainder of the sleeve begins; as well as high waisted, preferably slim legged pants, and vegan only platform boots. Namely those marketed by Doc Martens due to being very uneducated on what other options are out there for him to utilize. Examples of what all of those appear when paired entirely with one another is illustrated below.

[aaaplazatrade]

Why Is There Growing Demand for Replica Designer Sneakers?

Premium designer slippers and sneakers have evolved into a staple of any man's casual wardrobe since they established their sartorial foothold in the market. They bring comfort and coolness to any ensemble for men. Designer shoes have unquestionable value that other casual shoes cannot compare to the level of style, adaptability, and comfort provided by them. Plus, they are available in a huge variety, so they can be dressed up with a suit for a business casual look or down with a pair of jeans for an exquisite casual look. Though, they are expensive, but they also provide a level of attention to detail and craftsmanship that mass-market brands can’t deliver.

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to pay a fortune for buying designer products. With Replica Designer Sneakers creating buzz in the market, you can find stylists hand-picked budget-friendly, high-quality alternatives for the best luxury sports and athletic wear brands such as Adidas, Nike, and New Balance etc. From Gucci to Tom Ford and Balenciaga, you can get replica designer slippers and sneakers that can make you look stunning and elegant on all days.

Buying something counterfeit doesn’t correlated the value of a person. On the contrary, there is more demand for replica items such as replica designer slippers and replica designer sneakers in the current market.

There has been a combination of factors that have contributed in the rising demand for replica products. First and foremost, replicas are often much cheaper than the original products, making them an attractive option for people who want to save money but still wish to wear designer products. These are made using high quality material that they stand firm to the test of time and their quality remain untangled. Secondly, there is a constantly increasing demand for wearing replicas as a statement of personal style. For instance, replica designer sneakers like Burberry men’s sneakers are in popular demand among fashionable men.

A lot of people who buy original branded products online or in stores wish to authenticate their purchases. But there is also a growing sector of the market in search of the replica products. Buying replica fashionable products such as Replica Designer slippers and Replica Designer sneakers have become much more widespread and accessible through online marketplaces and social media platforms.

It is easy and convenient way to buy good quality replica designer products at the best prices. However, it can also be daunting task to choose the best online platform to buy replica designer sneakers and replica designer slippers. One must research to find a reputed online store known for offering quality products. They must be able to provide good warranty and return policy on the products. All of these will help you buy quality replica designer products at reasonable prices.

[wherewisteriaends]

A Character Study in Flowers

My take on the character of Agatha Harkness based on the flower language (I'm so sorry for the pic's quality) Cowslip - it can stand for death, adventure and mischief, birth and doom. Agatha has put many people in an early grave. She is a doom. It's very clear mischief and adventure are part of character/hobbies. Birth is for Nicholas but also because of Evanora. Death is for her own work. Pink Camelia - Camelias in the shade of pink mean longing. Agatha longs for Rio, for the life that could've been had her son stayed alive, she longs for her wife's affections.

Carnation - A Mother's Eternal Love If you pay attention to her interaction with Teen, with Billy and Tommy in Wandavision, you know she was a good mother. She will never stop missing Nicholas. White Clematis - In this shade, clematis mean mental beauty. I believe Agatha isn't only attracted to Rio because of her power or her looks, but also because she is an immortal entity who knows so much. Agatha in my eyes is greedy for knowledge as much as power, because knowledge is part of power and because Evanora refused to teach her.

Snowdrop & Mint & Carnation - when paired together, they stand for the grief of mother over her child. She is still grieving. It's not that she hasn't grieved for centuries now, and a mother's grief is eternal, it's that her grief is still raw, primal, overwhelmed with guilt and anger. It's that she isn't moving on from the first stages.

Violet - Since Sappho's poems, this flower has heavily been associated with sapphic relationship. As was the color purple associated with homosexuality in general. Agatha has always known she preferred women. And she cherishes the color purple, because it is the one of her magic.

Orange Anemone - It can stand in this shade for the fact to be forsaken. Agatha was abandoned and hated by her mother since her death. She was told she was the work of the devil, pure evil on earth. She believes herself to be forsaken with her inability, even after all this time, to control her own powers.

Marigold & Asphodel - Mourning and Despair. This is for the very moment of Nicholas' death. Since then, she hasn't been able to feel, not ever again, not anything else than the rush of power through her veins. But the rest of her heart has been locked away.

Pansy - "You occupy my thoughts" There isn't a minute, a day where neither Nicholas, Rio or her time in Salem doesn't her. She is trapped in the past in her mind, and whatever she never fully find relief.

Lavender & Basil - betrayal. She was betrayed by her mother, for even being given a chance. She was betrayed by her lover, who, in her eyes, chose her duty over their lives. She was betrayed by life too, because Nicholas shouldn't have died.

Rosemary - Remembrance She never forgets her past. Lady Slipper - It's a certain type of orchid who symbolized during victorian times enchantment. She is a witch. She is proud to be one. She will never regret that. And also she enjoys seduction. Rio and her had such a time.

Wormwood - It means bitterness. You've seen her act with Rio, with Jen also. She never forgets the past, it means she never let go of it and it influences upon her relationship with others. She holds grudges and doesn't let them go away.

[acryfordarkness]

girls night games

Jeux sans frontières

Beta suggestions

From @ritemate

my suggestion, Miss: A tug-of-war, where two boys each has the end of a rope tied to his beta genitals, and must strive to move forward, by dragging his opponent backwards, to reach the feet of a girl and kiss them. The other girls can use riding crops to encourage them. The loser must give the winner a blow job.

From @pa2girlboss

Beta Decathlon - a series of challenges where each beta is awarded points for top performance. Beta with highest point total at the end wins. Hand laundry - Pour 4oz of coffee or red wine on a pair of panties for beta to hand wash. Winners will be judged on time and cleanliness. 

Groveling - beta will pose in front of the judges on hands and knees and explain why he should be awarded “Top Groveler”. Top marks to most convincing supplicant. 

Crumb cleaning - hide 10 or 20 small items (beads would be perfect) around the room. Allow first beta to enter and time him on finding all the hidden “crumbs”. Send him away, re-hide the crumbs in the same locations and repeat with the next beta. For an added challenge, don’t tell them the number of crumbs before they start. Quicker picker upper wins. Establish penalties for missed crumbs. 

Cooking - assign betas to prepare their best tea sandwiches in under 30 minutes. Judges award points for taste. 

Wine selection - each beta must bring a bottle of wine in the $25-35 price range. Judges award points for taste, uniqueness and optionally for quality of wine service. 

Decoration - assign each beta a section of the room to decorate for the event in advance. Award points for attractiveness, adherence to theme and creativity. 

Slipper fetching - beta is told to fetch slippers from another room. beta encounters a number of unexpected hurdles in the process: slippers aren’t in expected location, right and left slippers not together, slippers don’t match description given, …. betas are judged on autonomy, problem-solving and adaptability. 

Fashion sense - each beta is given one square yard of fabric, scissors, a stapler and safety pins. beta must use these and only these items to construct an outfit that he will wear with nothing else on. You might have them model with a catwalk, or wear their outfit for the whole event. 

Rub off - women are blindfolded. Each beta gets 5 minutes to anonymously massage the feet of each lady. Each lady then stack ranks the quality of their massages before the betas’ identities are revealed. Winner is the beta with highest average rank. 

Command following - betas play a round of "Mistress Says", a spicier version of "Simon Says" you played in school. Be sure to put the betas in uncomfortable and humiliating positions, then release them without saying, "Mistress says".

Gold medal winner gets 10 bare bottom swats from the lady of his choice. Silver medalist gets 10 swats from each of two women, selected by the women. Bronze medalist gets 10 swats from all of the ladies. If there are more than three betas, the remaining losers get sent home.

From MsFern 

"The Simp". In this game, everyone writes down their most embarrassing moments on pieces of paper and puts them in a bowl. Then, betas take turns drawing a piece of paper from the bowl and having to act out the embarrassing moment while the others cheer them on.

"Unfair Treatment". The beta boy who is chosen to be the target for the night is given a list of tasks and challenges to complete within a certain amount of time. If the beta boy fails any task, he must perform a degrading action such as begging or groveling.

[y-rhywbeth2]

Clothes and Fashion

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. There's a lot of lore; I don't know everything. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest, etc etc etc]

Clothes in general; underwear; not wasting trousers on children who'll only outgrow them within the week; pockets! Sparkly hats; cosmetics; the word for hair care products; etc.

Demihuman cultures might vary slightly from this, but will generally follow the gist of it and they're all noted to be far less fashion conscious than humans. Dwarves, gnomes and orcs as a norm like to dress practically in durable clothes. Halflings, goblins and kobolds will blend in quietly until special occasions, where they'll dress as brightly and colourfully as possible. Elves have their own various culture-specific fashion trends, but mostly tend to wear whatever the hell they personally feel like wearing, be that human fashion, diaphanous gowns, or just living plants trained to be worn as garments with some jewellery.

-

Underwear:

Dethmas: '...a tight cloth breast-binding or sling (the equivalent of a modern sports bra, although instead of stretchy fabric covering a lot of skin, the Realms version is more like a trough or shelf of tightly-stretched cloth sewn to cords (precisely because elastic fabric is largely unknown in the Realms).

The concept of wire for breast support and shaping is unknown in the Realms, but corsets (laced-up, tight boiled hide, not whalebone or any sort of stiffeners) and stomachers that cinch the waist tight are popular, and many of them have shaped panels for the hips and a top ‘shelf’ to thrust out and support the breasts. Corsets are also unisex garments.

Clouts: '...a very tight leather, cloth, or cord (listed here in descending order of perceived quality and durability) belt worn around the hips, and usually held tight by multiple hooks (like a modern bra) at the front. Then a long, diaper-like strip of rectangular cloth (usually cotton) is passed between the legs, up through the front of the belt to dangle down, and up through the back of the belt to dangle down. [...] In many cases, the dangling front and back ends are designed to be tied together, and the cloth may be folded in on itself for absorbency [menstruation] and padding [horse riding].' Clouts come in fancy lingerie styles and are easily available in cities. Those who menstruate place extra layers of thick red cloth in and change as necessary.

Codpieces are also normally worn.

Black - and especially red - are considered the 'sexy' colours, especially when applied to undergarments. I'm going to make a different post about dating and so on in Faerûn though, so I'll talk about dressing sexy there instead.

-

Children:

Nobody wastes money getting complicated clothes for growing children who are going to outgrow their garments in a matter of weeks or months. All children wear smocks, usually hand-me-downs, ‘with leggings or pull-on hose (long stockings tied to an underbelt to keep them from “riding down”) with boots, clogs, slippers for indoor wear, or bare feet.’

Nevertheless, customisation is common enough in children’s clothes. Things such as belts, scarves, deliberately arranging a too-big smock to bare one shoulder in a way that I do remember doing myself as a child, curiously.

-

General:

The majority of people in the Realms can afford a sizable wardrobe. Daily wear tends to be practical, but almost everyone has some kind of fine clothing they’ll bring out on special occasions. Noble and the wealthy women are often seen in fancy gowns, but will likely be wearing practical garb underneath and be prepared to pin up their hems if need be. Nobles also really like their cloaks

All cities and markets will have tailors and seamstresses for altering garments as necessary, whether as repairs and maintenance or for aesthetics like dyes and adornments. Almost all clothiers found in cities are prepared to do on-the-spot alterations. Enameled metals, coloured cut-glass and painted wire are popular amongst the working glass who want to look flashy but can’t afford genuine fancy stuff. Many outfits may be modified, so that armour such as breastplates and gorgets are disguised within fabric and bodices, or jerkins reinforced with armour plating.

Breeches and tunics, the former usually made of leather, are the most common garment on all genders in most of the continent. Skirts are rarely seen, though gowns are common enough. Bare arms, a low neckline that exposes a ‘little bosom’, and a hemline at the mid-calf or lower is considered dressing conservatively. 'Low-cut peasant blouses and even lace trimmings are widely used.'

Keyhole necklines are common along the trade routes of the Heartlands, and they're called 'gracetels' which is an elven word of unknown meaning. The elven empire of Cormanthor was known for skin-exposing risqué fashions (by real-world and in-universe dwarven and gnomish standards, at least), so possibly the word comes from there, although humans were cutting their clothes like this long before Netheril.

It's also called a 'heartbare' or 'heartbearing' cut, and Waterdhavian generation of the 1350s to the 1370s called it a 'splendour-glance.'

The commons style of jerkin on Faerun is a heavy, fitted garment that goes down to the knees and fastens down the front or side by a sustem of toggles and loops. Shoulder padding and a stand-up collar are common, and they usually have pockets (internal or external)

Most people will be wearing belts and baldrics (belts that go diagonally across the chest, over the shoulder) for holding clothes up and carrying items.

A tammalar is a type of baldric with many pouches attached.

Bracelars are leather braces with pouches, popular with merchants.

'...and the scrip, which in recent centuries has come to mean a large piece of leather or cloth with sewn-on ties or thongs, and sewn-on loop or sleeves for those ties to go through. It is gathered up (around goods, to form a carrysack) into a bundle, and kept that way by threading ties through the sleeves (and a user’s belt, to carry it at the hip or hanging from the rear waist).'

Typical shoes are either boots or open-toed sandals. Thigh-high boots and stiletto heels canonically exist, ways to make them stop murdering your feet when you wear them apparently do not.

Hat fashions come and go rapidly. A ‘fancy-me’ or ‘dee’ is a hat that’s been augmented with several feathers, gauze, gemstones and various sparkly things, usually worn by those concerned with fashion.

-

Outdoors wear:

Weathercloaks are ankle-length cloaks made from a light material held together by a brooch. They’re noted to not be much use at keeping the cold out, but are better than nothing. Those with more coin can afford leather longcoats that keep the rain off and greatcloaks for the cold.

-

Piercings:

Ear piercings and naval piercings are common, but other piercings are much more rarely seen outside of some priests who have ritual piercings for religious reasons. In the Western Heartlands (including the Gate) piercing your nostrils is also normal.

A person who has piercings other than these areas is assumed to be clergy, as these alterations are done for religious rites of passages rather than cosmetics.

-

Cosmetics:

Makeup on Toril is called 'fleshpaint' in the tradestongue (i.e., Common), and apparently 'dardarra' in Chondathan and 'adratha' in Alzhedo (unless those are localised words in dialects of Common. It wasn't specified). Apparently they don't know the word 'makeup' at all.

The stuff that we'd recognise as cosmetics is created from a powder base of mud or chalk, mixed with the boiled essences of bark, reptile hide, plant matter or whatever else and then some kind of lipid (animal fat, seed oil, etc), simmered over heat before having colours and maybe scents added in. High-end brands may be enchanted with cantrips or orisons to keep it from going bad.

Fleshpaint is mostly popular in the south (Vilhon reach and lower), with most of the cosmetics industry working in southern Tethyr, the Vilhon, Chessenta and etc.

In the northern half of Faerûn, for the most part, your cosmetics options are mostly stuff like crushed berries that temporarily dye the skin that you can make in the kitchen.

Obviously trade hubs like the Gate and Waterdeep import the stuff, though it may not be cheap. You can buy it from street stalls or from beauty stores. Average decent quality product is 4-8gp, with the worse stuff peddled on the street going for 4sp (which is a decent chunk of most people's weekly wages gone). The luxury brands go for 20-75+gp per tiny bottle. It's also mostly popular with nobles and the nouveau-riche 'who may have closets full of a wide selection of scents, fleshpaints, specialized lip-paints, and so on.'

There's also a trend for doing decorative beauty spots in fancy shapes (flowers, stars, etc) painted onto the skin with something like a very thin tapered stick... or tattooed under the skin with a needle.

Painting your nails is also popular.

.

Hair:

Thurdrixes are hair products that work as dyes or to encourage hair growth (up to several inches a day). These treatments are also expensive, and may not be widely trusted due to being arcane magic. These products usually have long, fanciful sounding names.

Barbers and trained hairdressers aren't much of a thing, though they do exist. Usually you ask a family member to cut it for you, so there's not much call for professionals in the market

Plucking and shaving body hair is a fashion in the Southern hemisphere, but not really present in the rest of Faerûn (so not common in Baldur's Gate outside of places like Little Calimshan).

The fashion for men in the Heartlands is to have facial hair, though no particular style is more popular than others. Illuskans favour long beards, provided that they're not too impractical. Calishite fashion involves oils and perfumes to keep lice out, and a popular fashion in the South is for bare chins and long moustaches and sideburns which may well be seen further north due to trade and migration.

[campgender]

In sexuality as in image, the 1950s community exerted strong pressure for consistent butch-fem role behavior. It had little tolerance for those lesbians whose sexual behavior was not consistently butch or fem. Such people were considered “ki-ki” (neither-nor), or more infrequently “AC/DC,” both pejorative labels imposed by the community. Not everyone in the community remembers such terminology, but all recall that those who regularly switched roles elicited negative comments and were the butt of jokes.

“They used to make little wise cracks… you know, like, ‘Well I wonder which way she’s gonna go tonight.’ Little smirks like that. ‘Oh I see she’s playing fem this week,’ or ‘Oh she’s playing the big bad butch this week.’… But to be very honest with you, [the person I told you about] that’s really about the only one that I knew that was like that back then, and is like that today.… She’s still like that. And I told her, I said ‘Hey, your time has finally come.’… I says, ‘You’re right in the ball park now, kiddo.’” (Sandy)

From the perspective of the 1990s, in which mutuality in lovemaking and the absence of roles are emphasized as positive qualities, it is important to clarify that ki-ki did not refer to an abandonment of role-defined sex, but rather to a shifting of sexual posture depending upon one’s bed partner. It was thus firmly grounded in role playing. This culture could not imagine people without roles. Matty, in fact, defines ki-ki as “double role playing,” and looks at it with much more sympathy today than she did formerly.

“Yeah, they called them neither-nor, ki-ki. You find that now too, double role playing, that’s all it is actually.… See, it isn’t that they don’t want to make a choice, it’s that they’re leaving themselves open to the occasion of whomever might come in that they could play either role. It isn’t that they don’t know what they are.… They don’t want to pin any one thing on themselves for fear if they pin ‘feminine’ on themselves if they become attracted to a feminine girl, well that girl won’t bother, you know. And I think that’s the way it should be, you should be able to play either role.… ’Course I didn’t know too many people back then that didn’t play a role, there weren’t that many when I came out.… But looking back now, if I knew then everything I know now that’s the way I would have been when I came out.”

The negative reactions in the 1950s to those who were ki-ki stem from the fact that such people disrupted the butch-fem social order. Those who maintained their roles felt that their own identities and reputations were threatened. Sandy remembers how she used to hate it if someone she was with became butch in another relationship. She didn’t want others to think that she was fem. “I knew women who didn’t know their role. I was with some when they were fems. When they came out butch, I didn’t want anyone to get the idea that I rolled over.” She explains that butches experienced this kind of role-changing as a personal betrayal. “You showed someone you cared. You let your defenses down, and then they switch roles and you feel betrayed.”

from Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy & Madeline D. Davis (1994)

[neptunehills]

Taurus Gift Guide | Ten Great Gifts for Any Taurus

Celebrating a Taurus this season and not sure what to get ? Here are ten great gift ideas for the Taurus in your life :

Bown of London Womens Hooded Robe $129.99 - 100% Cotton in a multi-color way. Light robe that is perfect for the summer season!

Legend Bill Organizer & Budget Planner $32.99 - High quality large financial planner that comes in many colors. Bound in a vegan leather and is packaged in a perfect gift box!

Back to Roots Hydroponic Indoor Grow Kit $38.57 - Self watering countertop grow kit. Includes organic seeds and automatic LED lights.

Hello Kitty Taurus T-Shirt $19.99 - Super cute unisex Hello Kitty t-shirt. Comes in multiple colors and is fun gift for any Taurus!

Hap Tim Picnic Backpack for 4 $79.99 - Complete picnic set all nicely kept in a luxury backpack. Comes in dark grey or green.

Nespresso Vertuo Coffee & Espresso Machine $188.97 - 5 cup coffee maker that makes the perfect cup every time! Includes milk frother and starter pods.

Alice Mushrooms Nightcap & Brainstorm Duo Chocolates $52.50 - Mushroom chocolates that light up the brain with clarity or turn things down. Great addition to any medicine cabinet.

Vanilla Cream Soy Candle $26.99 - 19.4oz of pure vanilla cream scent. A 2 wick candle made with 100% organic wax.

Ugg Tazz Slipper $129.95 - A platform suede slipper in mustard seed. Comes in a variety colors. A classic slipper that always delights!

Conair Waterfall Foot Spa $42.29 - Gift a luxury experience with this Conair foot spa. A massage foot spa that is instantly satisfying with it s massage features.

These gifts are inspired by the need for comfort, relaxation, and pleasure. Gift the Taurus in your life a bit of luxury this year.

[dpkronmiller]

COME ON BARBIE LET GO PATRIARCHY

Something was different.

Yes, here is a huge hit, female directed, female written and female starring - breaking just amazing records. The first live action comedy to break the top 20 biggest opening weekends. First female directed, written and focused film in that top 20. 162 Million dollar opening weekend. Indiana Jones by comparison only did $60 million domestically and that was cherished cinematic IP with a male protagonist. Mission Impossible didn't crack 100 million and it too had a male protagonist. And it wasn't a holiday weekend. Just another weekend dead in the middle of summer with a huge iMax sized competitor in the Nolan film Oppenheimer - which probably did benefit more from Barbie than Barbie did from it in large part thanks to the genius double feature marketing of Barbieheimer. And some people apparently only saw Oppenheimer because Barbie was sold out.

But wait - so the male starring films all under performed? And Barbie DOUBLED Oppenheimer's take??

And worldwide - it's made over $400 million dollars! Surpassing Jones and Impossibley beating Mission Impossible. Already. In it's first week of release.

Every male driven movie this summer, aside from the testosterone filled mustache of Mario, had weak turnout. Yet the narrative from the industry has been that female centered films don't have enough demand. That people won't turn out for a movie about women and girls and for women and girls.

Yet...here we are...Barbie.

But that's not what I mean by different.

The film is unique. It wasn't what I expected. I thought it might be a fish out of water story in the real world like Enchanted. Or have some quest component whereby Barbie would need to find the hidden McGuffin golden slipper or devise some magic potion to stop some great evil from shooting a laser in the sky, again. 

Instead I was met with fantasy. 

A film structured and written as if kids were playing with their Barbies but not just kids - as if kids were playing Barbie with their Moms and their Moms were using the toys to educate their kids on the suffocating yoke of the male patriarchy. 

But entire film felt like one long playdate with the truth.

From how Barbie magically moves to the ground or travels in between worlds - there's an active surreal quality where one action doesn't necessarily need explanation - she just is now on Venice Beach. She's just now in a white void. She's just now in Ben Shapiro's crawl keeping him from his precious beauty sleep.

But that's not what was different.

And though the film was almost a movie about Barbie AND Ken equally, with both having large arcs and equal screen time, where Ken wasn't just a supporting player but seemingly as much of a center of the movie as Barbie - with performances from Robbie and Gosling that were anything but plastic - but that's not what struck me as different...

Something happened in the theatre.

As the credits started to roll...

...normally everyone sits and maybe waits for an end credit scene quietly or simply slips out in silence...

...this time...

...as soon as the credits rolled...

...the whole theatre started talking, chatting, excitedly with each other, there was such a roar that you couldn't hear Billie Elish's whisper singing during the final song in the credits.

I've never really heard that before. That was different. Not Billie Elish’s whisper singing - will somebody please get that poor lady a throat losenge. 

The chatter. The audience was awake.

There was an excitement. An eagerness to digest what they just saw. A glee.

And it was mostly a female audience.

Well I did hear one man explaining what he thought and say the word existential just a lot - there's always one Ken.

But it was different. This film managed to do something new. And it's honesty and straight forwardness and clarity was refreshing. It didn't just speak in metaphor - it at times just out right said the thing that needed to be said - that men needed to hear. And said them several times. Why? Because, speaking as someone who walks between both worlds, sometimes you have to tell a man something more than once for him to get off his ass and take the damn trash out.

And yet it didn't end on women taking control. The goal wasn't vengeance or domination - the goal was acceptance and ultimately...equality. We just aren’t there yet. Huh...a realistic ending to a plastic world.

#barbie 

[explore24]

Top 5 Shoe Brands You Shouldn’t Miss in 2024: A Perfect Blend of Style, Comfort, and Durability

Finding the right pair of shoes is essential—not only for comfort but also for enhancing your personal style and confidence. In today’s fast-paced world, people are constantly on the lookout for shoes that offer a seamless combination of durability, trend, and comfort. The right shoes can elevate your entire outfit, make long hours of standing or walking easier, and even boost your performance in athletic activities.

In this comprehensive blog, I will introduce five top shoe brands in 2024 that are dominating the Indian market, and I’ve included exclusive affiliate links for each brand so you can shop directly with confidence. Let’s take a closer look at what makes these brands stand out, and why they should be your next footwear choice.

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1. Sparx Shoes – The Ultimate Choice for Casual and Athletic Wear

Sparx is a leading brand that offers affordable, durable, and stylish footwear. Whether you're going for a run, hitting the gym, or just hanging out with friends, Sparx shoes are designed to meet all your footwear needs. The brand is renowned for its variety of options, from sports shoes to casual sneakers and slippers.

Key Features of Sparx Shoes:

Durability: Sparx shoes are built to last. Their high-quality soles and sturdy stitching ensure that your shoes can handle wear and tear, whether you're hiking or using them for everyday activities.

Comfort: Sparx uses shock-absorbing soles and breathable materials, which reduce foot fatigue even after long hours of use.

Design Variety: The brand offers numerous design options, making it easy to find a pair that suits your style—whether you're after something sporty or casual.

Affordable: One of the most attractive features of Sparx shoes is their affordability, without compromising on quality.

If you're looking for versatile shoes that won't break the bank, check out the latest Sparx collection here.

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2. Bacca Bucci – Where Fashion Meets Functionality

For those who want to combine style and comfort, Bacca Bucci Shoes are an excellent choice. This brand offers footwear that is not only functional but also fashion-forward, appealing to both men and women. With their trendy designs and durable construction, Bacca Bucci shoes are perfect for those who want to stay ahead of the fashion curve without compromising on comfort.

Key Features of Bacca Bucci Shoes:

High-Quality Materials: Bacca Bucci uses premium leather and synthetic materials to craft shoes that are not only stylish but also long-lasting.

Streetwear-Inspired Designs: Their urban and streetwear-inspired designs make these shoes perfect for young professionals and fashion enthusiasts alike.

Versatility: Whether you're looking for casual sneakers, formal shoes, or boots, Bacca Bucci offers a variety of options suitable for any occasion.

Affordability: Despite the premium look and feel, Bacca Bucci shoes are budget-friendly, making high-end fashion accessible to all.

Explore the full Bacca Bucci collection to find a pair that matches your unique style.

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3. Puma Shoes – Unleash Your Athletic Potential

When it comes to sportswear, Puma is a name that needs no introduction. Known for their innovative designs and cutting-edge technology, Puma shoes are engineered to maximize performance without sacrificing comfort. Whether you're running, training, or playing a sport, Puma has something to enhance your athletic experience.

Key Features of Puma Shoes:

Advanced Technology: Puma shoes are designed with the latest innovations in athletic footwear, including breathable uppers, lightweight midsoles, and responsive cushioning for superior comfort.

Sports-Oriented Designs: Puma shoes are built with athletes in mind. From running shoes to football boots, they offer specialized footwear that optimizes performance in every sport.

Ergonomics: Puma is known for crafting shoes that perfectly fit the contours of your feet, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing your natural movement.

Style and Comfort: Beyond just sports, Puma sneakers have become a fashion statement, perfect for athleisure and casual wear.

Upgrade your athletic gear by checking out the latest Puma shoe collection.

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4. Campus Shoes – Affordable Footwear for Daily Wear

Campus Shoes are synonymous with affordability and comfort. Designed for those who want a reliable pair of shoes for daily activities, Campus offers a wide range of stylish sneakers, casual shoes, and sports shoes. The brand focuses on blending comfort with style, making them a go-to for people from all walks of life.

Key Features of Campus Shoes:

Lightweight Design: Campus shoes are incredibly lightweight, making them ideal for daily wear and long hours of use.

Durability: Even though they're budget-friendly, Campus shoes don’t compromise on quality. Their materials and construction are designed to withstand daily wear and tear.

Innovative Comfort: The cushioned insole and flexible outsole ensure that Campus shoes provide the ultimate comfort, making them suitable for long periods of walking or standing.

Wide Range of Styles: Campus offers everything from simple sneakers to more stylish options for various activities, so you’ll always find a pair that fits your needs.

Explore the latest Campus Shoes and experience unmatched comfort at an affordable price.

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5. Adidas – Iconic Designs and Unmatched Performance

Adidas is a brand that is known for revolutionizing sports footwear. From its iconic three stripes to cutting-edge technology, Adidas Shoes continue to be a favorite among athletes and casual wearers alike. Whether you're looking for running shoes, casual sneakers, or something for specific sports, Adidas offers a wide range of options that deliver style and performance.

Key Features of Adidas Shoes:

High-Tech Performance: Adidas shoes come with advanced features like Boost and Bounce cushioning, providing superior comfort and energy return for enhanced athletic performance.

Stylish Designs: While Adidas shoes are built for performance, they are also a global style icon, with their sleek designs making them a popular choice for streetwear and casual looks.

Durability: Adidas shoes are made from premium materials that ensure long-lasting wear, even in harsh conditions.

Sustainability: Many Adidas shoes are now made from recycled materials, making them a great choice for eco-conscious consumers.

If you're looking for the perfect combination of style and performance, check out the latest Adidas collection.

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Conclusion: Step into Style and Comfort with These Top Shoe Brands

Whether you're looking for a pair of shoes to elevate your casual look, power through your workouts, or simply offer everyday comfort, these top five brands have something for everyone. Each brand offers its unique blend of style, durability, and comfort, ensuring that you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.

Latest Sparx

By shopping through the exclusive affiliate links provided, you not only get access to top-quality footwear but also support this blog in bringing more valuable, engaging content to you.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your perfect pair of shoes today and step into 2024 with confidence and style!

[awaissstore]

Top On Product Recommendation!

Sugar Patients Acupressure Slippers | Foot Therapy Massage Slippers | Acupuncture Points Non-Slip Reflexology Sandals

Description :-

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Massage Slippers Suitable For Both Men And Women, Easy To Use, Daily Wear Item.

Suitable for most feet you can wear your health on the foot anytime when you walk, it may bring you a little pain, but it means the massage is working

Function: The foot massage shoes comfort the feet and enhance foot circulation. This massager pressure points to improve circulation and digestion, stimulate blood flow, and ease pains throughout the body, improve sleep quality, and strengthen immunity.

Relaxation & Pain Relief: Foot massage slippers have a special silicone massage column, To better stimulate the foot acupuncture point massage, can soothe foot/ heel pain & tension due to arthritis, neuropathy, and other ailments.

Product Size : 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45

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[darklovecat]

April Favorites!!

Longchamp Gunmetal Le Pliage Large

If there's one bag I will always recommend, it's the Longchamp's Le Pliage. Look there's a reason Longchamp has a cult following and I've been lucky to have joined it in my first year of high school. I've lived with my black Longchamp on 3 continents.. Travel, class, shopping trips, gym, outings, work, it's been with me everywhere in good and bad weather. I'm clumsy, I don't baby my bags and just throw it over my shoulder or in a corner and despite that it barely shows any wear and tear except for tiny holes in the corners which are an easy fix but I refuse to get them done because they bring me comfort and they remind me of good memories. This bag is THE bag, it's always appropriate, it's classy, it's timeless.

This color is very ambiguous, it's sort of gray and blue and dark khaki and a washed out black all at the same time so I can combine it with most of my outfits. I bought the large one because I do a lot and this thing carries everything and more. I would recommend the medium one for a very classy look, large for busy people, small never - I think the small one is too unstructured to look good and the ones with short handles are not only hideous but also useless. For medium and large: I can't think of a single situation where this bag wouldn't work. I own a few both reps and original so it just made sense to invest in another piece. They're not too expensive but overpriced for a nylon bag, it's longevity makes up for it though and the leather handles are quite high quality.

A Pair of Handmade Mary Janes.

My everyday black beater ballet flats were falling apart so I needed another pair of black flats ASAP, it took me a few months to find an ample alternative because I am way too picky about my shoes. I don't really wear heels because they're uncomfortable and I live in a big city where I have to walk 10k on a bad day and my style leans elegant not sporty so sneakers don't look good on me either and I avoid them. I was open to a pair of Mary Janes, I'm not a big fan of shiny y2k patent leather chunky shoes, I think they look cartoonish, and I didn't want to look like a schoolgirl, so I was very very pleased when I found these classy ones online and immediately hit buy. I love it when I can look good with no effort and these do it every time. I'm thinking about getting them in velvet finish and smooth leather to add, not the full grain thing that's going on here. They're more grown up and elegant than the popular style, and they're flat. I wore them out a few times and I must say I am in love with them. The leather is smooth and buttery and they're as comfortable as house slippers. The bands are elastic so I don't need to do anything, I just jump in and I'm done.

A Pair of Back Seam Stockings.

My weapon in the event of an emergency. I love to spice things up once in a while, I may be covered from head to toe but that doesn't mean I can't lean into whatever I want to lean on, I'm doing it for my myself and god knows how love a good pair of stockings. I own all sorts of different lengths, derniers, models in my collection and I only own them in the black or a tan tone that matches my skin, all other colors look trash imho. I also dislike polka dots or any crazy patterns. My personal favs are lace and back seams. I hate to say it (I don't) but there is literally nothing more alluring then a pair of stockings on a woman and I love wearing them with my pencil skirts. Nobody knows what I'm wearing under my clothes and that's the way I want it. I'm wearing a visual emblem of my faith, I know and love who I am and what my identity means to me and millions of other women, it makes me feel so safe. And I love being a woman, I embrace my femininity and the power that comes with it, there's nothing like pulling up a pair of silky stockings and securing them with a garter belt so I am locked and loaded and good to go!

[honeyed-obscenities]

Dust and Gauzy Ribbon (House of Wax Soulmate AU)

Some might remember me from a stint of writing horror fanfic more than a year ago now. Originally this was an idea I'd tossed around with another horror writer, aggravatetheaxe, and recently found inspiration to write on my own. We never got very far conceptually outside of the MC being a ballet dancer and it being a soulmate au with a no-color-until-you-see-them flavor, so I would consider this to be more my own work at this point. Anyhow, I haven't edited this very much and I'm not sure I'll continue it but here we go.

Synopsis and Warnings: Dante is a ballet dancer on his way to a show, but the troupe gets lost in the back roads of Louisiana. Where Ambrose looks like salvation, they'll find nothing so pleasant.

House of Wax Soulmate AU (Greyscape to color upon meeting soulmate), OC insert, the usual death and such, drugging, vomit, minor implications of kidnapping. 18+ only, please (fair warning there's a large amount of exposition and the brothers aren't referenced by name at this juncture, but hopefully I did well enough making it clear who is who)

Continued below the cut

We got dressed on the bus. A troupe of dancers separated by sheets the makeup artists held up so the men wouldn't see the women and vice versa, getting into their dresses and tights and tutus and fussed over by the costuming team. Patrice put me in a bodice of lace and stretchy knit, the gauzy bows she tied over my shoulders trailing on my back and making me think something was crawling on me, and a skirt longer in the back than it was in the front.

“Legs are a ballet dancer's best quality,” she chimed pleasantly when I asked her why they cut the skirts so high in the front.

“Makes up for the state of their feet,” grumbled Malek, the fussier of our costuming duo.

Our costumes were all in dusty hues- or so I was told- to accentuate the somber tone of pieces we were dancing to. Patrice, having already found her soulmate, told me mine was primarily a lilac color, with the ties a dark ballet slipper pink. The colors meant little to many of us, but in my case I would never comment as much. My first teacher told us that the colors we wore were nearly as important as the steps we danced. “You will dance and dress as though your soulmate will first see you here,” she told the class. “For everyone in love, you will be beautiful. For everyone yet to find love, you will be stunning. But for the one you're meant to spend your life with, you will be unforgettable.” I don't expect I'll ever find my soulmate at a performance, but there's such a looming 'What if?' that it's almost a larger source of anxiety on the day of a performance than the actual dancing.

We were already late, or we never would have considered getting dressed on the way. Our makeup could be done in stages. Not everyone would be going on at the beginning of the show, thankfully. The most necessary of warm-ups would have to push the start time back a bit, if we were unlucky, but until then we made do by stretching against seats, still in our boots with our coats keeping us warm over the costumes. I kept my pointe shoes tied together and hanging around my neck so I wouldn't lose them in the chaos of the costuming and shuffle off the bus. Directors hated that I did that, but it was only the back-stage crew and other dancers there that night and I could do whatever I pleased.

“Dante.” I looked up from massaging the arch of my left foot. “Do you know what time the sun sets?” I quirked an eyebrow but picked up my phone. No signal.

“'Sets at night,” I offered. “Why?”

“It seems a bit dark, doesn't it?”

I glanced out the window. It was completely dark, actually. “It's the middle of winter. Besides, we're late but it's only five.”

“I thought the show was in a different time zone.”

Patrice looked up from fussing with a hem on another dancer's dress. “Is it really?”

“Remember? We were warned we'd have to leave earlier to account for the time change.”

“Does it go forward or backward, though?”

“Oh, God, man, I don't know.” The conversation continued on without me and my lacking knowledge of time, but I was already tuned in. Most people were just helping each other stretch and checking each others costumes for oddities. But at the front of the bus, the talk between Malek and our driver was getting heated. I pulled on my boot and stood, squeezing myself past those in the aisle and making my way carefully to the front. It was weirdly nostalgic to walk the narrow path of a bus in motion, even stranger to be doing so dressed in a way I never could on any other bus. Not peacefully, anyway.

“What's happening?” I asked Malek quietly, hoping to reset their conversation to a normal volume and intensity.

Malek huffed and hesitated to answer. “We're just a little lost.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again quickly, thinking for a moment before nodding. “Okay... Do we have a map to follow?”

Malek growled “Not unless you somehow have a signal.”

“I thought it was just down the highway until we got to the town?”

“It was. But-”

“You said you're late, so I took a shortcut!” the driver cut in. “Get off my dick and we'll get there fine.”

“You're lost, jackass! It's dark already- If we miss this show you can forget getting paid because we certainly aren't.”

“Hey,” I pressed my knuckles against Malek's arm solidly. “You wanna keep it down? They're already stressed about being late. I don't want everyone freaking out about being lost. Especially not like this. Middle of winter in the dark with no phone signal? Come on.”

Malek gritted his teeth but exhaled and glanced back to everyone else. “Alright, alright. Look, man, do you have any idea where we are?”

“As soon as I find a crossroads, we're in the clear,” the driver assured. “We're a little off course because of a road closure. You know how it is this time of year.”

“So we'll be fine! Besides, look at that.” I pointed out a billboard.

Malek squinted, forgetting his nearsightedness and the glasses perched in his hair. “Ambrose. What of it?”

“If we really need to, we can stop and ask for directions. As long as we keep everyone on the bus, it won't take five minutes.”

“That billboard looked kind of old. It better not be a ghost town dead end,” Malek fretted with an undertone of threat to the driver.

“Everything's old here,” I shrugged. “It's the back roads. Look. You see the lights? We'll be okay.”

˅˄˅

There was an indication of life. Lights, streets full of cars, the sounds of the theater escaping through the doors. And us. We hadn't seen the dip in the road- a wet ditch, really- before we ran right through it. Ballerinas tossed a foot in the air and all the accoutrement scattered across the seats and floor. 'Less than five minutes' I'd said, but there was no way that was going to happen. Malek and the driver held a shouting match over whether or not it was worth the time to check the bus for damage. Sense won out, as it always had against Malek's disdain, and not even his yelling could keep battered and bruised ballerinas in their seats while there was an opportunity to stretch their legs in the fresh air.

And yet, despite our clamor, no one came outside to greet us or even wonder what a bus full of people like us was doing here and blocking the road. The theater advertised its showing of 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'. An arguably rude choice. Ever since film makers had regular access to color film, anything filmed purposefully in black and white had a mark on its name. Most found it mocking, as if they were saying not enough people watching would have found their soulmate for them to bother with showing color. The stance was bleak, but in the time where color would be more costly I could have understood the feeling. At least a little.

A tap on my shoulder made me jump and I turned to Patrice. “Malek is going with the driver to the gas station down that way to ask for directions. I want to keep an eye on the other dancers- Do you think you could go to the store over there and get us some snacks or drinks? Nothing heavy, okay?” She pressed a bill into my hand and nodded toward the small store.

I sighed. It was a step up from babysitting. “Yeah, sure. Should I ask about the time, too?” I grinned.

She smiled and pushed my shoulder. “Get me something sweet, too, okay?”

I crossed the street and passed between two cars and onto the sidewalk, looking into the theater as I approached the corner store. The greeter was wooden, staring dead-eyed out into the lobby like he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge us. Dickhead.

I was still looking into the theater as I pushed the door and found it wouldn't give. I paused, looking to make sure it was a pull and not a push and wiggled the handle. Locked. Glancing up, I was right when I read the sign as saying it was open 24 hours. Looking in, it was dim with no human presence. In a town so small, staying open 24 hours a day must have been more difficult than elsewhere. At least, I thought, the theater was certainly open. And most of those have concessions. A price gouge, maybe, but close enough.

Looking both ways reflexively, I crossed the street and saw Malek and our driver chatting with someone I couldn't see past the doorway of the gas station. At least they were making progress, it seemed. I pushed open the door of the movies and inhaled. What struck me first was the scent. It had been a while since I'd gone to the movies but I remembered the smell of popcorn being a heavy aspect. The popcorn smell was there, I was sure, but it was somehow wrong. Stale? Not warm, certainly. It didn't matter much. Popcorn wasn't the light sort of snack Patrice had in mind.

I approached the concessions counter and glanced halfway toward the ticket seller in his kiosk. “You know, the polite thing to do when you see people stopped with a busload of people like that is to see...” I trailed off as I focused on the concessions runner. “...If they need help.” I looked back at the ticket kiosk. Neither of these men were real, both covered in cobwebs with stock expressions and unnatural poses. I reached out to poke the concessions dummy in the cheek and rubbed the weird dust residue that stuck on my skin between my fingers. “Wax?” The billboard had advertised a house of wax, but this... This seemed like an odd gimmick for a museum.

A sharp, echoing crack wormed its way through the gaps in the doors. I crouched on instinct, glancing around for a shooter. The screams of a crowd of men and women came as a backing chorus to the second gunshot.

I'm not an idiot. I don't go looking for trouble by any stretch of the imagination. And I'm even less keen to search it out given that I'm a visibly non-white male and I was currently dressed in a bodice and skirt in what used to be a Confederate state. But if I didn't try to do something, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.

With luck, the majority of people have never seen a ballerina fall. It often spells something grim for our careers- or at least something unsightly for those who have to see it- because the God's honest truth is that ballerinas do not fall with grace. I exited the theater in time to see a girl's chest to explode in blood and torn lace before she fell like a sack of rocks to the dirt. Blood is black when you can't see in color- Almost worse because when you're told blood is red for so long you can half convince yourself that it's not real. And watching my fellow dancers fallen and falling through the street, dressed in dainty outfits and screaming in a town that looked like a set piece, I wanted to believe this was a performance. A grim, one night only showcase that would sicken the audience, never to be performed again.

“Dante!” My skin prickled with the sound of Patrice's screaming. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah. Come on, uh-” I looked in the direction she'd come from, seeing a large form rounding the bus. Not one of us. “Fuck, we have to hide. Here.” I urged her to retreat with me into the theater and behind the ticket booth. “What happened? I was only gone a couple minutes.”

“I don't know! It- He...” Her eyes glossed over with tears and her expression wavered. “I-I think he killed Malek. I heard the driver yell and he was standing weird and then he fell and I-”

“Pat, breathe,” I cut her off. Half because she was panicking in earnest and half because I felt like if I heard anything more I'd throw up. “God, what...” How are we going to get out of here alive? I didn't ask the question out loud. I startled and looked her over. “He didn't get you, did he!? You're okay?”

She nodded, still crying but trying to keep her breathing from being too chaotic. “I think he's got a uh a shotgun? W-We might be okay if we can get far enough away, right?”

“Maybe,” I breathed, wanting to look through the ticket booth to see what was happening, shots and screams still vying for my attention, but I was too scared about what I might see or the possibility of being seen. “I... I don't know how many of us got away. Do you... Do you want to look for anyone he- that we can?”

To my surprise she shook her head definitively. “Are you crazy? The longer we spend here, the more chances he has to find us.” She thought for a moment. “Do you know if the driver took the keys with him? You were up there with him and Malek, right?”

“I don't know uh...” I thought hard. They were yelling at each other, everyone was pressing at my back to ask what was happening, but the driver opened the door and left before Malek could stop him... “No, I think the keys are on the bus! Can you drive?”

“I've never driven a bus, but I don't think it matters. If we can get back across that ditch, that will be enough, right?”

“They never looked it over, I don't think. What if something's busted?”

“Then we run!” She searched my face to make sure I understood. And in her eyes I could see what she meant, really. This wasn't a situation we'd all be able to escape alive- It was far too late to think like that. If we could get away, we had to take the chance and not stop for anything or anyone. As I nodded her eyes darted up and widened enormously. She gripped my shoulders, forcing me to the floor, and shouted. But a heat and sound burst at my back and drowned out her words- and everything else, to leave only a ringing before her grip slackened.

I opened my mouth. I don't know what I wanted to say, if I wanted to say anything at all. All that came out was a choked sound as I saw a black puddle drip and grow in the space between her knees and mine and a warm, wet sensation on my forehead. My stomach squeezed and writhed when I lifted my head and saw a growing black spot on Patrice's chest seeping through her shirt and the edge of her coat. Her hands were still on my shoulders, twitching like she was trying to regain control of them. “Nnn-no,” I managed, my tongue slow and feeling like it would choke me. “No, no, P-Patty, oh fuck, oh god, I-”

A metallic click and slide stopped me completely, numbing me from head to toe in fear. A shotgun shell clattered empty to the ground and rolled into my knee. I could hear the smooth slide of bullets being loaded and the clack of the gun being cocked behind my head was harsh and deafening even with the shot from only moments ago dampening sound. My skin felt cold enough to make me shiver in place and it felt like goosebumps covered every inch of me. I was too scared to even cry and every breath burned me from my mouth to the inside of my lungs.

Patrice wheezed and coughed lightly and I flinched, becoming lightheaded as though reality had slowed in my stupor and caught up with me. I finally moved, bringing a hand up toward the still growing patch of black on her chest. “Patty, a-are you-”

“Move,” she muttered. She didn't give me the option to answer, fingers finding purchase on my shoulder and pushing me as she spoke again. “Run, Dante. Go.” With a shove I didn't think she could manage she pushed me aside and kicked upward.

“FUCK!” The cry was strained and I looked back to see the man falling into a kneel, supporting himself with the butt of his shotgun and gripping between his legs. He snarled audibly and looked up.

Blue. I know that's what it was now, but in the moment all I saw was something I couldn't identify. A color in an expanse of black and white that I'd never seen before. His eyes betrayed his demeanor and expression with their vivid and oddly soft color despite being shrouded in shadow by a dingy baseball cap. Even without knowing color for all it is, that much I could feel from its hue. As our gazes stayed locked, his skin began to flesh out with color, filling in like a stain spreading on fabric from his face to his hair and down to his shirt and the rest of him. The longer he looked at me, the more his face relaxed and as it did the full weight of what was happening hit me in all its awful gravity. I broke eye contact and looked back to Patrice and cried out.

Red. Red red RED. I could feel my skin tingling with panic as I scrambled closer to her, pressing my fingers against her chest and pulling them away just as quickly. It felt too real. Too urgent. I wasn't wearing a coat and the blood bubbled from the wound too quick to think I could possibly stop it with pressure alone. I couldn't think clearly. I'd never seen something become so vivid and alarming with something as simple as knowing it had color.

“Dante,” she exhaled, and I could hear the wetness of her breathing. I was a wordless walking corpse, opening my mouth and letting out nothing but meaningless sounds as I moved my hands uselessly to try and find anything I could do to help. “Run.”

A command, it seemed, was what I needed to stop me from acting like I could do anything to help her now. I looked her in the eye and my breath hitched. Her eyes were blue, too.

I didn't look back at the man that had killed Patrice until I was already at the door, when the sensation of the door handle's metal brought me to the realization that I didn't remember getting up and moving. He was looking at me, his fingers tight around the shotgun and his mouth set in a line. I shuddered and forced myself to look away, running out the door and training my eyes to the ground. I wasn't going to risk stepping on anyone. I couldn't handle that.

I looked around and slowed my walk the more I took in. Color. I made a point not to look too long at anyone's body but I could see the blue of some of the costumes with... dark patches on parts of the fabric. Dire or not, I couldn't stop looking at all the new colors until my eyes fell on the bus.

I knew for a fact that our bus was meant to be yellow. I mentioned to Patrice how I hadn't been on a genuine school bus since I graduated high school, asking her if it was yellow like most school buses, as well. I wasn't used to seeing color yet, but I was certain this couldn't be yellow as it looked exactly the way it had the last I'd seen it. I glanced down, grabbing my skirt and lifting it toward a light source. There was no way that could be purple, or purple was just like gray and no one had ever informed me as much. I couldn't consider color blindness of any kind a possibility. We're taught how see the signs of color blindness, and the first two colors I saw were red and blue which negated every type as an option.

Finding my soulmate was already the most horrifying and disastrous experience I could have had- The idea that something was wrong with how I saw colors too was just another brick added to the weight that grew in my chest since I met his eyes. Just thinking the word 'soulmate' made my stomach lurch as I stumbled toward the bus. Part of me tried to reason that it didn't always mean a romantic comparability but rather a friendly one but considering I'd met him just after he shot one of my best friends it was almost more sickening to imagine I could be compatible with him in even the most basic of senses.

I got onto the bus, holding my breath in the hopes I would hear someone else inside. “Is anyone here?” I choked out, my mouth dry. I swallowed hard. “It's Dante...” No reply. I took a breath, knowing it wasn't the strongest possibility before I'd spoken but having still held out hope. I reached for the bus' ignition, feeling around and finding no key ring or lone key. I crouched, squinting in the light that peeked in through the windows and saw the ignition empty. “No... No, no FUCK!” I felt around with my hands on the floor, slapping the seat and shoving my fingers into every slot and holder I could find but there was nothing in any of them. I pressed my forearms against the seat and let my head fall into the cradle of my arms, knelt at the driver's seat like I was praying, and breathed in and out. I couldn't panic, not until I could be certain I was safe.

I exhaled tightly and stopped breathing to listen for anything outside. I couldn't hear footsteps in the dirt, nor any more gunshots and screams. The silence was foreboding, but it gave me the confidence to look out the front window to ensure no one was ahead on the street. My options were to check the driver's pockets for the keys or to run. I was reluctant to act on the former as I couldn't be sure where he was, alive or not, and going back and forth would have me passing where I'd left the killer not once but twice. A risky enough maneuver without considering that I had no way of knowing if the bus would get me far enough away to consider safe. Likely, my best option would be to pick a direction and run.

I exited the bus slowly, looking both ways and considering my options. I didn't see him in the street, and being a larger figure than any of us from the bus he would have been hard to miss. I'd have been too easy to find on the roads, never mind that I had no idea where I was. It had the probability of being a bad idea, but I felt as though my best option was through the woods on the other side of town. I hadn't seen any cars on the road, anyway, and couldn't be sure how far I was from somewhere occupied by anyone but this killer. In a situation like this, I had no guarantees no matter which direction I chose.

If I was going to run, I had to dedicate myself to the action. I took a deep inhale and started, measuring my footsteps to the gaps between bodies and keeping my eyes trained on the path ahead. Between my focus and the sounds of my heartbeat and breathing I didn't notice anything, the wind knocked out of me by an arm clothes-lining my midsection and lifting me off the ground. I let out a strangled cry, inhaling sharply and kicking my feet to try and find the ground again.

“Hey, hey, just- Shit- I ain't gonna hurt ya.” His voice was deep and directly next to my ear, close enough that I could feel his breath on my ear. His arm around my stomach, tight enough to crush me, the warm sensation of his breath, just knowing who he was meant to be to me- My mouth filled with saliva fast and I gasped open mouthed as my tongue coated with an acrid breath that preceded a rush of vomit. “Oh Jesus...” I coughed and spit, thrashing hard until my elbow connected with bone. It hurt us both but surprised him enough that I could squirm out of his grasp. I stumbled but stayed upright and started running again, wheezing and coughing through the bile burn in my throat.

I couldn't run for long like that, skidding into tall grass and the brush beside a building a ways from the station and theater and staying close to the ground to look and see if he'd followed. I couldn't see or hear him, but I tried to keep my coughing stifled as I spit out what I could of the taste in my mouth and swallowed to try and soothe the pain. Once my breathing had leveled and the feeling of nausea wasn't so present, I lifted myself up off the grass. I scoffed lightly, realizing what he'd said. 'Wouldn't hurt me'. As though I could believe that. It was amazing that he expected I would. What a joke.

I set my hand on the outer wall of the building, pausing and pulling it back. Pressing the tips of my fingers on the wall I dragged my fingernails through the texture and felt it crumble and build up under the pressure. The building was wax. This was the house of wax from the billboard. I shivered hard, unsure why, rubbing the built up wax out from under my nails. I settled my palm on the building again, trying to ignore the creeping feeling it gave me, and followed along it to move further into the brush.

My boot caught on the rise in front of me, too high to step over and save myself the trip before I fell forward and onto a rattling set of doors. My heart caught in my chest as it bounced under my weight before settling in a dip. A cellar, most likely. “Fuck that,” I hissed, getting my feet under me and stepping carefully forward off the rise. The doors rattled behind me and my heart all but stopped and I paused, stupidly, to assure myself it was the doors adjusting with the absence of my weight. The door to my back swung directly into my spine, knocking me to the ground and keeping me paralyzed in pain. I twitched and felt a bolt of pain strike parallel to my ribs. Bad bad bad, very bad, come on move. Heavy boot steps pressed on old wood and I exhaled, hoping he just wouldn't notice me.

A hand gripped my upper arm, hauling me upward despite my cry of pain. 'Not going to hurt you'- I would've thought he could at least try on that front. I did my best to breathe through the pain and not sound too pathetic as I was dragged through the cellar doors and down. Luckily my spine stopped being in agony the moment before he threw me to the ground. It was dead hot and stuffy, dark and lit by something inconsistent and wavering. I braced myself on the floor and began to sit up but his hand closed around the back of my neck and held me in place. I had forgotten how big people's hands could be, his thumb and fingers pressing into both sides of my carotid. I yelped at the piercing feeling at my throat.

I breathed heavily as he let me go, blood resuming normal flow in a nauseating rush. Turning over and looking up, I felt lightheaded but I couldn't be sure if that was because I'd just been injected with something horrid or because of the realization that this was not, in fact, the same man. Just as large, clearly just as much of a threat to my life. His large hands held a syringe, the bag at his hip showing a number of tools I couldn't identify at first glance as well as the handles of what I had to assume were knives, the handles themselves shaped like like halves of a dragon. I trained my eyes up with some difficulty, finding the look of him past waist-height to not be any more comforting. Long black hair and a blank face that I realized to be a mask as he shifted. In the dark I looked into the holes where his eyes were meant to be and the backdrop around him began to shift from gray to color. The room filled with a gentle shifting light and the ceiling fleshed out with flickering shades and shadow like watercolor strokes of a lighter and sweeter red- orange and yellow, filling in some of the gaps I'd found earlier.

“You have to be fucking kidding me.” The words were slurred but I managed to get them out. My breath started to stick in my chest as he startled, tossing aside the syringe and crouching to lift me up. I tried to protest the touch but whatever he'd injected me we was working and kept my tongue from moving fast enough to talk. My head lolled to the side and I could see my legs, a hole in the knee of my tights and a the skin scraped and bloody, and my skirt caught on the edges of his fingers tucked under my legs. So that's purple. I couldn't see it for all it's glory, everything tainted by the strange lighting, but it felt strangely nice to finally know what Patrice had intended for me. Lace and color combined, it looked so sad against the dark of my skin. Exactly what we'd wanted.

[bubblesandpages]

17, 19, and 3? 👀🍵

3. what is your favorite genre?

Fantasssssy my beloved <3

17. top 5 children’s books?

GLAD YOU ASKED and is also an evil question limiting me to five :p

For the sake of my heart I'm limiting this to children's chapter books because this list would be impossible if we were to include picture books. Nostalgia will also have a significant say as I've read more than a few excellent children's books in my adult life that, good as they are, don't quite manage the same level of blind adoration as some of these earlier ones do, even if they match them in every other regard.

The Wind in the Willows: immediately disregarding rule two, I didn't actually like this book as a kid, though the fact we had an abridged copy growing up might have had something to do with that. This book is made up entirely of charm, and perfectly nails it's atmosphere. The fact that this isn't a cottagecore classic is beyond ridiculous >:(

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane: this is probably the closest you can get to fictional book that made me the person I am. There is something so poignant and deeply, deeply touching about this book and how it depicts loss and tragedy, and the hope and perseverance that makes life worth living.

Lara and the Gray Mare: I know I never shut up about her, but she means so much to me. This series more than any other showed me how much I care about women in history being women in history. Yes, it's has a Mulan spin to it, but it takes so much of its time honoring and respecting the roles women had in society, giving their actions weight and importance, and allowing them to achieve self-actualization through the myriad of ways they contributed to society. I adore it, and thinking about it makes me ticked off with how narrowly feminism set's the parameters for female success at times in favor of more mescaline achievements.

Dragonskin Slippers: this was quite possibly my introduction to tongue-in-cheek fantasy parody while being unabashedly girly! There's adorable, thoughtful, and terrifying dragons who love summer fruits and collect dogs, and stained glass windows, an abundance of embroidery, evil princesses, non-evil counts, decidedly practical heroines, and absurd aunts who've read too many fairytales! This book is pure comfort and joy to me <3

The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie: this comes the closest out of any book I've read to capturing the pure dreamlike vagueness of fairytales. May Gibbs often gets compared to Beatrix Potter, but I'd say that Potter has a more grounded realism to her work, while Gibbs feels like an unfinished sentence. Events in her stories happen, and you get the sense they work especially on an emotional level, but events will take place with little clarification or explanation—hence the fairytale quality.

19. most disliked popular books?

(Kids and preteens look away; this isn't intended for you) Keeper of the Lost Cities is bad actually, I'm going to need all the adults to relearn what a good children's book is. Go read a Newbery or ten, because this isn't it.

Murderbot Diaries is really, really not my cup of tea. Pardon me for not finding an android reenacting me as my worst self somehow relatable or comforting to read about. Nobody in this first novella gets any good solid characterization,other than Murderbot and the captain, there's a bajillion people on this crew yet all I know about them is which other person in the team they'd like to sleep with, which, for a self-professed skipper of sex scenes seems like the least likely thing for our protagonist to zero in on, or perhaps there's a larger point here about how coupling is all that human's think about. Anyway, don't like it.

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