#Tree Cutter Services Near Me

[philiproy1]

Expert Tree Removal in Salt Lake City with ArborPlus

Tree removal is a crucial service that ensures the safety, health, and aesthetics of your property. While trees are valuable assets that add beauty and environmental benefits to your landscape, there are times when they need to be removed. Whether it's due to disease, damage, or simply to make way for new construction, professional tree removal is essential to maintaining the integrity of your property.

At ArborPlus, we specialize in tree removal in Salt Lake City, providing expert services that you can trust. Our team of certified arborists has the knowledge, experience, and equipment necessary to safely and efficiently remove trees of any size or condition. Whether you’re dealing with a hazardous tree that poses a risk to your home or simply need to clear space for a new project, ArborPlus is here to help.

Understanding the Need for Tree Removal

Tree removal is not a decision to be taken lightly. Trees are living organisms that contribute to the environment, and their removal should be carefully considered. However, there are several situations where tree removal becomes necessary to protect your property and ensure safety.

1. Safety Concerns

One of the most common reasons for tree removal is safety. Trees that are dead, dying, or structurally compromised pose a significant risk to people and property. Over time, trees can become weakened by disease, pests, or environmental factors, leading to instability.

A tree that is at risk of falling can cause severe damage to your home, vehicles, or other structures, and may even lead to injury or loss of life. In these cases, prompt tree removal is essential to prevent accidents and protect your property.

2. Disease and Pest Infestation

Trees, like any other living organism, are susceptible to diseases and pest infestations. Common tree diseases in Salt Lake City, such as Dutch elm disease or fire blight, can spread rapidly and compromise the health of your trees. Similarly, pests like bark beetles or aphids can infest trees, causing significant damage.

When a tree is infected or infested, it can quickly decline in health and become a hazard. Additionally, diseased or pest-infested trees can spread the problem to other healthy trees on your property, leading to further damage. In these situations, removing the affected tree is often the best course of action to prevent the spread of disease or pests.

3. Storm Damage

Salt Lake City is no stranger to severe weather, including heavy snow, ice, and wind. Storms can cause significant damage to trees, breaking branches, splitting trunks, and even uprooting entire trees. A storm-damaged tree is not only unsightly but also poses a danger to your property and the surrounding area.

After a storm, it’s important to assess the condition of your trees and determine if they need to be removed. In some cases, a damaged tree can be saved with professional pruning and care. However, if the damage is extensive, tree removal may be the safest option.

4. Construction and Landscaping

Tree removal is sometimes necessary to accommodate new construction or landscaping projects. Whether you’re building a new home, adding an extension, or redesigning your landscape, certain trees may need to be removed to make way for your plans.

In these cases, it’s important to work with a professional tree removal service that can remove the tree safely and efficiently while minimizing disruption to your project. ArborPlus can help you navigate the tree removal process as part of your construction or landscaping efforts.

5. Tree Overcrowding

In some landscapes, trees can become overcrowded, leading to competition for resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. When trees are too close together, they may not have enough space to grow properly, leading to poor health and weak structures.

Tree removal is sometimes necessary to thin out overcrowded areas and allow the remaining trees to thrive. By removing certain trees, you can improve the overall health and appearance of your landscape.

Why Professional Tree Removal is Essential

Tree removal is a complex and potentially dangerous task that requires professional expertise. Attempting to remove a tree on your own, especially a large or hazardous tree, can lead to serious injury or property damage. That’s why it’s important to hire a professional tree removal service like ArborPlus.

1. Safety First

Safety is the top priority when it comes to tree removal. Our team at ArborPlus is trained to handle tree removal safely, using the latest techniques and equipment to minimize risks. We conduct a thorough assessment of the tree and surrounding area before starting the removal process to ensure that the job is done safely and efficiently.

Whether the tree is located near power lines, structures, or other hazards, our experienced arborists have the skills and knowledge to navigate these challenges. We take every precaution to protect your property and the safety of everyone involved.

2. Expertise and Equipment

Tree removal requires specialized equipment and expertise. Large trees, in particular, can be difficult to remove without the right tools and experience. ArborPlus has the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to handle tree removals of all sizes, from small ornamental trees to massive, mature trees.

Our team is also trained in the latest tree removal techniques, ensuring that the process is carried out with precision and care. We understand the complexities involved in tree removal and are equipped to handle even the most challenging situations.

3. Efficient and Timely Service

When you need a tree removed, time is often of the essence. Whether you’re dealing with a hazardous tree that poses an immediate risk or need to clear space for a construction project, ArborPlus provides efficient and timely tree removal services.

We understand that your time is valuable, and we strive to complete the job as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality. Our team works diligently to remove the tree and clean up the area, leaving your property safe and tidy.

4. Proper Disposal

Once a tree is removed, the debris must be properly disposed of. ArborPlus takes care of all aspects of the tree removal process, including the disposal of branches, leaves, and wood. We ensure that all debris is removed from your property and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.

In some cases, the wood from the removed tree can be repurposed or recycled. Our team can provide guidance on how to make the most of the materials from your tree removal, whether you’re interested in firewood, mulch, or other uses.

The ArborPlus Tree Removal Process

At ArborPlus, we follow a comprehensive process to ensure that every tree removal is handled with the utmost care and professionalism. Our goal is to provide a seamless experience that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.

1. Initial Consultation and Assessment

The first step in our tree removal process is an initial consultation and assessment. One of our certified arborists will visit your property to evaluate the tree and discuss your specific needs and concerns. We’ll assess the tree’s condition, location, and any potential hazards to determine the best approach for removal.

During this consultation, we’ll also provide you with a detailed estimate for the cost of the tree removal. Our pricing is transparent, and we’ll work with you to ensure that you understand all aspects of the process.

2. Permits and Regulations

In some cases, tree removal in Salt Lake City may require permits or approval from local authorities. ArborPlus is familiar with the regulations governing tree removal in the area and can assist you with obtaining the necessary permits.

We handle all the paperwork and ensure that your tree removal is compliant with local laws and regulations. Our team will guide you through the process and make sure that everything is in order before we proceed with the removal.

3. Safe and Professional Removal

Once all preparations are complete, our team will begin the tree removal process. Safety is our top priority, and we take every precaution to ensure that the removal is carried out safely and efficiently. Our arborists are trained to handle even the most complex tree removals, using techniques that minimize risk and protect your property.

Depending on the size and location of the tree, we may use specialized equipment such as cranes, ropes, and rigging systems to safely remove the tree. Our goal is to complete the removal with minimal disruption to your property and the surrounding area.

4. Stump Removal and Grinding

After the tree is removed, the stump remains. Stumps can be unsightly and pose a tripping hazard, so many homeowners choose to have them removed. ArborPlus offers stump removal and grinding services to eliminate the stump and restore the appearance of your landscape.

Our stump grinding process is efficient and thorough, leaving your yard smooth and ready for new landscaping. Whether you plan to plant new trees, lay sod, or simply want a clean, open space, we can help you achieve your goals.

5. Clean-Up and Disposal

Tree removal can generate a significant amount of debris, including branches, leaves, and wood. At ArborPlus, we take care of all the clean-up and disposal, leaving your property neat and tidy. We’ll remove all debris from the site and ensure that everything is disposed of properly.

Our commitment to quality service means that we don’t consider the job complete until your property is clean and you’re satisfied with the results. We take pride in our work and strive to exceed your expectations at every step of the process.

6. Post-Removal Care and Recommendations

Tree removal can have an impact on the surrounding landscape, and it’s important to consider the long-term health of your property. After the removal is complete, ArborPlus can provide recommendations for post-removal care, including soil restoration, replanting, and ongoing maintenance.

Whether you’re looking to plant new trees, improve soil quality, or address any other landscaping needs, our team is here to help. We’re committed to ensuring that your property remains healthy and beautiful after the tree removal process.

Why Choose ArborPlus for Tree Removal in Salt Lake City?

When it comes to tree removal in Salt Lake City, ArborPlus is the trusted choice for homeowners and businesses alike. Our commitment to quality, safety, and customer satisfaction sets us apart as the leading tree removal service in the area.

1. Certified Arborists

Our team of certified arborists brings years of experience and expertise to every tree removal project. We’re passionate about tree care and dedicated to providing the highest level of service to our clients. With ArborPlus, you can trust that your tree removal will be handled by professionals who understand the complexities of the job.

2. Comprehensive Services

ArborPlus offers a full range of tree care services, from removal and pruning to planting and maintenance. Whether you need a single tree removed or require ongoing care for your entire landscape, we have the skills and resources to meet your needs.

3. Local Expertise

As a local company, we understand the unique challenges and conditions of tree care in Salt Lake City. We’re familiar with the local climate, soil conditions, and tree species, allowing us to provide tailored solutions that are right for your property.

4. Commitment to Safety

Safety is at the core of everything we do. Our team is trained in the latest safety protocols and techniques, ensuring that every tree removal is carried out with the utmost care. We take pride in our safety record and work diligently to protect your property and everyone involved in the process.

5. Customer-Focused Approach

At ArborPlus, we believe in putting our customers first. We take the time to understand your needs, provide clear communication, and deliver results that exceed your expectations. Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with our clients based on trust, quality, and reliability.

Conclusion: Trust ArborPlus for Tree Removal in Salt Lake City

When you need tree removal in Salt Lake City, ArborPlus is the company to trust. Our expertise, commitment to safety, and customer-focused approach make us the premier choice for tree removal services in the area. Whether you’re dealing with a hazardous tree, storm damage, or simply need to clear space for a new project, we’re here to help.

Contact ArborPlus today at 801-485-8733 to schedule a consultation and discover how we can assist with your tree removal needs. Let our team of certified arborists provide the expert care you need to keep your property safe and beautiful. Trust ArborPlus to deliver the quality tree removal service you deserve.

ArborPlus

4231 S State St Millcreek, Salt Lake City, UT 84107, United States

801-485-8733

[rbdmachinenet]

RBD Hedge Trimmer: Your Ultimate Solution for Precise Gardening

When it comes to maintaining a well-manicured garden, the RBD Hedge Trimmer is an indispensable tool. Designed for both homeowners and professionals, this powerful tool ensures your hedges, shrubs, and bushes remain neatly trimmed all year round. Whether you're looking for a hedge cutter machine or a versatile brush cutter trimmer, RBD has the perfect solution to fit your needs.

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[acajuntreecutters]

Pruning mature trees to remove dead and dying branches is necessary to preserve the plant's health and safety. Cleaning is the best-suited term for this. Pruning is the most prevalent method of tree care by the cajun tree cutters. Also, Landscape trees, unlike forest trees, require more attention to keep them healthy.

[grimelords]

So since the last time I posted one of these the entire world has changed dramatically and hopefully 4 hours of music will tide you over in quarantine for a bit longer. Strangely I’ve been busier than ever, and what started as a personal challenge to listen to a new album every day in February turned into me listening to 116 new albums in March and 124 in April. I’ve got a stacked google doc full of star ratings and dates now and it’s really been a lot of fun, I highly recommend trying it yourself. This is my March playlist, because I accidentally took a month off, and I’m thinking of either switching these playlists to weekly to make them a little more digestible or just dropping them whenever. Who knows. Let me know what you think and drop album recommendations in the comments please.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0k1JjT8fXcUFO6VpM3kaez?si=gWSv88vdShKSnHhLJ_80pQ

If you’d like to receive these playlists in a more digestible email format, please subscribe to my tinyletter here: http://tinyletter.com/grimelords

On A Slow Boat To China - Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee: Ok first off it’s amazing this song isn’t more racist. I don't remember now how or why I came across this. I think I was just thinking about crooners and how as a genre it's now existed in common popularity as a nostalgic idyll of a mytholigised past far longer than it was ever actually popular which is interesting. The origin of this song, according to wikipedia, is also one of the most 40s ideas I've ever read: "I'd like to get you on a slow boat to China" was a well-known phrase among poker players, referring to a person who lost steadily and handsomely. The idea being that a "slow boat to China" was the longest trip one could imagine. Loesser moved the phrase to a more romantic setting, yet it eventually entered general parlance to mean anything that takes an extremely long time".

Fight Night - Migos: I saw that Offset had some new show on Quibi the extremely fake sounding streaming service and I thought "how did Migos get so world conqueringly large that they get to make 10 minute shows nobody will watch for a $2 billion venture capital funded app that will never make any money?" They seem to have this massive reputation without having much to back it up. The last thing I remember everyone talking about was how Culure II was two hours long in order to game streaming numbers and was simply not good. They seemed to have sort of settled into making background music for scrolling instagram. But then I remembered Fight Night and I thought: "oh wait, that's right, Migos are fucking great". Where their other big hits like Bad And Boujee and Walk It Talk It have this sort of laid back vibe where they've comfortably nailed the formula and relax onto it, Fight Night commands your attention. StackboyTwan killed the beat - it has this propulsive momentum where it feels like it's constantly ramping up, moving up from the sidesick and bassline in the verse, up to the claps on the beat, and the big gang chants on the offbeat once the full instrumentation kicks in - then it just goes around and around and around with the constant bassline the whole tim. It's a perfect all-rise production because it never actually explodes, it's all building tension held down by an unchanging bassline.

Do It Puritan! - El Hombre Trajeado & Sue Tompkins: I am extremely delighted to announce that Sue Tompkins of one of my all time favourite single album bands Life Without Buildings has broken a nearly 20 year musical hiatus to appear on this song by El Hombre Trajeado. It is so nice to hear how her voice has changed and her approach has stayed the same. Her style is so unique and so good and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

5 8 6 - New Order: Before 'the incident' I had tickets to see New Order at the end of March and so I embarked on a big listen through of their discography, which has now unfortunately made it feel even worse that live music is cancelled indefinitely.

Oom Sha La La - Haley Heynderickx: First of all I love songs where they talking about how they're writing a song halfway through. And I love songs that seem like a pretty normal singer songwriter indie thing where someone just starts screaming near the end. I love this song. A great staring at the wall and absolutely losing your mind because you haven't done anything with your whole life anthem.

Elektrobank - The Chemical Brothers: Can you believe I've never listening to a full Chemical Brothers album before this month? Can you believe big beat ever went our of style? It feels insane that we ever swapped this sort of energy for the beige algorithm of EDM. I think there's a real triumph in this album, and in this track especially of replicating the live feeling in studio. Giving it this much space to grow and change and get very hairy near the end is amazing, it feels like it was just recorded live.

My Mind's A Ship (That's Going Down) - Katie Pruitt: It feels very rare to me that this sort of extremely smooth Nashville prduction actually makes a song better. It has a habit of strangling the life out of a song and making it blend into a boring paste of soundalikes, but with Katie Pruitt it works amazingly. Her songwriting is so distinct and clear and her voice, especially near the end where it punches hole in the sky, is so strong and so her own that it doesn't need anything else.

Water - Ohmme: "What if Tegan And Sara were a noise band instead?" is a question I didn't know I needed an answer to. I love any band that has the guts to write songs like this that sound like pop from an alternate history, so off kilter and odd and noisy but with this undeniable pop heart that the duo vocals make sound like schoolyard clapping chants remixed by Lightning Bolt.

Lions, Tigers and Bears - SLIFT: A friend put me on to Slift and described them as French King Gizz and really, I'm inclined to agree. This is the traditional long last song at the end of their new album, and as usual I am advocating that every song should be the long last song at the end of the album. I love this style of jam where everyone else goes to space but the rhythm section just digs in and works hard as fuck for ten minutes. Then the whole last 3 minutes of the song are just fat drone riffs. This song's got everything.

The Pines - 070 Shake: This 070 Shake album is unbeleivably good and it warms my heart to see the dark energy of The Pines live on through another century in yet another permutation. I have more to say about it later in the Jackson C Frank version coming up but it feels like this 070 Shake album kind of came and went but I implore you to listen, it’s an aoty contender for sure.

Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On - Funkadelic: If you can stop thinking about the intro, which I certainly can’t (Hey lady won’t you be my dog and I’ll be your tree and you can pee on me.) there is so much goodness in this song. For a while now I’ve been thinking about how, for lack of a better word, ‘positive’ music is consistently underrated in the critical canon. Dance music, disco and funk especially are derided as empty sugar music, while every cookie cutter metal band absolutely demands to be taken seriously. In dance music this manifests as genres like tech house sucking all the fun and individuality out of music until it’s just an endless parade of producers working to a schematic of the barest essentials. It feels like you can’t have fun and be taken seriously at the same time, which feels like an obvious contradiction but shouldn’t be!

Spoils - Dry Cleaning: Dry Cleaning are my Lock Of The Month Band To Watch In The Future Because They’re Gonna Go Off. They have such a great sound and I’m desperate for an album because I just need more. This song absolutely knocked me down when I first heard it. I love any band where it sounds like the singer has just wandered in while the rest of them were rehearsing. There’s a very good talking-songs movement happening in the UK right now between these guys, Do Nothing and Fontaines D.C and i’m excited to see where it progresses. I might put together a playlist a little later to show you what I mean.

As - Stevie Wonder: I finally listened to Songs In The Key Of Life this month, which is an experience I would recommend to everyone. This shit goes for 21 songs over 105 minutes and absolute bangs the whole way. The original release of this album was a double LP plus a 7", which is yet another reason I am grateful for streaming that I don't have to buy a damn box set to hear this thing.

Sleep Now In The Fire - Rage Against The Machine: I am working on a very niche playlist called Songs Where The Guitar Amp Accidentally Picks Up A Nearby Radio Station For A Couple Of Seconds and it's only 3 songs so far. A Man A Plan A Canal Panama by The Fall Of Troy, Melody 4 by Tera Melos and Sleep Now In The Fire by Rage Against The Machine. In every single one of those songs it feels like a critical component even though it's just an accident that's been left in because it sounds good. Here it's the perfect ending as the rage dies down and the commercial world fades back in. Anyway, my other question about this song is about the great Michael Moore directed video where they famously shut down Wall Street for an afternoon. There's a shot of a guy for a second holding a sign that says Donald Trump For President in 1999. Which is odd but not out of the question, he's been famous for a long time and there's always been freaks. My question is why the fuck did he have that sign that day? Was he amongst the Rage Against The Machine Fans that showed up? A counter protestor? Was he, perhaps most chillingly of all, just walking idly around Wall Street with his Donald Trump For President sign like usual and stumbled upon this whole hoo-haa accidentally?

Applause (Purity Ring Remix) - Lady Gaga: Did you fucking know that Purity Ring did a remix of Applause? If there’s something I’d love to know more about and it’s Purity Ring’s forays into pop production. After their first album they did some production for rappers like Danny Brown in the great track 25 Bucks, which is a good fit really - their sound is witch house with the tempo pushed back up, witch house of course just being chopped and screwed reinvented by tumblr users. So it’s a natural fit to take that new perspective back into the world of hip hop. They also did this fantastic remix of Applause after their first album. Then, after their second album they produced 3 songs for Katy Perry’s Witness album, and one Katy Perry song for a Final Fantasy mobile game soundtrack (?) and feel like the long silence and delay between their second and third albums is because of more behind the scenes pop production work - but if that’s true, where is it? Is it, as I suspect, part of my own personal Pepe Silvia, Katy Perry’s scrapped 2019 album that has vanished into thin air? Or is it part of Chromatica? I think Purity Ring have solidified an interesting place in pop, paving the way for Billie Eilish and Kim Petras’ dark anti-pop and so i’m excited to see where they go after this new album now that they’re the architects of the new wave.

React/Revolt - Drahla: The smartest thing you can do is add a saxophone to your band. The whole first half of this song could go for 20 minutes of growling screaming saxophone post-punk and I wouldn't mind. Then when the second half of the song kicks in it's fantastic in the way this whole Drahla album is: it's tight and sprawling post-punk at the same time with a complicated structure that seems to just pile onto itself instead of ever circling back.

And I Was Like - Porridge Radio: I'm seemingly having a real thing this month for songs that open with a bizzare acapella chant. Between this and the Funkadelic one it's a genre I'm very interested in hearing more of. Isaac Newton was a virgin and it's important to recognise that. The thing I love about this song is how it's in 3 distinc sections: Isaac Newton was a virgin, she's a birthday girl in a birthday world, and mum no please it's grunge, and they all feel like the concentrated energy of a 14 year old's thoughts. She sounds like she's almost crying when she sings 'she's a birthday girl in a birthday world'. The concentrated confusing teenaged energy of this song is just overwhelming.

Dirty Mattresses - Mama's Broke: So much of contemporary 'traditional folk' either exists as pure nostalgia music or as music that's trying too hard to be 'authentic' and evoke a mythology of a bygone time, but Mama's Broke manage to make it feel new and modern but honest and  authentic at the same time. The super close harmonies and modern approach remind me of House And Land who I also love, but the songwriting is in another class entirely.

Building A House - CHOPCHOP: I don't know if you've ever seen Bad Boy Bubby but CHOPCHOP feels a little like the band that he ends up joining at the end. A musical ensemble built to enable the will of a very strange man. I think the band is from the UK and I'm not sure where the singer is from, but he has this incredible deeply accented voice that brings such a gravity to everything he sings in the way that anyone speaking english as a second language accidentally brings new weight to common turns of phrase.

Universal Soldier - Jay Electronica: It feels fitting, looking back, that Jay Electronica finally released his album right before the world ended. It was literally now or never. Some how Jay-Z is the breakout star of this album for me. He's got some of his best verses in years on here and he's a great opposition to Electronica's flow when they trade verses. I would also, as an aside, like to know the origin of the kids cheering sample throughout this, because it's the same one from AM//Radio by Earl Sweatshirt and Wish You Were Gay by Billie Eilish. So what's that about.

Sticky Hulks - Thee Oh Sees: I've been very slowly getting into Oh Sees and I love them a lot so far. Their unweildy, huge discography spread across a lot of variations of the same name makes digging into them very rewarding as well. There's a great line on their wiki detailing all the times they've changed their name that goes: Orinoka Crash Suite (1997–2003), OCS (2003–2005, 2017), Orange County Sound (2005), The Ohsees (2006), The Oh Sees (2006–2008), Thee Oh Sees (2008–2017), Oh Sees (2017–2019) Osees (2019) to give you some idea of what we're working with here. Basically it's just everything you could want from a pychedelic band like this: a history and discography as shaggy as the songs themselves.

Knife On The Platter - BODEGA: In reading about Bodega I learned that they don't have a drummer in the traditional sense. They have someone credited as a 'stand up percussionist', and in listening back I realised that's they key to the groove in their music. He's not playing a kit he's just slamming at a tom and a snare on a rack, while one of the singers plays hi-hat here and there. So all the drumming has this barebones caveman feel to it and I absolutely love it. The band feels a lot like The Fashion, and that whole mid-2000s dance-punk movement that I've been desparate to come back so naturally I love it a lot.

Against Gravity - Horse Lords: Horse Lords are one of the most incredible bands I've heard in a long time. Somewhere between a more analogue Battles and Laddio Bolocko, they make a kind of churning math-jazz that sounds like huge intersecting squares of rhythm slowly overlapping. It feels like there's an infinite depth in these songs, you can listen and focus on a single instrument and see it shifting in and out of place with everyone else, before you lose it again and it retreats back into the swirling mass.

Plain To See Plainsman - Colter Wall: I've been listening to this Colter Wall album a lot, and it's really beginning to rank among my all time favourites. I grew up around the flattest place in the southern hemisphere, so I love the plains and it's very nice to have a cowboy song I can relate to like that.

The Nail - Sarah Shook & The Disarmers: Sarah Shook has so much character in her voice I completely love it. She is also a fantastic songwriter that manages to make outlaw country punk that sounds authentic and doesn't have the rockabilly posturing that a lot of the genre suffers from.

Inner Reaches 慾望的暗角二 - Gong Gong Gong 工工工: The best thing about Gong Gong Gong is you can listen to this whole song before you realise they don't have a drummer. They're a guitar and bass duo that play and sing with such a layered rhythmic intensity between the two of them that they really don't need one. A drummer would just clutter the space already taken up by their ferocious rhythm.

Country Pie - Bob Dylan: I'm a big fan of Bob Dylan's dumb songs. He has a lot where if it's the first song you ever heard from him you would be mad at whoever told you he was the greatest songwriter to ever live for trying to trick you like this. What I especially love about this song is how abruptly it ends, like dad just came home and everyone panicked cause they're know they're not supposed to be staying up that late.

You Did It Yourself - Arthur Russell: It seems hard to believe that I've only just found out about Arthur Russel. He seems to be a mainstay of Music Guy lists and somehow I've only heard of him this month. I've been obsessing over the Iowa Dream album, which is a compilation of a lot of different (mostly extremely high quality) demos from the late 70s to mid 80s and what really shines through other than the singular strength of his songwriting is how readily and easily he bends from country style folk to romantic piano ballads, to groovy post-punk like this. What I love so much about this song is it's a great lesson in songwriting: sometimes a song can just be a vague review of a middling movie and still have emotional resonance. Incredible. There's a great NPR article about Arthur Russel and the process of assembling half-takes and demos into complete recordings that you should read if you're interested. https://www.npr.org/2019/11/20/779721417/which-arthur-russell-are-we-getting-on-iowa-dream

The Dogs Outside Are Barking - Arthur Russell: I love this song because it's such a perfect distillation of a teenaged moment: trying to find a moment alone with someone when you have no freedom at all to create one. The song cycles through potential situations but leaves the problem unresolved, existing in the moment of nervous romantic tension preceding an unasked question and it's just beautiful.

Men For Miles - Ought: I love the vocal melody in the verse here so much. Spiking up unnaturally at the end of the lines like a nervous and strange version of The Strokes. Even the way he cramps his words in in the chorus is so good, switching registers randomly like he's impersonating someone else.

Mister Soweto - Lizzy Mercier Descloux: https://pitchfork.com/features/from-the-pitchfork-review/9828-lizzy-mercier-descloux-behind-the-muse/ Pitchfork has a great article about Lizzy Mercier Descloux detailing how she is continually undervalued and underappreciated. I found her though my Discover Weekly and became immediately obsessed with this album - a perfect mix of off-kilter 80s bass and brass that is so colourful and seems to move in a million directions at once like the songs can't even catch up with themselves sometimes. I'm excited to dig into her discography more and try to understand her more because she has a truly unique approach that I can't get enough of.

Sweden - Marilyn Crispell: I've been looking for a while for other pianists of Cecil Taylor's calibre, rare type that it is and I am so glad to have finally found out about Marilyn Crispell. She plays free jazz like Taylor, but in much less percussive and disonnant style. There's a New York Times quote that seems to follow her that says "Hearing Marilyn Crispell play solo piano is like monitoring an active volcano. She is one of a very few pianists who rise to the challenge of free jazz." and it's really very apt. She will move with seemingly no warning at all from mediative, colourful stokes to a mad descent unto uncertainty and beyond, then back again without a moments hesitation. Her music moves like a dream, linking a stream of unlinked images with an ease that only seems incongruous on reflection.

Twins - Gem Club: I have loved this song for a very long time and I come back to it over and over and appreciate it anew. What I appreciate about on listening to it this time is the strangeness of it's structure, following up the verse with an instrumental break, and then a long instrumental intro to the chorus gives it so much space to spread out and breathe, giving the beautiful gravity of the song even more weight. Then after the chorus it moves straight to a bridge and then the intro and first verse again. It's a fantastic song that makes it's small parts so large, where another songwriter or another producer would pare them down.

Grand Central - Paul Cauthen: Something I've learned in listening to a lot of cowboy music is that the number one thing that cowboys hate and fear is getting hanged. They hate it worse than cats hate getting sprayed with water. I found out about Paul Cauthen combing through Colter Wall's similar artists looking for more of this brand of new old fashioned country and I really found it here. Paul Cauthen comes from four generations of preachers and left the church to pursue country music instead, which feels like an extremely old fashioned position to be in here in 2020 but I guess lots of people in Texas still live like that, and thank god they do or we wouldn't have Paul Cauthen's big mournful Elvis voice to sing us songs about the railway.

Serafina - BAMBARA: I love this sort of spoken word leather jacket rock and roll. It's so extremely Cool in an old fashioned way. Like a more rock and roll version of Enablers.

So 4 Real - The Hecks: I love love love this song that sounds like a sped up Prince demo. The strange thinness of the mix and the way the vocals are buried just makes it sound so strange and great, like it was put together on some ancient 4 track recorder that can't handle the pure energy of the song.

In The Pines (Version 2) - Jackson C. Frank: There's a very good 3 hour compilation of Jackson C. Frank recordings that came out a few years called Remastered And Unreleased that I listened through the other day. It's just magnificent. This version of In The Pines is one of my favourite I've ever heard, the mournful vocals coupled with his churning rhythm guitar really brings out the darkness of it in a way I've never heard.

(Tumble) In The Wind (Version 1) - Jackson C. Frank: Another favourite from this compilation that is slightly hard to listen to. I don't know if there's a date on it but I'd guess this was recorded near the end of his life. It is so beautiful, but you can hear in his voice and breathing that he's unwell. In Horseshoe Crabs by Hopalong she sings a story from his perspective this song really seems to fit in the second half of that. "Woke from the dream and I was old / Staring at the ass crack of dawn / Walked these streets up and down / Looking for Paul Simon / All I found was myself, lost in time / I tried singing my songs / But I lost my mind"

Sludge - Squid: I'm thinking of putting together a playlist of all the great Black Midi-adjacent bands I've found out about recently and Squid is at the top of the list. This new breed of art-punk is so fantastic and goes in a million different directions. I'm just so excited it exists.

Straight Shot - Quelle Chris: I love this song and Guns is a phenomenal album but there’s one thing bothering me. The ‘who are you, what are you’ part at the end sounds so incredibly familiar to me and I can’t figure out why. As far as I can tell it’s not a sample, but googling reveals that the english voice on it is fucking James Acaster the standup comedian. So what’s going on? Quelle Chris himself is less than helpful: “Straight Shot is one of those ideas that reached out to me, we got along and I simply showed it around town. The chorus, poem at the end and basic piano progression literally came to me in two separate dreams”. Who knows. Great song though.

Levitation - Dua Lipa: What I really like about this song is that she says sugarboo. This whole album bangs and Dua is really reaping the benefits of being the only pop star with the guts to release an album while everyone’s in lockdown I also have a half-baked theory about the way this song is almost interpolating Blame It On The Boogie in the ‘moonlight, starlight’ part as a sort of aggressive takeover of Michael Jackson’s cancelled legacy. Which is smart really. The same way Taylor Swift is re-recording her albums, let’s just get The Weeknd in the studio for a couple of days and give the world back it’s bangers.

Another Crashed Car - Nine Inch Nails: I am so glad Trent Reznor put out another two volumes of Ghosts. Ghosts I-IV from 2008 seems to have been the bridge from his Nine Inch Nails work to his film score work, and now that he’s had such success with that it’s nice to hear him writing in this style without telling anyone else’s story again. It’s also interesting for him to go back to this project now that Ghosts I-IV has paid dividends in the form of the sample at the centre of Old Town Road but that’s neither here nor there. It’s hard to pick and individual track from these, because they work so effectively as long form albums and not individual tracks, but I chose this one because I put the album on as background ambient while I was doing some boring data entry at work and this track is the point at which I realised I was going out of my mind with stress from doing the simplest tasks because of Trent’s Damned Chords.

Lilacs - Waxahatchee: This is a perfect song. It makes me want to like, draw charts about it and go through it bar by bar to figure out how she did it. It’s perfectly put together. It feels like she uses every trick in the book and it just comes together flawlessly in 3 minutes. Amazing.

Cool Water - Hank Williams: I decided to properly listen to Hank Williams because his shadow stretches over so much of country music, and while a lot of his music really alienated or bored me, and a lot of his songs feel like they would read as novelty songs today (like Hey Good Looking), this is the song that made me understand why he’s so revered.

In My Bones (feat. Kimbra and Tank And The Bangas) - Jacob Collier: Jacob Collier generally irks me. He makes brain music for redditors that lose their mind when someone shows them chord inversions or odd time signatures. Youtubers whose whole personality is ‘y’all heard Giant Steps?’ But he killed it on this song. It’s great despite him. There’s still a lot of corniness to work through, mostly in the big yuck funky lyrics, but structurally it’s a kaleidoscope and a big chunk of its success I’m putting down to Kimbra and Tank who understand that performance is a bigger part of a song than composition in a way Collier maybe doesn’t yet. He can overload the bassline and stop-start the rhythms as much as he likes but without actual personalities driving it it’ll just sound like a Peter Gabriel midi played at 200%.

Earthquake - Graham Central Station: I learned something wonderful in researching this band. The leader, Larry Graham, who was in Sly And The Family Stone is credited with inventing slap bass. He himself refers to the technique as "thumpin' and pluckin' ".

Quand Les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser La Neige - Melody’s Echo Chamber: Once again furious that I’ve known of Melody’s Echo Chamber for years but never listened to them until now. I have been missing out. This is a perfect sprawling psychedelic jam punctuated with a bizzare cut-up recording about shitting yourself when you die and being declared brain dead in the vatican. It’s got everything. I had to look up who the drummer was on this song because he’s just nailing it, and it turns out it’s Johan Holmegaard from Dungen which is really a perfect fit.

Murder Most Foul - Bob Dylan: I was thinking the other day about how Bob Dylan is doing in quarantine. The man who hasn’t stopped moving his whole life and who’s been on a never ending tour  since the 70s is now, I assume, just pacing a hole in a hotel carpet somewhere and jabbering to himself. The strangest part of Bob dropping this 17 minute song about JFK out of nowhere is that he hasn’t put out any original music since 2012. So a gigantic song like this is an even bigger surprise. I, already a huge fan of gigantic songs and Bob Dylan, unsurprisingly love it. I love the slow stirring of the instrumentation, like he hired Dirty Three as a backing band and I love that nearly the entire second half is just listing good songs that he knows. It’s a remarkable song and unlike anything i’ve heard before from Dylan or anyone else. It’s interesting to hear Bob Dylan step into being the great chronicler of the 60s like he’s been told he already was his entire life almost 50 years later, finally accepting the fate foisted on him. The other thing I love about this song is the line when he for some reason praises Lee Harvey Oswald’s shooting “Greatest magic trick ever under the sun / Perfectly executed, skillfully done”

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0k1JjT8fXcUFO6VpM3kaez?si=gWSv88vdShKSnHhLJ_80pQ

[excindrela]

12 Days of Demon Ayno- Day 8

Supernatural AU

Pairing: demon! Ayno (Noh YoonHo) VAV / Female reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: Occult - non Judeo/Christian celebrations

Word Count: 3380

AU: Welcome to Day 8! (Is it ok that we’re still doing Christmas?)  Today is fluffy...but important (that’s all I’m going to say about it for now!). More smut is on the way in Day 9! I love feedback- so if there’s something you like, or something you want to see- tell me!! Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me on this! Special thanks to @quyennie​ for being my proofreader, and @itsakpopalypse​ for coming up with the amazing description of Leo!

Demon Ayno: Summoned | Thanksgiving | 12 Days: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9

On the 8th Day of Christmas: You Met Leo

You were stretched out on the bed, laying on your belly, feet lazily kicking in the air, staring into your laptop as you tried to work your way through your overflowing e-mail inbox. Ayno was lying next to you, his head cradled in the small of your back, reading a large hard-backed volume that was old enough to have cloth on the binding and cover. The fabric was now a little threadbare in places allowing the thin wood to show through, and it had that old library book smell that you caught a hint of as he turned the yellowed pages. It was also written in Greek, which was not surprising- the antiquities section of the library was one of his favorite places.

“Do we have plans on Wednesday night?” he inquired absentmindedly.

You thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. The office Christmas Party is on Saturday night…but I don’t think we have anything before then. Why?”

“I was invited to a holiday party. I was hoping you would go with me.”

“Sure.” You said as you unsubscribed from a newsletter for the fifth time.

…and then it hit you. “You were invited to a holiday party?? By who??”

“My friend Leo. He is having a party to celebrate the solstice, and he invited me. I think he is curious to meet you.”

“Leo? You have a friend?”

“I think so.”

“Where did you meet him?”

“He runs a shop in downtown.” Ayno paused hesitantly and sat up, “He knows.”

You stopped cold and stared at him. “He knows what?”

“About me. What I am.”

You started at him in shock. “Ayno…you told someone??” you whispered.

Ayno shook his head vehemently, “No! He just knew. As soon as he saw me, he knew.”

You sat up and took Ayno’s hands. “I think you need to tell me the whole story”, you said softly.

“It was not long after I received my key. I had gone out to explore downtown, and I had decided to turn south to go home, when I suddenly felt compelled to go a different direction. I walked west into the part of downtown that has not been made new yet. I just felt something pull me in that direction. I walked until I came to an area where the shops are all arranged in a square around courtyards, and in one of them was a shop called The Ace of Cups. The Ace of Cups is the card of intuition and spirituality in the tarot deck. When it is upright it means opening up to possibilities and new beginnings, upside down it indicates loss, instability and pain. The picture on the sign was upright, so I went inside. I think you call it a ‘metaphysical’ shop: herbs, crystals, supplies for wiccans and druids- things that pertain to the occult. I understood why I was drawn there- it seemed familiar.  As soon as I entered a man emerged from the back and stared at me. His gaze at me was very intense…it scared me...and his eyes were blue…but they were not a normal blue. He spoke to me.

“Marry meet, friend. Can I help you?”

“I was drawn to your shop. I am not from around here.”

The man snorted. “That’s an understatement. We don’t see much of your kind. Do you have business here?”

I knew then that he knew something about me. I tried to proceed cautiously. “I mean no harm. My Patron lives nearby. I am granted freedom to occupy myself when I am not attending her.”

He seemed intrigued. “You have a regular customer?”

Ayno shook his head “I am in service. I have not been released.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Eight risings before All Hallows Eve.”

“That’s a long time for you. Are you trapped?”

“No, no. She is pleased with me and desires me to stay. I have grown fond of her. I do not wish to be released.” Ayno hung his head. “Please. I am not a virulent entity- I will cause no harm. This place feels…comfortable.”

The man stared at him intently, considering his plea. “By what name are you called?”

“I am Ayno.”

“Very well, Ayno. So long as there is no malicious intent, you are welcome here. I am Leo.”

 You sat for a moment, absorbing the details of the story. “Sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me?”

Ayno looked down and picked at a loose thread on the cover of his book. “I am sorry. I was afraid you would panic and send me away.”

You placed your hand on his cheek. “Ayno- look at me. I have no intention of sending you away. I’m just afraid that someone might try to hurt you or separate us if they found out.”

Ayno crawled forward wanting the reassurance of your arms, sighing as you held him tightly with his head against your chest. “I should have told you. I am sorry. Forgive me for not trusting you.”

You kissed the top of his head and stroked his hair. “It’s ok, I’m not mad. Trust takes time, it has to be built. I understand you aren’t used to trusting people.” You sat there holding him, turning his story over in your mind. “Ayno? One thing I still don’t understand: How did Leo know what you are??”

Ayno gazed up at you, “I do not know. But I do not think Leo is from around here either.”

*          *          *

You walked twelve blocks through the chilly night air into the area of downtown known as The Mews. The Ace of Cups was located in the third quad you came to. Ayno placed his hand on the small of your back and gently guided you past the ornate iron gates and into the crowd of people in the courtyard. You went to the food table so he could drop off the rosemary and sea salt roasted almonds he’d spent the afternoon making. You stood taking in the sight, eventually realizing someone was staring at you. The man in question was tall and broad shouldered but slender. He had high rounded cheekbones and his eyebrows arched at an angle that make him seem exceptionally intense. His nose was long and angled, and tilted down above his full lips, before the lower part of his face curved into an oval. You nudged Ayno who turned and followed your line of sight. “That is Leo”, he said raising his hand in greeting. Leo raised his hand back, and then disappeared into the crowd.

There were more people than you had thought there would be. You weren’t sure what you were expecting, but people were wearing outfits that ranged from Game of Thrones to Wall Street day broker. There was a small bonfire near the front that some of this odd assortment had gathered around keeping warm. Scattered around the courtyard were tables that seemed to have various crafts to do, wares to buy; as well as one for food, another for drinks and a third for sweets. Toward the back, there were paper bag luminarias arranged in a spiral.

You and Ayno took a slow lap around the place looking at all the different things and Ayno said hello to people. His eyes lighted on one of the craft tables and he said, “Oh wreath making! We should make a wreath- we do not have one on our door.”

“Now that you mention it- we don’t, do we? I used to have one with glass balls on it- but it broke.”

You approached the table and looked at what appeared to be a pile of dismembered Christmas tree, baskets containing things like holly and cinnamon sticks, rolls of red, green and white twine, and stacks of what looked like twigs that had been bent and tied into rough circles. “I don’t think I’ve actually ever made a wreath before” you said looking at all the supplies and wondering how exactly to start. “It is not difficult I will show you how”, Ayno said happily. He walked you over to the wreath making table and selected a circle of vines that had been tied together. Then he carefully selected a piece of evergreen and wound it between the vines and used green twine to tie it in place. “See?”, he said, “Easy. We just keep doing this.” Five minutes later it became obvious that you did not have the knack for this. Ayno laughed and told you to choose the evergreen boughs and he would tie them on. In no time at all, you had a beautiful fluffy green wreath that smelled fabulous. Ayno pointed at the baskets on the table, “Oh holly and pinecones! We must have those too. You choose, I will arrange.” You pulled some sprigs out and a couple of pinecones and handed them to him. Ayno talked while he worked, “The wreath is a symbol of the wheel of the year. Holly is masculine. It is used on wreaths because the thorns are thought to keep evil spirits from entering a home”, he said as he arranged them and used more twine to tie them in place. Then he ran a fat red ribbon through the back as a hanger. “What do you think?” he said holding it up for your inspection. “It’s beautiful” you said with a soft gasp, “You know, you’re actually very artistic.” “Thank you!” he smiled, “I am satisfied with it. I think it will look nice on our door.” Ayno carried it over to the fence and hung it around one of the loops in the rod iron, next to the other ones that had been completed as well. “We can hang it here for now and take it with us when we leave tonight.”

You moved on to another table where there was a strange assortment of supplies. “What is all this Ayno?” He smiled, sat down & patted the chair next to him. “We are making things to hang in the trees for the birds. Part of the joy in the solstice is giving back to the earth and providing for rebirth and spring.” A nice woman in a green velvet cloak came over smiling “Merry meet Ayno! This lovely lady must be your girlfriend. Would you like to make birdseed ornaments?” Ayno nodded, “Yes Celestine! How do we make?” She told you to choose shaped cookie cutters as she poured birdseed into bowls. Then she patiently showed you both how to dissolve flour and gelatin into hot water and mix it into the birdseed. Then you pressed the sticky mixture into greased sun and heart shaped cutters you had picked. You stuck a drinking straw into it, and then lifted the cookie cutter off and pulled the straw out. “Excellent work. When they set, we’ll run a ribbon through the straw hole, and hang them in the trees for the birds!” Celestine said as she added them to a cookie sheet with others and bustled them off to fridge to set up.

The next table had large baskets of oranges and bowls of cloves and cinnamon sticks. “Ah! Pomanders! Have you made before?”, Ayno asked. These you knew. “Aren’t these from the Victorian era?” He nodded, “They were very popular then.” You paused for a moment as a realization hit you, “You were there- in the Victorian era- weren’t you?” Ayno gave a small smile and nodded, “Yes. I have been making these for a long time.” You sat watching Ayno braid ribbons and wrap them around the oranges, suddenly awed at how old he really was and how many times and places he had seen and experienced. He handed it to you when he finished and began another for himself. You set the orange down and wrapped your arms around him, hugging him tightly and nuzzling into the crook of his neck. He placed a soft kiss on your temple and whispered “I do not know what has caused this, but I would like it to occur as often as possible.”

It did not take long for you to finish your pomanders- Ayno’s a complicated pattern of swirls ringed with rows of cloves and cinnamon sticks tied at the top, and your simple- if slightly crooked- rows of peeled stripes and clove buds. Ayno hung them on the fence with your wreath and led you over to a tall table that had strips of paper and assorted pens. “Mmmm. This is important. Choose a paper, and on it write down that which you would you want to let go of in your life. Anything you would like to unburden, things you would like to leave behind in the darkness. You can use as many as you need: one, ten, a thousand.” You took a paper and stared at it, with a ball point pen poised above trying to think of all the things in your life that weighed you down. You glanced at Ayno, who seemed very comfortable using a glass fountain pen, dipping it into a vial of ink and writing words gracefully across his paper in a language you didn’t recognize. “Your writing is beautiful.  What language is that?” You asked. “Mine.” He said simply. 

“For something that is supposed to be evil it’s awfully pretty.” 

Ayno’s hand paused, and without looking up he replied, “There are many things in the world that are purely evil but come wrapped in the guise of beauty.” 

You weren’t sure if you shivered from the cold or Ayno’s words, but he noticed your blue lips and sent you to wait near the dying fire while he got you something warm to drink.

He’d only been gone a moment when Leo seemed to magically appear at your side. He watched Ayno go and then looked at you quizzically, “Tell me, Ayno’s foolish mortal girlfriend: whatever possessed you to summon a demon and then keep it as a pet??”

“I didn’t summon him”, you stated.

Leo seemed confused. “That’s not possible. Ayno cannot simply appear- he has to be summoned.”

So, you told Leo the story about the Halloween party, and the book, and how Gia had summoned him, and he had come through your mirror.  

“Interesting”, he said, “You didn’t actually summon him… yet he remains bound to you…but why did you keep him?”, Leo pressed.

You shrugged, “Well…he’s very good at what he does…and my apartment was kind of messy…my life was kind of messy- I needed some help, and it turned out that I liked coming home to him …he’s easy to talk to and has a good sense of humor and one day I realized I didn’t want him to go…so I just never released him.”

“In other words, you kept him as a sex slave and a maid and then discovered he was actually a sentient being, is what you’re telling me?”

You were embarrassed. It sounded so awful when he said it like that. “Wow that makes it sound really bad. I know- in retrospect my reasons were feeble, and it was not exactly ‘right’ …but it’s not like that anymore. I care about him- so much. If he is unhappy all he needs to do is say it, and I will let him go- I would never want him to stay against his will.”

Leo looked at you -the challenge visible in his eyes. “Yes”, you whispered, “I love him.”

Leo nodded and gazed off into the distance for a moment. “You do know that he can kill you right?”

You were silent for a moment and then nodded, “Yes, I suppose he can, but I don’t really think that’s Ayno’s thing.”

“No”, Leo said “It isn’t. But he is still a demon- keep that in mind. It’s like getting a tiger cub and raising it as a house cat. Just be careful.”

You glanced up to see Ayno making his way back to you across the courtyard. Leo followed your gaze. “Ah- wassail. That will help warm you up, and it is almost time for the Yule log, so the fire will warm you too.”, Leo said as he started to move on and then stopped, and turned and looked at you. “For what it’s worth- he’s in love with you too.”

A few moments later, someone began ringing a bell and calling for everyone to gather around the fire which had diminished itself to embers. Ayno came and stood behind you, pressing his warm body against yours and wrapping his long arms around you.  Celestine and Aysheh wove through the crowd carrying baskets of holly and acorns. Ayno instructed you to take one of each. You watched as Leo and 3 other men carried in a large oak log decorated with ribbons, evergreen boughs, holly and mistletoe. A man wearing an outfit that looked like Santa Claus styled by the renaissance faire and a woman who looked like every illustration you had ever seen of a medieval druid came forward and began speaking. They called for all the lights to be extinguished; then they welcomed everyone. They asked all present to take a moment to dwell in the darkness -to know that this was the longest night of the year. They invited you to think about the past year, the old the things that you were ready to shed and leave in the darkness, and to envision the light returning- coming back to you- bringing new things into your life- awakening parts of yourself that had gone dormant and slept. The Santa Man stepped forward and raised his hands, as the Yule log was placed into the glowing embers everyone chanted with him “May the log burn, May the wheel turn, May evil spurn, May the Sun return.” The fire began to grow, and as it did, people stepped forward to toss the holly and the acorn in – some calling out things they were thankful for or hopes for the new season. Next, you tossed in the slips of paper you had written on- symbolically leaving those things in the past. When the crowd had committed their personal pains to the fire and vowed to embrace the possibilities of the coming year, everyone cheered and rang bells before launching into a lusty rendition of Deck the Halls.

Somewhere around the second chorus, Ayno pulled you away and led you to the spiral of luminarias at the back of the courtyard. He walked slowly backwards, holding your hands and pulling you through the softly lit path. “Thank you for coming with me tonight. I have had such a good time. I was so happy to share this with you; I hope you were not bored.”

“No! It was really interesting! …and I’m really glad I came. Now I understand how you feel all the time: having little to no idea what is going on, and just trying not to call attention to yourself and look like you know what you’re doing. Afraid you’ll say the wrong thing and give yourself away. Honestly Ayno – you’re amazing, and I have new respect for how hard you try every single day.”

Having reached the center, Ayno stopped walking. He pulled you in close and brought your face to his. “Worth it”, he said as he kissed you gently and deeply.

“I’m cold”, you said, “Let’s go home and you can warm me up.”

“Look at that”, he smiled as the burgundy flooded his eyes, “Solstice wishes coming true already.”

*          *          *

 Leo stood leaning against the door of the shop, humming to himself as he watched you and Ayno depart the festivities. Your coat pulled tightly around you, your hair lifting slightly in the winter breeze; Ayno towering over you with your tiny hand in his huge one, his wings folded gently against his back, tail swaying as he walked, and his horns spiraling gracefully up into the moonlight.

Celestine paused as she walked past with another tray of completed birdseed ornaments, “Leo- what are you humming? I know that tune, but I can’t place it.”  Leo gave a small smile, and sang in his soft angelic voice:

“Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the Beast…”

[elbiotipo]

América Invicta

The Capaq Inka still rules the Four Regions. The great temples still cast their shadow over Lake Texoco. About three centuries ago, conquerors from overseas tried, and failed, to impose their rule over these lands.

It is the year 1800 -or so- on the Christian calendar. Much has happened since then.

Tawantinsuyu, the great empire of the Andes, lays claim to the whole of Septentrional America. Its wealth and power unmatched, millions of people of all creeds and nations live on its golden cities. The great city of Qusqu, the Navel Of The World, is the center of culture and trade for the entire continent, its surrounding terraces grow food from all over the empire. Warriors clad in golden armor bearing muskets ride Megatheriums to the farthest reaches of the empire to enforce the will of the Capaq Inka.

Yet the many peoples of the Americas do not bow easily. For the trading cities of the living jungle of the Paranaguazú, the Muisca kingdoms from the highlands of the north, the Carib towns on the warm shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the thousand tribes of the dry forests of Chaqu, the horse riders of windy Patagonia, the Gauchos of the Pampas, the rebellious former colonies of Buen Ayre, Nueva Granada and Recife, the monasteries of the Jesuits, the free Quilombos of former slaves, the mysterious kingdoms of Xingú and the defiant Tamoio Confederation, the rule of the Inka is more of a formality than anything concrete. Roads and tambos made by the great Inkanate connect millions and are full of merchants, explorers, soldiers, wizards, priests and adventurers at the service of many powers (or none), trying to make their fortune in this land.

They are not the only ones on this continent. Up North, the Obsidian Alliance, the successors of the fallen Triple Alliance of the Mexica, try to keep together the disparate city-states of Mesoamerica. The Mayan principalities expand into the volcanic rainforests of the south. The paradisiacal Caribbean Sea is a place of intrigue for Taíno war canoes, European galleons, and African caravels who compete for the rich trade routes. ‘Pirates’ free slaves and raid plantations on the coasts, and their sons and daughters make new lives in freedom. Refugees from the European Wars of Religion inmigrate to the New World to find a place to begin anew. Gauchos and Llaneros herd the giant herds of cattle in the plains, and face off against bizarre spirits and creatures. Grand Treasure Ships from the East (or is it West?) come to the seaports to trade with the rich empires. Jesuit priests roam the imperial roads, preaching the word of Christ and teaching the sciences. Muslim traders call to prayer from miranets rising above the tropical shores. Up the Missisippi grow the cities of the Mound Builders and beyond the heartland of the Obsidian Alliance the dry deserts bloom with powerful civilizations. Uncanny wandering sorcerers travel through the land, full of wisdom and powers so strong that many serve the empires of the continent; others are comfortable tending to the needs of the common people or enhancing their knowledge.

And much remains unknown. Herds of giant animals, supposedly long-extinct, roam the plains of the continent and sleep under its hidden swamps; armored mammals, giant reptiles, elephants completely unlike those in Africa or Asia, majestic feathered serpents… The forests are alive with a thousand spirits, who resist the attempts of greedy men to tame them. The winds seem to talk with their own voice, and old men and women claim to speak for the land itself. Giant sea ‘monsters’ roam the cold seas of the South. Christians testify of great miracles, and many saints, recognized or not, are venerated all over the land. Many tribes, maybe even entire civilizations, are still unknown, hidden by mountains, jungle, or uncanny fog. Explorers hear legends about animal-people and powerful sorcerers, and there is reason to believe them. Sunk treasure galleons are sought by pirates and adventurers. Mysterious books and relics are lost in libraries and palaces.

And in the great cities of the continent, from Qusqu to Tenochtitlán, Maracaibo to Palmares, Quito to Rio de Janeiro, Recife to Buen Ayre, smoky chimneys and glass buildings rise over the old temples and cabildos, powered by strange machines operating by a stranger combination of magic and science, heralding the start of a new era.

It is, indeed, a New World.

...

The mighty Paraná River slowly made way besides the little port town of Corrientes. Winter was ending; the muddy, narriw streets were decorated by a thousand flowers falling from the lapacho trees, every little breeze tinted by pink, yellow and white.

The first sunday of spring slowly winded down.

In the cabildo, the governor of the Argentine Confederation and the curaca of the Four Regions loudly debated about tribute and power and who had most of it, like they always did. The bells of the churches announced the evening service. Fishermen brought the fruits of a long afternoon in the waters shadowed by the riparian forests. The patrol cutters of the Confederation sailed into the port. The stalls on the central plaza were closing down, farmhands heading with their cattle back home to the fields.

In a tiny pulpería above the river cliffs -not very tall, but still giving a nice view of the sleeping sun above the forests on the other side of the river- the Witch and the Gaucho fought back the early heat of spring with a cold beer.

"...So, " the Witch continued explaining, excitedly, "the book says there's this point, somewhere. The beginning of it all. Or maybe the end. Most probably both, or perhaps all what it's in between."

"Uh huh. I see." Answered the Gaucho. Despite his tone of voice, he was geniunely interested. If a little confused.

"And we could see through it. It, somehow, reflects all the universe. Maybe more." Just to even think about other universes, dreamed the Witch! "But it's very confusing to look at it. It's too much for us to percieve. Because I mean, surely you can hear and smell and feel too. But you can't process it. It's like, like..."

"Like looking through a glass marble near your eye, with all those strange scratches and... things. Only it's the entire universe." Affirmed the Gaucho, drinking another sip from the beer.

He wasn't sure if the alcohol made him a better philosopher or it just made him remember his childhood days playing with marbles.

"YES! That's right! You get me! I KNEW buying you a beer was worth it."

"It was worth for me, at least..." He smiled. She smiled back.

"Now, when you see through a marble," she continued "you see all that weird stuff because your eyes only can see through a single... size so to speak."

A horn blared.

Parrots flew away from the palm trees. The very wind seemed to stop still.

The Witch, though, continued.

"...but imagine if we could see with different eyes. If we could..."

"Che... What the hell is that noise?"

They looked at the great Paraná, which was suddenly covered by foamy waves.

It was a boat.

It wasn't, though, one of the Guaraní fishing canoes that always sailed up and down the Paraná. Neither it was one of the proud sailboats of the Confederation, or the golden arks of the Capaq Inka.

It was a huge metal monolith, like some kind of iron bathtub uncannily floating in the water. Two chimneys vomited black smoke into the golden skies, and chains of... magical? light illuminated the ship. Shipmen dressed in white marched through the deck as the vessel made way through the river, with no sails, with no oars, with no magic, apparently propelled by hubris itself.

And while neither the Witch or the Gaucho were very familiar with ships, they could certainly see that those big metal boxes with cannons pointing from them were inmensely powerful weapons.

In the back, in golden, exquisitely craved letters, the name of the vessel read:

'HMS Dreadnought'

[shiftyskip]

Robert James Rader

Rader was not portrayed in Band of Brothers

The real Robert Rader

Robert James Rader was born October 9, 1923 in Manchester, Ohio. His parents were Walter and Bessie Rader. They had already had two kids, Walter Jr. and Charles William, when they Robert. After Robert was born, they had three more kids: Richard, Mary, and Ralph.

His father had previously served in World War 1, in the All-American Division. Which I believe is the 82nd Airborne. Correct me if I’m wrong on that. His father had fought in 5 major battles. He had been wounded and gassed. When his father returned he works as a stone cutter for a cemetery. Due to all this, Walter’s health was never the best.

Money was very, very tight. Robert’s family was very poor. Poor enough to eat road kill when circumstances allowed it. To make sure everyone got food, Robert made a difficult choice. Walter Jr., Charles William, and Robert all enlisted in the Ohio National Guard. Robert did so illegally, because he was underage. He was 16 at the time. This was so they’d get fed by the National Guard and their servings would go to those at home, instead. He got paid around $0.72 a day.

Robert lived in the same town as Donald Hoobler. They were close friends throughout their childhood. They played sports, swam in the nearby Ohio River, and even stole some watermelons. His love of sports continued in High School, and he started playing a few.

Pearl Harbor occurred while Robert was still in the National Guard. He was not in the National Guard for long after that, because they found out his real age and kicked him out. They gave him an honorable discharge, which would allow him to sit the war out. Once out of the National Guard, Robert went back to high school and graduated in 1942. He was the first in his family to ever graduate high school.

Donald Hoobler was the one who talked him and another friend William Howell into enlisting in the paratroopers. They enlisted a few short months after Robert’s graduate on August 22, 1942 at Fort Thomas Newport, in Kentucky.

Robert was one of the original Toccoa men. He got the lovely joy of training under the blessing that is Sobel.

Training under Sobel was tough. Sobel made a lot of boys in Easy hate him. And although Robert did not like Sobel, he respected Easy for making them tough enough to survive the war.

Guarnere gave him the nickname Rook. Although no one knows quite why he was given that nickname since he didn’t play chess. His family thinks it might have been a very loose Italian version of his last name Rader. But they never confirmed this idea.

Robert, Howell, and Hoobler went by a different nickname all together. Although this one was self given. They called themselves the “three hillbillies”. They were country boys and the rest of the company believed their “Appalachian” accent was weird. The trio made a friend named William Dukeman, who was from Colorado.

While the physical training had been hard, Robert loved Jump School. He really likes the higher jumps, making more jumps than he was required to get his wings. Although his love of jumps did not always go in his favor. During one jump, an ammunition holder (a large box made out of a type of metal) came loose (a common thing during jumps but not normally a typical form of injury) and hit him in the head. It caused a detached retina, which can result in vision problems. I do not know if Robert himself had any.

Robert made the trip across the sea with the rest of Easy Company. They arrived in Aldbourne, England. Where they remainded until it was time for the Normandy jump. During his free time, Robert played basketball and baseball.

When D-Day arrived, Robert was with Easy Company. His plane had Johnny Martin in it. He was sitting next to Martin when a shell burst through the plane and between their heads. Their plane took 250 hits altogether.

His pilot had been hit in the foot, causing a panic and miscommunication occurred. The pilot believed all the men had jumped and his plane was clear to go back to England. He turned the plane back towards England. The men realized they had to jump and they had to jump NOW. And they all quickly got out of the plane.

Robert, like most of Easy, lost all of his weapons in his jump. His landing in a pasture, was not a great one either. He landed hard, fracturing 3 vertabrae in his back. He ignored the pain and continued, he never did get this injury checked or fixed.

The first person he saw in Normandy was Burr Smith. Burr gave him a few weapons, so he finally had something. They were near Ste. Mère-Église when they engaged in minor combat against Poles and Russians who were fighting for Germany.

Robert played a small part in a Brecourt Manor with Richard Winters. He was between the guns and the beach front, making sure that the Germans didn’t flee back and recruit help.

Around the area of Carentan, Robert was in charge of a small squad. His squad engaged a group of Hitler Youth in combat. When the boys stated they’d die for Hitler, Robert knew they’d have to kill them. When they stopped firing, he saw boys, both his own and the Hitler Youth, laying out dead on the ground. At that moment, Robert promised that he’d focus the rest of his life on helping children.

Easy Company withdrew to Aldbourne. They rested there until it was time for the Holland jump. September 17, 1944, Robert and Easy jumped into Holland. For 79 days, Robert has nearly everyday contact with the Germans and fighting.

In Holland, he was injured during combat. Not by a German gun though. While hiding in a barn, a man next to Robert started cleaning his gun. It went off and hit Robert in the elbow. Robert was sent to the nearby aid station but they couldn’t send him back to England, there was no way for him to get a ship home at that moment. Without a way to England, Robert went back to Easy Company. When he arrived, he performed a bayonet charge shortly after. Injured arm and all.

His friend, Dukeman from Colorado, was hit and killed October 5, 1944. His son’s middle name was Dukeman in honor of this man, his friend and fellow brother in arms.

After returning from Holland, the boys were taken to Mourmelon. On their journey to Bastogne, they were given hot chocolate. But whoever drank it, ended getting horribly sick. Robert was one of the boys who drank it and spent his trip feeling awful.

Bastogne was cold. They had very little supplies and ammo and no winter weather gear. They were in the middle of a terrible winter and were completely unprepared for fighting during it. The cold was so bad, Robert’s eyelids froze open. He soon lost the feeling in his legs and arms. He even got shot in the hip at Bastogne and didn’t notice until 1987, more than 40 years later, during a CAT scan that had picked up his injury.

But the men did have some relief. Robert and Hoobler, the two best friends, took Christmas Eve night post, leaving the rest of the men to relax. It was their version of a Christmas present to everyone, sparing them the struggle.

Hoobler died shortly afterwards on January 3, 1945. Robert was deeply upset and affected by the death of Hoobler, his friend from childhood. Like Dukeman, who died in October, he later named his son after Donald Hoobler. His son’s name was Donald Dukeman Rader, in honor of his close friends.

In Bastogne, Howell, another friend, was injured. He survived his injury and retuned home. Bastogne left Robert nearly without any friends.

Near Foy, Robert instructed his men to dig their foxholes out in the open field, farther away from the shelter of the trees. This would let his men be exposed, causing some panic among his squad. But they listened anyways. Robert was proven right when shelling went over the heads of Robert’s squad and into the forest around them, shattering trees and anything in its way. His squad was fine, without any major injuries.

Robert was discharged November 1945. He had earned a Purple Heart but turned it down, saying,“How could I receive it when do msnt others were wounded so badly?” He was awarded the Broze Star for his service.

He arrived back home at night. He went inside and went to sleep without waking anyone. His mother had been boarding soldiers, always coming and going, and when she saw her son, she didn’t recognize him. The war had changed him so much.

Throughout the war, he had saved all his money and sent it home to his mother. While he had wanted her to spend it, she had not and instead had saved it for his return.

He returned to school and attended Morehead State College on his GI Bill and sports scholarship. His legs had suffered tremendously in Bastogne and his sports career never got far and he lost his scholarship.

Robert transferred over to Cedarville College, a Baptist school. He was not religious but his friends attended so he went. The school was a dry school, meaning he couldn’t drink, but he found a way to sneak alcohol in. He would use a pulley system to get it up to him and would freeze it outside during the winter months. He still played baseball and basketball, but not on a scholarship. Somehow, even though he was a wild child, he received his bachelors degree in education.

He used his degree to become a teacher and in the 1950s he moved from Ohio to California, following the move of several of his friends. In California , he met Lucille, a nurse. They had been set up on a blind date and began dating. They were married on February 14, 1953, Valentine’s Day.

Robert got a job at the California School for Boys. After that job he got another teaching job in the Paso Robles school district. He worked at this school until his retirement, 25 years later. During his first few years teaching at this school, he worked 2 jobs. He was a teacher and an assistant manager at the Paso Robles airport, where he fueled airplanes. His reasoning behind these two jobs was that the airport job earned him social security, the teaching did not.

Lucille remained a nurse, taking a short time to be a stay at home mom when two kids were born. He didn’t get much time off for hobbies, since he was working so much. But he did play softball and go fishing. He continued to love sports till his final day, even buying two TVs to put in one room so that he could watch two events at the same time.

His children, Donald and Robin. Robin was born in October 1953. Donald was born in May of 1958. As a family, they traveled to National Parks together and went to Easy Company Reunions. At one Easy Company Reunion, Donald Dukeman was allowed to shoot a gun at the age 7, and Robin, even though she was older, was not allowed. No matter how much she begged.

Robert also volunteered with the local fire department for 10 years. As he volunteered, he once experiences a huge fire that burned all night. When he came home, he got ready and just went to school to teach.

He was a strict teacher, there was no nonsense in his call room. All the wild children were sent to him so he could deal with them. He would get his students attention by throwing an eraser at his chalkboard and one time even picked up and threw a rowdy kid out the door of his room.

But he started teaching handicapped kids and his eraser and kid throwing days were over. He became a bit softer.

He also coached basketball and cross country for his school. In his 10 years coaching cross country, 7 of his teams went to the finals. He had two All-American runners as well. He was very proud of his team.

He did keep in touch with men from Easy Company. He wrote letters and had Bull Randlemen and Mike Ranney visit a few times. He was extremely close with Bull. He also was visited by Leo Matz, a squad member of his. He signed his letters to Easy Company: “Robert J. Rader, here. Be good. Be carful. Sleep Warm.”

He adjusted fairly easy to normal life, but like every Easy Company man, seemed to struggle with the winter months. Bastogne and Hoobler’s death hit him hard. Whenever the holidays came around, he got quiet for days at a time. When his daughter asked, he explained Christmas reminded him of Hoobler.

Robert struggled with health problems all of his life. He retired in 1981 due to health problems. In total, he has 2 heart surgeries with 9 bypasses, lost a kidney, had an aortic aneurisms, as well as stomach ulcers and an bladder problem. Doctors ended having to cut half of his stomach away. He carried on, even going golfing one time immediately after a surgery.

After his retirement, he and Lucille continued to travel to Paris and Holland. They took long walks and went golfing together. They continued to travel as his health failed, although they had to watch his diet.

His health did not last long though, his always active lifestyle changed toward the end of his life. He had to lay down a lot and couldn’t sit up much. He lost weight and his heart was failing. His last few months were spend writing letters and watching sports. He eventually lost his appetite and his other kidney failed.

Within the last week of his life, he didn’t want to get out of his pajamas, which was the real sign something was wrong. He had always gotten dressed and ready to go. Within a few days after this, his blood pressure dropped and his family took him to the hospital.

On his final day in the world, Lucille went home early. She was really tired and needed to rest. After she left, Robert asked his kids: “Is she okay?” Concerned about his wife even when he was in the hospital.

Later that day, he went to sleep and passed away. He died April 7, 1997. He was buried under trees in a cemetery.

A bridge was dedicated in his memory, a sign of all the lives he had touched. The project was led by citizens of Paso Robles, started by a former student of his. It is named the Robert J. Rader Memorial Bridge. At the dedication of his bridge, several Easy Company men attended including Buck Compton, Bill Manyard, Rod Bain, Ed Joint, Bill Wagner, Don Malarkey, Jack McGrath, Earl McLung, and Shifty Powers.

Be good. Be careful. Sleep Warm.

[writeanapocalae]

Nano Day 1 Writing

“I can’t believe they let you keep that thing,” Sarah grimaced, pulling her hair back from her face. “Especially since you won’t let me actually do anything with it.”

Anton bristled towards her. He liked Sarah, but he had found himself getting more and more irritated with her when it came to R. She was a mechanical engineer, a genius, and a bit of a ridiculous hacker hobbyist. She knew R in a different light than the rest of them, but it wasn’t in the way that Anton liked.

“Maybe because it’s useful.” Anton shrugged, turning his attention to Micah. She was working on the chain holding the gate closed, her muscles tense as she cut through the links with bolt cutters. It was taking her a few tries still. “I like having R around, it helps me out.”

“I am quite similar to a service animal,” R explained, passing them both and going to Micah’s side. “although I do not require sustenance and my breaks are minimal. I may not be an aid for Xinzha, but I am an aid for Anton. Would you allow me to help you, Micah?”

Micah nodded and took a step back, handing the bolt cutters to R. It cut through the links in a single try, probably able to see where the links were weakest.

Micah went back to the rest of them, to the car and her other clothes. She slipped on her ragged leather jacket and wiped off her hands on the kerchief that hid in the interior pocket. She was tall and brilliant and had deep brown eyes that could go from warm to terrifyingly stern in a moment.

“It’s useful and it helps us out and maybe we can get the information that we need out of it if ever remembers.”

R set the bolt cutters down in the open back end of the van. It looked at its hands and noted that they were not stained before going back to Anton’s side. It looked him over. It was a scan, not that Anton knew the science behind that, even though Sarah had explained it to him, in long detail.

“My memory was wiped upon activation by the technicians of the second hand shop. If I was allowed to retain my memories I would not hold them from you.”

Anton leaned his head onto R’s shoulder, closing his eyes for a moment. Everyone was getting ready, getting back into the car, but there was a moment for this, for just resting, a head on a shoulder and the warm feeling of R beneath him. It usually wasn’t very warm but at this moment it’s black suit jacket had absorbed the sunlight.

R was an android and for that it was trapped in the constant loop of obedience and programming. With Anton, its job was to get him to sleep when he needed to and get him awake when he needed to, to do the household chores, to help Anton with any tasks he might need, and to follow orders. That wasn’t what Anton had purchased it for though.

R was created by the Caecus Corporation, which had once been housed in the bones of the building ahead of them. Xinzhi had paid Anton for the purchase of a second hand android, so that they could get any information on what had happened here out of it. That hadn’t worked very well and while Caecus had never gotten to the point of creating sentience in their androids, there was some sort of response in R when Sarah was starting to run a diagnosis on its memories. Anton couldn’t allow her to continue with it because, to him, R had seemed afraid. He’d never allowed Sarah to do anything else with it. Without those memories though, it was impossible for them to actually know what had caused such a reaction.

They got into the car and finally started to move, driving up the overgrown road and towards Caecus. It was a gray building, with only a single stripe of windows near the top. There was no sign on it to delegate the name of the building as much as there was ivy growing up the sides. There was a parking lot alongside the building but the cement was too damaged for them to drive through comfortably.

“It’s only been four years since the disappearance,” Anton realized. “This is more damage than there should be this soon.”

They parked in front of the entrance, just in the middle of the road. It was cracked as well, but not as bad as the lot, even though, by construction, it should have been worse.

“Something must have happened underground,” Micah stated. “I’m guessing an underground waterway? That would have eroded the cement from underneath.”

“That would match with the information that we’ve dug up,” Anton went over the information that he could remember. They had been investigating what had happened here for the past year and there was a river running underground nearby. It would be easy for a branch of the river to have snaked under the building. “Doesn’t that usually lead to a series of trees running along the length of the water space though?”

“We had something like that,” Micah said, “Darryl and me. Didn’t notice it for years. That could of happened here but just too recently. The trees may not have grown enough.”

They piled out of the car and towards the back, to grab their bags and other equipment. They had spare clothes, water bottles, small first aid kits, batteries, flashlights, and multi-tools. R’s pack didn’t have water or a first aid kit but it {did have whatever they needed but was too heavy for them}.

“There’s not going to be any lights in there,” Sarah reminded them. “If there’s any electricity in there I’d be surprised.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re only going in for a preliminary.” Micah tossed her backpack onto her back and her hair out of her face.

Sarah handed her a few hairbands off of her wrist. Her hair was nowhere near as thick as Micah’s but it was a lot longer. It was wavy and black and as much of a mess as the rest of her. She was every bit the tomboy, with her torn up jeans and the two fingers that seemed to be ever present on the edges of her mouth.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Micah stated, hoisting a crowbar over her shoulder. The doors were boarded over but it didn’t take her long to break them down.

“There is an elevated population of homeless humans in the city,” R mentioned off hand, its voice cold and hollow. “It is concerning that none of them have broken into the building to squat for at least a while.”

“Yeah, well, we’re not in the city, numb skull,” Sarah pointed out with her knuckles on her hips. Anton wished she would be more polite but he also knew that that would never happen. In the past year that he’d known her she had always been gruff and quick with her words, going so far as to get threatened with actual workplace discipline a few times. “Why would anyone want to come out this far for a roof over your head?”

With a last crack the last plank was torn away. That didn’t make the doors operable, as they were locked, but it was a step closer. The windows were thick glass, double paned, with interlaced wire between the panes.

“R, you wouldn’t happen to be a locksmith, would you?” Micah asked after jiggling the handle.

“I am equipped to install the packets needed for a multitude of tasks,” R replied, “but I do not have the tools necessary. My apologies.”

She patted it on the shoulder, a human motion. Everyone treated R like it was like the rest of them, like it was human, except for Sarah. She was the only one who seemed to think of it as a machine. It was a machine, as much as Anton pretended that it wasn’t, because it didn’t have the tools necessary to be anything else. It didn’t look human either. The face looked right, albeit a little too perfect, with a strong jaw and soft gray eyes, slicked back black hair and thick eyebrows. It had broad shoulders and a slim but muscular shaped torso but the arms were just a bit too long and the hands a bit too big. It was unsettling, at first, to look at, so close but still too far away from human that Anton actually had nightmares the first few nights that it was in his apartment. Now though, he could barely tell.

Micah pulled Lan out of her pocket and placed it on the ground. It scratched at it’s little hamster-esque cheeks before looking at her with its black button eyes.

“Hi hi Ms Micah!” it said with its squeaky cartoony voice. “How can I be of service today?”

Micah turned Lan around so it could see the door of the facility. “Lan, we need to get inside, can you find a way in and unlock the door for us?”

“I am very small!” Lan sing sanged. Anton hated it. He was fairly certain that Sarah did too by her expression. “I can get in and out with ease! I can move about as I please! But the doorknob is very high and I don’t know if I can climb up there.”

“Well take a look around and see if you can, alright?”

“Aye aye!”

With that Micah placed Lan on the ground and the light blue toy of a robot got on all fours to race along the edge of the building. It looked more like a hamster this way, actually looking like one.

Sarah shuddered. “God I hate that thing.”

“You know,” Micah pointed out leaning against the wall next to the door. “I’m surprised that you’re our specialist in robotics, considering how you feel about them.”

“I like them just fine.”

“Really? I’ve never heard you say one positive thing about the technological advancements that our company’s made, not one positive thing about the androids and robots in our department, and nothing positive ever about mundane technology either, not even the coffeemaker.”

“Our coffeemaker is outdated and you know it,” Sarah growled. “I love technology. I just don’t like creepy shit. And you’ve got a walking talking cartoon of a spy device that you use as a pocket secretary-

“Lan is a personal assistant. It’s not attached to some big conglomerate like a lot of other smart devices. And who would it report to, our boss?”

“And you’ve got a creepy Ken doll that follows you around everywhere!” Sarah finished waving at R.

R cocked its head. Anton tried not to laugh at the fact that the head cock was something that it had borrowed from Sarah, though it used it more often when it was confused and she used it when she was playing dumb about something.

“I am not a Ken doll,” it explained, “I was created by the Caecus Corporation, which has nothing in common with Mattel.”

“You know what I mean!” Sarah spat.”

There was a scratching at the door. Then a little song that sounded a lot like a recorded ring tone.

“Sounds like Lan’s found a way inside,” Anton murmured, drawing closer. The sun was hot against his back and he was glad that he was dressed for warmth because it would be cold inside the facility but at the moment he felt like a cat that had spent too much time in a sunbeam.

@detectivesebcas​ @inthemoonshadow​ @etjwrites​ @lordfenric

[taffyarella]

No Grace Falls Upon the Careless

My BDRRM Kwentuhan

          I can recall how a Theology professor of mine once said that “in disasters, there is grace,” while she was discussing a lesson in class. I took note of that a few weeks ago because that was just one of life’s ironies that dawns upon you every now and then. At some point I agreed to it—especially how, as Filipinos, it can be evident knowing how resilient we are. Filipinos can be seen managing to flash out smiles amid the flooding and chaos. We manage to swim in our own pieces of tragedy that floods us every now and then, but I realized that this shouldn’t really be something we should be proud of. Yes, resilience is important, but it shouldn’t be romanticized; the chaos behind it shouldn’t be taken for granted. At some point, again, I started to question my professor’s statement. How was it going to be true for those who didn’t make it? Knowing how difficult it must be for my fellow citizens, this activity made me ponder more. With my interview with Kagawad Edgar Estigoy, the barangay official assigned to disaster management, I picked up numerous points that made me analyze my own community’s situation and whether or not the quote I acquired from our teacher applied to the people in it.

          According to the notes given to us in our NSTP course, hazards are “any phenomenon, substance or situation, which has the potential to cause disruption or damage to infrastructure and services, people, their property and their environment.” Knowing how anyone can be subject to danger no matter where they reside, I had Kagawad Edgar identify the hazards that had been present in our community—Brgy. 397, Zone 41, Sampaloc, Manila.

 According to him, the heaviest calamities that had hit the barangay were typhoons Ondoy and Piping. He referred to these as the worst as he recalled how the barangay was in deep flood for hours due to heavy rainfall and winds. The streets surrounding the community, especially España, weren’t fully developed as the drainage systems weren’t functioning well. These changed when a mega dyke was built in Blumentrit to mitigate the situation as told by Kagawad Estigoy. Another hazard that had hit the barangay, but fortunately has not affected it much, were the earthquakes. To be more aware or cautious about these things, he mentioned that we are already living in the age wherein Information Technology is very accessible and prevalent. This helps the council be on the lookout for incoming calamities. Indeed, the term “high tech” has been familiar to us, and this has paved the way for people to communicate and disseminate information easily. Aside from this, Kagawad expressed that there are organizations involved in providing people information like the Bureau of Communication Services, National Telecommunications Commission, and PAGASA. They also have what they call a “Public Address”, barangay tanods that roam around, and volunteers to help spread info. Basically, they become aware of an incoming disaster when they get the “nationwide notification” or warning; they, then, notify the residents of the barangay. What probably is a good thing amid all the disasters is how the community is not badly affected no matter how often these come. To give examples, Kagawad Estigoy cited how the recent typhoon Tisoy came yet the worst we’ve experienced out of it were heavy rains and strong winds that thankfully didn’t come to the point of destruction compared to the regions that had to go through being badly damaged like Isabela, Cagayan, Mindoro, Albay, Bicol, and Leyte (as cited from the interview).

           When it comes to assessing people at risk in the community, the ones who fell under the most vulnerable to hazards were those who were near establishments made out of wood, which were the areas that were also considered the most dangerous within the community. This is because wood can easily catch fire which--something that cannot be easily put out. This kind of establishments would also be easily “washed out” by floods and destructed by winds. But in the community’s case, very few infrastructures are still made out of wood as most (within the streets of Moret, Galicia, P. Noval, and Tolentino) are already concrete.

According to Kagawad Estigoy, in times of disasters, those who will be largely affected would be the workers or “mga taong naghahanap-buhay”. He said that we cannot be sure with the financial stability of anyone and meant that not everyone has jobs that can sustain each day which can be affected with a single hit of a storm. Despite this, in terms of vulnerability and facing calamities, the interviewee said that the residents are not really affected to the extent that services will run out as the people are always willing help each other out, as well as give or donate resources. On the other hand, the safest place that can be located within and near the barangay were the open spaces and evacuation areas in the Paaralang Juan Luna and the field of University of Santo Tomas. Kagawad also added that the concrete establishments that surrounded the barangay were informed to be open and accessible to all to be evacuated in during emergencies, especially the building wherein the Chairman of the barangay resided. He said that they were tasked to give way to those who badly needed help or shelter and not be selfish with space. So far, there isn’t an existing problem that the barangay is facing which prevents it from being a better community to live in or from rising up again because in the first place, the fall is already prevented.

           In assessing the capacity and disaster management, the council of barangay 397 equips itself and the community with supplies that is ready to use in times of dangerous situations. These evacuating tools include first aid kits, wood cutters and saws (incase of situations that would require removing big obstacles like trees that would fall on cars or roads), machines, ropes, emergency vehicles, and more. The council also makes sure to disseminate information to the community when there is an incoming danger. To help the people be prepared for any disasters, activities like fire drills and earthquake drills are conducted for the safety and awareness of everybody. The barangay council, community volunteers, and support from NGOs all help in the protection and preservation of peace and safety of the barangay.

My Community Walk

           After gathering information from Kagawad Estigoy, I took a community walk to assess and check if the data I have accumulated matched the barangay’s situation. Below are what I have captured with regards to the hazardous areas, safest places, and best practices around the community.The hazardous places or spaces that I have captured included (1) infrastructures made out of wood since, as the interviewee had mentioned, it could easily catch fire and is feeble enough to be destroyed by strong winds and floods, 

(2) sidewalk and road blockages/damages that have no proper warning signages which could put people in danger such as making them fall, trip, or are simply being obstructions,

and (3) open construction sites that are too close to roads and establishments that is hazardous for many passersby that do not have PPE (Proper Protective Equipment).

Some issues I have noticed were (1) the presence of too many electrical wirings that were all messily looped together which can be a cause for fire

and (2) the presence of heavy-duty equipment near construction sites that were just lying around unsecured.

A hazardous practice I have captured is the construction workers act of not wearing PPE’s while working which could harm them while they do their jobs.

  The safest places, as mentioned earlier, are the (1) UST field,

(2) Paaralang Juan Luna,

and (3) the barangay hall itself which is also where the barangay chairman resides.

Last but definitely not the least, some best practices I have witnessed in the entirety of my community walk were (1) the proper segregation of waste (as there were trash bins in almost every corner in the community) and designated areas for recyclable materials,

(2) the presence of many security cameras (for proper surveillance) and a warning horn (for important announcements),

and (3) ready-to-go barangay vehicles that were provided for disaster response.

      Because of the interview and community walk, I couldn’t help but also notice the issues that can be perceived to be small but can have a lasting effect. An issue I found confusing was how the barangay was missing a DRRM plan, which although crucial, seemed to be taken for granted since I was told there wasn’t really a need for it because the plans were all connected and “programmed” anyway in the council; that they were simply wired to be informed already. Another issue fell more under how the people don’t really follow the rules set out for them and their common good, even in the simplest things like proper waste disposal and taking segregation bins for granted. Pieces of trash can still be found scattered around the area despite having been provided with trash bins. These, in my opinion, are issues because it can affect everyone residing in the area and can be a cause for a domino effect that will gradually build up in the long run (ex. being a big factor for floods and health issues).

           The mere fact that people continue to be careless despite being provided with a chance to come up with a solution (programs/plans) or have a solution (trash bins) right before their eyes tells something about the discipline that is lacking within the masses. This also influences people to go on with their misdeeds. This does not only apply to this particular community but to the whole country as a whole. It reflects the lack of effort of the citizens to do the simplest things to contribute to the betterment of other people and the environment. This is why change hasn’t come, and why a lot of bad things prevail in the country; because we can’t even follow something simple due to being undisciplined and careless. We need to be able to address this because people don’t even realize that due to these, more and more add up to being under the vulnerability list.

           To increase the capacities of a community, it needs to start within the individual. The practice of thinking of the welfare of others should always be put in mind because as long as we care and live for the common good, there is hope. Perhaps, what the local government can do about it is conduct seminars and put up more infographics that are eye-catching will actually have an encouraging effect to the audience—activities that will leave a mark which will be remembered for a long time and can be taught by the elderly to the younger generation. Also, the local government can have somebody assigned to conduct a monthly check of the community area. Information can also be disseminated online to make use of the cyberspace where influence is strong and where almost everybody can be involved. But, all this cannot be possible if discipline isn’t present and maintained. There will not be grace amid disasters if people do not actually learn from what they did wrong which contributed to the worsening of a situation that eventually leads to a disaster.

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Chapter 14: Cabin in the Woods

Links: P 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

The hot midday sun beat down on two teenagers, who were working hard with their wire cutters and improvised prybars to clear off the top of the buried flying saucer. They’d set aside most of their armor by this point, just so that the heat wouldn’t kill them. They figured that since they were near the center of the clearing, nothing could sneak up on them very easily. And just in case, their weapons never left their sides.

Inch after inch of the small vehicle was revealed below them. Even past the barnacle-like moss and the dirt and the mud, they could see its hull remained smooth and seamless. Evidently, in all the thousands of years it had been sitting here, the drilling roots of the metal plants hadn’t been able to breach it.

“Say…” Wendy stood up with an exhausted sound, and scratched her armpit. “You don’t suppose this thing is still, like, working?”

“I don’t know.” Dipper set down the wire cutters, and put his hands on his hips. He looked down at the machine below his feet. “I doubt it.”

“That’d be cool though.”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.” Wendy considered the ship. It was about 60 feet in diameter, a bit bigger than a fighter jet, maybe the size of 6 RVs all parked side-by-side. Small enough to fly around. Small enough to take off and land on runways, in parking lots, sports fields… You could actually use it to get around. Wendy got an idea. “Dibs.” She said.

“Huh?” Dipper looked up at her.

“Dibs.” She repeated. “I just dibsed it. Now nobody else can take it from us. Now it’s ours. International maritime law.”

“You can’t dibs a spaceship.”

“Just did.”

“Maritime law doesn’t apply to spaceships.”

“Dibs. See? I’ll do it again. Dibs. It’s official now. Don’t worry, I dibsed it for both of us. We can share it.”

“Well… Huh?” He looked down at it. “What would we do with it?”

“Well… What do you want to do? We could abduct farmer Sprock’s mutant cows and put them on his roof… We could take it to the Woodstick festival… We could take it to football games… Everybody would freak out and it’d be hilarious… You can use it pick up chicks, I can use it to terrorize Thompson or Poolcheck or Stanley or whoever…”

“Pick… Pick up chicks…?”

“Or we could take it to the drive-in movie theater… Or we could use it to take vacations to… Like, the beach or something. Or… Or to Alaska if the beach is boring… Ooh! Or we could fly it real low over Washington D.C. or North Korea, and see if we can outrun all the missiles they shoot at us…!”

“UH!”

“Yeah, the last one was a joke. Kinda. But… I don’t know. If we could get this thing running again… Man, we’d be the kings of this place! Come on, man. You gotta admit, it’d be cool to have a spaceship just lying around.”

Dipper blinked. Wait a minute. He thought. That actually does sound fun. “You know what? Sure!” He laughed nervously. “I… Yeah, sure! I guess…Yeah! That would be… Well, we would have to be careful and everything, but…”

“But yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!” Wendy turned back to her tools, and began prying more plants up off the ship’s hull. “Now if we could just get inside the stupid thing…”

“Yeah…” Dipper bent down toward his own shadow, and began to work again. He felt the sun burning the back of his neck, but all over his body he felt the progressing aches of weariness. In his scrawny arms, the tools were starting to seem dull and ineffective. He began to move slower.

Wendy noticed his exhaustion. “Hey, didn’t Ford call you a while back?” She asked. “You should call him back and check in.”

“Uh…” Dipper stood up hesitantly. “Well, we still have to do this…”

“Oh, leave this to the lumberjack, bro.” Wendy took the wire cutters out of his hands. “Go talk to Ford. Tell him we found a UFO fixer-upper… And also that we dibsed it. It’s very important that we dibsed it.”

“…All right.” Dipper fished his phone out of his pocket. As it booted up, he walked over to the shade of a nearby tree, and wiped the sweat from his hair.

With all his might, Robbie gave the fully-loaded backpack one final heave into the back of his van. The rear suspension bounced just slightly. Now that the burden had been lifted from his shoulders, he sagged over with his hands on his knees, and took a deep, profanity-laden breath.

“Wow, funny words!” Mabel half-ignored him, and skipped over to the passenger-side door with her pig. “All right Waddles, you have to go in the back seat. No, don’t worry, it isn’t that long of a drive. You’ll be fine!”

As Robbie climbed in the driver-side door, he thumbed over to ‘maps’ on his phone. But with cell service so patchy out here, it took a long time getting an image. And even when it did, it just showed them as a blip in the middle of the forest. The logging roads weren’t on the maps. “Well darn.” Robbie growled at the phone.

“Well… There’s only one road…” Mabel shrugged toward their surroundings. “You don’t need a map if there’s only one road…”

“Yeah, well… Well… Yeah.” Robbie started the van, and attempted to turn around in the narrow area.

Suddenly, something jarred into place in Mabel’s own memory. “Oh darn-poopy-darn!” She slapped herself. “I forgot to turn on my phone…”

She’d killed it this morning because she heard that the robot predators could track electrical signals. Now, as the screen blinked to life, she was rapidly flooded with everything she’d missed: text message after text message pouring in from Ford, Stan, Grenda, Candy, and even one from Dipper, asking where she was, what she’d been doing all day, and with whom.

Oh dear… She probably should have made up something this morning before she stowed away. She felt a little bad about worrying them, so she should check in now… Who to call first? How about Dipper.

He picked up on the second ring. “Mabel?” His voice came through in a scratchy way, since they were both almost outside cell service. “I was just talking to Ford, and you’ve been gone all day! Why wasn’t your phone on? Ford was worried! Stan was worried! Soos was worried! Heck, the goat was worried! Where are you?!? Are you--?”

“Oh, I’m in Robbie’s van!” She blurted with a hasty smile. (She hadn’t had time to make up a convincing lie.)

There was silence over the line for a few seconds. Mabel glanced at the phone, wondering if Dipper had hung up, or if the limited cell service had finally given out. But Dipper hadn’t been disconnected, only confused. “…What are you doing in Robbie’s van?” He finally asked, and she could hear the bewilderment in his voice.

“Uh... Oops, uh…” She scratched her head, and realized that her story needed a little extra something. She racked her brain. “Well… Uh… We’re on a date!”

Dipper yelped. “WHAT?!?”

Robbie stomped on the van’s brakes, and brought them to a sudden halt. Then he spun to fix her with a death glare. “WHAT?!?”

Wendy scoffed from Dipper’s end. “What…?”

Miles away, Tambry’s head jerked up from her phone for no conscious reason. “WHAT?!?”

Robbie stared at Mabel incredulously for a few seconds. She stared at him for a few seconds. Then she held up the phone in one hand, a 5-dollar bill in the other, and whispered. “Make it convincing!”

Robbie growled and snatched the cell and money from her hands. “Yeah!” He said into the microphone. “Yeah that’s right, I’m dating your sister, punk! We’ve been making out for an hour now!”

“Eww! No!” Mabel covered her ears.

“Making out?!?” Dipper asked.

“…An hour…?” Wendy said.

“I’m, like, totally wigging out right now for some reason…” Tambry tweeted. “I can’t even.”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Robbie continued. “Just kissing! Kissing as much as we feel like, because it’s romance or true love or, like, whatever! How you like that, bub?!?”

“Robbie you stay away from my sister!!” Dipper snapped.

“Yeah, well it was her idea!” Robbie snapped back.

“WHAT?!?” Dipper repeated. “Mabel! Why would you do this?!?”

“Well… Uh… He was the hunkiest guy!” She smiled.

“Mabel, he’s 17! You’re 13!”

“Yeah?!? WELL! That’s kind of a weird thing for YOU to say given certain recent events and certain people who may very well be standing very close to you and hearing the words I’m saying right noooooow!”

“Leave me out of this.” The sound of Wendy’s voice walking away.

“GAH! Wendy!” Dipper gasped. “Mabel you can’t just say…! Look…! Yeah…! I…! Look…! Mabel look, you can’t date him! He’s a minor antagonist! He’s like… My nemesis! He’s a jerk!”

“You dated Pacifica and she’s kind of my nemesis jerk! But did I throw a hissy fit?”

“I thought you and her were cool now!”

“We are! I thought you and Robbie were cool now!”

“Mabel!”

“Dipper!”

“Mabel!”

“Dipper!”

“Stop yelling my name!”

“You stop yelling my name!”

“Why are you doing this?!?” He demanded.

“Because it’s funny and I’m an impulsive person and opposites attract and Robbie is an edgy jerk and I’m an adorable glitter angel so we’re attracted and plus he was also looking kind of glum this morning so I wanted to cheer him up and also because we both wanted to spite you just a little or maybe more than just a little so THERE!”

Dipper tried to follow her logic, but he wasn’t used to using that side of his brain so hard. Finally he sighed. “Mabel.” He said. “I need to talk with Robbie for a minute, and it might get a little rude. Give him the phone.”

“Oh… Kay…”

Robbie took it while Mabel covered her ears.

“Step away from the van.” Dipper told him. “Some privacy.”

Robbie got out, and took a few steps down the road. “What?” He growled at the younger man, once he was outside Mabel’s hearing range.

Dipper was silent for a few seconds, while he gathered his thoughts and calmed himself. Then he sighed. “Robbie.” He said, as calmly as he could. “What’s actually going on?”

“I’m going steady with your sister. Just like we told you, you nosy snot.”

“…No you’re not.”

“Oh… Oh yeah? How do you figure that then, genius?”

“Well.” Dipper said. “First of all, it takes more than hunkiness to attract her.”

“No it doesn’t.”

“…Okay. Fine. You’re right. It doesn’t. But… But she did set you up with Tambry last Summer, and she would never think of undoing her own twisted creation. And secondly: I’m thinking of how I left Mabel at home today when we went on our expedition… Same as how we did with you…”

“Oh really?” Robbie frowned, feigning ignorance. “Oh yeah… That’s right… You did, didn’t you?”

“And so I finally put two and two together.” Dipper said.

Robbie glared into the distance.

Dipper’s voice dropped to a low, menacing tone. “You went to the metal forest today.” He hissed. “When you did, was Mabel wearing armor?”

Robbie glanced back at the girl’s cotton sweater. “No…” He shrugged.

“AND.” Dipper said. “Were you armed with a deadly weapon?”

“No… What’s it to you?”

“Listen to me very closely.” Dipper growled. “Mabel is my sister. She means more than the world to me, and more than she ever will to you. Do you understand that?”

Robbie had never had a sister, but he began to get the idea.

“Now.” Dipper said. “You’re obviously not romantically involved at all, but the thing is: I wouldn’t really care, even if you were. You can date, you can hang out, you can even kiss, and I wouldn’t throw a fit. But. BUT. BUT. Robbie. If I ever again hear that you’ve accompanied my sister into danger, and haven’t protected her… I will find you. And I will beat you up.”

Robbie took this in. He knew the kid on the other end of the phone line, and he knew how small and wimpy he was. But right now, he heard the tone behind the child’s voice, and strangely, he believed him.

He nodded.

There was silence for a moment.

“We didn’t do anything dangerous.” Robbie finally said. “We didn’t go very far in, and didn’t see anything cool even. Your sister… Took pictures… And… Played with all the robots she could find. That’s it.”

“That’s it?”

Robbie glanced at the backpack full of stolen live samples. “That’s it.” He lied.

They were silent for a moment.

“Okay.” Dipper said.

Robbie sighed. “Look.” He said. “I gotta be honest with you kid, I can be a real jerk sometimes.”

“Yeah.” Dipper agreed. “You can.”

“You need to suck it up and deal with it.” Robbie told him. “This is the real world, not some kindergarten fairy tale where you deserve to be treated like a dainty little gentleman.”

“Yeah…” Dipper sighed. “…You know, I can be a real butt sometimes too.”

“Yep.” Robbie agreed. “I hate your guts and I want to pound a nail through your skull.”

“Yeah…” Dipper scoffed. “Grow a set and come at me then. And in the meantime? Shut up.”

“Yeah.” Robbie sighed.

They hated each other in silence for just a moment more.

“So…” Robbie said. “Are you and Wendy, like…?”

“Like what?”

“Dating, or whatever?”

“HUH?!? No!”

Robbie nodded. “Oh.”

Dipper considered this. “…Earlier.” He said. “When I brought up the hypnotizing thing, you said ‘the winners write the history books’… Is that what you meant? You thought I ‘won’ Wendy?”

“Well yeah…” Robbie said. “Didn’t you? I mean, kinda?”

“That’s not the way it works�� At all. She yelled at me that night too, and… Told me I was too young, and… Yeah. We’re friends now.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Friends?”

“Friends.”

“Like… You sleeping with her?”

“Uh… Yeah, we slept in the hospital the other night. What does sleeping have to do with anything?”

“I mean--”

“OH! AGH!” Dipper realized. “DUDE! We’re not even married!”

The boy immediately hung up.

Robbie frowned down at the phone, then slouched back over to the van.

“Sooooooooo…” Mabel smiled expectantly, and took her hands away from her ears. “Is everything non-rude again?”

“Yeah.” Robbie growled.

“Did you both apologize and be cool? I mean, I want you to be happy and him to be happy and it would be too bad if he had a brother-in-law he couldn’t stand…?”

Robbie slammed the door a little too hard, and tossed Mabel her phone back. “We had a discussion.” Robbie said. “A heart-to-heart, the way guys do it. We’re cool now.” He stuck the transmission into gear, and started the engine again. “Now listen, kid. I have a girlfriend, and a concert tonight. So could you STOP with the phony romance thing and tell me where we’re going already?!?”

Mabel blinked her eyelashes slowly and adorably. “Phony…?? Was it really so phony, my love?”

“Where. Are. We. Going.”

“Alright alright…!” She giggled, and pulled out a map. “We’re going… Here! The woods by the Mystery Shack. There’s some… Equipment we need.”

“What kind of equipment?”

“Like, this sort of a… Cave. And it has tubes of… Cold? Yeah, tubes of cold. Big freezy-frozen tubes.”

Robbie searched his mind for some kind of translation. “You mean, like… Stasis tanks? Like a sci-fi game?” He clarified.

“Yeah, that’s it!” Mabel smiled. “Stasis tanks…”

“Hey Dipper!”

“What?” He put the phone away and stood up, eager to talk about literally anything else.

“I think I found the way in…” Wendy gestured to a small patch she’d cleared on the side of the ship’s hull. There appeared to be a circular seam in the glass surface, as if the section could slide open like a hatch. “But there’s something reeeeeeally weird going on here.” Wendy said. “Look at this…” She pointed to a certain part of the seam. There was a blackened burn mark, surrounding a place where the glass had been chipped. “It looks like somebody came through here and unlocked it for us…”

Dipper scratched his head, as he remembered seeing a similar blast mark on the male lion.

“You mean… There’s some kind of… Third party?” Dipper asked. “Something with laser beams?”

“Could be…” Wendy shrugged. “But something? Or someone?”

“Does… Does anybody else know that this forest is here?”

“Do they?” Wendy asked. “My dad knows, and my oldest brother, but that’s all… Who have you told?”

“…I don’t know…” Dipper ran through a mental list. “There’s… Mabel… Robbie… The Stans… And McGucket. I guess Soos and Melody too, but they’re… Oh, and I guess Bill knew ‘lots of things’ too, but we killed him…”

“Right… But does the government know about it? Or anybody who would use, like… Bombs? Or burning-hot death rays? Or…?”

“I don’t know…”

They glanced uncertainly about the surrounding trees. Of course they saw nothing, but that did little to calm their paranoia.

“Well…” Dipper looked back down at the vehicle. “Whoever broke this seal… Do you think they could still be inside?”

“No, they never opened it…” Wendy said. “See, in order to get a grip on this, I had to spend, like, half an hour cutting away vines and stuff. Plus there’s still plants growing across the seam, and undisturbed dirt. So all they did was get it started. They didn’t go in.”

“As if all they were doing is opening the way for us…”

“Almost like that, yeah…”

“…Think we should we go in?” Dipper asked uncertainly.

“I don’t know…” Wendy shook her head. “Should we?”

“Should we?”

“SHOULD WE?”

“Will we?”

“WILL WE?”

Dipper shrugged.

Wendy shrugged.

“Let’s go.”

“Why not?”

They got as good a grip as they could on the glass panel, and strained for all they were worth. Eventually something below them creaked, the surface shifted, and the left side of the seam spread apart by about half an inch.

A fine cloud of dust puffed up around the broken seal, and a few loosed clods of dirt tumbled down the dark crack, to thud and shatter on the floor below.

The teens put their fingers into the crack now, and Wendy braced against the other side with her boot, and they pushed and they pulled some more. The panel creaked and squeaked and eventually opened up to about 20 inches wide. Wide enough to fit through.

They paused to replace the rest of their armor, weapons, and protection. Wendy thumbed on her headlamp, and Dipper pulled out a flashlight.

They shined their beams down into the opening, and saw nothing but a small, round room.

Seemed harmless enough.

Wendy tied one of the metal vines around the trunk of a nearby tree, and then dropped the other end down the hole, so they could climb back up again once they were down there.

Dipper gripped the vine in his gloves, and lowered himself into the darkness, with Wendy right behind.

Their boots contacted the floor with a dull ringing noise, and raised 4 tiny clouds of fine dust.

The room was empty except for a few pipes and vents, and a cluster of confusing controls on one wall. Dipper opened the translation app on Ford’s tablet, and began to decipher the controls’ markings. “Outer door… Inner door…” He read. “Pressurize, depressurize… Emergency lockdown… Okay, it looks like we’re in the airlock right now… Maybe this will work?” He flipped a switch.

The airlock’s outer door hissed back shut above them, severing the vine and sealing them below.

Wendy scoffed. “If I had a nickel for every time I was locked in a tiny, dark airlock with you…” She mused. “I would have 2 nickels.”

“SORRY! Sorry, uh…” Dipper flipped the switch that said ‘inner door’.

The room suddenly sprang to life around them. The space reverberated with a shrill beep, and dim, turquoise lights flickered to life around the walls. An incomprehensible alien voice announced. “Stand clear of opening door!” In a language that was most certainly NOT English. And the wall next to the controls hissed and creaked open, and then everything immediately fell deathly silent.

In the larger room beyond, more turquoise lights came on. Only about a third of the lights were still working, and of these, about half were flickering on and off sporadically, like some cheap movie effect that the director threw in to make a place seem shabby, aged, and eerie… Well, it worked.

Dipper and Wendy stepped into this room slowly.

At first, it looked like the inside of a spaceship. There were a few flight seats beneath the dome in the ship’s center, surrounded by levers and controls. The room itself was circular like the ship, and there were computers, pipes, and cargo containers built into the walls.

But…

It wasn’t a ship.

There was a homemade bed tucked into one corner, its sheets tattered and pale. Something like a baby cradle sat next to it, and the two were separated by a curtain. On the other side of the room, pots and pans were stacked atop some manner of makeshift stove. Water pipes had been disconnected from the wall, and hooked directly into a shallow washbasin, which sat near the airlock. Wooden cabinets and chests were erected here and there, each one stacked with small items. Items like tools, utensils, bowls… Baskets… Photographs…

This wasn’t a ship.

Once, in some far departed time… This had been somebody’s home.

Wendy walked hesitantly over to one of the chests. It was made of alien metal wood instead of normal wood, but it wasn’t too heavy to pry open. Inside it, she found clothes. This one seemed like heavy pants, but too wide. That one looked like a light shirt, though too tall across the back. And these two must be socks… Right?

Dipper approached the bed. The bedframe was wood, but not earthly wood. The sheets were cloth, but not earthly cloth. The center of the mattress was stained with blood, but not earthly blood: oil and burn marks more like…

Wendy inspected a basket lying on a shelf. It was handwoven. Handwoven out of steel cables…

Dipper turned to the cabinet next to the bed, and picked up one of the small, framed pictures. It was blurry with dirt and grime, and almost entirely faded, but he was able to make out a faint silhouette: the shape of two people, standing together holding hands. One tall and wide, one short and wider… They had glowing red eyes…

He turned the photo over, and recognized the symbols.

ƉN::ᶌ and Ɖg@}Nᶌ.

Betty and Barney.

“Hey.” Dipper said.

“Huh?” Wendy turned toward him. “What?”

“Betty and Barney.” Dipper said. “They were… It looks like they were alien robots… I guess… I guess they lived here…?”

“Oh…” Wendy glanced at the bed, with its ‘blood’ stain. “So… What happened to them then?”

Without warning, the airlock door suddenly slammed shut, sealing them in the ship.

As one, they spun to face the door. Wendy pulled out her axe, and Dipper the magnet gun. They didn’t see anybody nearby who could have worked the controls, but that didn’t mean there was nobody there…

“Hey!” Dipper snapped. “Who’s that?!?”

“Yeah, come on out!” Wendy tried to help. “We just want to axe you a few questions…!”

“Ask.” Dipper corrected her.

“That’s what I said.”

“What you meant, maybe.”

“I meant what I said.”

“You said ‘axe’.”

“…I did?”

Suddenly, all the ship’s interior lights began to flicker and flash. Even the ones that had seemed fine before. Even Dipper and Wendy’s personal lights began to waver. Then, just to accompany the flashing, their walkie-talkies somehow turned themselves on, and began making scratchy, warbling noises. The sudden hubbub startled them both, and they found themselves back to back, with their weapons pointed in opposite directions.

“What’s going on?” Wendy asked.

“I don’t know!” Dipper said. Then he noticed something else: a few of the smaller items around the ship: the bowls, baskets, pictures and things on the cabinets, books and tools as well; all suddenly began to levitate. Then they began to accelerate, swirling around the room about chest level. “Maybe the ship’s coming back online?” Dipper guessed, as he ducked to the floor. “The gravity drive must have been engaged! Everything’s becoming weightless…!”

“Wait… No, no it’s not the ship!” Wendy ducked down low, to avoid a metal basket which would have hit her head. “I’ve seen this once before…”

“You what? Where?” Dipper frowned. “Oh… Wait…” He recalled a certain night spent in a convenience store… And a certain other night spent in a mansion. He looked down at Betty and Barney’s photograph, still clutched in his hands. The two silhouettes in the picture had vanished. “Oh.” He said. “Yeah… I’ve actually seen this twice before…”

They backed into a corner, and Dipper dumped out his backpack on the floor behind him. “Ghost stuff, ghost stuff…!” He muttered, and poked through the pile. He’d packed a magnet gun, a tablet, a radio tracker, a Geiger Counter, even a wrench set and a poster that said ‘this sentence is false’… “Dang it!” He hissed. “I packed all my sci-fi stuff today! Didn’t expect to run into magic…”

“So no ghost stuff at all?” Wendy frowned.

“No, no P.K.E. meter, no holy water, no silver mirrors…”

“Dang it!”

“Well. Guess we’re ghost-harassing the old-fashioned way then.” Dipper stood up suddenly, and removed his helmet. “Attention alien robot ghosts!” He bravely announced. (This was a string of words he never would have expected to say.) “We are human; native to this planet Earth!”

Wendy stood up too, and removed her own helmet. “We mean you and your kind no harm, and our intentions are honest!”

A small jar lifted off the floor, and accelerated right for Dipper’s head. He ducked just in time to save his skull. The jar shattered on the wall, and the broken fragments rained down around them.

One of the shards happened to scratch Wendy’s cheek. A single drop of blood fell from the wound, and dropped to the ground. Red, human blood.

As soon as the liquid touched the floor, all the lights in the ship suddenly turned off, all the levitating small items dropped suddenly and clattered to a stop on the floor, and their walkies fell silent.

“Ow.” Wendy said.

“What is it you want?!?” Dipper asked.

Then, at the other end of the room, a single computer screen winked to life; its soft blue glow the only light in the ship.

They hesitated for a moment, weighing their options. But, since there didn’t seem to be anything smarter to do, their curiosity won out and they cautiously crossed the room. Dipper picked up Ford’s tablet and the interface cord, and searched around the screen for a place to plug it in. Wendy glanced about the rest of the room, her eyes straying across the bed, kitchen, tub… All these relics of former life, now empty. Her eyes strayed over the walls too. The ship was haunted, and the invisible souls of the dead fixed her with their gaze. The souls of Betty and Barney?

Who were they?

Dipper found the terminal’s port, and plugged the tablet in. Its circuits thought for a brief moment, then began to spit out a long stream of text. Wendy bent down over his shoulder, and together they read…

-date: 13/20/2094-46’\

Hello.

My name is Ɖg@}Nᶌ.

As one of the survivors of the crash of colonial vessel 46.18’\, I am starting this journal to document our experiences on this planet. In the event that we are rescued, or survive long enough to reestablish contact, this log will serve as a record on our experiences. If you recover this and we’re not here to give it to you… Then I guess we’ve failed.

And this is our story.

[levellawns01]

turf laying services near me

Home gardening is distinct from commercial upkeep, which necessitates the assistance of a professional landscaping provider to look after your business outside and ensure that the plants, lawn, and turf remain gleaming at all times. When, on the other hand, objects outside your home aren't kept in good form and the lawn and trees are in bad health, it's time to revamp your garden space and install new turf on your own.

Adding some shape to your grass or garden is a simple technique that can have a big impact when the groundcover is present. Here are some simple lawn-shaping ideas and tricks to help you make the most of your outdoor space.

Changing a current rectangular yard to a modified or circle design might completely transform the greenhouse's atmosphere. It can provide more planting places or provide new opportunities to use materials like slate in the fissures.

Take a measurement of the new shape, as well as the size of your yard.

To begin, sketch out the outline on paper, and then use a measuring tape to transfer these estimates to the yard.

Distinguish the circle's focal point.

Place a tent peg in it once you've pinpointed it. Join a piece of string to it and, while holding it firmly, swing it around to the appropriate size, checking the boundary with sand or spray paint.

Begin by chopping the groundcover.

Using a half moon cutter, slice straight down around 1-1/4 inches to 1-1/2 inches, using the sand path as a guide. Throughout the procedure, keep an eye on the state of the circle to ensure it is even.

To uproot the turf, slide a shovel underneath it.

Separate the roots from the dirt as much as possible. Lift the turf portions carefully and place them upside down in the manure pile to allow them to decompose.

The new edging should be lined.

Wrap a piece of sturdy, adjustable edging material around the circumference of the circle or bend. Push it firmly into the earth, making sure it doesn't protrude over the grass's surface.

Fill in the blanks.

Fill up the areas left by the evacuated turf with slate, stones, or bark chippings, ensuring that they sit beneath the surface of the grass to make it easier to cut. The perforations, on the other hand, might be used as planting pockets. Nearby, you can utilise elegant silk tree designs such as artificial palm trees in custom sizes and flowering plants to fill in the gaps, in addition to natural plantings.

Make sure the garden is well-watered.

Until the garden is set up, it may need to be watered around the recently exposed margins. For side shapes, you can use the moulding technique, but make sure to use a line of firm string to ensure a straight edge.

No, let's use this orderly arranging guidance to figure out how to put turf in your open-air garden space.

The beauty of laying turf is that it results in a sparkling yard. It can be planted at any time of year, but it will need to be watered frequently throughout the spring and summer. Despite the fact that it is more expensive than seed, it may be walked on after only a few days of laying.

Searching for turf laying services near me ensures you find the best, hassle free turf installation. 

[southbendtrees]

tree service near me South Bend

South Bend Trees provide the professional grade reliable tree service in South Bend IN including tree removal, tree trimming, tree cutters, stump grinding and removal, planting and fertilization, landscaping and emergency tree service.

[701sawmill]

The Tips to Hire Wood Cutters Online

Summary: In this article, the readers will get to know about the tips to hire the best wood cutters online.

Trees are regularly the most important resources in our scene, so committing time and cash to their consideration can be an amazing speculation. Similarly as with any significant speculation, it is judicious to look for guidance and administration from talented experts. Employing a tree care expert merits cautious thought and alert. A mix-up can be costly and the impacts dependable. The best decisions can advance the well being, magnificence, worth, and life span of trees.

Tree care experts give an assortment of administrations to assist with ensuring trees. Full-administration arborists relocate, prune, treat, oversee bothers, analyze tree illnesses, eliminate trees, and drudgery stumps. Counseling arborists are specialists who offer exhortation, work in assessing trees, diagnosing issues, and suggesting treatment, yet they don't perform administrations.

Search for a mix of training, experience, certificates, licenses, and references.

Confirmations

Request verification of participation in proficient associations and for proficient affirmations. These show a fundamental degree of expert ability and obligation to the field.

Protection

Demand that an endorsement of protection (counting confirmation of responsibility for individual and property harm) be sent straightforwardly from the protection specialist. This doesn't cost either party any cash. Make certain to call the insurance agency to check that the strategy is current, regardless of whether the authentication has not lapsed. Ask whether the firm conveys laborers' remuneration. More than one individual working establishes a "business activity and work of representatives." Therefore, the organization should convey all state-required protection and make good on the necessary assessments. Under certain conditions, mortgage holders can be considered monetarily dependable assuming an uninsured specialist harms their property or harms a neighbor's property. Find the best custom Wood Cutting Service Near Me online.

References

Request and check neighborhood references. Visit and investigate past work. Converse with previous customers. Experience, training, and a decent standing are indications of a decent arborist. Look for the best services for Walnut Console Table online.

Gauges

Acquire gauges from more than one arborist. There might be a charge for the gauge, however a subsequent assessment can be significant. The arborist's expertise, notoriety, and incredible skill might be a higher priority than a low offer.

All around kept up with trees can contribute 15% or more to property estimation, so the cost of legitimate consideration is a significant venture. Business arborists make huge interests in gear and preparing. Trucks, water driven blasts, shredders, sprayers, stump cutters, and trimming tools address significant capital ventures and upkeep costs. Hire the best Timber Cutting Service provider online at the best prices.