#and it’s okay to be scared of or squicked out by bugs

[firekitten830]

“No more bug dragons!!!” I hope the wind ancient is a dragonfly. Fuck you

[froggiemoonposts]

I used to like butterflies. As a kid I was extremely scared of bugs...and to an extent I still am. But not butterflies because they were pretty and whatnot and reminded me of the fairies that haunted my dreams.

I don't like butterflies anymore. I still don't like most bugs, I resoect what they do for the ecosystem...and I try not to kill them when they are in the house...but I don't like them. I have my reasons, but I really dont like them.

Now think about every person you know who has certain dislikes that seem silly...or its something they used to be okay with but now avoid entirely.

They have their reasons.

Dont be an asshole. Respect peoples boundries.

"Oh but Froggie you cant just police people and the wolrd doesnt cater to your squicks and triggers"

I don't care. Its not hard to not be an ass. Close friends know my reasoning about bugs and therefore don't bring up things that squick me out. I do the same for them. Its not hard.

Its not policing, its respecting the people around you.

[baconcolacan]

If it’s okay to ask, what scares you about butterflies/moths? How they flutter about or?

My fear is entirely irrational and I acknowledge that it is, so if my answers seem lacking just chalk it up to weird brain goings-ons

I don’t like how erratically they fly, it feels like watching something have a seizure mid-air, not to mention the dust on their wings that can harm your eyes. Its really mostly the flying that squicks me out, not sure WHY though, like birds and bees dont bother me, dragonflies dont bother me, other flying bugs dont bother me.

Some wing patterns also make my skin crawl, moths are the biggest perpetrators of this. Butterflies with certain patterns also gross me out, but artistically I can appreciate their patterns (from a distance or maybe dead from a distance.)

I’d never harm them though, since I know this is all an irrational fear, and I can stand to shoo them away if I very very lightly disassociate from myself. Other than that, I would have a panic attack lmao.

[ariaadagio]

Hi Aria! Hope you're having a good day. I'm new to writing fanfiction, and I wondered if you had any tips on getting your work out there and seen by more people? I've posted a couple of works on AO3, and the people who read them seem to like them, but they quickly get buried under everything else. I enjoy what I've written and I want other people to enjoy it too, so how to get out to the fandom that it's there for the reading? Thanks!

Hi there! Thank you for the ask. My day is going okay so far��I hope yours is as well :)

This is a great question, but unfortunately there is no easy answer.

Lots and lots of authors struggle with this, including me.

Sometimes, you can do everything right, and people still won't read. Lack of readership doesn't necessarily mean your fic hasn't been seen. That's just ... kinda the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Not everybody likes the same things. Don't beat yourself up, and try not to stress overmuch about hypotheticals.

That being said.

My suggestions for specific technical things you can do:

1. Make sure your summary is catchy, actually summarizes what the story is about, and contains no typos or grammatical errors. Do not put what actually qualifies as author notes where the summary should be—if what you're saying isn't specifically about your plot, it doesn't belong in the summary block. Do not say things like, "I suck at summaries. Just read!" A quote from your story probably isn't as descriptive as you think it is—try to actually summarize as well. Avoid asking simple questions with obvious answers like "Will Chloe and Lucifer get together?"

2. Make sure your story is tagged appropriately. Tags should concern major (i.e. not things that occur only on page 42 of your 2,349 page opus) ideas, tropes, ships, characters, squicks, triggers, and kinks portrayed in your story. Be extra sure to tag major tropes the fandom has a collective hard-on for. You can get a feel for what tropes are popular by examining common tags on popular stories.

3. As an addendum to this, Ao3 has required tags: author chose not to warn, no archive warnings apply, major character death, rape/noncon, and underage. "Author chose not to warn" means "any of the other required tags may or may not be present, so read at your own risk." A lot of people who won't read major character death, noncon, or underage sex will automatically skip a story marked "chose not to warn" regardless of whether the fic contains those things. Be aware that by choosing not to specifically include or exclude certain tags, you are very likely losing out on potential readers, not just by scaring some readers away, but by preventing readers actively looking for those tags from finding your story. Also, don't select both "chose not to warn" and "no archive warnings apply" because these two tags are mutually exclusive and clicking both sends a mixed message.

4. And as an addendum to that ... be aware of the difference between & and /. Relationship tags with an & signify a platonic or familial relationship, whereas / signifies a romantic or sexual relationship. Amenadiel & Lucifer and Amenadiel/Lucifer mean two entirely different things. Be aware of what message you're sending to potential readers.

5. Make sure you do not get caught by the timezone bug on Ao3. When you're posting a story, if the timezone you're posting from is on a different date from UTC, you are in dangerous territory. This can cause your story's posting time to get flagged wrong, and you'll never make the front page for your fandom.

6. Make sure you do not get caught by the draft "feature" on Ao3. When you post a story from draft, the date your story is listed as posted actually corresponds to the date you started your draft, not the date you posted. If your draft is a week old by the time you hit post, well, your story is already going to be buried behind a week of other stories.

7. Don't preemptively put yourself down. Be confident. Announcing that you don't have a beta reader, or that you wrote this story in a coked out haze at 3 a.m., or that you think what you've written is trash, is a great way to convince readers your work isn't worth their time. Don't do it.

And then my suggestions for general exposure:

1. Network. Network. Network. Make fandom friends. Use social media like Twitter and Tumblr to actively promote your fics. Join the fandom discords. Talk!

2. Golden rule. If you want people to interact with your stories, it's always a great idea to interact with theirs. Obviously don't do this with the expectation of reciprocity, and absolutely do not lie. I'm just saying it doesn't hurt (and may actively help) to be nice and treat people how you'd like to be treated.

I hope this helps!

[flecks-of-stardust]

Okay sorry im sendi g an ask but the character limit worries me so im doin this here! Trigger and squicks list for bugsnax is as follows:

-alcohol-esque drinks are mentioned and consumed several times

-unnatural changes to bodyparts occur

-this is more a squick but theres a fair bit of romance, idk im aro and you have the flag so idk how much it bugs you but theres three relatively healthy relationships (two are queer if that means anything) and then one thats sorta uncomfortable and iffy

-bullying of other characters (just in case)

-paranoia, theres a character who is very paranoid and afraid and he discusses these things with the player, if you have problems with intrusive thoughts or fear that someone is watching you, this could trigger that

-theres some yelling, notably from a man in the game which may bug some people. Its not super serious and hes got a goofy accent but be warned

-a woman also yells at you in a gruff voice and hits stuff early in the game, though she doesnt appear again, just in case

-there is cannibalism in this game, though not depicted on screen it is mentioned snd the effects of it can be seen

-unsanitary warning, i think thia is minor but im trying to be comprehensive, the characters can sometimes be seen running to the bathroom in game and there is a sidequest where you collect someones poop, not explicit and its all in like a little bag and everything but still a bit icky, and your character is implied to have thrown up at one point, though not shown.

-theres lots of mention of death as a whole and lots of remonders of it. If death scares you, or existential questions and that sorta thing bug you, theres a character that can be found whos sidequest really ventures into that and it could be rough

-sort of melancholy ending no matter what

Overall the game is definitely aimed at kids, but there is darker stuff and its pretty prominent. Sorry for being thorough about this, but im thoroughly hyperfixated on this game and also want more people to enjoy it while being safe!! I hope you do get into it and enjoy it, and even if you dont drop 20 bucks on it, theres a couple people who have streamed playthroughs. Theres also a free dlc coming out in a bit so if that sweetens the deal then go wild.

Sorry to bug you! Have a nice day!!

OH also a couple minor sexual innuendos!

no no this is great, thank you so much!! i really appreciate it! and this is really helpful tbh. im very grateful you thought to mention the unsanitary stuff, because i have fairly severe emetophobia and info like that is really useful to me. i also appreciate you warning me about the romance; for the record, i Am romance-averse to an extent, but unless the romance is front and center itll probably be okay.

it sounds like it might be the paranoid character who might pose the biggest problem, tbh, cause fuckin same. my paranoia is wild and that's the biggest reason im worried about playing any games heavy in psych horror, though cartoony graphics and silly themes help cushion it (and ive been told bugsnax is heavy on the silly). im willing to try it, at the very least!

im still guilty about never finishing one shot but holy hell that game Fucks with me hard, with how meta it is and how anxiety inducing it is to quit out of the game. maybe ill watch a playthrough of that at some point,,

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Okay- first request ever Can I get Mikan, Chiaki, Chihiro, Celeste, Kirumi, Byakuya And Hiyoko with an S/O/or friend that got scared by a bug and called them for help?- Great blog by the way! Adore your writing ❤️

Tysm! I’ll just give hcs if that’s okay ^^

..................

Mikan

She would be the one freaking out more--why call her for help of all people?

Will probably just tell you to avoid the room for the rest of the day.

Just be prepared to hear her shrill screams at any time should it suddenly disappear and reappear somewhere else.

You’ll have to be the one to kill it or put it back outside.

Chiaki

When she’s summoned for help, she’ll stare at the bug and be like “oh this is just like Ant Smasher hold on.”

And she just...calmly walks over and stomps on it. No hesitance. No emotion.

Then she returns to your side and says “don’t worry, it’s gone now. Let’s just clean it up.”

You can’t fathom how tf she’s so calm about it.

Chihiro

Instant panic.

“No you kill it!!” “I-I can’t!! Why don’t you?!!” “That’s why I called you in here!!” “I can deal with computer bugs but not real life ones!!!!”

It’s just back-and-forth arguing between you both on who should deal with it..

Until one of you finally realizes the bug disappeared.

Eventually, Chihiro tries to prove his masculinity by going back into the room to kill it.

And he does, though you gotta comfort him afterwards as he’s crying about how it was the scariest thing he ever experienced.

Celeste

Utterly disgusted by the sight of the bug.

She’ll just hand you a broom, say “good luck”, and leave immediately.

She ain’t putting up with that. Nope. No way.

God forbid the bug ends up hiding in her drills, though.

The whole house would burn down.

Kirumi

Has absolutely no problems killing the bug. She’s used to getting rid of household pests.

She can also catch it and put it back outside if you want her to.

Though she might remind you that the bug’s more scared of you than you are of it.

Will prob use bug spray to prevent any other unwanted critters from sneaking in.

Byakuya

Is a bit squicked by the sight.

He’ll have one of the servants take care of it ASAP.

But if it’s just you two, he’ll give it a swift death by broom.

You’ll have to clean it up, though, as repayment for forcing him to deal with that nasty critter himself.

Hiyoko

She giggles and runs to the bug.

“Hehe, little bug goes squish!”

And that’s exactly what she does--squish it with whatever’s nearby.

Will probably call you a scaredy cat.

Unless you tell her you knew she’d wanna squish it herself, and then she’ll thank you.

“Next time tho we’re gonna squish bugs together!”

[spectral-apparitions]

NSR: What they do when there's a bug in the room

Since I'm doing the main characters, there's a lot here. So under the cut it goes. No endgame spoilers, but minor spoilers for a few bosses that have alternate forms

Mayday: She's not a fan of bugs. She will SCREAM. She mostly shoos at it and tells it to go away until it scuttles off. If she really has to, she'll swat at it with something. Not to kill it, just to get it to move. She may not like the little things, but she won't kill them. If there's someone else with her she'll ask them to handle it. Well, more like beg them to. Then once it's handled she tries to pretend like she wasn't just freaking out.

Zuke: Also not a fan of bugs but not as loud about it as May. He will grab something to nudge it with to get it to move. Or if it climbs onto what he's holding he repeats "okay okay just stay just stay" under his breath while he takes it outside, then frantically waves the object around to get the bug to fall off. Usually between him and May, he's the one getting rid of the bugs. With anyone else around, he would much prefer they handle the bug, but if they're more scared of it than he is, he'll take action.

DK West: Indifferent to bugs. He'll pick them up in a cup and put them outside. Or if there's nothing to pick it up with, he'll take it in his hands, as long as it's not something that he thinks might bite or sting. He won't complain about having to move a bug, but he visibly shudders every time.

DJ Subatomic Supernova: Look this guy is a nerd. He's even a bit of a nerd about bugs. Unless this is something that actually poses some kind of threat, he'll pick it up in his hands and take it outside. He's used to being the only calm person when there's a bug, so he's usually the first one to get up and retrieve a bug as soon as one is noticed. If he's in the company of anyone else who can stay calm around bugs, he'll share any interesting facts he has about the one he's holding. Other people freaking out over bugs tends to annoy him. That said, he’s easily startled, and anything that could bite him, that moves suddenly, or he just can’t identify will freak him out. He might scream if it jumps at him.

Remi: Totally fine with bugs, even finds them neat. Out of the Sayu group he’s the one who handles bugs most often. He’ll pick up bugs with his bare hands or in a cup. If he’s alone when he spots a bug, he might leave it alone for a few minutes just to watch it crawl around.

Dodo: A little squicked out by bugs. By himself he mostly stays at a distance, traps it under a cup, then yeets it outside. Around anyone else though he usually hangs back to see if they'll take care of it. If they're more nervous about it though, he'll handle it.

Sofa: Out of the Sayu group he's the most bothered by bugs. He'll pick up a bug with a long object and put it outside and freak out about it the whole time. If anyone else is around he'll ask them to handle it. If he had to move it he'll wash his hands like three times even though he didn't touch it.

Tila: Finds bugs kinda neat but does not like handling them. She will pick them up in a cup and put them outside but she will not touch them. Usually the one in the squad handling bugs if Remi can't. Bugs inside bother her, bugs outside do not.

Sayu: Alright I'm not sure what situation leads to Sayu seeing a bug but since Sayu is for presentation it's probably in the presence of other people. She can't handle the bug herself due to how big she is (and in some cases, because she is presented virtually). But she will do her best to calm down whoever else is around. An advocate of gently putting the bug somewhere else, please don't kill our little friend :(

Yinu: She tends to get squicked out by bugs she's unfamiliar with, though once she learns about them she settles down. But there are a lot of bugs that don't bother her, like garden spiders and ants. Anything that she sees while she's gardening with Mama she has learned to not be afraid of. On her own she might pick up a bug and put it in a nice spot outside, out to the garden if she's at home. She'll even talk to the bug a little bit. If she's not quite comfortable she'll get Mama to handle the bug. Around people who are more nervous about bugs though, she takes on a teaching role and shows them that the bug won't hurt them as she picks it up and takes it away.

Mama: Very calm around bugs, actually. She's taught Yinu that bugs are good, important creatures and are not scary. She calmly picks up bugs and puts them outside. In the presence of anyone who is scared of bugs, she will offer to help them calm down. She has no patience for people who angrily hate bugs, though.

Rin/White: Around other people (other than 1010) he immediately goes to take care of it and insists that he’s got it, there’s no need to worry, even if nobody is actually freaked out. Usually picks it up with something or under a cup, but if need be will pick it up by hand. Incredibly calm the whole time. As soon as he’s back, he checks if anyone needs calming down.

Zimelu/Red: Secretly a nerd about bugs but keeps quiet about it because he doesn’t want to seem weird. Around the rest of 1010 he’s usually the one handling the bugs. When alone, he’ll hold the bug for a while after taking it out just to admire it. Around other people, he puts on a tough guy act while he picks it up and takes it outside. Gets a little shy with anyone who takes an interest in bugs and wants to share facts/watch the bug with him.

Eloni/Green: If there is a meme with a bug that resembles this one he’ll quote it. With other people he pretends to drop it on them after he picks it up. Unless of course they are genuinely scared by bugs, in which case he wouldn’t dream of pranking them like that. If Red is around he’ll get his attention to show him the bug, knowing his interest.  Haym/Yellow: Calls it cute no matter what it is. Around other people he will offer to let them look at it while he holds it, or watch as he releases it outside. For people nervous around bugs, he’ll try to show them that it’s okay. While not as much of a nerd, will happily listen to Red talk bugs.

Purl-Hew/Blue: Absolutely chill while removing a bug. Just stone faced and quiet. Kinda indifferent towards them but has a small appreciation for them seeing how Red and Yellow like them. Except for around other 1010 members, with other people he’s usually the first one who notices and the one to handle a bug in the room. A lot of times if he’s the one who saw it he won’t even say so to keep everyone else from freaking out. Incredibly gentle in placing it outside.

Neon J: Not a fan of bugs but has learned to put up with them. Traps it under a cup and puts it outside. At home it’s usually one of his troops that handles the bugs, and if he’s alone and sees it he’ll call someone else and pretend that it was just because he knows they have an interest in the things. Truthfully, he would prefer someone else handle bugs, but he’ll never admit that. Around people who are scared of bugs, he handles it himself and then checks on them.

Eve: Does not care for touching bugs, but can deal with them. She usually finds something to pick it up with and relocate it. She is uncomfortable with bugs being around her. While she can handle a bug situation on her own, she does prefer for someone else to do it. She also takes a bit of inspiration from bugs. Being able to create six limbs herself, she sees a bit of connection between her and insects, and sometimes reflects that in her art. She also finds interesting patterns and colors to work with by looking up butterflies, moths, and beetles.

Tatiana: Really does not care about bugs. She’s not a fan but also not a hater. She won’t kill them if she can put them outside, but also isn’t too bothered by killing them if need be. Especially if it’s something like an ant or termite that could end up in an infestation if left unchecked. When relocating a bug, she picks it up on or in something. She does find some beauty in them, even the unconventionally pretty ones. 

Kliff: Jumpy around bugs. He does not like touching them. He does not like handling them. Alone, he tries to trap them in a cup and then throw the cup outside. Around someone else, he simply moves to the other side of the room or somewhere else entirely, hoping they see it and handle it. If they don’t notice it quickly enough, he’ll mention that he sees it. He’s trying to get them to get rid of it without actually asking. He doesn’t like letting people know that he’s kinda scared of bugs because he’s afraid he’ll seem lame.

[tweakerwolf]

Ellen Endings 5 + 6

Ellen is a little unsettling here, one wrong answer and you just don’t know what she might do to you! I put these two together since they were literally just one choice apart hahaha. Crazy how one different answer can lead to a different outcome!

You can’t help but notice how starstruck she looks, it’s too much for you to bear. You want to hear her side of it though, so you walk forward and get her attention. At first she’s startled by your approach but you easily see recognition in her eyes, she knows you. She doesn’t waste time, realizing that you saw everything; you accuse her of sleeping with Jack (black heart). That surprises her, and she admits that things must’ve looked bad from your perspective but that it’s just a misunderstanding… don’t believe her, saying “I know what I saw“ because she isn’t going to worm her way out of it. She shrinks away from you, almost like she’s scared and begs you to hear her out (broken heart). She admits that you don’t have to believe her but she thinks you deserve to know what really happened, she wants to explain. You know it won’t fix anything but at the very least, it will help you understand, so you nod and let her continue. She introduces herself as a grad student and reveals that Jack keeps a photo of you at his desk. You counter with the fact that Jack has mentioned her before although you can’t help the harsh tone out of your voice and she stiffens. You try to clear things up, saying that you know she’s a student of his and that Jack’s called her bright. It flatters her and that makes you glower even more… Ellen says that she wanted to get to know Jack better and you ask her for details about what she mentioned earlier, ‘being a part of something’- just how many people are involved?? Ellen pauses, her sentence cutting off before you can find out what she thinks you ‘really think’. Her demeanor changes and suddenly she’s saying that she has something that belongs to you and your stomach drops. Has Jack been giving away your things? You don’t recall anything that’s missing but she’s already going on, talking about how she doesn’t feel right keeping the ‘gift’. You tell hear you’d like to have it back; a part of you doesn’t want it back but you also want to know what he gave away… Plus you still have the conversation with Jack to think about… You follow her to her car as she apologizes but you’re only half-listening anyways. As she opens her car door, something shiny falls to the ground; you reach down to grab it and she slams the car door into your head. You hit the ground and feel nauseous, your head is split open and bleeding. Then a hand tangles in your hair and is slamming your head into the car again. This time you lose consciousness.

Eventually you come back around, finding yourself in an unfamiliar room, unable to move. You struggle for a bit until you realize what exactly is going on… you’re in a large, metal animal cage with your head sticking out of a hole cut into it. How…? Why?! Before you can get too lost in your thoughts, Ellen calls out to you, glad that you’re finally awake. She doesn’t want you to be upset and she just wants to finish the conversation from earlier… you were getting all worked up and she didn’t like that. So… now you’re naked in a cage… that logic is sound. You do catch the answer that you’re specifically naked because dogs don’t need clothes. Is that a subtle way of calling you a bitch or…? You charge ahead, accusing her of lying and she shrugs it off, also commenting that Jack does it all the time so surely you’re used to it. She won’t go into detail though, that’s for later. This is an outrage! Scream at her, “You bitch!” because at least one of you isn’t afraid to curse! You scream more, asking what the hell is wrong with her and what makes her think this is okay. Ellen reacts immediately by spraying you in the face with pepper spray. How nice. The pain is instant and it’s hard to breathe… it doesn’t help that you can’t really move, adding to the panic. As you struggle, Ellen glares at you, calling you a bad dog. Apparently she’s being weird and it wasn’t a pacifist way of calling you names… she’s… treating you like a dog. Now you know you’re really in trouble… It takes a few minutes for the burning to die down and you notice that Ellen looks like she’s trying to calm herself down as well. Ellen tells you that she doesn’t like having to do things like that; you notice a certain tremble in her voice that concerns you. Once you’re full calmed down and able to breathe again, she tells you that as long as you obey her, nothing bad will happen to you. Satisfied that she’s explained the situation to you, she gets down to business. She wants to get to know your husband better, harshly telling you that he isn’t actually having an affair- he hasn’t slept with any of his students. You aren’t sure if you should believe her but you can’t help but feel relieved despite everything. That’s short lived because she confirms that Jack is doing something behind your back, something you’d dislike… she is surprised that you haven’t found out about it though. Maybe he’s protecting you… but whatever might be going on, she’s certain that you’re the key to understanding Jack. You scoff, saying that this is not the way to understand someone; Ellen gets mad, asking if you’re really an expert. There’s a whole side to your husband that you know nothing about, you have no right to judge how she goes about her business. She threatens that she’ll get what she wants whether you cooperate or not but cuts off and she remembers she has something to do.

She hurries to her desk, grabbing something off of it and setting it in front of you. It’s a muffin in a dog bowl- she has to feed you something right? -Refuse- to eat the muffin because you don’t trust her, she calls them her leftovers but it doesn’t look like it’s even been eaten. Besides, you are not about to start eating out of a dog bowl. She waits a few moments before realizing that you aren’t going to touch it; she picks the bowl up with a sigh and tells you to go hungry. Then she’s sitting at her desk, grading papers. It’s quiet and as much as you’re freaked out by the situation, you want to try and get to know Ellen, so -talk to Ellen-. She does reply, letting you know that she’s grading tests, her students just did a midterm. You ask if she likes teaching and she admits that she does- it’s rewarding. You might be surprised to hear that she’s quite patient when it comes to her students. Because we’re dumb and don’t know when to stay quiet, say, “that does surprise me” and piss her off. She glares at you, saying that you aren’t a student of her and gives you a cold shoulder after that. Not that it matters anyways, something on her computer chimed and Ellen freaks out. Even though she’s miffed at you, ask her what’s going on. She reveals that she emailed Jack about not coming to his house and now he’s upset. That’s surprising, “you cancelled on him?”- wasn’t she just talking about how she wanted to get closer to him? Ellen admits that she freaked out, of course Jack would be looking for you and she wouldn’t be able to hide your disappearance from him. She realizes that he’ll never forgive her for taking you… In the spirit of trying to stay alive, you tell her that she can fix it, there’s still time. But she won’t let you go because she can’t trust you, she’s just going to have to deal with it herself. First, she needs to relax though, and you’re going to help with that. She’s at her desk for a moment and you hear some strange noises…

(squick scene below, bug mention)

Ellen randomly tells you that she isn’t a sadist or anything but seeing other people suffer makes her feel better. As she turns around to face you, you see that she’s holding a cricket with a pair of tweezers. She steps closer to you and tells you to be a good dog and stay still. As she crouches down, one hand comes up and pins your head to the floor. You squirm as she lowers the cricket to your face and you demand to know what she’s doing. Ellen actually pauses and tells you; she’s going to ask a few simple questions and she just wants you to answer honestly. Oh, and she’s going to put the cricket in your ear to help you along. You tell her not to, you’re uncomfortable with the thought of that. She just strokes your hair and tells you that the human mind is incredible and it can adapt to the most horrendous situation (even though you’re supposed to be a dog). Then the cricket is pressed against your cheek… it’s still alive, you can feel it moving. Ellen admits that she wants to ask you about Dr. Buchanan. As she slides the cricket closer to your ear she asks if you’re sexually intimate with each other. You aren’t comfortable answering her and you’re wondering what the ‘right’ answer might even be… but she takes the silence as an embarrassed yes and asks you how it is. Do you lead or just let him take control of everything? Then she asks if you can feel the maggots inside you or if he cleans himself off before he gets to you. Does he even enjoy the sex with you? Maybe it’s brief and lacks passion? Then she makes a comment that stands out, asking if you can see the marriage unraveling because he’s found something he likes to fuck more. You think that she’s just trying to get a reaction out of you, she hasn’t even given you time to answer. Besides, Jack isn’t like that, he wouldn’t find someone else just because the sex may or may not be the best. Ellen waits a moment but then slowly slides the cricket into your ear and you can feel its legs as it tries to stop itself. That’s when you lose it and start to struggle. Ellen pins you down with a knee, telling you to stay, like a good dog. You know she means business… The cricket gets pushed in deeper and it starts to struggle even more, trying to get free of the tweezers. You can hear and feel the buzzing inside your head as it moves around, it’s unbearably loud. It’s so loud that you don’t even hear Ellen for a moment but apparently she’s trying to talk to you. Then you realize that she’s squirming around, her hips moving just a bit. Since she still has her knee on your neck, you can see up her skirt… you start to question if she’s getting off on the whole thing because she’s breathing a little wonky. Ellen tells you that she doesn’t want to ask questions, now she just wants to talk and she wants you to listen. She admits that she fantasizes about Jack and as she says that, her hand trembles and the cricket harshly rubs against your ear canal. Ellen mentions that she knows he’s married and everything but she can’t help but think about Jack holding her down like this. The chirping in your ear gets louder and more painful. Do your best to -stay still- and let her do what she wants. It’s extremely unpleasant but you really don’t want to do anything to upset her. The cricket continues to move inside your ear but you stay as still as possible. She’s surprised at your self control and you’re surprised at the praise. Ellen says that she thought you were a little impulsive but it took a long time before you finally got desperate enough to follow Jack. You tell her that Jack’s entitled to his secrets. She goes quiet but pulls the cricket out of your ear; she’s starting to feel like she’s starting to understand. The cricket is still in the tweezers and she takes it back over to the desk. You breathe a sigh of relief, that ordeal is finally over.

Right after that, Ellen leaves the room to go make food- you know because you can hear it sizzling and smell it to. The smell makes you realize just how hungry you are, because you turned down the muffin from earlier. Call her back into the room and awkwardly -ask- if you can have some. Ellen immediately frowns and reminds you that you turned down breakfast- very ungrateful of you. Why should she share her dinner with you?! Well, looks like you’re going hungry! You leave her alone while she’s eating dinner, not wanting to annoy her any further. After dinner, she cleans up and turns off the lights, telling you to get some sleep… apparently she has some plans for you in the morning… Somehow you manage to fall asleep… A touch from someone wakes you up later… why was Jack touching you? You groan and tell him to let you sleep. The other person giggles at your response and your eyes snap open, it’s Ellen. Right, you’re in her room because she kidnapped you. When she reaches out to touch you again, you realize that you aren’t in the cage any longer… how did she get you out of the cage without waking you up?! You’re still tied up of course but not trapped in the cage. Ellen starts off the day by apologizing for the other day, she doesn’t normally get mad like that. It sounds like she does feel bad, genuinely, but you can’t quite understand why she doesn’t feel bad about the kidnapping part…

Anyways, Ellen is ready to start again, a new day for the two of you. She’s going to be asking some questions and you just have to cooperate, that simple. Suddenly she climbs on top of you and says that she wants you to stay still; you feel a prick in your neck and realize she just injected you with something. As she climbs off she calls you a good dog and says that she only injected you with a paralytic, nothing that’s going to kill you. And she adds on that she stole it from Jack and it was something that he was planning on using on you. Why would Jack want to paralyze you?! Ellen has finally had enough at this point, she can’t believe how dense you are- Jack has sex with dead bodies! Duh! That’s why he’d want you to lie on the bed motionless. And worse than that, he kills the people, he isn’t just stealing the bodies from the morgue or something. You have no idea how to reply to her, not that it matters, the paralytic has taken effect and you can’t move anymore. Ellen changes your position and says that she needs you to accept the truth because you have to help her understand. You can’t imagine that she’d want to understand someone that was so disturbed and she’s disappointed. She grabs a small knife and presses it to the palm of your hands, asking her first question. She wants to know if you love Jack, which, of course you do but she seems to doubt you. So she stabs the knife into your palm, making you scream in pain. Jack emailed her back last night, telling her to transfer to a different university and Ellen knows this is her last chance. She moves the knife to your finger, asking if you understand her predicament. No, no you don’t, so tell her, “you should think about what he said” in an attempt to get her to give up and transfer, get her out of Jack’s life. It’s the wrong thing to say, she shoves the blade into your finger, tearing the nail away from the finger. You scream in pain again as she just looks down at you. Suddenly she leaves the room, scrounging around in the kitchen for a moment before coming back with a very large knife.

Jack has apparently talked to her about death and murder because Ellen reveals that he told her to try. She admits that she’d never done it before but he encouraged her because the only way to understand something is to do it for yourself. If she wants to understand Jack, she has to do what he does… she’s going to kill you and then have sexy times with your body (okay but… with his wife? Whom he loves… like, Ellen, that seems like a bad idea). Joy! You try to reason with her, she can’t possibly want to do this. But she says she’s willing to do unpleasant things for Jack; she starts mumbling about how she’ll have to take pictures so he’ll believer her and how he thinks she’s a coward. The knife is resting on your thigh and her hand is shaking as she tries to push it in. It hurts because the knife wasn’t really made for meat but she tries all the same, talking about how she actually wanted to keep you. Ellen admits that she was starting to see things in you, endearing things- the things Jack gets to see (I don’t think Jack ever gets to see you terrified but okay). She saws the blade back and forth through your muscle, blood dripping out of you as she goes deeper. Things are starting to feel numb but you still try to reason with her when she suddenly stops moving. “You already understand Jack” you tell her, it’s the truth. She knows so much about him that you could’ve never dreamed about. She insists that there is more to him. She asks if you’re really okay with the fact that you’re sharing a bed with a stranger.  Well just because you don’t know all of his secrets doesn’t mean he’s a stranger, so counter her statement with “he isn’t a stranger to me.” That quiets her, it wasn’t the answer she was expecting; the quiet lasts so long that the pains in your leg lessens. When she finally speaks again, she says that she has more that she wants to know: what is it like to sleep with him? She’s asking honestly because she’s never been with someone before. Does Jack kiss your neck or is there not much foreplay? You realize that she’s looking for an answer…

Ending 5: Well, since she’s expecting an answer, tell her “I like kisses on the neck” because who doesn’t? Ellen admits that the neck is sensitive… she wants to try. She shifts and climbs closer you to, pressing her lips against your lips. She comments that you’re warm, like she’s surprised… but she does it again, a little more sure this time. You can’t help but gasp when she lightly nips at you and she lets out a pleased laugh. She climbs on top of you now, nibbling at your skin and you do your best not to moan. You can tell that she isn’t very experienced but she is passionate. Suddenly her lips are gone and the knife is pressing into your skin… before you can fully ask what’s happening, she’s slashing your throat and your blood is spraying on her face. She sits back and watches you die… as your head drops to your chest you hear her say that she understands now- she should’ve listened to him before! She can’t wait to tell Jack about her triumph. Died- Ellen slit your throat

OR

Ending 6: As awkward as it is, be open with Ellen, tell her “I get impatient with foreplay” which she seems to understand. You notice that she’s looking down at your crotch, commenting that it should feel nice. She undoes the ties around your ankles so she can spread your legs apart, gently reaching out to touch you intimately. When you can’t help but become aroused, she’s surprised at how sensitive your body is. Next she moves the knife between your legs and you try to beg her not to but she’s already moving, digging the knife into your most vulnerable parts of you. She continues to saw at you, cutting and cutting until there’s nothing but mangled flesh between your legs. Then she touches you again, commenting that she’s starting to understand. You feel her hands probing your body in ways you aren’t meant to be touched but feeling is starting to fade. Died- Ellen mutilated you.