#bike looters

[idk6123]

The Director Psychopath (Chuck Greene X Male Reader)

From his walkie-talkie, Chuck has receive a message that someone is holding up at the Paradise Platinum Screens. Doing what he usual do, Chuck goes to the theater, not expecting what is going to happen. Once he enters, he sees a man, who looks a bit younger then him, watching a movie. Chuck walks over the man, who looks a bit startled and is quick to grab his pistol.

Chuck is quick to freeze and put on his hands. “I’m not a zombie.”

The stranger is quick to put his gun away. “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you. I’m quiet trigger happy.” He takes a couple of popcorn and begin eating it. “Who’re you?”

“Chuck Greene.”

“Oh!” Y/N spit out his popcorn on the ground, making Chuck scowl. He stands up to grab his camera that sit beside him and begin filming Chuck. “During my R&R with myself and getting some inspiration, none other than Terror Is Reality star, Chuck Greene, walks in. What wacky adventures has he experienced. Spill the beans, Mr. Greene.”

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Oh, forgive me. I’m Y/N L/N.” He walks over to Chuck to give him a hand. “I’m here to film Fortune City.”

“You’re a journalist?”

“Not really. I consider this more like reality tv.” Y/N merely shrugs. “And if my audience made it to here, then they love it too.”

“How nice.” Chuck merely mutters with some sarcasm. “Have fun filming at the safehouse. C’mon.”

“No, no, no, wait!” Chuck stops with walking as Y/N speaks up, continuing to film Chuck. “I have to experience something big. I only saw zombies that are trying to kill me, people getting eaten and looting places. Oh! And I might have shot a couple of looters.”

“So you would rather stay here and get bit, or even die just to get your footage?”

“Yes. Besides, I’m already bitten.” Y/N put the camera at his recent bite wound on his wrist. “Remember this people? The things I do for you.” He points the camera back to Chuck. “And it’s not like I’m going to turn into a zombie. I’ve got a crap ton of Zombrex.”

The interest of Y/N changes 180 degrees. “How much?”

“Dunno. Kinda lost the count after I looted three stores.”

“How. Much.” Chuck repeats, not sounding more forceful.

“Uhh…” Y/N thinks about it for a second. “Dunno. 50 or sumthin’.”

“50!?” Chuck gasps. “You’re not exaggerating?”

“Dunno. I may be off by one of two.”

Chuck walks over to the other man. “I’ve got a daughter that needs Zombrex, and I’m dry right now. You gotta give me at least one.”

Y/N thinks about it. “I’m not sure… if only I could have more footage.”

Chuck frowns. “You’re blackmailing me?” He grabs Y/N by the shirt to threaten him. “I can also kill you if that suits you better.”

“You can, but then you don’t know where my stash it.” Y/N calmly argues back, making Chuck glare even further. “See, if I’m dead, you will never see all those Zombrex. Luckily I got a sweet deal for you.”

Chuck, with hesitation, let go off Y/N and step back. “What do you want?”

-

At the Silver Strip, Y/N is filming a crowd of zombies that approaches him. Unbeknownst to their knowledge, they get saw in half as Chuck rides to Y/N with his bike. Right before the director, he stops and looks at the camera.

“Cut!” Y/N yells. His eyes focus on the biker. “That is going to be your intro. Now, let’s have small introduction. Get of your bike and stand in front of it.” With a sigh, he gets off and get in front of it. Luckily, there are barely any zombies in the area that could kill them. “Aaand… Go!”

“I’m Chuck Greene. I’m known to be in Terror Is Reality. I’m here with my great friend, Y/N L/N to show you how life is in the apocalypse.”

“Cut!” Y/N looks really happy with what he got. “Next scene!”

-

Inside of the maintenance room, Chuck has boxing gloves, and some knifes on the table. All the while, Y/N films him at an angle to show both Chuck and what he’s going to make.

“A big help to survive is creating weapons. A regular knife won’t do to these hoards. That’s why I mix them up.” Like an advertisement, Chuck charmingly talks and begins making the combo weapon. “These weapons are durable and works great against multiple zombies. This is one of my personal favorites, but I have a big arsenal of weapons to create.” After couple of seconds, Chuck shows the result. “And now with these babies, I will be murder some bitches.”

-

Later, they get to another area, and they were about to act out the scene, with Y/N filming. Chuck was about to act it out, but he stops when he hears someone.

“Help me!”

Chuck looks away and quickly looks back. “Look, I’m all for helping out, but these people are in more danger then you.”

“That’s fine. No, it’s perfect!” Y/N is quick to go along with what is happening. “Seeing you in action is far more interesting than some talking. Go safe that person, and if they die, I try to edit it to make you not look bad.”

As the camera zooms in on Chuck’s face, the blonde merely glares at him. “I’m starting to think you’re a psychopath.”

-

Successfully rescuing the survivor, they get back at the Safe House. Once in there, Chuck is ready to move on while Y/N is filming the crying and traumatized victims.

“We’re going or what?”

“Didn’t you said you had a daughter?”

Chuck is quick to pop a vein. “No.”

“C’mon. How about I give half of my stash? That’s around three weeks of not becoming a walking corpse.”

With that appeal, Chuck can’t help to let Y/N do to his thing, even if it’s disgusting. “…I lead you to her.”

They get to the room Katey and Stacey is staying. Opening it, Y/N is quick to capture the surprised people, as well seeing a tiger.

“Cool! You got a tiger!?”

“Chuck, who’s this?” Stacey asks.

“Omygod!” Y/N then points the camera at the redhead. “It’s the hippie that wants rights for dead people.”

“Excuse me?”

The camera man then focusses on Katey, who looks confused what is happening. “And you must be Chuck’s daughter. What’s your name?”

“Katey.”

“How adorable.” Y/N looks back at Chuck. “You’re daughter looks like a sweetheart.”

“Thank you.”

“How about we have a scene about the tragic backstory and-”

Chuck then grabs Y/N by the arm. “Let’s get that outside.” As he drags Y/N away, Katey merely looks at him with questions while Stacey is wondering what is happening.

Outside of the room, Y/N begins interviewing Chuck. “So, you’re daughter is on Zombrex too, huh? How did it happen?”

“Well, it was when we were back in Vegas. Her mother got turned… and bit her.” Chuck looks a bit uncomfortable as he talks. Not because it’s sensitive, but because someone is filming and monetizing it. “Ever since, I try to get Zombrex for her. That’s why I’m here, talking to you right now.”

“Well, you’re a great dad, Chuck. She’s looking to have such a sweetheart as a father. I wish I did.”

Chuck chuckles. “Thank you.”

“What about Stacey? You’re sweet on her?”

“I see what’s going to happen.”

“Oh! I just got an idea. How about a romance arc? Reality tv is known for that shit.”

The biker looks doubtful at him. “I prefer this is staying with us.”

“Really?” Y/N completely misread what Chuck said. “That would be a twist. …Yes, let’s do it! Chuck, let’s go on a date!”

The other man merely looks stunned. He even let out an awkward laugh. “I’m sorry. What?”

-

“And now here we are. I’m with my date, Chuck Greene, enjoying the food that has not yet been spoiled. We’re currently in Americana Casino on the second floor to watch the dead people. Isn’t this romantic? Now tell me Chuck, how big is your American Pride?”

“It’s… okay.” In front of Chuck is a plate with a burger. Y/N has one too. Both of them drink some beer and to top it off they share some fries. The camera is at Y/N’s height, with his P.O.V showing his date.

“I gotta say it. You’re quiet handsome Chuck. You definitely aged like fine wine.”

“Thanks. You’re certainly… special.”

“I know. People use it as an insult all the time.” Chuck isn’t surprised at hearing that. “Now tell the audience what you usual do on a date.”

“Well, I like to buy my date some food and talk. I like to get them know better.”

“Is this your first date after what happened to your wife?”

“It is. What about-?”

Chuck wanted to get Y/N at least a bit better, this it appears this is more an interview then a date. “Are you usually looking for real relationships, or just for fun.”

“Real. Now can I ask you something?” Chuck quickly demands before Y/N could follow up with another question. “Why do you do this? Recording what is happening and act so carefree I mean.”

“Well, life is a bitch. Finding a job is hard and living… could be better. I considered this my destiny, you know? I’m here on vacation because I’m burned out on life, and then this shit happened. I saw a camera and realized something. Nobody really covered how the apocalypse is with a film camera. So I decide I will be the first one. Then maybe I can get something good in life finally.”

Chuck didn’t thought his reasons are so morbid. He expected it something like he enjoys other people suffering and want to film it. “Sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright. Maybe it’s a good thing to say. That way, the audience get sympathy on me.” Although Y/N sounds chirpy, Chuck still finds it sad. “Anyway, I think I’m done. But I got one last request for you. Close your eyes and put out your hands. I got a surprise.”

Chuck did so but looks wary. “…If I hear your pants unbuckle…”

“It’s not my penis. You get that later.” Chuck further frowns as Y/N grabs the present from his bag. He hands it over on the motorcyclist hands. “Open your eyes.”

Chuck does so, only to look confused at the present. With one hand, he grabs it and pull it up, showing the string that is known as a banana hammock. “The fuck is this?”

“We covered you being cool, we see you’re sweet side. Now all we need is sex appeal.”

Chuck gasps. “You want me to wear this?”

“And if you do, then I lead you to the stash.”

Chuck frowns, clearly not happy. He can’t believe that he’s seriously contemplating doing it. “And you promise this is it?”

“Yes.”

With a sigh, he gives one very simple, but tired sigh. “…Fine.”

-

Inside of the bathroom in the Royal Flush, Y/N is filming the toilet stall as Chuck changes from his usual outfit into the lewd one.

“You better not film me changing!”

“Not unless you want me to. I’m okay with this getting 18+.”

“…Of course you do.” Chuck continues to change. “Fuck, my balls are getting crushed… Okay, I’m ready…”

“Okay. Now, observe the glory of the body of the one and only Chuck Greene. Let’s see how this dad keeps it up!”

Opening the stall door, Chuck gives a death glare to the camera as his face looks red. His hands covered his crotch. “You’re happy?”

“Very happy. C’mon, don’t be shy. Step out.”

Without any positive motivation, Chuck does so. Y/N then begins moving the camera around Chuck. “I must say. For a dad, you definitely didn’t let you become your typical dad.”

“I’m a motorcyclist. I can’t afford to not be in shape.” Chuck responds. After Y/N made one round around Chuck, the blonde speaks up. “Alright. I did what you ask. Where’s the Zombrex?”

Y/N didn’t answer. Instead, he walks towards the counter to get on it. He removes part of the ceiling to grab a bag and put it on the counter. Chuck is quick to get to it, open it to count how many it contains. Still, he’s amazed Y/N even has more than 3. He definitely wasn’t lying.

“T-Thank you.” Chuck looks back at Y/N, who stands beside him. He’s giving him a generous smile. “You don’t realize how relieved I am, knowing that I have a part of this while being out here.”

“You’re welcome, Chuck.” Y/N smiles back. He stops filming to and put the camera at the side. “If you want, you can have it all.”

Chuck looks surprised. “Really? What about you?”

“I… This is the best day in my life. The bar is that low. Besides… it’s better used on someone that has their life still with opportunities and hope.”

Again, Y/N slips off his mask, showing his vulnerable side. Chuck can’t help but feel sorry for. “I know I acted grumpy, and I still don’t like what I’m wearing.” Chuck looks under him with a slight frown before looking back. “But I had a fun time. At least you didn’t put me in stupidly dangerous situations. And if I may say, you have potential to make this something… maybe not something on reality tv.” Chuck then got a brilliant idea. “Perhaps you should consider making a guide?”

“A guide?”

“Yes. Nobody has made a professional guide on how to survive the apocalypse. And with me in it, you’re bound to get some attention.”

Y/N shows a genuine smile, not one that Chuck has seen before. “That sounds… good. Thanks Chuck.”

“I’m happy to help.” He wanted to get back to the stall, but right before he gets in, he stops. “How about we make a deal? You watch over Katey alongside Stacey, and I help you out with your guide.”

“Deal!” Y/N is quick to agree. “…Any possibility you can do it in that?”

Chuck can sense Y/N’s eyes focusing on his outfit. With a light smirk, he’s ready to respond. “Only behind the cameras.” With that, he gets in the stall and close the door. With a smirk, he’s amused that somehow his encounter with this psychopath turned out into a date.

[everglow-synth-archive]

@kcnhub asks... 'Abandoned Mask' 'Mask's Calling' 'Another Mask' 'Try This Mask' (i offer, the little [big] bastard that is grandpa bj blazkowicz and his dumbass not knowing how to turn off a coffee machine in a train... but ONLY if you desire my homie!!!!)

Hoo boy, this is gonna be a long one. Alright ya' bastard, let's tackle this one by one.

Abandoned Mask: A character I no longer roleplay

Luigi (The Four Players)

So, this one's a bit of a weird one, and was admittedly me feeding my own niche interests. This is a take on Luigi from an old Polaris mini-series called The Four Players, which featured grittier takes on Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad, being The Fixer, The Addict, The Star and The Soldier(which is like, the only one I really don't care for lmao).

A mixture of nobody really interacting with him (save for one person; you know who you are and I still love you for it ;D) and just kinda falling out of roleplaying for a while just made me drop him. Would I pick him up again? I dunno, maybe. But he isn't exactly a popular muse from my old blog, so I don't see him making a huge comeback.

Mask's Calling: A character I'm on the fence about roleplaying

So I was having a hard time with this one(it was this one or an OC), but I think I've landed on a decent candidate.

Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime)

My girlfriend got me hooked on this anime over the last few months, and we haven't finished it(well, she has, but I only ever watch stuff with her anymore, so I haven't). However, I've been watching TenSura with the thought that I would really like to RP as him.

As it is, I was planning on him maybe taking over my old Villain Deku MHA blog, mostly because I've fallen out of watching My Hero for a good while and the concept I had for Villain Deku was flawed anyway, but I don't know if he would be popular enough to warrant having a whole blog to himself.

Another's Mask: A muse I have on another blog

Cole MacGrath (InFAMOUS 1 and 2) - @the-devils-toybox

InFAMOUS is honestly one of my favorite series. Just ever. For starters, the neon powers used in the game InFAMOUS: Second Son (and subsequently its expansion First Light) inspired Matthew's powers, but Cole is the main character of the first two games.

The basic rundown for the uninitiated is that the series starts off with Cole, a college dropout bike courier, delivering a mysterious package. He suddenly gets a phone call that tells him to open it when he's basically at the heart of the city, an event which causes a massive explosion that kills dozens, but mysteriously grants Cole with electrokinetic abilities.

As the city comes under lockdown, it is full of rioters, looters, and overall just gangs that are trying to take over the city for their own reasons, plenty of them either super powered themselves or run by those with powers. Cole, discovering and learning to use these powers, takes matters into his own hands to either free the city... or to take it over for himself.

I roleplay as both versions of Cole; either the Hero of Empire City, beloved by the people for his selfless acts in the face of adversity, or the Demon of Empire City, a heartless beast who took as much power as he could for himself, ruling the city with an iron fist as revenge against the people for turning on him upon initially finding that it was him at the center of the blast.

...Or I would, if InFamous as a series hadn't fallen out of the public eye. I highly suggest at least giving the games a watch, they're made by the Sly Cooper devs, Sucker Punch.

Try This Mask: A Character you think I can roleplay well

William Joseph "B.J." Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein)

This one's... tricky. See, I would be willing to roleplay as him, but I haven't the slightest goddamn clue about anything Wolfenstein. As it is, I only just recently got into Doom a bit after 2016 came out, and I'm interested in Wolfenstein as well... but I have a huge fucking backlog so I haven't had the time to really get around to looking into it.

Literally all I know are a few funny scenes from... I wanna say Old Blood? I'd need to go and actually play the series for myself before I can definitively pick him up. Or, at the very least, watch all the cutscenes or something lol.

[heyits-asher]

There's a pause for consideration as Asher tilts his head then, and with narrowed eyes he watches her talk about this missing bike. Long gone probably to either the winds, waters, or looters, he lifts the mouth of his water bottle to his mouth and takes a sip. "Never thought I'd hear the words 'cool' and 'wicker basket' in the same sentence, but to each their own." He pops the lid back onto his water while glancing about with minimal effort in finding this… missing bike…

"Was there a little black dog in the basket, too? What's the name - Toto? We're too far west for Kansas, but maybe there's an underwater equivalent to the Land of Oz."

status: open

location: anywhere, post-storm

@aurorabaystarter

"Excuse me, hey -- I know we're all going through it right now, #AuroraBayStrong -- but have you, by any chance, seen a bike? It's about this tall --" she motions the general height of a bike.

"It's green. Has a really cool wicker basket on the front and a little license plate on the back that says 'Benjamin'. Ringing any bells? Oh! It also has a bell."

[tezlivenews]

बस नहीं मिलने पर गाजियाबाद में बाइक लूटी, लखीमपुर खीरी दीपावली मनाने जा रहे थे, मुरादाबाद में ई-चालान कटा तो सामने आया ये अजीबोगरीब मामला

बस नहीं मिलने पर गाजियाबाद में बाइक लूटी, लखीमपुर खीरी दीपावली मनाने जा रहे थे, मुरादाबाद में ई-चालान कटा तो सामने आया ये अजीबोगरीब मामला

हाइलाइट्स गाजियाबाद से बाइक लूटकर गांव जा रहे दो लुटेरे पुलिस की गिरफ्त में मुरादाबाद ट्रैफिक पुलिस की सक्रियता से बाइक लुटेरे को दबोचा गया दीपावली पर गांव जाने के लिए बस नहीं मिली तो घटना को दिया अंजाम मुरादाबादतीन साथी दीपावली की छुट्‌टी घर पर मनाना चाहते थे। 3 नवंबर को अपने फर्म में काम खत्म कर निकले तो घर जाने के लिए कोई बस नहीं मिली। इसके बाद उन्होंने घर वापसी के लिए खतरनाक प्लान बना लिया।…

[nerdypipsqueak]

Watching "The Mummy" (2017), yes, the one with Tom Cruise. I'm about 10 minutes in and, Jesus Tapdancing Christ on a bike, this is painful.

"We are not looters, we are liberators of priceless antiquities". Seriously?! Excuse me, WTF?!

"We spent a very long, very satisfying evening together". EXCUSE ME?!

Apparently Tom Cruise rewrote the entire script and what for?! Those despicable lines?! More screen time?! OUCH.

[shiredded]

Random wildfire evacuation tips from california

Fire far away, or it's just fire season

Pack your Emergency kit Important documents, water, etc. Google what you should put in yours. There's a lot of resources.

Plan where to go It's gonna SUCK if you're scrambling to figure out who can take you in when there's only a few hours to pack. A friend is ideal but hotels will work too. If they're decent places they will only have a minimal fee for fire victims. Make sure your destination is pet friendly if you have those. Some hotels will make exceptions, call them.

Microchip your pets You should do this anyway but you could lose your pet while 50 miles away from home and this will help it find you again. They'll be scared and confused in a new neighborhood.

Find a reliable source of information Check to see if your county website or fire/police department has a place for updates. You want accurate information from the source, not from a neighbor or a stranger.

Eat all the icecream Depending on the evacuation, You will want to empty your fridge and freezer, so the weeks leading up to this are perfect for clearing out those tater tots

Keep your gas tanks full You never know when you'll have to drive several miles to find an open gas station.

Fire preparedness on your property Another thing to look up in more detail, they will give you measurements on clearing brush/branches etc. Sometimes this is the difference between a kind of smoky house and literal ashes.

Safety gear This will get scarce the closer a fire comes. You need N95 masks/respirators. Your covid masks will not filter smoke. Only take as much as you need to evacuate, because other agencies (like livestock evacuators) need them more.

Evacuation Warning

This means you MIGHT get evacuation orders, but not yet Make sure you know what the terms mean for your local district. This period can last hours or weeks, depending on the fire.

ONLY trust official information sources If a stranger runs up to your house and tells you that it's a mandatory evacuation and they're here to help, don't trust them. Watch them every second if you let them help and don't turn your back. They may rob you as soon as you hand them your valuable keepsakes.

Double check your destination Call your friend/hotel/etc to make sure they still have room for you.

Start packing Grab your dirty laundry basket: its all clothes you like/have worn recently and you can wash it later. You really only need a few hours to pack and evacuation warnings can last weeks, so it's more identifying what you should pack and starting on the more time consuming bits now.

Only pack what can't be replaced heirlooms, hobby items, artwork, photographs, etc. You can buy a new TV I promise. If you have fire insurance they will help pay for that.

Find your pets and livestock Bring your pets into the house and know where their supplies/carriers are. There may be organizations in your area that specialize in evacuating your livestock, so look those up.

Lock up for looters A horrific problem, but that's the reality. You won't be around to watch your property so looters will go around trying doors so they can steal from people in crisis. This is the main reason that law enforcement will/should be in the area. Plan to take expensive equipment inside, like table saws, motor/bikes, generators etc, and lock them up. Whatever is outside is easy pickings. If you leave any vehicles, lock them, even in the woods where everyone is kind and safe. The looters are not your neighbors, they will drive in from out of town to rob and vandalize evacuated places.

Check on your neighbors Especially elderly neighbors who may not be tuned in to what's happening or not taking it seriously. Fundamentalist religious people tend to be difficult. Make a note if you think someone is going to sit on their porch with a rifle instead of leaving.

Request help Get help if you need it from neighbors or community resources. If you don't have a car, don't worry. Someone somewhere has one and they truly do want to help you. Get everyone's names and contact information so you can keep track of each other. Social media is generally where this stuff tends to happen, so dust that off and see what you can do.

Mandatory Evacuation

All that planning pays off You will likely have a few hours to pack, but depending on the fire you can have just minutes or seconds before they pull you from your house. Evacuation orders usually have a "get out by" time on them.

Children and pets Find these and get them ready to go first. Do not let them wander off because you don't want to be scrambling for them later. Cats in carriers, dogs in a room or pen. Other animals in appropriate travel gear. Keep them indoors until everyone is ready for the car, because smoke can hurt/kill them (birds are especially sensitive)

Most important stuff first This is your emergency kit. Medication is extremely important. Harddrives, photos, documents, computers, etc, all goes in first. Next is clothes and toiletries. They'll make your evacuation less chaotic. Then valuables like jewelry, cameras, stuff that would be hard to replace. At this point your car should be pretty full.

Empty the fridge If you are evacuated for weeks and the power goes out, you do not want to know what happens in there. Throw it all in a garbage bag and put it outside. It's better to discard food now than discard your whole fridge later (they cannot be saved, trust me)

Check on your neighbors again If someone refuses to leave, let law enforcement know so they can handle it. They will either convince the person or make a note of their location for firefighters to worry about if the fire gets too close.

Lock every door and window you can Bring valuable outside stuff indoors and lock it down. This will deter looters looking for an easy target. Lock your cars, sheds, barns, etc.

Do not go back Law enforcement will be controlling the road during an evacuation. They might let you go back for forgotten things, or they might stop you completely. If you left a pet, they will notify the pet rescue teams (generally trained and certified volunteers) Basically assume you can't go back until the order is over.

Evacuated

Uncertainty Hunker down and prepare for a fight. Being evacuated can last between a day and several months (if your town got half burned, etc) Know ahead of time that you won't know much.

Official sources of information may be wrong The fire map sometimes reads smoke and might tell you your house is toast when it's not. Eyewitness reports are more trustworthy at this point. But know that you might not know anything for certain for a long, long time.

Seek out resources There will be food, supplies, and housing opened up for evacuees, depending on your community. Look up your area and take advantage of what applies to you.

Looters will follow you People will stalk fire victims and break into their cars and take everything they own. This can happen a hundred miles away from the fire, so keep your car in your sights if you can. Hotel parking lots are especially dangerous, so ask if security can patrol that area extra vigilantly. Sadly, robbers will also drive through tiny rural neighborhoods looking for an unusual amount of cars and will rob those. Take your MOST valuable things into the house/hotel room etc to keep them safe.

Your mental health Everything is going to suffer during an evacuation, so make sure you're doing selfcare to keep yourself ready for new challenges. Take time to cry and scream and kick rocks. Connect with other fire victims and you can emotionally support each other.

Going home Most evacuations are precautions, and everything will be fine when you get back. It's going to be a pain to unpack all that stuff again, but it would have been worth it if you lost your home.

Do it all again next year The climate crisis is bringing drought, plant-drying heat, and dry lightning storms to places we all thought were safe. Fires are hard to control, but your evacuation isn't. You'll be alright, and eventually rain will come. It gets easier every year and it really helps you identify what you value in life.

Help others If you're in no dangers, search up where to volunteer to help fire victims. Maybe you'll train as an evacuation response team and go into fire zones to rescue animals! Maybe you'll help out at a soup kitchen. Maybe you'll open your home to strangers who need a place to stay. Be the human kindness you'll need for yourself one day.

TLDR: The more you plan, the better. Round up kids and pets first. Lock all your doors because looters will rob you, or follow your car and rob that. Connect with your community to give and receive help.

[maghrabiyya]

A friend posted this and said it was OK to share the text but no attribution, so these words are not mine.

"READ EVERY SINGLE WORD:

—If you are livestreaming a protest, and you are recording yourself, or taking selfies, instead of documenting information: you are not an ally. You are a tourist.

—Cover your face. Cover your hair. Cover your tattoos. Wouldn’t want to have any surfaces exposed that could get coronavirus.

—Protect your identity. Obscure your face. There are bad actors on the internet that would love to identify you and track you down for participating in a peaceful protest. Want to feel paranoid? Read about the mysterious deaths of identified Ferguson protestors years later. If you are in the privileged majority, this might be your first time realizing that there are violent people out there who want to hunt you down and harm you for existing. Imagine how POC feel.

—Unless your phone is inside a faraday cage, or you have removed the battery, it can be tracked. Yes, even in airplane mode.

—Assume all information transmitted from your phone is being intercepted by the police at the protest. Including your livestream. Oakland once had one of the largest inventories of Stingray devices (communciations intercept towers) in the US. They used them extensively against Occupy.

—Friendly reminder, your license plate is being scanned and tracked most places you drive.

—Disable your fingerprint or facescan unlock. While it is theoretically true that a search warrant is required to search your phone, it is also theoretically illegal for the police to murder an unarmed and nonviolent citizen. Use a six digit or more passcode.

—Backups to the cloud. Things tend to get broken at protests.

—Do not publicly display your teargas neutralizing spray, or peperspray neutralizing spray. You might be targeted. Keep it discrete and ready for use.

—Document any people showing up in Hawaiian shirts. Document anyone suspected of being undercover cops. Document agent provocateurs. Document bad actors showing up just to destroy property.

—If you have an Iphone, learn how to use your emergency sos. You can set your Emergency SOS to notify your family you might be being arrested or kidnapped (if it is safe for you to activate this feature). You can also disable the call 911 feature in Emergency SOS. Activating this feature also locks your phone against anything but a passcode unlock. If your phone is also encrypted, it is very hard for someone to illegally break into your phone.

—Write your emergency contact on your body in sharpie, somewhere both out of view and where it will not sweat off. Or memorize it. You will not have access to your cellphone if you are arrested (whether wrongfully or not).

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. Hot hands gloves, or Nomex flight gloves, can be used to pick up hot objects on the ground, if you need to throw a teargas grenade away from you.

—Highpowered lasers, not usually the pocket kind, can destroy the sensors on cameras. Be careful with your cameras out there.

—If your goggles have vents, they are vulnerable to teargas and pepperspray.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. A set of allen keys can sometimes unlock crowd control gates.

—Remember that Neonazis have driven cars into peaceful protests in the past. There is finally a use for all those lyft/lime/uber bikes and scooters. Bring them to the protest and use them to as roadblocks if necessary to prevent cars from driving into protestors or chasing them.

—Umbrellas can be useful in preventing bad actors from hitting you with some projectiles during an otherwise peaceful protest. They also help protect identity.

—If you are a white ally: listen. Don’t make the protests about you. There are already literal Nazis doing that.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. It has already been noted on multiple organizing boards for white supremacist groups that a protest they’ve whipped into a riot is the perfect place to murder someone with impunity, and even kidnap people. Read up on how to escape from zipties. Bring medical shears or small snips to cut them.

—If you are arrested, identify yourself. Have your ID. Do your best to show the officer that you are peaceful and not resisting arrest. Say nothing else at all without a lawyer present, unless it is to request your phone call. Assume anything said, including on phone call, is being documented and could be aggressively used against you. Innocent people can still go to jail.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. Assume you might get shot with a rubber bullet/sandbag. Wear protective gear so you can protest in peace. Being misidentified as a violent/illegal protestor by an officer could also mean being hit by a baton, which could break your bones. Protests can quickly turn chaotic, and often the official response to a peaceful protest can be indiscriminate in who gets injured. Don’t forget that photo of a 12 year old that was peppersprayed for being at a protest.

—Recognize that there are complex factors at play. Not everyone at the protest has the same agenda. Some are not peaceful. The Attorney General of the US noted yesterday that outside provacateurs are infiltrating peaceful protests to accelerate outside agendas unrelated to protesting in solidarity with Black Lives Matter/George Floyd/Police Brutality. The Mayor of Minneapolis noted many* violent protestors arrested were from out of state, and some had ties to white supremacist groups. Not all protestors are looters. Not all looters are protesting anything.

—If you are a white ally that acknowledges your privilege and wants to use that to support the protestors, go to the front of the protest. If you can tolerate having your identity known and you can be a peaceful human shield, do it. Just don’t steal the scene. Let the other POC speak. Leave your megaphone and microphone with someone else while you shield them.

—If you are a white ally in your comfortable home, stop deleting anyone that disagrees with you. Stop feeding the divisive algorithms that have helped shape this discourse into a hateful thing. Right now, you can be putting in the work talking to people and helping them understand that “All Lives Matter” is a way to avoid talking about Black Lives Matter. Don’t be combative. Listen. Ask Questions. Talk. Your POC friends don’t need to spend all their time educating—a huge part of our role as white allies is helping our other white circles understand and grow.

—Yes, all lives do matter. The problem is that some are treated like they matter less. And they are disproportionately affected by police violence in the United States. When you shout “All Lives Matter” in response to “Black Lives Matter,” all that is happening is you are silencing people trying to speak up about disproportionate treatment and unequal rights. If you are sharing that favtoid about how many white versus black lives are taken by police, without adjusting for population, you are ignorant of statistics and being willfully manipulative at worst. Do you really believe that all lives are treated and regarded equally?

—Silence is how this grew. Colorblindness is how this grew. Ignoring this is privilege. The status quo is broken. Racism is alive and well. Silence is violence.

—Your political affiliation does not matter in proving you aren’t racist. Living in a diverse and liberal area does not matter. Knowing a POC in your personal life proves nothing. Quoting one convenient MLK quote does not matter. Only being actively anti-racist matters.

—Human lives will always be worth more than property. Stop changing the subject. There will be an appropriate time to rebuild.

—Violence at a protest does not invalidate the point of the protest, even one intended to he peaceful. Focusing on violence is just a way to ignore the meaning of the protest. Stop changing the subject.

If you want to share this, copy and paste it without attribution. This is not about any one person. Not even George Floyd. It is a chain in which George Floyd is the one of the latest links. Like Alton Sterling. Like Sandra Bland. Like Michael Brown. Like Freddie Gray. The list is staggering. And every single one of those names on the list was a person who could still be with us today."

[7planetsout]

Hey guys I’m back 🤙🏼

Along with continuing past artworks I’m gonna be doing a spray painting for the BLM movement for a bike shop in Minneapolis. I’ve been there this past week helping clean up after looters broke in so I wasn’t able to work on any projects. I should have something soon.

Anyway, I’m either fire or earth bender

[preppinglite]

Prepping For: Civil Unrest

This is the first of a series of posts covering different scenarios you might want to be prepared for and what you can do now to increase your safety later. Not every scenario will apply to you - it’s up to you to determine what risks you face given your location, lifestyle, and needs. 

What is civil unrest?

Examples include the Rodney King riots of 1992, the Ferguson riot and related events in 2014, and more. Civil unrest usually begins with a protest that gets out of hand, often when people who were not initially involved in the protest see it as an opportunity to get away with stirring up chaos or who use existing chaos as cover for looting and other illegal activities.

Civil unrest can be isolated to a neighborhood or city center, or it can happen in multiple locations around the country or even around the world at the same time. The nature and intensity of the unrest will influence your response.

Note: The advice in this post also applies to a situation like the Boston Marathon bombing where the cities of Boston, Watertown, and Cambridge were under a “shelter-in-place” recommendation for several days after the initial terrorist attack while law enforcement searched for the suspects. 

Why prep for civil unrest?

- It can prevent you from going about your normal activities if it is occurring in your neighborhood or near your place of work. Streets may be blocked, stores may be closed, and in some cases it may not be safe to go outside.

- It can begin with very little warning. Protests and rallies happen all the time; it is difficult to predict which ones will turn violent or chaotic. In the case of the Rodney King riots, protests began within 30 minutes of the verdict and violence and looting began about an hour after the verdict. Someone who was at home and not paying attention to the news may not have known what was going on until after the full-scale riots and looting began within 3 hours of the verdict. 

- It’s difficult to predict how long civil unrest will last. Some riots can be de-escalated within hours. The Rodney King riots began on April 29, 1992 and lasted until May 2nd with some incidents occurring on May 3rd, but the last National Guardsmen didn’t leave until May 27th, almost a month later. 

Who should prep for civil unrest?

People who live or work in a major city (especially near the city center) or people who visit a major city center often (for instance, going out on the weekends). Since unrest can happen quickly, you don’t want to be caught off-guard while you’re enjoying dinner and drinks downtown. 

Also, if you see indications that suggest national-level civil unrest may happen soon (such as a certain upcoming election that may ignite protests should a certain candidate win again), you should prepare regardless of where you live. 

How to prep for civil unrest: 

Preps that apply to multiple scenarios:

- Store 2 weeks of food and water at all times. 

- If you are on medications, make sure you always have a couple of weeks’ worth. For most people, that simply means getting your refill when you still have 2-3 weeks left, but for some it may involve a conversation with your doctor if your medication is highly controlled (aka high risk for overdose or abuse). Explain that you are trying to follow guidelines for emergency preparedness. Caution: Do not change your medication routine (taking a smaller dose or taking medicine less often) in order to save up extra.

- Keep a first aid kit well-stocked, and consider getting a tourniquet kit in case the chaos spreads to your neighborhood.

- Keep your car’s gas tank at 1/2 full or more at all times. In a disaster, gas pumps may be broken, gas stations may be crowded, and shortages may occur. 

- Keep an inventory (with photos) of valuables in your home, as well as photos of your property. If damage occurs to your home or property from any disaster event, you will want these photos to make your insurance claim. Update the inventory often. Keep this inventory on paper and digitally.

- Keep the paper copy with your other important documents (Passport, birth certificate, social security card, marriage license, property deed or rental agreement, and so on). Have these documents in a folder or binder that you can quickly grab if you have to leave home in a hurry.

- Take self-defense classes and consider taking firearms classes and buying a firearm you can safely and reliably use. You should be prepared for both armed and unarmed combat.

- Plan a bug-out location (BOL) outside your city. This may be a friend or family member who lives in another town or in a rural area, it may be property you own (like a cabin), or it may be public land or a state/national park. The important thing is to know where the location is and how to get there if your gps or smartphone is not functioning. Consider having one location that is accessible within a day on foot, and one that is further away that can be accessed by car. Depending on  the disaster, roads may be impassable, you might run out of gas, or your car could be damaged or stolen. Note:  Make sure that if it is a family member or friend’s house that you discuss your plans with them in advance - you don’t want to show up unannounced during a disaster!

- Identify at least three routes out of your city by car (only one of those should use a major highway, the other two should use side streets) and two on foot or by bicycle. If unrest gets severe and seems like it will be prolonged, you may want to bug out. If everyone else has the same idea, major streets and highways will get congested, forcing you to seek alternate routes. You do NOT want to be stuck in traffic if riots are happening in the streets. 

Specific preps for civil unrest:

- Review the entry points to your home (doors and windows) and identify the best ways to secure them. If possible, keep plywood in your garage/shed that could be used to board windows and doors if severe unrest reaches your neighborhood. Alternatively, identify large, heavy pieces of furniture that could be moved to barricade entry points. If you choose this option, consider practicing how you would move furniture to ensure you can do so quickly and safely. 

- Consider closed-circuit security cameras (I do NOT recommend internet-enabled ones for privacy reasons). These can also be generally useful if you live in an area with a high crime rate. 

- Keep an eye on the news and identify events that could lead to civil unrest, such as controversial court cases, elections, and racial tensions. If you see signs that unrest may be coming, review your preps (or consider planning a vacation to the countryside). The unrest may not happen, but it is better to be prepared. 

- Avoid the city center on the day when you believe unrest may occur. If you work in the city, go directly home after work with no unnecessary stops. 

If unrest occurs in your city: 

- If you are outside the city, stay away. Avoid all trips into town. If you have prepared, you’ll be able to go at least two weeks without visiting the grocery store. If you work near the area where unrest is happening, contact your supervisor or office and ask if it is possible to work from home or if they are closing the office in response to the event. Indicate that you do not feel safe going into town given the ongoing events. Don’t go in if you don’t feel safe - it’s better to be fired for skipping work than to be killed or severely injured in a riot. 

- If you are in the city but not near the riots, stay home and keep an eye on the news. If you need to go to work, determine whether your commute will take you through the affected area and identify alternate routes. 

- If the unrest is happening in your neighborhood, shelter in place and barricade doors and windows. Make sure any firearms you own are accessible and loaded in case looters try to break into your home. 

- If the unrest lasts more than a few days or you believe it is moving toward your neighborhood, consider bugging out. Review the five routes you identified (three by car, two on foot or bike) and determine the one that gets you far away from the unrest as quickly as possible. Even if you have to go the opposite direction from your bug out location, it’s better to get out first and then go the long way around than to drive through or near the impacted area. 

- If unrest is widespread or happening on a national scale, and especially if the military/national guard is involved, consider getting away from town completely and seeking out either your BOL if you have one in a rural area or a campground or other public land where you can stay temporarily. 

When the unrest is over: 

- Use caution in determining when the event is truly over. Officials may prematurely call an end to the unrest in the hope of calming the public, but there may still be people on the streets looking to keep it going. Return to your normal routine, but avoid unnecessary time spent in the area where the unrest occurred.

- If you had to leave your home, use caution when returning. If you suspect your home was broken into, call the police and ask them to check it for you before you enter. Only clear you home yourself IF you have training to do so. Watching actors do it on TV does not count as training.

- Take pictures of any damage immediately to submit insurance claims if applicable.

Final Notes:

- No prep is 100%. Things may not go as you expect, so always have a Plan B and a Plan C. 

- Be vigilant. Your chances are best if you see disaster coming and act before it strikes, rather than reacting afterward along with everyone else. 

- You might have all the preps in the world and then live to a ripe old age with no disasters happening to you. There’s no guarantee that any particular disaster will happen. Don’t be so consumed with prepping that you are not prepared for the possibility that nothing happens. 

[zzozoa]

ARC  HEADCANONS :  gonzo,  of  the  lost  revenge

PRE-D1 / ARC I, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS :  Gonzo has been a proud and dedicated crewmate of the Lost Revenge for over three years and is loyal to his Captain and crew to a fault. When he is not actively working alongside Uma and the rest of the crew, he is operating out of the Blacksmith forge and has been under the tutelage of the Isle Blacksmith, Reeva since she rescued him from the Horned King's dungeon.

Tensions are building between the pirates and Maleficent's posse and allies. Gonzo and the crew have had multiple encounters which have all exclusively turned into open conflict and violent skirmishes. Gonzo works closely with the crew to destabilize Maleficent's territory by targeting supply routes, hitting dead drops and harrassing those loyal to Maleficent.

Gonzo is also struggling to break away completely from the Horned King, as Creeper and the Horned King's Gwythaints have been spotted lurking around the forge.

D1 / ARC II, LIGHT THE MATCH & IGNITE :  A temporary ceasefire over all factionwide hostilities is declared across the Isle as Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are invited by Prince Ben to attend Auradon Prep. Men, women, children of both first and second generation begin to prepare for an invasion into Auradon after Maleficent's promises that her daughter would destroy the barrier and free them all.

Hungry for the chance of freedom, Gonzo works tirelessly crafting, upgrading and mending the weapons of the crew in the forge as well as crafting light armor plating for several Cauldron Born who intend to act as the Isle's vanguard.

The Isle is apprehensive and tensions are high. As Prince Ben attends his coronation, and Maleficent escapes through a tear in the barrier, the Isle streets flood with both factionless and factioned, gathering at the bridge in the hope of being the first to leave the island.

However, the barrier is not destroyed and all those at the bridge bear witness to the Auradon celebrations of Maleficent's defeat. With nowhere to go, and no one to blame, fear and rage instigates riots in the streets which spread across the island. Gonzo and the crew rally to Uma as they fight for their lives.

POST-D1 / ARC III, OPEN YOUR MOUTH & CONSUME :  Gonzo suffers a near fatal injury during the Coronation Riots, that lasted for two days and two nights. While he successfully managed to cut off access to the docks, he was impaled on the blade of a rioter and taken to Dr. Facilier's arcade that had been made into a temporary first aid station for the wounded and the dying. Gonzo was nursed by the crew's surgeon, Noelani, but his life hung at death's door for several days due to loss of blood, immense pain and the threat of infection.

Gonzo remained bedridden in the arcade for over a week before Noelani finally declared him well enough to be moved. He was taken aboard the Lost Revenge, where Noelani overlooked his recovery. After three weeks, he was able to leave the surgeon's room. After four, he was able to return to light deck duty and after eight he was well enough to return to heavy deck duty, the forge and resume his combat training.

Once he was able, Gonzo joined in aiding in the expansion of Uma's territory. Claiming the majority of what had once been Maleficent or Mal's.

D2 / ARC IV, IT’S OUR TIME TO RISE UP :  Fully recovered from the injuries sustained during the Coronation Riots, Gonzo is an active member of the Lost Revenge crew's Vanguard, acting primarily as combat support and as a street scrapper during open conflicts with rival factions or enemies.

Gonzo works closely with Harry and Gil in maintaining and holding Uma's territory as well as mastering his skill in the blacksmith forge. Reeva has taught Gonzo almost everything she knows about how to bend metal and iron to their will and Gonzo has proved himself to be an exceptionally gifted and creative innovator. Creating metalwork automen, figurines and mobile prosthetics as well as puzzle boxes, vaults and intricately designed clock faces and compasses.

Later, Gonzo aids in the abduction of King Ben, and leads the first watch over the King's imprisonment aboard the Lost Revenge and fights against Mal and her allies when they break their deal.

POST-D2 / ARC V, THIS CUTS DEEPER THAN ANY KNIFE :  Following Uma's failed attempt to bring the barrier down, riots once again spread throughout the streets of the Isle, however, these riots are far more devastating. Lasting for four days and four nights, the rage of the island spreads and all are swept up within the frenzy of it. Gonzo fights alongside Harry and the rest of the crew to beat back rioters, looters and instigators from Uma's territory and carve out a safe zone for themselves as well as any that pledged loyalty to Uma and the crew.

As the riots finally died upon the morning of the fourth night, Gonzo, along with the rest of the crew, voted Harry in as their Captain until Uma's return. As the Isle agrees to a temporary ceasefire to rebuild, Gonzo discovers that Reeva, his mentor and mother figure, was killed during the Cotillion Riots.

Gonzo is devastated and near inconsolable, throwing himself into his duty as a crewmate. It takes almost two years before Gonzo reconciles Reeva's death and reopens the forge that Reeva left to him.

D3 / ARC VI, THIS IS THE LINE THAT WE HOLD :  Gonzo has reopened the blacksmith forge, with the opening hours between 8AM and 1PM, allowing him to continue as an active member of the Lost Revenge crew from 2PM onwards. Gonzo manages his time efficiently and is incredibly selective on his clientele, crafting primarily for the Pirates of the Isle and the Cauldron Born. He monitors his buyers obsessively in order to keep track of who is ordering what and is an invaluable resource to the Isle itself.

Gonzo is among those that helps steal the bikes from Mal and her allies, and follows Harry's orders of Jonas becoming temporary Captain of the Lost Revenge when he and Gil escape the Isle. While Auradon suffers at the hands of Audrey, Gonzo and the crew face multiple attacks from rival factions and crews believing the crew to be vulnerable without their Captain and Quartermaster. However, under Jonas' leadership, they beat back their enemies and reunite with Uma, Harry and Gil in full control of their territory.

POST-D3 / ARC VII, HEART OF THE ROTTING KING :  After discovering Reeva's prototype designs for advanced prosthetics, Gonzo agrees to attend Auradon Prep for his final year of schooling. He chooses to study mechanical engineering as well as take several classes on biology and physiology and begins building and perfecting Reeva's original designs for advanced prosthetics.

However, as Gonzo finds himself free of the barrier, he begins to experience sudden and prolonged blackouts, losing time and failing to recall his own actions. He begins experiencing crippling migraines, intense and vivid hallucinations, and finds himself capable of extreme and inhuman feats of strength, athleticism and agility.

Things come to a tipping point when Gonzo is cornered by a group of Auradonians who despise Isle Borns. Gonzo lashes out and brutally attacks the group of Auradonians and would have killed them if Uma had not stepped in to stop him. Gonzo just barely manages to break free of the black out and passes out shortly thereafter.

Upon waking, Gonzo is forced to reveal what he has been experiencing since being freed from the barrier. With help, Gonzo uncovers the truth of his origins, that he holds within himself a piece of the Chernabog’s soul and that the Horned King has been attempting to possess his mind and body.

Gonzo must face the Horned King to break himself free from his control once and for all and along the way, discover the truth of his true identity and the identity of the other Chernabog vessels.

POST-D3 / ARC VIII, HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS :  With the Horned King defeated, Gonzo finds himself swept up in another dangerous game against a far more dangerous adversary as the Chernabog’s main body begins to take shape once more. Gonzo, and his fellow Chernabog vessel’s find themselves being called towards the Chernabog as it attempts to reform and repair it’s fractured powers by devouring its pieces that it had scattered across the Isle.

Unwilling to allow themselves to be devoured and lose the lives that they now had for themselves, Gonzo and the others set out to trap the Chernabog while it is within its weakened state and to consume it in order to become truly free of its influence once and for all.

It is during the final confrontation against the Chernabog that Gonzo finally and truly unleashes the full power of his abilities. Uncovering that he has fed upon conflict and discord as a passive ability until the barrier’s fall, Gonzo and the other vessel’s are able to overpower the Chernabog and in a haze, devour his remains.

Gonzo finds himself in full control of his new abilities and struggles to reconcile what he is and what it means.

POST-D3 / ARC IX, LET THESE HANDS CREATE :  Gonzo returns to school and finds himself on the receiving end of direct and indirect opposition to his presence in Auradon as his powers often cause others to become irritable, suspicious and highly confrontational and any negative thoughts and feelings are made manifest. Gonzo, as an Isle Born and being easily distinguished as such, causes him to be made the target of many anti-Isle Born propaganda and arguments which cause Gonzo to lash out with violence often.

Gonzo is regretfully expelled from Auradon Prep following one of his many fights and later enrols into Auradon City High School where his treatment isn't that much better. Gonzo struggles immensely with controlling his powers and abilities and finds himself relying upon his sibling vessels to learn how to maintain a normal life without his powers taking control of him.

It takes a lot of effort for Gonzo to graduate high school, and rather than attend university, Gonzo returns to the Isle where he creates his first fully autonomous prosthetic pieces.

Gonzo continues working as a master Blacksmith but is most known for his autonomous prosthetics and metalwork guardians. He still considers himself a member of the Lost Revenge crew, and has become extremely close to his vessel siblings.

[fixiegirls]

Repost: • @lemongr.azz if u know u know— i be joking about how i don’t really drive but truly it’s something i take pride in: mobility via bike & public tranpso. city kids still getting places without a car das why i’m agitated af about sf cutting its muni budget??? WACK. cops protecting storefronts from “looters” than actual people??? WACK. defunding the police? would be tight. the fight is truly intersectional. will continue to bring my energy to advocate for wellness, access & equity we really here for the movement and not just a moment. show up as you are. start local. the marathon continues �� https://www.instagram.com/p/CCfN8aqJCT1/?igshid=1b5adhhym2jh7

[faythelyse]

Joji x Reader {female reader} Apocalyptic Setting <Part One>

The sound of your closest friends baby jolts you awake. You had fallen asleep sitting up in a chair near the window. You stand and stretch for a moment before walking into the kitchen. Jessica meets you at the doorway to the kitchen.

"We're officially out of food." She bounces her daughter on her knee.

"Alright, I'll grab Ashlee and we can hit that up this place we noticed coming back from our last haul. It looked like a department store or something. I have an extra cheese stick in my bag if Jade is hungry."

Jessica knods and sighs. You knew saving that cheese stick was a good call. After grabbing the snack for Jade you head to the garage where Ashlee was working on the truck we scored a few months ago. Ashlee notices you enter and slams her hand on the top. "We still need some gas for this bad boy!"

"No time like the present to go look for some?!" You add expecting a negative response.

Ashlees face turned sour. "We're out of food."

"Yep. You going."

"Well of course, but we just went on a trip 3 days ago. Those rations were supposed to last a week. Jess eats like a fucking pig." Ashlee starts throwing her gloves off onto the desk and prepares a bag for the emergency food trip we are underprepared for in all honesty.

"How much ammo do we have left?"

Ashlee sighs heavily "We were low last trip. We might have 5 or 6 shells left for the shotgun."

"And the handgun?" You interject.

"Fifteen." Ashlee finishes packing up leaving the shotgun for me to take. "I'm gonna take a smoke break. Meet me out front when your ready to roll." She puts the cigarette in her mouth and walks out.

Grabbing the gun you quickly head for your room to gather the essentials. Outside Ashlee was taking the last drag off her cigarette before flicking it to the road. I stare at the bikes in front of us wishing we had gas for the truck. "Jesus christ I hate these bikes, I'm wore out by the time we get to wherever we're going." Ashlee smiles. "Soon Y/N" Ashlee closes her eyes and daydreams for a moment. Imagining life with a car again.

About halfway there we stop and scout a bit. Make sure no one is out and about before we pull closer into this town.

Right on the edge of town we leave our bikes locked to a tree behind a small abandoned house. It was a soft pink color. It somewhat stood out making it easier to remember where we left our things. We chat quietly while making our way to a large department store.

The store was huge. The sign had fallen partially. A corner of the building was also caving in. Jessica, never going out on many supply trips didn't always realize the danger she put Ashlee and I in on a somewhat regular basis. Although we have become better at it over time.

As we arrived at the doors we became silent. Searching for any possible noises or animals that could get us in worse trouble than we were already putting ourselves in. Instead of going in through the front we found a side door that appeared quieter to open. Upon entering we were stunned to see lots of stuff still on the shelves. Why had this store not been hit so badly by looters. Shocked by the nostalgia and childlike joy we let our gaurd down. We casually walked down aisles and shared past memories that seemed insignificant then. We would give anything to be able to visit a store normally again. Buy a new dress to wear for date night or some shit.

"Holy shit, they have mother fucking WINE!!!"

Ashlee was almost in tears, and I couldn't contain my smile. We packed as many as we could. We still needed room for actual food.

Just then we both heard a single gunshot so we dropped immediately to the floor as quickly as possible. Readying our guns we slowly get up and sneak closer to the back of the store where the gun had fired. There is a hallway that leads back to the bathrooms and what I assume might be the head office or the workers lounge area. We see a shadow at first emerging from the hallway. We aim thinking it could be one of the infected, but it was just a man. He pulled out a walkie telling someone on the other end he's fine. Ashlee and I are frozen for a minute. We hadn't seen people in a long time. Hell it's even been awhile since we've seen an infected. They have been sparce lately. Probably just spreading out more. Although we weren't a very populated area anyway. Ashlee whispers "What do we do, ignore them?" I shrug not knowing myself. It would be risky to assume they are friendly. And if they were to rob us we would be left with nothing. Another man runs up, he has a large backpack on. Ashlee and I locked eyes for a moment. We had the same idea to potentially rob this man. I shake my head. "Maybe they will trade?" I whisper.

Ashlee shakes her head in disbelief that they would consider trading. We had not glanced back at the men for a minute, when we turned back to check on them they were gone. I turn back and shrug, if they were gone then we had no further issue. Ashlee and I nod knowing we should get a move on and wrap this up before we get spotted. While crouching we slowly walk around the nearest aisle where we are met face to face with the two men we had just spotted. Both shocked we all immediately stand, but none of us draw a weapon. After a solid 30 seconds of no speaking just staring I speak up

" We really just need to grab some food, we won't be any trouble." It was then that I noticed one of them was injured.

"You're hurt?" I said softly. Ashlee also softened her expression when she noticed the wound. Ashlee broke her silence as well, "Y/N is a healer of sorts, maybe we can help."

Ashlee and I are both suckers for wanting to help. The man with big sad brown eyes looked at me with some hope.

"Can you really hel-ehp" he stopped abruptly and grabbed the wound on his side that started to soak through his thick green coat. I couldn't tell the severity of it, I didn't want him to die though, so in the moment I just decided to say yes. His friend went alongside him to help support him. "My name is Ben" He proceeded to shake Ashlees hand and then my own. "This is George, nice to meet you. We were here looking for medical supplies, if you could help us out we would pay you back some how. Whatever you need, I promise. We'll work it off."

"I'm not a real doctor or anything man. I just started learning this stuff since the world went to shit. I've practiced on dogs, and cats, a few humans. Nothing too crazy. I've become pretty decent at sew up jobs. I just promise to do my best to help. If something goes wrong I just cant have you blaming me."

Ben smiled "Listen, its not like im going to find some heart surgeon out here. Anything you can do to help is better than whatever I could come up with."

Ashlee walks up to the other side of George and throws his arm over her neck. "I'll help walk him to the bikes."

I nod and quickly grab everything i can that is edible, even found a few seed packets. Elena will be stoked to add these to her garden.

We biked back to our little community that cosisted of 2 houses that have been conjoined by fencing in the two. Its somewhat protected by being hidden in the many trees that surround our community.

Jessica was sitting smoking outside. As she saw us pull up with two strangers she looked worried. I held up my hand to show her everything was okay and waved. We brought George in and laid him in a spare room we had set up for me to work on anyone who had been hurt. There was no bed, only a futon mattress had been laid on the floor.

"Set him down gently." Ben whispered.

Ashlee had a worried expression, I could tell she was worried about the blood loss. He appeared paler than before. I sat down and started preparing my equipment as fast as possible and urged Ashlee to grab some other things I needed.

As I neared being finished with sterilizing the needle I told everyone to leave the room. I can never concentrate while people watch. I had assumed George was knocked out when I reached down to start removing his jacket he grabbed my wrist.

"This is going to fucking hurt isn't it." He breathed. I nodded. I had nothing to numb him. Then I remembered the extra wine Ashlee and I had discovered. We had grabbed six bottles. I pulled out a bottle and handed it to George. He glanced it over.

"For the pain?"

"For the pain." I said as took it back from him to open it. After opening I asked if he would like a cup.

"Bottles fine, lets get this over with." He started to shrug off his jacket exposing the large gash on his side. Hopefully he hadn't punctured an organ or something I couldn't fix.

He took 3 large drinks and motioned for me to come to him. I started cleaning the wound to the best of my ability with what we had. It was time to start sewing. Sewing still makes me nervous.

I was ready to pierce skin when he interrupted.

"Do you have anything to bite on?"

I took the belt that was around my waist wrapped it up and handed it to him. He bit down and nodded to show he was ready.

I started and his eyes rolled back into his head, I kept going. I wanted this to be over as fast as possible. He started making a few small shrieks here and there but he was toughing it out rather well I thought.

As I was getting to the last few stitches his hand found my leg and grabbed it tightly. I felt horrible for causing him so much pain.

I started to just mumble I'm sorry over and over again until I had finally finished. His head fell back onto the pillow in exhaustion and agony. I leaned up and pressed my hand to his forehead and face and apologized some more. Trying to gauge how well he was actually doing. I stopped myself and realized I needed to finish by covering it with a bandage. I grabbed clean cloth from the cabinet and bandaged him. I look at him for a moment. I should grab his friend and let him know I've finished. He probably wants to wait with him until he wakes up. As I struggle to stand back up George's hand grabs mine and squeezes. I squeeze back giving him reasurrence, and leave to confront everyone.

Ben steps up to me immediately as i exit the room.

"What's the damage, is he cool? Are we good?"

I could tell he was nervous about the answer.

"I'm not sure yet honestly, he's all stiched up. He's also still alive and lucid which is a good sign. It's going to take a long time to heal. Maybe a month or two. It also needs to stay clean and free of infection. I recommend staying here until he's fully healed. Ben seemed pleased with my answers "Can I go see him now?" I nodded and he rushed in.

Ashlee pulled me to the side. "You reccomend they stay for two months?"

"Yes, that was my recommendation. He was hurt prerty bad, he shouldn't be moving at all for atleast 3 weeks. I think we should just chill. As long as he heals well, we could use their help."

Ashlee crosses her arms. "This is risky, but Im with you. It's nice to have new faces around."

"I agree" I smile, feeling slightly better that I may have saved someone's life.

[redknight3996]

14: The Breakers 

Before you make it further into the park, to the full, final area, you’re more than likely going to be interrupted. That’s understandable because there’s a number of hunters out in the park, and you’ve more than likely caused problems for them along the way of your journey, either through defending yourself, attempting to protect other survivors, or actively attacked them for the sake of your own score. All understandable motives, to different degrees, but it’s not like they endeared you to the groups either.

Of the three starting groups of hunters, the Breakers have probably been the most active hassle for you, if just because the leather-clad bikers are far more mobile than the Scalpers and far more aggressive than the Looters. They’re quite prone to swinging things at you on drivebys–such as pipes, chains, fire axes, flaming axes, etc–or trying to shoot you outright if you’ve killed enough of them. The bikes they ride do give them a lot of mobility, but causing them to crash usually results in them getting pretty mangled, and that’s a bad thing to be when there are zombies about.

For the most part, these biking brutes are a hassle, but one you can hide from, and also one that’s very uninterested in entering the areas their bikes won’t work well in, so you’ll mostly find them in the Center Circuit and Bright Future. You might spot them in Glitter Avenue, riding around and attacking all sides, but the main place you are likely to find them after their establishment is the Circuit. Or more specifically, the Dome of Doom, aka the enormous stadium mentioned earlier where a demolition derby was planned to be held.

The Dome of Doom contains a number of hallways, stores, and stands where confectionary and souvenirs could be bought, and which are currently occupied by militant bikers in increasingly spiked and studded helmets and jacket and zombies on leashes, used as either punching bags or guards for the Breakers.

Now you might decide to go to this claimed compound for any number of reasons, such as trying to grab the guns and supplies of well-equipped murderers, but one big reason you may have is the leaders of the Breakers actively calling you out and posting a bounty for your head. This might happen for any number of reasons, ranging from actually being a threat to their gang to simply exploring around the park enough to catch their attention. They’re in this for thrills, after all, and if you’re interesting, they’ll aim for you.

In fact, you very well might not wind up here willingly at all. It’s entirely possible that the Breakers targeting you, or even the Scalpers or Looters, might capture you. Knock you out, bind you up, some sort of thing, at which point you’ll find yourself inside of a crate with most of your stuff gone and your hands loosely bound behind your back. Loosely enough that you’ll be able to escape and push the top of the box off, at which point you’ll hear the blaring of an announcer’s voice declaring your new role as the target in a full on demolition derby.

So you’re probably dead, assuming you’re still a normal person at this point, but if you’re not, you might have a chance. Either way, Scarlet and Violet are the stars of this encounter, and you’re not getting out of here alive without dealing with them.

The two of them are sisters who dress in full racing leathers and visored motorcycle helmets, one in red and black, and the other in blue and black. They also have motorcycles of their own, one patterned with red flowers and equipped with flamethrowers, while the other is patterned with blue flowers and equipped with chainsaws. On the sides and fronts, so any pass could be extremely lethal for you.

As for the sisters themselves, they’re murderous, excited about it, and in this for thrills and death and pure destruction, paid for through inherited wealth and guarantees of entertaining sights. Don’t expect much because they’ve always been of the nihilistic type, the kind of people who keep being put in the main villain role when, really, they work best as secondary antagonists, which these two fulfill with a reckless enjoyment.

Fights will occur, some way or another, and it might not even be in the Dome. Sooner or later, the murderous sisters will aim to run you down, and you’ll have advantages and disadvantages depending on a number of factors, but the key to it all is that you have to beat them at some point, one way or another, even if it means traps and trickery or even setting one gang against another. And as you do, you’ll probably see their suits rip or their helmets break, and you’ll see just how far the mutations can go.

You’ll see the red, gnarled skin under a shiny red helmet. You’ll see empty eye sockets with burning flames inside them. You’ll hear the mad laughter of a burning monster, shrieking out into the daylight as pipes of bone grayed like steel burst out her back and spew smoke and flame out of her. Jagged spikes will burst out with leaking oil and roiling flames, and a tongue of liquid flame will droop like molten glass from a mouth spilling fire and fumes.

You’ll see purple, bruised skin, cut and leaking. You’ll see blades of what was bone seeping out amid groans and gasps. You’ll hear cracks and breaks and rips in flesh as her screaming gets louder. You’ll see her drive her head into her saws as she tries to control it. The thrills have vanished in a building fear of encroaching reality, of the horror of being twisted into something entirely inhuman, but then there had always been some inhumanity here from the start, hadn’t there?

You’ll see one eat the other at some point, and then keep on going through the rest of her gang. 

The Breakers will not survive their time in Sanguine Park. They weren’t meant to.

[omalleymenagerie]

Alright, so, I was at the #PittsburghProtest yesterday and these are my experiences and takeaways.

CW: violence, police, looting, war crimes, vomiting, social injustice, racism, classism, long as fuck

It was chaos. The original protest leaders left at their designated time and when white supremacists showed up. That was fair on their part, but there were still people there trying to be heard by the police.

There were also people there for the wrong reasons. There was looting. You wanna know where those people were? Not standing directly in front of the cops where they were firing teargas.

Just a reminder, folx, the Geneva Convention states that chemical warfare is a war crime punishable on an international level. Not that the police will ever be held accountable even on a local level. Not the big tough good guys firing caustic gas at civilians. Who's a super brave fascist tool? Is it you, cops? I think it is.

My two housemates and I got there after the official protest was over because we heard the situation was escalating. We weren't going because it was exciting or trending. We went as support. We brought medical supplies, food, water, and several ways to neutralize the CHEMICAL WEAPONS the police were firing. At unarmed civilians. Because they're the good guys. People were already vomiting and running from the teargas when we were dropped off. We went toward it to see what we could do.

People were looting The Exchange, but these weren't protesters. These were opportunists. No one in Pittsburgh wants to fuck up our area. You wanna break shit? Break shit that hurts the community, not helps it. The 7/11s in the area didn't close and were good to us. Then someone broke the front doors of one of them and robbed the place wearing literal rubber masks. Like from a B-heist movie.

Those people weren't there to help the cause. Those people were not there to support the black community. Those people are not the allies that any community needs. Those people saw an opportunity and took it because clearly the cops were more concerned about a bunch of people standing in a line holding signs and chanting to stop police brutality against people of color. Yeah, because we were the threat.

Some of the teargas canisters were thrown back at the officers. Most of them were booted over while still going to stop them from harming protestors. The cops can act the victim on that if they want, but they're the ones with body armor and a full head breathing helmet. So, I'm pretty sure they were more equipped to handle the CHEMICAL WARFARE they were using on us.

My group quickly realized there was no one was in charge. We, three white people, have no place leading a movement like this. We were there to raise up the voices from the black community, not speak over or for them. So, we tried to find anyone who could help us go where we needed to go. We found a pair who seemed to at least have a direction to point us in. An older black gentleman who was mad about the looting and people wrecking up the city, and a younger black woman who was vehement that the looters were not part of this. They actually began their conversation as a heated argument across an intersection, but he went to her and they talked out their differences. By the time we approached them, they had found common ground. It was a beautiful display of conflict resolution. Take notes, cops.

We attempted to get barricades moved so people could actually get in and out of the city, but the cops were surrounding us, literally using city blocks to block us in and it was hard to encourage people to take away the wall between them and the people firing caustic gas at us.

Have I mentioned the teargas enough yet? Have I mentioned how horrific it smells and how it burns your flesh even by secondhand contact? Have I mentioned the people vomiting in the streets after having CHEMICAL WEAPONS used on them? Have I mentioned the screaming? Have I mentioned the terror of being separated from your loved ones when one or both of you were trapped inside the caustic gas?

I witnessed it first hand. The cops fired the canisters. The crowd screamed to run. Several people weren't fast enough to escape in time. One of my group had a full face gas mask, so he ran into the gas and physically aided an individual out who was vomiting uncontrollably. We neutralized the chemicals in their eyes and skin, called for medics who were almost nonexistent, and helped reunite them and their fiancee.

(I am using they/them pronouns as I am not sure of their pronouns and don't wish to misgender them. If you are this person or know this person, please know there was deep bravery in their actions and no shame in having a meltdown. I hope they and their fiancee who was also gassed are doing as well as they can.)

It was starting to get into the evening and my group tried to figure out where the police were set up in case anything bad did happen. We were pretty much loosely surrounded. When we got back to the main group, a line of fully geared cops had formed a block or so away from where most of us were. The police chief had put an 8:30 curfew out and we were told the cops would be taking action if we did not disperse.

That's when a small group of us formed our own line in front of the officers. We were a small, but diverse group. Gonna be honest, not everyone in that line had the same agenda. I don't like cops. I've called them insulting things in private conversations with not cops. Insulting them while trying to preach peace was not the correct way to handle this. Will it elicit a laugh if you outright state that officer over there has never made a woman orgasm in his life? Probably, but they were just making the cops mad. Not gonna lie, most of the people ACTIVELY insulting the cops were white faces.

My group did not follow suit. We listened to the people of color we stood with. We chanted the names of those murdered, I can't breath, no justice/no peace, and black lives matter. We stuck to the peaceful message the protest was meant to send. The officers were asked why they needed shields and armor against unarmed civilians? Why 20 unarmed civilians calling for an end to police brutality required no less than 40 fully geared officers? We weren't the threat. The looters who several blocks away? They were the criminals. The vandals? They were the criminals. We had our arms up or out, universal signs to show we were not a threat.

At one point, a man rode up behind us on a bike, hiding behind us completely and holding a phone out with the picture of a black man on it. The man on the bike was screaming about how they had murdered his brother, but something didn't sit right about the guy. I'm a lifelong theater kid. I know bad acting when I hear it. He wasn't sobbing. He had his head covered with a shirt so no one could get a clear look at him and then rode off just as quickly as he'd ridden in. I won't say this man was there to incite further anger, but I have deep suspicions.

I have never been at the front of a protest line facing the cops before. I have never seen nearly 50 faceless, armored, and armed officers who have permission to potentially permanently harm. I couldn't call them individuals in that moment. They were like a swarm, buzzing with tension. Some of them seemed ready to go as soon as the order was given. Some of them stood as though emotionless automatons. They switched out groups of officers, where they were standing, who had what weapon or shield. There were some that stayed exactly where they were the entire time I stood there.

I made a choice to try to look several of them in the eyes which was difficult through the visors but we were close enough that I could see their eyes. I wasn't being intimidating. I was trying to be one human looking at another human and trying to understand how we ended up here. I didn't lock eyes with any of them purposefully, but one of the officers and I did lock eyes. I'd like to say I was being brave by keeping eye contact. I'll be honest, I had a freeze response to fear. There was so much anger and coldness that I couldn't move for a few seconds. I don't know if the officer took my actions as a threat, but they weren't intended that way. Threatening cops doesn't make them want to hurt you or those around you less.

Several of us had to leave the line before the deadline. I am not ashamed to state I was one of them. Frankly, I'm a trans man, and the idea of being put in jail and misgendered for potentially several days is frightening enough without even thinking about abuses I could face. My housemate looked at me and said, "If they catch you, they will take you." So, he handed me his backpack, and I left.

There were officers everywhere while I walked through the city. Some were "undercover" but they knew they were in the homestretch and weren't even pretending to not be cops. None of which were wearing masks, as a side note. We ain't in the green yet, boys. Masks up.

I also passed several groups of fully geared cops. I just had to keep walking.

I heard sirens blaring from the direction I'd left my companions. I just had to keep walking.

I saw looters laughing about how everything was "on sale" or "so cheap" today. I just had to keep walking.

I walked probably about 5 miles to the place we had agreed to meet and waited. Hoping they would show up. I waited an hour. Nothing. I walked back down the road, hoping I would meet them along the way. Nothing. I went back to the meeting place, hoping they were there wondering where I was. Nothing. I'll note here that I made the choice to leave my phone at home. So, I had no means of communication. I finally decided that waiting 2 hours was probably longer than I should have waited, and borrowed the phone from a pizza place. Many thanks again, my dude, I'd shout you out if I could remember the name of your shop, but I'm definitely hitting you up for pizza later.

While I waited, I watched as cop cars drove by dozens of times. I don't know if they were the same cars or different ones. There were just a lot of them. I listened to sirens blare all around me. I listened to helicopters zoom around the sky. I watched as people from the protest walked by. I watched as people with looted goods walked by. I watched as people went about their lives as though the world were not rioting. I watched as eight horse mounted officers clopped by grinning like cowboys keeping order in the wild west.

I got picked up and was home safe after nightlight. It turned out my housemates were arrested and we're getting those logistics figured out. I'm worried about my partner because we haven't heard from her today.

I'm physically unharmed from my experience beyond some blisters from walking probably 10-15 miles collectively with intermittent running when, you know, chemical weapons were fired in my direction by law enforcement officers.

I am not okay, though.

I'll be honest, I grew up privileged. I grew up not thinking the cops were going to shoot me or my loved ones. I didn't have to be afraid because of the color of my skin. I was never one of those, "racism is over," people because I grew up in the south where racism is alive, well, and thriving. I grew up always afraid cops were going to arrest my father because he pretty much told me if we were ever pulled over the cops were taking him away from me. (Thanks for the long-term trauma, dad. Gotta pay for my therapist's kid's braces somehow, right?)

But that's why I went. Because, statistically and factually, I am less likely to be murdered by the police than any of the POC there just because of the color of my skin. So, I went because I was physically capable of being on my feet outside for that long, which is my physical privilege. I stood with the black community yesterday because I am trying to be the best ally I know how to be.

I may not be able to go to another protest soon, but I will when I'm able. I'm very shaken. My already crumbling worldview is shattered beyond repair and I'm just trying to figure out what to do with all these broken shards of hope.

If you made it this far into my rambling, thanks for taking the time to read. These are my experiences. These are my opinions. I stand with the black community. Your value is not determined by the color of your skin.

(Edited because leaving my phone at home was not a mistake, just frightening. Remember, phones are tracking devices.)

[daintydormouse]

Some notes for those protesting.

(Stolen from elsewhere on the internet. If you like, copy/paste and spread)

—If you are livestreaming a protest, and you are recording yourself, or taking selfies, instead of documenting information: you are not an ally. You are a tourist.

—Cover your face. Cover your hair. Cover your tattoos. Wouldn’t want to have any surfaces exposed that could get coronavirus.

—Protect your identity. Obscure your face. There are bad actors on the internet that would love to identify you and track you down for participating in a peaceful protest. Want to feel paranoid? Read about the mysterious deaths of identified Ferguson protestors years later. If you are in the privileged majority, this might be your first time realizing that there are violent people out there who want to hunt you down and harm you for existing. Imagine how POC feel.

—Unless your phone is inside a faraday cage, or you have removed the battery, it can be tracked. Yes, even in airplane mode.

—Assume all information transmitted from your phone is being intercepted by the police at the protest. Including your livestream. Oakland once had one of the largest inventories of Stingray devices (communciations intercept towers) in the US. They used them extensively against Occupy.

—Friendly reminder, your license plate is being scanned and tracked most places you drive.

—Disable your fingerprint or facescan unlock. While it is theoretically true that a search warrant is required to search your phone, it is also theoretically illegal for the police to murder an unarmed and nonviolent citizen. Use a six digit or more passcode.

—Backups to the cloud. Things tend to get broken at protests.

—Do not publicly display your teargas neutralizing spray, or peperspray neutralizing spray. You might be targeted. Keep it discrete and ready for use.

—Document any people showing up in Hawaiian shirts. Document anyone suspected of being undercover cops. Document agent provocateurs. Document bad actors showing up just to destroy property.

—If you have an Iphone, learn how to use your emergency sos. You can set your Emergency SOS to notify your family you might be being arrested or kidnapped (if it is safe for you to activate this feature). You can also disable the call 911 feature in Emergency SOS. Activating this feature also locks your phone against anything but a passcode unlock. If your phone is also encrypted, it is very hard for someone to illegally break into your phone.

—Write your emergency contact on your body in sharpie, somewhere both out of view and where it will not sweat off. Or memorize it. You will not have access to your cellphone if you are arrested (whether wrongfully or not).

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. Hot hands gloves, or Nomex flight gloves, can be used to pick up hot objects on the ground, if you need to throw a teargas grenade away from you.

—Highpowered lasers, not usually the pocket kind, can destroy the sensors on cameras. Be careful with your cameras out there.

—If your goggles have vents, they are vulnerable to teargas and pepperspray.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. A set of allen keys can sometimes unlock crowd control gates.

—Remember that Neonazis have driven cars into peaceful protests in the past. There is finally a use for all those lyft/lime/uber bikes and scooters. Bring them to the protest and use them to as roadblocks if necessary to prevent cars from driving into protestors or chasing them.

—Umbrellas can be useful in preventing bad actors from hitting you with some projectiles during an otherwise peaceful protest. They also help protect identity.

—If you are a white ally: listen. Don’t make the protests about you. There are already literal Nazis doing that.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. It has already been noted on multiple organizing boards for white supremacist groups that a protest they’ve whipped into a riot is the perfect place to murder someone with impunity, and even kidnap people. Read up on how to escape from zipties. Bring medical shears or small snips to cut them. Replace your bootlaces with paracord, it can be used as a friction saw.

—If you are arrested, identify yourself. Have your ID. Do your best to show the officer that you are peaceful and not resisting arrest. Say nothing else at all without a lawyer present, unless it is to request your phone call. Assume anything said, including on phone call, is being documented and could be aggressively used against you. Innocent people can still go to jail.

—Be careful, all kinds of bad actors can use a peaceful protest as an excuse for violence. Assume you might get shot with a rubber bullet/sandbag. Wear protective gear so you can protest in peace. Being misidentified as a violent/illegal protestor by an officer could also mean being hit by a baton, which could break your bones. Protests can quickly turn chaotic, and often the official response to a peaceful protest can be indiscriminate in who gets injured. Don’t forget that photo of a 12 year old that was peppersprayed for being at a protest.

—Recognize that there are complex factors at play. Not everyone at the protest has the same agenda. Some are not peaceful. The Attorney General of the US noted yesterday that outside provacateurs are infiltrating peaceful protests to accelerate outside agendas unrelated to protesting in solidarity with Black Lives Matter/George Floyd/Police Brutality. The Mayor of Minneapolis noted many* violent protestors arrested were from out of state, and some had ties to white supremacist groups. Not all protestors are looters. Not all looters are protesting anything.

—If you are a white ally that acknowledges your privilege and wants to use that to support the protestors, go to the front of the protest. If you can tolerate having your identity known and you can be a peaceful human shield, do it. Just don’t steal the scene. Let the other POC speak. Leave your megaphone and microphone with someone else while you shield them.

—If you are a white ally in your comfortable home, stop deleting anyone that disagrees with you. Stop feeding the divisive algorithms that have helped shape this discourse into a hateful thing. Right now, you can be putting in the work talking to people and helping them understand that “All Lives Matter” is a way to avoid talking about Black Lives Matter. Don’t be combative. Listen. Ask Questions. Talk. Your POC friends don’t need to spend all their time educating—a huge part of our role as white allies is helping our other white circles understand and grow.

—Yes, all lives do matter. The problem is that some are treated like they matter less. And they are disproportionately affected by police violence in the United States. When you shout “All Lives Matter” in response to “Black Lives Matter,” all that is happening is you are silencing people trying to speak up about disproportionate treatment and unequal rights. If you are sharing that factoid about how many white versus black lives are taken by police, without adjusting for population, you are ignorant of statistics and being willfully manipulative at worst. Do you really believe that all lives are treated and regarded equally?

—Silence is how this grew. Colorblindness is how this grew. Ignoring this is privilege. The status quo is broken. Racism is alive and well. Silence is violence.

—Your political affiliation does not matter in proving you aren’t racist. Living in a diverse and liberal area does not matter. Knowing a POC in your personal life proves nothing. Quoting one convenient MLK quote does not matter. Only being actively anti-racist matters.

—Human lives will always be worth more than property. Stop changing the subject. There will be an appropriate time to rebuild.

—Violence at a protest does not invalidate the point of the protest, even one intended to he peaceful. Focusing on violence is just a way to ignore the meaning of the protest. Stop changing the subject.

If you want to share this, copy and paste it without attribution. This is not about any one person. Not even George Floyd. It is a chain in which George Floyd is one of the latest links. Like Alton Sterling. Like Sandra Bland. Like Michael Brown. Like Freddie Gray. The list is staggering. And every single one of those names on the list was a person who could still be with us today

[acemeetup]

Hello you beautiful fellow aces my name is Mike I am 43 and I live in northeast Ohio. I hope that I have this app finally figured out and that this profile posts correctly or at all :p I am a hetero romantic demi romantic sex repulsed asexual. Just to cut to the Chase I am looking for just a relationship a true love relationship AKA my soulmate. I not really intrested in making friendships. A little bit about me I am an INFJ, raw emotional empath and extremely love focused. Everything I have ever done in my life has been to either promote love understand love or understand who my soulmate might be so that I would have a better chance of finding her. Because of this I am kind, caring, extremely loving, understanding, Fiercely loyal, I attempt to achieve balance in all things and understand the importance of trust and communication in a relationship. Things I like to do are gaming for one :D I mainly play MMORPG's and looter shooters, Mountain biking, snowboarding, Inventing, deep conversations, I am a foodie as in I love great food and I'm the guy that everybody knows that knows we're all the great food is in town. Because of my understanding and research in to love and relationships I happen to have a fairly good idea of the traits that my soulmate would probably have so if somebody reads this profile and thinks they might be my soulmate well that might be true but there are certain things that my soulmate Is that are not conveyed in this profile so if you do think you might be a soulmate to me then definitely write me and we'll talk and we'll see. I have been looking for my soulmate for a very long time And the love that I have in my heart For my soul mate is huge and warm and true and only for her. Because of my knowledge of love I have come to understand that love doesn't care about a great many things and some of the things it doesn't care about is distance and time and age and race and color just to name a few. Because of this understanding whoever my soulmate is is who she is. To me age is irrelevant because if we are soumates to each other true Soulmates then it doesn't matter distance doesn't matter because again if we are soumates than distance has no meaning. Although I would love to be fully in line with the energy of love I am still unfortunately a flawed human being and there are certain things that probably don't matter to love but unfortunately do matter to me and one of those is physical attraction. I have found that I do need to be physically attracted to a girl that I suspect could be my soulmate. My story is a long one and complicated and impossible to capture everything in this short bio so if you want to know more or you're intrested in me or think we might be Soulmates then feel free to contact me. I don't bite at all I'm extremely easy to talk to and will answer any question anybody has no matter how personal because since I'm looking for my soulmate and a soul mate relationship is devoid of negative energy I am unable to lie and I am unable to keep secrets because those things are negative energy and like I said a soulmate relationship has no tolerance for negative energy. places I can be reached: here on this app, LINE: warlotus, Instagram: warlotus40.