#black blindman

[this-blurry-photograph]

The Lost Tomb 2: Ep.11

They have three cars, a dozen men, and guns. I think one Xiao-ge should even the odds pretty nicely.

Oh, not Xiao-ge but Xiao Hua and his band if merry thieves.

Love it that when something goes wrong all the men immediately get out of the vehicle. Great planning and delegation there.

Xiao-ge! That was him on the second bike, right?

So Xiao-ge's working with this other group? I'm with Wu Xie on this one. Very jealous.

Did he just bite her??? Who knew Wu Xie could be so feral *crying*

I was just gonna comment on how Xiao Hua has moves, beating u all these guys with a bullet wound, and then this Black Blindman guy just casual snaps a guys neck on a bus and makes it look like he's just taking a nap...

Oh Xiao-ge, Wu Xie is being held captive, it's time to step in and redeem yourself.

[mandowifey]

Character Masterlist.

Note: This list will be updated regularly when I get a new blorbo.

● ● ●

Ethan Hawke:

James Sandin (The Purge)

Russel Millings (Adopt a Highway)

Arthur Harrow (Moon Knight)

Edward Dalton (Daybreakers)

Ellison Oswalt (Sinister)

Albert Shaw/The Grabber (The Black Phone)

Ray Harris (Raymond and Ray)

Ernst Toller (First Reformed)

Lars Nystrom (Stockholm)

● ● ●

The Boys Universe:

Homelander

William/Billy Butcher

Ben/Soldier Boy

● ● ●

Stephen Lang:

Norman Nordstrom/Blindman (Don't Breathe)

Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Tera Nova)

Colonel Miles Quaritch- Human & Na'vi (Avatar)

John Korver (Gridlocked)

● ● ●

Hamish Linklater:

Father Paul Hill/John Pruitt (Midnight Mass)

John Tyler (Tell Me Your Secrets)

● ● ●

Oscar Isaac:

Santiago "Pope" Garcia (Triple Frontier)

Marc/Steven/Jake (Moon Knight)

Kane Double (Annihilation 2018)

● ● ●

Pedro Pascal:

Din Djarin/Mando (The Mandalorian)

Joel Miller (The Last of Us)

Frankie 'Catfish' Morales (Triple Frontier)

Deiter Bravo (The Bubble)

Javi G (Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)

Max Phillips (Blood Sucking Bastards)

Maxwell Lord (Wonder Woman 88)

● ● ●

John Krasinski:

Lee Abbott (A Quiet Place)

● ● ●

Patrick Wilson:

Ed Warren (The Conjuring)

Orm Marius (Aquaman)

Josh Lambert (Insidious)

Daniel Dreiberg/Nite Owl (Watchmen)

● ● ●

Jensen Ackles:

Tom Hanniger (My Bloody Valentine)

Soldier Boy (The Boys)

● ● ●

Tony Dalton:

Lalo Salamanca (Better Call Saul)

Jack Duquesne (Hawkeye)

● ● ●

Michael Fassbender:

Erik Lehnsherr (X-Men)

David / Walter (Alien Covenant/Prometheus)

● ● ●

Karl Urban:

Commander Vaako (Riddick)

Billy Butcher (The Boys)

● ● ●

Jon Bernthal:

Frank Castle (The Punisher)

Shane Walsh (The Walking Dead)

● ● ●

Jason Bateman:

Marty Byrd (Ozark)

Michael Bluth (Arrested Development)

● ● ●

Patrick Fabian

Howard Hamlin (Better Call Saul)

Cotton Marcus (The Last Exorcism)

● ● ●

Spider-Verse

Peter B Parker

Miguel O'Hara

Venom

● ● ●

Jake Gyllenhaal

Detective Loki (Prisoners)

Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Spiderman: FFH)

Danny Sharp (Ambulance)

● ● ●

Overwatch

Cassidy

Soldier 76/Jack

Reaper/Gabriel

Hanzo Shimada

Genji Shimada

● ● ●

Critical Role (S1)

Grog

Vax

● ● ●

Baldur's Gate 3

Astarion

Enver Gortash

Gale Dekarios

Halsin

Zevlor

Cazador Szarr

● ● ●

Other Chars (Unsorted)

Negan Smith (Walking Dead)

Rick Grimes (Walking Dead)

Daryl Dixon (Walking Dead)

Jamie Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Captain Rex (Star Wars)

Boba Fett (Star Wars)

Kylo Ren (Star Wars)

Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill (BCS/BB)

Barry Berkman (Barry HBO)

James "Logan" Howlett (Wolverine, Xmen)

Wade Wilson (Deadpool)

[angelloverde]

"Mo Soul" Player Playlist 17 May

1. Linda Lewis - Sideway Shuffle 2. Donna McGhee - Mr Blindman 3. Orgone - A Wot 4. The Jazzinvaders - Bonga Bonga Jazz (AIFF Remix) 5. Banderas - Vera 6. Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers - Badminton 7. Odyssey - Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love 8. Bajka - The Beaver's Lesson (Smoove Remix) 9. 6ix Toys Feat. Connie Lush - Paint The Toon 10. Jayne Mansfield - Suey (Senior Citizens Mix) 11. Rusty Bryant - Zoo Boogaloo 12. Τito Puente - Black Brothers 13. The Emotions - Blessed 14. Godchild - La Tete Qui Bout 15. Manzel - Evil Wicked Mean And Nasty (Dopebrother Remix)

If you really want to enjoy music and help musicians and bands, buy their lp’s or cd’s and don’t download mp3 formats. There is nothing like good quality sound!!!

(Angel Lo Verde / Mo Soul)

[atinyladybug-daydreams]

bro i dont know if i should tell the person of that david bright piece that they whitewashed david whos canonicaly black and one of the few cannon black characters in scp

I don't think that was David Blindman because he was wearing an SCP uniform (but I could be very wrong). But also because the artist's not the one who whitewashed him. That piece was a commission piece. The person who commissioned Miregari (the artist) was tagged in the post so I think that's the person you might want to bring it up with.

[foxedfinds]

3:27 am.

He had no idea what had woken him. But now awake he needed to pee. He shuffled to the bathroom; hands outstretched before him like he was playing a game of blindman’s bluff. He now stood in a world of grey that was neither night nor day. A monochrome scene. All objects reduced to a shadow. A two dimensional nothing-ness. A black fish macabrely suspended on a gnarly knotted gaff; hung above a…

[lovesanmotion]

Precious - Song Mingi

💌 This is: Requested

Summary: in which PeterPan!Mingi finally confesses his true feelings for Tinkerbell!Reader

"I can't believe you would ever hurt Wendy like that!......When did you become so violent, y/n?" Mingi spoke with so much venom in his voice but the venom melted into a tone of sadness at the last question.

Partly you blamed yourself for being carried away by your emotions. You only ever wanted to save Mingi from being eaten by the sharks with chains and shackles on his wrists and ankles, but a wretched Wendy attempts to do the same but got herself thrown over the water. You only ever wanted to save Mingi and leave Wendy behind. Besides, it was her own fault for doing something so reckless and stupid without thinking.

"Don't you know you could have killed her?" Mingi's question made you imagine how the crocodiles or the giant red octopus would swallow Wendy whole, inside feeling sorry for her, a sinister smile painted your lips and a tinking sound echoes as you nodded your head.

"Y/N! I hereby banish you forever." Mingi declares, the rest of the lost boys gasp at the sudden declaration. It would always be Mingi and you going to numerous adventures along with the boys, but to vanish you. You stomped your foot and flied away to your own little room inside the willow tree that Mingi made for you some years ago. On your way, you were sure to catch Wendy say something to Mingi.

"Forever? Do you really have the heart to banish y/n forever?" She asked in a solemn tone.

"Well...maybe you're right. Maybe a week then!"

Too angry to even think and listen more at what they could be talking about, you shut your leaf curtain behind you.

And Mingi did keep his word. You were banished for a week, nothing what and where could they be doing without you. And all you could do is sit down miserably on the edge of the leaf, waiting for them to come back. But while waiting, a rustling sound was made from behind you, and suddenly, a purple bag enveloped you, a thread of tinking sounds resonated as you tried to rip the bag apart and dragging you away from Peter's home.

"I beg your pardon, ms y/n. But Captain Hook would love to have a chat with you." You noticed that grumbly old man's voice. It was Mr. Smee who had captured you and eventually take you to Hook's ship.

Once you were set free, you looked around the room, but there was only a wooden table with a fruit bowl and wine on top and a wooden piano that was being played by none other than Captain Hook himself. You sat on top of the untouched wine cork with your back turned against them. Would Mingi ever come for you?

"Ms. Y/N, you would be so delighted to hear that I will admit my defeat" you crossed your arms over your chest and huffed, a tinking noise was made.

"And that's why I took you here, Ms Y/N. To tell you that I have no ill feelings with Mingi." You slowly turned around and watched as Hook's fingers smoothly glides from key to key.

"But what about you and Mingi who brough that Wendy girl?" A devilish grin crosses his face as he leans closer to you. A tinking noises coming from you as you stomped both of your feet on the wine bottle and turned your back away from them again. You could feel the sinister look on Hook's face as he echoed the G key.

"Word around the island is that she came between you and Mingi." Hook's fingers continued to dance around the white and black keys of the piano. Aimlessly creating random melodies that seemed like a harmony.

You frowned and hung your head low, sniffing.

"What's this? Tears?! Then it is true!" Hook leaned his face closer to you, watching you bring your small hand over your eyes to wipe your tears. A tinking sound echoes as you nodded your head.

"How dare Mingi act like a man to a maid? Casting her aside just like that? Like an old glove!" Your lower lip trembled and you couldn't help but bury your face in your hands, sobbing.

"Now now, Ms Y/N. Just as promised. I will be leaving the island with no ill feelings with Mingi." Hook took your little form in his hand and brought you outside of his ship. You leant close to his face before departing.

"Not harm Mingi?" Hook repeated what you last said. "Madame, I will keep your word. Not to lay a finger on Mingi." You arched your pointing finger at him.

"Or a hook on Mingi." Hook repeated. And Hook brought his hand down with you, setting you free.

As you flied towards to Mingi's home, you passed by a mirror and stared at your reflection. The golden glow around you looked like it was fading, you huffed out a breath and trudgingly made your way back to your room.

And day by day, Mingi, the lost boys nor even that wretched Wendy came back to the house. You felt like a thousand needles were piercing through you and they hurted terribly. You could no longer fly nor walk properly, only crawl. The golden glow around you was no longer golden as they start to fade out. Finally, you gave in and your golden glow died out, with a last breath, you closed your eyes.

"Mingi...why is Y/N not moving anymore?" One of the lost boys asked as they took a peak at the little hole in the willow tree.

"Y/N looks...kinda bad" One said as they observed you. Unbeknownst to them that you have "lost your touch" while they are away.

"Kinda bad? kinda bad?" One lost boy repeated as tears started to brim in his eyes until the tears flowed out of his eyes. "This is hopeless. Poor little y/n!" He sobbed.

Mingi felt terrible as he watched your unmoving and lightless figure on your little bed.

"Can you guys go to wherever Wendy is? Make sure she's alright. I'll just talk to y/n alone." Mingi said as he turns to face the six lost boys before him, scrambling out of the room together. When they were all gone, Mingi turns back to face you, sighing.

"Y/N...I'm..I-I," Mingi sighed once more, huffing a breath. "I'm sorry for being so harsh on you, Y/N....I admit that it was my fault, and I didn't really intend to banish you forever. You know its always been me and you since the beginning right? Us two until the end." Mingi extended his hand out and took your little figure in the palm of his hand. But you still laid unmoving and your light still down.

"Remember when we once defeated Hook in Blindman's Tree and had the giant red octopus chase him? I still remember that day very vividly. Oh, and do you also remember when we first met the tribe and had a feast and danced around with them? I know you got jealous when their princess was being too close to me. I know I never said anything, but you looked really cute when you were jealous." Mingi chuckles as if he was talking to you like you were alive. And the next thing, Mingi sniffled as a tear falled out of his eye.

"I miss you, Y/N. We...the boys, we made Hook and his men leave the island." He choked, gulping his own saliva before releasing a breath. "But everytime I was battling Hook, I keep looking for a little golden figure around the ship. It...it-it....it isn't the same without you, y/n." He sobbed.

"Do you remember how we met in Fairy Town? That was the happiest memory I have in my head." He continued to sob over your unmoving and lightless figure. "I'm sorry and I love you, y/n."

Suddenly, a ray of golden light gleamed around you that made Mingi stop from crying, he watched as you slowly blink your eyes and regain your wings back. A smile replaced his frown and almost immediately, Mingi took your little figure and hugged you tightly.

[tristealven]

— Tommy Orange, There There (Knopf, 2018)

[ID text:

Last Names

We didn’t have last names before they came. When they decided they needed to keep track of us, last names were given to us, just like the name Indian itself was given to us. These were attempted translations and botched Indian names, random surnames, and names passed down from white American generals, admirals, and colonels, and sometimes troop names, which were sometimes just colors. That’s how we are Blacks and Browns, Greens, Whites, and Oranges. We are Smiths, Lees, Scotts, MacArthurs, Shermans, Johnsons, Jacksons. Our names are poems, descriptions of animals, images that make perfect sense and no sense at all. We are Little Cloud, Littleman, Loneman, Bull Coming, Madbull, Bad Heart Bull, Jumping Bull, Bird, Birdshead, Kingbird, Magpie, Eagle, Turtle, Crow, Beaver, Youngblood, Tallman, Eastman, Hoffman, Flying Out, Has No Horse, Broken Leg, Fingernail, Left Hand, Elk Shoulder, White Eagle, Black Horse, Two Rivers, Goldtooth, Goodblanket, Goodbear, Bear Shield, Yellow Man, Blindman, Roanhorse, Bellymule, Ballard, Begay, Yazzie. We are Dixon, Livingston, Tsosie, Nelson, Oxendene, Harjo, Armstrong, Mills, Tallchief, Banks, Rogers, Bitsilly, Bellecourt, Means, Good Feather, Bad Feather, Little Feather, Red Feather.

/end ID]

[aion-rsa]

That Time Ringo Starr Played Frank Zappa in 200 Motels

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

With Peter Jackson’s re-cut of The Beatles: Get Back coming at the end of November, we are reminded the Beatles were cinematic stars as well as musical artists. Beyond the group’s films, John Lennon played Private Gripweed in Richard Lester’s How I Won the War, and Ringo Starr acted in quite a few films. His choices were far more in keeping with the underground and independent air of the time. Starr starred with Peter Sellars in the anti-capitalist satire The Magic Christian, as the villain in the Spaghetti Western Blindman, and the voyeuristic Mexican gardener Emmanuel in the sex farce Candy. But his most counterculture and independent nod was as Frank Zappa in the film 200 Motels (1971). A special edition of its soundtrack, Frank Zappa 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition, is coming out on Nov.19.

Written by Zappa, who co-directed with Tony Palmer, 200 Motels is a musical film which sought to project the surrealistic reality of being a pop musician on the road in 1971. The film stands in history as the first full-length feature where the action was shot directly onto videotape and transferred onto 35mm film for cinema release. To do this, they used the old 3-strip Technicolor method of negative and print to isolate the three color signals – red, blue and green – and transfer them to 3-strip 35mm film. Shot in just 10 days at London’s Pinewood Studios, with a budget of around $650,000 from distributor United Artists, Zappa showed what the new medium could do with spectacular state-of-the-art visual effects.

Zappa first started shooting homemade 8mm movies in 1958, and his interest in filmmaking led to cinematic innovations. His onramp to the intersection between music and film led him to unleash Bruce Bickford’s clay-mation into the 1979 concert film Baby Snakes. Palmer directed the 1968 BBC music documentary series All My Loving, which featured Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Zappa.

“Touring makes you crazy,” Zappa explains at the start of the musical motion picture. The band in the film and on the soundtrack consisted of Frank on guitar and occasional bass, the Turtles’ Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan – who called themselves Flo and Eddie – on vocals, Ian Underwood on woodwinds and keyboards, drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Jimmy Carl Black (who also sings lead on “Lonesome Cowboy Burt”), George Duke on keyboards & trombone, Ruth Underwood on percussion, and ultimately, Ringo’s chauffer Martin Lickert on bass.

Ringo plays Larry the Dwarf, who is actually a sinister trout mask replica of a renowned bandleader. “It was very strange actually,” Ringo explains on a track from Frank Zappa 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition. “A call came from the Apple office that Frank Zappa had this idea, and he wanted to present it to me. I thought, oh great, cos I’d heard Frank’s music. In a very musical way, it was very whacky actually. So, I invited Frank to my house. He laid this huge score out and said ‘I’ve got an idea to make this movie, and here’s the score.’ I said, ‘Why are you showing me the score? I can’t read music. But because of that I will do the movie.’”

It wasn’t just any part. “He told me he wanted me to play him, because he just wanted to be a musician in it,” Ringo remembers on Frank Zappa 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition. The ex-Beatle wasn’t just any acting musician. “You couldn’t get a bigger pop star than me at the time,” Ringo humbly admits on the CD. “Also, it was strange, the Ringo-playing-Frank. It was a nice premise and I got to hang out with musicians, which is always a good deal.”

The veteran drummer was known for keeping time with other kit players. He would play The Concert for Bangladesh side-by-side with Jim Keltner, which by the look of the footage, was done so Ringo could joke around with someone between, and during, songs. For 200 Motels, Ringo brought along one of his best mates, Keith Moon, the pyrotechnically endowed beat-keeper for The Who. Moonie plays a Hot Nun. “[Zappa] wants me to fuck the girl with the harp,” Ringo, as Larry, says in the film upon seeing the habit-clad basher banging his way through the orchestra pit. “The magic lamp, he wants me to stuff it up her and rub it.”

Renowned rock groupie and author, Pamela Des Barres, who also sang in the all-girl band The GTOs (Girls Together Outrageously), makes her acting debut in 200 Motels. She would go on to play a recurring role on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, as well as act in Sylvester Stallone’s 1978 film Paradise Alley. But Des Barres’ biggest contribution to cinema is inspiring Cameron Crowe to add the musical muse Penny Lane to the mix of his rocking movie memoir Almost Famous.

To lend the film cinematic credibility, Zappa also cast noted actors. Our Master of Ceremonies, Rance Muhammitz, was played by Austrian-American actor Theodore Bikel, who was also a folk singer and political activist. Bikel played Captain Von Trapp in the original Broadway production of The Sound of Music. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones (1958), and appeared in such films as The African Queen (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952), The Enemy Below (1957), My Fair Lady (1964), and The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966). He also guest-starred on an episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone.

200 Motels also features players from the serious world of music, like classical guitarist John Williams, the Monteverdi Choir, and the Royal Philharmonic, which is seen throughout the film in a prison camp called “The Centerville Recreational Facility,” with the percussionists dressed as Nazi guards. The film was “at once a reportage of real events and an extrapolation of them,” according to the press kit. “Granting the fact that [the Mothers] tend to operate somewhere on the outermost fringes of your real-life Rock & Roll Consciousness, the film is an extension and a projection of the group’s specialized view of and participation in this intriguing area of contemporary human experience. Groupies, Life on the Road, Relationship to Audience, Group Personality-Chemistry, Macrobiotic Food & Tie-Die Shirts.”

Zappa makes no attempt at a documentarian’s cinema verité accuracy. The cities merge into one town called Centerville, “a real nice place to raise your kids up.” Unless they grow up to be musicians who hang out at cowboy bars. The surrealistic documentary explores the kinds of things that happen to a band on the road, the hustle, boredom, burnout, and paranoia. Directly derived from Zappa’s own experience, the story is told in short comic bits, interspersed with performances by the Mothers of Invention and the Royal Symphony Orchestra. The Mother of Invention band members’ primary motivations are the search for groupies and the desire to get paid.

“I was the devil Frank, and I would tape the band, talking. Then Frank would write a song about it and force them to play it and sing it,” Starr says in an audio clip on the Box set, before breaking into appreciative laughter.  

One of these eavesdroppings would land in the space between art imitating life mimicking art. Frank’s microphone caught Mothers of Invention bass player Jeff Simmons moaning about playing “Zappa’s comedy music,” and wanting to start his own group. Zappa wrote it into the script and cast Simmons as the character Jeff. But the bassist wound up forming that band and leaving the Mothers of Invention right before shooting was set to begin. This left Zappa without an actor or a bass player.

“From the point that Jeff Simmons quit the group we’ve had a bunch of adventures trying to find somebody to replace him, not only for the bass parts in the music, but to play the role that he was supposed to play in the film, which is a pretty large part,” Zappa says in one of the clips from the CD.

“Our first candidate for the role was Wilfrid Brambell, who played the grandfather in A Hard Day’s Night,” Zappa says on the track “A Bunch of Adventures” from the album Playground Psychotics. “Wilfrid came over, tried out for the part, everything was set, he rehearsed with us for about a week, and then one day came to the studio here, and completely freaked out, and said that he couldn’t handle it anymore. So, we went into the dressing room, sat around with the guys in the band, and tried to figure out what we were gonna do about replacing the replacement. And the first person that walked through the door was Martin Lickert, who happened to be Ringo’s driver, and everybody just turned and looked at him and went, ‘You.’”

The 22-year-old chauffeur read the script, sounded good to Frank, and because so much of music is a happy accident, it turned out Lickert was a musician. “I think he’s good for the part, is quite professional on screen and, as a bass player he’s not astonishing but, he can make the parts.”

200 Motels marked the end of Lickert’s stint as Ringo’s driver. He gave his notice and joined The Mothers of Invention on bass for a tour of America.

In a clip from the CD Box set, Zappa doesn’t guess whether Ringo had a good time on the film. “Well, it’s hard to tell, I never bother to ask people whether they enjoy working for me,” Zappa says. “But he still talks to me, so I guess it wasn’t too bad.”

“It was great, from day one,” Ringo told Uncut magazine. “I did like Frank. I’d met him several times. He was a beautiful human being. As far as I was concerned, his music was crazy – but that’s one man’s opinion. He was a lot of fun.”

200 Motels premiered at the Plaza Theatre, 627 Madison Avenue, New York City, on Oct. 29, 1971. Consisting of a series of episodes without an overall plot, critics blasted everything, from the story to the music, except the visual works, which combined frenetic cuts, animation and a virtual light show. The film employs all the special effects available: speed changes, false colors, double and triple exposures, and solarization. Many felt the film’s multidimensional approach was overbearing, unrelenting, and incomprehensible. “If there is more that can be done with videotape, I do not want to be there when they do it,” Roger Ebert wrote in his 1971 review.

Director Palmer later called 200 Motels “the worst film I’ve done.” Though when he later met David Lean, the director of Lawrence of Arabia, “All he wanted to talk about was 200 Motels and how it had been done,” Palmer wrote in Talkhouse.com.

200 Motels was mind-blowing in a way traditional rock docs like Don’t Look Back, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, and the Woodstock and Monterey rock festival movies avoided. It is actually closer to the fantasy-comedy of The Beatles’ films like A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, and, like Magical Mystery Tour, 200 Motels set a new standard for experimental musical, independent films. It also influenced the art of music videos. It is a must-see for Zappa fans, as is the soundtrack, but also for lovers of innovative cinema.

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The Frank Zappa 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition release date is Nov. 19.

The post That Time Ringo Starr Played Frank Zappa in 200 Motels appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3qH04sx

[darknessisafriend]

Let’s just stay here a little while

I’m back with Commodus! I wrote this for my gorgeous @beautifulyoungprospect I hope you will enjoy it ^^ Pure fluff! 

You are feeling down lately, thankfully, your husband Commodus is there for you.

You sighed as you took refuge in the library. You bit your lower lip, you felt like crying; in fact, you were close to tears. Emotionally the last days had been rough on you. Commodus had left to see troops on the battlefield further north, nothing was working the way you wanted in his absence…and you were worried something would happen to him…you didn’t even know when he would be back…you terribly missed him; his silky voice, his warm embrace; you felt alone in this immense palace, not even Lucilla could bring you the comfort you sought. 

You went to sit on the floor in a corner, between the immense shelves of books, slightly hiding you if someone would come in. When you needed to be alone, the library was always your destination, silent, surrounding you with wonderful stories and characters. It was also the place where you and Commodus would cuddle for long hours at night, reading together until he could find sleep. You brought your legs to your chest, hugging your knees. You needed peace, and comfort, you will stay there until you felt better even though you doubted it would happen.

Deep in your thoughts, an hour later or maybe more, you had lost track of time; you heard the heavy and yet quiet click of the door opening. But you didn’t look up, hoping the intruder wouldn’t notice you and would go away. However, you heard the steps coming closer to you, those steps were surprisingly light, almost careful, until it stopped only a few inches from you.

You slowly lifted your head, ready to tell the intruder to go away. But you stopped as your eyes landed on the feet of the intruder, those impeccable black leather boots with sculpted armored black and golden plates on the shins…it could only be one unique person, your dear husband, Commodus. Your eyes detailed his body, he still wore his armor, which wasn’t shining as usual, some parts slightly covered in dust…meaning that the first thing he did was to look for you and that made you heart flutter. You could tell by the bags under his eyes and the stubble that covered his face that he was exhausted. Still, he smiled, a tender smile that he only had for you. He crouched down at your level, still smiling, he had missed you terribly.

“I figured out I would find you here.” He spoke softly, he knew you by heart and he knew how much you missed him when he left. Your eyes became wet, he was truly back as if he had felt your distress. He lifted his right hand, his fingers coming up to lightly brush against your cheek; you leaned against his warm touch, bringing you comfort already. There was no need to speak, one look, one touch and you understood each other.

To your regret, his hand left your face as he swiftly stood up. You watched him curiously as he went to the sofas, taking as many pillows as he could in his arms.  He approached you, a boyish smile playing on his lips as he started to delicately place pillows all around you, behind your back as well, creating a nest of pillows for you. You pinched your lips together trying to hide the smile forming on your lips at how he took great care in his task.

“If you want to stay on the floor, at least make it comfortable.” He teased you sweetly, crouching down again. You watched him as he took off the chest piece of his armor, setting it aside, finding himself in only his white tunic. And as soon as it was off, you jumped in his arms, craving to feel his touch again, he sighed in relief, feeling your warmth, your scent wrapping around him, he was finally home.

“I’m here my love, I’m here with you.” He repeated softly against your ear, placing a tender kiss on your temple, tightly locking one arm around you while he supported himself on the other to make the both of you lie down on the pillows, you were tightly wrapped around him, clinging onto him.

“My little monkey…” he chuckled, covering your face with fond kisses; it was a nickname he sometimes gave you because of how you would never want to let go him when he hugged you, yes, you were a clingy hugger…especially with him. You both stayed silent for several minutes, filling yourself with the presence of the other, his breathing was calm, peaceful.

“How do you feel?” he asked you, his fingers lightly playing with your hair. You lifted your head to look at him in the eyes. His deep green eyes that used to hold so much pain and that were now filled with love and tenderness.

“Now that you are here, much better. I missed you so much…” your murmured, placing your lips upon his for a tender kiss, which he returned, sighing in content.

“I missed you too…” The back of his hand lightly caressed your cheek, his eyes detailing your face “I feel like a blindman, all I see around me is darkness…except you, my light, that guides me and protects me.” He smiled as he watched your eyes shining under his words, you bit your lower lip, he could be so romantic.

“Thank you, my poet.” You kissed the tip of his nose, making him giggle. “Give me your hand.” You asked him then, he obeyed and you took care of removing the armored piece covering his forearm “How are you holding on?” you asked as you removed the same on piece on his other arm.

“You know how I loathe the battlefield…the moment I arrived I already wanted to leave.” He spoke with a disgusted pout, battlefields only brought back bad memories to him. “But I kept thinking about you, imagining you wandering in the palace, in the beautiful dress I gifted you, smiling as you sat in the grass of the garden. Each night I prayed for you, asking the gods to protect you while I was away.” He added lovingly as you kissed his palm; then, he securely wrapped his arms around your waist.

“The Gods have heard your prayers, because they brought you back to me and I feel much happier now.” You replied, your fingers caressing his stubble, you liked it. After a bit you laid your head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“What do you think of going horse riding tomorrow?” he offered, the Senate will have to wait, you were his priority.

“Gladly, I love it when we ride together.” You accepted happily, caressing the silky fabric of his tunic. Horse riding with Commodus was always a great moment you shared where you both felt free.

“Then, we will. For now, let’s just stay here a little while and enjoy peace.” He murmured, kissing the top of your head.

Commodus harem: @hopelessdisasterr @stellargirlie​ @rosebloodstuffandthangss @clowndaddyfleck @lyoongx @skaravile @jaylovesbats @niniita-ah @dreamingmaria @sagyunaro @just-a-fucking-comedy@spaceinvader @radio-hoo-ha @lady-carnivals-stuff @sierraclegane@legojorny @lemondedeniname @hvproductions @syvellsworld @charlie-sisters @papercut-paranoia​ @jokerflecker​ @bring-your-holy-water​

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

The Lost Tomb Franchise: Show Character Guide

** Only includes characters who appear in 3+ franchise shows no matter how many actors portray them in said shows.

Franchise shows in order: The Mystic Nine, The Lost Tomb, The Lost Tomb 2, Heavenly Palace in the Clouds, Ultimate Note, Tomb of the Sea // Sand Sea, Reunion: The Sound of the Providence, Moonfall Echo (No characters from this qualify for the guide).

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Wu Xie (Main Character; Iron Triangle Member)

Appears in all franchise shows save “The Mystic Nine” and “Moonfall Echo”

Only heir of the Wu family, near the middle of the Mystic Nine Families.

Son of the eldest of the three Wu brothers, often referred to as “Young Master Wu”.

Goes on adventures guided by his grandfather’s notebook- a guide to tomb robbing.

“Robs” tombs in order to learn the history, trip any traps, and then hand the site over to government archaeologists for preservation.

Strict “No Looting” rule.

Constantly cleaning up after // hunting down his Third Uncle.

One of only 5 people to ever see Hei Yanjing // Black Blindman’s eyes and survive.

If a snake bites him, he can see its memories. I... I don’t know what to tell you. It’s a thing in one show and that’s it.

Brings in an unwilling student named Li Cu in on one of his adventures despite having no apparent connection to the boy. Li Cu and Wu Xie both deny any relation, but even the Wu family suspects Li Cu may be Wu Xie’s illegitimate child due to an uncanny resemblance Li Cu bears to young Wu Xie.

Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling (Main Character; Iron Triangle Member)

Appears in all franchise shows save “The Mystic Nine” and “Moonfall Echo”

70+ years old

Has a Qiling (Divine beast) tattoo across most of his left breast/arm/back that only appears when his skin is hot.

From the Northern branch of the Zhang family.

Some form of cousin to Zhang Rishan (of the Southern Zhang)

BARELY speaks.

Has two extremely long and strong fingers *hold for giggles* that can be used to trip any traps in a tomb.

Carries around a black-gold sword.

Tends to get amnesia, barely remembers anything ever other than how to be a bad ass tomb raider.

Tends to just wander off on his own for long periods of time.

One of only 5 people to ever see Hei Yanjing // Black Blindman’s eyes and survive.

Wang Pangzi (Main Character; Iron Triangle Member)

Appears in all franchise shows save “The Mystic Nine” and “Moonfall Echo”

An actual tomb robber who Wu Xie keeps in line.

Though Wu Xie and Xiao Ge are extremely close, Wu Xie spends the most time with Pangzi.

Nothing he does ever goes right XD

Constantly trying to steal from tombs. CONSTANTLY tripping traps. CONSTANTLY being caught by Wu Xie.

Extremely loyal to Wu Xie and Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling.

Is often partnered with Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling if the Iron Triangle separates on a mission (mainly because he got himself into something and Xiao Ge had to rescue him).

Wu San Xing // Third Uncle  // Uncle Three

Appears in all franchise shows save “The Mystic Nine” and “Moonfall Echo”

The third son of the Wu Family (in his name “San” = Three; Wu Xie only has 2 uncles)

Though he’s Wu Xie’s Uncle, he basically raised the boy since his eldest brother didn’t seem to care.

Wild and crazy, gave Wu Xie a taste for adventure.

The first Wu to work with Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling.

A tomb robber Wu Xie guilted into going straight.

Friends in low places, lots of mercenaries and ex-military.

Most of Wu Xie’s adventures start off with Wu San Xing going missing.

Xie Yu Chen // Xiao Hua

Appears in all franchise shows except “The Mystic Nine” and “Moonfall Echo”

Head of the Xie family- one of the strongest and most wealthy in the Mystic Nine Families.

Became head of the family at a very young age.

Likes to perform traditional Chinese opera (including full costume/makeup).

Friends with Hei Yanjing // Black Blindman. One of only 5 people to ever see his eyes and survive.

Due to his delicate looks as a child, many assumed he was female.

Appears to be solemn and overly-serious, but does in fact have a sense of humor.

A complete master of disguise, can even pose as his female companion Huo Xiu Xiu convincingly.

Extremely close with Huo Xiu Xiu.

Huo Xiu Xiu

Appears in all franchise shows except “The Mystic Nine”, “Reunion: The Sound of the Providence”, and “Moonfall Echo”

Heir to the Huo family- another exceptionally strong branch of the Mystic Nine Families.

Her grandmother’s right hand since her mother died and her aunt disappeared on an expedition.

A trained acrobat who often sleeps in a nest of ropes suspended above the ground.

Regal and dignified, but willing to get her hands dirty if need be.

Often the go-between for Xie Yu Chen // Xiao Hua and Wu Xie.

Extremely close with Xie Yu Chen.

A-Ning

Appears in all franchise shows save “Tomb of the Sea”, “The Mystic Nine”, and “Moonfall Echo”

Tomb robber under the employ of Hendry Cox ( AKA Qiu De Kao).

Hired to work against Wu San Xing and Wu Xie, typically working with ulterior motives.

Deeply respects and admires Wu Xie for his integrity and loyalty towards his friends and family; also admires Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling’s fighting abilities.

If Hendry Cox wants to invite Wu Xie on a mission, he sends A-Ning to ask.

Can be considered a romantic interest of Wu Xie’s.

Pan Zi

Appears in "The Lost Tomb”, “The Lost Tomb 2″, “Heavenly Palace in the Clouds”, and “Ultimate Note”.

Wu San Xing’s right hand man and best friend.

Formerly a soldier.

Takes the big hits- being shot, stabbed, etc.

While Wu San Xing is flighty and mysterious, Pan Zi remains by Wu Xie’s side on his behalf. Is often left behind by Wu San Xing to keep an eye on Wu Xie and protect him.

As unquestionably loyal as Pan Zi is to Wu San Xing, he’s just as loyal to Wu Xie. Though if Wu Xie asks him to go against an order from Wu San Xing, he will resist.

Has a deal with Wu San Xing to live together with him in a nursing home when they are old.

Wu Er Bai

Appears in “Ultimate Note”, “Tomb of the Sea”, and “Reunion: The Sound of the Providence”

The second son of the Wu Family, Wu Sanxing’s older brother.

Younger brother to Wu Xie’s absent father.

The brother who represents the Wu Family when his elderly mother is unavailable.

Sort of the enforcer of the family, which often puts him at odds with Wu Xie who seeks to misbehave. 

Tries to maintain the Wu family’s place within the Mystic Nine and not allow the more powerful families to push the Wu out.

Despite his stern and sometimes combative nature, cares deeply for Wu Xie and treats him as a son.

Wang Meng

Appears in “Ultimate Note”, “Tomb of the Sea”, and “Reunion: The Sound of the Providence”.

Wu Xie’s right hand, who manages Wu Xie’s store for him while he goes on adventures (and arranges said adventures).

Wu Xie never remembers to pay him, so he’s constantly trying to get money out of his boss.

FIERCELY loyal, it is impossible to drive a wedge between Wang Meng and Wu Xie.

Loves Minesweeper.

Not that great at telling real antiques from fakes.

Easy to trick.

Zhang Rishan

Appears in “The Mystic Nine”, “Ultimate Note”, and “Tomb of the Sea”

At least 120

Despite appearing in 3 separate “Lost Tomb” franchise shows, exclusively portrayed by actor Zhang Ming En.

Has a Qiongqi (Demon) tattoo across most of his right breast/arm/back that only appears when his skin is hot. 

Some form of cousin to Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling.

Head of the Mystic Nine Families, he keeps them all in line.

Though Zhang Rishan is the head of the Southern branch of the Zhang family, he does not interact with Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling, leaving him to do as he wishes without interference. Works closely with Wu Xie when necessary.

Lieutenant to Zhang Qi Shan in the 1930s. Even in modern times is fiercely loyal to the memory of Zhang Qi Shan.

Does not have the elongated fingers of the Northern-Zhang, but seems to possess a form of super-strength.

A superior strategist and tactician. 

Hei Yanjing // Black Blindman

Appears in “The Lost Tomb 2″, “Ultimate Note”, “Tomb of the Sea”, and “Reunion: The Sound of the Providence”.

100+ year old mercenary.

Has some unspecified history with Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling.

Not a member of the Mystic Nine Families, but is affiliated with the Xie and Wu branches mainly.

Hints that he became immortal after consuming a pill found in a tomb.

Hyper-sensitive to light. Blind in the day without his sunglasses, but sees perfectly in the dark.

Only 5 living people have ever seen him without sunglasses: Xie Yu Chen, Wu Xie, Ya Nv, Su Wan, and Xiao Ge // Zhang Qiling.

Superior at all forms of combat.

Took on Wu Xie and later the teen Su Wan as his students.

A broke-ass bitch, he carries around his own credit card reader and tries to nickel and dime everyone for anything.

Addicted to fried rice with pork and green pepper. When Xie Yu Chen lost a bet to him, the Xie family erected a food stall that serves only that- and he gets to eat for free.

Chen Pi A Si

Appears in “The Mystic Nine”, “The Lost Tomb 2″, “Heavenly Palace in the Clouds”, and “Ultimate Note”

(Eventual) Leader of the Chen family, one of the Middle Clans of the Mystic Nine (along with the Wu and Hei families)

One of the original Mystic Nine heads, though often at odds with the rest.

Originally a disciple of Mystic Nine member Er Yue Hong, though he resented that the Er family went legit rather than robbing tombs.

Was deeply in love with Er Yue’s wife Ya Tou, though it was entirely one-sided.

Hendry Cox // Qiu De Kao

Appears in “The Mystic Nine”, “The Lost Tomb 2″, “Heavenly Palace on the Clouds” (actor not pictured), and “Ultimate Note”

The main antagonist of the DMBJ show franchise.

An American businessman (originally scholar) who became obsessed with chasing immortality.

Uses A-Ning and an army of mercenaries to raid tombs for relics.

A-Ning considers him as a father-figure to her, and he refers to her as his most precious asset.

An enemy of the Mystic Nine families.

Willing to compromise only if he sees a benefit to himself in it. 

A collector of Chinese antiquities, he is a natural opponent to Wu Xie, who believes cultural historical relics should belong to their country of origin rather than foreign collectors.

[ao3feed-soriku]

Trap King Of Hearts

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3gvoRdi

by DearMelancholy

In Twilight Town, Sora finds himself involved in the black market. At the age of five years old, he had to move from his island to the town after the death of his mother. Luckily his sister Kairi is involved in his life, but not present when he gets addicted to the town drug, Holy.

Twilight Town is home to the hustle of the Town's Aventurine Quartz found in Blindman's Mountain, the mountain the Town resides on. The quartz is newly discovered and everyone wants a piece, however, it brings a question to the new gang in town. PAOBIA 9, as Sora feeds his addiction. The drug is allowing and disallowing him to discover the haunted secrets of Twilight Town that could solve his mother's death.

Words: 940, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You (Video Games)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Major Character Death

Categories: Multi

Characters: Sora, Xemnas, DiZ, Seifer (Kingdom Hearts), Hayner (Kingdom Hearts)

Relationships: Sora & Sora's Mother (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Organization XIII Ensemble (Kingdom Hearts) & Original Character(s), Hayner - Relationship

Additional Tags: Drugs, References to Drugs, Small Towns, Gang Violence, Murder

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3gvoRdi

[angelloverde]

"Mo Soul" Player Playlist 1 September

Linda Lewis - Sideway Shuffle

Donna McGhee - Mr Blindman

Orgone - A Wot

The Jazzinvaders - Bonga Bonga Jazz (AIFF Remix)

Banderas - Vera

Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers - Badminton

Odyssey - Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love

Bajka - The Beaver's Lesson (Smoove Remix)

6ix Toys Feat. Connie Lush - Paint The Toon

Jayne Mansfield - Suey (Senior Citizens Mix)

Rusty Bryant - Zoo Boogaloo

Τito Puente - Black Brothers

The Emotions - Blessed

Godchild - La Tete Qui Bout

Manzel - Evil Wicked Mean And Nasty (Dopebrother Remix)

If you really want to enjoy music and help musicians and bands, buy their lp’s or cd’s and don’t download mp3 formats. There is nothing like good quality sound!!!

(Angel Lo Verde / Mo Soul)

[harvard-art-museums-drawings]

Blindman's Buff, François-Louis-Joseph Watteau (called Watteau de Lille), c. 1790, Harvard Art Museums: Drawings

Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Gift of Jeffrey E. Horvitz Size: 35.2 x 45.1 cm (13 7/8 x 17 3/4 in.) Medium: Black and red chalk, traces of graphite, on two joined sheets of off-white antique laid paper

https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/293888

[piraticalarchive]

Black boots are silent in the undergrowth, each step leaving careful indentations on mossy soil. He’s daft be in what can only be described as Pan’s territory without his men - but the captain has poured over every inch of the map that is Neverland until feverish whispers of its locations slip through salted lips even in sleep. Blindman’s Bluff, Hangman’s Tree, Mermaid Lagoon - Each landmark is a thought flittering through his mind and by the time blue eyes land on them, frustration and anger have reached a fever pitch.

“Aye  - “ Word is all but hissed, threat laced with the determination of a dying man. Centuries spent being haunted - by Pan, by himself - have left Captain Hook more than a little mad.. and curved steel glints in the moonlight as the edge of his blade nestles against the Lost Boy’s throat. “Rufio, isn’t it, mate? I’m afraid we haven’t been properly introduced - “  Jaw clenched as the trill of victory trills in the hollow ache of his chest,  and Hook relaxes his sword the slightest bit. “ - shame that.”

@heartsdefine​ (this is crapp lmaooo)

[signorformica]

Ladies and gentlemen! Bibliothèque Infernale is proud to present —again!—under the big top tonight!:

*THE BIBULOUS BABY*

Another bizarre, freakish short story by the Master of the Grotesque — TOD ROBBINS!

***

“THE STRANGEST event in my life happened last summer," said my traveling companion. "I have only ventured to tell this story to my wife and brother. It is so unique and apparently so beyond human belief that if I published it broadcast I would be looked upon by the world as an impostor of the first water."

"And did your wife and brother believe you?" I asked.

"Well, not exactly. Yes and no. They believed that I thought I was telling the truth. The one imagined that the tale sprang from the effects of strong drink; the other blamed the strength of the summer sun. But I assure you it was neither. I had had a few glasses of absinth, certainly; but I have been accustomed to this drink since childhood. The sun, indeed, was very hot; but it was as nothing compared to the heat I have experienced in the tropics."

"The story, doctor?", I ventured.

"Ah," said he, "you will laugh; but nevertheless I will give it to you. Mirth is the reward one gets from the world when one gives something new to it. People laugh entirely too much, and smile only with their lips. Look into a man's eyes — they alone are the true mirrors of emotion.

"On the fifteenth of last August I was living at a seaside resort not far from the city. It was the warmest day of the summer, and the people had taken to the water. Sitting on the veranda of the hotel with a glass of absinth on the arm of my chair, I could see the blue expanse of ocean stretching out from the beach like a velvet rug lying on a floor of whitest marble.

“Not a breath of air ruffled that placid surface; not a wrinkle of thought rested on the calm forehead of the sea. And above it the sun hung stationary in the heavens, resembling an open porthole of a burning ship seen through the blue haze of evening.

"On the beach, men and women were running about, caricaturing by their grotesque, awkward movements the play of children, as grown people do when they attempt to cheat could be seen bobbing up and down like pieces of cork, and it seemed strange that these little globes should be moving about, guided by the brains that they contained; and stranger still that, if one should suddenly sink out of sight for several moments, a great excitement would turn these shouts of laughter into screams, these movements of animal joy into gesticulations of horror.

"Sitting all alone on that hotel veranda, I continued to sip my absinth and to meditate on the scene before me. Suddenly I saw a very pretty young girl approaching, pushing a baby carriage before her. The child was evidently sleeping and was concealed under a canopy of mosquito netting; the girl looked longingly out to sea, while two lines of irritation furrowed her forehead.

"Acting on a sudden impulse, I spoke to her: 'You'll pardon me, but couldn't I be of some assistance? I see that you like bathing, and it's quite a wonderful day for it. I could take care of the baby while you have a plunge.'

"She hesitated and again looked out to sea. 'I'm very much obliged,' she began, 'but mother told me to take care of — at this she hesitated, and I thought I saw her face darken — 'of my little brother,' she finished.

"'But I could take care of him for a time. He won't be any trouble. He's fast asleep.'

"'Yes, he is asleep,' she said, lifting the mosquito netting and looking down at the little red face lying on the lace pillow. 'Thank you so much; I think I will go in bathing.' And, wheeling the baby carriage up beside me, she turned and hurried off toward the bath houses on the shore.

"Again my eyes returned to the bathers, and my hand lifted the glass of absinth to my lips. How black and tiny some of the heads looked far out on the water! Here, in this bathtub of the city, life was a precious thing; yet there was an abundance of it, a superfluity of it. I had been in thinly populated countries where it was not thought of so highly.

"'I beg your pardon, sir,' said a voice beside me which sounded like a key turning in a rusty lock, 'but I'm very thirsty and absinth is my favorite drink.'

"I turned about in surprise, and was thunderstruck to see that I was apparently still alone. No one stood back of my chair; no one was behind the pillar on my right, and no one crouched behind the baby carriage, as I had first suspected. But as I stared about me the voice again spoke in its strange, quavering tones.

"'Lift up the mosquito net over the carriage,' it said.'It's damnably hot in here!'

"Almost mechanically I did as I was told, and in a moment more was looking down into the little, red, wrinkled face of a baby. As I gazed at the shapeless nose, at the bald head and loose-lipped mouth, the eyes opened and looked up at me. What I felt then you can never imagine, my friend; I cannot describe it to you. I can only say that it was horrible — horrible past belief. I had expected the frightened, innocent stare of awakened childhood; in place of it I saw the vicious, knowing leer of wicked old age. With a cry of horror I reeled back and put my hands before my eyes.

" 'Well,' said the voice again, and now I knew that it, too, was old — as old as an echo in a haunted house; 'well, my young friend, do I get a taste of your absinth or not?’

"'What are you?' I cried as soon as I could speak.

"'Young man,' said the baby, squinting evilly at me over his blanket, 'I'm about the dryest child in the world. Do you know what I've been getting to drink lately? I've been getting milk — milk from a dirty, blue-nosed bottle! Everybody takes advantage of me be- cause I'm too old to kick up a disturbance. Why, my own grandchild — the one who was wheeling me just now — takes advantage of me. Family pride is all very well, but what is getting me is I've only got four more weeks to live, and I might as well be a live one till the very end.'

"'Just a moment,' said I, taking a long drink of absinth to steady my nerves. 'Now you can tell me every- thing. You may unburden yourself to me as though I were your father.'

"'Well,' he snarled. ’If I tell you the story, will you empty the milk out of my bottle and fill it up with absinth?'

"'Yes, readily,' I answered.

"'So I'm selling my family pride for a bottle of absinth,' said he. 'Well, no matter, here it goes. My grand- father owned a large plantation before the war. Like many another Southern gentleman of that time, he preferred the joys of the body to the joys of the spirit. Wine in plenty, women in plenty, tobacco in plenty — that was his idea of life. But there was one thing that worried my grandfather.'

""What was that?' I asked.

"'Old age,' said the baby solemnly. 'It was his one fear. And when it finally came — when gout laid hold of his feet and time pulled out his hair — he was a pitiful object to behold. Lying on his back, he cursed life and said that it started from the wrong end; that if men were born old and grew younger year by year, then they'd have something to live for, instead of cursing every day that came. And on the night when he died he sold his soul to the devil, or so my old negro nur.se used to say. On the following morning I was born.'

"'And how long ago was that, my little friend?' I asked.

"'Eighty-five years ago last December’, said the baby. 'Of course I can't remember as far back as that. My first recollection is of standing before the mirror while my mother combed out my long gray beard. Yes, I had a beard then; and they say it was snow white when I was born. But when I remember it first it was gray —a beautiful silver gray. That was a long time ago, and I wish I had one now.

"'And yet, even then I wasn't happy. I'd try to get the old men in the village interested in blindman's buff and tag; but they wouldn't play with me and I felt lonely. People began to talk when they saw me rolling my hoop in the street or playing marbles with the boys; so mother had to tell them that I was an uncle of hers in his second childhood, fearing that they might guess the truth. Sometimes the old men would beckon me into the tavern, buy me some absinth, and, when I had drunk it, send me home tottering on my feet.

"'And so time passed. Gradually I grew taller and stronger; the gray began to fade out of my beard in patches, and mother was now thought by strangers to be my sister. I no longer played marbles with the boys or rolled my hoop along tire pavement. No, now the girls whom I met on the street would make my heart beat all out of tune. But they never looked at me; or, if they did, they would say, "He is old enough to be our father," and pass by. But there was one who said, 'What young eyes he has!' I married that girl and settled down with the optimistic belief that nothing could shatter my happiness.

"'But the years went by, and each one that passed made me younger and my dear wife older. Finally we met on the tide of life, each drifting toward a separate goal. And we could not hold each other. We passed by swiftly, unable even to clasp hands. I must have suffered then, yet my hair lost all its gray; I was growing to be a comparatively young man. And I had children, and they soon grew older than I ; and they had children, and they grew older than I — till now all that is left me is a taste for absinth, the taste that I acquired when the old men used to send me home from the tavern in the days of my drunken, gray-haired childhood. How I used to cry when they wouldn't play marbles with me!

"'Ah, well, ah, well, now I'm eighty- five and a baby with the tastes of an old man. Yet they won't give me my absinth, and expect me to say nothing about myself because of family pride. It seems I am a monster — something to be hidden away in a perambulator. Ah, but the ladies give me privileges sometimes which they'd scarcely give if they knew my age! I have four more weeks of life. How do I know ? Why, the doctor of the hotel examined me this morning and said that I am just four weeks old. But give me your absinth, sir. Don't take advantage of me because I am old and helpless.'"

"And did you give him your absinth?" I asked.

"Yes," said my friend. "I filled his milk bottle with it. He was so weak that I had actually to put the nipple in his mouth. Then I went up to my room, leaving him sucking peacefully. Four weeks later I read his death no tice in the paper. Well, what do you think of that, sir?"

"I think it is quite remarkable," I answered.

*Tod Robbins: The Bibulous Baby. First published in The Thrill Book. July 1, 1919 • via Bibliothèque Infernale on FB