#had to move the variables
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âINFAMOUS UPDATE IS HERE â
238K -> 457K WORDS
Please read this post before playing! It's finally here! After five months of writing and rewriting and salvaging and crying and sweating and bleeding I finally finished sort of kind of! Firstly, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding over this duration of this rewrite. It was stressful at times but I'm happy with the end result and I hope everyone else will be too :)
This will be the last chapter I release without beta testers/other sets of eyes so expect errors. I can playtest until my fingers turn blue but I'm just one person </3 I'm bound to have missed stuff.
Please let me know of errors! I tested it a few times with no problems but we know how it goes lol
IN THIS CHAPTER THREE UPDATE:
drama
mayhem
chaos
some betrayal
some surprises
just...read it lmao
PROLOGUE - CHAPTER 2 CHANGES:
**chapter two was too large of a file to upload on dd so I had to split it last minute and I uhhhh dont know how that translates in the demo but it should work lol please let me know if its wonky!**
fixed up grammatical errors and typos
expanded some scenes and added some more choices
you can now choose that your mc has "changed" in some way (drinking, no longer drinking, partier, no longer a partier, negative, positive, attached, detached, or a general default. I was asked to add an MC who "gets around" or hookups a lot but I'm still debating on whether I'll add that since there's already quite a bit lolol)
you can choose to have changed your band's genre before/after seven
TECHNICAL CHANGES:
you will be able to explicitly state your sexuality in the beginning. this was a big ask and I apologize for not doing it earlier! I wasn't good at coding when I started and I knew I always wanted to make the genders separate from MC's sexuality but I didn't know how to do that at the start :) So you can still choose the genders of the ROs for story purposes and variety. IF YOU DO NOT SEE ROMANCE OPTIONS THAT IS NOT A BUG. You simply chose a RO gender that doesn't correlate with the sexuality you chose for your MC. Having said that, if you do see a romance option available and it's not supposed to be there please let me know! That means I may have missed it coding-wise.
the stats have been all fixed! I've added all the necessary variables and such. The stat portion of the game has been updated with the appropriate pages but they're not finished. Still, the stats should be fine.
You will now have confessionals in the stat page! The feature still isn't a thing yet because I haven't come up with the confessionals lolol but you can click on it to see what it's about. Essentially, as you progress through the story you will be able to see confessionals from the cast of Infamous throughout. They disappear and appear periodically so if you miss it, THAT'S IT! You won't get a chance to see them again until MC watches an episode where it's relevant.
There is now a: Discography page, Infamous wiki, botb cast and staff page, and other characters page for organization. Those are not finished but they're there!
I changed a few stat names but their functions remain the same.
You will be able to choose how you would like to be described (masculine, feminine, neither, both).
O is officially gender-selectable.
You can set the genders of the ROs at the start or wait till you meet them.
PLAY HERE
#update#ch 2 is super cursed by the way#so big it couldn't upload on dd#had to move the variables#was ripping my hair out#infamous update
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sometimes I forget that my experience has been. um. not 'your experiences are not universal' vibes but more like 'your experiences are EXTREMELY atypical'
#red said#recent events have reminded me that my life has involved like. a LOT of other people's psychosis#like not in a way where i have been Beset By Terrifying Crazies bc that's not like. a thing.#but a lot of people in my life have had a lot of really severe psychotic episodes#and i FORGET sometimes. that actually that is an Unusual Amount Of Experience With Psychosis for someone who's not#for somebody who has not really personally ever had psychotic episodes (unless severe PTSD flashbacks count)#actually i tell a lie i have maybe had One psychotic episode but because it was very situational and i knew what was happening#i was able to ride it out. because i am literally only psychotic Inside Hospitals and so that's all fine#as long as i LITERALLY NEVER HAVE TO HAVE INPATIENT CARE. Very important to me to never ever ever require surgery i think.#i can handle the amount of psychosis i get from a 1-4 hour stopoff in hospital#as long as i know I'm leaving soon then i can just Cope with the fact that the walls are moving and reality is thin#ANYWAY that's not the point the point is i forget! that most ppl i know have experience of at most a handful of severe psychotic episodes#some people i know have experienced more for sure. especially if the episodes were mostly theirs.#but people really seem to expect me to be more freaked out by their symptoms of psychosis than i am#bc i don't think i really register it as frightening unless they're in actual danger or Currently Aggressing Actually At Me#like i WORRY about them bc it can super suck but it's not SHOCKING or WEIRD#there have definitely been times ive been frightened. one time i woke up in the night and my friend was standing over me with a knife#but also like he was still HIM he was just having a moment. and as soon as i got the knife off him he just came back and broke down.#and we were fine and he was safe and i learnt the valuable lesson that even when people seem like they wanna kill you they probably don't#tbf now I'm thinking about it it's honestly a tossup whether he was there to threaten or because he felt a need to guard us#like to be clear probably don't try and take a knife off someone having a psychotic break. i was 17 and it was 3am and i knew him very well#i probably did not make the smartest call but nobody got hurt is the point#anyway you know there's that kind of psychotic episode and my granny got very violently angry a few times. buuuut you know there's also#been plenty of other times I've been with somebody having an episode and it's been chill as hell.#my ex saw and heard monsters so much that eventually she just got sick of being scared. we used to watch TV with them#i would sometimes have to sit on a bit of sofa that wasn't haunted and we might not be able to watch certain things bc they didn't like it#most of the time she was hallucinating there was absolutely nothing to worry about we just had a few extra variables#honestly of everyone i know who's had psychotic episodes or schizophrenia the amount of times it's been a material risk#is like. low single figures? maybe low double if you include self harm but idk what the cause and effect is there.#idk why you would need to be frightened like 99.99% of the time it truly is usually just Oh No That Seems Distressing For You I'm Sorry
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Now I'm just mad and that makes me sad. :/ I really do try incredibly hard not to hate things in this fandom, which doesn't always work out because, you know, feelings, and I don't want to think about hating things! I want to think about things I like!
#also I am exhausted because I had to proctor an exam at 8 am this morning#and the surface is for real dying this time which was REAL inconvenient#(light on the power cord keeps blinking but either the charger or the battery or both have been whack for while now)#(yes I bought a new computer but I was hoping to not have to set it up until AFTER finals)#plus I keep getting information overload on some job/work/school stuff#I am just very very tired#during the last few years of being a star war I hated nearly everything and it was an absolutely miserable fannish experience#I do not want to repeat it which is why if I think I'm going to hate something I simply do not watch it#honestly my greatest fannish achievements of the year have been realizing when I'm heading for a rage blackout and turning off the episode#(what if rewatch on the cc ep and secret invation)#but what if makes me insane in completely different ways except for The One Thing#(probs because it's so variable so I can't simply go 'not for bedlams!' and move on with my life like I did with si)#your girl#(also I realized that when s1 aired I legit have like. fannish ptsd. over the entire concept of 'the animation might become live action.'#I do not say that lightly but the scars from the star war run REAL deep. I still remember how bad my reaction to various articles was!)#I'm going to go for a walk and maybe buy some cupcakes
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recluse roomies r the worst like. donât you have a job? friends? passions? the desire to experience the world, wind and rain? The sun? it pisses me off bc like. why are you always here. Like there is not a waking moment in the house where I know I can talk to myself without someone else hearing it
I prommy I normally don't complain this much but like genuinelyyyyy. he doesn't have a job btw and is on break from his masters so he literally has nothing to do. all his irl friends have day jobs soooo ? I thought he would you help around the house a bit more since he isn't doing anything, but I guess he doesn't see the value in that.
like most of the time we are friends (ish? I don't think he would ever chose to hang out with me if he wasn't friends with my partner, also lives with me) so I'm like, I will put this one dish in the dishwasher and turn it on so we can all have clean dishes. but he (and his bf, our other roommate) don't ever really do the same for me so I decided today that I am stopping that. bc I actually can't keep doing it by myself any more. and I don't expect the others to be they do have jobs and are out like 10 hours a day like they're tired ofc
mandatory disclaimer that laziness does not exist, everyone is mostly doing what they can, moochers are a myth etc etc but I would just like a little help
#he moved out of his parent house last year btw which is why i think he just doesnt have a concept of this needs to be done at some point#who is going to do it? mental load etc#and ive moved out of my dads place 10 years ago#so i have had more practice and live to variable roommate situations#so normally im understanding and i try to talk to him about what needs to be done#but like his family also had cleaners so like idk#i have so much to say but im tired#sorry this is such a long response but i have been thinking about this for like 3 days
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I just realized something really sad
I have two best friends outside of tumblr (my only irls that aren't roommates basically) and one of them I try to talk to constantly but she doesn't always respond, in fact she kind of barely does. I want to talk to her all the time but I always feel like I'm boring her or like she doesn't understand why I can't do some of the things I can't do.
The other one is always trying to talk to me, usually trying to call me. But I rarely ever pick up or respond or text first. My relationship with her is really complicated because some of my alters are very hurt from some things she did a while ago, others just don't trust her, and then the ones that front when we talk love her.
I have so many mixed feelings and the switches triggered by that mean I always don't answer or forget because I have dissociative amnesia about her trying to contact me in the first place... I don't know, I don't want to make excuses for myself but I genuinely don't know if this is a valid reason for treating her the way I do or if I'm an awful friend. Of course, it could also be both. I just don't know what to do. I don't want her to feel neglected by me like I sometimes do with my other friend.
#for some context about what the things that hurt these alters were ill elaborate here in the tags#so me and friend 2 have been friends for a very long time. since i was about 13-14 and were both adults now#i was raised Christian and it deeply traumatized me. i didnt deconvert until i was about 17 and even then was back and forth#i know theres a lot of variability in Christianity and maybe not everyone raised Christian will be traumatized#but i really really was. and if youve seen some of my posts about my religious trauma youll know why#when i was 18 i had just moved out of my moms house and was basically crashing on a friends couch/floor#i was extremely stressed and vulnerable at the time#and during that time my friend tried to reconvert me#i dont remember exactly what she said but it devolved into arguing and i had a panic attack over it at least once#we didnt talk for a while#shes also stated pretty directly before that she believes being transgender (which i am) is wrong#i let it slide because she apologized and stopped pushing the matter#she almost never brings it up anymore#and parts of me forgive her but other parts don't#i feel like i should also talk about the ways that shes a good friend because this is gonna make it seem really one sided otherwise#so for one shes been with me through the hardest years of my life#talking me down from taking my life late into the nights... being there when no one else was... reminding me that im worth something#shes been patient and kind and supportive all this time#she was also the person who eventually got me to realize that my parents and even my siblings were abusive and neglectful#which was a very big deal for me#i wouldnt have lived this long without her suppory#even now she checks in on me#making sure im not suicidal and reminding me that shes here for me#always reaching out if i havent responded in a while just to make sure im okay#she also struggles with a lot of the same stuff as me having had ptsd depression and an eating disorder before#so she helps me feel less alone#but now i dont ever feel close to her#and i dont know if i ever will again#i feel cruel for not telling her the truth if i haven't forgiven her yet but I don't think itd do any good for her to know
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local man once generously described as âa new accordionist in townâ by local klezmer musician kinda fucking bad at accordion
#in my defense it's not like i've ever had formal training (or any training at all lol)#my accordion has one button (middle c) marked out so you can use that to orient yourself#accordion is arranged in the circle of 5ths -- so F C G D A E...etc#the thing that's giving me a lot of trouble is going from Fmaj to Amaj#i had a stroke of using my brain and put tape on the a chord so i would be easily able to locate it by touch#and that def helps!#the other thing is that i have absolutely zero hand independence -- as in i can't play with both my right and left hands simultaneously#this hasn't been a problem with any other instrument -- though with string instruments it's not like your hands are rhythmically unsynced#i never played anything super complicated on piano but i didn't have trouble playing like quarters with my left and eights with my right#bc that's a very simple rhythm -- but on accordion i basically can't do it!#idk if it's a specific quirk of the accordion -- there's def a lot of differences#you can't see your hands for one. also on the left hand both your fingers and your wrist is moving#though literally in just one smooth motion lol -- but nvtl it's an extra variable#it's also possible the necessary skills were damaged in a seizure#it might be a combo of both factors! but i am doing exercises to try and desync the hands#also to clarify this isn't self-deprecating or anything i'm upset about#i would definitely like to develop my accordion skills but this is just for fun -- i have no goals of being a professional accordionist lol#i just think it's kind of funny -- people are always like 'wow it's so cool you play the accordion!'#and i'm like Yes i ''play'' the accordion. revel at my coolness#tomorrow i'm playing my first klezmer concert! excited :)))
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The horrors* are endless
#*too many changes and unknown variables happening all at once#im gonna be stressed til i move#the stress migraines are hitting#i had to leave work early today cuz of a migraine#the pain wasnt the worst but someone was drilling into something and there was an awful metal on metal scraping noise#and it was making me overstimulated and i was starting to panic#also i scheduled off the 21st through the 23rd MONTHS ago#because i thought we were coming back from Minnesota on sunday#but we're actually coming back MONDAY#so i gotta text manpower tomorrow to let them know#and im probably gonna go ahead and tell isabella too just to be safe#and its probably gonna be fine. my job is super laid back. but fuck dude. im stressed.#ive been stressed since the end of june#cuz i had APPOINTMENTS#and ive been stressed this month cuz of the trip#and now im even more stressed cuz im moving in a couple months#too many things#i need my grandpa to look at my car and do any repairs it needs to be safe to drive on the highway#cuz as it is i would NOT feel safe driving it to work every day#brakes definitely need replaced. my dad thinks the transmission might need replaced.#my moms gonna help cover the cost of the parts so thats fine. and i could probably cover them myself tbh#id just be broke afterwards#but id rather do this than add on to my stress by having to find a new car that i can afford thats not just as fucked up as my current one#stresssssss
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no one in charge of anything large in this country should be in charge of anything
#can i have everybody but the CEO knew it was a dumb move for $500#if they really want variable pricing and had any sense they would be offering discount prices during slow times#it's not like fast food prices have doubled in the past three years or anything
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the obedience that came with your older bf!simon hadnât started out as inherently kinky. it actually stemmed from a rather vulnerable admission, one that happened to come about as you were riding him.
âi need to follow ordersâ
itâd caught you off guard, but youâd been quick and accepting with it as your pressed your palms against his broad chest. youâd nodded, panting slightly as you tried your best.
âi want you to hold me down and really fuck me, siâ
and that was it, he was gripping tight on your hips and jackhammering his own up into you until your head was tipping back and a fucking squeal was being torn out of you.
the rest was history.
simon explained it as heâd built a career off of following orders, heâd kept himself alive by doing what he was told- being in the right place at the right time.
if you wanted to see him at his best you had to tell him exactly what you wanted him to do.
after a particularly soft evening on the couch, one that would never leave the four walls of your home, where simon was cuddled into your front with your arms wrapped around him- he told you he felt safest when he had explicit instructions.
part of it was just easier that way, like when he didnât really get the hype about sexting but you told him what you wanted and then youâd both be happy.
the other part of it was that security, he had someone who loved him enough to put him in the right place at the right time and eliminate as many variables as possible.
that didnât mean spontaneity was out of the question, he could surprise you and you could do the same to him- but once you really got into things, he wanted you to tell him in graphic detail what you wanted him to do.
âjust like that, donât move your hand at allâ
âcum inside me, pleaseâ
âbend me over, want you to use meâ
âlook me in the eyes, want to see you when you cum for meâ
âlick my cunt, simonâ
there was also something in there for him about you, sweet little you, looking this big man right in the eye and ordering him around.
made him weak in the fucking knees.
#ok i need to chill out but he actually makes me doolally i dont get it#simon riley x reader#simon riley smut#simon riley blurb#simon riley drabble#simon ghost riley x reader#simon ghost riley smut#simon ghost riley blurb#simon ghost riley drabble#older bf!simon
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for absolutely no fucking reason
my monitor today randomly decided to absolutely reject input
i tried multiple cords
multiple devices
multiple ports
only one decided to work at all BUT EVERY FUCKING 10 MINUTES IT WOULD CHANGE
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FUCKING FIX THIS THING FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS NOW NOTHING EVER WORKS UNLESS IT JUST DECIDES HOW IS IT THIS BROKEN
ive just now got it to read all 3 ports and all 4 devices but i still had to repeatedly jam everything in and out and im scared to even stand up lest it piss itself all over my desk again because literally me standing up is a fucking factor in this shit show
fuck you acer
#oh yeah and not to mention sometimes it would ââworkââ and the screen would shut off for eternity as it ââââââtriesââââââ to load the input#as stupid as it sounds i think this was some kind of logic puzzle where i had to plug in the âgoodâ device with the âgoodâ cord into the#right slot and then move it over to the other slot and then do the same with the rest of my devices and if i fucked up then i would have to#start the entire process all over again with all of the variables randomized and sometimes its like solitare and the whole game is just#completely fucked because it was made by a complete idiot
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Writing Notes: Stages of Decomposition
The decomposition process occurs in several stages following death:
Pallor mortis
Algor mortis
Rigor mortis
Cadaveric spasm
Lividity
Putrefaction
Decomposition
Skeletonization
PALLOR MORTIS
The first stage of death.
Occurs once blood stops circulating in the body.
The cessation of an oxygenated blood flow to the capillaries beneath the skin causes the deceased to pale in appearance.
In non-Caucasians, the pallor may appear to develop an unusual hue; the skin will lose any natural lustre and appears more waxen.
Occurs quite quickly, within about 10 minutes after death.
ALGOR MORTIS
The cooling of the body after death.
The cooling process will be influenced by many factors, including the deceasedâs clothing, or whether they are covered with bed linen such as blankets or duvets.
The body will typically cool to the ambient room temperature, but this alters if there is heating in the room or if there is a constant draught cooling the body.
RIGOR MORTIS
Can occur between 2 and 6 hours after death.
Factors including temperature can greatly affect this.
Caused by the muscles partially contracting, and the lack of aerobic respiration means that the muscles cannot relax from the contraction, leaving them tense, subsequently resulting in the stiffening we associate with rigor mortis.
This stage typically begins in the head, starting with the eyes, mouth, jaw and neck, and progresses right through the body.
The process is concluded approximately 12 hours after death (although, again, certain variables may occur) and lasts between 24 and 72 hours depending on circumstances.
Contrary to popular belief, rigor mortis is not a permanent state and is in fact reversed, with the muscles relaxing in the same order in which they initially stiffened.
The reversing process also takes approximately 12 hours, when the body returns to its un-contracted state.
It is possible to âbreakâ rigor mortis by manipulating and flexing the limbs. This is usually done by undertakers, pathologists or crime scene investigators who are attempting to examine or move a body â or by a murderer trying to hide their victim in the closet or the boot of a car.
CADAVERIC SPASM
A phenomenon that can be misinterpreted as rigor mortis.
The instantaneous stiffening of the body (most commonly the hands) following a traumatic death.
Unlike rigor mortis, the stiffening of the affected limb is permanent and is not reversed, causing the deceased to maintain the rigidity until such time as putrefaction causes breakdown of the particular muscle group.
Examples:
The deceased following an air crash were later discovered still clutching their seatbelts or arm rests in a final, desperate act of survival.
In a drowning case, the victim was discovered with grass from the riverbank still grasped in their hand.
Perhaps the most famous case of cadaveric spasm involves the rock band Nirvanaâs lead singer, Kurt Cobain. Cobain reportedly committed suicide in April 1994. His body was discovered a few days after his death with a shotgun wound to the head, and tests revealed he had large traces of heroin in his system. He was reportedly discovered still clutching the gun in his left hand, due to cadaveric spasm. However, a great deal of controversy surrounds the veracity of this latter assumption, and indeed the cause of his death, with many people insisting and attempting to prove that he died as the result of foul play rather than suicide.
LIVIDITY
Also known as livor mortis, hypostasis, or suggillation.
Once blood can no longer circulate, it will gravitate towards the lowest point of the body.
Example: A supine body will display pinkish/purple patches of discoloration where the blood has settled in the back and along the thighs.
Occurs about 30 minutes after death, but will not necessarily be noticeable until at least 2 hours afterwards as the pooling process intensifies and becomes visible, finally peaking up to between 8 and 12 hours later.
Once it is complete, the lividity process cannot be reversed.
Therefore a body discovered lying on its side, but with staining evident in the back and shoulders, must have been moved at some point from what would have been a supine position at the time of death.
It is worth noting that if the body has had contact with the floor, a wall or other solid surface, lividity would not occur at the points of contact as the pressure would not allow the blood to seep through the capillaries and pool. The specific area of pressure will be the same colour as the rest of the body and a pattern of contact may well be evident.
PUTREFACTION
Derives from the Latin putrefacere, meaning âto make rottenâ.
The body becomes rotten through the process known as autolysis, which is the liquefaction of bodily tissue and organs and the breakdown of proteins within the body due to the increased presence of bacteria.
The first visible sign is the discoloration of the skin in the area of the abdomen.
Bacteria released from the intestine cause the body to become bloated with a mixture of gases; over time these will leak out, and the smell will intensify to unbearable proportions.
Typically, this will attract flies that will lay eggs, which develop into maggots.
Bloating is most evident in the stomach area, genitals and face, which can become unrecognizable as the tongue and eyes are forced to protrude due to the pressure of the build-up of gases in the body.
At this stage, the body will also begin to lose hair.
The organs typically decompose in a particular order: starting with the stomach, followed by the intestines, heart, liver, brain, lungs, kidney, bladder and uterus/prostate.
Once all the gases have escaped the skin begins to turn black: this stage is called âblack putrefactionâ.
As with all the other stages of death so far, the rate of putrefaction depends on temperature and location. A body exposed to the air above ground will decompose more quickly than a body left in water or buried below ground.
During putrefaction, blistering of the skin and fermentation can also occur:
Fermentation - a type of mould that will grow on the surface of the body. This mould appears white, and is slimy or furry in texture. It also releases a very strong, unpleasant, cheesy smell.
As the putrefaction process comes to an end, fly and maggot activity will become less, which leads to the next stage.
DECOMPOSITION
The body is an organic substance comprising organisms that can be broken down by chemical decomposition.
If the body is outside, any remains that have not been scavenged or consumed by maggots will liquefy and seep into the surrounding soil.
Thus when the body decomposes it is effectively recycled and returned to nature.
SKELETONIZATION
The final stage of death is known as âdry decayâ, when the cadaver has all but dried out: the soft tissue has all gone and only the skeleton remains.
If the cadaver is outside, not only is it exposed to the elements but it also becomes food for scavengers such as rats, crows or foxes.
As the remains are scavenged, the body parts become dispersed so it is not unusual to find skeletal remains some distance from where the body lay at the point of death.
The way in which skeletal remains are scattered in such cases is of interest to archaeologists, and is referred to as taphonomy.
Where a body has lain undiscovered at home for a period of time it has also been known for family pets, typically dogs, to feed on the body. The natural instinct of a pet is to attempt to arouse the deceased by licking them, but once it gets hungry, its survival instinct will take over and it will consider the body as little more than carrion: it will act with the same natural instinct as a scavenger in the wild, which will feed on any corpse, be it animal or human, if it is starving.
Obviously the number of pets, the body mass of the deceased and the time lapse before the body is discovered will influence to what extent it has been devoured.
For further research on the stages of decomposition and the factors that affect it, look up body farms. These are medical facilities where bodies are donated for research purposes so scientists can specifically observe the decomposition process. However, be aware that some of the images are quite graphic.
Source â More: References â Autopsy â Pain & Violence â Injuries Bereavement â Death & Sacrifice â Cheating Death â Death Conceptions
#writing reference#decomposition#writeblr#spilled ink#dark academia#writing notes#fiction#creative writing#novel#light academia#literature#writers on tumblr#lĂŠon cogniet#poets on tumblr#writing prompt#poetry#writing prompts#writing tips#crime fiction#writing resources
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Andrus Laansalu talked about making Disco Elysium at EKA (Estonian Academy of Arts)
"Initially, the church wasn't a focal point. There were certain characters that needed to visit this location, and I asked, "Seriously, what do we have in our church?" The others replied, "Nothing at all. Our church is completely bareâjust a wheel, really. It's quite basic."
That's when I decided to unleash my creativity in the design. For example, they chose to install a glass structure at the top of the church to create a reflective surface. It was like placing an optical clock up there. Therefore, one of the most crucial aspects of designing the church was ensuring the lighting was just right to create the desired atmosphere."
"Let me show you an example of Baroque architecture, which is rich in detail. We're also designing the interior of the church based on large cathedrals. However, the foundation you use might not yield the expected results, because the church itself doesn't require such intricate details. Sometimes, it's about simplifying the design."
"I used Articy for the initial scriptwriting of Disco Elysium. The image only represents a tiny fraction of the text and choice variables involved. This system was also the reason I eventually abandoned the project after a year of outlining the script and shifted my focus to becoming a sound designer. My mind struggled to keep up with the dynamic graphic rules, but fortunately, a more talented writer took over afterward."
"In terms of sound design, it's essential to develop different layers to bring out the charm of the church as a cohesive space. Although this represents only a small portion of the overall design, each layer actually requires a significant amount of time to compose the whole....... Whenever there's a shift or a change due to the dialogue itself, you need to adjust the background sounds. Each time you modify the details in the dialogue, I have to refine the background audio, ensuring that these elements build upon each other like an intricate layer of work."
"It's funny how many scenes involve characters getting smacked in the face. My job was to recreate those, so I locked myself in the bathroom with a recorder and hit my forehead until it turned red.
As a sound designer, I really dig those unsettling, drill-like sounds. So, I mixed in creepy lectures, metal scraping, moans, and cries of painâbecause I just love that stuff! (laughs)
Players will be moving through all kinds of areas, so it's super important to make the sound transitions feel natural, trying to create a more immersive vibe in certain spaces.
With all the scenes featuring big cranes, you can hear them from far away, and I wanted to capture that eerie ringing in your ears. That's going to be a thing throughout most of the game. I've found ways to really mess with players while they're playing!"
"I've come across a lot of old objects (like phones and radios) that I needed to perfectly replicate the sounds. I started to become a bit of a hoarder, buying up different models of old phones whenever I found one to add to my collection. The sound effects I can simulate from them are really impressive."
"Some of the devices don't actually exist in real lifeâjust a mix of architecture and tech. When I need to create sound effects, I first look for something similar that exists in our world, then I try to simulate what the sound and appearance of that thing might have been like a century ago.
Towards the end of the game, there's a character carrying a fuel canister. We needed the sound of the canister, so we dug one up from our garageâit had been sitting there since it was five! I realized this would make the sound perfect. So, it had been there for 50 years, and after 40 years, it finally found its purpose.
In some places, I needed unique sound waves, and recreating them was a real headache until one day I happened to walk by a swimming pool and stumbled upon an old wartime torpedo. You can rotate the torpedo's probe, and it slowly rises up, like a proud zombie head. The sounds it made were exactly what I needed!"
đHow did you manage to get funding?
"Well, since we're in Estonia, you just need to know a wealthy person. You don't need five peopleâjust two who can network, hang out together, and convince them to keep investing! (laughs) Back then, we constantly ran out of money and would tell them, 'Oops, looks like we spent it all! Can you invest a bit more?' That's how we made it through!"
đHow did you all come together to make the game?
"Luck. It usually doesn't happen this way, and that's the key difference. It has to be. If not, you couldn't create a game of this scale - well, I mean in terms of budget. But creatively, Estonia definitely has writers and artists who can pull it off. With such a small population, there are a lot of quirky folks who are good friends. We were really lucky, though - lots of fortunate circumstances came together. It brought the right people together, allowing those talented fools to collaborate with us. They had experience but hadn't tackled projects of this magnitude before. So yeah, luck is pretty important!"
Lecture experience shared by ç˝ĺ
YIYANG SUN on ĺ°çş˘äšŚ, reposted & translated by me with her permission.
#disco elysium#inspiration#I was so touched by the parts#50 yrs later the old fuel can was found#and the torpedo does art not harm#i need to take down notes#sobbing#you guys are a miracle
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diphenhydramine | s.r.
in which reader has a hard time getting to sleep at night, leading to Spencer's step by step instruction of which hormones help you fall asleep
margotober masterlist
who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: smut (18+ mdni) content warnings: unprotected p in v sex, fingering, spencer infodumps while fingering you, restlessness, ambien, sex as a sleep aid, effective but not recommended, physiology, female masturbation, insecurity, reader doesn't pee after sex which you really should do, no clean up, but fanfiction isn't real. softdom!spencer. not thoroughly proofread. word count: 1.99k a/n: i thought i had this scheduled so imagine my surprise when i went to check tumblr and it wasn't posted. ANYWAYS. this one goes out to all the girlies with chronic sleep issues (me) and the person who requested this. don't like, don't read.
Your pillow was warm. Surely that was what was hindering your ability to sleep. Lifting your head, you flip your pillow over, resting your head on the cool side and turning to your other side.
Facing Spencer, you pull your arm out from under the covers, wondering if you should only change one variable at a time to see what actually helps you get to sleep. Huffing, you shut your eyes again, the usually muted traffic outside of your apartment seeming extraneously loud for this time of night.
You couldnât put a name to it, but there was something keeping you up at night. Youâd always had sleep issues, but your restlessness from the last several weeks was unprecedented.
âAngel,â your boyfriend says from next to you, reaching his hand out and placing it on your waist, trying to drag you across the sheets and into his arms.
Willingly, you move to his side of the bed, leaving space between the two of you to keep your body coolâmaybe you were just too warm to sleep. âDid I wake you?â You ask, peering up at him through your eyelashes. He looks so ethereal in the diffused moonlight that seeps in through the closed curtains, the cool light falling over the harsh edges of his face.
He hums in response, opening his eyes and casually slipping a hand under your sleep shirt, resting his palm on your bare waist, âNo,â he murmurs, even though you know heâs lying through his teeth. âWhatâs wrong?â
âCanât sleep,â you tell him miserably, sticking out your lower lip even though he likely canât see your faceâhis eyes would need to adjust to the darkness.
He shifts under the covers, gently skimming the pad of his thumb over your ribcage, âHave you tried Ambien?â
Your primary care physician prescribed sleeping pills for you, but you didnât have any interest in taking them. âSo I can end up at the Lincoln Memorial with my underwear on my head? No, thanks.â
âI would be very impressed if you managed to sleepwalk all the way to the National Mall,â he muttered, his voice clearing as he became more alert.
You sigh in exhaustion, âIâm multifaceted.â
Spencer kisses your forehead, âGo to sleep, multifaceted.â
âI canât,â you complain, watching him through your eyelashes, âIâm open to suggestions.â
Your boyfriend groans at your impertinence, âYou could try taking the pills that your doctor prescribed to you.â
Rolling your eyes in the dark, you tuck some stray hairs behind your ear, âNope. Any other ideas in that big brain of yours?â
âHas anyone ever told you that you get kind of snippy when you get tired?â Spencer asks rhetorically.
Frowning in defeat, you consider going out to the living room to watch something on the TV. At least that way you would be able to let Spencer get some sleep. âAre you telling me that thereâs nothing youâve read recently that has any kind of information on remedies for restlessness?â
Next to you, Spencer stiffens, and you wonder if heâs cold. You turned on the ceiling fan in an attempt to cool down, âThere are always new articles on sleep remedies, but none youâd be interested in.â
Your eyes flicker to the alarm clock on his bedside table, just past three in the morning, âIâm open to anything.â
âOrgasms produce some of the same hormones that are conducive to falling asleep,â he whispers, his ministrations on your waist coming to a halt.
Sighing, you flop onto your back, âI already tried that.â
Heâs silent for a moment, âWere you touching yourself while I was in bed next to you?â There was a new lilt in his voice, some sort of shift as the type of frustration he was feeling changed.
Considering your options, you cross your arms in front of your stomach, staring up at the spinning blades of the ceiling fan, âYeah, but I didnâtâ I couldnâtââ
âYou couldnât make yourself come?â He finishes for you, the words that you couldnât get out slipping easily past his lips.
It shouldnât embarrass you, but you find your face warming under the cover of night anyways. âNo,â your answer comes out as barely more than an exhale, âI couldnât quite get there.â
With his hand now resting on your abdomen, your attention laser focusing on the way his pinky finger skimmed the elastic band of your panties, âDo you want me to try?â
Honestly, it wouldnât be much of an attempt, like every other aspect of his life, pleasing you is something Spencer excels at. âI want you to go to sleep. Iâm sorry for waking you,â you decline his offer.
He doesnât move his hand, âAre you sure? Iâm offering, if youâre accepting.â
âI-â you falter, âI guess it doesnât hurt to try, but only if you want to.â You were perfectly fine with going to the couch and wasting the night away in front of the TV screen. Youâve clocked a lot of time with the early morning newscast recently.
Spencer twists his wrist in response, looking at you in the cool light of the room, âIâm always interested in pleasing you.â He speaks to you quietly, retaining the reverent tones of the morning while slipping his hand deeper into your underwear. His index finger slipping easily through your folds, âOh, you got close,â he whispers.
Thereâs no resistance as his finger breaches your entrance, already deeper than your fingers had gotten. Your mouth falls open, a small, choked gasp escaping your throat as your hand instinctively grabs at Spencerâs wrist, âYeah.â
His motions are slow and precise, making sure you can feel every slight movement as he withdraws his finger before sliding it back into your pussy. Adding a second finger before his other hand pulls down at your underwear, haphazardly leaving them around your thighs before finding a rhythm. The peace of the night pauses only for the crude sounds from you, muffled by the blanket strewn over your bodies.
Gently, Spencer presses the pad of his thumb to your clit, maintaining the thrusts of his hand as he slowly encircles the sensitive nub, âSpence.â Your voice is a breathy laugh in recognition of just how quickly he can get you there.
There was something about having someone else touch you. When you do it yourself, you can hold yourself back or overthink it, but with Spencerâs hands on youâor in you, ratherâthere was nothing to hold back. âSex can help you sleep for the simple reason that itâs physical activity, but itâs when you cum that your body releases hormones that can actually help you sleep,â his ministrations donât suffer as a result of his physiology lesson. If anything, it all becomes more intense.
A sharp, high-pitched noise comes out of your mouth, the all too familiar knot in your lower belly coiling. And coiling. And coiling. âSo, you canââ your voice cuts out as you gasp, âYou can literally fuck me to sleep?â
Spencer hums a confirmation, âSex reduces cortisol levels, and your bodyâs going to release oxytocin and prolactin,â he assures you, âand those will induce pleasant and relaxing feelings. All of which means I get to fuck you to sleep tonight.â
ââm close,â you breathe, closing your eyes as the pressure in your core nears unbearable levels. âOh, Spence,â you say, your grip tightening on his wrist as his hands donât let up on you.
His unoccupied hand reaches up to your face, gently sweeping hair off of your forehead in a way that makes you dizzy, his head falling to your shoulder before he kisses the worn fabric of your t-shirt, âYou can cum, baby. Itâs okay.â
He doesnât want you to hold it in, so you donât. Your head tips back into the pillows as the coil in your belly snaps, going off like a slingshotâsharp and quick.
Spencerâs fingers keep working you through your orgasm, slowing at the same pace that your orgasm does, the sheets sticking to your back as you slowly unarch, coming back to the surface as the pleasure of your orgasm drifts away almost as quickly as it came.
Every part of your body trembles as you fall away from your high, hooded eyelids staring over at your boyfriend as you catch your breath. Timidly, you reach down and push your underwear down your legs, kicking them off into the abyss of sheets to be discovered at a later date as you turn on your side.
âYouâre so pretty,â he whispers, shifting under the covers as he pulls his cock out of his boxer briefs.
You hum, scooting yourself closer to him on the mattress, heat emanating from his body in a way that you now find welcoming, âYou canât even see me.â
Grabbing your thigh, Spencer slings your leg over his waist, opening your body to him, âNot right now,â he admits, âBut I know you. I know the way you look right now, while Iâm slipping myself into you.â His voice is low, but your attentions are focused on the feeling of his tip at your pussy, slowly pushing into you. He lets your body adjust, this isnât an angle he usually takes you at, but you can feel every single ridge as he moves.
âI know the glossy look your eyes have right now,â he mutters, pushing your lower back closer to him, leaving his cock impossibly deep in you. âA combination of the orgasm that you just had and the sensations youâre feeling right now.â
You shudder at his words, tentatively rolling your hips against him, silently signaling to him that youâre ready for him to move. A soft cry escapes your lips as he withdraws his hips, pushing himself back into you while your cunt throbs around his length, âSpence.â
He grunts in response, finding a steady, gentle rhythm as your mind goes blank. You find yourself searching for that high again, âYou feel so good, angel. So, so good.â His voice is low as he pulls your body closer to him still, âFuck.â
âSpence,â your voice cracks at stimulation, overwhelming you as he breathes into the crook of your neck. You dig your nails into his back, trying to keep yourself from screaming as his hand slips between your conjoined bodies, swiping softly at your clit.
Spencer keeps moving, fucking into you as his movements grow messier and messier with each passing thrust. âYouâre so pretty,â he repeats, seeing your features in the soft moonlight as your mouth gapes and your second orgasm quickly approaches.
Whimpering, you bite down on your lower lip, your leg thatâs slung over him shaking uncontrollably as you chase your orgasm, âOh my god,â you gasp helplessly.
âSo good for me. Let it go, Iâm close too,â he says, continuing his motions even as your pussy clenches around his length, the waves of your orgasm pulsating around him, sending him hurtling toward his own.
Stars dance in front of your eyes, and you let them fall shut. His movements come to a stop and you loose a sigh of relief at the realization that youâre exhausted. âDonât go,â you mumble.
Spencer presses a soft kiss to your lips, holding you close to him with one arm while readjusting his underwear with the other. âI wonât,â he whispers, âYou need to call your doctor about wanting new sleeping pills.â
You grunt in response, too close to sleep to form a coherent response.
âIâm not opposed to a more natural remedy, but Iâm not always around at night, and I need to know youâre sleeping at night,â he tells you, his voice growing softer as sleep threatens to take him.
Humming, you nuzzle closer to him, letting your body melt into the mattress as you finally fall asleep. Staying cold was no longer a concern, staying close to Spencer was.
#criminal minds#spencer reid#criminal minds fanfic#spencer reid fanfic#criminal minds fanfiction#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid x you#criminal minds smut#spencer reid smut#spencer reid fanfiction#dr spencer reid#spencer reid oneshot#kinktober#spencer reid imagine#criminal minds imagine#criminal minds oneshot#written by margot#mdni#margot after hours#margotober#softdom!spencer#diphenhydramine
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â SENSITIVE ft. BOOTHILL.
â â âyou get all excited for me to fix you up and call you a good boy.â
â OR
â â a sensitive spot during a repair leaves him melting into your callused little hands.
â ď¸ mechanic!reader, so much flirting im kind of sick, he whimpers i have an agenda, this is like 90% dialogue sorry, he wants u sooo bad. wc 1k, from this req.
âyâknow darlin,â boothill managed to breathe out through a taut jaw and clenched teeth. âyou beinâ this close ainât exactly helpinâ me focus none.â
your fingers were slow, careful, precise as they pushed a few tiny wires apart, giving view deeper inside the little panel on boothillâs throat.
the position you two stood in was one all too familiar, boothill perched on your workbench with you between his thighsâ the only new variables being your face way closer than heâs used to and your fingers proding around in his surprisingly sensitive wires.
it was anâŚodd sensation, to say the least. a small unpleasant stinging that simultaneously stimulated a rather pleasant shiver up his back with every small poke.
âtime and place, cowboy.â
you responded quietly, tone a little flat with your tease from concentration.
âcanât help lettinâ my mindâ wander, can i now?â his breath hitched a bit as you nicked a particularly touchy wire.
âif you let me finish this,â you lifted your head enough to meet his eyes, free hand gently smoothing out the crease in his brow. âiâll let you show me just how wild your imagination can get.â
boothill bit back a scruff chuckle at that.Â
âthat enough incentive for you to sit still?â
âwell, i reckon thatâs plentâ mmgh!â
a pair of mechanical hands tightly grab onto your hips as his shoulders tense, a knee-jerk result of your tweezers finding the out of place wire youâd been looking around for.
your hands paused, opting to ignore the way he audibly whimpered for raising your gaze a second time to check on him.
âyou hanginâ in there?â
boothillâs fingers flexed as they held onto you, relaxing from squeezing your pants to a more gentle cradle of your hips.
âyou know,â he swallowed thicklyâ as if his throat could even dry out, likely just a natural reflexâ âyou got a way of makinâ fixinâ me up feel real special.â
the slight waver to his voice isnât lost on your earsâ it was quite loud in them, actually.
âiâm hanginâ in fine, donât worry your pretty head none.â
carefully retracting your tweezers, you stood up straight enough to lightly push his hat up, giving view to his face and cupping your hand over a blue-hued cheek.
âwanna take a break?âÂ
he nearly had to clutch his chest with the gentle concern that laced your tone.
boothill knew he was flushed, was purposefully avoiding looking you in the eye because a few pokes to some sensitive spots had him sliding his hands to your waist like a lifelineâ not that what he could distantly feel of your skin against the synthesised nerves of his palms werenât doing much to cool him off anyway. but he didâŚrelax, somewhat.Â
he always enjoyed when youâd touch his face, getting to feel all the unique little details of you; the gentle drum of your pulse and the little calluses from your tools. it somehow always manages to make the tension in his body ebb away, draining with an exhale that lightly fans against your wrist.
he shook his head with a quiet clear of his throatâ another unnecessary function that served more as a tick than anything.
ânah, nah iâm alright.â he assured. it didnât make him any less embarrassed to be having such a reaction.Â
big bad criminal until you get a little too fudginâ touchy, apparently.
âletâs just get this finished up, yeah? maybe we can move onto somethinâ more pleasant.â
your thumb gave two gentle taps to his cheekbone before it pulled away, reaching for your tweezers for the nth time.
âthatâs my boy.â
oh how boothillâs chest bloomed at the simple praise, the endearing âmyâ that slipped in with it licking up his ribs and curling to rest along where a drumming heart should have been.
âjusâ be gentle with me, will ya sugar plum?â
âyou know i've always got ya.â
each plug or untangle of a little yellow or red cable had his systems humming, fingers occasionally curling into your hips every time a little surge left him biting his cheek a little harder.
âweâre almost done,â your voice is icing on an already cavity-inducing cake, though heâll gladly take a toothache if itâs for you. âjust a little longer.â
boothill was going fist to fist and losing with the urge to completely melt under your deft fingers.
ââŚkeep talkinâ to me,â he requested with a murmurmurmur, cautious not to move too much. âhelps me stay on tââ he had to bite back another whimper, cheek going between his teeth and eyes going to the ceiling. ââtask.â
boothill didnât miss the little tug of your lips.
âyou know, you do this thing when you get shy.â you mused quietly, breath meeting the shell of his ear. âyou bite your cheek ân look away. itâs cute.â
boothill couldnât help but let out a breathy chuckle at your deduction. he tried to regain some of his composure, though the colour in his cheeks continued to betray him.
âi donât know âbout shy,â he rumbled, keeping his voice steady as he could. âbut iâll take cute if it means i get to hear you keep sweet talkinâ me. keep this up and i might start enjoyinâ these repairs a lil too much.â
his voice was a little strained, though still held his usual humour.
âlike you donât love em already.â you teased back, gently closing the panel on his neck as it re-sealed with a small hiss. âyou get all excited for me to fix you up, call you a good boy and send you on your merry way.â
âiâm still waitinâ on that last bit, yâknow?â
you shook your head, popping his hat off his head and placing it on your own.
âgood boy,â you pinched his cheek endearingly. âyouâre all done. do you want a lolipop too?â
âthink i deserve somethinâ a lil sweeter than a lolipop, donât you sugar?â boothillâs face unknowingly deepens at the sight of you in his hat, brave words betrayed by a nervous tap in his finger and more blue to the apples of his cheeks.
âweâll save it for when youâve got a real booboo,â you took his hat off, using the brim to lightly tilt his chin up and give him a tender kiss on the cheek. for such a heavy hunk of metal, he nearly began to float.
âbut thereâs something to hold your sweet tooth for now.â
âŚ
âboothill?â
ây..yeah, sweet pea?â
âyouâre overheating.â
â MASTERLIST / GOT A REQUEST ?
#boothill x reader#boothill#hsr boothill#honkai star rail#boothill x you#boothill headcanons#boothill honkai star rail#honkai star rail x reader#honkai star rail headcanons#boothill hsr#UNEARTHLY
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keyboard-based workflows are like game controllers: when properly used, they're highly effective ! and comfy :3 but watch out !! sometimes a mouse is the answer
#daemon.md#keyboard-based workflows#game controllers#a controller is fantastic except for when you gotta aim or move an in-game cursor#a mouse is just more precise for that#i do find k+m more familiar for gaming but if i had a controller i would use it for platformers#and fighting games#and some puzzle games#most stuff where there's no crosshair or cursor to manipulate#and where the variable resistance of an analog stick is useful
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God as my witness - Out of the Depths of Hell - chapter one
content and trigger warnings- blood/gore, death, involuntary manslaughter, first degree murder, swearing (of course)
The plan would be simple. They get in, he.. pisses himself, supposably, and they get out. And he leaves them alone until graduation. That was the plan. that would stay the plan.
Grace grins at them as she explains herself. She points around the whiteboard in her room as she talks, carefully detailing exactly how the night would go.
- She unlocks the Waylon Hall. Her dad is the realtor, he has the keys.
- They get inside. Richie will set up two stationary camera angles, one facing the door, one facing where Ruth will be as the skeleton, if that has to happen. Richie will film the entire process.
- Ruth and Pete will change into their respective costumes. Grace and Steph will find where they need to sit to be hidden from Max the whole time.
- Richie finds the angle he needs to film Max as he moves through the room.
- Max arrives. Richie films.
- They let Max call for Steph. He calls for almost thirty seconds before Pete jumps out to scare him.
- He gets scared. If he doesnât, send Ruth.
- Prosper.
Steph doesnât think itâll work, if sheâs honest. There are too many variables, not enough for-sures. She texts Max anyway, and shows up at The Waylon Place exactly when sheâs supposed to.
Grace unlocks the Waylon Hall. If everything goes to plan, her dad will never even notice they had stepped foot on the property.
Itâs dark- Steph figured that much- and itâs wet. It hadnât rained in days. She canât pin point if it smells like mold or not. She figures it must, if she canât tell. Pete winces as the floorboards creak. She finds herself having to stop herself from reaching for him, for Ruth and richie. grace seems to know exactly where to step to be quiet. she points at a weak board and tells them quietly to avoid it.
They get inside. Richie will set up two stationary camera angles, one facing the door, one facing where Ruth will be as the skeleton, if that has to happen. Richie will film the entire process.
Steph doesnât know where Grace got the cameras she hands Richie. She figures she probably doesnât want to ask. They seem to be good quality- they look similar to the ones her dad uses for interviews sometimes. Theyâre good cameras, and based on Richieâs squeal, heâs never held something so expensive. He's gentle with them as he and Ruth set up the tripods in dark corners. There are plenty of dark corners in the waylon hall. Both Ruth and Richies disappear as they work.
Richie turns on the third camera with a grin.
Ruth and Pete will change into their respective costumes. Grace and Steph will find where they need to sit to be hidden from Max the whole time.
Ruth is a skeleton- a shitty costume from spirit halloween that grace had bought that morning. Her mask fogs up and gets wet in nearly thirty seconds. Steph watches her quietly, carefully ignoring Pete stripping on the other side of the room. She doesnât need to look at him. That'll make it all worse.
Heâs a ghost. The costume is a combination of three or four different ones that were probably out of Graceâs basement. Stephs pretty sure she doesnât want to ask about them. They donât seem clean. Pete's hands shake, and they make eye contact. Richie is saying something, waving his hands wildly. Pete flushes, and snaps at his friend quietly. Richie's arms drop, seemingly defeated. Grace grabs her arm with a grin, pointing to their hiding spot. Steph nods, and Grace dashes back off.
Richie finds the angle he needs to film Max as he moves through the room.
Stephâs pretty sure Richies had the angle since they got there. He practices his movement, mapping out exactly where Pete will be, where Max should be, when, why- all to himself, just too quiet to understand. Pete watches him, fiddling with the strings on his costume. Ruth has herself shoved in a corner with her bag, headphones on high. Steph has to wonder if this will give any of them a heart attack. Then, she wonders if she cares.
She does.
Max arrives. Richie films.
Max gets to The Waylon Hall early. Pete is barely out of sight when he bursts through the door, calling for Steph. repeatedly. She wonders if there's anything in this place that him yelling could wake up. Anger. She figures it doesnât matter.
Pete steps out. Max, to his credit, doesnât freak. She remembers, once, that Max was scared of stuff like this. like, terrified. ..They were seven. It's fine. It'll be fine.
*********
Max yelps, and backs away, talking loudly. He says something to himself, stomps a beer can, and charges. Pete yelps, shutting his jaw and all but jumping off the stair heâs on into a small hole, knocking into a camera, much to Richieâs audible displeasure. Max grins, flexing as he crows about his supposed victory. He didnât seem to notice richies groan or the camera falling. Steph bites her lip, glancing at Grace, who seems displeased.
Steph decides this is where the plan is beginning to go off the rails.
Ruth is sent out, visibly trembling, and despite Maxâs initial, incredible strong fear, he doesnât see to have any qualms with charging her, too. He shouts something about his dad and.. cucking, and grabs Ruth's shitty costume shirt. Grace grins suddenly, pulling her phone out to personally film the encounter.
Max doesnât get to do much more than spit in the skeleâens face before Steph decides she needs to do something. Anything. She tears herself away from Grace, and calls to Max.
His first reaction, weirdly, is to throw Ruth to the side and grab Steph, wrapping his arm around her almost protectively. It reminds her for a second of how he used to. Before he was Max Jagerman. He's shaking.
âWe gotta get outta here, Annie, itâs not safe. This place is hella haunted.â
Steph groans. âIts not real, stupid! That's not a ghost, itâs-â Pete steps out, and she almost falters. He looks different, with his glasses off. âItâs Peter Spankoffski.â
Max blinks down at her, then at Pete, then at Ruth, whoâs maskless and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Richie, who doesnât seem to be filming anymore. Grace is standing a few feet away, fuming. Max perks up.
âWait.. you nerds did this for me?â He sounds like his dad. Collectively, they nod slowly. Max grins. âMan, really? ..Huh. Maybe yâarenât so nerdy.â Pete scratches at his neck. Maxâs attention snaps to the movement, pointing at Pete excitedly. âThe ghost! oh, you came out, dude, and my heart was like, pounding!â He smacks his chest for emphasis. Pete flinches, but manages a smile. Maxâs grin grows. Steph wonders if his tail would be wagging, if he had one. He looks almost dopey.
Max whips around, grinning now at Ruth, who shuffles behind Richie anxiously. Max points at her, climbing up onto the stairs for emphasis as he speaks, âDude, the skeleâun?â Ruth winces, eyes wide and trained not on Maxâs face, but his fists. âThat? was really special. bravo, Fleming.â He bows, seemingly only half serious, leaning just so on the board of the stair he stands on.
And he falls. Richies camera hits the floor with a slightly metallic thunk as the stair boards snap and Max screams as he drops into what must be total darkness. He screams like he used to, when Steph and Kyle would team up on him in sports before he was twice their size. Like he used to, when Alice Woodward would tell them scary stories. Like he used to, when they were young.
And then, the screaming stops. And theres nothing. If steph didnât know any better, she wouldâve jumped down the hole after him. She wouldnât have bothered with the stairs that Richie pulls her down.
***
Max is.. not good, when they manage to get light in the basement. Grace warned them not to go down here that morning. Steph agrees. Richies phone flash is the first to illuminate Max. Or, what was Max.
There's a board snapped in half sticking out of his abdomen. It's the first, and for a second only thing she can see. The board, covered in blood and guts and dust and dirt and Max canât recover from that, can he?
A stabbing is bad. her dad taught her that, when she was younger. Max stares at her, alarmed. Nobodyâs moving. Stabbing is bad, but manageable. Impalement is bad, and not manageable. Impalement is rarely survivable, depending on the object. She watches her step as she moves towards him.
He doesnât react to her voice, or her touch. He doesnât react to Grace, or Pete or Ruth. Even Richie gets close, nothing. Steph has to wonder if heâs already dead, from shock or blood loss or something thats wrong with him. He's breathing, his heart is beating, but he doesnât look alive.
He blinks. Grace huffs. âSteph.â
âMax,â she murmurs. âYouâre okay, Max.â
âI'm.. gonna die, Steph.â
Steph flinches, forcing his gaze away from his injury. âYouâre okay,â she repeats. âWeâre going to get help. Pete's going to call an ambulance.â She says it more to point Pete where he should go. The shape of the boy doesnât move in the corner of her eye. Maxâs chest slows.
âDonât,â he murmurs. âDonât bother. âsa lotta money.â
She rolls her eyes. âI don't care how much money it costs, Max. Weâre going to get you help.â
He doesnât respond for a moment. Then, ââkay. âm sorry.â
Keeping one hand on his cheek, Steph combs her hand through his hair. The gel in it is starting to lose its hold, and she breaks up any remaining chunks keeping his curls back. If heâs going to die, sheâll see him as Max first. âYouâre gonna be okay,â she promises quietly. âWeâre gonna keep you safe.â
Max closes his eyes for a moment. Had he not been wheezing, it wouldâve made her panic.
Then, his eyes snap open, staring directly at Ruth across the room. She yelps quietly, moving to hide behind Richie, who hides behind Pete. Pete doesnât move, eyes trained on Max's stomach.
âYou.â Max's voice is loud and guttural, his eyes are bright. âYou fucking nerds did this to me. You stupid, nerdy prudes.â
Steph blinks, pulling back in shock before she can even decide to. Max keeps speaking. âIâm going to die, and itâs your fault. Your fault, for bringing me here,â He seems to be using the last of his life to be mean. Violent. âYour fault, for trying to scare me. Your fault for killing me. It is your. Fault.â
He doesnât say anything else. there's a small amount of blood on his lips, from his.. innards or from biting his cheek while he fell, sheâs not sure. His letterman is soaked and torn, his shirt is nearly gone around the board in his chest. There's a tear running down his cheek, tinted pink. Stephs eyes canât stay on his face very long.
She looks back down at his chest, gone still. Heâs not breathing. Stephs not sure whether she should cry or scream or run. She doesnât know what to do at all. She checks his pulse with a shaky hand, and finds nothing. She's not surprised.
Pete wraps a hand around hers, tugging her away from Max, away from Maxâs body. From the body. Sheâs pulled far enough away that she canât see him anymore. She stays to the side while Grace pulls bleach, an ax and tarp from a small hole in the floor.
Sheâs handed the ax, Grace smiles at her gently, and sheâs directed to the body. There are already⌠pieces, spread out across the floor. The bodyâs head is gone, its arms are too. There's one leg left. Grace points her to it, and demonstrates how to bring the ax down hard enough to get the leg away.
She obeys. Grace's hands are on her shoulders as she brings the blade down, and finishes the job. She doesnât know who did the head. She doesnât want to.
She doesnât want to know she even did this. She helps put the body in the hole, and ignores whatever Grace is saying. Theyâre all shaking. Grace seems to be ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks on purpose.
They disperse quickly and quietly. Pete promises theyâll meet in the library in the morning.
Sleep doesn't come easy once she gets home. She debates calling Jason, or Stacy, but she decides that even speaking to them after what sheâs just done.. she doesnât think she could. She doesnât call either of them. She wonders how devastated the four of them will be when they find out Max is.. gone.
She cries herself to sleep, if she sleeps at all.
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