#here come the fire brigade and coppers

[bobbie-robron]

Don’t say anything, right? I’ll sort it. (Part 1.2)

Jack and Robert show up at the barn. The beams start to collaspe. Jack fumes when Andy tells him he didn’t call the fire brigade… well that’s fixed promptly. Andy checks with Robert if Jimmy is dead then goes on to threaten his life… once they get past all this currently. The fire brigade and coppers arrive.

29-July-2005

[wellbelesbian]

Seven Sentence Sunday

thanks for tagging me @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @prettygoododds and @aristocratic-otter!

here's some lines from my COTTA fic! if you're unaware, my fic is set in 1984 and is about LGSM, an activist group that supported the miners when they went on strike.

"I have a question for you all- is it just me, or are the coppers getting lazy?” People murmur their assent as Simon continues, “I haven’t been hassled coming out of a bar in weeks! Do you think they finally got tired of listening to Wham and pretending not to enjoy patting us down?” A laugh goes up, but a fire has been lit in Simon’s eyes. “No, I think instead, they’ve found someone new to pick on.”

He holds up a newspaper, where the headline proclaims Strikes Enter Third Month, and below it, Picketers Clash With Police. A photo shows a mounted policeman, kitted out in riot gear, swinging a baton at an unarmed woman, "doesn't this look familiar?”

here's the photo i reference:

and this fic now has a playlist! it's still being added to, but it's a mix of protest songs and 80s bops.

i tag @ileadacharmedlife @martsonmars @imagineacoolusername @confused-bi-queer @ic3-que3n @forabeatofadrum @tea-brigade @bazzybelle @theearlgreymage @otherpeoplesheartachept-2 @facewithoutheart @whogaveyoupermission @shemakesmeforget @letraspal @larkral @artsyunderstudy @hushed-chorus @blackberrysummerblog @cutestkilla @fatalfangirl @you-remind-me-of-the-babe and @ebbpettier

[talesofedo]

Around 1850, a doctor by the last name of Harada was sent from his hometown, Wakayama in Kii province, to the city of Edo to serve the Ando household, who were in charge of the Tanabe domain in Kii. While Harada stayed indoors for a long period of time because of the ongoing rain, he composed a little book called "Bragging of Edo", which he published under the pseudonym Banraido Kiyufuku, giving us a little insight in the culture of the shogun's city at the end of the Edo period. ___ On weather and climate:

Since Edo soil is thin and the water table high, the climate is very humid. The consistency of the soil resembles ash, so traversing the streets after a shower feels like slogging through mud. Daytime temperatures in summer are so hot one thinks one is being roasted alive. On the other hand, it cools down in the morning and evening, and on rainy days unlined clothing does not suffice to keep one warm. Edo winters are three times colder than those of Wakayama. In the uptown (Yamanote) area the ground freezes, and each morning frost columns six or nine centimeters tall appear. After seven o’clock in the morning the ground that has swelled up begins to thaw, and unless one wears clogs it is difficult to pass through the streets. Most clear days are windy. When the wind is strong, dust fills the sky. It soils one’s clothing and socks, and one can hardly walk with the eyes open. Perhaps for this reason Edo natives wear dark blue socks and low-brimmed woven hats. Here and there crude dust goggles are sold for thirty-two coppers. Fires probably spread so widely because of the wind. Few fires break out on calm days and none at all on rainy ones. Thus Edo citizens are terrified by a series of fair-weather days, whereas Wakayama residents fear the rain [because of floods].

On local homes, presumably commoners’ homes:

Residential dwellings are crude, incomparably inferior to those of the Kamigata area. Walls are made of foul and insufficiently adhesive mud that poorly resists wind and water. [Roofs, constructed simply by] setting wooden planks on top of walls, are tiled only at the edge with no [supporting bed of] clay. If you kick a building, the tiles all come tumbling down.

Commoners’ homes (row houses / tenements):

The middle and lower classes always live in duplex housing units. Nobody owns equipment for pounding glutinous rice or mortars for hulling rice. [In their houses] they have no heated baths or braziers for guests to warm themselves. Visitors are granted no seating cushions nor do residents make their own miso. They possess no boards for pounding things, no oval wooden food buckets, and no laundry poles. Laundry is taken apart, lightly starched, and set out on a wooden plank to dry.

Fires:

Fires break out most frequently from the ninth month to the following year’s fourth month. At least two or three fires occur every night, and on some nights there are as many as five or seven. Minor fires consume from two or three dwellings to five or six wards; major ones burn four to eight kilometers. A drum is kept at the headquarters of [each] fire brigade; wooden clappers are stored at the headquarters of assistant inspectors (o-tsukaiban); and fire bells are found at commoner houses. The first three strokes [on the fire bell] are known as the “announcement” (oshirase); this is followed by a proclamation of the direction of the fire. At a double stroke, known as “prepare to go” (de o kakeru), assistant inspectors ready their horses. When the requisite number of firemen have assembled, the bells suddenly turn silent and one would hardly imagine that a fire has broken out. After the fire has been extinguished, five strokes sounded at both headquarters signal “all quiet” (shizumari).

Local beaches and rivers:

Nearby seashores are all muddy rather than sandy. Extremely crude muddy fields are found near these shores. Only the Tama River yields sweetfish (ayu), because it is sandy. All the other rivers are muddy and their water murky rather than clear.

Transportation in the city:

Within the city, carts are always used for hauling rocks, dirt, and grain, or for[transporting personal effects] when changing residences. Pack horses are only used for conveying produce, flowers, and wild boar and deer meat into the city, or night soil out of it. Businesses offering palanquin transportation are found in most wards. At well-traversed spots in the suburbs carriers of five or six palanquins wait for customers. Palanquins are used by people hurrying home or on trips, or by frivolous types who ride for fun because they enjoy the fact that o-ashi (“leg,” or “means of transport”) also means “coppers” (zeni). If one loses one’s way at dusk or is caught in a downpour far from home, one does well to pay for a palanquin ride.

Prices of home goods:

Buckets, floor mats, standing screens, and porcelain are all very expensive. Paper and sugar are extremely cheap.

Bath houses:

Bath houses have separate tubs for men and women. The entrances, too, differ. The men’s side has a second floor, where one finds shōgi and go game boards, braziers, and tobacco trays. Samurai and worthy townsmen ascend to this floor and a manservant brews tea and offers it to guests. Sweets of one’s choice may be purchased for eight coppers apiece. Eight coppers for the bath and eight more for the second floor result in a total expense of [a mere] sixteen coppers. Renting a rice-bran pouch [for scrubbing the body] sets one back four coppers, and a “grime scraping” [having dead skin removed with a rough washcloth] costs four more. Bathhouse tycoons pay to have their bucket of hot water brought to them. For one hundred coppers a month one is relieved of the task of fetching water and scrubbing one’s own body. Most samurai on duty visit these bath houses.

Restaurants and tea houses:

Restaurants serving cooked-rice meals in bowls, buckwheat noodles, or sweet bean soup with glutinous rice cakes are ubiquitous. So are tea houses with seating areas. The price for tea is usually sixteen coppers. One should not casually enter teahouses on the grounds of Asakusa (Sensōji) or at the riverbank at Yoshiwara (i.e., Nihon-zutsumi), for anyone who fails to order something priced at more than one hundred coppers is snubbed or effectively ignored.

Merchants:

A world of difference separates the courtesy and respect shown by Edo merchants and those of Wakayama. Edo merchants bow and repeatedly express gratitude for a purchase costing but a copper. Even fishmongers and greengrocers who make daily rounds to one’s home never fail to present summer and winter gifts. During the first seven days of the New Year, customers of all Edo shops are granted a gratuity in proportion to the size of a purchase. All wares are marked with a price tag, so one does not have to haggle or worry about being overcharged. Yet one ought to fear the street stalls at Yanagiwara, the second-hand shops at Shiba Hikage-chō, and local hawkers operating at [Ueno] Yamashita or at riverbanks. They present crows as herons, claim that tattered jackets are magical robes, and charge mountains of silver for a cheap straw hat. Here one must be on one’s guard.

People:

Perhaps because the city is so vast, locals are big-hearted. Warriors are polite rather than officious. Bannermen and their sort are especially congenial and display none of the specious dignity of Wakayama warriors.

Sake:

High-grade sake is very expensive. It tastes good but inebriates one only briefly and does not leave one with a hangover. Daimyo employees who drink heavily end up quickly emptying their wallets and probably even fall into debt. “Sweet sake” (amazake) resembles the water floating on top of rice gruel. It is not the least bit sweet.

Miso:

Even though miso is called “red miso,” it differs from its Kamigata counterpart. It is exceedingly sweet, perhaps because it is flavored with ample syrup from cooked soybeans. Because it is so sweet, the flavor remains on one’s tongue long after one eats it. “White miso” is also available but expensive. It is never consumed at middle- or lower-class homes.

Sweets:

Confections do not compare to those of the Kamigata area. Signboards and shop curtains announce “Kyoto sweets”—this speaks volumes. Buns (manjū) filled with bean jam are particularly bad. The plumpness of the wrapping is worse than a whore’s underbelly or a geisha’s cheek. But glutinous rice cakes (mochi), including those not of top quality, are delicious. “Otetsu dumplings,” “Eitai dango,” and “Imasaka [buns]” are attractive and elegant.

Staple foods:

Broad beans (sora mame) are of an extremely poor quality and unfit for consumption. Since no large adzuki beans are found, cowpeas (sasage; Vigna unguiculata) are used for cooking with rice. To differentiate normal wheat (tsune no mugi, i.e., barley) from wheat (komugi), the former is called “great wheat” (ōmugi). It is split [for faster cooking], probably because of the high cost of firewood.

Noodles

Buckwheat noodles are made without egg. Since the dough is rendered viscous by adding wheat flour, the noodles are tough. They stick in the throat and one cannot even down three small bowls of them. The flavor of the soup is exquisite, so if the buckwheat noodles of Wakayama were combined with the soup of Edo, this would be the best of both worlds. One would eat it until one’s stomach burst. When soup is added after the noodles are placed into a bowl, the dish is known as kake (short for kake-soba). When the noodles are heaped onto a small “steaming basket” (mushikago, a square wooden frame containing a bamboo screen-like bottom) and eaten like fine wheat noodles (sōmen, i.e., by dipping them into the soup by mouthfuls), this is known as mori (short for mori-soba, i.e., soba heaped up). When one enters a buckwheat-noodle shop, one is always asked “kake or mori?” I relegate the decision to my mood at the moment and answer without hesitation. The noodles are placed in attractive dishes and noodle shops all offer sake, in fact high grade sake.

Food prices:

Hatsudake mushroom (Lactarius hatsudake tanaka) are very plenteous, but matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake) are scarce and command the price of pearls—daimyo employees cannot even dream of savoring them.  Sweet potatoes command only half the price they do in Wakayama and are delectable. With everything else in Edo being as expensive as it is, the low cost of sweet potatoes is a heavenly blessing for humble daimyo employees of my sort. These potatoes cost only eight coppers, and eating them provides relief from the boredom of never-ending winter nights or long spring days. Herring roe is kept in water and is available year round. It is very cheap and represents the greatest luxury a daimyo employee can afford to eat with his rice. Many species of shellfish are available. Tiny short-necked clams (asari; Ruditapes philippinarum) and larger clams (hamaguri; Meretrix lusoria) are particularly bounteous. They are sold shelled, are cheap, and taste good. They represent the secondmost luxurious item a daimyo employee can afford to eat with his rice. Scallops are soft in texture and delicious, worthy of being called “Xishi’s tongue.” Yet they are so costly they ought to be savored alone, together with sake. Eating them with rice is a contemptible extravagance. Gray mullet (ina), sardines, and gizzard shad (konoshiro) are abundant and very inexpensive. Horse mackerel (aji) is extremely dear and pike conger (hamo) exceedingly scarce. Harvest fish (managatsuo; Pampus argenteus) is nowhere to be had. Octopus and stingray (glossed ebuta, Wakayama dialect) are so expensive that a poor samurai can hardly hope to relish them. Salt is very expensive. It sells for one hundred coppers for two or three shō (c. 3.6 or 5.4 liters). Tofu lees (tōfu-gara) are very cheap. An amount equal to three lumps of it in Wakayama sells for two coppers in Edo.

Bathrooms:

Urine buckets are entirely absent from rural villages skirting Edo, to say nothing of the city itself, with the result that urine runs into the streets. From what I have seen, night-soil collectors only scoop up the solid waste in the outhouses, leaving the urine behind. The only explanation for this is that so many dwelling houses saturate urban regions, which extend fifteen kilometers in all four directions, that not everything can be collected.

Miscellaneous:

Florists can be recognized by the willow tree planted at the shop entrance. Camphor wood, rather than juniper (toshō or nezu, glossed as morondo), is used for mosquito-repelling incense. Such incense is called ka-yari (literally, “mosquito chaser”). How odd that it is sold by florists! If one inadvertently loiters around the lookout of an Edo Castle gate, the guards shout loudly “Pass on!” just as beggars are scolded in Wakayama. Edo widows and wives are hard to tell apart because both have identical rounded hairdos (maruwage).

[shesawriter39049]

|TROUBLE| M|1 OF (?)

PAIRING:  OC XJimin/Namjoon/Yoongi ....Now how that happens..you’ll just have to wait and see…

High school/Drift racer AU

Running Back Jimin-

Point Guard Yoongi-

Not soo “Mr. Perfect” School President Namjoon-

Wild child Cheerleader OC...

***They all drift on the weekends *****

SMUT/Humor..ish.../mentions of drugs/alcohol

**Written all in good fun, for purely nostalgic reasons...the men in question are grown as all hell IRL and that’s all that matters lol! So for this particular AU yes... strap yourself in and take yourself back on a ride for a NEW highschool experience! ****

4.5K

Based off my headcanons I made for this threesum..it will play on those “characters” IE...my version of an Americanized..non art school BTS!

***I paint a very detailed picture...aesthetic wise for all three of the boys and the OC…(STYLE wise) I never get into physical looks with my OC’s***

It was 7:25 in the morning, I.E too damn early as three cars eased in one after the other to the already full parking lot, yet for some reason there normal spots remained untouched. The school itself was a “school of choice” and often attracted people of all walks of life due to its exceptional sports program. Everything from a Range Rover to a rusted out beater filled the lot, the students just as diverse as the cars. A white BMW 430i, led the pack, followed by a sublime green challenger scat pack, and ending the brigade was a very well taken care of satin black 70 Chevelle, two white pinstripes lying along the hood! The threesum almost making a untentional triangel, ironically enough the BMW eased into the spot that read “Reserved for class president”. Not even giving it a second thought before doing so, yet, it’s the first day of school and elections havent even taken place yet. Presumptions for him to assume for the third year in a row he’d reclaim his title!

Black loafers graced the gravel, lying beneath a pair of light gray slacks, which were tucked into a loosely fitted cotton polka dot dress shirt which sat slightly unbuttoned. A thin black Gucci belt laced around his waist. Hair currently ash blonde, messly waived out of his face, while cat eye glasses framed his button nose. Was Namjoon Kim a TA...or a Junior in high school!? Were still trying to figure that out too, the tiny bud of a joint pinched between his fingers kinda answered that question though. Leaning down to rub the end against the concrete to halt the remaining smoke, giving himself a couple sprays of cologne before throwing it into his black leather backpack. Placing his ice capp on top of his car before popping his trunk..removing 4 bright orange cones...placing them on either side of his car..

“This motherfucker!!” The playful scoff, in combination with the most dramatic eye roll you’d ever seen in your life came from the one in the scat pack as he sipped on his Bahama Mama. A pair of Puma RS-X TRACKS laid on his feet,accompanied by a pair of extremely tight,distressed, dark wash “Copper 9” skinnies. With the way your school's star running backs thighs were set up you’d swear these bitches were painted on. Ya know... the amount of rips that laid along his thighs mixed with how low the white Calvin Klein V-neck sat..the combo would definitely be a write up if worn on a female student! Well... actually…. nah, your school was very laxed on dress code just due to everyone constantly breaking it and your principle basically giving up! Jimin's caramelized complexion glowing under the sun.. his dark wavy locks locks sat tucked behind a backwards red Supreme snapback! A set of rhinestone 2G plugs sat in his ears while an array of other piercing traced of the outer frame of his lobes. Arms and fingers, also coated in a menagerie of gold and silver accessories.

Lounging casually against the hood of his car, a smug smirk tugged on his pouty lips observing the way his best friend gave his car one more one over before grabbing his coffee, dropping his gaze down to his watch. The diamonds visible from across the lot... strutting his way through the brigade of cars as if he owned the entire school.

“Is he aware that when he does that dumbshit...it just makes me wanna fuck his shit up!? I've never been so tempted to kick a car in my damn life!” and last but not least..that growl came from the proud owner of “The Creeper” AKA the Chevy Chevelle… lazily making his way in the running backs direction. A fitted black and white “DGK” baseball jersey draped his frame,paired with black skinnies to offset the primarily white jersey. His burgundy locks tucked under a matching black “DGK” bucket hat, all white Jordan 11’s dusted his feet. Of course the look wouldn't be complete without a “Tropical” Red Bull and his earpods wedged in both lobes..which essentially let you know he really didn't wanna be bothered. A helpful hint with Yoongi, wait for HIM to approach you...

Still trying to figure out why school couldn’t just start in November..or in layman's terms...during basketball season. Since that’s the only reason he comes anyway...just needing to keep his grades up so he can continue leading the school to their third consecutive championship. One of if not the best point guards in the state...you didn’t have to necessarily be the tallest to succeed in basketball you just gotta know your angles!

Sharing an all knowing smirk with the fellow athlete as the two of them coly strolled towards Namjoons car, casually kicking the cones one by one away from the premierter in the process. A gritty chuckle leaving their lips as they did so… before nonchalantly making their way towards the building, “Well, aren't you sexy…” The words purred from Yoongi’s lips making Jimin’s head snap around, but the minute it did he already knew the point guard wasn’t talking about a girl per say. But a car, a royal purple Camaro that clearly had drag tires on it….

“Fuck yeah she is….” The level of arousal that dripped from there lips ...at the site of a car was almost comical, yet not at all surprising. Incase you havent noticed they all have a thing for cars..even Namjoon’s BMW. It may look like the car of a businessman but thanks to Yoongi and Jimin under his hood was straight fire! The car itself peaking interest as neither of them had seen it before, and considering the fact that they raced every Sunday night...they’d know if there was another drift car in town! Shrugging it off for now, already well aware they’d see the owner at some point in the day….

The minute they entered the building it was just utter chaos, the school itself was huge, spread along three floors. Typically hovering a little under 2k kids a year between all four grades, it was clear as day who fresh meat was. The building clearly more than overwhelming as they ran frantically  through the halls, a combination of excitement and fear dancing along their faces! The pair smirking in amusement as they maneuvered through the crowd, unbothered wasn’t even a strong enough word to describe the two of them.

“Hey Park over here!!!” Jimin didn't recognize the voice, that shot through the air, yet he still adjusted his direction to follow the sound anyway. Not too surprised to see it was a couple underclassmen with cameras in hand. Probably on the school newspaper, or the yearbook committee...Jimin didn't care either way. You put a camera in that boys face and the charm goes on full blast! Quickly tossing the remainder of his drink in the garbage so he had freedom to ...I guess pose, suddenly this must've became a photoshoot in Jimin’s mind!  Eyes turning into tiny crestins as he smiled in the youngers direction, not hesitating to switch up his angles, poses, the stairs somehow became a prop...suddenly he was taking his hat off.......all he was missing was a damn fan!

“Yoongi you tooo….” Words slowly dying off his tongue at the glare the point guard gave him in response. Though he ultimately ended up complying due to a sharp nudge to the ribs from Jimin.

“Stop being a little shit!” Growled through clenched teeth as he continued smiling and posing for the camera.

“How about you stop telling me what the fuck to do?!” Reaching up to give Jimin one hell of a purple nurple ripping a low growl from his throat. Triggering the first genuine smile and chuckle to leave Yoongi’s chest all morning, as he glanced over in his direction.

“You said you wanted me to smile…” An almost menacing tenor rang through his throat as he spoke, still grinning ear to ear, gums on full display .

“You fuckin sadist!!” Nudging him in the shoulder before both randomly deciding they were done with this little importue photoshoot. Heading back to their initial mission..Tv production ...or as Yoongi called it..an extra hour of sleep before school starts!

“OH! So what your saying is you didn't enjoy that? “ Brow arched at the implied question cutting him off with another one before he even had a chance to respond.

“So now the rumors about our star running back #81 being into BDSM suddenly aren't true!? You suddenly lost your pain kink!? How about a little breath play action? Choking? Would you care to confirm or deny this accusation Mr. Park!?” Shoving his Iphone in Jimin’s face as if it were a mic..a shit eating grin playing on his lips…

The smirk that crawled up Jimin’s face at the sound of that should’ve already told Yoongi he was going to wanna kick his ass “Oh yeah, I fuckin love it ..in fact..your mom sounds soo damn good calling me daddy I just-” Insitnally cut off by Yoongi shoving him into the nearest locker, ripping a loud cackle from Jimins throat..laughing until he was almost weezing eyes completely dissapered into his face!

“Cool, I’m glad we decided moms are fair game this year..especially because your father travels a lot..I’m sure mama Park gets lonely...” Playfully wagging his tongue in Jimin’s direction earning a well deserved dual middle finger from the running back!

Stumbling their way down the hall as they, kicked, nudged and shoved each other in the process if people didn't know any better they’d really question the terms of their friendship! The pair finally danced upon there missing link, a combination of fondness and embarrassment laced along there face as they watched Namjoon network..or flirt..or both depends on perspective!

“Yes, of course I’m very confident in that and I think I did a very good job last year, and the student body will remember that..and hopefully vote accordingly when the time arises…”  Flashing the girl to his right his award winning dimply smile...nothing subtle about the way she damn near melted at the sound of his voice alone. Namjoon knew what he was doing though as his hand soothed over her shoulder. Eyes burning into hers, as he awaited her to remember how to breathe and close out her podcast recording.

“KIM NAMJOON!!!!” Squawked from Jimin’s lips..he didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was..just the simple stylization of his name alone let him know it was probably only one of few people!!

Glancing over his shoulder in there direction, ya know it’s funny..if you saw the three of them separately..you probably wouldn't assume they’d be friends. Unless your basing it solely on ethnicity, even there styles screamed different ‘Cliques” if you will. First you got Jimin who dresses like a...tendy, slightly boujee skater, Yoonig, who leans more towards “High end” urban street/lounge wear..and finally Namjoon. This boy either looks like he’s heading to a corporate meeting, or like he just got a Champs endorsement..there’s NO inbetween. Yet this threesum have been best friends since the 6th grade and wouldn't have it any other way!

“Yeah...were actually gonna make shirts that say “Daddy Joon for president…” so ugh look out for that merch coming real soon, I’ll slide the link on my Instagram..make sure you're all following me, it’s “ParkJimin81” in case your not…”

Tongue playing at the corner of his mouth as he casually draped his arm over the brunettes shoulder after shamelessly plugging himself .Now it was his turn to make this poor girl's knees go even weaker. Dropping his gaze down to meet hers not missing the way her body shuddered slightly at the contact. Or how her eyes zoned in on his cherry stained lips, a smug smirk tugging on his cheeks, as he slid his hat off, ruffling his figures through his hair. “Aeygo” left his tongue in response to how blatantly flushed the underclassmen’s face was before abruptly moving in Namjoon direction. “Alright playtimes over baby boy we gotta go!!” Tugging him down the hallway...

“Andddddd THAT ladies and gentlemen, was a free lesson on how to clout chase and be a hoe  with Jimin Park..he’s here 5 days a week..for at least 4 of the 7 hours of the day! But if you wanna learn how to do that thing where he looks like he’s going to rip every hair follicle out of his head...we can probably set up some private facetime sessions for like 20 a pop! Lemme know..Yoongi Min, manager and the only functioning brain cell for those two! Thank you!! ”  Extending his hand dramatically, dropping down to a sad excuse for a curtsey, bowing a couple times before tailing after his friends!

~~~~~~~

The boys managed to make it to the halfway point...they all had fourth hour together which meant they had the same lunch period. Which was ironically enough B lunch..none of them were actually signed out by there parents as they casually walked out the back doors. Not even remembering the last time they actually properly got signed out for lunch. The parking lot buzzing with students, during the summer months a lot of the time lunch was actually spent in the parking lot. Hints why there was one school security guard outside.. he wasn't doing much, though. Hell Larry actually looked like he was smoking a damn cigarette!

“Whoes car are we -fuck I knew it! I fuckin knew it” Swatting at Namjoon’s chest, smiling ear from ear compaly obviouslious to the current abuse. While Yoongi and Namjoon glared in his direction...

“Could you not abuse your president…I’m fragile...” Gently dusting his fingers over his pecks..

“Man! First off your the biggest motherfucker here! And if you don't shut the hell up about this damn election, you havent even won yet!” The phrase left Yoongi’s tongue with more bite than Namjoon expected, faltering back in surprise. Eyes blown out as he dramatically clutched his chest

“Alright FIRST off, RUDE!” Pausing to make sure there was enough emphasis on the fact that he was clearly offended! “ And are you doubting my skills Min Yoongi!? Listen I don't need this type of negativity in my political-”

“Oh for fucks sake!! Nobody cares about your damn election right now Namjoon!! Look!” Physically grabbing the taller of the threes head between his palms...turning it to the far left.

“On top of the hood of the Camaro..I told you little shits I saw her at the scrimmage!” Nothing subtle about the way Jimin pointed you out in the sea of cars as you reclined against your hood. Posing for a couple pics for Instagram with some friends, long story short 2 years ago your dad took a different job and you guys moved an hour and a half away. Due to the size of the school you transferred to you guys were still in the same division. So you saw each other occasionally on game nights or on the weekends and during summer break!. But nothing compared to bullshittiing and gossping all day in class with them, or actually being on the same team again! No surprise to anyone that you made varsity cheer for the third year in a row…

“Troubles backkkkk….” The words left Jimins lips sing song like as he gazed over in your direction, a cheeky little grin starting on his lips, before seamlessly shifting down the line.

“Well boys, I think Y/N deserves a formal welcome back..and who better to do so... then your class president, and two of the schools top athletes?” The grin on Namjoon's lips quickly changed from innocent to pure mischief as he glanced in his buddies direction!

Your LBD was without a doubt breaking every centimeter of the dress code, it looked like a standard cotton bodycon dress for the most part. But the very bottom flared out slightly almost like a skater skirt...which was currently playing “Chicken or go” with the wind! The leather chunky heeled booties didn't do much for that either. Only making your legs look longer and your dress look shorter, an oversized distressed denim jacket hung loosely off your shoulders. Finishing the look off with a pair of extremely tiny sunglasses so much so that they were actually useless..nothing more than an aesthetic! Hoops damn near the size of your head hung from your ears, hair half up, half down. A messy top knot sat in the middle of your head while the rest laid in loose curls..the sun catching your overly glossed lips and highlight perfectly as you posed along the hood.

Eyes zoning in on the pack making there way in your direction, you'd be lying if you said you hadn't already scopped them out prior to. The four of you followed each other on social media so you were well aware of how good purbirty was to the three of them over the past couple years! In addition to the fact that you guys weren’t necessarily super close but you were..comfortable if that makes sense! Naturally running within the same circle...so when you’d come down for the weekend, or summer break you’d still hang out or at least run into each other at parties!

You were always known for being a little bit of a wild child, the girl that was always down to cause a little trouble, and so where they..soooo it worked out! Only this time around, you got the opportunity to spend the majority of your summer abroad, so it was a bit of a surprise to most that you were coming back to finish out your junior and senior year!

“Well, well, why am I not surprised your all still connected at the hip?” A playful smirk tugged on the corners of your lips as the pack swarmed you, Jimin closing in first. Not hesitating to scoop you off the hood and into his arms for a hug, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“Hiii..” slipped past your lips and into his hair, as the sweet musky scent of his cologne filled your nose in the process. A slight squeal leaving your lips as he twirled you around before placing you back on the ground.

“Hii, welcome back...” He naturally carried a very warm tenor to his voice,not the deepest but it was effective, calm..inviting...intimate.You could damn near feel every muscle in his body when he picked you up. Puberty hit Jimin damn near perfectly..even though you’d never tell him that!

He was always a little..’thick” I guess you'd say,nice ass, thighs..and the cutest chubby cheeks even though he hated them! Now..he turned all that into muscle..still thick just toned..Jawline chiseled to the GODS, you could damn near cut glass! Like I said, you saw them damn near evrry sumemr, but it seems you miss one and now it’s like..FUCK!!!

“You missed us that much you had to move back aye? Or was Brighton a little too...boring for you?” A smile that was almost too damn smooth played on his lips as he glanced down at you. Tongue slowly grazing against his teeth,reclining against the light post adjacent to your car. Funny how it was a question yet his tone indicated as if he was telling you, you missed them and you moved back because you got bored...

“Meh, I don't know about all that, but the three of you aren’t the worst ammently this town has to offer so I won't complain. Also you already know..lifes far from boring if I’m involved...”  Casually flipping your hair over your shoulder as you shifted back along the hood of your car, eyes now zoning in on the other making there way in your direction.

“Princesssssss..” Namjoon sauntered over to you..moving past some random that appears to just be observing or taking notes...it hard to tell. Fuck, did his voice get even deeper!!!??? How many times is this boy going through puberty shit!

Taking in his frame from head to toe, a slight snort  leaving your lips at his attire, hopping off the hood swaying in his direction. Letting your hands play with the collar of his dress shirt…”You do know you don't actually work here right? And like this whole student body president gig means nothing when you drive off the lot?” Brow arched at the implied smart arsed question, a smirk playing on the corners of your lips as you watched him roll his eyes. Ripping a cackle from both of his best friends lips in the process.

“I’m soooo glad someone else gets it!!!”

Instantly whipping a middle finger in Yoongi’s direction without breaking eye contact with you.

“Aww Joon! I’m glad you finally pulled that thing outta your ass!”

“Yeah, yeah, fuck the both of you! Now give me a damn hug girl!!” A playful growl ripped from his throat,as it was his turn to scoop you into his arms. Giggling into the side of his neck in the process, eyes fluttering open in enough time to see  Yoongi damn near salivating over your car. Palm coming over to caress the curve in your hood, yes, there was something extremely sexy about how delicately he stroked the frame of your car.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to touch something that doesn't belong to you without permission Min? ” Lashes fluttering in his direction, your tone of voice let him know you really weren't bothered

A smirk playing on the corner of his lips as he gazed over at you, still not removing his hand from your car though. “I mean ..yeah they have..but to be honest I don't really wanna touch...I wanna ride her..” Eyes locked with yours as he said it, you knew what he meant, he was a car guy, and right now he had a car boner! But he also knew what he was doing in the obvious change in tenor as he spoke…

“Oh yeah?” Brow quirked in amusement as you sauntered over in his direction, Namjoon and Jimin overseeing in silence.

“Mmmmhmm...she’s sexy..what can I say...I’m a man..I like sexy…” Kneeling down slightly trying to see if there;s anything under the frame of the hood.

“Is he stock..or a tease?” This time the question came from Jimin, as he slowly started to circle the perimeter of the car

“Hmm..why don’t you find out yourself? Reve her up a little..she’s a big girl..she can take…” Wiggling your key fob in Yoongi’s direction. A cheeky grin spreading across his lips, which looked extremely wet right now....

“Shit, you don’t have to tell me twice, get it baby girl!!” Extending his hand to catch the keys

“You two are more than welcome..I’m riding shotty though, my whip, my rules…”

The pair didn't even have to think about it before hopping into the back seat.

The minute Yoongi revved up the engine and they heard how sweet your baby girl purred, a literal moan swept through the car. Triggering a gritty cackle to leave your chest “I told you she's no bitch!!!!”

Easing out of the parking lot, and making his way down the main road, which was essentially all rural, your city itself was initially a resort town. Downtown itself was huge but for the most part there's just a lot of trails, backroads, lakes,and land, a lot of land..beware of mounds of horse shit in the road during the warm months!

“Do you mind if I smoke in here?”

Eyes whipping back in Namjoons direction dramatically as if you hadn't seen him hit a bong at a party “Oh my god our future class prez smokes!? Shit, I might actually vote for you instead of actually running my damn self!”

The look on Namjoon’s face was utterly priceless, while Jimin and Yoongi damn near weezed…

“Ohhhh shittttt…” Jimin’s entire body slouched into itself as he laughed until he was practically in tears!

“You would not….” Tone blatantly daring taking on a more dominant effect that your use too! But you didn't care shrugging nochanaly in his direction.

“Aww what’s wrong Joonie? Worried because for once you might have some actual competition, or because you may actually lose!? But don't worry I’d make sure you were like my treasure or something ...”

Reaching over to grab the joint from between his fingers positioning it between your lips, if you didn't know any better you’d swear he damn near growled in response. Turning your head in Jimin’s direction who leaned down to light the joint for you. Taking a long slowly drag before pulling it back from your lips, coating the tip in the leftover residue from your lipgloss.

“Nah, not even, phased honestly go for it baby ! To be real I’ve been craving a little competition anyway...and don’t worry there will be no hard feelings on my end. I’ll still invite you to my celebration party at my lake house because I gotta respect you for at least trying!” Smiling down at you before snatching the Joint out of your mouth with zero warning, placing it between your lips. Causing you to blow the cloud of smoke dead in his face, eyes shifting into tiny slits as you glared back at him.

“Don’t fuckin’ tempt me Namjoon…” Tone taking a sassy turn as he was now testing your patience.

“Oh no I’m not tempting I’m begging..and I don’t do that often..please..please be a good girl for me and do as I say...and run for class president!” Intentionally taunting you as there was now an almost whiny condescending tinge to his voice. shooting you a quick wink before reclining in his seat.

A short scoff leaving your lips in response, hating how quickly he could get under your skin “ Oh don’t worry..I’ll be damn good for you!! Game fucking...on..Joonie...you wanna play we can play...speaking of…” Brining your attention to the driver's seat

“Min, what the fuck are you doing? I thought you wanted to ride her not babysit her...I know you don’t baby stroke the gears on your Chevelle like this. Show me what you got..put in work, I bought these tires for a reason sir!

Adding a purposely taunting tone to your voice as you glance in his direction, knowing damn well you were pushing his buttons. Observing the way his eyes glanced up into the rearview mirror, catching Jimin’s, the pair sharing a smirk before a deep slow breath left his body. Adjusting the grip his handheld on the gear shift, lowering your steering wheel and reclining his seat back even further.

“Alright kids buckle the fuck up, you heard her, she want’s it fast and loud....well.. daddy’s about to have a little fun….”  Eyes shifting in your direction briefly..

“I’m waaaiiitingggg….”

You could see Namjoon in your peripheral pulling out his phone, aiming it at the additional speed gauge you bought for the car since nothing under the hood, including the engine was stock. It legitimately felt like your body melted into the seat as he seamlessly alleviated for 45 to 60 to 75-to 90....before you knew it he had her purring at a solid 150 and it barely even felt like it!

“ FUCKKKKKKK YEAH!!!” Ripped from your throat once you felt him flour it, feet hammering straight into the floor! Going a good 4 miles, at full blast before actually approaching a more…”Civilized” part of town.

A loud howl ripped from Jimin’s chest as Yoongi drifted down a slide street that was actually a dead in...which lead to the parking lot of a roller rink. Purposely easing in sideways as your tires rutted along the concrete, cradling the wheel until he completed 3 seamlessly donuts. Still, hovering at close to 100mph before slowly bringing her down, gear shift by gear shift, all four of you starting at each other breathless in complete silence as your car finally came to a halt….

“Holy shit I have to fucking PEE!!” Swatting at the back of your seat until you scooted over, almost onto Yoongi’s lap so Namjoon could hop out of the car. Passing Yoongi the joint in the process so he could finally hit it too now that he was parked.

“She’s fucking NASTY!!!!” Yoongi glanced over at you between puffs..placing the joint in front of your lips which you welcomed. Leaning down to take two more puffs, slowly inhaling a cloud of smoke releasing the remainderer through your nostrils.

‘Oh...” Leaning down again, causing you to lean forward thinking he was going to offer you the joint again ...but instead  “Welcome back by the way..you were missed..” Taking another slow drag before releasing a cloud of smoke from his lungs, concentrating the smoke in the direction of your lips. Reclining your jaw slightly, sucking in, recouping the remaining cloud of smoke . Fuck, when did Yoongi get so damn smooth!?

“Thanks, I’m glad to be back honestly” Clearing out your lungs a little before continuing “And thank you! I told youuuu..she’s  my little baby...a straight beast!” Chest swelling with pride, even though this wasn't close to half to what she could do.

“There’s a race...this weekend...Either after the first game on Friday orrrr sunday night...that parts still undecided!I think it’s too late for a buy in but...you definitely need to come...it’s at the trail down by Marine city.”

Nose scrunching into your face at the location...not too fond...at all..you hated the drive even on the bus for games !

You reaction caused Jimin to smile over at you , already well aware of your issue, as he ruffled his fingers through his hair. Slowly tailing his way down to caress his neck “You could always ride with one of us if you want-”

“Shit!!” Namjoon hopped back into the car slamming the door behind him, luckily you still hadn't fully shifted off of Yoongi’s thigh or else he would have crushed your ass! “I think I saw a -”

Before he even had time to finish his thought...a blacked out charger pulled in..unmarked but the sirens said it all….

“Everybody out of the car!!”

THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE FOR THE INTRO CHAPTER!!! If you like it and you want me to continue with this fourseume..then “Like” this..leave some feedback and come hit up my ask box!

NOTE- IF I continue this..it will be a one shot series..as in it won’t go into EVERY detail of day to day life but have a main focus. I.E the first game, the drift race, the election, Namjoon /Jimin’s birthday ETC…I’m also still undecided on how the smut is going to work between the 4 of them. There could be an array of scenarios that take place as “smut” means any type of sexual activity, so that’s not to say she’ll go the full 9 with all three of them...or maybe she will...IDK!!!! LOL

NOTE- I know realistically they would be staggered year wise, but to make it easier I’m making them all juniors (If I add in the other boys in another series, Hoseok would be a Junior while Tae, and Kook would be Sophomores and Jin would be a senior)

ALSO- The boys are all going to graduate at 18 or In Yoongi’s case he turns 19 right after!

Love you guys as always,

Rocki!

[pigeontheoneandonly]

Snowstorm

For Throwback Day of Kaidan Week (@spectrekaidanalenko), I decided to excerpt one of my favorite scenes from my first long fic, Discovery, which was the project that brought me into the ME fandom.  

Set in ME1, Shepard and Kaidan are on Noveria, the day before departing for Peak 15.

“Shepard?” Alenko asked, breaking into her musing.  His brow was furrowed.

She blinked.  “Sorry, what?”

“You were off in your own world there.”  He smiled. “I asked if you wanted to tag along, or if there was somewhere else you were headed.”

Shepard abruptly realized she’d followed him halfway across the port, leaving her rather chagrined and grasping after the conversation.  “Just thinking about tomorrow.  Sure, I’d love to come.”

He was surprised, but pleased.  “Hey, great.”

“Don’t look so shocked.” They resumed walking towards the garage, the location of the service access.  

“You do have strong feelings on weather.”

Which was when she remembered exactly where he was going, and recognized that she’d just agreed to go stand in a full-scale blizzard ‘admiring the view’.  Shit. But now it would be awkward if she backed out, so she mustered what she hoped seemed like enthusiasm.  “Maybe we’ll get a glimpse at this Peak 15.  It would be nice to know where we’re going.”

By the time they reached the service ladder, she was almost enjoying the notion.  He was reminiscing about great storms of the past in Vancouver, and it was hard not to find snowed-in days filled with steaming mugs, cancelled obligations, and neighborly company a little charming.  

“Heavier in the interior, of course,” he said, continuing his rambling monologue without breaking stride. “We usually spent winter holidays at my uncle’s farm.  Well, orchard.  Letting a couple chickens roam through the trees isn’t really a farm.”

She didn’t mind.  She liked listening to him go on like this, about a home he loved and a land-bound culture of sorts she didn’t fully understand. It made her feel warm, almost like some of the heat from his glowing descriptions got inside her despite the cool hallways.

They entered a room no larger than a walk-in closet and found a broad-shouldered man shrugging into one of the parkas lining a rack against the wall.  In cubbies above them sat protective goggles, thick gloves, hats, and scarves.  Boots in a variety of sizes were arrayed below.  All of the equipment was an eye-watering shade of neon orange— the better to see against the snow, she guessed.

“Hey, Owens.” Alenko gave him a wave.  “Got room for one more?”

He glanced back at Shepard. Owens’ face was a stripe of ebony punctuated by two dark eyes between the hat and the coat’s neck flap.  He opened it to speak freely.  “You didn’t mention you were working with the spectre.”

“Is that a problem?” Shepard asked, mildly.  She wouldn’t be sorry to see the excursion canceled, but she felt badly for Kaidan, who was looking forward to it.

Those deep eyes studied her for a prolonged moment.  “Not for me.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Your management didn’t send out a persona non grata?”

“They sent it all right. I just don’t give a damn.”  Owens shrugged, his mouth a hard line of disapproval.  “Seems like you’re the only one around here who doesn’t see this war as an opportunity. My brother was a marine on Eden Prime. So if you want a look at the roof— all I have to say is, yes ma’am.”

She paused, and nodded her respect.  “It was hell down there.  I’m sorry for your loss.”

“That means a lot coming from you.”  He gestured at the gear and re-sealed the flap, muffling his voice.  “Get kitted up.  Grab whatever fits— it’s all open season here.”

Shepard sat on the floor, removed her shoes, and started pulling on a pair of snow boots.  “What was your brother’s name?”

“Sergeant Wayne Owens, 232nd Brigade, SAMC,” he recited with a touch of pride.

“I’ve run into my share of 232ers.  Good men all.”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Owens watched them finish outfitting themselves, and made a few expert adjustments to their gear— a few more, perhaps, to Shepard than Alenko, she noted sourly.  Her lack of experience pricked at her ego.

They followed the burly man up the ladder, a significant climb in its own right, and onto a suspended walkway hanging from the ceiling.  It swayed as they walked its length to an access hatch, no more than 150 centimeters tall, and held shut by a vast wheel like on the submarines of old. Owens spun it with the ease of long practice, ignoring its rusty squeal, and shouldered it open against the wind. A gust of snow smattered over the walkway as he held it open.

Both marines ducked through the hatch and out into a world of swirling white punctuated by brief lances of sundown light and glimpses of distant hills.  Shepard had only a moment to wonder at it before the wind smacked her against the wall and scoured a patch of cheek exposed by her climb with razor-sharp ice crystals.

She yelped and tugged the scarf back into place.  Naturally, this exposed a new area, and by the time she was through, the whole thing was altogether too loose and strands of copper hair were flying free of her hood with an electrostatic crackle.  Shepard caught the laughter of her companions on the wind.

“To hell with both of you,” she said crossly, which only invited more laughter, so she ignored them and crossed the scant meter to the catwalk’s railing.  It hugged the side of the Port Hanshan main building like a wedding ring.  If she reached up, her fingers could curl around the lip of the roof, crusted with cakey ice.  

Once she got used to the driving snow and the white film it put over her sight, her curiosity stood up in unexpected awe.  It reminded her of the earthquake back on Therum, if a pale imitation— an ancient and wholly natural, unthinking phenomenon that nonetheless defied every human attempt to tame it.  Their starships could cross the galaxy in a matter of days but they remained as helpless as ever in the face of planetary wrath.  Her feet strayed closer to the guardrail and she shouted over the storm. “This is incredible.”

She couldn’t see any of Alenko’s face behind the goggles and the scarf and the rest of it, but she got the sense that he was grinning as he joined her, looking over the side as much as could be dared in the high wind.  Owens’ chuckle carried.  “We get about ten of these big mothers a year.  It’s not so bad towards the ground.”

“This is my first,” she yelled.  “I’ve lived in space my whole life.  Never been snowed on.”

‘This is a hell of an introduction.”  He withdrew an electronic instrument from his pocket and flicked it on.  “I need to complete my inspection.  Feel free to poke around.”

Owens ambled down the catwalk and was soon lost behind the wall of white, leaving them quite alone in the world.  

She expected it would feel cold and dead and dark, this kind of storm, and certainly through the massive panes of Port Hanshan’s windows this was the case as it thrashed in silent fury.  But out here it was the furthest from dead a thing could be.  The wind rolled her back and forth like an oversized dog sniffing at a new toy, its tendrils tugging at her hood and hair with open mischief. Currents of snow floated on eddies in torrents at turns soft as dew and unrelentingly hard.  The setting sun’s reddish-yellow glow backlit the snowfall and made it all seem warmer than it was, reflecting off the occasional glimpse of the mountainside far below.  And the sound!  It sang and whistled, moaned and screamed, as if it were having a conversation with itself, or perhaps with the square stubborn building it embraced.

It made her want to take readings, capture its playful fury, find new ways to test its strength. Though rationally she was aware it would eat her alive, a part of her could not help but wonder if there was some means, some apparatus, that might allow her to drift on the currents as easily as one of its snowflakes, to really feel it in her limbs and bones…

Shepard could feel Kaidan watching her despite the swirling snow and the massive gold-tinged goggles they each sported.  They stood out like parrots in their orange parkas.  He leaned closer, at once muffled by his gear and loud to compensate for the wind.  The quality wasn’t unlike talking helmet-to-helmet during a comm blackout, touching your neighbor to communicate through vibrations.  “Well?”

At a loss to describe it, she flashed him an elated grin, high on the storm’s own energy, and leaned as far over the rail as she dared, trying to see all the way down the slope. The snow spiraled in one cascade after another down into the depths of the valley.  It was almost dancing.  

A particularly nasty gust tore off her hood and for a fractional second questioned her balance. She felt her stomach drop out even as she knew there was no real danger of capitulating over, and then there were hands at her back and shoulder, pushing her firmly back to the ground. Her face turned towards him, amused, as her rapidly-unraveling braids whipped about her head.  “I’m not going to fall.”

“No,” he said firmly, not removing his hand from the small of her back.  “You’re not.”

The slight show of protectiveness should have grated, but for some reason did not, perhaps because it wasn’t in the least bit patronizing.  She had been gaping over the railing like a lemming in mid-leap. Shepard shifted closer to him and he did not move away.  “Is it like this in Vancouver?”

“Not like this.  Never seen one of these from the top of a mountain.” His tone reflected the same wonder she was feeling, not a thought for the cold and only half of one for the risk of standing so high and exposed.  “You really never felt snow before?”

She shook her head. Crackly bits of ice were beginning to form around the seals of her mask, irritating her skin with cold fire.  “Not a lot of precipitation on Mars.”

“Shame.  No sledding as a kid, no skiing.”  His volume rose with the wind.  “While you’re here, you should eat some of it.”

“Eat it?”  Shepard was certain she hadn’t heard him right.

“No water tastes better than freshly fallen snow.”

“It’s Noveria snow. It’s probably radioactive.”  But she pulled down her scarf and opened her mouth to the wind, feeling the flakes drift onto her tongue and trickle under it in cool streams of crisp water, just warm enough to swallow.  She shivered despite herself as it hit the back of her teeth.

Her omni-tool beeped, a fifteen-minute warning ahead of her strategy session.  She frowned her disappointment, but held it up so Alenko could see.  He nodded, and they turned back inside.

With the hatch shut behind them, the absence of the groaning storm seemed as quiet as a tomb.  Every clanking step against the metal walkway sounded impossibly loud.  Her face and ears burned in the sudden heat, quickly beginning to prickle and itch with the temperature adjustment.  She rubbed them mercilessly.

Alenko raised his mask to his forehead and lowered the scarf clear of his chin, brushing off the snow clinging to the parka.  As he turned towards her, he was unable to keep from laughing.  

She stopped scratching and eyed him.  “What?”

He swallowed, gestured towards her, let out another chuckle, and was finally able to speak.  “You look like a snow witch.”

Suspicious, she activated her omni-tool camera and aimed it towards herself.  It showed an image of a woman with furry snow and the occasional chunk of ice clinging to every strand of hair on her head, streaky red where it began to melt.  There was a snow line clear around her goggles and her cheeks were rubbed raw. Her ears were so bright they were nearly a brick red, no natural color.  

She removed the mask and tried to shake off most of the snow.  Mostly, she succeeded in dislodging a few icicles and striking herself with the remnants of her braids.  Kaidan leaned up against the wall, hands stuffed in the parka pockets and a small smile on his face that made her warm and shy all at once.  

“Thank you,” she said, stumbling, for lack of anything else coming to mind.  “That was… exhilarating.”

“If I’d known you’d like a snowstorm that much, I’d have asked you along in the first place.” There was a hint of teasing, as if he were goading her for her preferences.

“Not that I want to do it often,” she quickly added.  “It’s good to experience new things.  No need to live in them.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who got so carried away that I’m dripping all over the floor.”

“I did not get carried away,” she said, grinning because she had, and it was wonderful.

“Adrenaline junkie,” he grumbled.

She raised her eyebrows. “Are you really that shocked?”

“No, I kind of got that from the way you make bats out of hell look like restrained, conscientious drivers.”  He gestured towards the ladder, allowing her to head down first.

All the way to the ground, she kept remembering that last gust, the brief instinctive fear of falling with all its terrible freedom, the wind singing in her ears, the pressure of his hand against her spine just where it started to curve through all the layers of her parka, and even as sour shampoo-tasting water ran from her hair down her face, she couldn’t keep from smiling.

[soerdinan]

Character Interview: Katy Thorne

My GF uses the open-to-all invite from @mapplestrudel​ , thank you! ^_^

Katy Thorne is a character she has had in an rpg in our own fantasy setting, and also is writing some stories about.

~~~~~

name ➔ “Katy Thorne. I know I know, my parents are renown for their roses, but I don't care about fame. To be honest, they wanted me to eventually take over the farm, but nope, magic is my passion."

are you single ➔ “I'm not. I... think. There's this one dark elf I met during travels, but I'm not completely sure I understand their customs.”

are you happy ➔ “I just started studying at the Mage Guild of Water, got some coppers in my pocket and roof over my head. So yes, I'd say I'm happy.”

are you angry ➔ “Why would I be angry?”

are your parents still married ➔  “Why wouldn't they be? I've been gone only half a year, surely nothing like that could have happened in such a short time.”

~~~~~

NINE FACTS

birth place ➔ “Roselake, west from Kingsholm, in northern kingdoms.”

hair colour ➔  “White, like the snow elves have, or so I have heard."

eye colour ➔ “Blue.”

birthday ➔ “Early spring.”

mood ➔ “Excited. You know, my mom tried to talk me out of studying magic. She said it's unnecessary and dangerous. Bah! I'll show her how useful it can be, even in farming!”

gender ➔ “Woman.”

summer or winter ➔ “Tough one. I'd still say summer. There were more trade caravans and such in my home village during summer. I loved seeing wares and candies from faraway lands.”

morning or afternoon ➔ “Morning of course. Born in a farm so days began early.”

~~~~~

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

are you in love ➔ “Yup.”

do you believe in love at first sight ➔ “Maybe. Not sure if it's love, but I believe in something at first sight at least.”

who ended your last relationship ➔ “My brother. ...I suppose this needs explanation. He saw me and neighbouring farmer's oldest son sitting and talking on a road fence one day. The jerk decided to tell about it to mom, who forbid me to talk to him! Yeah, sure he knew a little bit of fire magic but so what?”

have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔ “Possibly. When I left home, I stopped in Kingsholm to look for a teacher. I enlisted in fire brigade and while there, I... might have gotten mixed in a love triangle.”

are you afraid of commitments ➔ “Of course not.”

have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Yes. Zarathoruzan, the dark elf I mentioned earlier. Oh, and the ship's lookout, Mefandanom.”

have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ “Possibly. If I'd know about it, would it be secret then?”

have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ “Weird question, but no, I don't think so.”

~~~~~

SIX CHOICES

love or lust ➔ “Love of course. Love is long term, lust is just a fleeting moment.”

lemonade or iced tea ➔ “Tea. We had a small field for all kinds of herbs, so there was a specific tea for any situation.”

cats or dogs ➔ “Cats. I like dogs too, but we have an old farm cat Nelle and she is the best. She fears nothing and no one, well except my youngest sister Rose. She wanted to dress Nelle once too many times in doll clothes I quess."

a few best friends or many regular friends ➔ “I like to have many friends from all over the world, instead of just one best friend.”

wild night out or romantic night in ➔ “Romantic.”

day or night ➔ “Day.”

~~~~~

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

been caught sneaking out ➔ “Not really. From a farm it's a long way to sneak to town and back. While here in the Big City, I can come and go as I want to.”

fallen down/up the stairs ➔ “ Nope.”

wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “To learn water magic. For years my parents, mom especially, kept talking me out of it, but no more. I will learn it well and show how useful magic is.”

wanted to disappear ➔ “I don't recall any that bad situation.”

~~~~~

FOUR PREFERENCES

smile or eyes ➔ “Eyes. No wait, smile. World needs more smile.”

shorter or taller ➔ “Taller.”

intelligence or attraction ➔ “My brain would say intelligence, but I'm not sure which one has more control, brain or heart.”

hook-up or relationship ➔ “Relationship.”

~~~~~

FAMILY

do you and your family get along ➔  “I'd say so. Even if me and my mom have disagreements about magic, or my brother Gavin tends to be jerk occasionally being the only boy amongst four siblings, we are a close family. Everyone has rights for their own opinions, even though my mom could have tried to dictate my life a little less.

would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ “Well, I'm a self-trained magic user from a small town. Wouldn't say messed up life, but different maybe?”

have you ever ran away from home ➔ “Nope. Mom agreed eventually about me leaving to study.

have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ “No.”

~~~~~

FRIENDS

do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ “Of course not.”

do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ “I think so. Either they are good friend of mine or just a acquaintance of mine.”

who is your best friend ➔ “I haven't had time to make many friends yet, but I'd have to say Azarhita. I had never seen an orc when I lived in Roselake, only heard stories about them. But she's impressive. And she knows water magic too! Well, she can't control it that well, but I'm sure she'll be great in it eventually.“

who knows everything about you ➔ “To be honest, I don't think anyone does. Sure my family knows me before I left, but then, my friends here know me after I came here.”

[afteriwake]

Old Books & New Flames (16/18) - NEW CHAPTER

And here is the literal reference to flames in the title, come to disturb Molly’s life!

Old Books & New Flames - When Sebastian Moran asks local bookstore owner Molly Hooper for a job, all he wants is a second chance to live the life he should have been living before prison. What Molly gets is more than a loyal employee and good friend. What she ends up with is what she had always wanted her entire life: happiness.

READ CHAPTER 1 | READ CHAPTER 16 | HELP ME SURVIVE? | COMMISSION ME? | BUY ME A KOFI? | MY PATREON

The landline and her mobile started ringing about the same time, and when she roused herself from sleep and lifted her head of Seb’s chest she saw it was still nearly pitch black outside. She switched on the lamp for her nightstand and then reached for her mobile. “Hello?” she asked, biting back a yawn as she realized she forgot to look at the caller ID to see who was calling.

“I’m going to burn it all to the bloody ground,” she heard Moriarty’s voice say. Her eyes widened and she motioned for Seb to go answer the landline, which was still ringing. “You shouldn’t have strayed.”

“I didn’t bloody stray, James, you don’t own me!” she said, nearly shouting. She went to look out her bedroom window in case he was outside her home, but it wasn’t until she went around to the front hat she saw the telltale sign of flames in the distance in the direction of her shop. “You bastard!”

“You’ll pay, and dearly,” he said, and the line went dead then. Molly looked over at Seb, panic in her eyes.

“Volunteer fire brigade is already there, no injuries to speak of, Lestrade was in the shop and saw the bastard running off with a petrol can. Smelled it before the fire got out of hand,” Seb said as she burst into tears. He pulled her into a one-armed embrace, his other hand still holding the phone to his ear, presumably listening to the person on the other hand.

Eventually, she stobbed sobbing and he handed her the landline. “How bad?” she asked whoever was on the outside.

“They were careful of the stock,” she heard Sally say. “None of the books are water damaged, it looks to be mostly exterior damage if anything. Did the bastard really call you?”

“Yes,” she said, sniffing. “Oh my God, maybe he’s on his way here!”

“No, Greg said he ran off in the opposite way of your home. But still, Greg will bring the car round and I’m sure he and Seb can stay up tonight while the local coppers go look for him.” Her voice was soothing and Molly found herself nodding as she spoke. “Molly, he didn’t win. We may need to do some patching up, or possibly find a new building, but the stock is fine, Greg promised. If you want, I can go get Mary and we can come over to keep you company.”

“Thank you,” Molly said, sniffing again. “I would appreciate it. I doubt I’ll sleep a wink.”

“Then we’ll be over as quickly as we can. Make some coffee and we’ll bring creamer and we’ll all stay up until it’s light enough to assess the damage, alright?”

“Alright.” She hung up then and then wrapped her arms around Seb’s waist, and he enveloped her in his arms. “Why? Why tonight?”

“Just think, though. We had the electricity off for it to be worked on. It could have been live and you could have lost some of the stock.”

“Oh, God,” she said, looking up at him with wide eyes. “We have to tell them not to come tomorrow. We have to...we have to...” She sniffed again as more tears came, and she nestled her face back against Seb’s chest as he rubbed her back. There was more to worry about than the electricians, but it was something she could focus on and not worry that Moriarty was getting more petrol to come and torch the cottage or other things that were important to her. And her friends were on the way, she knew that, but right now she just wanted to be held and soothed and for just a moment lose herself in the fantasy that it was all a bad dream. She knew it would be hard, and maybe it wasn’t healthy, but she needed that right now more than anything else.

[artiekareestories]

“Fire.”

21-Minute Writing Prompt 10th October 2017

“Fire…”      

(written on 17th October)

  Marti laid back on Adora’s bed and looked up at the copper wire lights that were strewn across the top of the white canopy. “Your room is so amazingly boho… How come you’re not?” She asked with a relaxed sigh. “Boho? Oh, like the internet pictures and stuff. Um, well, I guess I’m not really into the fashion. I mean, the thrills and ruffles and off the shoulder dresses.” Adora closed the door to her bedroom after she let Agatha in. The cat walked over to the desk chair and jumped up, giving a soft meow for Adora’s attention. “I like the canopy because it helps me relax when I’m upset, not because it’s a fashion thing.” Adora moved over to Agatha and mindlessly started to pet the fluffy Birman. “I can understand that, I bet it looks like your own galaxy when you turn the light off.” Marti put her hands behind her head, getting comfortable on the bed, staring up admiring the string lights.

“It does in some spots where there’s a few twirls of lights. Like the parts that are clipped up at the end of the bed.” Adora responded with a smile. “I had to clip them up because Agatha here would play with them, and then whenever Edgar came in he’d get so excited he’d step on them and twist them.”

Marti laughed and then sat up. “Thanks for having me over.”

Adora shrugged. “I’ve not really had many female friends aside from Rae. Debbie and I were friends in primary school, but she kind of… grew up between grade six and high school and decided she was better than me.” She looked at Marti with an affectionate smile. “It’s good to another female friend around. I’m glad you decided to avoid Debbie.” She confessed.

“Wait, you and Debbie were friends? Well, that explains her trying to flash Tom all in your face, I guess she doesn’t really know it was you doing the rejecting.” Marti chuckled. “Which is actually very Tom-like. He’s not heard no many times, so I suspect he may have said something like you were too quiet or boring for him.” She grinned.

Adora threw her head back in laughter. “Well, whatever makes him feel better. I’m not really upset. I’d rather him move on and be happy, he deserves someone who wants to give him the attention he craves. I wish Iain could find someone… instead of flings.” Adora moved over and sat at the head of her bed in front of her pillows. She crossed her legs and let her shoulders relax.

“Iain deserves whatever he wants, if he wants to just have fun for now, so be it. It’s not like he’s an idiot who’d be doing anything unprotected.” Marti pointed out.

Adora leaned back into her pillows and closed her eyes. “That’s true.” She mumbled.

Marti tilted her head as she looked at her friend. “So, um, did you really kiss Will?”

Adora sat up and her hands moved to her blushing cheeks as her face became a sheepish grin. “Yes. Before I asked him out, yes.” Marti smirked at Adora’s embarrassment.

“It… It hasn’t caused problems between your brothers has it? Tom seemed happy, and well… I feel like I actually connect with Will, and when he came to the hospital…” Adora lowered her hands and Marti tried not to laugh at her flushing cheeks. “So, you asked him out too?”

“We have a date tomorrow.” Adora said quietly. “If it goes well… I might ask if he wants to go to the dance with me… But, I don’t know… I know he had a bad ending with his ex…” Marti swallowed a lump as Adora mentioned Will’s ex. “Yes, Liss really broke our hearts.” She muttered, her excitement suddenly fading. She sniffed and frowned. “Can you smell something burning?” She asked. Adora copied the frown on Marti’s face and took a deep sniff. “Yes. Oh my gosh… Where is it coming from?” Adora stood up and tried to follow the weak scent of smoke. Marti moved with her friends and then stepped past Adora to the window. She pulled back the curtains and gasped.

“Adora! There’s a fire!” She pointed on the glass and Adora hurried over beside her.

“Oh my gosh, that’s the Christie Cabin, someone’s staying in there!” Adora turned and ran out of the bedroom. Marti stood at the window with her mouth open as she watched the flames start to dance higher. She could see the spaces between the logs of the wooden structure’s walls and took a deep breath before she left Adora’s room and went downstairs to find her friend. She heard Adora’s voice in the kitchen, calling the fire brigade and frantic voices from the backyard. She moved outside and coughed as the smoke wafted towards her, covering her mouth and nose with her hand she followed the sound of the voices and the violently cracking fire. When she saw Adora’s Mum standing in front of the cabin trying to hose the fire her heart sank. A garden hose was no match for the high flames, Marti could feel the heat from where she stood. Someone came running past her with an extinguisher and moved next to Anne, trying to use the extinguisher to douse the flames. Adora arrived beside Marti, her pale skin reflecting the eerie orange glow of the fire. “I don’t think he is in there… I hope he isn’t…” She breathed. Marti looked down at the petite girl beside her and realised she was trembling. An explosion made her look back to the burning cabin and she gasped as the flames leapt high into the sky. The extinguisher and Anne moved back, trying to protect themselves from the sudden flare. There was no way they could save the cabin, and it was incredibly unlikely if the guest was inside that he would have survived. The sound of distant sirens mixed with the sound of logs falling to the ashes and Marti imagined the racing fire truck heading from the small town to the Escape. “I’m sorry.” She put a hand gently on Adora’s shoulder. Adora turned to her and Marti saw tears streaking down her face, dried by the heat of the fire before them. Marti tilted her head as her face clenched with pity and she pulled Adora into a full hug.

[the-record-columns]

April 24, 2019: Columns

Call your mother...

                Cary Welborn

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

Just three short weeks ago I wrote about the death of my father, Rev. C. S. Welborn, in March of 1995.

This Friday, April 26, will be the anniversary of the death of my mother, Cary. She was a widow but 30 days.

About two weeks after my dad died, mother told me and my brother, T. A., that she was going to "...go be with your daddy."  In the 10 or 15 years prior to that, she wouldn't have changed brand of dish detergent without first running it by T. A.

This was different.

She was clear, she was sure, and she assured us of two things in that conversation—first that we would be fine—she had raised us well and it was natural to bury your parents. Then she ended the conversation with her second comment—her oft noted thankfulness that she never had to bury a child—that, in her words, was "...unnatural" or "...out of order."

About two weeks later, she went to sleep surrounded by her family on the evening of April 25, after listening to a series of hymns sung by an amazingly kind soul named Floranna Williams.  She died peacefully in the early morning hours that followed.

It never changes for me. 

It still seems like a blink of the eye, though 24 years have passed.  I still feel like I am 8 years old picking blackberries for my mother with Mark Goodman for the cobbler we would shortly devour. I am at my birthday party when I was 7 where even my crabby first grade teacher showed up.  Her name was Minnie Horton and she had literally struck terror in the hearts of Hinshaw Street’s "Great Unwashed."   And, speaking of teachers, I had Miss Elizabeth Finley in the second grade—literally going from the frying pan into the fire.

But, in fairness, I must quote my once feared but now revered elementary school principal, Conrad Shaw, that "...none of us were any worse for the wear."

I have heard my mother say it is all right to spoil a child if you spoil him with love, and she practiced what she preached. I often remind all that I was my mother, Cary's, baby boy, but the truth is we were all blessed with a kind and caring mother who went far beyond being a wonderful cook and homemaker.

She taught us to live by the simple rule of treating everyone as we would like to be treated, assuring us that helping others would always be reward enough in itself.  I will never forget the last meal my mother fixed for me in August of 1994—for my birthday.  As I sat eating myself under the table, she sat smiling, saying little but with eyes that spoke volumes about this slight, frail woman who wanted nothing more than to see her baby boy happy.

I know my mother overdid it that day.  Once again she had put the welfare or happiness of someone else ahead of her own, a trait for which she is often remembered.

During the time when my father was beginning to fade away, what I didn't know was that she would not let him go by himself.  Or, perhaps more to the point, that he would be waiting—impatiently—for her to arrive.

So. 

 Twenty four years have gone by.  Now, more than ever, I treasure the memories of my mother, I treasure the lessons I learned at her feet, I treasure the kindness she showed me and everyone she met, and, perhaps most of all, I have come to truly appreciate what unconditional love is.

Clearly, to know my mother, Cary, was to love her, but to love her like I loved her is also to miss her terribly.  No one could ever put things better that the late Lewis Grizzard who once wrote, "Call your mother—I sure wish I could."

Oh, how I wish I could.

                                                  Cary Potts Welborn

                                         April 13, 1916-April 26, 1995

                                                     Rest in Peace

  “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine”

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

If you’re reading this, congratulations!

You have survived the rapture!

Last week I read an article where Fox news reported that prominent “Christian Numerologist” David Meade predicted the Rapture for April 23 according to Biblical prophecy. (For those of you unfamiliar with the belief, some Christians think they will rise in the sky and meet Jesus at the end of the world.)

My immediate thought went straight to the compassion of Christ. Most rapture days are random numbers thrown into a regularly mundane week. Not this time. It’s two days after Easter, so not only are we all rising within days of when Christ did, but we got time to digest Easter dinner and all the candy. Can I get an Amen?

Back to the theory: Based on Revelation 12:1–2, Meade says our time marker is the alignment the moon appearing under the feet of the Constellation Virgo, the sun appearing to “clothe” Virgo, the nine stars of Leo, and the three planetary alignments of Mercury, Venus and Mars –combine to make a count of 12 stars on the head of Virgo, represent a unique once-in-a-century sign exactly as depicted in the verses, which all happen on April 23.  

Of course, Meade also says that Nibiru (planet x) is responsible for this alignment will appear above the sky causing volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and earthquakes. Never mind that NASA has repeatedly pointed out that planet is a hoax, and put out a statement saying, “No giant, rogue planet has been found in the outer solar system to play the role of Nibiru.” But that doesn’t stop it from popping up in forecasts of doom.

That being said, if the rapture happens there will inadvertently be some of us left. Hopefully you have a plan B for the post-rapture world. I hope there will be more dance numbers, special effects and background music in everyday life.

However, if you don’t have a plan, allow me to suggest a few things:

Practice cursive handwriting- it’s becoming quite a lost art and I’m tired of trying to translate chicken scratch. In fact, work on penmanship all together.

Increase your vocabulary. If you find yourself running pell mell down the sidewalk after assuming you’d be taken, use ratiocination and coddiwomple to the closet library. There’s nothing that your favorite book and a nice cup of tea can’t fix.

Try to be a good human. It never fails to amaze me that the most hateful people wonder “why me” when they get hit by a fruit truck.  

Saturday people followed by Sunday people

By EARL COX

Special to The Record

Today, the United  States and other democracies around the world face the most insidious ideological threat in history. What I’m referring to is the political, religious, secular and legal doctrine and system known as Sharia which governs the Islamic world.  

There are more than fifty Muslim majority countries on earth with close to two billion adherents of the Islamic faith.  This figure  represents more than 22 percent of the world’s population.  If their philosophy were to “live and let live,” there would be no rising threat.  However, their goal is not peaceful coexistence but rather the domination and annihilation of all who do not worship Allah and they will settle for nothing less.  The best tool against the global ambitions of militant Islamists is to have an educated and well-informed populace.  Burying our heads in the sand and remaining ignorant of the evil forces at play in the world around us will only allow this danger to grow. 

Israel is on the frontlines of the world’s war on terror and the fight against the cancerous spread of radical Islam.  We’ve all heard the saying, “Know your enemy.”  Well, Israel is under no false illusions.  She knows that Islamic terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah, Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS, Al-Shabaab, and Boko Haram, to name only a few, have their sights laser focused on the destruction of Israel. 

According to Islamic teaching, there is no room in this world for infidels which, when translated, means Jews and Christians must be killed. That, my friends, means you and me. 

Sadly, many Christians today are fairly uninformed about the ever-growing threats facing Israel from her Arab neighbors.  Imagine Iran with nuclear weapons whose brand of Islamic militancy knows no bounds.  Israel fully recognizes that, “if your enemy says they are going to kill you, believe them.” Here in the United  States we’ve been a bit slower at learning this lesson in favor of political correctness and appeasement.  Remember, Islam is determined to destroy the Saturday people followed by the Sunday people.  We must believe them or suffer the consequences.  How did it happen that those counted among America’s enemies have offices in the Congress of the United States? 

“We the People” no longer collectively embrace the same values and beliefs upon which our great country was founded.  We’ve pushed God out of our schools and other institutions and opened the door for Allah.  Are we still a Christian nation?  In Europe, less than 50% of the population claims to be Christian. On the other hand, Israel is holding fast and firm to her Jewishness and her right to exist as a Jewish state.  No matter the peace deal placed on the table, for Israel this is nonnegotiable.  Those of us in America who still love God and embrace the fundamental values upon which our country was founded, must stand up and be counted and we must stand with Israel, our only true friend and ally in the Middle East. 

 Whiskey, Cornbread and a guest from Denmark

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

It was a nice week.

Spring was showing off her fresh colors and the pollen count was high; but then it rained, and the wind blew much of the beautiful misery away.  

Saturday was stable enough for the Copper Barrel Distillery annual event, Shinetopia; an outdoor benefit concert, cook-off and car show around the heritage of moonshine.  

Everyone seemed to be having a great time. The Moon Runners Food Truck’s meatloaf on a stick was a huge hit. Cameraman Tim said the delightful meatloaf, snugly wrapped with bacon and glazed with a BBQ moonshine sauce, was a treat fit for Nordic nobility. Shiners Stash Jerky was another big hit, with their sample of moonshine infused jerky with various flavor profiles.

Listing to story-teller Dub Harris recount tales of moonshiners from his youth, it was not hard to imagine them in the woods making a fresh batch of whiskey and chewing on some jerky to fuel the long hours of work.

And then I met Ila Dean Hayes who had two submissions for the corn bread cook off. She is a charming lady with children and grandchildren who unconditionally love her rendition of traditional corn bread.

“It’s important that it’s made in a cast iron skillet that has a slight outward slop,” she said.

With such a glowing review, pride in her culinary mastery and endorsements by so many who love her, I naturally ask for the recipe.

My request was somewhat fulfilled in that she did share the simple list of ingredients; however, she did not share the amounts because she has never used exact measurements. For Ila, it’s a feeling about how much is right. She just knows how much to use and that’s the way it is.

She did share that for many years she has only used the fresh ground cornmeal from Linneys Mill. “It’s fresh and it taste good,” she said.

Ila knows how to carry on a good conversation. I was honored to get to know her and I was pleased to see at the end of the day that with steep completion, Ila received two mentions for her traditional cornbread submissions; An honorable mention for one and second place for another; however there is no doubt in my mind that for those who love Ila, she always comes in first place.

A few days later I visited with Jan Kronsell from Denmark.

Over the past 19 years, he has taken vacation in the United States and 14 of the 19 years he has visited the Carolinas. He often stays in a bed and breakfast because he feels as if he gets to know the local area better. We had a great visit and made plans to visit again when Jan and his family return to the U.S. for summer travels. Jan is one of the many who have become captivated by Tom Dooley’s story. It’s interesting that a person form Denmark would take on the task of learning so much about our legendary Tom Dooley, so much so that Jan recently released a novella on the subject titled, “The Doctor’s Secret.” Another book is in the works as well.

The Carolinas have many fascinations that spark the curious nature of those not from here. It’s a nice thing to take a moment and get to know those who visit. In doing so, we make new friends who will often visit again.

 Carl White is the Executive Producer and Host of the award-winning syndicated TV show Carl White’s Life In The Carolinas. The weekly show is now in its 10th year of syndication and can be seen in the Charlotte market on WJZY Fox 46 Saturday’s at noon and My 12. The show also streams on Amazon Prime. For more information visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com. You can email Carl at Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com

[mybigcoinca]

US Marines World War One Service Medal

The big coin news of the moment is the recent release of a silver dollar coin and several medals commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One – once called ‘The Great War’. Each medal honors the activities of one service in that war, and some depict critical events in the war history of the service. With that in mind, let’s expand on some of these medals, and talk about the images, and the creation of the designs. One of the most significant and interesting battles in depicted on the medal for the U.S. Marines, so let’s look in more detail at that one. We may return to medals commemorating other services at a later time.

The commemorative medal for the U.S. Marines depicts the Battle of Belleau Wood. After President Woodrow Wilson asked the American Congress for a war to end all wars (that would) make the world safe for democracy, Congress declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917. It took some time for troops to be recruited, and to arrive in Europe, and for the Marines it was June of 1918 before they engaged in a significant battle. That chance came in what is called the Spring Offensive. German battle-hardened troops, back from the Russian Front following Russia’s withdrawal from the war, were coming close to breaking through the allies’ line protecting the city of Amiens and the French capital itself, Paris. The German advance was so rapid that their supply-lines became over-extended, and they were forced to dig in. They constructed heavily-fortified positions, and one of these was at a place then called Belleau Wood. The 2nd and 3rd Divisions of the US Army were ordered to clear the position, and half of the 2nd Division was the 4th Marine Brigade.

The way to the woods was across open fields, strafed by German machine guns, and it was so dangerous that French officers advised the Marines to withdraw. US Marine Captain Lloyd Williams replied to them, “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.” After suffering many casualties, the Marines were able to reach the woods, where the trees offered some protection form the machine guns. A combination of accurate sniper fire and fierce hand-to-hand fighting with bayonets, and the immense courage of these fresh troops, saw the Germans defeated on June 26. They called the Marines “Teufel Hunden”, or, “Devil Dogs”. Over 1,800 allied troops were killed, but the victory damaged German morale, and boosted that of all the allies. By November 11 the war was over.

As for the medal itself, the design is by Chris Costello, a graphic designer and part of the Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program. He has designed many coins and medals for the Mint. His design for the obverse shows two Marines after the battle. While one stands guard, the other kneels, head bowed, in respect for his fallen comrades.  The inscription reads, WOODS NOW U.S. MARINE CORPS ENTIRELY, which was the message sent to headquarters immediately after taking the German position. Michael Gaudioso sculpted the obverse. The reverse was designed and sculpted by Joseph Menna, a sculptor-engraver employed by the Mint. It shows the WWI version of the Marines ‘Eagle, Globe, and Anchor’ emblem. The words OVER THERE! are part of the inscriptions on the reverse, and this is the title of a popular song from 1917 written by George M. Cohan. The medal is 90% silver and 10% copper, with a proof finish. It is 1.5 inches in diameter, and weighs 26.73 grams.

from Buy Gold & Silver Online | Official Golden Eagle Coins Blog http://ift.tt/2EmI38D via IFTTT

[cherri-bomb-blog1]

Channel Hot Recommendation:

Channel Hot Recommendation: Fire? Safe Olympic theme >> HC exclusion: Zhejiang depth tracking function in the fire market >> The surface covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular shape, circular central hole, bear before liberation, rescue, old fashioned hydrant or blockade of the road now or confused with trash watch movies online free Old hydrant, any old alley in Shanghai is not a microscopic edge. Today lost a practical function in which to act? The old-fashioned fire hydrants of Shanghai, where to go (Figure) Site: Contact the waste pump equipment Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, one of the first commercial street in Shanghai. Compared to the bustling Nanjing Road, erected in a black rectangular street, it looks a little different. Ordinary gaze of pedestrians, stuffed with white trash. "This is the release of the old hydrant, and now there are no firefighting tasks, no underground water supply." Recently, members of the public Mr. Sun Evening News 114 to reflect the old city of Shanghai, there are so many old fire hydrant as a fire hydrant city, or become a barrier, or confused with a basket filled with trash. In Nanjing East Road I saw this old hydrant. Currently it is common in hydrants on the road are very different, old-fashioned fire hydrants elongated square three-dimensional shape, curved upper corner, the next corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant for copper, so two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing hydrant and powerful, much more. "This is Fire Pump Pu's contact, before the fire is used." One of the residents of Nanjing East Road, 10 years old, said that this is a completely unnecessary product. In addition to Nanjing Road, the Zhejiang Road, the Bund, Helen West and other places, but also to see that old firefighting equipment. Helen on the road in the hydrant, became a full-fledged trash. The reporter saw that the hydrant was erected on a sidewalk of only one meter wide, in a central round hole filled with milk boxes and plastic trash. "Cleansed many times, but the hydrant without cover, and later Qing was thrown on pedestrians." Helen in a cleaner way, told reporters. No management of old hydrant "Black copper rectangular fire hydrants remain in place before liberation." Old Old told reporters that fire men Da-Ming Xue, 1881, British companies founded in Shanghai Yangshupu, after the first fire in Shanghai. Old hydrant, along with the progress of time or reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today in Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou and so on the streets of the old city, but also be able to see this old fire hydrant. "Before the liberation of Shanghai, fire hydrants are set by the water company, are social and public, fire brigade is the maintenance and use of units." Said Ming-Xue. "Now all hydrants are handed over to the fire department." The water company told reporters that they did not know how to handle the hydrant. View 1: stationed at the Fire Museum in Shanghai Suppose that before the liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now or become a roadblock, or we will be taken for trash, which should eventually come from here? Some people believe that Shanghai built a fire museum, the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Service told journalists about the staff, they also would like to put old hydrant museums, but the fire is not owned by the owner, and the fire hydrants of items left behind by history can not be arbitrarily chosen. Second point: save the scene as a city landscape Road, old fire hydrant, great sense of historical vicissitudes, covered with black rust, is like a historical monument, records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps before everyone through their rhythms are steps to remember. Shanghai Xue Yong, told history researchers, the old municipal building on fire, if not much affected, there is no need to remove. If any foreign incomplete sculpture, which itself is another view of the city. If you stay in the field, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to it, turning it into a rubbish bin.

[lizzlo-blog1]

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Channel Hot Recommendation: Fire? Safe Olympic theme >> HC exclusion: Zhejiang depth tracking function in the fire market >> The surface covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular shape, circular central hole, bear before liberation, rescue, old fashioned hydrant or blockade of the road now or confused with trash watch movies online free Old hydrant, any old alley in Shanghai is not a microscopic edge. Today lost a practical function in which to act? The old-fashioned fire hydrants of Shanghai, where to go (Figure) Site: Contact the waste pump equipment Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, one of the first commercial street in Shanghai. Compared to the bustling Nanjing Road, erected in a black rectangular street, it looks a little different. Ordinary gaze of pedestrians, stuffed with white trash. "This is the release of the old hydrant, and now there are no firefighting tasks, no underground water supply." Recently, members of the public Mr. Sun Evening News 114 to reflect the old city of Shanghai, there are so many old fire hydrant as a fire hydrant city, or become a barrier, or confused with a basket filled with trash. In Nanjing East Road I saw this old hydrant. Currently it is common in hydrants on the road are very different, old-fashioned fire hydrants elongated square three-dimensional shape, curved upper corner, the next corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant for copper, so two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing hydrant and powerful, much more. "This is Fire Pump Pu's contact, before the fire is used." One of the residents of Nanjing East Road, 10 years old, said that this is a completely unnecessary product. In addition to Nanjing Road, the Zhejiang Road, the Bund, Helen West and other places, but also to see that old firefighting equipment. Helen on the road in the hydrant, became a full-fledged trash. The reporter saw that the hydrant was erected on a sidewalk of only one meter wide, in a central round hole filled with milk boxes and plastic trash. "Cleansed many times, but the hydrant without cover, and later Qing was thrown on pedestrians." Helen in a cleaner way, told reporters. No management of old hydrant "Black copper rectangular fire hydrants remain in place before liberation." Old Old told reporters that fire men Da-Ming Xue, 1881, British companies founded in Shanghai Yangshupu, after the first fire in Shanghai. Old hydrant, along with the progress of time or reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today in Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou and so on the streets of the old city, but also be able to see this old fire hydrant. "Before the liberation of Shanghai, fire hydrants are set by the water company, are social and public, fire brigade is the maintenance and use of units." Said Ming-Xue. "Now all hydrants are handed over to the fire department." The water company told reporters that they did not know how to handle the hydrant. View 1: stationed at the Fire Museum in Shanghai Suppose that before the liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now or become a roadblock, or we will be taken for trash, which should eventually come from here? Some people believe that Shanghai built a fire museum, the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Service told journalists about the staff, they also would like to put old hydrant museums, but the fire is not owned by the owner, and the fire hydrants of items left behind by history can not be arbitrarily chosen. Second point: save the scene as a city landscape Road, old fire hydrant, great sense of historical vicissitudes, covered with black rust, is like a historical monument, records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps before everyone through their rhythms are steps to remember. Shanghai Xue Yong, told history researchers, the old municipal building on fire, if not much affected, there is no need to remove. If any foreign incomplete sculpture, which itself is another view of the city. If you stay in the field, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to it, turning it into a rubbish bin.

[johannabane-blog]

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Channel Hot Recommendation: Fire? Safe Olympic theme >> HC exclusion: Zhejiang depth tracking function in the fire market >> The surface covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular shape, circular central hole, bear before liberation, rescue, old fashioned hydrant or blockade of the road now or confused with trash watch movies online free Old hydrant, any old alley in Shanghai is not a microscopic edge. Today lost a practical function in which to act? The old-fashioned fire hydrants of Shanghai, where to go (Figure) Site: Contact the waste pump equipment Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, one of the first commercial street in Shanghai. Compared to the bustling Nanjing Road, erected in a black rectangular street, it looks a little different. Ordinary gaze of pedestrians, stuffed with white trash. "This is the release of the old hydrant, and now there are no firefighting tasks, no underground water supply." Recently, members of the public Mr. Sun Evening News 114 to reflect the old city of Shanghai, there are so many old fire hydrant as a fire hydrant city, or become a barrier, or confused with a basket filled with trash. In Nanjing East Road I saw this old hydrant. Currently it is common in hydrants on the road are very different, old-fashioned fire hydrants elongated square three-dimensional shape, curved upper corner, the next corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant for copper, so two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing hydrant and powerful, much more. "This is Fire Pump Pu's contact, before the fire is used." One of the residents of Nanjing East Road, 10 years old, said that this is a completely unnecessary product. In addition to Nanjing Road, the Zhejiang Road, the Bund, Helen West and other places, but also to see that old firefighting equipment. Helen on the road in the hydrant, became a full-fledged trash. The reporter saw that the hydrant was erected on a sidewalk of only one meter wide, in a central round hole filled with milk boxes and plastic trash. "Cleansed many times, but the hydrant without cover, and later Qing was thrown on pedestrians." Helen in a cleaner way, told reporters. No management of old hydrant "Black copper rectangular fire hydrants remain in place before liberation." Old Old told reporters that fire men Da-Ming Xue, 1881, British companies founded in Shanghai Yangshupu, after the first fire in Shanghai. Old hydrant, along with the progress of time or reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today in Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou and so on the streets of the old city, but also be able to see this old fire hydrant. "Before the liberation of Shanghai, fire hydrants are set by the water company, are social and public, fire brigade is the maintenance and use of units." Said Ming-Xue. "Now all hydrants are handed over to the fire department." The water company told reporters that they did not know how to handle the hydrant. View 1: stationed at the Fire Museum in Shanghai Suppose that before the liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now or become a roadblock, or we will be taken for trash, which should eventually come from here? Some people believe that Shanghai built a fire museum, the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Service told journalists about the staff, they also would like to put old hydrant museums, but the fire is not owned by the owner, and the fire hydrants of items left behind by history can not be arbitrarily chosen. Second point: save the scene as a city landscape Road, old fire hydrant, great sense of historical vicissitudes, covered with black rust, is like a historical monument, records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps before everyone through their rhythms are steps to remember. Shanghai Xue Yong, told history researchers, the old municipal building on fire, if not much affected, there is no need to remove. If any foreign incomplete sculpture, which itself is another view of the city. If you stay in the field, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to it, turning it into a rubbish bin.

[amaterasu101-blog]

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Channel hot recommendation: fire? Safe Olympic Theme >> HC Exclusive: Zhejiang Fire Detection Tracking Function >> The surface is covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular, circular central hole, bear to release, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrant or barrier now or misunderstood for garbage watch movies online free The old fire hydrant, a little old alley in Shanghai, is not a microscope. Today, she lost her practical role, where to follow? Old men of Shanghai's liberation hydrants, where to go (picture) Website: Contact the device in the bin Nanjing Road Walking Street is one of Shanghai's first commercial streets. Compared to the noisy Nanjing Road, built on the street, walking in a black rectangular copper, it looks a bit different. Children's look at the pedestrians, poured in a white litter box. "This is the release of the old fire hydrant, and now there are no fire-fighting tasks, there are no underground water pipe networks." Recently, members of the public p. Sun Evening News 114 represents the Old Town of Shanghai, there are many. In this way, an old fire hydrant, as a memory of a city fireman's hydrant, can become an obstacle or falsely fill garbage with garbage. Nanjing East Road and saw this old firefighter's hydrant. It is now common practice that the fire hydrant on the road is very different, the old fire hydrates are elongated in square three-dimensional shapes, the curved upper corner, the other corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant copper, therefore, two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing fire hydrant and a strong high over. "This is a Fire Pump Pu contact device before using the fire." One of Nanjing East Road's 10 years old said it was a completely unnecessary product. Addition to Nanjing Road, Zhejiang Road, Bund, Helen West and other places, but also see old firefighting equipment. Helene, on the road to a fire hydrant, became a full waste. The reporter saw that a fire hydrant, built only on a sidewalk of 1 meter wide, at the center of the aperture, filled with milk boxes and plastic trash cans. "He was clean many times, but a fire hydrant without a lid, and later Qing was thrown out by pedestrians." Helena is a cleaner way, told reporters. There is no control over the old fire hydrant "Black square copper rectangular fire hydrants remain before release." An old old told reporters that the fire was Da-Ming Xue, in 1881, located in Shanghai Yangshup's water factory, after the first fire in Shanghai candlelight. The old fire hydrant, with the passage of time or the reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today, Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou, etc. are streets of the Old Town, but they will also be able to see this old firefighter's hydrant. "Before the liberation in Shanghai of fire hydrants, the water supply company is established, there are social and public measures, firefighting is the maintenance and use of units." Said Da-Ming Xue. "Now all fire hydrants are being handed over to the fire brigade." A water company spokeswoman told reporters that they did not know how to deal with a fire hydrant before. 1 Look: Located at the Shanghai Fires Museum Suppose that before liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now either become an obstacle or misunderstand the garbage that should eventually come from here? Some people think that the Shanghai Fire Museum is built, and that the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned fire hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Bureau told reporters that they would also like to build an old firefighting museums museum, but the fire is not the owner of the property, and fire gutters can not arbitrarily pick up the remaining items from the story. The second point: keep the scene as a city's landscape The road, an old fire hydrant, a huge feeling of historical perverts, it is covered with black rust, is a historical monument that records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps in front of each of its rhythms, the steps it takes to take. Shanghai Xue Yong, historians said, the old municipal buildings on fire, if there is not much influence, do not need to be eliminated. If there is any foreign sculpture, which is another image of the city itself. If you stay out of the box, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to the fact that it turned into a rubbish bin.

[hardliquorandabitofintellec-blog]

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Channel Hot Recommendation: Fire? Safe Olympic theme >> HC exclusion: Zhejiang depth tracking function in the fire market >> The surface covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular shape, circular central hole, bear before liberation, rescue, old fashioned hydrant or blockade of the road now or confused with trash watch movies online free Old hydrant, any old alley in Shanghai is not a microscopic edge. Today lost a practical function in which to act? The old-fashioned fire hydrants of Shanghai, where to go (Figure) Site: Contact the waste pump equipment Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, one of the first commercial street in Shanghai. Compared to the bustling Nanjing Road, erected in a black rectangular street, it looks a little different. Ordinary gaze of pedestrians, stuffed with white trash. "This is the release of the old hydrant, and now there are no firefighting tasks, no underground water supply." Recently, members of the public Mr. Sun Evening News 114 to reflect the old city of Shanghai, there are so many old fire hydrant as a fire hydrant city, or become a barrier, or confused with a basket filled with trash. In Nanjing East Road I saw this old hydrant. Currently it is common in hydrants on the road are very different, old-fashioned fire hydrants elongated square three-dimensional shape, curved upper corner, the next corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant for copper, so two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing hydrant and powerful, much more. "This is Fire Pump Pu's contact, before the fire is used." One of the residents of Nanjing East Road, 10 years old, said that this is a completely unnecessary product. In addition to Nanjing Road, the Zhejiang Road, the Bund, Helen West and other places, but also to see that old firefighting equipment. Helen on the road in the hydrant, became a full-fledged trash. The reporter saw that the hydrant was erected on a sidewalk of only one meter wide, in a central round hole filled with milk boxes and plastic trash. "Cleansed many times, but the hydrant without cover, and later Qing was thrown on pedestrians." Helen in a cleaner way, told reporters. No management of old hydrant "Black copper rectangular fire hydrants remain in place before liberation." Old Old told reporters that fire men Da-Ming Xue, 1881, British companies founded in Shanghai Yangshupu, after the first fire in Shanghai. Old hydrant, along with the progress of time or reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today in Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou and so on the streets of the old city, but also be able to see this old fire hydrant. "Before the liberation of Shanghai, fire hydrants are set by the water company, are social and public, fire brigade is the maintenance and use of units." Said Ming-Xue. "Now all hydrants are handed over to the fire department." The water company told reporters that they did not know how to handle the hydrant. View 1: stationed at the Fire Museum in Shanghai Suppose that before the liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now or become a roadblock, or we will be taken for trash, which should eventually come from here? Some people believe that Shanghai built a fire museum, the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Service told journalists about the staff, they also would like to put old hydrant museums, but the fire is not owned by the owner, and the fire hydrants of items left behind by history can not be arbitrarily chosen. Second point: save the scene as a city landscape Road, old fire hydrant, great sense of historical vicissitudes, covered with black rust, is like a historical monument, records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps before everyone through their rhythms are steps to remember. Shanghai Xue Yong, told history researchers, the old municipal building on fire, if not much affected, there is no need to remove. If any foreign incomplete sculpture, which itself is another view of the city. If you stay in the field, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to it, turning it into a rubbish bin.

[discourse-allosaurus-blog]

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Channel Hot Recommendation: Fire? Safe Olympic theme >> HC exclusion: Zhejiang depth tracking function in the fire market >> The surface covered with red rust, three-dimensional rectangular shape, circular central hole, bear before liberation, rescue, old fashioned hydrant or blockade of the road now or confused with trash watch movies online free Old hydrant, any old alley in Shanghai is not a microscopic edge. Today lost a practical function in which to act? The old-fashioned fire hydrants of Shanghai, where to go (Figure) Site: Contact the waste pump equipment Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, one of the first commercial street in Shanghai. Compared to the bustling Nanjing Road, erected in a black rectangular street, it looks a little different. Ordinary gaze of pedestrians, stuffed with white trash. "This is the release of the old hydrant, and now there are no firefighting tasks, no underground water supply." Recently, members of the public Mr. Sun Evening News 114 to reflect the old city of Shanghai, there are so many old fire hydrant as a fire hydrant city, or become a barrier, or confused with a basket filled with trash. In Nanjing East Road I saw this old hydrant. Currently it is common in hydrants on the road are very different, old-fashioned fire hydrants elongated square three-dimensional shape, curved upper corner, the next corner is a circular arc-shaped hole. Fire hydrant for copper, so two cars with two interfaces, respectively, than the existing hydrant and powerful, much more. "This is Fire Pump Pu's contact, before the fire is used." One of the residents of Nanjing East Road, 10 years old, said that this is a completely unnecessary product. In addition to Nanjing Road, the Zhejiang Road, the Bund, Helen West and other places, but also to see that old firefighting equipment. Helen on the road in the hydrant, became a full-fledged trash. The reporter saw that the hydrant was erected on a sidewalk of only one meter wide, in a central round hole filled with milk boxes and plastic trash. "Cleansed many times, but the hydrant without cover, and later Qing was thrown on pedestrians." Helen in a cleaner way, told reporters. No management of old hydrant "Black copper rectangular fire hydrants remain in place before liberation." Old Old told reporters that fire men Da-Ming Xue, 1881, British companies founded in Shanghai Yangshupu, after the first fire in Shanghai. Old hydrant, along with the progress of time or reconstruction of the road, gradually introduces the stage of history. Today in Shanghai, Huangpu, Hongkou and so on the streets of the old city, but also be able to see this old fire hydrant. "Before the liberation of Shanghai, fire hydrants are set by the water company, are social and public, fire brigade is the maintenance and use of units." Said Ming-Xue. "Now all hydrants are handed over to the fire department." The water company told reporters that they did not know how to handle the hydrant. View 1: stationed at the Fire Museum in Shanghai Suppose that before the liberation, rescue, old-fashioned fire hydrants, now or become a roadblock, or we will be taken for trash, which should eventually come from here? Some people believe that Shanghai built a fire museum, the museum should be the best place for old-fashioned hydrants. The Shanghai Fire Service told journalists about the staff, they also would like to put old hydrant museums, but the fire is not owned by the owner, and the fire hydrants of items left behind by history can not be arbitrarily chosen. Second point: save the scene as a city landscape Road, old fire hydrant, great sense of historical vicissitudes, covered with black rust, is like a historical monument, records daily and hourly changes in Shanghai, perhaps before everyone through their rhythms are steps to remember. Shanghai Xue Yong, told history researchers, the old municipal building on fire, if not much affected, there is no need to remove. If any foreign incomplete sculpture, which itself is another view of the city. If you stay in the field, the relevant planning authorities should pay attention to it, turning it into a rubbish bin.