#horror and suspense fic

[shyalia]

Presenting the epic encounter with the Swallows from chapter 11 of The Day the World Broke by @saladmix! This scene had me on the edge of my seat the first time I read it (and it happened to be storming outside at the time, which was very atmospheric). I had to bring it to life!

Here's some closeups because I really like how it turned out:

[saladmix]

We have become a 200K word fic. Is this a feat, or a symptom of me simply not being able to shut up?

The world may never know.

Come join us for some miserable end of the world multiverse turtle fun! This chapter has been graciously beta read by @shyalia who is amazing thanks a billion.

[its-in-the-woods]

Coyote Head - Part 11 - Screams in the woods

master list

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part9, Part 10,

Pairing: Cooper Howard x Lucy Maclean 

Includes many other characters from Fallout

Synopsis: Lucy reaches for him, “Don’t let go!”

MINOR GET OUT. Rating/Warning:  Animal/people death, dead animal mutilation, general horror, religious themes, Alternative Universe, Slow Burn, Death, Aging, Family Feuding, Older Man/Younger Woman,

Note: that I will not be spoiling any of the reading. So you have been warned. I will keep my tags relevant without spoiling what is happening in the story.

**Strap in and get ready for a ride kiddos**

Harris and Margie are looking between Cooper and Lucy, the Bible between them. Lucy had brought it over to show them and ask questions about the names on the front page, but she was now being stonewalled. The whole thing felt ridiculous, Lucy was still doubting the validity of any of what was happening.

“I don’t know about these names,” Harris said, looking over the names, his glasses making his eyes look huge. The large man had been on edge since they arrived, his shoulder scrunched body tight.

Lucy blows some air out through her nose, “You said you were lookin’ for the bible, the night me and Cooper got attacked.”

Margie glares at Harris, “Harris, for Saint Peter’s sake, just tell the girl what you know. Or I will piece together what I can, and give her what I know.”

Harris sighs, Cooper looking at Lucy trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Lucy shrugs at him, fiddling with her cup, her fingers itching for a cigarette. It had been a bad idea to start that up while all this stress was happening.

“Margie, you know I was never close with my Dad. Anything he knew about the bible was passed to Tim. Not to me.” Harris was still trying to skirt the subject, fingers twisting around each other as he looked at everyone. 

“Oh, horseshit!” Margie hollered, the little woman’s face going red, as she glared at him. Lucy was taken aback by the sudden outburst. “Fine. Fine.”

Margie stood up grabbing a black jar and pouring a tall glass. “None of you get any, 'cause I sure ain’t in the mood.” 

Harris, Lucy, and Cooper both cringing back as if being scolded with a belt. Lucy’s heart pounding as she tries to keep herself composed, hoping against hope she gets some answers. 

“Now, the MacLean’s have always had secrets. Their crops always good, and cows are always plump. Back in the day before vaccines, they barely ever lost a child. Heck, I barely ever saw any of them get sick.” Margie took a sip of her black drink. “Now we all had theories, all wondered what they were doing. They never cut back more forest than they needed, and always leased at low rates. Yet they wanted for nothing.”

Margie takes a moment to look at everyone, at the table, before she continues. 

“Then Albert died, and Tim took over. What Harris won’t tell y’all is that the whole family had been practicing devil magic.” Margie states no venom behind her words. “Bring offerings to this forest spirit, god, whatever. Not for me to judge.” 

Cooper fiddles with the edge of his cup, his shoulders moving forward, as he makes himself smaller. Lucy felt her stomach twist, she had never been religious, but calling it devil magic seemed too harsh. Even with the Anton Lavey quote in her Grandpa’s handwriting. 

“Whatever Tim did, it worked. But your Grandma was raised in the church. I loved Shirley and she put up with a lot of stuff. When Tim wanted to bring Hank into the fold.” Margie looked over at Harris.  “She said no. Said all of it had to stop, wasn’t going to be a part of it passing down.”

Harris shifts, taking his glasses off and putting them on the table. “As soon as Tim stopped, things started to go south. It wasn’t instant. It was little things, minor flooding in a field that had never flooded before. Seeds not taking as well as they should. Losing more calves than normal.” 

Margie nods, letting out a sigh, she got up and brought some glasses over. Pouring small amounts for each, before sitting down, still glaring at her husband as he speaks about his family.

“We wrote it off as a bad year.” Harris sighs, fiddling with the cup but not taking a sip. “But it kept getting worse, and worse. Blanche kept telling Harris that he needed to start doing the offering again.” 

Lucy took a sip of the black drink, it was bitter, but also strangely sweet, most likely gooseberries. 

“Shirley kept saying no, and then Blanche died.” Harris swallows, “Found her lying right by her chickens.” He finally takes a drink, wincing at the sweetness. “All her chickens were gone, and the thing had taken her eyes.” 

Cooper looks pale as he stares down at his cup, Lucy finishing hers in a quick swig. She rubs her hand along his knee hoping to help ease him. The thought of her great grandma laid out dead by her prized chickens was horrid.

“So, Tim decided it was time to start up again.” Harris says, “Shirley was beside herself, thought her husband had lost it. “

“But it worked,” Lucy spoke, “Things got better, crops grew, cows birthed easily, no one got sick anymore.” 

Harris nods, finally sipping the drink, “I didn’t want to believe it either. How could bringing a loaf of bread, or bundle of herbs, make the ground seem so much richer.” 

“Why didn’t you tell Lucy?” Cooper interjects, fingers running over the rim of the glass in several circles. 

Harris leans back, taking another small sip of the liquid, Margie pouring everyone a little more of the makeshift brew. 

“Tim said it ended with him.” Harris finally spoke, “When he came to tell me he was dying.” The man looked out into his yard, eyes glassy as he spoke. “He was different, it was the first time I’d seen him look so content with life. Tim kept going on and on about how it was finally going to be over. That he would finally be free, the whole family won’t have to worry anymore.”

“We should have told you Lucy, should have been more forward about the whole situation. But Tim was adamant it was over,” Margie adds, Lucy feels a cold spread of anxiety spill from her ribs out into her stomach. 

“But then we found the coyote head, us being attacked in the trailer,” Lucy states, “But you still kept it from me.”

“I didn’t think you’d be ready for this, especially after what happened. We wanted to give it some time. So you could heal before we dropped the family past on you.” Harris replies, reaching to squeeze Lucy’s hand. She pulls away, a feeling of betrayal still sitting tight in her chest. 

“You’ve barely been here two months,” Margie states trying to calm the room. “We know now, and we can help make it right.”

Lucy shakes her head, “We don’t even know what we need to make right.” She slides her chair backward. “We are going to go help John this afternoon. After that, we should all sit down and go over the journals and bible together, maybe?” 

Harris’ brows furrowed, “Lucy, I don’t think it’s wise to go in there. I know you want to help-”

“It’s my land, my property, my problem,” Lucy states as she stands up, “I am not sitting on the sidelines anymore.”

***

Lucy, Cooper, John, and Bert stand at the edge of the forest, Lucy had done up a crude map of the trails she could mostly remember. She had photocopied them so each person had one, radios, and compasses were passed around. Each ATV was checked over making sure fuel tanks were full. Guns carefully strapped into place, along with extra clips. Lucy hoped they wouldn't need them. On top of that they strapped on crates with rope, knives, tools, and first aid kits, along with anything else they might need. 

“So we each take a trail, stick to the path, mark it as we go so we can find our way out. The yellow fence line is parkland, we won’t go past that. Barbwire is either John’s land to the west or Cooper’s to the east. If you make it that far there should be gates that you can use to circle back up to the road. See anything-” Lucy stops her speech for a moment collecting herself. “I mean anything, weird, strange, cow, whatever, you radio. There is no point in any of us getting hurt. Sunsets around nine, but we should try to get out by no later than eight.”

The men nod, at her words, Lucy surprising herself by how calm and level-headed she felt. Not to mention the men listening to her, and not arguing with what she had to say. It felt odd being the one in charge, but this was also her land. It didn’t feel like hers, it didn’t feel like anyones, but if there was anyone who needed to be held accountable for it it was Lucy. She was tired and scared, but she was not going back down, not now.

“The radios we have should cover the whole area without an issue, if you run into issues and can’t get a hold of us come back here,” Cooper adds, making sure everyone nods. “All the families have been told if they don’t hear from us by nine to send emergency crews in.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Bert chirps, looking out towards the gaping mouth of the forest. 

Lucy inwardly cringing, she and Cooper had decided not to fill in the others about the supernatural possibilities. Having people scared would help no one. Lucy wasn’t even sure she fully believed any of it. Was something really haunting the woods? Was her grandfather really feeding it? Had it taken her Dad? 

“It’s just precaution,” John adds, peering towards their destination and waking Lucy from her musing. “Never know, better safe than sorry.” 

“Well, let’s get going.” Bert smiles, jumping onto the four-wheel, he starts it up and takes off towards the trees. 

Lucy feels her heart clench in her chest, a low ringing buzz just above the sound of the engine. She takes off after Bert, heading down southeast, Cooper goes directly east, Bert goes southwest, and John goes west. The trees had fully flushed out, leaves defusing the light, and the trails were clear despite having not been used much. She rode at a good clip, fast enough to keep moving but slow enough to take in what was around her. 

The radio sits on her handlebars crackled occasionally, Lucy wanted to stop every time it made a sound, but made herself continue. Every shadow, discoloration, and movement had her head turning. The further she went, the darker the place seemed to get. The hair on her arm starts to stand up, even under the heavy sweater. She couldn’t help but look over her shoulder, feeling like something was following her. Something was watching her, just on the other side of a tree or bush. 

Lucy stops as the radio crackles, her heart pounding in her chest, waiting to hear anything. When nothing came Lucy went to start up again, when a twig snapped to her right. Head turning almost painfully fast to look that way, nothing. Another snapped behind her, hair prickling at the back of her neck. Turning slower this time, Lucy nearly screams, as a black shadow slinks away behind a tree. 

Her hand is on the radio now, tensed up in a panic, her shoulder gathered up against her ears. With no other movement, she goes to turn the machine back on when it crackles.

“This is John, did someone else go directly west?” John’s voice crackles across the forest. Lucy grabs her compass from her pocket seeing that she is still pointing mostly southwest. 

“Lucy here, I am heading southwest,” Lucy replies, Bert comes over the radio saying that he is also mostly south. It was a tense moment before Cooper replies that he had turned so that he was going northeast. 

“Alright, umm, guess we’ll call that weird then. I am gonna start heading up the northwest side towards the gate.” John radios, before it goes silent again. She couldn’t help but hear the hesitation in his voice, whatever was out there had spotted them.

Lucy takes one last look around her, eyes narrowing in on the grey flesh of a stripped tree stump. She gets off her ATV and walks towards it, her heart thudding against her ears. The image of a fresh coyote head on top of stripped wood flashed in her mind. As she walks up to it she can see bones lying around. If you weren’t looking for it, it would have just blended into the forest. She stops a yard or so from it. The tingling feeling of anxiety rushes down her neck like cold water. 

Turning around in a full circle Lucy could just see further another stump. She would bet money that it was also surrounded by bones. Walking quickly back to her ATV she pulls out the map and marks it approximately. How many were out here?  Was this like the stumps that were in the bible? The illustration had shown sigils or ruins, but now they were worn from years of wear.

She turns her ATV on and continues southeast, eyes peeled for any other out-of-place signs. As she drove she would stop and note down other stumps, if she went and stood at one looking west she could see all of them in what was becoming a half-moon shape. Four total, Lucy’s gut feeling was there would be thirteen, one for each month. Placed on purpose, spaced evenly, all surrounded by bone. Every single one made her skin crawl and made her wonder if she was losing her mind. 

The radio crackled again, Lucy stopping immediately and listening. More crackling, muffled noises, then nothing. Her heart lurched, stomach twisting as she waited for any word. 

“I think-” Interference, “A cow,” It was Bert, “Least what’s left off it.”

“Where are you?” Lucy asked, already turning the machine around so that she could head in the right direction. She’d start to head west and hope that she could find Bert.

“If you head to the main trail-” Static, Lucy fires up the ATV keeping the radio turned up. “Southwest-” Lucy strained to hear, “-go directly south.” His voice seemed softer and softer and Lucy roared towards him. “next fork - west“

“Roger, roger,” We are heading your way, Cooper's voice rang over the radio. She felt her heart clench knowing that he was not far away, it was both comforting and concerning. 

“Shouldn’t be far,” John added, Lucy's heart thundering in her chest, fingers aching from holding onto the handlebars so tightly. She kept looking over her shoulder, searching for something in the woods she couldn’t see. The bumps and jumps of the machine propelled her forward. The trees opened into the middle clearing, Lucy skillfully following down southwest. Behind her she could make out the roar of another engine, looking back she could just make out Cooper’s white hat. 

It was a comfort knowing that he was close behind her, hitting the fork she went south. Her radio crackling but nothing, she continued along the path ducking past brushes as they slapped towards her. Mouth dry as she tries to urge the thing forward. A burst of static echoed louder than the previous almost stopping Lucy. 

“HELP,” 

Lucy grabbed the walkie doing her best to continue to drive one-handed. “BERT.”

“It’s here,”

“What what is it,” John calls out over the radio. “I am not far, Bert. Hold on.”

“Oh god,” 

“Oh god.”

Lucy clipped the walkie back on, riding as fast as the old ATV would go, she could hear Cooper not far behind her. As she hit the fork to head west a scream rang out, Lucy felt her ears ring. Her eyes blurring as the world spun, she blinks several times trying to make her eyes work. 

“Bert, Bert,” Cooper called over and over, Lucy hearing his voice behind her and in front of her as they roared towards their destination. 

Lucy spotting John flying up coming to join the west trail, his hat had been lost somewhere along the way. Lucy slows down to let him go ahead, Cooper now only a dozen yards behind her. Bushes and trees slap her face as they road toward Bert should have been.

As they came up over a hill Lucy had a split second of red lights warning her as she skidded to a stop just beside John. The man was off his ATV, gun in hand as he made his way over to the empty four-wheeler. Lucy parked hers, grabbing her gun and extra clip in her pocket. Cooper is skidding to a stop a moment behind them, the three of them gathering at the empty ATV.  There are skid marks behind the machine, a few scuffs in the ground, and his gun was gone. 

“Bert,” Lucy calls out, his name echoing through the tree, her voice bouncing around like she was in a funhouse. “Bert! Come on, answer us!”

“No sign of the Bert, or the cow,” John says, looking around the place, all of them naturally staying close to each other. Lucy faces one way, and Cooper faces the opposite of her. A perfect triangle as they move. “No sign of anything really.”

Cooper moves over, Lucy watching him as he walks past the ATV. Her eyes spotted what he was looking at, another stump, stripped of bark. Some of the symbols were more pronounced on this one, almost looking fresh.

“Is that another stump?” Lucy asks, moving towards where Cooper is now crouching down. He’d take out a knife to uncover some bones that lay covered in dirt around it. Lucy reaching out to trace over the ruins, the ringing in her ears stopping as she followed them all over the stump.

Cooper looks up, his hazel eyes barely visible under the shadow of his hat, “I saw some when I was driving around. All had bones around them like this.”

“W-w-what are those?” John’s face was pale, his hand fiddling with the stock of his gun. He had walked over to stand near the other two. 

“I am not sure. I don’t remember seeing this many before.” Lucy replies, trying to keep her voice level and calm. Her mind played over all the different illustrations of symbols, people standing around a stump. The face of the coyote flashed behind her eyes. 

“But these are old. Like really old.” John points out, jumping when a twig breaks, his breath is ragged as he looks around. 

Lucy and Cooper both stand looking towards the noise, Cooper swiftly pocketing the knife to replace it with the rifle. They all stand for a moment, the silence swallowing them. 

“Bert! Bert!” Lucy calls out again, hoping that it was him walking back towards them. “Where are you? Call out so we can come get you.”

John was now backing up towards his ATV, Lucy could see that he was shaking as he looked out towards the forest. It felt darker, much darker than it should have been for mid-afternoon. It was as if all the light was slowly being sucked out from around them. 

“Somethin’s wrong,” Cooper murmured, making Lucy jump as his hand clasps her shoulder. He was starting to push her towards the four-wheelers, she could feel her heart start to hammer in her chest. 

“We should call Harris,” Lucy says the dread had now seeped into her bones. Cooper was right, Bert wasn’t replying and there was no sign of him.

“No signal this deep in.” John replied phone in a shaky hand, “Probably thirty minutes from anywhere that would have a signal.”

Another twig snap had them all whirling, again facing nothing but trees and bushes. 

Lucy

Ringing splitting Lucy’s head as her name came spilling from every direction. Double over she covers her ears, trying to get it to stop. Cooper is in the same position, forehead creased as he groans. John stares at both of them as he stands perfectly still, eyes wide, phone dropping to the ground as his mouth falls open.

Cooper

John swings around, clearly hearing what they are. Lucy slowly tries to right herself, her eyes blurry as she tries to focus. Cooper leaning heavily against the stump, the forest is spinning past them. She falls and hits the ground, her body screaming at her to keep moving but it feels like someone has put a lead blanket across her body. 

“John,” Lucy croaks, trying to get his attention. He looks like he is miles away, a small pin prick in the distance. “Go, get Harris.”

John is stooping down behind herm helping Cooper up. “No, I am staying with you.” He is beside her now, his hands under her arms as he hoists her against the machine. 

Lucy - Cooper - John

They all stood now, heads as clear as possible the sound of their names coming from all directions. The echoing impossibly around them as if it was coming from hundreds of different voices, tones, and places. The place is so dark they might as well be in a cave, not able to see more than a few yards ahead of them. The wind picking up moves trees above, sending shivers across all of them, the only noise beside their panting breath. 

“That-what- what the fuck,” John states, eyes wide as he looks around. Lucy barely kept herself standing, her legs wobbly as the voice kept screaming their names

“Lucy!” Bert’s voice carries, this time sounding less like static ringing and more human. 

Lucy moves towards it, her feet moving without thought, Cooper immediately grabbing her arm. “Lucy, we can’t. We don’t know what that is.” 

“It’s Bert,” Lucy protests, trying to move away from him, Cooper’s grip only tightening further. He was right, she knew that, she knew it didn't sound right. Yet she wanted to go to them, she needed to go to them. 

“Lucy, think about this. We need to stop and think.” Cooper demands, somehow breaking through the fog. “We gotta stick together. Can either leave and get help, or we all go look for Bert.”

A screech breaks through the air, right in front of them as John’s body falls forward, something grabbing his ankle and starting to drag him backward. Lucy is stunned for a moment before she jumps forward, gun abandoned as she chases after John. His face rubs against the dirt hands desperately trying to grab onto anything and everything he can. A shot rings out in the air, Lucy instinctively duckling down. Her knees hit the ground and she rolls for a second before she is back up. John continues to scream as he grabs for purchase onto a tree.

Lucy reaches for him, “Don’t let go!” Her hands find his, his eyes wide as he screams.

Part Twelve

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*I I know I know cliff hangers, but what's a horror read without a cliff hanger?

*want to be on the tag list? add your name below

@toogaytofunctiondangit , @hiddlebatchedloki @whatsorceressisthis @dichromaniac @autumncryptids

@therealcozyaxoltol

[spooksandstories]

It had been 3 years since I last saw Rupert Walsh, and judging from the state of his house – which I now stood before, stepping into the courtyard and gazing at the centuries old architecture – life had not been kind to my dear friend.

A crown of dark vines and thorns covered the exterior, a pestilence grown deep into the foundations. Cracked bricks, windows smeared with dust and dirt, weeds and tangled roots that grasped at my heels as though the property wished to bury me with it. A noble manor now beaten into sordid disrepair.

A cold wind bellowed, urging me toward the house.

At the front door an elderly gentleman greeted me, one whom I had not met before. Clad in crumpled suit and tie, he introduced himself - Sylvester, currently the only remaining staff at Walsh's manor.

The rest of them, he said, had long since left.

I asked where I might find Walsh.

"The master is never far. I'm sure you'll find him soon." He said, with something that might have been a smile or a grimace.

When pressed for answers, the cryptic butler simply smiled and walked away.

Restraining the urge to grab the old fool and force an answer, I entered the house.

Once, this hall had been host to extravagant parties ; for the rich and regal to gather and gossip. Once there were warm candlelights and soft music. A banquet worth more than a king could provide. A symphony of aromas, perfumes and cigars paid for in gold.

Now grey light filtered in, dulling the already dismal interior. Moth-eaten furniture and leaking tiles. Stagnancy hung in the air like smog. Something scuttled away into the shadows as I entered the corpse house.

Given time, this place would no doubt become overgrown, buried, and forgotten.

What tragedy must have befallen my friend?

Despite Sylvester's directions, or lack thereof, I knew where to look for Walsh. He was a workaholic, and never strayed far from his office.

Shutting the door behind me, now submerged in the manor's quiet atmosphere, I entered further in through the rotted, damp bones of Walsh's Manor.

I would find him. I must.

For 2 weeks ago I had recieved a letter addressed from him. Our first communication in an age.

It was a short message, with the address enclosed, that simply read, 'Morgan, I do not wish to die alone. Please find me.'

[ravenmarshblog]

O verdadeiro – That’s Not My Neighbor

Sinopse: Em um mundo onde humanos e Doppelgängers dividem a sociedade, no ano de 1955, Nicky se torna porteira de um prédio e é treinada pela D.D.D (Departamento de Detecção de Doppelgängers) para fiscalizar quem entra no condomínio, separando cópias de pessoas reais. Um pequeno deslize pode custar a vida de todos, inclusive a dela.. Fanfic de "That's Not My Neighbor" Não recomendado para menores de 16 anos.

Tags: Suspense, drama, terror, angst, violento, dark fic, perturbador, linguagem obscena, problemas psicológicos, sangue, descrição gráfica de cena de crime, manipulação, terror, fanfict, fanfiction, ficção, baseada em videogame, paranoia, thats not my neighbor, indie games, thriller, francis mosses x self insert, self insert, the milkman.

Capítulo 1 – Um futuro distante

Ninguém pensou que chegaria a esse ponto. Quando essa coisa toda de "doppelgänger" começou, ninguém levou muito a sério; achávamos que essas coisas iam morrer em poucos dias, que o exército e a polícia dariam conta de conter eles..mas não. Eles foram se aprimorando ao longo do tempo, aprendendo o comportamento e a fisionomia dos humanos pra se tornarem cópias perfeitas de qualquer um. Graças a Deus eles ainda não são perfeitos e dá pra identificar um se você for do tipo que observa pequenos detalhes.

Pra você lendo esse caderno, meu nome é Nicky e eu acabei de arrumar um emprego como porteira de um condomínio nesse mundo caótico. Pode achar muita loucura minha, acho justo que me considere louca por procurar um emprego como esse, mas eu tava desesperada. Não conseguia nada desde que terminei os estudos (há mais ou menos um ano e dois meses) e esse trabalho foi como um presente dos céus. Não tive muitos turnos ainda, só alguns pra "aquecer" e conhecer os moradores do prédio. Todo mundo é bem diferente e eu ainda tô pegando o jeito com os números de telefone de cada apartamento; pra ser sincera, memória nunca foi meu ponto mais forte, por isso eu mantenho notas e gravações de voz sobre praticamente tudo da minha vida pra não deixar nada pendente. Me mudei pra cá depois de ser contratada e fui bem aceita pelos moradores, pelo menos eu espero. Não acho que eu vá durar muito pra falar a verdade. O vídeo de treinamento mostrou que só teve um porteiro, um tal de Henry, sobreviveu, e que alguns moradores morreram pelo trabalho preguiçoso dele. Tenho medo disso virar minha realidade também.

A minha rotina é bem monótona na verdade. Eu fico na portaria grande parte do tempo, escorada na cadeira e esperando que algum morador apareça pra ser identificado. Os doppels normalmente podem ser percebidos com bastante facilidade, principalmente pela aparência física grotesca, porém alguns deles são espertos o suficiente pra mexerem na documentação que devem me mostrar. Ficar atenta aos detalhes é essencial pra que todo mundo possa dormir em segurança à noite. Sempre que um doppelgänger é avistado, eu preciso ligar pra D.D.D, o Departamento de Detecção de Doppelgängers, pra virem limpar a bagunça. Essas coisas me dão pavor e tenho certa dificuldade pra dormir desde que comecei nesse emprego, mas, como eu disse, no desespero..

Hoje tá sendo um dia como outro qualquer. Eu deixo muitos pacotes de lanche e caixinhas de suco pela mesa pra não ter que sair por nada. Até tô considerando trocar de colchão e colocar um na minha salinha, ficaria bagunçado, mas aí eu não deixaria ninguém esperando. Aconteceu no meu primeiro dia, um dos moradores, o leiteiro Francis, ficou até depois no trabalho e chegou bem tarde. Eu acordei no meio da noite e fui até lá pra abrir pra ele. Sinto um pouco por ele, parece ser uma pessoa boa que trabalha além da conta e nunca tem muito tempo pra si. Tirando esse incidente, nada de muito incomum aconteceu, ainda bem. Meu desvio de foco é interrompido pela chegada de um residente, o doutor William Afton. Ele me olha sem nenhuma emoção nos olhos conforme inspeciono seu ID.

- Pedido de entrada, por favor, doutor Afton. Eu digo, olhando na direção dele.

- Oh sim, eu me esqueci, perdão.

Seu tom de voz era baixo, gelado, ele parece ser alguém muito reservado. Comparei as datas e os números do ID com as fichas durante algum tempinho antes de ligar para o apartamento dele. Mia, sua noiva, atendeu.

- Alô? Mia Stone falando.

A voz dela era bem meiga e gentil, animada até.

- Oi Mia, o doutor Afton está?

- Ah sim, ele está aqui comigo e não estamos esperando visitas. Obrigada.

Encarei a janela, perplexa. Aquele doppelgänger era perfeito; ele tinha a logo da D.D.D nos documentos, o ID estava correto, as datas, a aparência..tudo batia. Apertei o botão depressa e o som do alarme de emergência incomodou meus ouvidos enquanto ligava pra D.D.D. Meus dedos tremiam segurando o telefone. Ele era perfeito..se eu não tivesse ligado..somente me acalmei quando o protocolo de limpeza terminou e o agente da D.D.D me confirmou que tudo estava bem. Decidi naquele momento que eu iria ligar com frequência nos apartamentos, era o jeito mais seguro de confirmar a identidade das pessoas. Albertsky foi o próximo, ele não está na lista de hoje e o questionei imediatamente sobre isso.

- Eu precisei sair mais cedo por um incidente no trabalho.

Parece legítimo, penso comigo mesma enquanto checo seus documentos. Tudo parecia ok, então faltava a confirmação final. Liguei 2668 e Roberstky, irmão de Albertsky, atendeu.

- É sobre meu irmão? É, ele não está em casa.

- Obrigada senhor. Desligo e me viro para o ruivo a minha frente. - Pode ir, perdão pela demora.

- Tudo bem, senhorita.

Esperei um pouco e outra pessoa logo apareceu, Anastacha, uma garotinha bem diferente de outras crianças por aí. Ela joga os documentos sem muita cerimônia no vão e me olha com indiferença.

- Olá, posso te chamar de Ana? Pergunto, pra quebrar o gelo. Nada sobre ela muda.

- Tá, tanto faz.

- Qual o número do seu apartamento? Preciso confirmar que é você.

- F04-02.

- Correto. Parece que tá tudo ok com você..e essas olheiras, anda tendo problemas pra dormir?

- Um pouco, mas isso é hereditário. Herdei do meu pai.

- Seu pai? Entendi. Aqui, obrigada pelo seu tempo.

- Tanto faz.

Ela passa e bato com a mão na testa. Esqueci de ligar pra confirmar! Faço isso imediatamente e, pro meu alívio, Nacha atende e confirma que sua filha não estava em casa.

- Ufa, essa foi por pouco..preciso tomar mais cuidado, assim eu vou acabar-

- Falando sozinha, mocinha?

Eu conhecia aquela voz, mas ainda assim me assusto. Era o Angus, um sujeito com um sorriso suspeito mas bem gentil que morava sozinho no terceiro apartamento do primeiro andar. Sorri meio sem graça pra ele e balbuciei o que queria ter dito com firmeza.

- É-É, eu..costumo fazer isso bastante.

- Anda muito tensa, moça. Eu imagino que seu trabalho seja mesmo exaustivo, você precisa de algum suporte ou vai acabar murchando como uma flor sem água por muito tempo.

- Vou pensar sobre, obrigada Angus..você tá bem?

Ele sorri mais e abre de leve os braços com as mãos enfiadas nos bolsos.

- Eu estou bem, tentando não ganhar uma cópia barata minha por aí enquanto cuido dos meus negócios. Eu posso dormir tranquilo sabendo que você não deixaria um falso meu entrar aqui, eles nunca vão conseguir ser tão perfeitos.

Dou uma risadinha e ele ri junto.

- Você é do tipo confiante, eu queria ter essa confiança em mim também.

- Devia ter, mocinha. O que você faz é muito importante e cada um que mora aqui aprecia muito tudo o que faz por nós. Eu espero que te paguem bem pra dar uns pés na bunda de doppelgängers o dia todo.

- É um valor significativo, e obrigada, você é muito gentil, Angus.

- Hehe por uma mulher bonita eu me esforço. Não quero que pense que não tem ninguém com quem contar, sabe, o pessoal do prédio sempre pode te ajudar.

- Valeu..é legal ter apoio. Eu vou me esforçar.

- Sei que vai. Fique bem!

- Você também, Angus!

Reparo no caminhar tranquilo dele enquanto se distancia de mim. Suas palavras me trouxeram um conforto que eu precisava e não sabia, vindas de praticamente um conhecido recente, era muito impressionante. Eu fiquei observando até que sua figura sumisse pelo corredor antes de voltar pra salinha de segurança, pensativa e aliviada. Ouço alguém se aproximando e vejo ele, Francis, parado na frente da janelinha.

- Oi Francis, tá bem?

A voz dele era baixa, calma, um pouco raspada e arrastada, como se realmente não se aguentasse mais em pé. Estranhamente, contudo, não era voz de quem está sonolento.

- Estou, só cansado.

- Entendi. Deixe eu ver aqui..

Reparo bem em tudo. Ele parecia ele mesmo, mas era sempre bom confirmar. Ligo pro apartamento dele no terceiro andar; o telefone cai na caixa postal.

- É, parece que é você mesmo.

Abro um sorriso fraco que não é correspondido. Ele apenas me olha de volta com aquele olhar vazio de sempre.

- Então..a porta? Ele questiona.

- Ah, sim, desculpa..

Aperto o botão para destrancar a porta e ele passa sem dizer nada. Por algum motivo me sinto mal; queria poder dizer algo bom, só que eu também precisava entender o lado dele: alguém que só quer chegar em casa e descansar após um longo dia de trabalho. Tento não me preocupar muito com isso e encaro a lista pregada na parede. Apenas mais uma pessoa faltava. Ela logo aparece, Lois, e como tudo batia, eu a deixei subir. Decido passar mais um tempo ali (pro caso de algum doppelgänger tentar a sorte naquele horário) porém mais ninguém apareceu e pude fechar a portinha.

De volta ao meu apartamento, tento fazer uma faxina em tudo e manter a maioria das coisas em ordem. Depois de tomar um bom banho e lavar os cabelos, eu precisava de uma bebida quente e do meu sofá. Me sentei e me pus a procurar algo na televisão pra passar o tempo. Se sentir solitária já fazia parte de mim a essa altura. Ainda assim, não era tão ruim quando eu não pensava sobre isso...

- Acho que tô pensando em coisas demais..eu deveria tentar não ser tão paranoica..

Tarde demais.

Continua…

[angelicarosethorn]

Death Shall Wait for You, My Darling (Chapter 2)

Story summary: The concept of death is terrifying to many, but to Rosemary and Ruby, death is just a part of life. Both live their lives without fear of death until one day, they both discover something they can't leave behind in life... each other. WLW where one is a pirate and the other is terminally I'll and the pirate will do anything for her

Chapter two: The Map

The rest of the night went smoothly as they ate and headed for bed. Ruby was always the last of the two to fall asleep. She lay silently so she wouldn't Mary, who was sleeping soundly next to her. She let her mind wander in hopes of finding something nice to think about so she could sleep. Her brain finally rested on a thought, but it wasn't a fond memory or sweet fantasy. Instead, it was a reminder of the paper the little girl had given her.

Ruby sneakily got out of bed and found the pants she had discarded on the floor while changing. She shook them, and sure enough, a small folded paper fell out. The edges looked aged, and the paper seemed brittle. She handled it with the utmost caution and grace, unlike her normal brash movements. Once fully displayed the paper revealed an old map of some sort. Ruby recognized a lot of the locations on the map from her countless adventures at sea, all except one. The unrecognized island was large and jagged looking; not a shred of friendly aura came from it. Ruby looked at the writing on the map to try and put a name to the mysterious location, but all the words were in a language she had never before seen. The more confused she got the more interested she grew.

Ruby only knew of one other person that would know anything about the map, her old pirate friend named Oliver. He had fled come with her to Potter's Field and now ran a tavern with his wife, Penelope. Rudy made a plan to visit to tavern the next day to question her old friend. She carefully slipped the delicate map in her jacket pocket so she wouldn't forget it tomorrow.

Now that her mind was quiet and she had a plan she slid back into bed. Every movement was carefully calculated so she wouldn't wake Mary. Once fully in position, her eyes wandered to Rosemary's chest, which was moving up and down. Ruby placed a hand on her lover's chest and fell asleep with the reminder that her world was still breathing. Early in the morning of the next day, Ruby ventured to the tavern. She opened the old oak door and was greeted by a scruffy young girl running up to her and jumping on her like a dog. The young girl's name was Valery, she was a kid that Oliver and his wife Penelope had adopted off the streets last year. Valery had quickly become close with Ruby and Rosemary. The girl had even taken to calling them "Auntie Ruby and Mary."

"Valery, let Ruby sit down!" Penelope yelled at the wild child from behind the bar. Valery scrambled over to the bar where her mother was and sat down on one of the stools."Sorry about her, Dear. Valery just ate, and she's extra hyper," Penelope explained while washing out a glass.

"Oh, it's fine, I don't mind," Ruby took a seat next to Valery, who was now coloring on a napkin she had stolen from behind the counter.

"Is Oliver here today? I wanted to ask him something, but I can come back tomorrow if he's not," Ruby asked Penelope in a lighthearted tone to not sound suspicious."He's here, he's just messing with something in the back right now. Would you like me to go get him for you?"

"Yeah, if he's not too busy, that would be great," as soon as Ruby confirmed what she wanted, Penelope walked to the back to get her husband. The jewels decorating her body shone against her dark skin when she walked into the window's light and out the door.After a few minutes, Ruby heard footsteps. Oliver had arrived from the back room. He wiped his hands on his apron and scratched his rust-colored beard before speaking."Hey Ruby, Penelope said you wanted to talk to me?"

[criminalinkfanficguild]

New Work by @malevolent-muse

Title: Betrayal and Blood

Fandom: Law&Order SVU

Pairing: Barba/Carisi

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Frustrated with the NYPD's ineptitude, Rafael Barba travels to a quiet, remote town in search of a missing SVU detective. What he uncovers is far worse than he imagined: a nightmare that drags him into the depths of darkness, where he learns that a secret from his past is the root cause of all the betrayal and blood that follows.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63147463/chapters/161720287

[asideoftrashplease]

Reposting from Bluesky for my ficspiration tag

[theworldofetgoma-blog]

[writingandstories]

Drabble Challenge #1 @hollandroos

Part 1

(Some say exactly 100 words for drabbles, this can vary)

Suspense/ Triller (Nancy Oglesby for 22/06/24)

“You can’t leave- not yet.”

The wind blows violently as rain patters heavily against the half-open door. Thunder fulminates just as angrily.

"You can't." Lily says again, with a near whisper.

"Why not?" Adrian responds indignantly, "Why the hell not? You've been ignoring me all night!"

"I have not." Lily tries again, still quietly like she barely believes it herself.

"Half ignoring. Same thing. What's up with you and those girls? You're the one who asked me to come."

"I'm sorry. I won't do it anymore; just come back in. Stay. Please. Don't go yet."

Adrian relents. He's always been soft-hearted, maybe too soft, as his mom would say.

"Okay." he replies.

Lily drags him gently by the arm. The door bangs shut.

Image from Medium

[shyalia]

Attention The Day the World Broke readers and fan artists!

Heya! In case you missed it, I am working on formatting the absolutely show-stopping TMNT horror AU The Day the World Broke by @saladmix into a set of PHYSICAL BOOKS!! Because of its high word count, it would be split into the three different acts:

Act One: Chapters 1-13

Act Two: Chapters 14-30

Act Three: Chapters 31-TBD

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU!! If you have made fanart for this fic, please let me know whether or not you would be okay with it being included in the books (with credit, of course!) They would be included with the corresponding act in which the scene/moment takes place.

And don't worry, once completed, the files will be made available for those who wish to print their own copies. ^-^

Also! Don't forget to take a look at @up-the-anti's AMAZING cover designs for this project. I'm so excited to see these become a reality!

[lotusflowerbreakingthesurface]

[𝐏𝐗 𝐅𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐜 𝟏𝟏𝟒] 無頭 𝐛𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐚𝟕𝟐

✧ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Headless

✧ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: Zhang Qiling/Wu Xie

✧ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞: PingXie (unverified)

✧ 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: G (no 🚗)

✧ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: Complete + Extra

✧ 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞: Chinese

✧ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: 298,221

✧ 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐬: AU Setting—Criminal Investigation/Underworld, Clear Water, Ambiguous Relationship, HE

✧ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐜: Third Person POV, Mysterious (to avoid spoilers) Ping × Police Officer Xie, Suspense/Mystery, Horror/Supernatural

✧ 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Mild Gore, Genderswap Da Kui → Pang Kui, a vicious(?) Wu Yiqiong, Minor Character Death

✧ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜:

Wu Xie is a new police officer in recent years, he was assigned to work in the criminal investigation team. One day, they found a headless corpse in the mountains of the North District. And then the story began...

✧ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧:

Honestly, I don't really remember the detailed plot since I read it a long time ago. At that time I hadn't read the book yet, so I couldn't judge the characterization, but I have a good impression of its story maybe because I'm fond of criminal investigation fics (⁠ ���╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠) PingXie is very subtle here, that's why it's rated G, but remember that this is also a criminal investigation fic that deals with murder cases... Anyway it's an interesting story with canon ambiguous PingXie. The romance isn't the strong point, even until the end they are still ambiguous hmm... but overall, I like it! ✨

✧ 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: AO3

[zetageist]

Hell's Bells

Chapter 6: AO3 | FF

Red. The corridor before them blazed red—not the warm red of sunset or the deep crimson of wine, but something violent and wrong. The walls seemed to pulse with it, like the inside of some vast, living thing. The carpet beneath his feet writhed with patterns that shouldn't exist. Abstract shapes hurt his eyes to look at directly and seemed to change when he looked away. Vincent's boots sank into the pile, each step meeting resistance as if the floor itself was trying to hold him back. 

Horror | Elsewhere | Drama | karma's a bitch, but I'm the devil

The Long 15: AO3 | FF | Entire Series

[onthenightisland]

read the most amazing life changing world altering perspective warping fic i've ever layed my eyes upon everyone please do ur brain and boner a service and read baby, cry baby by babeblox

[shyalia]

The boooyysssss look at theeeemmmm. So young and innocent, they have no idea what they're in for. 😭

tdtwb nation how are we feeling

[theworldofetgoma-blog]