#i could totally take gordon tuesday

[blushft]

i could totally take gordon.

[djs-sideblog-for-pog-trains]

Friends (that we made up for along the way) Chapter 9

Part 1 |  Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | ?

heyyy. so i totally forgor i never posted everything i wrote of this? which is kind of wack? so. i had 2 more chapters in my pocket, ch10 feeling like an ending of sorts, but yeah. the last chapter? gordo has a breakdown. this chapter? eddie and duck gossip. and duck does smth nice.

@mean-scarlet-deceiver tagging u as thanks 4 the encouragement <3 and i cant rly remember who was super into being tagged for this fic

Characters:  this chapter: Gordon (mentioned), Edward, Duck

Relationships: platonic gordon&edward a major focus, some possible allusions to 2x3, this chapter features edward&duck

Genre: Human AU, hurt/comfort

Chapter’s Wordcount: roughly 1800 words [under the cut]

Chapter Warnings: Food/eating food.

Chapter 9/10?

The next day, Gordon was back up and at work without a single word spared to the night before, despite how Edward tried to bring it up.

The new routine Edward had been enjoying recently, now that he didn’t exactly have (or despite his arguments, need) constant care, was that almost everyone had been dropping in on their breaks to check on him. It left Edward with a steady stream of visitors throughout the day until Gordon got home for the night.

Which was good, especially today, because it was going to give him something else to think about instead of sitting there, stewing over the night before like it would make a difference.

Thankfully, his train of thought was derailed by a cheery knock at the open front door.

“Hullo, Edward!”

Ah, yes, Tuesday, 10:30am. That meant it was time for Duck’s weekly visit.

“Hello, Duck,” he called warmly from where he was in the kitchen. “I was about to make tea!”

“Oh, lovely,” Duck smiled,  pausing the doorway to take off his cap, a caketin tucked under one arm. “I’m parched.”

Edward laughed at him, and with Duck’s help set some of the nicer china out on the table for the two of them. Duck had revealed tin full of lemon cupcakes that he claimed Oliver barely had to help make (though Edward could tell their cooking apart fairly well by this point, and these had definitely had a very strong guiding hand from Oliver to not be bad).

“So,” Edward settled back in his chair as Duck poured the tea for them. “How’s working on the mainline again been treating you?”

“Well, it’s certainly been a while,” Duck rolled his eyes. “But it hasn’t changed. Same old fusspots bossing you around. Same old frantic, ever-shifting timetabling. It’s a wonder you don’t all fall over all the time.”

“I imagine it’s harder without… a couple of regulars,” Edward picked his words carefully as he accepted the cup and saucer Duck passed over. He took it from his friend just in time, as Duck seemed to flinch at the comment, before covering it up with a quick smile.

“Yeah,” he just said instead. “But we’re managing. Even if they all seem to want to run around like headless chickens instead of, y’know, working.”

Edward smiled, and sipped his tea, nodding his thanks as Duck took out one of the cupcakes and placed in on the little plate in front of him too.

“Tell me,” he finally said as Duck settled back with his own cup of tea. “How’s Gordon doing?”

“Gordon?” Duck echoed, pausing to muse over his teacup. “He… seems alright. A little quiet, I suppose. Looks tired, but he always seems to, nowadays. Why?”

“No reason,” Edward lied through his teeth.

“Eddie.”

Edward had chosen the wrong time to go for a drink. He choked on his tea, quickly setting it down as he cleared his throat, before shooting a look at Duck.

For most people, it got serious when the full names came out. For Edward, it always seemed to be the other way around. Though not many dared to pull the nicknames out on him; Duck was always that bolder sort of friend.

Duck shot him a look over the rip of his teacup in return, one that made Edward smile but also made him sigh tiredly, and his hands moved, needing to fiddle. He started to peel the paper off the cupcake on his plate as he formulated what he was going to say.

Duck watched him, sipped his tea, and waited.

“I’m afraid to say something,” Edward finally started, “because I know Gordon holds his… shall we say, image very dear, and you are most certainly prone to gossip.”

This time, it was Duck’s turn to look abashed.

Edward picked at the cupcake, watching it crumble between his fingers, before seeming to jolt back to himself.

“Sorry,” he shot Duck a hasty smile. “I… I have a lot on my mind.”

“I’ll say,” Duck set down his teacup. “You only go straight for character assassinations when it’s serious.”

And Edward snorted at that, but shook his head. “Can I trust you to keep a secret, Duck?”

Duck swallowed hard. “…I, uh… yes?”

“Oh, how you fill me with confidence,” Edward said lightly, before shaking his head and popping one of the larger chunks of the cupcake he’d incidentally torn off into his mouth, taking a moment to enjoy it before centring himself again. “I’m just… worried.”

“About Henry?”

“Of course. But also… well, about everyone, in that regard, but… in specific about Gordon.”

“Right.”

“Last night I saw the strongest emotional reaction I think I’ve ever seen out of him in years, maybe ever? And he refuses to talk about it.”

“How strong are we talking?”

Edward picked up his teacup again, rolling it carefully between his hands, debating whether he even cross this bridge at all.

One look at Duck’s earnest and serious expression was enough to sell him on it.

“He cried,” he said softly. “I think the stress of everything caught up with him, of the extra work and my accident, and Henry’s accident, and…”

Edward let out a sigh, trying to let the ever-present tension between his shoulders go with the release of breath.

“He cried,” Duck echoed. His eyes were wide.

“…And you know how Gordon is,” Edward reminded him sharply. “So, Duck, please-”

“I won’t tell,” Duck cut him off. “That’s a Great Western promise. I wouldn’t actually… Oh smokeboxes, that is a lot, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid he might be hurting himself,” Edward said. The one thing about talking with Duck was he always felt he could speak freely, even if it might get repeated, though Duck was usually a fairly good judge of what should and should not be passed on. “…Taking on too much work, not getting enough sleep, not eating, constantly trying to take over from others. I think it must be because he doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt, but…”

Duck’s eyes went unfocussed, like he was quickly thinking back to the last few weeks.

“I’m afraid you might be right,” he agreed, his eyebrows furrowing. “That explains a lot. He’s been fairly short-tempered, too. I just assumed it was him being his usual cheery self, but… Hm.”

“Hm,” Edward echoed.

“I’ll keep a closer eye on him, then,” Duck nodded resolutely, before tapping the side of his nose. “Not a peep from me, though.”

“I appreciate that,” Edward said with a smile, and he took a moment to take another drink of tea. “I must admit it, I’m struck with particularly strong bouts of… well, I have no better word than helplessness at the moment. I can only heal as fast as my body can, but I just want to get back out there and be useful. At least you all can bury your worries in your work. All Ican do is sit here.”

“…Sounds excruciating.”

“Oh, it is,” Edward laughed, and with that sombre comment, it struck Duck just how much older Edward looked now from the first time he’d met him. “It is.”

--- --- ---

Upon returning to work later that day, Duck was crossing the platform with his head down, caketin tucked under his arm once more, mulling over the conversation he’d just had.

He was mulling over it so hard that he didn’t notice his direct collision course with the subject of his mulling. That is, in layman’s terms, he ended up bumping right into Gordon.

In Gordon’s defence, he looked pretty preoccupied as well, and now Duck had half-a-reason of knowing what with. Duck steadied himself on Gordon’s arm without thinking, shouting a little as his hat fell off his head.

“Oh!” Gordon exclaimed. “Apologies, didn’t see you down there.”

Duck would have normally taken that as a mild sort of insult. This time, he took a breath and let it slide off his feathers.

“Quite alright,” he said, as Gordon stooped to fetch his hat for him. “Can’t say I was looking where I was going either.”

Gordon handed it back to him, and Duck firmly reintroduced his cap to his head. Gordon then politely nodded at him and moved to step around him, and Duck was struck with the full-body urge to say something.

But what? He didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag, especially so soon.

“Hey,” he said instead. “Tell you what, you look like you could use a pick-me-up.”

Gordon paused, and shot him a very funny look.

“I, uh,” Duck fumbled. “I have, uh, these. Oliver helped me make ‘em, I made them for Edward for our morning tea today and he insisted I take some home.”

“Sounds like Edward,” Gordon’s lips tweaked up into the ghost of a smile. “How is he?”

“Well enough, all things considered,” Duck said, bobbing his head as he quickly cracked open the caketin again and offered its treasures to the big man before him. “Go on.”

Gordon looked down at the tin, before glancing up at him.

“Are you…?”

“I’m sure. And they do actually taste alright, I promise.”

Gordon almost smiled again, before hesitantly taking one.

“Um, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Duck smiled, putting the lid back on and tucking the thing under his arm again. He graciously didn’t mention he could hear the rumble of Gordon’s stomach from here. “And, um, thank you.”

“…You’re welcome?” Gordon looked confused, cradling the cupcake in his hands like he was half-expecting someone to take it away from him.

“You’ve been doing some of my jobs for me, while I’ve been, uh, preoccupied,” Duck scratched the back of his head and laughed as best he could. “Thanks. But I think I’m well enough to be back on my game. I’ve got it from here. But thank you.”

“…Okay,” Gordon said. “You’re welcome, then. And… um, yes. Okay.”

Duck gave him a salute and a grin that he hoped didn’t look as forced as it felt. “Well,” he said as brightly as he could manage. “I got a train in a few minutes. I better go make sure everything’s, uh,  in order.”

“Of course,” Gordon replied, his eyes drifting to the baked good he’d been gifted. “Safe travels.”

“You too,” Duck nodded back. “Enjoy.”

And before this interaction could possibly get more awkward, Duck promptly turned on his heel and booked it as fast as social conventions allowed, only looking back from the safety of his own engine cab.

Gordon glanced around the platform, and seeing that no one was really watching him, peeled back the paper cup and taken a bite. And it was satisfying to see a ripple of poorly-hidden delight cross his face, before Gordon turned to walk back to his own train, and Duck couldn’t see him anymore.

Baby steps it was, then. He could do that.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Wednesday 11 April 1838

7 10

12

fine morning F58° at 8 20 and went out talking to George Naylor (wheelwright) who came this morning to mend carts, harrows, etc – then talking to John Booth – to brew every 3 weeks 46 gallons from 6 struck of malt – came in at 8 ¼ - A- had William Keighley who asked 3/. a foot for oak wood for gates – and she had also Robert Scholefield – waited for her a few minutes – some little talk – out again at 10 about an hour pulling out dead wood from hazels in the walk – with Robert Mann + 5 at the meer embankment breach making up – then went with Robert to see about walling up between Wellroyde and the Lower brea wood – then by the new road to Sun wood quarry – Mrs. Robinson called after me – promised to take the 2 trees away tomorrow – then sometime at the quarry – the road done – SW. was right as I told Hartley 15/. would have been enough – said I should put the quarry under Mr. Bentley – a minute or 2 at Listerwick pit in returning finding fault with John Manns’ boy for beating Mangnall the gin horse, over the head – came in about 12 ¾ - sat with A- at her luncheon – some talk – mentioned her riding to H-x to see about Holroyde the tailor to make a suit for George – A- could not possibly ride both to Cliff hill and H-x – this led to the subject of her being ill etc. allusion to what she said yesterday and my deep regret that it was so totally out of my power to be of any use to her – to have so uninterestingly used her hardly twice was grievous enough – it was still worse that I could not have the consolation of making some reparation – a little explanation calm and gentle on my part – no wish of mine to make automata nor did I care at all for the colour of the servants coats – green, black or blue – if one colour would make A- more comfortable than another, I should be thankful to choose that – Poor A- who seldom stoops to reason took refuge in her usual silence, and walked off to the north parlour, probably to waste her health and happiness in unnecessary tears! How melancholy! I said in sorrow that as it was so totally out of my power to do her any good, I was of no use – perhaps I was better out of the way than in it – Poor soul! – she sees all thro’ a false medium – she thinks herself ill used! what can I do? – had just written so far at 1 50 heard her in her room and just went to say I had come to ask how she was poor thing her temper had given way and all got right again! all this is tiresome wearying work to me but my mind is made up  I will be the [saster] or be off   she promised to be a good little one and so as I told her  poor thing she is little fit to be left to herself – with A- from 1 50 to 3 – then wrote the last 4 lines and went out at 3 10 took George Naylor to Lower brea and with him there about an hour cutting up the 2 ash trees for the cart to bring home tomorrow – sawing and going and returning took up about not quite 1 ¼ hour – then from about 4 ¼ to 6 ¾ with Robert Mann + 5 at the meer – had Robert + 2 (James Mann and Jack Green) getting down (into the excavation into the hill side in Charles Howarths’ acrefield) the 36 yards band stone from Listerwick pit wheel-race – home about 6 50 dressed – dinner at 7 ¼ - coffee – read last nights’ and tonights’ London papers – tiresome when Mrs. Bagnold sends me 2 together – came upstairs at 10 50 just when I had finished – the newspapers and at which hour F39 ½° - drizzling rain came on about 6pm and as I returned home a heavy shower – high wind all the afternoon – and highish in the morning – finish day till about 6 pm – Kind letter tonight from Lady V.C. dated Auchinbowie stirling 9 April – 3 pages and ends to announce the birth of little Sibbella at 2 pm on the Tuesday 20th ultimo – V- has recovered exceedingly well – very indifferent account of Mr. Cameron – good account of Lady Stuart – ‘lucky in never being without a companion Mrs. Gordon is with her now. I regret that I have not so good an account to give as I could wish of my dearest Donald – he is far from strong – he has no positive complaint but weakness in his back, and numbness in his limbs – they tell him it is an affection of the spine and a slight symptom of pasly – leeches cupping and blisters reduce him sadly – his mother has taken the most violent alarm about him at Leamington, which worries me extremely, and they want us to give up going to the Highlands this year which is also a very great worry and disappointment but it is not settled yet – you  [are] a good doctor dear Miss Lister, will you tell me if your opinion coincides with the Edinburgh people, or can you ask me any questions to throw further light upon the subject – his feet are always cold yet he inclines to flush – the bairns are all well – ever affectionately yours V.C.’ – Poor V-! how strangely blind the poor Donalds’ fearful state – his mothers’ alarm seems but too well grounded – had just written so far now at 11 10 pm – Charles Stuart travelling in Egypt, regretting that his going to Jerusalem is put off for this year –

[theyearoftheking]

Book Seventy-Seven: The Outsider

“A person did what a person could, whether it was setting up gravestones or trying to convince twenty-first-century men and women that there were monsters in the world, and their greatest advantage was the unwillingness of rational people to believe.” 

I’ve written about how Diane Downs really popped my true crime cherry. She taught me monsters aren’t just in Stephen King or Dean Koontz books; sometimes monsters are real and they walk among us looking like normal moms who like Duran Duran songs. 

My true crime fascination was dormant until the Serial podcast premiered. At the time, I joked with a friend that listening to Serial made almost any job bearable. I listened to it while shoveling snow, cleaning my bathroom, driving ninety minutes to work... it consumed me. One afternoon I was listening to an episode, driving home and my daughter was asleep in the backseat. I pulled into my parking spot with ten minutes left to listen. When I finished the episode and turned the car off, I heard a tiny voice say, “Well? What about the cell phone towers?” My daughter was six at the time, and I’m pretty sure this was how she became true-crime obsessed as well. As I’m typing this, she’s upstairs listening to episodes of the Crime Junkie Podcast. I have no regrets. I have done my job as her mother.

But, I digress. The first episode of Serial dealt with alibis, and remembering the timelines of our lives. If you didn’t have your phone next to you, could you tell me where you were two weeks ago on Tuesday? Who were you with? What did you do that could potentially provide you with an alibi in case you were accused of a crime? After listening to this first episode, I became obsessed with the idea of an alibi at all times. 

And that brings us to The Outsider. 

Beloved Flint City little league coach Terry Maitland is publicly arrested and charged with the brutal murder and sodomy of little Frank Peterson. When the Flint City police arrest Terry at his team’s final game; they have eyewitnesses placing him at the crime scene, and his fingerprints. They’re also confident his DNA will be a match. Pretty open and shut, right?

Not so much.

Terry lawyers up, and presents the police with an airtight alibi: he was at a conference, and was even caught on-camera asking Harlan Coben a question. His fingerprints were even discovered at a shop he had stopped in while at the conference. It would have been impossible for him to commit the crime in the timeframe the police create. 

There has to be a logical explanation, right? 

Skinwalkers. 

Boom. 

The book is divided into two parts: the first half being the mystery behind Terry being in two places at one time. The second half, fan favorite Holly Gibney shows up, and helps track down and kill the skinwalker responsible for the murders of Frank Peterson, and other little children. 

The book is excellent. 

However. 

We have another Dahmer situation on our hands. Constant Readers remember my review of Everything’s Eventual, when I ripped into Steve for talking about Jeffrey Dahmer’s grave. #neverforget This time, Steve writes, “Hadn’t Jeffrey Dahmer believed he was creating zombies when he killed all those homeless men?” 

Dahmer’s victims were not homeless. Yes, they were on the fringe of society, and they were people whose disappearances were seldom investigated by police: immigrants, homosexuals, hitchhikers... but not all homeless. 

I’d like to issue an open invitation to Steve to come to Milwaukee and talk to me (socially distanced) about Dahmer. I’d really like to see him prevent these gaffes in the future. We could even take The Cream City Cannibal walking tour, and I’ll even spring for a Dahmer jersey (number 17, of course). 

Other than the Dahmer issue, this was a solid book where the good guys are successful, and Holly is back to kick more ass. We have two Dark Tower references (ka, and the world moving on); and one Wisconsin mention... which I will stop griping about now.

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 48

Total Dark Tower References: 73

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

Doctor Sleep: A+

The Talisman: A+

Wizard and Glass: A+

11/22/63: A+

Mr. Mercedes: A+

End of Watch: A+

Under the Dome: A+

Needful Things: A+

On Writing: A+

The Green Mile: A+

Hearts in Atlantis: A+

Full Dark, No Stars: A+

The Outsider: A+

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: A+

Just After Sunset: A+

Rose Madder: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

Stephen King Goes to the Movies: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

Finders Keepers: A-

Bag of Bones: A-

Duma Key: A-

Black House: A-

The Institute: A-

The Wastelands: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

The Dark Tower: A-

Dolores Claiborne: A-

Blaze: B+

Hard Listening: B+

Revival: B+

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Joyland: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: B+

Wolves of the Calla: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Song of Susannah: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

From a Buick 8: B

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: B

Sleeping Beauties: B-

The Colorado Kid: B-

Storm of the Century: B-

Everything’s Eventual: B-

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

The Wind Through the Keyhole: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Cell: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Desperation: C-

Insomnia: C-

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Faithful: D

Gerald’s Game: D

Roadwork: D

Lisey’s Story: D

Christine: D

Dreamcatcher: D

The Regulators: D

The Tommyknockers D

Next up is Elevation, which... sigh. The best thing I can say about the book is that it’s short. 

Until next time, Long Days & Pleasant Nights,

Rebecca 

[jasontoddiefor]

I call this story “I thought I posted this a month ago ups”, a little thank you for @duckie-gordon

The Umbrella Academy x Batfam Crossover

Enjoy!

Damian is not pleased when inter-dimensional travelers show up in the middle of a highly time-sensitive mission. They had been planning on. Taking down this particular drug cartel for a month, everybody was here, and then it had nearly gone to hell if not for Barbara’s quick thinking.

So no, Damian was also not in favor of the Hargreeves siblings staying at the manor. The family was busy and this should really be more the Justice League’s business, but Baba wasn’t willing to hand them over, fearing that even more people would cross over.

The short individual calling himself Five - an utterly ridiculous name - had ensured that nobody else should be coming, but they wouldn’t just trust the words of a stranger who looked like a child and could travel through time and space, even if he seemed to be the most functional out of the group.

And the most dangerous.

Apparently, the white one - Vanya, Number 7 - was the one with the most destructive powers of the siblings, but Damian had grown up amongst assassins, and Five was the one who moved like one.

“How many people have you killed?” Damian asked Five.

He had managed to corner the man - not a box, never a child. Damian had eyes and he could see and five walked like an old man - three days after the Hargreeves’ arrival.

Five mustered him, then he smirked. “When I was your age? Oh, a couple dozen for sure. Small-time criminals really. I only moved on to the big guns afterward. Nazis, a king, presidents...”

“Why are so proud of it?”

Five raised a brow. “Should I not be? It’s just another skill and one I excel at. You do as well, don’t you?”

Damian clenched his hands to fists, counted to ten and exhaled. This is not you, he told himself. This is not who you will be.

He couldn’t help but think that Ra’s and the monster Nyssa had forced to wear his mother’s face, would have adored Five.

“If you hurt any member of my family, you will pay for it.”

Damian knew the weight of being raised with blood on his hands. There was nothing to be proud of.

X

Cassandra was wary of their guests. She knew that they meant no harm to them and were mostly confused and broken apart. Her family didn’t always get along well either - Cassandra for example always insisted on sticking close to Jason on patrol. She wanted to trust him, she did, but she also knew what would happen should he falter, so she chose to be at his side - but they were family.

The Hargreeves siblings had been raised together, and they were comfortable in each others’ personal spaces in a way only family could, but they weren’t exactly unified.

“They do not speak,” Cassandra told Bruce. “They say a lot, but they do not speak.”

Most of the time, the siblings could be found sassing each other, brooding over plans on how to get back in a world that was currently in a post-apocalyptical state, but they never actually said what was going on through their mind.

It was frustrating.

It gave Cassandra a headache and it needed to change.

“You need to speak,” Cassandra told Allison.

The young woman was still rendered mute, though they hoped to fix that soon. Allison had taken to carrying around a tablet with some preprogrammed words and questions such as “yes”, “no”, “maybe” and “Can I have-?”.

While that form of communication obviously annoyed Allison greatly, she didn’t seem to mind her muteness itself.

‘I’m speaking as good as I can,’ Allison typed away. Her body screamed ‘do not talk to me, I can’t take it, I do not want to say another word.’

Cassandra frowned. Talking to others was so difficult. She wished they would just understand her in the same way she could read them.

“I do not like to speak either,” Cassandra admitted. “It is fractured. Difficult. Easy to misunderstand.”

Perhaps that was why Cassandra preferred singing to talking. She didn’t have an angel’s voice, but she also didn’t sound like a demon. Music could convey so much word than simple sentences with the same effort.

“But I learned and I enjoy listening to my siblings. You need to say what you need, not what you want.”

‘Isn’t that the same?’

Cassandra shook her head and held out her hand. “No, it’s not. Come with me.”

Maybe she could teach Allison to see a little bit like Cassandra could. Tim and Jason were training together right now. There was always a lot of conversation going on between the two, even if neither spoke up.

X

The last week had been interesting.

Killer mimes on Monday, speaking animals on Tuesday and superheroes from another dimension on Wednesday. Duke had a lot of thoughts about that procession of events, mainly that he could not care less. Just another regular week in a household of Gotham vigilantes. He hadn’t yet really had the time to work with a lot of people of other cities, figure out if their lives were just as crazy as Duke’s. He honestly didn’t know any other life, Gotham has always been crazy, though he definitely would trade it for a bit more peace and quiet.

Just once in a while it would be nice if his biggest worry was an upcoming test and not whether his stab wound would heal any time soon.

Duke was about to leave the guest wing - he was fairly sure Jason had hidden his PlayStation there, but Duke hadn’t been able to find it yet - when he heard a loud crash. Sighing, he turned around and walked back into the direction he had come from.

The sound must have come from one of the rooms the Hargreeves were staying in. Personally, Duke thought that they really needed to be kicked off their pedestal and get their shit together.

But that just might also be because he was the only meta on a team full of normal non-enhanced humans who could all kick his ass.

Well, Jason’s totally human status was up for debate because he healed way too quickly and could also maybe see ghosts.

Not that he ever admitted to it, but ever since Duke had gained more control over his powers, he noticed when people moved strangely, when the light flickered. There was just something off about Jason, but that really wasn’t the point.

The point was that Vanya had probably been practicing with her powers again without supervision.

Her door was the only one open and Duke was fairly sure everyone else was eating lunch right now.

Vanya’s hair was a mess, and so were the insides of her room. Some picture frames were broken, a couple items damaged - it looked like a storm had raged in here.

Duke knocked on the door frame. “Are you alright?”

She was breathing erratically, stuck somewhere between wanting to breathe and being stuck in the earlier high.

Duke waited for her to calm down.

That had been the hardest lesson to learn. If you want to master your abilities, you can’t rely on your emotions for the push to use them. He needed to be focused to only use them when he wanted to.

“Better?” Duke asked after a couple minutes.

“... Yes.”

“Good.”

He sat down on the ground, just a few feet away from her.

“Average Sunday afternoon, right?” He said with a smile.

“What?”

“You know.” Duke pointed at the broken glass lying on the floor. “Powers out of control, a panic attack, bit of existential crisis on the side.” He shrugged. “Ordinary Sunday afternoon.”

Vanya looked at him like he might have grown a second head - or a third one. Second heads were too casual, three sounded like a good strange number.

“How is this ordinary?” Vanya asked, throwing her hands up. “We’re stuck in another universe and I’m talking to fifteen-year-old-”

“I’m sixteen actually,” Duke interrupted.

Vanya rolled her eyes. “Fine, a sixteen-year-old in a house that’s like 200 years old whose owner dresses his children up in bat costumes to fight criminals.”

Duke ran his fingers through his hair. “Like I said, normal Sunday afternoon. Though, really, we do the dressing up ourselves and we’re not all bats.”

Duke stopped to think. “Some of us are birds first actually. Anyway, do you feel like lunch? You can clean up later. And you really shouldn’t practice without supervision, it totally sucks, speaking from experience here.”

“You’re the only one with powers right?” Vanya asked as she got up from the floor.

She still sounded as suspicious as they all had on the first day when they discovered only Duke had powers. It was common knowledge that the Bats didn’t have any powers within the Justice League, even though some doubted it still and Duke thought it made sense. Most of the time they were just really annoying and impractical. Sure, being indestructible like Superman had its benefits, but Duke being deathly allergic to a green rock was kind of stupid. The speed of the Flash was also pretty sweet only as long as it didn’t kill you or made you time travel.

“Yep,” Duke answered. “Though I actually joined the vigilant business before I knew I had them. See, there was this battle between Batman and the Joker-”

Maybe all of them just needed to relax a bit and learn how to define their own normal.

[theresidentnews]

FOX ANNOUNCES WINTER PREMIERE DATES FOR NEW AND RETURNING SERIES

NEW COMEDY SERIES "CALL ME KAT," STARRING EMMY AWARD NOMINEE MAYIM BIALIK, AND EXECUTIVE-PRODUCED BY JIM PARSONS, AND THE FINAL SEASON OF HIT COMEDY "LAST MAN STANDING," STARRING TIM ALLEN, TO DEBUT FOLLOWING "NFL ON FOX" DOUBLEHEADER, SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, BEFORE THEIR TIME PERIOD PREMIERES ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 7

NEW UNSCRIPTED GUESSING-GAME SERIES "THE MASKED DANCER" TO PREMIERE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, FOLLOWING "NFL ON FOX" DOUBLEHEADER; TIME PERIOD PREMIERE SET FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6

"THE RESIDENT" AND "PRODIGAL SON" BEGIN NEW SEASONS TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, FOR A NIGHT OF SAVING LIVES AND SOLVING MURDERS

MONDAYS COME TO THE RESCUE, AS "9-1-1" AND "9-1-1: LONE STAR" SPRING INTO ACTION, AIRING BACK-TO BACK FOR THE FIRST TIME, BEGINNING MONDAY, JANUARY 18

All-New Season of Gordon Ramsay's HELL'S KITCHEN to Premiere Thursday, January 7

FOX is announcing premiere dates for THE MASKED DANCER (Dec. 27), CALL ME KAT (Jan. 3), LAST MAN STANDING (Jan. 3), HELL'S KITCHEN (Jan. 7), THE RESIDENT (Jan. 12), PRODIGAL SON (Jan. 12), 9-1-1 (Jan. 18), and 9-1-1: LONE STAR (Jan. 18).

This December, FOX takes TV's #1 show and adds a little twist. Based on the smash hit FOX series THE MASKED SINGER and inspired by a popular segment featured on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," all-new celebrity competition series THE MASKED DANCER will have a special premiere Sunday, Dec. 27 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/5:00-6:00 PM PT, Live to all Time Zones), before having its time period premiere Wednesday, Jan. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Hosted by comedian/actor Craig Robinson ("Ghosted," "The Office") and featuring celebrity panelists Ken Jeong (THE MASKED SINGER, I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE), world-famous choreographer and singer Paula Abdul, actor and the former "Giraffe" Mask on THE MASKED SINGER Brian Austin Green and actress and singer Ashley Tisdale, THE MASKED DANCER will feature celebrity contestants shaking their tail feathers, while covered from head-to-toe in elaborate costumes and face masks, leaving audiences to guess their identities. Costumed celebrities will be joined on stage by masked partners and back-up dancers, as they perform a series of dances together; spanning from hip-hop to salsa, jazz to tap dancing and more. When it comes to dance styles, the sky is the limit. Each week, a series of clues will be sprinkled throughout packages, costumes and routines, leading the panelists one step closer to figuring out which famous faces are freestyling behind the masks. Between all of the celebrity competitors on the show, they've amassed more than 38 million albums sold worldwide, 20 Emmy(R) Award wins, 20 Grammy(R) Award nominations, 10 World Dancing titles, five New York Times Best-Selling Author titles, four Olympic gold medals and three Broadway show appearances. THE MASKED DANCER is produced by FOX Alternative Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television and is based on the South Korean format, THE MASKED SINGER, created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp and distributed by MBC America. James Breen, Craig Plestis, Daniel Martin and Ellen DeGeneres are executive producers of the series. Breen will serve as showrunner.

New comedy CALL ME KAT, starring Emmy Award nominee Mayim Bialik ("The Big Bang Theory"), and executive-produced by Bialik, Emmy Award-nominated producer Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory," "The Boys in the Band") and Darlene Hunt ("The Big C"), will have a special series premiere Sunday, Jan. 3 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), following the NFL ON FOX doubleheader. The series then makes its time period premiere Thursday, Jan. 7 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT). Based on the BBC UK original series "Miranda," CALL ME KAT stars Bialik as a woman who struggles every day against society and her mother to prove that she can still live a happy and fulfilling life despite still being single at 39. Which is why she recently spent her entire savings to open a cat café in Louisville, Kentucky. It was expected of KAT (Bialik) to be married with kids by now, but for many reasons, she's still single - and totally fine with it. Of course, Kat's mother, SHEILA (Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Swoosie Kurtz, "Mike & Molly," "Sisters"), views her daughter's single-hood as her own personal failure, but Kat remains determined to live a fulfilling life, and charts her own course to happiness. Working alongside Kat at the café are RANDI (Kyla Pratt, "One on One"), a confident millennial and self-proclaimed "non" cat person; and PHIL (Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan, "The Cool Kids," "Will & Grace"), who recently broke up with his longtime partner. Although Kat celebrates her independence, her single-forever plans may begin to veer off-course, when her former crush and good friend, MAX (Cheyenne Jackson, "American Horror Story," "30 Rock"), returns to town and takes a job as a bartender at the piano bar across the street, working with his friend, CARTER (Julian Gant, "Good Girls"). CALL ME KAT is produced by That's Wonderful Productions!, Sad Clown Productions and BBC Studios' Los Angeles production arm in association with Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment. Darlene Hunt is the executive producer and showrunner. Additionally, Jim Parsons, Todd Spiewak (That's Wonderful Productions!), Mayim Bialik (Sad Clown Productions), Miranda Hart, Angie Stephenson (BBC Studios) and Beth McCarthy-Miller also serve as executive producers. McCarthy-Miller directed the series premiere.

Entering its ninth and final season, hit comedy LAST MAN STANDING will have a special season premiere Sunday, Jan. 3 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), following the series premiere of CALL ME KAT. LAST MAN STANDING makes its time period premiere Thursday, Jan. 7 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). The series stars Tim Allen as MIKE BAXTER, a happily married father of three daughters, who finds himself the odd man out in a home dominated by women. The series also stars Nancy Travis, Amanda Fuller, Molly McCook, Christoph Sanders, Jordan Masterson, Jonathan Adams, Krista Marie Yu and Hector Elizondo. After the events of the eighth season finale, during which Kristin (Fuller) went into labor with her baby daughter, while Mandy (McCook) was pregnant with her first child, the series will jump ahead into the near future, when Mike and his wife, Vanessa (Travis), will contemplate their own future, including Mike's imminent retirement from his lifelong job at Outdoor Man - and who could be his successor. LAST MAN STANDING is produced by 20th Television. The series was created by Jack Burditt. Kevin Abbott, Matt Berry, Kevin Hench, Ed Yeager, Tim Allen, Marty Adelstein, Shawn Levy, Becky Clements, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, Pat Bullard, Mike Teverbaugh, Linda Teverbaugh and John Amodeo are executive producers. Abbott serves as the series' showrunner.

Also on Thursday, Jan. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), hit culinary competition series HELL'S KITCHEN returns for its 19th season in a flashy new setting, as Chef Gordon Ramsay takes the show to Las Vegas, the city that's home to the world's first Gordon Ramsay HELL'S KITCHEN restaurant at Caesars Palace. For the first time ever, 16 aspiring chefs from around the country will roll the dice and head to Sin City in the hopes of winning big. Each week, the competition will get hotter as the chefs are put through rigorous culinary challenges - reaping high stakes rewards and punishments, all with a Sin City flare. But only those who possess the right combination of ingredients will continue in the competition, until one is named winner. At stake is a life-changing grand prize, including a Head Chef position at Gordon Ramsay HELL'S KITCHEN Lake Tahoe at Harvey's Hotel and Casino, and the title of HELL'S KITCHEN winner. HELL'S KITCHEN is produced by ITV Entertainment in association with A. Smith & Co. Productions, Inc. Gordon Ramsay, Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, Kenny Rosen and Bernie Schaeffer serve as executive producers.

Season Four of THE RESIDENT, premiering Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), continues to shine a light on the daily heroism of today's health care workers. The provocative medical drama follows the doctors and nurses at Chastain Memorial Hospital, as they face personal and professional challenges and fight for their patients' health. The new season picks up as DR. CONRAD HAWKINS (Matt Czuchry) and NURSE PRACTIONER NICOLETTE NEVIN (Emily VanCamp) tie the knot in an intimate and beautiful wedding, strengthening their already powerful bond. Meanwhile, Chastain is transitioning from private to public hospital, causing the hero doctors to fight to fix the broken machine from the inside. DR. RANDOLPH BELL (Bruce Greenwood) finds himself mining his own past to find his estranged former stepson, elite plastic surgeon DR. JAKE WONG (guest star Conrad Ricamora). Bell attempts to bring Dr. Wong to Chastain to increase the number of world-class surgeries at the hospital and to repair their complicated past. Additionally, as star surgical resident DR. MINA OKAFOR (Shaunette Renée Wilson) and her brilliant mentor, DR. AJ AUSTIN (Emmy Award nominee Malcolm-Jamal Warner), grow closer than ever, they must learn to maintain a professional relationship within the walls of the hospital. The series also stars Manish Dayal, Jane Leeves and Morris Chestnut. THE RESIDENT is produced by 20th Television. Todd Harthan, Andrew Chapman, Peter Elkoff, Amy Holden Jones, Rob Corn, Antoine Fuqua and Oly Obst are executive producers.

From executive producer Greg Berlanti, Season Two of PRODIGAL SON premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 12 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). PRODIGAL SON follows MALCOLM BRIGHT (Tom Payne), a criminal profiler with a rare talent for getting inside the minds of killers. He learned how they think because his father, DR. MARTIN WHITLY (Michael Sheen), was a notorious serial killer known as "The Surgeon." Now he's using his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve their most puzzling murders. Bright's team, led by his longtime mentor, NYPD Lieutenant GIL ARROYO (Lou Diamond Phillips), includes Detectives DANI POWELL (Aurora Perrineau), JT TARMEL (Frank Harts) and medical examiner DR. EDRISA TANAKA (Keiko Agena). Season Two picks up with Bright's personal life in disarray after the shocking actions of his sister, AINSLEY (Halston Sage), in the Season One finale. Now, he must "take care" of her and protect his mother, JESSICA WHITLY (Bellamy Young), from a secret that could tear the family apart all over again. Further complicating matters, Martin seeks to deepen his relationship with Bright, his "prodigal son," but forging this bond leads to shocking twists and revelations. PRODIGAL SON is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment. Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver created the series, and are executive producers, showrunners and writers on the show. Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter also serve as executive producers.

FOX's #1 drama, 9-1-1, and last season's #1 new scripted series, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, will have their back-to-back season premieres on Monday, Jan. 18. Creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear reenergize the procedural drama with 9-1-1 and the first extension of its universe, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, set in Austin, TX. Both series explore the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters and dispatchers who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives. The fourth season premiere of 9-1-1 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) kicks off with another jaw-dropping signature disaster that only Los Angeles' finest and fearless first responders can handle. After a devastating 8.0 earthquake and coastal tsunami wreaked havoc in the city, what could possibly be next? Meanwhile, among the chaos, Athena (Angela Bassett) is determined to put her physical and emotional injuries behind her and jump back into the job, as Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) prepare for the birth of their baby, and Buck (Oliver Stark) delves into his past to help deal with his present. The series also stars Peter Krause, Aisha Hinds, Ryan Guzman, Rockmund Dunbar, John Harlan Kim, Corinne Massiah, Marcanthonee Reis and Gavin McHugh. 9-1-1 is produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators and executive producers. Alexis Martin Woodall, Bradley Buecker, John J. Gray, Kristen Reidel, Angela Bassett and Peter Krause are executive producers. Minear and Reidel serve as co-showrunners on the series. Buecker directed the series premiere and continues to direct episodes of the series.

Actress Gina Torres ("Suits," "Pearson," "Firefly") joins Season Two of 9-1-1: LONE STAR (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) as Captain TOMMY VEGA. But even as CPT. OWEN STRAND (Rob Lowe) welcomes Vega to the 126, he must face the unexpected arrival of his ex-wife, Gwyneth (recurring guest star Lisa Edelstein, "House"), who visits Austin to check on their firefighter son, T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein), following the injuries he sustained at the end of last season. All of this occurs as the rescue squad must deal with an emergency that the Texas capital has never encountered before. The series also stars Jim Parrack, Sierra McClain, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Rafael Silva and Julian Works. 9-1-1: LONE STAR is produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators and executive producers. Alexis Martin Woodall, Bradley Buecker, Rashad Raisani, John J. Gray, Angela Bassett and Rob Lowe are executive producers. Minear and Raisani serve as co-showrunners on the series. Buecker directed the series premiere and continues to direct episodes of the series.

Catch up on all shows with On Demand, FOX NOW and Hulu. Episodes are available to watch On Demand for customers of AT&T TV, Cox, DIRECTV, DISH, Spectrum, Sling TV, Verizon FiOS, XFINITY, YouTube TV and many more. Fans also can stream episodes on FOX NOW and Hulu.

FOX WINTER 2020-2021 PREMIERE DATES RECAP (Times for All-New Episodes are ET/PT Except as Noted)

Sunday, Dec. 27: 8:00-9:00 PM ET/5:00-6:00 PM PT Live to all time zones THE MASKED DANCER (Series Premiere)

Sunday, Jan. 3: 8:00-8:30 PM CALL ME KAT (Series Premiere) 8:30-9:00 PM LAST MAN STANDING (Final Season Premiere) 9:00-9:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Special Time) 9:30-10:00 PM BLESS THE HARTS (Special Time)

Wednesday, Jan. 6 8:00-9:00 PM THE MASKED DANCER (Time Period Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 7: 8:00-9:00 PM HELL'S KITCHEN (Season Premiere) 9:00-9:30 PM CALL ME KAT (Time Period Premiere) 9:30-10:00 PM LAST MAN STANDING (Time Period Premiere)

Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 12: 8:00-9:00 PM THE RESIDENT (Season Premiere) 9:00-10:00 PM PRODIGAL SON (Season Premiere)

Mondays, beginning Jan. 18: 8:00-9:00 PM 9-1-1 (Season Premiere) 9:00-10:00 PM 9-1-1: LONE STAR (Season Premiere)

[EDITOR'S NOTE 1: Additional schedule details to be announced.]

[bubbyleh]

I See La Vie en Rose - Chapter 13

cw for kidnappings again at the end

Chapter 13: Tommy Plays the Discovery Game

Tommy: Hey I was talking to Gordon! Tommy: He “suggested” I take Joshua with me next time I take Sunkist to the dog park. Tommy: But I was thinking you could come too!! It’ll be fun! :D Tommy: And we met at the dog park!! But we haven’t been back in all this time! Tommy: You don’t have to, though, don’t worry! Tommy: I kind of missed talking to you, yesterday :( Tommy: It’s okay if you’re busy though!!! I totally understand! Tommy: Just Tommy: I’m starting to get worried?? Tommy: Maybe that sounds stupid :( but just let me know you’re okay?

Fuck, Tommy might be overreacting. He places his phone face-down on his desk. Darnold’s probably fine! There’s no way he isn’t! He’s just… doing something! Tommy needs to focus on work right now, not his boyfriend!

It’s the middle of the day on Tuesday, which means Tommy has a lot of prayers to answer. Weekdays are always busy, and he needs to get ahead of the curve before his date with Darnold on Thursday. Which is a big one, because they’ve been dating for half a year at this point! There’s nothing wrong with a little reminiscing during work, right?

They got together in the early autumn, and now it’s spring. The weather is much nicer than it has been, which means they can start going on walks again! That was so much fun, before it got all snowy and Darnold got scared of slipping on ice.

Tommy loves Darnold so much. He's dated before, yes, but none of his past relationships were like this. Just the act of holding Darnold's hand sends his mind spinning.

He glances at his phone.

Nope! Don't think about it! Darnold's alright, just distracted!

Tommy slumps back in his chair. The nagging part of his brain can’t help but tell him that’s not true.

☆○☆○☆

Tommy: How do you tell someone that their kid needs glasses??

Tommy: I found a test online and I gave it to Joshua and! The results are very bad!!!! :(

Tuesday ends. Wednesday comes and goes. Tommy doesn’t hear back from Darnold. It’s gone from “Tommy may be a bit clingy” to “Something’s wrong with Darnold”.

The exact definition of “wrong” here is what’s worrying Tommy. Maybe it’s a nice little wrong, like Darnold broke his phone. They don’t exactly have many other ways to communicate. In fact, that’s what Tommy’s choosing to believe! That everything is okay, and he’ll see Darnold when they meet up for their date.

Tommy: I love you

Or it could be a big wrong, the idea of which Tommy’s been trying to force out of his head nearly every other second.

The idea that something really bad could have happened to Darnold and Tommy wouldn’t know… is not fun.

Tommy: I miss you

Tommy watches the clock on his phone as he lays in bed, a small pain shooting through his heart every minute that goes by. He can’t sleep, he can only think about Darnold. His phone is open to their messages, and he’s just waiting for a response, a sign of life. Eventually, the time moves from 11:59 to 12:00.

It’s Thursday now.

Enough is enough. Three days without Darnold is too many! Tommy’s a little bit past giving the universe the benefit of the doubt, so he heads down to Darnold’s apartment early, fully expecting to find his boyfriend in the middle of a research bender or a similar activity.

But the apartment is dark and quiet.

Even after Tommy calls out Darnold’s name, there’s still no sound. Nobody rises from their kitchen table to greet him or rushes in from the bedroom with hugs and apologies. Every beat of silence only makes Tommy feel as though a knife is being twisted in his heart.

So he searches. The bedroom, the bathroom, but when he makes it to the kitchen, he stops. The scene is too familiar, and it’s not because Tommy’s spent time in there before.

The chairs are still pushed out in the same way, there’s still an empty bag of chips on the counter. The nerves grow stronger, buzzing with a fearful energy, and hoping for confirmation that something has changed at all in three days, Tommy opens the garbage can to see shards from a broken plate sitting at the top.

Darnold’s been gone for a bit.

Cool! Alright! Perfect! Just what Tommy needed today, to figure out that his boyfriend is now a missing person!

Tommy grips at his hair. This can’t be happening! Why didn’t he come by sooner?! He’s gotta be somewhere, right?! Practically everything in his chest feels like it’s ripping apart, ‘where’s Darnold where’s Darnold where’s Darnold where’s-’

Wait a minute.

He can do something about this.

Being a God of Discovery has its benefits, especially for finding things! If he can just figure out when Darnold left the apartment (with the amount of wards the Gods have placed on this place, there’s no way anything bad happened inside)…

The bed was unmade! Darnold had to have slept there before he left, he always makes his bed in the morning. Tommy would know, he’s been there.

...He was planning on coming back.

Aw shit. Tommy shakes that thought loose from his head. Can’t be sad now, gotta go find boyfriend!

Tommy holds a hand out, focuses on the bed, and thinks as hard as he can about Darnold. He’s not dipping too far into the past, so this should work. It has to work, it just has to!

There’s a blinding flash of light.

It worked!

The figure isn’t Darnold, not quite. It’s just magic swirling around in the shape of Darnold, retracing his movements. But it’s close, close enough that Tommy feels a pang in his chest just looking at it.

He just wants to reach out and hold him so bad.

Actually, something’s kind of weird about this. Usually the depictions are a nice golden yellow, like all of Tommy’s magic. But something must be fucky, because the figure is a reddish orange. Tommy’s used this on many kinds of people, but he’s really only seen this happen when he tracked other Gods.

Huh. Darnold must have a lot of influence on him.

The figure turns in bed a few times, clearly awake and struggling with that fact. It gives up, getting out of bed and heading towards the kitchen. All of its actions are mimed, since it can’t actually interact with the world, but Tommy watches it, follows it as it looks in the fridge, before shaking its head and heading for the front door.

It- Darnold slips on some shoes and a jacket, and then he leaves. He left.

Tommy’s gritting his teeth the whole time he tails it, but he also feels a bit dazed. Watching the past happen in the present is a lot, especially when one is fearful of the ending.

Darnold only walked a few blocks. He made it to the 7/11 they’d been to a few times, and damn it, did he really have to go on a midnight snack run?

He slips inside, which is impossible for Tommy, considering that the building is now under construction. It’s been a few days. He waits outside, waits for Darnold, when something in the alleyway catches his eye.

Some poor soul lost their phone. The case kind of looks like-

Something new is rendering into the scene, right above the discarded phone. Which usually only happens if it interacted with whatever Tommy’s tracking. As it takes shape, Tommy’s heart drops.

Skeleton.

Darnold didn’t even notice it as he left the shop. He was drinking his Powerade (Mountain Berry Blast, if Tommy had to guess), and he pulled out his phone. And just like that, while Darnold was distracted, the Skeleton reached out and grabbed him. Darnold tried to get away, he dropped his phone, and then they were gone.

Tommy’s hands cover his mouth.

No.

No, that…

That can’t be right.

But Tommy knows it is. He glances back down at the phone in the alleyway. Darnold’s phone. His hands shake as he picks it up. The screen is cracked and the battery is low, but Tommy can see the notifications still.

34 New Messages 8 Missed Calls Reminder: 6 Month Anniversary Tomorrow! Buy Flowers

Tommy has his own phone out in an instant. He doesn’t care who it is, he just picks the first contact that isn’t Darnold and calls.

“Ah, good morning, Tommy!” Coomer answers after a few rings. “Whatever could you need so late at night?”

“Things- things are bad!” Tommy’s voice cracks, tears welling up in his eyes. “Darnold’s in trouble.”

[vettingsanders]

Vetting Bernie Sanders

Sanders the Politician

Voted five times against the Brady Act which required universal background checks and a waiting period to buy firearms https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/oct/13/hillary-clinton/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-voted-against-brady/

Voted against the AMBER Alert System http://archive.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/09/21/sanders_vote_on_amber_alert_emerges_as_key_campaign_issue/

Voted in favor of dumping nuclear waste on the poor and predominantly Latinx community of Sierra Blanca, Texas https://www.texastribune.org/2016/02/28/Sanders-Nuclear-Waste-Votes-Divide-Texas-Activists/

When asked if he would visit the site in Sierra Blanca, answered “Absolutely not.” https://archives.texasobserver.org/issue/1998/09/11#page=11

Voted against the Iraq War in 2002 but voted to fund both the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan https://www.alternet.org/2015/05/bernie-sanders-troubling-history-supporting-us-military-violence-abroad/

Voted for the 1994 crime bill https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/bernie-sanders-has-dodged-criticism-crime-bill-vote-while-others-n1020726

Touted his vote for the crime bill on his website at least until 2006, as proof he was “tough on crime” and “strong on the cops” https://web.archive.org/web/20061018180921/http:/www.bernie.org/truth/crime.html

Supported primarying President Obama in the 2012 election cycle https://www.thenation.com/article/yes-bernie-sanders-wanted-obama-primaried-in-2012-heres-why/

Signed a resolution as mayor of Burlington affirming that marriage is between “husband and wife” https://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/02/06/clinton-surrogates-pounce-on-sanders-over-82-marriage-resolution/

Argued same-sex marriage was a states’ rights issue in 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=57&v=kej9QAsS3uI&feature=emb_logo

In 2006, after same-sex civil unions had been legal in Vermont since 2000, responded to a reporter asking if same-sex marriage should be legalized in Vermont with “Not right now,” after the “very divisive debate” preceding the civil union legislation https://web.archive.org/web/20160407064606/http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060607/NEWS/606070302/1003/NEWS02

Has passed three bills in his twenty-nine years as a Congressman, two of which renamed post offices: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?sponsor=400357#current_status[]=28&enacted_ex=on

Is nicknamed “the Amendment King” for his reputation of sponsoring roll call amendments to bills during his tenure in the House of Representatives, but came second in House amendments passed during that time period to Rep. James Traficant, whose tenure was 5 years shorter than that of Sanders: https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/24/bernie-s/bernie-sanders-was-roll-call-amendment-king-1995-2/

In total, has introduced 513 amendments in 29 years in Congress (averaging 17.69 per year) in comparison to senior Vermont Senator Leahy’s 942 amendments in 44 years (21.41 per year avg.), Secretary Clinton’s 296 amendments in 8 years (37 per year avg.), Senator Warren’s 180 amendments in 6 years (30 per year avg.), Senator Klobuchar’s 254 amendments in 11 years (23.09 per year avg.), and Senator Booker’s 140 amendments in 6 years (23.33 per year avg.) https://www.congress.gov/member/bernard-sanders/S000033?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Bernard+Sanders%22%5D%2C%22type%22%3A%22amendments%22%2C%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%7D

Oversaw the Department of Veteran Affairs as Senate chairman of the Veteran Affairs Committee during the 2014 scandal in which dozens of veterans died while waiting for medical care from Phoenix Veterans Health Administration Facilities https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-veterans-scandal-on-bernie-sanderss-watch

Sanders Campaign 2016

Breached the Clinton campaign’s voter data and harvested and stored voter information https://time.com/4155185/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-data/

Received a 645 page letter from the FEC detailing the campaign’s finance violations https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/the-bernie-sanders-donors-who-are-giving-too-much/482418/

Paid a $14.5 K fine to the FEC after receiving donations from non-citizens https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/376373-sanders-campaign-pays-145k-fine-to-settle-fec-complaint

The Nevada campaign director sought to rig the state’s caucus by urging staffers to buy double-sided coins for tie-breaking coin tosses http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sanderss-nevada-director-floated-two-sided-coins-for-tiebreaks-report/ar-AAhHiAI?getstaticpage=true&automatedTracking=staticview

Initially decried superdelegates as “undemocratic” (https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/23/opinions/superdelegates-democratic-party-kohn/) before attempting to persuade them to go against the primary’s outcome and back Sanders instead of Clinton https://www.npr.org/2016/05/19/478705022/sanders-campaign-now-says-superdelegates-are-key-to-winning-nomination

The Mueller Report confirmed that Russian interference in the 2016 election boosted Sanders’ campaign as well as Trump’s https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/politics/read-the-mueller-report/

Had no reasonable path to victory after Super Tuesday (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/was-the-democratic-primary-a-close-call-or-a-landslide/) yet insisted on taking “our fight” to the DNC convention four months later https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/bernie-sanders-vows-continue-fight-convention-n588011

The campaign was accused by staffers of sexual harassment, demeaning treatment toward women, and pay disparity by gender https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/us/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-sexism.html

Weeks before the 2016 general election, Jane Sanders retweeted a video from an April town hall of her husband telling an attendee to “make these decisions yourself” regarding whether or not to vote third party if Secretary Clinton won the primary https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/26/retweet-bernie-sanders-wife-jane-raises-questions/91140254/

Sanders Campaign 2020

Appointed Russian interference denier and Jill Stein 2016 voter Briahna Joy Gray as the campaign’s National Press Secretary https://twitter.com/briebriejoy/status/888555665865814017?lang=en

Following promises to run a civil campaign, hired David Sirota, a man who’d spent months attacking other primary contenders online, as a speech writer.  The campaign also confirmed that Sirota had already been serving in an advisory role prior to his official hiring https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/sanders-promised-civility-hired-twitter-attack-dog/585259/

Press Secretary Briahna Joy Gray called for the doxing of a Sanders critic on Twitter. If there was any repercussion for this behavior, it has never been made public. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/14/1879124/-Bernie-Sanders-s-Campaign-Doxed-a-Critic-on-Twitter

Hired and fired YouTuber Matt Orfalea within 24 hours after being alerted of his sexist, racist, homophobic, and ableist content, suggesting he was not vetted before his hiring https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/bernie-sanders-matt-orfalea-mlk-youtube-video/

Hired and fired Darius Khalil Gordon after two days after being alerted of his sexist, racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and ableist Tweets https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/12/bernie-sanders-new-head-organizer-called-people-fgs-bhes/

Sanders National Campaign Co-Chair Nina Turner claimed that Biden’s strong support among Black voters is due to the voters’ “short memories” and “not a true understanding of the history” https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/473161-top-sanders-officials-hits-biden-over-riding-on-obamas-coattails

Paid staffers working 60 hours a week an average of 13 dollars per hour despite Sanders campaigning on a 15 dollar per hour minimum wage https://www.vox.com/2019/7/20/20700841/bernie-sanders-minimum-wage-staff-pay

Sanders Himself

Two days before the 2016 general election, Sanders tweeted “I do not believe that most of the people who are thinking about voting for Mr. Trump are racist or sexist” https://twitter.com/berniesanders/status/794941635931099136?lang=en

Unsuccessfully and habitually ran for office from 1972 until his election as mayor in 1982, during which time he held no steady job and could not afford to pay child support for his son Levi.  In 1974, Levi’s mother Susan Mott was quoted in a Burlington Free Press article stating that she was refused apartments because she was a single mother on welfare: https://twitter.com/m_mendozaferrer/status/1093295853907922946

Despite conceding the 2016 primary and stating that “Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nomination and I congratulate her for that” (https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/11/politics/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders/index.html), he later made the Trump-esque statement “Some people say that if maybe that system was not rigged against me, I would have won the nomination and defeated Donald Trump.” https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-defeat-donald-trump-2016-rigged-primary-dnc-nbc-kasie-hunt-1446116

Stole electricity from his neighbors in the 70s https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/bernie-sanders-vermont-119927

Stole food from the refrigerator of the Vermont Freeman’s publishers https://newrepublic.com/article/122005/he-was-presidential-candidate-bernie-sanders-was-radical

Was asked to leave a hippie commune in 1971 due to sitting around engaging in “endless political discussion” rather than working https://freebeacon.com/politics/bernie-sanders-asked-leave-hippie-commune/

At age 28, wrote an article for alternative newspaper Vermont Freeman entitled “Cancer, Disease, and Society.”  In the article, he argues that sexual repression can cause cancer, and women who are virgins, have fewer orgasms than their peers, or simply don’t enjoy sex are more likely to develop cervical cancer.  The article includes statements such as “the manner in which you bring up your daughter with regard to sexual attitudes may very well determine whether or not she will develop breast cancer, among other things” and “How much guilt, nervousness have you imbued in your daughter with regard to sex?  If she is 16, 3 years beyond puberty and the time which nature set forth for child-bearing, and spent a night out with her boyfriend, what is your reaction? Do you take her to a psychiatrist because she is “maladjusted” or a "prostitute," or are you happy that she has found someone with whom she can share love?”  He also argues that the education system contributes to cancer, as does having “an old bitch of a teacher (and there are many of them).”  https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2157403-sanders-cancer.html

Appeared to still hold these views as of 1988, when he stated "I have my own feelings on what causes cancer and the psychosomatic aspects on cancer." https://time.com/4249034/bernie-sanders-alternative-medicine-cancer/

Called Planned Parenthood “part of the establishment” for endorsing Secretary Clinton https://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/planned-parenthood-bernie-sanders-218026

In his 1998 autobiography, quoted an article calling his 1996 primary opponent Susan Sweetser “too brassy, too bitchy” https://books.google.com/books?id=_2YjBm2_JGUC&pg=PA173&lpg=PA173&dq=sanders+too+brassy+too+bitchy&source=bl&ots=SWrIR5Xa8m&sig=ACfU3U2-Hj1-UXIOM0Zz274h6_Nu8juoBg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjHhtObq6LmAhWvUt8KHc8mDVUQ6AEwA3oECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=sanders%20too%20brassy%20too%20bitchy&f=false

In the same autobiography, repeatedly used the n-word and chose to keep the word in the text when republishing the book in 2015.  Note that Lyndon B. Johnson was able to make this same point in the sixties without needless slurs https://www.inquisitr.com/5620596/bernie-sanders-under-fire-for-use-of-n-word-in-2015-book-clip-from-audiobook-version-goes-viral-friday/

After saying millionaire senators are immoral (https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/24/politics/bernie-millionaire-senators-immoral/index.html) and railing against millionaires and billionaires in his 2016 campaign, Sanders responded to criticism of his millionaire senator status by saying “if you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too.” https://theweek.com/speedreads/834228/bernie-sanders-says-millionaire-like-write-bestselling-book

Was booed by women of color at the She the People presidential forum by being unable to say anything of substance regarding racial issues, instead just constantly reminding everyone that he marched with MLK Jr. https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-met-with-boos-after-name-dropping-martin-luther-king-at-she-the-people-summit

As mayor of Burlington, fired the assistant city treasurer when she was jailed for an anti-war protest https://academic.oup.com/publius/article-abstract/21/2/131/1917641?redirectedFrom=PDF

Despite participating in a civil rights protest, never bothered to vote until he ran for election and voted for himself: https://imgur.com/gallery/mmS40Gq#460q6bS

Repeatedly accuses his female opponents of campaigning on identity politics, from saying “It is not good enough for someone to say, 'I'm a woman! Vote for me!” regarding Secretary Clinton’s campaign (https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/21/13699956/sanders-clinton-democratic-party), to his 1986 governor race against Madeleine Kunin, who stated, “When Sanders was my opponent he focused like a laser beam on “class analysis,” in which “women’s issues” were essentially a distraction from more important issues. He urged voters not to vote for me just because I was a woman. That would be a “sexist position,” he declared.”  https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/02/04/when-bernie-sanders-ran-against-vermont/kNP6xUupbQ3Qbg9UUelvVM/story.html

Upheld a ban on rock concerts as mayor of Burlington like a Footloose villain https://i.redd.it/atpybo1rcwa31.jpg

Had a heart attack at age 78, making his continued life expectancy 3.1 years https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/acute-coronary-syndrome/study-65-older-mi-patients-die-within-8-years

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“PEN TERMS ARE GIVEN TWO THUGS,” North Bay. June 28, 1939. Page 8.  ---- Purse Snatchers Sentenced to Two Years for Crime Spree ---- SUDBURY COURT ---- Sudbury, Jun. 28 — (Special to The Nugget) - Finding that anything less than a penitentiary term would fail to halt their march of crime Magistrate, J. S. McKessock Tuesday morning so sentenced a pair of Toronto desperadoes -  brothers who had terrorized three Sudbury women on June 19 during a daring daylight purse-snatching foray, aided In their hold-ups by two stolen cars. 12 Charges Clifford Bowes, alias John Miller, was sentenced to two years and 45 days on a total of seven charges, while his brother and companion in the wild escapade through Sudbury streets, Gordon Robert Bowes, alias Frank Miller, was given two year of five charges. The 45 days, which were not concurrent, went to Clifford Bowes for reckless driving and having no driver's license. 

Tuesday morning’s conviction terminated a swift and unprecedented wave of crime as the Toronto thugs first stole a car owned by Albert Gasparini, Hazel street, mired It on Van Horne street, stole another owned by Jack Ison, formerly of North Bay, and then snatched purses from Mrs. V. S. Fournier, 221 Lansdowne avenue, Mrs. L. Kemp, 335 Pine street, and Mrs. H. Leach, Trout Lake, and formerly of North Bay. Police pursued the fleeing pair at break-neck speed during which revolver shots were fired in a futile attempt to halt the fugitives and finally ran one to earth near the Edward Grain Company warehouse on Dufferin street and the other beneath the C.P.R. bridge on Station street. 

With scarcely a word to say in their defence before sentence was passed and neither taking the stand in an attempt to refute any of the charges, the pair were shorn of the bravado which marked their wild ride through the city during the afternoon of Monday June 19 when their movie-thriller flight had pedestrians scattering for cover as they careened along Regent, Albert, Eyre, Douglas, Lome, and Elm street. Robert Bowes made a brief explanation for his predicament blaming his long criminal record upon the feet that he had never been able to secure a steady job. 

Ask Stiff Terms  “The men terrorised our citizens," charged Crown Attorney E. D. Wilkins, K.C., in pressing for a heavy sentence on the pair. "Their wild crime wave approached robbery with violence, as they dashed around snatching purses from these three women on the streets. They should be given a long term.” 

The evidence of a nine-year-old boy, David Scott, 363 Desoriac street, Sudbury, convicted the pair of the theft of a car owned by Albert Gaaparini, Hazel street. Mr Gasparini told of missing his car from Larch street where it had been parked about 4 o'clock it was recovered and returned to him at 6:13 pm the same day. 

"I was on my way home from school," recounted David Scott. “I was cutting across the old tourist camp site on Van Horne street when I noticed two men working' on a car that was mired in the mud. They were trying to get It out by jacking It up. They worked at it for about 10 minutes and couldn't make it. Finally they left saying they would leave it there and go and got a crane. I had a good look at them." 

In court Tuesday morning, the lad unhesitatingly identified the Bowes brothers as the pair he had seen working at the mired car. 

Detective Sergeant Alex McLaren laid of how the boy had Identified the pair from a line-up of 20 men at the district Jail several days after the car theft had occurred. He picked them unerringly, Detective Sergeant McLaren declared.

Offering no defence, the pair was convicted sentence beingreserved until the other charges of purse snatching were disposed of by the Crown. 

Mrs. Fournier told of returning home about 4:40 o'clock that afternoon and how as she neared the door of her home a man had grabbed her purse from her arm. "I could not Identify him he fled so rapidly," emphasized Mrs. Fournier. "But I got the number of the car and phoned police.” 

Identify Purse It was Mrs. Fournier' prompt call to police that enabled Sergeant Stan Wilson and Constable Jack Adams lo pick up the trail of the stolen car on Regent street within a few minute of the theft. The car, a green sedan, had been stolen from in front of the Minto street dairy after the Gasparini car became mired on Van Horn street. Police officers identified Mrs. Fournier's purse as being one of the three foundin the stolen ear when it was finally overtaken by Sergeant Wilson and Constable Adams. 

Similar evidence was submitted in the other purse snatching case that in which Mrs. Kemp had her handbag stolen as she was about to take a short cut off Elm to Pine street. Her purse was also found In the stolen car, it was testified. The pair had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of accosting and stealing a purse from Mrs. H. Leash, Trout Lake.

Convicted on all purse-snatching charges each was sentenced to one year on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently with the ones of two years In Kingston Penitentiary imposed for the theft of Gasparani’s car. Each received a one-year concurrent term for the theft of Jack Ison's car.

The records of both men were read to the court, revealing that each had spent considerable time in jail for car theft, breaking and entering, breaking parole, theft of car markers, and several others.

[AL: Clifford Bowes, top, was 19 at the time, an unemployed stock driver who had previously worked in a stock yard. He had been in reformatory twice before. Robert Bowes had previously been at Kingston Penitentiary, and in fact had just been released in spring 1939. he was 21 and unemployed since his release.Clifford was convict #5665 and Gordon #5667. Both young men worked in the mail bag shop at  Kingston Penitentiary, and were both released in February 1941, heading back to Sudbury.]

[aaaanathaniel]

It took the guards some time to open his cell, as ice had formed inside the lock.

By Kenneth L. It took the guards some time to open his cell, as ice had formed inside the lock. Behind these infringements on religious freedom is an ideological impetus to sweep the public square clean of religious expression or practice, confining such expressions and practices to homes and places of worship.. Los Kumbia Kings, and Little Joe y La Familia and delighted the crowd with a majestic fireworks display as grand finale.. The villagers who met under the village tree could also hang their politicians to the tree. Every vehicle advertised on CarMax's website and mobile zapatillas de tacos futbolapp has a link to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall information website, which customers can use to obtain open recall information on the specific CarMax vehicles they are researching. Visible in overweight persons, but the main cause of so called cellulite is hereditary and lack of exercise may exacerbate its appearance. Reek, Reek, it rhymes with leak. Une sandale avec un amorti encore sans doute. Greenguts was huge and bald as a stone, with arms thick

nike phantom vision academy

enough to rival even Strong Belwas. Despite my esoteric warblings about what I 'quite fancied', she presented me with exactly what I wanted. This may happen at a reception desk, where there will be personnel present to monitor the space. Poolesville will play five of the girls

scaun rulant inchiriere

that were on the girls team that made it to the Class 1A state final last fall, led by junior Inge Rasmussen, and seniors Jen Ogden and Sara Wolz. "Those girls are definitely polo raflorene pioneers for my sport and what I do. Only one world will survive: theirs, or ours.. Once or twice he pinched his arm with his fingers, really hard, but the only thing that did was make his arm hurt. That was certainly the case in India in February March, when they were humiliated 4 0 on the field and embarrassed off it. Griff had let his beard grow out during the voyage, for the first time in many years, and to his surprise it had come in mostly red, though here and there ash showed amidst the fire. Its instant external atmosphere although is ruled by three powerful forces, which are its competitors, suppliers, and clients. If you have reached this point, you must really value what we produce and read us j s authentic vans tibetan red true whitea lot. Good hips, good breasts, well made for whelping children.” All true enough, but the wildling woman was so much more. When she told him, the boy rushed at her, but his feet tangled in his tokar and he went sprawling headlong on the purple marble. Meat rationing during World War II boosted annual sales to $90 million, and by 1956 sales topped $277 million. The talented actress said, Phir Se is special to each every dancer of ABCD2. Then the two of them were grappling, punching and clawing at each other, sliding down the hill. Taconic will take the 150 mile trip toward Cape Cod to face Sandwich High School. Horse had been born and raised in Mole’s Town, Arron and Emrick came from Fair Isle, Satin from the brothels of Oldtown at the other end of Westeros. If His Grace needs a poisoner, he will look to you.” He had said all that he could safely say. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the EcoDiesel driving experience. Oldtown maesters are the worst of all. The end result, he conceded only one boundary.. Springsteen and the E Street Band (along with the four piece Miami Horns) would appear at the Palladium on what's informally known as "The Lawsuit Tour," when he was suing his former manager, Mike Appel, for control of his career. I MAKE A LOT OF MONEY WITH CHINA THEY CANNOT BELIEVE THEY ARE LOWERING THEIR CURRENCY NOW. HPVis the most common type of sexually transmitted virus in the United States and is passed on through sexual contact genital or oral. In his earlier years, Max worked for Vermont National Bank and Taylor Insurance Company before owning

bocanci grisport 480

and operating Barber and Jarvis Insurance Company. They will get a Center of Influence Medal to gift to the person of their choice. For instance, Windows seems to make a mediaBTW, what is the advantage of Vista versus Linux anyways aside from DirectX? Is it driver support?Wesley Fink Tuesday, February 10, 2009 linkThe GTX 295 has a recommended minimum 12V rating of 46 Amps, the 1000HX is a dual rail design with each rail providing 40 Amps or a total of 80 Amps. Finishing in second, via the card off route, was the team of Bill Ide, Jim Fitzsimmons, Cecil Braswell and Jon Peterson with a score of 54 over the team of Rich Attinger, Jeff Hauer, Jim McKenna and Bernie Walters. I did not dare to ask any one about its meaning, for I was satisfied that it was something they wanted me to know very little about. "In a situation like that, when Rick passes away unexpectedly, you don't have the answers. It will be a long process, but we are hoping, with the support of the public and people of Mongolia, we can to help preserve their cultural heritage. She has three millions and those three millions would be very useful to me. And in her frenzy, she rushed at the little girl, who stood petrified with horror, clutched her by the hair, and flung her on the ground. Cersei tried to walk faster, but soon came up against the backs of the Stars in front of her and had to slow her steps again. So I thought, "Ah well, maybe next time." After I left school, Gordon Bray, another well known cazadora vaquera tommy hilfiger Australian commentator, got the geci de fas dama scurte job. With the Catalyst 12.11 Beta 11 driver installed it averaged 53.6 FPS. "Police shot a locked glass door with a shotgun to get into the office where the shooting took place the only shot fired by police, Assistant police Chief Randall Blankenbaker said.". “I know that she spent her childhood in exile, impoverished, living on dreams and schemes, running from one city to the next, always fearful, never safe, friendless but for a brother who was by all accounts half-mad … a brother who sold her maidenhood to the Dothraki for bikes btt usadasthe promise of an army. Good afternoon. Daario Naharis entered swaggering. The MVP Goalie award went to Liam Higgins of the Little River Sales Grinders.. He overdoses while she continues her dead end lifestyle, and only

pantofi sport cu scai barbati

the possibility of once again seeing her long abandoned son causes her to attempt to change her life. Today, 9:30 11:30 am, the Brooklyn Cooperative Open House invites families to view their 'stimulating classrooms, large playground, and younger sibling nursery, and meet the teachers and current participating Brooklyn parents to learn about this play based coop preschool. A young girl sat beneath a fountain, drenched in spray, and stared at her with Melara Hetherspoon’s accusing eyes. The join of the front wheel arches). They feel, in the thrill of that mighty soul, that a great cycle of time is finishing, and a new era in the world’s history beginning. Differences in pressure, movements of the hips, legs, knees, ankles, feet and toes were evaluated also. Alternatively, go to a Best Buy or other electronics store and check out the PCs.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Wednesday 11 April 1838: SH:7/ML/E/21/0076

7 10

12

fine morning F58° at 8 20 and went out talking to George Naylor (wheelwright) who came this morning to mend carts, harrows, etc – then talking to John Booth – to brew every 3 weeks 46 gallons from 6 struck of malt – came in at 8 ¼ - A- had William Keighley who asked 3/. a foot for oak wood for gates – and she had also Robert Scholefield – waited for her a few minutes – some little talk – out again at 10 about an hour pulling out dead wood from hazels in the walk – with Robert Mann + 5 at the meer embankment breach making up – then went with Robert to see about walling up between Wellroyde and the Lower brea wood – then by the new road to Sun wood quarry – Mrs. Robinson called after me – promised to take the 2 trees away tomorrow – then sometime at the quarry – the road done – SW. was right as I told Hartley 15/. would have been enough – said I should put the quarry under Mr. Bentley – a minute or 2 at Listerwick pit in returning finding fault with John Manns’ boy for beating Mangnall the gin horse, over the head – came in about 12 ¾ - sat with A- at her luncheon – some talk – mentioned her riding to H-x to see about Holroyde the tailor to make a suit for George – A- could not possibly ride both to Cliff hill and H-x – this led to the subject of her being ill etc. allusion to what she said yesterday and my deep regret that it was so totally out of my power to be of any use to her – to have so uninterestingly used her hardly twice was grievous enough – it was still worse that I could not have the consolation of making some reparation – a little explanation calm and gentle on my part – no wish of mine to make automata nor did I care at all for the colour of the servants coats – green, black or blue – if one colour would make A- more comfortable than another, I should be thankful to choose that – Poor A- who seldom stoops to reason took refuge in her usual silence, and walked off to the north parlour, probably to waste her health and happiness in unnecessary tears! How melancholy! I said in sorrow that as it was so totally out of my power to do her any good, I was of no use – perhaps I was better out of the way than in it – Poor soul! – she sees all thro’ a false medium – she thinks herself ill used! what can I do? – had just written so far at 1 50 heard her in her room and just went to say I had come to ask how she was poor thing her temper had given way and all got right again! all this is tiresome wearying work to me but my mind is made up  I will be the [saster] or be off   she promised to be a good little one and so as I told her  poor thing she is little fit to be left to herself – with A- from 1 50 to 3 – then wrote the last 4 lines and went out at 3 10 took George Naylor to Lower brea and with him there about an hour cutting up the 2 ash trees for the cart to bring home tomorrow – sawing and going and returning took up about not quite 1 ¼ hour – then from about 4 ¼ to 6 ¾ with Robert Mann + 5 at the meer – had Robert + 2 (James Mann and Jack Green) getting down (into the excavation into the hill side in Charles Howarths’ acrefield) the 36 yards band stone from Listerwick pit wheel-race – home about 6 50 dressed – dinner at 7 ¼ - coffee – read last nights’ and tonights’ London papers – tiresome when Mrs. Bagnold sends me 2 together – came upstairs at 10 50 just when I had finished – the newspapers and at which hour F39 ½° - drizzling rain came on about 6pm and as I returned home a heavy shower – high wind all the afternoon – and highish in the morning – finish day till about 6 pm – Kind letter tonight from Lady V.C. dated Auchinbowie stirling 9 April – 3 pages and ends to announce the birth of little Sibbella at 2 pm on the Tuesday 20th ultimo – V- has recovered exceedingly well – very indifferent account of Mr. Cameron – good account of Lady Stuart – ‘lucky in never being without a companion Mrs. Gordon is with her now. I regret that I have not so good an account to give as I could wish of my dearest Donald – he is far from strong – he has no positive complaint but weakness in his back, and numbness in his limbs – they tell him it is an affection of the spine and a slight symptom of pasly – leeches cupping and blisters reduce him sadly – his mother has taken the most violent alarm about him at Leamington, which worries me extremely, and they want us to give up going to the Highlands this year which is also a very great worry and disappointment but it is not settled yet – you  [are] a good doctor dear Miss Lister, will you tell me if your opinion coincides with the Edinburgh people, or can you ask me any questions to throw further light upon the subject – his feet are always cold yet he inclines to flush – the bairns are all well – ever affectionately yours V.C.’ – Poor V-! how strangely blind the poor Donalds’ fearful state – his mothers’ alarm seems but too well grounded – had just written so far now at 11 10 pm – Charles Stuart travelling in Egypt, regretting that his going to Jerusalem is put off for this year –

[streetdancerproject]

My Last DJ Set for The Jam Cellar Is a History of The Jam Cellar

Last Tuesday, I put together a playlist that told the Jam Cellar's story as I have experienced it over the past 15 years.

Chant of the Groove, Fats Waller: Typically after announcements, we open the second half of the night with a line dance or a jam. I had songs for the Shim Sham and the Big Apple at the ready, but I didn’t want to turn my set into a line dance-a-polooza. I opted for the Tranky Do with the song that Jam Cellar instructors have preferred as an alternative to the Dipsy Doodle by Ella Fitzgerald.

Also, The Tranky Do was always more of a Jam Cellar thing. Way back in the early 00’s when Mike Faltesek was living here, he decided to piece together the original choreography. Up until that point, people were doing a version taught by Frankie Manning. Falty had noticed that the version in the Spirit Moves documentary seemed a little different and went on a mission to find any and all evidence of it on film. Eventually he was able to piece it together from a variety of film sources mostly featuring Al Minns and Leon James. This is a video of him alongside Frida Segerdahl the weekend they taught it at a workshop he organized and called “The Toe Jam” at the old Jam Cellar location. (This demo was not at the Jam Cellar though)

Well, Git It!, Tommy Dorsey. As I said before, we usually do a jam or a line dance after announcement, but I did both because I had to play this song, and there was no way people would not jam to it. The much faster version of this song was the one used in the landmark Mad Dog routine, of which all the original JC founders were a part of. That's a pretty lengthy story by itself, but fortunately, I have written about it previously as part of my history of the modern Lindy Hop scene.

The Primordial Ooze

This section of songs served as a quick tour of the musical landscape leading up to the founding of The Jam Cellar.

C Jam Blues, Lincoln Center Orchestra. I’m so confident that this is probably the most played song ever in the modern Lindy Hop scene, that I’m not even going to bother researching it.

Swing Lover, Indigo Swing. Icons of the neo-swing era from the late 1990s. The irony is that this can be technically considered vintage music now. Also, yes, I did cut out that weird spoken word bit at the beginning.

Watch The Birdie, Gene Krupa. On the short list of iconic Hollywood style songs. Another version was featured in the much less famous Hellzapoppin clip.

Alright, O.K., You Win / Everyday (I Have the Blues), Barbara Morrison. Another overplayed classic representing the groove period, but still a great live album recorded at another legendary Lindy Hop venue in San Francisco: The 9:20 Special.

Inspiration

The next set paid homage to the modern musicians that have greatly influenced and supported The Jam Cellar.

Sweet Eileen, Blue Sky 5. Craig Gildner has been a long time stalwart of the DC scene and a friend to The Jam Cellar since before the beginning.

Massachusetts (Live), Gordon Webster. Before starting her own band, JC co-founder Naomi Uyama was featured on a number of live Gordon Webster recordings.

Black Coffee, The Careless Lovers. Friend of the Jam Cellar, Mike Faltesek, went on to play and lead several bands of his own.

Someone’s Rockin My Dreamboat, The Boilermaker Jazz Band. The Jam Cellar has benefited greatly from its relationship with The Boilermakers. They were the band that opened the first night at the new location in the Columbia Heights neighborhood from the actual cellar location in Vienna, Virginia. More importantly, there's no way to quantify how the collective knowledge and understanding of Rich Strong, Marc Kotishon, Ernest McCarty, Jennifer McNulty, and especially Paul Cosentino has filtered throughout the world by way of the international instructors of the Jam Cellar, but it is incredibly significant. In regards to this specific song, I remember The Boilermakers first trying to figure it out at one of their gigs in DC because they heard it from an old Bugs Bunny cartoon.

Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns. This represents the contributions of the vibrant New Orleans music scene to the Lindy Hop community. JC co-founder Andy Reid currently resides and plays music there on the regular.

Storming the Air Waves

About 10 years ago, I was invited to guest DJ on the live streaming radio channel that Yehoodi.com sponsored. I turned around and asked if we could feature all the DJs of The Jam Cellar. A total of 10 DJs submitted their favorite songs which we turned into a 4 hour radio show.

Dinah, Cab Calloway  & His Orchestra. The file I got for this song got corrupted, so it cuts out the last few seconds, but I had to play it because Dinah is supposed to be The Jam Cellar’s theme song . . .  

Opening JC Theme, The Hot Club de Jam Cellar.  . . .which is why they re-worked it into this version. It has the distinction of actually being recorded live at The Jam Cellar in one of the spare rooms with a band completely made up of JC staff.

Spinnin’ The Webb Chick Webb & His Orchestra.

Yacht Club Swing, Fats Waller. The live version. Not to be confused with the not as good studio version.

Sister Kate, Muggsy Spanier.

Dark Eyes, Fats Waller. These last few songs are a sampling of what we submitted for the show. Dark Eyes for some reason was the most popular song amongst the DJs. It’s such a moody and unusual song for a swing dance, but that’s part of the reason why I think people love it.

Live! By The Jam Cellar

The next couple of songs were used in signature performances by Jam Cellar instructors.

Jump through the Window, Roy Eldridge. A lot of people like to hate on this song because it inspires everyone to do the claps. However, can you think of another performance that has introduced such an indelible mark on a song that it's hard to imagine the song without them almost a decade later?  Usually the music influences the dance, but this is a case where it goes the opposite way. People who have never seen this performance do the claps at the breaks to this day. Embrace the claps.

I Could Write A Book (Live(1963/Copenhagen)), Sarah Vaughan. Not as famous as the last one, but one of my favorites from Naomi and her soon to be (at the time) husband Peter. I'm also going to take partial credit for this because I gave Naomi this song (along with a ton of other music) when she moved away. (Although I'm actually not sure if she realizes that.) My favorite part is seeing Ernest from the Boilermakers just grooving up there on stage. I normally hate it when musicians camp out on stage during performances, but considering the history between Ernest, Naomi and the rest of The Jam Cellar, I'm a fan.

The Finale

I actually planned my whole set to lead up into this last stretch of songs.

Just Kiddin’ Around, Artie Shaw & His Orchestra. Except this one. Honestly, I just threw this one in at the last second to eat some time, but it is one of my own personal favorite dance songs.

On Revival Day, Laverne Baker. A local favorite. Generally I try to avoid drawing religious parallels to the dance scene because at the end of the day, they’re not really the same thing even if some people feel that way. In relation to this song at least, I like the themes it invokes about the hopefulness and joyfulness of being together. That's not very surprising since it invokes a lot of strong imagery of life in black churches and black culture in general from which Lindy Hop is very indebted to.

No Regrets, Billie Holiday. My favorite Billie Holiday song. Shout out to Mike Marcotte for introducing it to me too long ago. The lyrics are spot on for this occasion.

Shiny Stockings, Count Basie & His Orchestra. When I started putting this playlist together, this was the first song that I put on it, and I knew it also had to be the last one played. If Jumping at The Woodside is Lindy Hop’s national anthem, then Shiny Stockings is its national hymn.

The Encore

Just One Look, Doris Troy. I was totally unprepared for an encore, so I had to scramble. I probably should have seen this coming, but I overestimated lindy hoppers’ collective ability to figure out a social cue. I defaulted to one of my favorite “end of the night, everyone go home” songs.

Dinah, James P. Johnson. Of course someone said that we should swing the eff out to end this. I thought about Woodside or Lindy Hoppers Delight, but this song has a very specific story attached to it.

At the end of the night of one of the first times I DJ’d at The Jam Cellar, I was messing around, playing random songs as the JC crew cleaned up. I decided to play a really hot song that I had found recently, and what came next felt like a lost clip from Hellzapoppin.

Everyone dropped their brooms and trash bags and started a solo jam. This was 2003, solo jazz was not a thing in the Lindy Hop scene, but the Jam Cellar was at the bleeding edge of the community’s understanding of the dance. This was mostly due to the fact that several of the world’s best dancers were living in DC at the time.

I'm sure it is a gross exaggeration to say this was the greatest solo jam I have ever witnessed, especially after seeing some of the best since then. There is no video. Just my increasingly nostalgic memory. 

The song ended, people exchanged high 5’s and they finished closing up. Soon, some of them would be headlining workshops and winning major competitions all over the world. Some of them were already at that point. Others decided to follow different life paths that. But at that moment, it was just a Tuesday night.

This is actually not the song I played that night. It was a  version of Charleston by a band led by Sidney Bechet, but it is on the same James P. Johnson compilation CD as this version of Dinah. These two songs are closely associated to me by sheer organizational chance. Plus it seemed more appropriate with Dinah being the Jam Cellar's theme song, even if few people remember that.

Epilogue

I suppose at it’s worse, The Jam Cellar allowed people to be a little too self indulgent like I am being here. It’s one of the pitfalls of having a nearly unrestrained creative sandbox. However, at its best, it was a place where people could come together to inspire and be inspired; to challenge and be challenged. Sometimes it was through creative performances, other times it may have been with difficult conversations, but most of the time it was with 2-3 minute dances.

The future of The Jam Cellar is uncertain. On Tuesday, they announced a summer break. The website was recently updated with a banner calling it an "indefinite break." To be honest, even if it doesn't come back, I won't miss it. I don’t miss trekking out to Vienna, Virginia to a basement in a strip mall. And I don’t even think I’ll miss the mansion/sauna in the heart of a changing nation's capital. To me The Jam Cellar wasn’t just a location.  

I did the math, and I can confidently say that I’ve spent over 90% of my Tuesday nights at some form of The Jam Cellar over the past 15 years. I've seen people who were moving away break down into tears knowing that they may never return. We've celebrated engagements and consoled divorcees. The room was packed as people took turns telling their favorite Frankie Manning stories the Tuesday after he passed away.

What all these experiences have in common is that they are about people. Folks. Community. I will miss is having a place to go every Tuesday night, knowing that I’ll see people that I want to be with. People who understand some of the fundamental principles of the dance that have not changed since it was born on the dance floors in Harlem almost 100 years ago. While there is plenty of room for individual creativity, you should not lose sight of your partner or the people around you. That's the main thing of value that we should take away from The Jam Cellar that should be carried over into the next chapter of whatever happens next.

[looselucy]

February

Thursday had been relatively uninteresting, spent entirely indoors, watching the worst possible films Netflix had to offer. Very enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. It was now Friday morning, after another night sharing Harry’s bed, our legs intertwining at some point in our sleep, but shooting from one another as soon as we woke, and I was downstairs making us some breakfast.

Harry’s house was constantly stocked up with food, I had noticed. There was never a chance they would run out of milk, or bread. Never would you wake up in the morning without every ingredient you needed, and more, to make a full English breakfast. Everything you could ever want to eat, you were bound to find it in Harry’s house. Safe to say, it was my idea of heaven. Kev and Ben were out working for the day, which meant it was just me and Harry, which was fine, but we had no plans once again, which wasn’t the worst, but nor was it the best. I was looking forward to Manchester the night after. Harry was upstairs showering when my phone rang, and even though I was happy to see Zayn’s name on my screen, I hadn’t really been expecting a phone-call from Barcelona. “Good morning!” I beamed when I answered. “I’m currently making a full English breakfast. Are you proud? I know it’s usually you who does the cooking, but I can actually do it! I’ll cook you a full English when you’re home, I promise. I miss you. I’m talking too much. How’s it going? Is it sunny? Is it hot?” “You’re too chirpy.” He spoke. “Am I?” “Yeah. Well, to say you’ve been spending time with Harry Styles... Yeah.” My face dropped as the sausages sizzled. God damn. My plan has been foiled. I didn’t really know what to say. I fumbled over myself and tried to structure a sentence in a way that would go against what he had said so I could keep the plan of turning back up at university on Monday and surprising everyone with our new found friendship. Then I figured the other half of my troublesome twosome may have forgotten our original intent. “Oh god damn. Did Harry tell you?” “Huh? Tell me what?” “I’m really confused.” I wobbled. “You posted a picture of you and Harry in the pub on Wednesday night, and literally, what the fuck? Why are you at the pub with Harry? What the fuck?” Of course. It was me who ruined our plan. Absolute idiot. I hadn’t even realised. I had thought not to tweet about it, or put anything on Facebook, but I pretty much forgot about Instagram. Also, to be honest, I had just got so excited about the fact that me and Harry finally had a picture together, that we were finally at the stage where I could put my arm around his neck and we could smile towards a camera together. I really loved my first picture with Harry, and I had wanted to share it. Katie from home had text me straight away, asking who he was. “Shite. I totally forgot about that.” I rolled my eyes at myself. “An explanation, Pip? C’mon, it’s probably costing me a fortune ringing you from here, so cough up. I’m too confused. I need to know. Also, miss you too.” I did miss him, like mad, so much more than I was ever expecting to. Not even a week without a boy who I didn’t even know a year ago, and I was more or less falling apart without him. I cooed down to the floor before I finally got around to explaining myself. There was no longer any point denying it. “He offered me a lift when he was driving home-” “Harry drives?” “APPARENTLY? Who knew, right? Anyway, so I took him up on it, didn’t really know where to go. So then he offered for me to stay at his and I didn’t know what else to do, so I said yeah and now... like... we’re really getting on. It’s weird. We’re finally friends.” He didn’t say anything for a little while, but I could hear his grin, really hear it. Of course he was grinning. He had two best friends at uni (three if you include Louis, but I was still ignoring him at that stage) and that was me and Harry, who unfortunately, had hated each other in the past. Of course he was beaming that we were finally getting on, that made his life ten times easier, and made our future time at university full of prosperity. It was exciting, for all of us. “Well, thank god for that!” He sighed after some time. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this day. God, I’m so happy for you, Pippa! That must feel like such a weight off your shoulders!” “Yeah, it does, really. It’s good. I mean, it’s annoying how everyone was right about us being similar and getting on but... yeah. It’s good.” “Alright, good. Well, I’m not even joking, this is probably costing a bomb. My mums gunna kill me, so I better shoot. I miss you loads. I’m not back til Tuesday, so I’ll see you then, alright?” “Beautiful. Miss you loads, have fun and get home safe.” “Will do. All my love, to you and Harry.” “I’ll let him know. Byeeeee.” “Bye.” He chuckled. With that, we hung up, and I went back to making breakfast, it already being ready and heated perfectly in time. The beans, the sausages, the bacon, the tomatoes. Everything was ready and beautifully cooked all at the right time. I was overcome with a bizarre sense of achievement. I plated it all up, grinning madly to myself as I did, feeling like I may as well apply to go on Masterchef or some kind of Gordon Ramsey programme just so show off my new skills. The decoration could have been a little better, to say the least, but I figured the quality was going to be good. Just as I was about to skip happily from the kitchen to inform Harry his Michelin Star meal was ready, he shouted me first. “PIP-SQUEAK!” I heard from upstairs, a hint of panic in his tone. “WHAT? YOU OKAY?” “PIP-SQUEAK, WHAT THE FUCK? HOLY SHIT, PIP-SQUEAK!” “HARRY, WHAT THE HELL? YOU’RE SCARING ME!” I stood in the kitchen doorway, and in seconds he was storming down to me, his footsteps and breathing loud. He flipped round the corner in an absolute state, his eyes were wide and worried, his breathing and posture all over the show. I was scared to death. I stood just waiting for him to say something as he stood at the far end of corridor, just looking back at me, unsure where to start. I opened my mouth in an attempt to speak, but he cut me off, finally explaining himself. “My lecturer emailed me.” He gasped. “Oh. Shit. Right. Okay?” “Said... Shit. He said I made a valid point, and that I have the freedom to picture whatever I want from now on to get my point across, and he’s glad I brought up the issue, because they’re looking into changing the entire course so there’s more freedom. For everyone. Fuck... Pippa they’ve listened to me. I’m staying. I don’t have to drop out. I’m staying.” My heart warmed, and it was almost like I could feel butterflies in my stomach. God knows why. But I was so excited and over the damn moon that he didn’t have to leave, that we had the time and the opportunity to let our friendship develop even more. Because we were doing so well. I really didn’t want it to stop. “You can stay?” I fluttered, my lips turning towards the sun. “I can stay.” He chuckled lightly. Without even saying anything else he rushed and closed the small gap between us, wrapping his arms tight around my waist as I flung quickly around his neck and he pulled me into his tough body, pushing against me and holding me so tight it felt like I could barely breathe. He then lifted me off the floor for a brief moment, before I lumbered back down, giggling and swaying with him. “I’m so happy for you.” I whispered. “Fuck. Me too, Pip. Me too.” The hug was extensive, dragged out for much longer than it needed to be, to the point where it was quiet and it was like we were touching just for the sake of touching, just to feel close to someone. I pulled away with the sudden realisation that my masterpiece of a meal would be losing its heat. I breathed heavily down to the floor, before looking back up to him, almost nervous beneath his gaze. “Food’s ready.” I mumbled. “It better be fit for a king, since that’s how I’m feeling right now.” “It definitely is.” He bit his lip in a smile and then whisked past me into the kitchen, leaving me catching my breath for a second before I turned around and joined him. “Jesus, Pip, this looks good.” He pulled out his chair and sat down. I sat down next to him, and we both started tucking in. I noticed Harry was the same as me, as we ate. Neither of us could really stop smiling. Harry had gotten everything he wanted and more, all in the form of an email. He could finally start taking the kind of pictures he wanted, at the university he wanted, surrounded by the people he wanted. Me included. I was overjoyed for him. For myself, too. There was massive potential in myself and Harry, and fuck, I’d never been a quitter when it came to people. Wasn’t going to start being at any point soon. It was also the thought of not having to say goodbye again, since I was so terrible at it. I didn’t have to say goodbye to him, and I was glad of that. “Shame though.” Harry shrugged from nowhere. “Tuesday night was a waste of time.” “Why?” “I’m not gunna use those pictures now. I’m gunna go with the original idea I had for the galaxy theme. So, yeah. It was a bit of a waste of time.” “Oh. I guess so.” Harry turned his head slowly to me, still chewing, eyeing up the side of my face as I sliced my sausages into smaller pieces, gulping and pretending I hadn’t noticed his stares. “Maybe not a complete waste of time.” He added. “I finally got you with a camera in your hand, didn’t I?” “You did.” I smiled, finally turning my head. ”Can’t possibly be a waste of time then. As long as you keep it up. Those pictures you got are good. Really good. You’re talented, Pippa.” “Thank you.” I put my head back to my food and shovelled some into my mouth, trying not to blush, but it had been so long since I was complimented on a picture, simply because it had been so long since I had taken one. Even my final assignment at college on my photography course hadn’t been up to scratch. I ended up scraping a B when I knew I had the potential to get an A. It was because my parents had already told me by that stage, that I couldn’t study it at university. All my applications had already been filled, and they were all to study English. I hadn’t enjoyed taking a photo for a year, if not slightly longer. That night, I did. I wouldn’t have done it without him. “Will you help me with my new ones?” He asked with a gulp. “Sure. What’s your plan?” “I have something in mind. You’re going to be a big contribution though so... I just need to know that you’re comfortable with it.” I suddenly remembered that Harry liked picturing body parts, picturing people, their lines and the hidden art within their bodies, the true shape of people. It dawned on me that I would actually be in front of the camera, rather than behind it, where I was more comfortable. “Go on...” I egged. “I want to paint something on your back, that’ll cover your whole back. I want to paint like... deep purples and stars and... Yeah. I dunno. It’s fine if you don’t want to, I’d totally understand ‘cause it’ll be pretty... intimate, y’know? I’ll find someone else if-” “I’d love to, Harry. I’ve seen your pictures, I’d be fucking honoured to be a part of one of them.” “Yeah?” He grinned. “Yeah.” I nodded. + + + As soon as Harry had broken the news to Kev and Ben about his lecturer emailing him, Ben had cheered so loud I swear one of the windows almost shattered, and proclaimed he was going to cook the greatest meal known to man and we would all sit down and dress nice and eat together. Friday night perfection. I hadn’t packed anything that I would class as suitable for ‘dressing nice’ because really, I wished I had a full length dress so I could do it properly. But when I rushed and threw a few things into a bag whilst Harry was waiting for me in the kitchen at uni, it hadn’t ever crossed my mind to throw a cocktail dress in there. So I’d gone with my only other option, the black dress I was planning on wearing the next night in Manchester. More important times had arrived. It was tight, down to my knees, very figuring hugging and backless, little tassels on the hem and on the sleeves. I finished my hair and jiggled my legs as I looked in the mirror, relatively pleased with my appearance. “You look good.” I heard from behind me. I whipped my head around and saw Harry with his arms folded, leaning against the door-frame to his en-suite, smirking to himself. “Thanks.” I giggled. “You ready? We’re all good to go downstairs.” “Sure.” I eyed myself up one last time in the mirror, before I whipped around again. Harry was wearing his usual black skinny jeans, unsurprising. But rather than a t-shirt, he was wearing a tight, white shirt, tucked into the jeans, some black shiny shoes on his feet that I hadn’t seen previously. “Nice boots.” I pointed to them. “Thanks. Ben got them for me. Apparently, it’s for, being the shining star at my uni and changing the course of my course forever.” He tried to mock his father’s tone. I giggled again and then looked up to Harry, his eyes glimmering under the bright bathroom light. He seemed so happy. He was shining. “You scrub up well, for a scrub.” I tilted my head. “Flattered. C’mon, Pip-Squeak, I’m starving.” I nodded and signalled for him to set off, so he did, quickly turning on his heel and making his way downstairs, so I swiftly followed. I had been able to smell the food for around half an hour, and my belly was rumbling so loud I was almost in pain. I had, by that point, experienced Ben’s cooking a few times, but on this occasion, he had said he was ‘actually going to make an effort’ so I had no idea what was coming, how delicious it was going to be. We wandered into the kitchen, and the breakfast bar wasn’t set up like I had imagined it would be. Harry sauntered further away, and I just followed, a little confused. He flung open some curtains which I had figured, since they were always closed, lead to some door to the back garden, but as he flung them open, I was welcomed for the first time to an extension to the house, where there was a grand dining table, the food already being set out for us by Ben and Kev. Kev was a little more reserved, clearly happy for Harry but calm, whereas Ben had been bouncing off the walls all night. “TAH DAH!” He yelled as we walked in, Harry laughing right away. “I give you, red peppers with goats cheese, and lamb absolutely smothered in cider, probably enough to get us all half gone. Sit down, come on!” For the first time all week, I felt like I was intruding, like maybe this was a family moment that they needed to share between themselves and I shouldn’t have been there. They were all so happy, maybe Ben and Kev were even happier than Harry was. It was their son, and he was finally more than happy with what he was doing. That girl he had mentioned that he hated over Christmas, was now his friend. They were over the moon. Subconsciously, I lingered in the doorway as they all sat down, feeling uncomfortable going further in. Harry glanced to me, and I swear his face dropped. He had started worrying about me, I hated that. I didn’t want to bring his night down in any way shape or form. “Sit down, Pippa.” Kev cleared his throat. “We can’t start without you.” I took a deep breath and then slid over, tucking into my seat as quickly as I could, looking down to my food whilst everyone else picked up their cutlery. “You okay?” Harry whispered, nudging my knee with his own under the table. “Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.” I whispered back with a smile. Brushing past the moment came pretty easily when Kev lifted his glass high in the centre of the table, waiting for us all to follow his lead, which we quickly did. They had cracked open a good bottle of wine, and even though it was never my drink of choice, I was going to have to stomach it. I had manners. “I’d like to raise a glass, to my son.” He grinned. “For working hard, making a point, and finally being exactly where he wants to be.” “To Harry!” Ben concluded. “TO HARRY!” We all said at once. Our glasses chimed together in a sweet tune, before we all took a swig, the wine going down like water, far too easily. I knew I needed to take it steady. I couldn’t think of anything worse than being a drunken mess at that dinner table with Harry and his dads. “We invited Niall, but he had plans with Naomi.” Kev said as we tucked in. I swear to god, it was almost like they knew when I wasn’t feeling quite right about something, and they knew exactly what to say to make me feel comfortable, without me ever having to say anything. I was convinced they had magic powers. The fact they had invited Niall made me feel like I definitely wasn’t intruding. “Shame.” Harry said, his mouth half full. “He’s like, my second son.” Ben sighed dramatically. “Niall’s the only person Harry’s still in touch with who has actually known Harry longer than we have.” Kev told me. “Really?” My eyes went wide. “Yes. If anything, we’re jealous.” Ben shrugged. “When Harry was moved away from his mother he was six. They moved him a couple of towns over, to the adoption home nearest to us, and he started going to school with Niall.” Kev told me. “She’s not my fucking mother!” Harry’s fist clenched on top of the table. “For fuck sake, why do you have to call her that every time she’s fucking mentioned? Stop. Fuck.” Ben and Kev both bit their tongues, quite literally. This was clearly something that had been discussed, even argued about, previously. When Harry had told me the tale of his biological mother, he referred to the woman as his mother, so I wouldn’t have thought it was an issue either. But how else was he supposed to reference her? Not only that, I think the main thing that got to him was that it was Kev and Ben who were using that word. Harry didn’t want them to ever feel like it was anyone other than themselves, who he classed as a parent. She was just some woman, they were his family. The two men had no idea what to say, and I ached for them. They had all gone from eating without fully digesting their food, to just eating in silence. I kind of figured that Ben and Kev hadn’t figured out the exact reason Harry was so uncomfortable with them using that word, other than blind hatred for her. Harry regretted snapping, that much was clear, written in the way his body slumped, the way he ate quietly, even to the point where he refused to let his cutlery clatter against his plate like it usually would. “When I was little,” I began. “My mum used to take me and my brother Liam swimming on a Tuesday night. We would get private lessons off a woman there who was so friendly, and so nice, we just thought the world of. One night, Liam came into my room and told he thought that she was our real mother. After a while of buying into this… conspiracy theory, we were… so convinced, that after a month or so we started crying to my real mum, and begging her to return us to her. We kept asking why she had stolen us from our mummy. We were convinced. It all seems so silly now, but… It broke my mums heart, to be honest. That was when we first found out our mums first name. Liam found a letter and then we started calling her Lisa. It tore her up because like... it didn’t matter that she knew she was our real mum, she was just upset by the way we felt about it. ‘Cause that’s all that matters, really, isn’t it? The way you feel. I guess I’ve only just figured out that’s why she got so upset.” Harry had been staring intently at the side of my face throughout my story, and there was a moment or two of complete silence before Kev’s face broke, his lips cracking into a giant smile before he burst out laughing, soon followed by Ben, and then by Harry. Eventually I joined in, covering my mouth with the back of my hand, trying not to choke on my food. “You thought your swimming teacher was your mum?” Kev coughed, everyone still laughing. “We really did! Both of us! Utterly convinced.” I chuckled. Ben was in absolute stitches, leaning far back in his chair, whereas Harry’s face was now in his hands, his elbows on the table, shaking his head at my story, an unmistakable grin showing that unmistakable dimple. After the laughter came to an end, things went back to normal, the atmosphere completely calmed, and it was like it had never happened. The only acknowledgment it was given again, was Harry, once more, nudging my knee with his own under the table. I had turned to him, and he had mimed a ‘thank you’ to me, with a wink. That was all we needed. + + + “Are you ready?” Harry called from the outside of his room. “Yes, I’m ready!” “Are you boobies hidden?” He said boobies like an absolute child. “Yes, Harry. My boobies are hidden.” “Are you sure? I’m gunna be honest, Pip, I’m pretty okay with them not being hidden. If I was to walk in and see some boobies, it wouldn’t be the worst.” “For fuck sake, Harry, just get in here.” I was laying on my front, topless, my breasts pressed down to a cushion on the floor as I awkwardly twisted my head round to look over my shoulder and see him poke his head through the door, making sure I was decent, before he fully stepped inside, now only wearing a pair of baggy gym shorts. There were paints and paintbrushes down at my side, Not Another Teen Movie was playing on the TV, which I could watch if I strained my neck a little, but it wasn’t really worth the effort. There was another pillow for my head, so I lay it down, my face to the side as Harry gently approached and got onto his knees beside me, next to the paints he had selected which lay at the side of my body. I watched as he concentrated on the skin of my back. “You sure about this, Pip-Squeak?” “Definitely. Now get painting.” The meal had gone perfectly after the slight blip, and myself and Harry had kept our drinking under control thanks to the fact we knew he would be painting on me and picturing me later on in the night. The same couldn’t be said for Kev and Ben, who had originally fallen asleep on the sofa, Ben tucked into Kev’s side, four bottles of wine down, before Harry had lumbered them both to bed. It was barely 10pm. Harry set everything up, and a few minutes later, I finally felt the cold brush on my back, flinching slightly. “Sorry!” He gasped. “It’s fine. Just a bit cold.” I tittered. He must have done around five minutes of painting. I had turned my head the other way in an attempt to get a slight glimpse of the film, but after laughing too much at a scene, Harry had switched channels, since my giggles weren’t much help when he was trying to paint on my shaking body. We were now watching Along Came a Spider, a firm favourite on Film4, and it had Morgan Freeman in it, so that was absolutely fine by me. “You enjoy dinner?” He asked me after some time. “Yeah, I really did.” “I’m sorry… About when I snapped.” He sighed heavily, uneasy. “Don’t be sorry. Must be weird, the thought that they aren’t your biological parents.” I hoped I hadn’t overstepped the mark, mentioning that, but it felt comfortable. The statement just flew out of me without a second thought, and I figured we were just like that with one another thanks to our past few days together. We had spoken about so many personal things, and somehow, it was normal. Even so, I widened my eyes and silently cursed myself for letting that fall so easily from me, it was still kind of unfamiliar how comfortable we were with one another. “They are my biological parents.” He replied. His statement was solid and sure. I didn’t know what to say. How would I ever know the feeling? I didn’t want to turn around and tell him he was wrong, they weren’t, because how the hell would I ever be able to relate to how Harry felt about those men? “Wh-what do you mean?” Was what I eventually chose to say. “They are my biological parents.” He confirmed once more. “They’re my dad’s. There’s something in the core of them that makes them love me. That made them want me. There is a chemical thing occurring in their bodies that makes me, mentally, their child. That is something completely out of their control, out of my control. Physically, I believe, it makes them my parents. If that doesn’t make them my biological parents, I don’t know what does.” I was swooning to the point where it felt like I was almost drowning in his words. He couldn’t have put it better. I wished Kev and Ben had been able to her Harry speak of them so fondly and honestly. That wasn’t some kind of excuse, something Harry had thought up to make himself feel better. That was genuinely how he felt, deep in his heart. “I think that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard you say.” I told him. “That proves more to me than any DNA link with that fucking woman. There are more important things.” I nodded, because like I said, I would never be able to relate, I just had to completely trust in Harry’s words, which wasn’t hard when he was so confident, his voice so strong. We were done talking for a while after that. I began concentrating on the tickles of the paintbrush on my bare back. It was quite therapeutic, in a weird way, like I was getting some kind of mini massage. It felt like he must have covered most of my back in the dark purple he had chosen by this stage. I tried to look over my shoulder again to see his work, but I could only get a rubbish glimpse of what he had done. I groaned and collapsed back down, watching Harry laugh at me, shifting uncomfortably on his knees. “Pip?” “Mm?” “Can I ask a massive favour?” “Shoot.” “I’m like, ridiculously uncomfortable, and painting sideways isn’t good. Can I... Can I please sit on the tops of your legs? I just need to do some lighter shading and get the stars in there. I promise I won’t be too long. Not long enough to make your legs numb, anyway.” “Do your thing.” I shrugged. He hadn’t really expected such a casual reaction from me, but it didn’t matter to me. We had shared a bed for the past two nights, three times altogether. It wouldn’t be ridiculous for him to sit on me, so he could finish his job. He moved, straddling my body and then plonking himself down as gently as he could, a little further up than he had promised, his weight mainly resting on my behind. My eyes widened again for a split second, before I just dealt with it, because he wasn’t budging. I exhaled a little, pursing my lips to do so, trying to get comfortable and not think about the fact that I was almost 100% sure I could feel his... y’know... thing. God damn, I definitely could. Those shorts were far too thin. I could definitely feel it which meant for a fact he knew it was against my right cheek. He seemed unfazed by it though. He didn’t say anything and didn’t start breathing uneasily like I did. He just leaned in further, and began painting my back again. “I don’t mean to toot my own horn when it comes to my painting skills,” Harry huffed. “But... well... toot toot.” I rolled my eyes and let out a tiny giggle, biting my lip, then closing my eyes, deciding to just relax and ignore the obvious. “You excited to go back to uni?” I asked, trying my best to look at him. “Now I am! It’s all onwards and upwards now, Pip. I can’t wait.” “I’m well happy for you.” “Zayn text me today, after you spoke to him.” He told me. “Yeah? I’m not too surprised.” I chuckled. “Did you know he’s already looking at three bedroom houses for us next year?” He chuckled too, a lot deeper. “Already? God, he’s keen.” “I know. I think it’s probably a good idea though.” “What about Mike and Tally?” “Mike was saying he’s looking into it with some lads on his course. And, I’m gunna be honest, I don’t really want to live with Tally.” He began placing dots of white on my back. “Well, a week ago, you wouldn’t have wanted to live with me either! Maybe you should give it a chance.” “We’ll see.” He lowered even further down to put the tiny dots on my back to finish off the look he had imagined, and I could feel his breath on my back, trickling down my spine like cool water. I got goose-bumps within seconds. He must have noticed. I couldn’t see them but I could feel how huge they were. My nose crinkled and I mouthed a ‘fuck’ because I was so frustrated. I didn’t want Harry to read into the goose-bumps, his breath was just warm and gentle and I felt so bloody exposed. “It looks good.” Harry mumbled, so quietly, it was like I would have to read his words off the skin on my back to fully take them in. “Is it ready?” I asked, desperately wanting to move by that point and just get the photos out of the way. “Almost.” Another three minutes of silence went on, a dramatic gunshot going off on the TV at some point but neither of us were concentrating on the film by then. Harry stopped eventually, sighing, proud. “Is it done?” “Yeah.” “Can I see? Quick, take a picture on my phone.” I passed it awkwardly over my shoulder and he took a quick snap, then passed it back to me. It looked amazing. Harry had every reason to toot his own horn because it really did look beautiful. I hated myself for knowing so many talented people. “It’s well good, innit?” Harry smirked, totally self-assured. “It pains me to say it but, yes, you’ve done a good job, Harold.” He was still sat on me. There was no reason for him to be, I was hoping he would have hopped off the second he had dotted the final star on me, but he didn’t. He stayed put, looking down to my back, my goose-bumps finally starting to shrink. Suddenly his hands moved, and they were touching my back, gently, his fingertips on my naked skin. “What are you-” “I’m just smoothing the edges. Sorry.” His thumbs blurred the lines on the outside of the paint, and my entire body tensed. I should have been relaxed, this was the closest thing to a massage I could possibly get but I had never been so stiff in my entire life. “Okay.” His voice was so low and deep, I couldn’t breathe. “It’s done.” “Where do you want me?” “Um... In the hall. Against the blank wall.” Even though he hadn’t got off me, still, I began to move, trying to stand up, forcing him off my body. I wrapped my arms around my front and got to my feet, Harry doing the same behind me. I pushed past him as quickly as I could, making sure I was covered, and scurried out into the hall, now more grateful that Ben and Kev were so wasted, at least we didn’t risk them coming out into the hall and finding me topless with my breasts against the wall. Harry followed soon after, purposefully not looking my way until he was behind me and there was no risk of him seeing my breasts, his giant camera drowning in his even bigger hands. “What do you want me to do?” I whispered to the wall. “Arms up.” He demanded quietly. “Wrap your hands in your hair. Click your hip to the left.” I did exactly as I was told, trying to ignore the circumstances and just feel normal. I was no model, and I had never experienced anything like that, but I would be damned if I was going to ruin Harry’s pictures just because I couldn’t let loose. The flash of his camera lightened the dark hall. “Was that okay?” I gulped. “Could you... turn your head to the side? I’d like to get a profile shot of your face... If that’s okay?” I nodded, and did just that, even more nervous now I knew my face would be featured in them. But if that’s what Harry wanted, that’s what I was willing to give him, no matter how strange it felt.

[jrpneblog]

Beyond the Pale.

Sadly, I threw in the towel with Alex Neil, after the defeat at Cardiff last Saturday and to be honest although we improved somewhat on Wednesday evening I didnt really see a great deal to change my mind. There have just been too many poor runs, poor performances and tactical mysteries in my opinion to carry on defending the manager. I will, of course, support Alex Neil and the players in every game they play but I think it is time we headed a different direction off the field. I very much understand people who say he is the best that`s out there but to that I would say if you always appoint a manager who has worked with other clubs then you will never discover hidden talents. For example our own David Moyes had only been assistant manager to Gary Peters before he was appointed and look what he did in a tenure not dissimilar to that of Alex Neil. Billy Davies hadn`t had a great deal of managerial experience when he was appointed from being Craig Brown`s number two and we all know what Billy did in a couple of years. Nobody hopes more than me that Alex Neil will turn it round but I am concerned this season that looking back we won just 2 games out of the last nine last term and just one game in the last eight the season before. We probably only need four wins to be safe with fifty two points and for me that is what this season is about, currently, staying in the Championship. We should be ok but it will be a relief when our points total starts with a five and not a four and the first step to that could be starting with a win against Huddersfield on Saturday.

Looking back over the last seven days and the utter debacle of the performance down in South Wales last Saturday. If this had been a one off we would have probably laughed it off and said well that can`t happen twice in a season. Our recent poor form just compounded the problem and missing two penalties didn`t help. Cardiff are playing well there is no doubt about that but they play a simple way and don`t seem to worry too much about the opposition. We, on the other hansd, tend to set up to nullify the opposition on many occasions and this is one of the reasons that people are getting agitated with the manager. Let the opposition worry about us a bit more...oh and try not to concede four goals in the process.

On Wednesday evening at Deepdale we drew 0-0 will an inform QPR side who didn`t really show their A game against us. We certainly looked a whole lot better when we got Anthony Gordon on the ball and in my humble opinion I think this is the lad who will see us over the safety line this season barring injury. We had our chances in the game but poor finishing once agin let us down and Daniel Iversen was called upon a couple of time to dig us out of the poo poo. To be fair I thought North End were the better team in each half and won the game on points but Gordon aside it was better but hardly inspiring stuff served up to another empty Stadium.

Saturday sees Huddersfield Town visit Deepdale (ko 3:00pm) and after winning in West Yorkshire earlier in the season North End will be looking to do the double over the Terriers and to start looking up the league again instead of looking down. Huddersfield have not won away for eleven games in the Championship and it hardly seems believable that they were in the Premiership just two seasons ago. As seems to be the way with most games in the Championship this season the first goal may well prove vital and with North End having scored just 5 times in eleven games in 2021 it is vital that we get the opener on Saturday so we can perhaps let our flair players (or is that player?) express themselves without being under too much pressure.

On Tuesday night we travel to South Bermondsey to face Millwall(ko 7:00pm) in what is always a keenly fought encounter at the New Den. It is one of those games where things might might depend on the previous Saturday`s results. Millwall are away at in form Barnsley and North End take on Huddersfield. The Lions are always up and at it particularly at home and with Millwall winning 2-0 at Deepdale in late October they will, no doubt, be looking to do the double over a North End side low on confidence. In the normal scheme of things I would be looking for four points from these two games but the way we are playing at the moment it is probably better not to tempt fate. Regular readers of this blog will know I am the worst tipster in the world.

And finally this week:- amidst all the doom and gloom a shining light appeared on the Deepdale stage on Wednesday evening. Anthony Gordon gave the type of display that we were so hoping for when we got the lad on loan from Everton. I honestly think this lad will remove any danger of being dragged into a relegation battle over the next few weeks if he is handled in the right way. Play him in a forward three and don`t give him too many defensive duties as he clearly is at his most dangerous heading for the opposition goal. He may not be another Beckham but he might just save Alex Neil his job.

.

JR`s HIGH FIVES                       

Preston to beat Huddersfield 13/10                    

A £5 Stake returns £11.50 on bet365              

SEASONS STATS                      

Returns  £131.00    Stake £125.00    percentage profit  + 4.8%                  

Predictions 25   won 12   lost 13

[scribbleingaboutlife]

I want to read a story or watch a show.

I honestly don’t care what type, fantasy, drama, sci-fi, adventure, Isekai, I don’t care. It could be terrible, bland, boring, nonsensical, annoying, whatever.

I don’t even care if it gets political af or religious af.

But, I want to see a book or a show, featuring a mute crow, that acts like a cat, is capable of dancing any kind (and yes, I will include pole dancing or lap dancing into that mix), incapable of simping but knows how to treat anyone like a normal living being. The only condition is for that mute crow to be able to shoot lasers out of their eyes, and be called Charlie Von Blance.

I don’t care if Charlie has to be identified as male, female, both, or neither, leave that as a mystery for the time being. Charlie going full on Gordon Ramsey’s on your ass for not unpeeling their chestnuts that they have on a Tuesday, sure! Charlie being that one teammate that questions everyone’s sanity and dumb plans while saving their lives for the 100th that season, sure! Charlie doing those Disney Sequal Fakeout Deaths only for them to save the day at the end and making the cast, crew members, and the audience weep in joy when they see Charlie taking the spotlight once again, SURE! Have them to the Torture Dance from JJBA just so that anyone would say: “OH MY GOD! Is that a motherf@cking Jojo reference?” like the man of culture everyone is (but only the ones that knows it), YES! Make them take over that one political person in America just so that everyone has their waifu/husbando body pillow and allow everyone $10 off their next Walmart purchase that cost $10 or over, SURE!!!!

I just want to see a crow be a total badass during these times. And yes, this is how far I have given up on humanity. And no, I will not be tagging anything here.

[aboriginalnewswire]

US-Supported Israel Defence Forces Continue 'Acts of Genocide' Against Indigenous Arab Palestinians Under 'Operation Protective Edge' As the International Community Observes   

APNS /North America [08.06.2014] – As the State of Israel began extracting its ground troops from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning in observance of another (72-hour) ceasefire, the SOI and factions representing the Palestinian Nation have committed themselves to negotiations in Cairo, Egypt to discuss terms for an extended truce and the rebuilding of Gaza's crippled infrastructure after hostilities have ended. The SOI says it is willing to compensate the Palestinian population with the rebuilding of the Gaza if Hamas will agree to the total disarmament of the armed resistance; (Source: 'Official: Israel to allow Gaza rebuilding in exchange for disarmament', Ma'an News Agency: Aug. 5th 2014: http://ow.ly/A32mi)

Palestinian Authority (PA) representatives have also met with International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators in a (late) attempt to hold the SOI accountable for war crimes. The PA has said that they wish for a seat in the ICC, in order to help give the 'international' court jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territories, legally side-stepping the SOI.

One factor that could muddle the negotiations is the international news story of three, 2008 US diplomatic cables (leaked through WikiLeaks) that show the SOI discussing its intention to maintain pressure on the Gaza Strip's economy in an effort to keep it teetering 'on the brink of collapse'. The Norwegian news agency, Aftenposten, which cited the cables, say that the documents clearly show Israeli officials briefing the US Embassy in Tel Aviv on its designation of the entire Gazan region as a 'hostile entity' and its plan to persist in blockading the Gazan community until the Palestinian resistance to Israel, 'breaks'.

As the talks continue, the State of Israel's military offensive against the Palestinian Territories (codenamed: 'Operation Cast Lead') continues to wreak havoc on the Indigenous Arab population of the Gaza Strip as an Israeli-led air strike destroyed yet another UN-operated refugee facility in the southern quarter (Rafah) of the embattled region. Palestinian health officials and International news agencies report that at least 10 Indigenous Arabs had been killed and another three dozen left severely injured after Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shelled the refugee structure (claiming) that the attack was targeting an Hamas outpost lobbing homemade rockets aimed at Israel.

It should be noted here that UN sources have repeatedly made clear that buildings under their control are well known to the Israeli authorities and that the refugee station at Rafah was protecting up to 3,000 homeless, non-combatant, Palestinians. Earlier on the same day, IDF attacks reportedly killed about 30 people in the Gaza wounding some three dozen others.

The Indigenous Arab death tally – as of this writing – according to Palestinian health officials, stands at 1,900, (Gaza Health Ministry: 430 Children Killed; UNICEF Warns of "Tragic Impact" – August 06, 2014 | Democracy Now! http://ow.ly/A2vRk) more than 9,000 injured and at least $7 billion USD worth of infrastructure destruction to the Gaza Strip. The Israel's ministry has confirmed at least 67 IDF personnel lost in active combat, mostly during the OPE ground offensive, including three civilian casualties as a result of Palestinian rocket fire. The NGO American Friends of UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) has reported (via Twitter) that the total number of displaced in Occupied Gaza now stands at an estimated 475,000 with almost 260,000 Indigenous Arabs seeking food, water and shelter from the violence in 90 UNRWA Palestinian school buildings.

Amidst this, the international NGO Human Rights Watch (HWR) has come forward with evidence that accuses Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel of shooting civilians in Khuzaa who were trying to run away after they ordered them out of their homes. The NGO has also begun reporting on an execution-style killing of several Palestinians found heaped upon one another in the toilet of a private residence, (Source: Jesse Rosenfeld, 'Who Is Behind Gaza's Mass Execution?': 08.01.14 - The Daily Beast).

These cases are not being discussed very much with the Hasbara machine working overtime in the background. And Israeli PM 'Bibi' Netanyahu has gone on the defensive, calling the IDF targeting of Palestinian infrastructure and the bombardment of recognised UN facilities in the Gaza, 'justified', laying fault for civilian casualties and widespread destruction upon the leadership of Hamas, (Source: 'Benjamin Netanyahu: Deaths in Gaza justified’ - The Independent: 06 August 2014 http://ow.ly/A2ho5). PM Netanyahu and his Likud faction insists that Hamas militias and rocket teams use residential areas as 'human shields' dismissing the substantial data highlighting the overwhelming human density of Israeli-imposed, Palestinian encampments, (See: 'Demographics of Palestine: Population density' http://ow.ly/A2ADO).

The US has also ignored this and doubled-down its own defence of the SOI's genocidal actions with Secretary of State John Kerry saying:

'We fully support Israel’s right to defend itself and the fact that it was under attack by rockets, by tunnels, and it had to take action against Hamas. Hamas has behaved in the most unbelievably shocking manner of engaging in this activity. And yes, there has been horrible collateral damage as a result of that, which is why the United States worked very, very hard with our partners in the region, with Israel, with Egyptians, with the Palestinian Authority, with President Abbas, to try to move towards a ceasefire'.   (Source: Democracy Now! : Aug. 6th, 2014 : http://ow.ly/A2xtE)

The hasbara effect continued when Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel also defended the SOI and the actions of the IDF in an full-page advert entitled; 'Jews rejected child sacrifice 3,500 years ago. Now it's Hamas' turn' - (pdf) where he states: 'I call upon President Obama and the leaders of the world to condemn Hamas' use of children as human shields', which helped to set the framing of the discourse away from IDF atrocities during OPE, back towards the Indigenous victims. Zionist blogger Yochanan Gordon went so far as to post an editorial titled: 'When Genocide is Permissible' on August 1, 2014 (the post has since been removed, but an archived page is still available here) and deputy speaker of the Knesset, Likud MK Moshe Feiglin, has openly called for the SOI to pursue OPE until the Gaza Strip is 'reconquered' and has called for the IDF to erect tent cities (reservations) for Indigenous Palestinians somewhere along the Sinai until, 'relevant emigration destinations are determined': (Source: The Times of Israel: Aug. 5th, 2014 http://ow.ly/A2OSX).

Conversely, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called the last IDF attack on the UN in Gaza a 'moral outrage' and a 'criminal act' and requested that the Israeli government and military officials responsible for authorising OPE be held to account without specifying how this would happen or under what conditions. (See: 'Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Adopted by Resolution 260 (III) A of the United Nations General Assembly on December 9th 1948') This is a chilling repeat of his earlier condemnations of similar acts of gross IDF violence against UN outposts in the Occupied Territories during 'Operation Cast Lead' in 2009; ('Ban “appalled” by Gaza's damage', BBC, Tuesday, 20 January 2009: http://ow.ly/zVClJ).

This past Thursday, Navi Pillay – the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – slammed the July 30th attack by the IDF, raised the issue of UN facilities trying to protect Palestinians and pointed out the intentional targeting of what remains of the Gaza's meagre infrastructure. The commissioner also emphasised the increasing number of juvenile casualties citing (at the time) the loss of more than 250 Indigenous Palestinian youths and babies. (Source: 'Pillay condemns continuing attacks on civilians in Gaza', UN News Service: http://is.gd/prSVzB)

'Under international law, humanitarian relief personnel and objects used for relief operations – this would include UNRWA schools in Gaza being used as shelters – must be respected and protected', Pillay said. 'An attack against humanitarian relief personnel and objects used exclusively for relief operations, is a violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime'. (UN News – July 31st, 2014)

Others have followed suit in announcing their condemnation of the SOI's official policy of broad, 'collective punishment' against civilian lives, infrastructure and Indigenous Palestinian political independence. In Europe, UK Foreign Office minister, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, has resigned, saying Britain’s policy on the crisis in Gaza is 'morally indefensible'. Surprisingly, the minister did so publicly by announcing her resignation via Twitter stating: 'I can no longer support Govt policy on #Gaza' and that: '...British government can only play a constructive role in solving the Middle East crisis if it is an honest broker and at the moment I do not think it is.'

The intense condemnation of the SOI has also extended beyond the usual borders of Anglophone political and economic influence to include the South American Indigenous states of Peru, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Brazil which have all recalled their ambassadors as their governments officially condemned the attacks. Venezuela and most notably Bolivia – which has officially listed Israel as a 'Terrorist State' (See: 'Bolivia Government Officially Lists The State of Israel As a Terrorist Nation', APNS Dispatch: http://is.gd/XVW78I). Both nations have identified OPE as an act of genocide against Indigenous Arabs and have called for universal condemnation of the SOI. Venezuela has demanded a special hearing of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to end the invasion of the Gaza in an official statement. Argentina and Uruguay have decided to leave their embassy staff in place, although they did enter into a joint statement with other S. American states strongly decrying the violence as 'disproportionate', (Source: Weekly News Update on the Americas: WNU #1229: 3 More Nations Recall Israel Envoys http://ow.ly/A2pfu).

Legendary revolutionary Cuban leader Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz compared the SOI's OPE invasion into Palestinian Territory and its historic abuse of Indigenous Arabs is a 'genocide' that he said was being wilfully assisted by the United States. He also suggested that it is clear to the world that the US is now 'unable to control' its Mid-East client-state:

'I think that a new and disgusting form of fascism is emerging with considerable force at this moment in human history': ('Holocausto Palestino en Gaza', Granma: 5 de agosto de 2014: http://ow.ly/A34TY)

The Caribbean Communist nation hasn't had a diplomatic relationship with the SOI since 1973 when Cuba officially voiced its objection to Israel's questionable treatment of Indigenous Arab Palestinians.

To date, US government spokespersons have only expressed official condemnation about the attacks against UN structures saying that the Obama administration is, 'appalled' by the 'disgraceful shelling' and asked (nicely) that the IDF (please) consider the risk of harm to non-combatants. (Source: zeenews.india – 08.04.2014) US State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki also raised the possibility of an investigation into the spate of IDF attacks on recognised UN facilities without providing any details.

But despite these statements, the US government has also quietly stepped-up its long-standing tradition of providing military assistance to Israel (seemingly) in tacit support of OPE. And Pentagon officials have now confirmed rumours of munition transfers being quietly released to the IDF since the beginning of OPE (Source: 'U.S. Has Sold Ammunition to Israel Since Start of Gaza Conflict' - ABC News: Jul 30, 2014: http://ow.ly/zX2zK) from its (1 billion USD) War Reserve Stockpile Ammunition-Israel (WRSA-I) caché maintained by the US military within the SOI, (Sources: Tikkun Magazine – July 31, 2014: http://ow.ly/zVw99 / ABC News – Jul 15, 2014: http://ow.ly/zX33l).

It is important to remember here that the SOI began 'Operation Protective Edge' against the (elected) Hamas government on July, 8th following a false-flag propaganda manoeuvre that fed the international public deliberate misinformation about the abduction and murder of three Israeli settlers in the West Bank by a (claimed) column of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) operating within Palestinian territory; (Source: 'Jihadist group takes credit for teens' killings', The Times of Israel: July 3, 2014: http://is.gd/jRCmam). Although Israeli Prime Minister 'Bibi' Netanyahu repeatedly insisted that Hamas was directly responsible for the killings – the moral justification for beginning OPE – it has since been revealed that SOI intelligence authorities knew from the very start that the murders were not connected to, nor ordered by the Palestinian (Hamas) government, (Source: 'J.J. Goldberg - 'How Politics and Lies Triggered an Unintended War in Gaza' – Forward.com, July 10, 2014: http://ow.ly/zX3d9).

It is also known that the Shabak enacted an immediate gag order (d-notice) that allowed resentment against the Indigenous Arab population within Israel and the Occupied Territories to fester based upon this false information. And there is good reason to suspect that the revenge murder of a young Palestinian – Mohammed Abu Khdeir, (who was burned alive by his assailants) by several racist Israelis in East Jerusalem was due to this propaganda pressure.

And oddly enough, an outspoken Mossad agent had actually predicted such an abduction scenario just weeks before it actually happened; (See: 'Mossad chief's chillingly prescient kidnap prophecy' - By Barak Ravi, Haaretz: 15.06.14 http://ow.ly/zXcMn).

What is also in amplified debate is the actual objective of these latest Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip (Hamas territory) since the killing of the settlers – the base rationale behind OPE – took place in the (PLO dominated) West Bank? Some have speculated that the ultimate goal is to dismantle the new Palestinian Unity Government (PLO/Hamas) and there is good reason to suspect this; (See: 'Israel's Operation Protective Edge: Why now?', middleeastmonitor.com: July 21st, 2014 http://ow.ly/A2Zef: 21). But as we have mentioned in previous dispatches, some petroleum and economic analysts have suggested that the real aim behind OPE is to secure Palestinian petroleum sources for the SOI and International energy firms: (See: 'IDF's Gaza assault is to control Palestinian gas, avert Israeli energy crisis', theguardian.com – Wed. 9th July, 2014 – and – 'Oil in Palestine: A gurgle of hope' | The Economist Mar 20th 2014: http://ow.ly/A2Jy3).

Independent political analysts Professor Michel Chossudovsky and Felicity Arbuthnot have both addressed this issue in detailed articles for globalresearch.ca. One titled; 'War and Natural Gas: The Israeli Invasion and Gaza’s Offshore Gas Fields' and first published in 2009 by Prof. Chossudovsky, pointed out that one year after the end of 'Operation Cast Lead', the SOI made public the 'discovery' of natural gas in the Levantine Basin, or as the Israeli press termed it, just 'off the coast of Israel'; (See: 'Gas Deposits Off Israel and Gaza Opening Vision of Joint Ventures' - New York Times http://ow.ly/A2Je7 Sept. 15th, 2000) and articulates the following information:

'British Gas (BG Group) and its partner, the Athens based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) owned by Lebanon’s Sabbagh and Koury families, were granted oil and gas exploration rights in a 25 year agreement signed in November 1999 with the Palestinian Authority. The rights to the offshore gas field are respectively British Gas (60 percent); Consolidated Contractors (CCC) (30 percent); and the Investment Fund of the Palestinian Authority (10 percent). (Haaretz, October 21,  2007). The PA-BG-CCC agreement includes field development and the construction of a gas pipeline.(Middle East Economic Digest, Jan 5, 2001). The BG licence covers the entire Gazan offshore marine area, which is contiguous to several Israeli offshore gas facilities. (See Map below). It should be noted that 60 percent of the gas reserves along the Gaza-Israel coastline belong to Palestine.' (emphasis mine.)   

Ms. Arbuthnot's later analysis appeared in Global Research on Dec. 30th, 2013 where she discussed the back-room deal making and international political fault lines involved in the capitalist exploitation of the natural resource:   

'Israel is set to become a major exporter of gas and some oil, if all goes to plan. The giant Leviathan natural gas field, in the eastern Mediterranean, discovered in December 2010, is widely described as “off the coast of Israel.” At the time the gas field was: “ … the most prominent field ever found in the sub-explored area of the Levantine Basin, which covers about 83,000 square kilometres of the eastern Mediterranean region.” (i) Coupled with Tamar field, in the same location, discovered in 2009, the prospects are for an energy bonanza for Israel, for Houston, Texas based Noble Energy and partners Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration and Ratio Oil Exploration. Also involved is Perth, Australia-based Woodside Petroleum, which has signed a memorandum of understanding for a thirty percent stake in the project, in negotiations which have been described as “up and down.” There is currently speculation that Woodside might pull out of the deal: “ …since the original plans to refrigerate the gas for export were pursued when relations between Israel and Turkey were strained. That has changed, more recently, which has opened the door for gas to be piped to Turkey'. – 'Israel: Gas, Oil and Trouble in the Levant – 2013'. (emphasis mine.) 

Prof. Chossudovsky in particular has connected the timing of large-scale IDF incursions as a military cover for the industrial exploitation of Indigenous Palestine's natural petroleum resources. Further speculation along these lines also hint that the SOI's stated goal of eliminating the Hamas wing of the Palestine Unity Government would facilitate this agenda as they would certainly continue to bargain for more equitable terms. Or perhaps, the concern on the part of the US and the SOI is that Hamas will at some point simply (and expectedly) claim (with justification) the entire Levantine Basin petroleum reserve as Palestinian Territorial property. A situation that will likely keep this crisis going until something breaks. Or until the oil flows.

– –

Further Notes:

Joshua Norman 'WikiLeaks: Israel Intentionally Kept Gaza on Brink of Economic Collapse', CBS News (Jan. 5th, 2011) http://ow.ly/A367w

David Wurmser, 'The Geopolitics of Israel’s Offshore Gas Reserves', (April 4, 2013) http://ow.ly/A37JW

Al Shawa Petroleum & Gaza Company: Private Company Information - Businessweek http://ow.ly/A37L3

'Israel shells UN school in #Gaza' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English (17 Jan 2009) http://ow.ly/zVkDk

Sam Hamad, 'Operation Protective Edge: Reading between the lines', middleeastmonitor.com (July 16th, 2014) http://ow.ly/A31gk

[globalsecurity.org] – Operation Protective Edge http://ow.ly/A31ES  

A. Kofi [w/ sources] -- APNS [2014-08-07 07:17:32]

– – Aboriginal News Group (ANG) ang-newswire.blogspot